PNW Area NAACP Convention marks local chapter's 100th
"Stay Woke to Vote" is the theme for the annual convention of the NAACP State Area Conference of Alaska, Oregon and Washington Friday to Sunday, Sept. 13 to 15, at the Northern Quest Resort and Casino in Airway Heights.
Participants will celebrate accomplishments, discuss challenges, and unify to defend civil rights in the region.
The highlight is Spokane NAACP's Centennial Celebration Banquet Dinner at 6 p.m., Saturday, with a keynote presentation by actor/activist Danny Glover and the Bernie Sanders 2020 co-chair Nina Turner.
"Our region leads the nation on issues that strengthen our communities, like reducing employment discrimination with ban-the-box ordinances, ending the death penalty, calling for police accountability and criminal justice reform, and bringing equality to the work place and classrooms," said Serena Satoran, communications coordinator.
While NAACP has worked to protect and defend civil rights, helping desegregate schools and lunch counters, and solidifying the right to vote, "we continue to witness a rise in racial hatred, white supremacy, voter suppression and educational disparities," she said.
Actor, producer and humanitarian Glover has a more than 30-year performance career. Off-screen, he is respected for his community activism and philanthropic efforts. He served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program, focusing on poverty, disease and economic development in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. He is now UNICEF ambassador.
The luncheon keynote is Sandra Williams, editor of Spokane's Black Lens, an activist, lecturer, filmmaker and entrepreneur who has addressed discrimination, equity and social justice for nearly 40 years.
She is developing The Carl Maxey Center, an African American cultural center on 5th Ave. in Spokane's East Central neighborhood. The center will be a sustainable and technologically innovative hub focused on equity and cultural enrichment, racial and social justice, business and workforce development, education and advocacy.
Convention guest Nina, president of Our Revolution, advocates for progressive ideals and values beyond political affiliation. Recently a speaker for Senator Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries, she advocates for social change and such causes as labor, women's reproductive health, voting rights and the eradication of wealth and income inequality.
Workshops include: "The Reality of Racism in Public Schools: What is Happening and What Needs to be Done," "Taking a Piece of the Pie: Economic Justice for All," "Ending Mass Incarceration in Washington State" and "Civic Engagement."
For information, call 253-632-3308 or visit www.naacpaowsac.org.
Copyright@ The Fig Tree, September, 2019
