EDITOR'S NOTE: We will have a live webcast of the NAACP Convention starting tomorrow at 9:30 AM PST
LOS ANGELES -Roslyn M. Brock, chairwoman of the NAACP, took on recent voting, the "tea party" and the nation’s troubled economic, health and education systems in her keynote address Sunday at the group’s 102nd annual convention in Los Angeles.
“After decades of progress to open up access and make it easier for all Americans to vote, state legislatures in Wisconsin, Ohio, Kansas and Florida are putting into place a web of suppressive and restrictive laws to make it harder, if not impossible, for many to vote,” Brock said, according to a transcript of the address provided by the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People.
“We must redouble our efforts to reverse this pernicious trend,” she said.
Brock later said that “the country is on the precipice of economic collapse” and targeted tea party Republicans for insisting on cutting government spending “to the bone” without raising taxes on wealthy Americans.
Local sources report the running theme throughout Brock’s speech was “courage must not skip this generation,” a theme she introduced by describing a scene from the book-turned-film “The Help” and referencing Aristotle.
At the end of the talk, she demanded:
“This generation who sits in the board room when our parents sat in the mailroom;
This generation -– who sleeps in HOTEL suites when our parents merely swept the streets!
This generation who drives Bentleys, Porsches, Mercedes and Jags, when their parents had nothing but filthy rags.
Courage will not skip this generation!”
Monday, July 25, 2011
Youth Concurrent Workshops (3)
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Public Mass Meeting (Youth Night)
8:00 pm – 11:00 pm President and CEO’s Reception Tickets Required
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm Youth Activity
10:00 pm Late Night Worship Service
TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2011
7:00 am – 8:00 am Youth Regional Meetings
8:00 am – 9:15 am Adult Regional Meetings
9:30 am – 12:30 pm Legislative Session: 2011 Resolutions
10:00 am – 6:00 pm Commerce & Industry Show
Health Fair
Retail Expo
Noon – 8:00 pm Job Fair
12:30 pm – 5:30 pm Election of At-Large Member,
National Board of Directors
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Youth Advisors Luncheon
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Youth and College Male Forum
1:00pm – 2:30 pm Youth and College Female Forum
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm National Membership Luncheon
2:30 pm – 5:00 pm Special Contribution Fund Trustees Meeting
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Legislative Session: 2011 Resolutions
5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Board & Trustees Dinner
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Military Dinner
8:00 pm – Midnight Youth Activity
8:00 pm – 10:00 pm Reception for Delegates hosted by
Los Angeles NAACP Branch.
10:00 pm Late Night Worship Service
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2011
7:00 am – 8:00 am Youth Regional Meetings
8:00 am – 9:15 am Adult Regional Meetings
9:30 am – 12:30 pm Special Plenary Session
Plenary Sessions: “Building African American Political Power”
“Redistricting and the Roadmap to 2012"
10:00 am – 4:00 pm Job Fair
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Labor Luncheon
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Roy Wilkins Youth Leadership Luncheon
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Special Plenary Sessions
Plenary Sessions: Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of The Youth & Division “Artists and Activism”
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm Gospel Extravaganza
7:30 pm – 11:00 pm Youth Freedom Fund Dinner
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2011
9:30 am – Noon Final Plenary Session
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Youth Wrap-Session
This closing wrap up session will discuss next steps for units as they venture back to their communities to engage in NAACP Youth and College activities.
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm National Board of Directors Meeting
7:30 pm Freedom Fund Banquet/Spingarn Award Presentation