January 2021 – NAACP New Bedford

SROs and Juvenile Justice

For anyone unable to join last night's presentation on Juvenile Justice and SRO's — you missed an absolutely great program! Moriah Wiggins, Founding Co-Chair of IMPACT (Improving Multicultural Presence & Advocating for Community Transformation), co-hosted the Zoom meeting with Branch President Dr. LaSella Hall. Presenters included: Leon Smith, Esq., Executive Director, and Joshua Dankoff from Citizens for Juvenile Justice; Matthew Cregor, Staff Attorney, Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee; and Ricardo Rosa, Ph.D., Co-chair, New Bedford Coalition to Save Our Schools/. In addition, we were joined by a number of members of the community, including school committee members and School Superintendent...

19th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast

19th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast Friday, January 29 9:00-11:00 a.m. On Friday, January 29, 2021, from 9 – 11 a.m., UMass Dartmouth will host the 19th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast in a virtual format featuring a keynote address by social justice activist Tamika D. Mallory, remarks from recently appointed Interim Chancellor Mark Fuller, and performances by the student-led D'SWORD Gospel Choir. The event’s theme Call to Action: Then and Now, will look back at the activist actions of Dr. King and how that legacy has translated into current racial equality movements. The...

Where do we stand?

The leadership of the NAACP New Bedford Branch has joined with SouthCoast Faith Leaders, UIA, and the ICC in supporting this reflection on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. As so many of us are still reeling from the spectacle of the shocking event that took place on January 6th in our nation's capital — and its unfolding drama — it is easy to forget the annual observance of the national holiday on January 18, 2021 honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Many of our SouthCoast faith communities typically honor King's life and legacy at this time of year, reflecting...

Community Forum and Discussion: Juvenile Justice in New Bedford and School Resource Officers

NAACP New Bedford Branch Community Forum and Discussion Juvenile Justice in New Bedford and School Resource Officers Thursday, January 28, 2021 at 6:00pm- 7:00pm Please join the NAACP New Bedford Branch for a panel discussion on Juvenile Justice reform and School Resource Officers in New Bedford, MA. Panelists will be discussing a new report on juvenile justice in New Bedford and a new initiative led by youth of the city. Panelists: Leon Smith, Esq., Executive Director, Citizens for Juvenile Justice Joshua Dankoff, Citizens for Juvenile Justice Matthew Cregor, Staff Attorney, Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee Ricardo Rosa, Ph.D., Co-chair, New...

NAACP New Bedford General Body Meeting

All current and prospective members of the NAACP New Bedford Branch are invited to participate in our first General Body Meeting of the New Year via Zoom. Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 7:00pm https://umassd.zoom.us/j/93764563617?pwd=NURFbGdrVUZzWWxuNjk3WDc2QTgwQT09 Meeting ID: 937 6456 3617 Passcode: 1909

Martin Luther King Day, 2021

Today, the third Monday of January, is the day we recall some of the lessons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated in 1968. King lived a brief but amazingly concentrated life that corresponded to an equally brief, unfinished, phase in America's racial awakening. King's teachings had a profound effect on everyone — those who loved and respected him, and even those who loathed him and everything he stood for. Had Reverend King lived, many Republicans claim, he would have been a Republican himself, a social conservative, an ardent defender of Israel and the unborn, and would have...

Essays

Where do we go from here? Reflections on a year of reckoning and re-imagining

by Renee Ledbetter, NAACP New Bedford Vice President Has everything been placed in perspective this year? Is racial equity a priority for all, this year? Were the elections important to every single person throughout the nation, this year? Will the economy ever get better? Will the landlords that are capitalizing on this year's pandemic ever be held accountable for their lack of human dignity? Will law enforcement reform happen? Will congregations open completely so that all can worship together? Will the local, state and national government prioritize their mission and vision for our communities and country? Will we as people...