NAACP resurrection 2016

The St. Petersburg NAACP Branch No. 5130 was reorganized last September. Packed in the fellowship hall of McCabe United Methodist Church, community members responded to the call from the national headquarters to revive the branch by holding a special election.

Many came recognizing that there were major social justice issues that were occurring within our community that not only needed immediate attention but needed the attention that was grounded in the mission and work of the NAACP versus individual’s personal agendas.

Armed with a 120-day work plan, the newly elected officers took on traditional NAACP celebrations as well as the major social issues facing our children’s education and the redevelopment of our community. The work has not come without critics, but the list of accomplishments is impressive for a group of individuals, many of whom didn’t know each other. Those accomplishments have included:

• Hosting a formal swearing in ceremony aimed at introducing the newly elected officers and executive committee members to the community

• Recruited over 300 members

• Recruited six life members

• Hosted Emancipation Service

• Issued a 120-day work plan critiquing the Scale Up for Success Plan and its failed implementation for our elementary schools

• Directly advocated on behalf of five families whose children had suffered adverse situations within their perspective schools

• Advocated successfully for a disabled veteran’s right to live where she chose to live

• Hosted four well organized candidate forums and issued a report card on each of the forums to the community

• Advocated for the preservation of the Lincoln Cemetery

• Facilitated a collaborative with 10 faith based, community based and Greek organizations called VIP for the purpose of registering  voters and getting  out the vote

• Began the planning for the 2017 Freedom Fund Celebration

This work has been accomplished by a group of individuals that recognize they could no longer sit idle in hopes that someone would save us!

The NAACP is currently making plans for the November elections. There has been a lot done, but there is so much more to do! Imagine our community deciding for once that we were going to not only join the NAACP, but make a commitment to work on one of the many standing committees or run for an office with the commitment to do the work.

Please join us for our September general membership meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 6:30p.m. to renew your membership in preparation for the upcoming November election!