OFFICERS Gwendolyn Thomas President Dr. Paula Watkins First Vice President Nadine Lollie, R.N. Acting Treasurer Tylene Henry Secretary Rashonda Wilson Assistant Secretary
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Ellen Gentry
Cedric Jackson
Rick Jones
Nadine Lollie, R.N.
Gwendolyn Moore
Wesley Norris
Carlton Orse
Paris Ross
Caroletta Sprinkle, Esq.
Dr. Paula Watkins
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Gwendolyn Thomas,
President, 2010-2012
Welcome to our newly designed website. Thank you for your patience over the last year. Unfortunately, our branch has undergone a restructuring of service areas and it has been very confusing to the community and our members. As a result there has been a preliminary divide of Lathrup Village, Southfield, Farmington and West Bloomfield. Many of our Executive Committee members live in these areas and have been adversely affected. We are still working through this process and we hope to have some resolve before the next election. Nevertheless, we will not waver from doing the necessary work of the NAACP. Over the last year, despite our challenges we continued to serve communities that needed the help of Southern Oakland County NAACP. We are proud to share with you that Southern Oakland County worked on approximately 50 programs and initiatives and we are already continuing with these objectives 2012. There is a great deal of work to be done in the community to carrying out the mission. I am often reminded that “Service is the price you pay for the space you occupy. Unselfish service to the community gives immensely rich paybacks to the one servicing, those who served and to society in general. Giving personal time, effort and professional skills to enhance the quality of life around us sows seeds that sprout throughout the ages." Join us for our monthly meetings and learn how you can join a committee and help us with our causes. This year is particularly important because of elections. The Voting Rights Act is being challenged across this country and we must protect our right to vote but most importantly maintain the integrity in the process of voting for which so many people died and sacrificed for us to have this right. Let’s protect it and let's be a beacon of light for the next generation of civil rights advocates.
Yours in the Struggle,
Gwen Thomas
OUR MISSION
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of right of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.
Vision Statement The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.
Objectives The following statement of objectives is found on the first page of the NAACP Constitution - the principal objectives of the Association shall be:
• To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens. • To achieve equality of rights and eliminate race prejudice among the citizens of the United States. • To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes. • To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state and local laws securing civil rights. • To inform the pubic of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination. • To educate persons as to their Constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof and to take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP's Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.
