July 18, 2020 – NAACP New Bedford

Solidarity

Massachusetts Association of School Committees weighing support for anti-racism resolution

But will school districts actually vote for it? The Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) Board of Directors has recommended two resolutions to be forwarded to its Resolutions Committee for consideration by the organization's membership. The resolutions address funding for COVID-19 related expenses, and ask member School Committees to to commit to change on issues of racism, equity, and diversity that have finally seized the nation's attention. The resolutions will eventually be considered by MASC's 2020 Delegate Assembly this Fall (last year's Assembly took place on November 8th). This is the wording of the anti-racism language in the MASC resolution:...

Defund SROs: put real resources back in our schools

There was an unintended display of fireworks at the July 13th Zoom meeting of the New Bedford School Committee. Christopher Cotter, Vice Chair of the Committee and a New Bedford Police officer, lectured two of his colleagues about the true nature of "School Resource Officers" ( SROs) — otherwise known as school cops: "Shame on you," Cotter scolded Committee members Joshua Amaral and Colleen Dawicki, for suggesting there are still a lot of questions about the SRO program. "You sit there and say that you don't know what the program is, what it entails, whatever the case is, you have...

Community

NAACP partnerships support Black-owned business

As part of the NAACP's ongoing commitment to the sustainability of Black businesses and economic empowerment for communities of color, we are proud to partner with two prominent organizations to provide support for Black businesses that have fallen on tough times in recent months. NAACP x BeyGOOD The NAACP is delighted to administer a meaningful program in partnership with BeyGOOD’s Black-Owned Small Business Impact Fund to assist our small business communities that have been directly impacted by the recent events across the country. The grants in the amount of $10,000 will be offered to Black-owned small businesses in select cities...

Senate passes “Reform, Shift + Build Act”

On July 14th the Massachusetts Senate passed by a vote of 30 to 7 (with 3 abstentions) S.2820, the "Reform, Shift + Build Act" (S.2820) to "reform police standards and shift resources to build a more equitable, fair and just commonwealth that values Black lives and communities of color." You can read the text of S.2820 here. Senators in the Hall of Shame for not voting for S.2820 include: Nick Collins (D, First Suffolk); Diana DiZoglio (D, First Essex); Ryan Fattman (R, Worcester & Norfolk); Anne Gobi (D, Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex); Michael Moore (D, Second Worcester); Patrick O'Connor...