Contact: Dominic Hawkins
Mobile: 703-828-7813 / dhawkins@skdknick.com
Convention planning committee announced highlights & convention focus including the legislative agenda, the sociopolitical climate, arts & entertainment and much more
BALTIMORE (Friday, July 22, 2018) – In case you missed it, the NAACP hosted a press call yesterday previewing the 109th Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas from July 14-18.
NAACP leadership discussed the convention theme Defeat Hate – Vote, NAACP’s legislative agenda for 2018, social justice, civic engagement, the current political climate, and arts/entertainment. Don’t miss this year’s Convention. Register to join us in San Antonio next month: http://www.naacpconvention.org/.
Listen to excerpts of the call here.
“This year’s theme, Defeat Hate – Vote, reminds us that civic engagement is the most powerful tool in our arsenal. Our vote is our currency and if we don’t vote, we’ll never be able to make substantial strides on the issues that matter most in our communities,” said Michael Turner, 109th Convention Chairman.
“There’s a double celebration right now in San Antonio, while the city is celebrating its tricentennial, the San Antonio branch is celebrating its 100th year of advocacy for freedom and justice in the city,” said Oliver Hill, San Antonio President .
“This year at ACT-SO we are asking our students to discover, believe and manifest every cultural and scholastic dream that they have moving into our 40th National Competition for ACT-SO,” said Larry Brown, ACT-SO National Director.
“The NAACP has had some significant wins advancing federal policy around specific issue areas that affect and impact the LGBTQ community. It is indeed a priority of the NAACP to ensure that all individuals are protected under the law. As we advance our LGBTQ engagement, we are proud to announce our LGBTQ events that will be held on Tuesday, July 17,” said Reverend Keron R. Sadler, Health Programs Manager.
“We will be bringing attorneys from around the country, inviting them to come and learn about all aspects that pertain to voting rights litigation to increase the amount of attorneys that are ready to fight back against issues of voting rights discrimination and impediments to everyone being able to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said Khyla D. Craine, Assistant General Counsel.
“We’re going to round out our programs lifting up the fact that how we defeat hate in part is by voting and exercising our political and legislative power at the ballot box,” said Jamal Watkins, Vice President of Civic Engagement.
“We’re really excited about the celebrity engagement that we’re going to have at our convention over the five days. A long time friend of the Association, Anthony Anderson from ABC’s Black-ish, will be speaking on Sunday, July 15, at our Arts and Entertainment Day in the NAACP Experience,” said Robin Harrison, Hollywood Bureau Director
“At the end of this youth and college convention, we will have created new knowledge together, challenged the national discourse around race and violence in this country and celebrated our blackness,” said Tiffany Dena Loftin, Youth & College Division Director.
About the 109th Annual NAACP Convention
For 109 years, NAACP’s annual convention has served as a meeting ground for African Americans across the nation to discuss the critical matters affecting the state of civil rights and social justice issues in America.
This year’s convention, taking place at the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center within site of the San Antonio’s famous River Walk, will include continuing legal education seminars, youth workshops, federal legislative and public policy discussions on the latest political issues, a hip-hop summit including many of today’s top entertainers and activists, a diversity career fair, the NAACP ACT SO (Academic, Cultural, Technical and Scientific Olympics) final competition and awards. To join us, visit us online at http://www.naacpconvention.org/.
