Author Archives: Lynn Boyd

(VICTORY) NAACP VS DeVos AND DeSantis!!!



The corona virus pandemic focused the nation’s attention on the essential role public schools play in the lives of families and communities. It’s also exposed the severe racial inequalities that continue to plague our education system and disadvantage students of color.

But rather than addressing these problems, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, fully supported and endorsed by the Trump Administration, took action to exploit the pandemic and promote her personal agenda of funneling taxpayer dollars to private schools and taking resources away from the schools and the students who need it most.

We weren’t just going to standby and watch it happen. That’s why we sued on behalf of students of color across the nation – and we WON!

This decision sends a clear signal that Secretary DeVos cannot use illegal means to advance her harmful agenda to the detriment of our highest need students.

Janette, we didn’t stop with Betsy DeVos. We also sued Governor DeSantis in Florida for trying to force schools to reopen in August – endangering teachers and students alike. The court found that DeSantis arbitrarily prioritized reopening schools statewide over the safety and the advice of health experts.

This decision showed that the DeSantis Order was unconstitutional to the extent that it arbitrarily disregards safety, denies local school boards decision making with respect to reopening brick and mortar schools, and conditions funding on an approved reopening plan.

These cases are great victories but when it comes to confronting and overcoming the systemic racism that is deeply rooted in our education system, the fight is far from over! Janette, will you make a generous donation today to help us continue to tackle these challenges and protect our nation’s school children?

The march continues,

Janette McCarthy-Wallace
NAACP, Interim General Counsel

NAACP PRESIDENT AND CEO DERRICK JOHNSON – STATEMENT ON THE SHOOTING OF JACOB BLAKE

Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, issued the following statement regarding the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Wisconsin father of three:

“The appalling and heinous shooting of Jacob Blake is yet another stark reminder of the free-willing atrocities committed against Black people at the hands of those entrusted to maintain public safety. This recent shooting comes on the heels of civil unrest that has caused the world to take heed to a long-standing pandemic of systemic racism and injustice. 

The unfortunate and sobering reality is that Black men and women are under perpetual fear of having their life taken from them at any given moment while engaging with police officers. In a country where the phrase, “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” epitomizes “unalienable rights,” Jacob Blake is another prime example, in a succession of individuals, that the promises of this nation ring hollow for too many to be meritorious. 

At this moment, the work of the American people is clear and unquestionable; we must continue to fight, organize, and mobilize against police brutality, and state-sanctioned killings at the hands of law enforcement. While the visions of Jacob Blake, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others play over and over in our minds, we must not grow weary until we’ve achieved police liability and substantive change is realized. If there was ever a time for us to unite against a common threat to the existence of Black people, it is now.”

Our thoughts and prayers are with Jacob Blake, his family, and friends, as he continues to fight for his life and to return to his children.

#WeAreDoneDying

STATEMENT FROM THE US CENSUS DIRECTOR

Statement from U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham:
Delivering a Complete and Accurate 2020 Census Count
The U.S. Census Bureau continues to evaluate its operational plans to
collect and process 2020 Census data. We are announcing updates to ourplan that will include enumerator awards and the hiring of more
employees to accelerate the completion of data collection and
apportionment counts by our statutory deadline of December 31, 2020, as required by law and directed by the Secretary of Commerce. The Census Bureau’s new plan reflects our continued commitment to conduct a complete count, provide accurate apportionment data, and protect the health and safety of the public and our workforce.    Learn More Complete Count: A robust field data collection operation will ensure we receive responses from households that have not yet self-responded to the 2020 Census.
We will improve the speed of our count without sacrificing completeness. As part of our revised plan, we will conduct additional training sessions
and provide awards to enumerators in recognition of those who
maximize hours worked. We will also keep phone and tablet computer
devices for enumeration in use for the maximum time possible.
We will end field data collection by September 30, 2020. Self-response
options will also close on that date to permit the commencement of data processing. Under this plan, the Census Bureau intends to meet a similar level of household responses as collected in prior censuses, including outreach to hard-to-count communities.
Accurate Data and Efficient Processing:
Once we have the data from self-response and field data collection in our secure systems, we plan to review it for completeness and accuracy, streamline its processing, and prioritize apportionment counts to meet the statutory deadline. In addition, we plan to increase our staff to
ensure operations are running at full capacity.
Flexible Design
Our operation remains adaptable and additional resources will help
speed our work. The Census Bureau will continue to analyze data and
key metrics from its field work to ensure that our operations are agile
and on target for meeting our statutory delivery dates. Of course, we
recognize that events can still occur that no one can control, such as
additional complications from severe weather or other natural disasters.
Health and Safety
We will continue to prioritize the health and safety of our workforce and the public. Our staff will continue to follow Federal, state, and local
guidance, including providing appropriate safety trainings and personal
protective equipment to field staff.

The Census Bureau continues its work on meeting the requirements of Executive Order 13880 issued July 11, 2019 and the Presidential
Memorandum issued July 21, 2020. A team of experts are examining
methodologies and options to be employed for this purpose. The
collection and use of pertinent administrative data continues.

We are committed to a complete and accurate 2020 Census. To date, 93 million households, nearly 63 percent of all households in the Nation,
have responded to the 2020 Census. Building on our successful and
innovative internet response option, the dedicated women and men of
the Census Bureau, including our temporary workforce deploying in
communities across the country in upcoming weeks, will work diligently to achieve an accurate count.

We appreciate the support of our hundreds of thousands of community-based, business, state, local and tribal partners contributing to these
efforts across our Nation.
The 2020 Census belongs to us all. If you know someone who has not yet
responded, please encourage them to do so today online at
2020census.gov, over the phone, or by mail.
Help us spread the word. Connect with us!   About the 2020 Census: The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the
population every 10 years. The 2020 Census counts everyone who lives in the U.S. on April 1, 2020. Census statistics help determine the number of
seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and how
billions of dollars in federal funds will be allocated by state, local, and federal lawmakers every year for the next 10 years.

POST ABOUT WHITE NATIONALIST INITIATIONS

Subject: Post About White Nationalist Initiations

From: McKinney, Jonathan –
Mid-Atlantic Regional Field Director (Region 7: Washington, DC – Maryland,
and Virginia) Field Operations & Membership Department.

Recently, we’ve been made aware of a chain message that has been circulating social media and chat groups about the NAACP issuing a warning against white nationalist and white supremacist groups carrying out initiations and targeting Black men over the 4th of July weekend.

You may receive calls, emails, or texts about these messages, so please be aware that we have not received nor sent any information about these claims. Below is our statement on this issue, and it can also be found here on our website. 

STATEMENT ON RECENT POSTS CLAIMING TO BE FROM NAACP

In recent days, several social media platforms have posted statements purporting that the NAACP has received information about white nationalist group initiations during the July 4 weekend.

The National NAACP has not released any such statement. While we take all matters of racial discrimination and racial hatred seriously, these statements are not from the NAACP.

These social media posts and press releases appear to be associated with a Huey P. Newton group, which has no affiliation to the NAACP.

All official NAACP statements can be found on our website at www.naacp.org or @naacp on official NAACP social media platforms.

CHANGE IN VOTING LOCATION FOR ALBEMARLE COUNTY BRANCHLANDS PRECINCT

General County NewsTuesday, June 16th, 2020
Change in Voting Location for Branchlands Precinct
Albemarle County voters who have voted in past elections at the Church of the Incarnation will vote at the Virginia Institute of Autism, 491 Hillsdale Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22901 for the upcoming June 23 election. Postcard notice of this change will be mailed to all Branchlands precinct voters.
This change is pursuant to Va. Code 24.2-310(D).
For any questions, please call the Albemarle County Voter Registration Office at 434-972-4173, or contact Voterregistration@albemarle.org.

ALBEMARLE-CHARLOTTESVILLE NAACP STATEMENT ON THE KILLING OF MR. GEORGE FLOYD

NEWS ​ RELEASE Saturday, May 30, 2020

NAACP BRANCH STATEMENT ON THE KILLING OF MR. GEORGE FLOYD

Charlottesville, VA. – ​The Albemarle- Charlottesville Branch of the NAACP aligns itself with those who express outrage and call for justice in the tragic death of Mr. George Floyd while in the custody of law enforcement officers.

It is becoming increasingly painful as we continue to view, much too often, videos of inhumane treatment of our African American men, and an increasing number of African American women.

Reasonable people have to ask- why are these killings happening with such frequency? If the truth were told, historically, the killing of Blacks at the hands of law enforcement officers is nothing new. With the advancement of technology, the world is now aware of what has been ongoing for many years. When there is no accountability for acts of injustice, unnecessary disposal of Black lives will continue.

Our communities are saddened and angry, but we must be strategic and measured. We must insist on and support legislation that will address these issues as we continue to battle such grave injustices.

The NAACP does not condone violence, but we do encourage people to fight politically by voting!

Janette Boyd Martin, President
Albemarle-Charlottesville NAAC