NAACP March Newsletter

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PRESIDENT'S LETTER - Agnes Moses
Welcome new members. At this time we now have over 100 members. There are some exciting happenings planned for you this coming year and I expect you will take part in the programs.
I invite you to attend the meetings and see the wonderful programs we have for you; bring a friend to the meetings and enjoy the programs and events.
Feel free to take part in the planning and enjoy seeing the final results. Hope to see you at a meeting soon.

EDITOR'S NOTE:
A planning meeting will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2008 from 1:00-3:00 pm at La Farge Library. Please come. We need  input from all.

NAACP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE is available!!!!
The questionnaire contains questions and the candidates' answers on issues of crucial importance to the NAACP and the communities we serve.
The questions and topics that were included in the questionnaire, all pertain to NAACP public policy priorities.
In each case, the candidates were asked to limit their responses to 200 words or less.
To access the questionnaire go the NAACP website, www.NAACP.org
or contact the NAACP Washington Bureau at (202) 463-2940.

THE ROOT
The Root, an on-line news and editorial source for Black Folk produced by Dr. Henry Lewis Gates in collaboration with the Washington Post and Dr. Gates, is now available.
It also includes a section on tracing genealogy. Check it out at theroot.com

SUMMER LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The NAACP Youth & College Division has partnered with the AT&T Foundation to host a 6-week fellowship and internship program, June 14-July 25, 2008.
This program will provide undergrad and graduate students with the opportunity to in NAACP offices in Baltimore, MD; New York, NY and Washington, DC.

NAACP/AT&T Fellows or Interns will work with NAACP staff on relevant matters concerning organizational issues, education, health, civic engagement, juvenile justice and economic empowerment;
gain valuable non-profit experience and networking opportunities, while increasing knowledge about various aspects of the civil rights movement; and have an opportunity to attend the Annual NAACP Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio.

NAACP/AT&T Fellows and Interns will receive a stipend and lodging assistance may be available.
Transportation will not be provided to and from the internship city.

How to apply:
-Complete and sign the attached application
-Provide a current resume
-Provide an unofficial copy of school transcript
-A short essay discussing why you consider an internship or fellowship with the NAACP to be a valuable experience. (Not to exceed 300 words)

Mail your application to: NAACP Youth & College Division, 4805 Mt. Hope Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215, Attn: Youth & College Division- Summer Internship

Application Deadline:        March 18^th, 2008
LEGAL REDRESS

We are able to meet with residents of Santa Fe County to help them complete the necessary paperwork needed for other organizations that process civil rights complaints.
Our current resources do not permit us to provide similar services to those residing outside of Santa Fe County. The complainant must file with their respective local branch.
As there are no NAACP branches north of Santa Fe, we will forward a copy of the complaint to the State Legal Redress office for further processing and keep a copy in our files.
Please note: the Santa Fe branch of the NAACP cannot provide legal advice or services.
If you would like a copy of the letter responding to complaints, we would gladly e-mail you one or
see Branch webpage, www.naacpsfnm.org or call (505) 424-6100 and we will mail you one.

MEMBERSHIP - Carol Johnson
Membership as of March 1, 2007: 100 adult (includes 7 Life and 4 Subscribing Life).

Six new members joined us December, 2007 - March 1, 2008.
Welcome our new members: Bradley Grummersall, Stephen Machen, Donald McAvinchey (Subscribing Life), Cedric Page, Geoffrey Sloan, and Carolyn Stephenson.
Twenty-four members did not renew their membership in 2007.
If you have not renewed, please do so using this form. Consider following Donald McAvinchey's lead and become a Life member for the NAACP's 100 aniversary.
We need you.

Please help us increase our membership by signing up family members, friends or someone else.
The Santa Fe Branch NAACP invites people of all races and cultures to work on behalf of justice in Northern New Mexico.

Fill out the form below and mail with check or money order to:
Santa Fe NAACP- Membership
P.O. Box 15692
Santa Fe, NM 87592

To Join or Renew:
        Adult: Annual membership $30.00
(includes subscription to "The Crisis"
  Or Life Membership $750.00
(payable in 10 annual installments of $75.00 or more)

Child < 13 years:  Annual rate $15.00 with Crisis subscription or $10.00 without Crisis
    Jr. Life (duration until age 13) $100.00 (payable in four annual installments of $25.00 or more)

Youth 14-17 years: Annual rate $15.00 with Crisis subscription or $10.00 without Crisis
     Teen Life (duration age 14-17) $250.00 payable in five annual installments of $50.00 or more)

Extra Donation $ ______________

Please identify youth / adult status:

NAMES:____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________

MAILING ADDRESS:___________________
_____________________________________

Telephone:____________________________
Email: _______________________________

I am interested in participating on the following committee(s):
(   ) Civic Engagement (   ) Political Action
(   ) Armed Services and Veterans Affair
(   ) Legal Redress (   )Criminal Justice
(   ) International Affairs/Immigration
(   ) Economic Empowerment (   ) Housing
(   ) Economic Development
(   ) Labor & Industry (   ) Education
(   ) Health (   ) Membership (   ) Youth Work
(   ) Press & Publicity (   ) Religious Affairs
(   ) MLK Day (   ) Juneteenth
(   ) Soul Food Event
(   ) Newsletter (   )Webpage
(... )Other (specify)__________________________

OUR OWN GRAMMY WINNER
On Sunday February 10, 2008, the 50th GRAMMY AWARDS presented its Native American Album of the Year to Santa Fe producer Larry Mitchell (past Vice President of Santa Fe NAACP) and Robert Mirabal of Taos Pueblo.
The winning album, "Totemic Flute Chants- Johnny Whitehorse" on Silver Wave Records was co-produced by Larry Mitchell and Mirabal.
The album successfully blends Native American flute, keyboards, tribal drums and an array of world music instruments to create a captivating sound.
Johnny Whitehorse is a character created by Robert Mirabal.
The GRAMMY'S Native American category was initiated in 2000 and category is "for recordings of a more traditional nature, but allowing contemporary recordings containing substantial traditional elements."

Larry also produced, engineered and performs on CD You Have Forgotten Me, a song about the plight of Homeless Veterans.
It is estimated there are over 350,000 homeless veterans in America and about 7,000 in the State of New Mexico.
Ron Edwards, Veteran (USMC) wrote the song at the request of Secretary of Veterans Services John Garcia.
Ron sings and plays some of the acoustic guitar parts along with Larry with haunting vocals at the end of the song by Kathy Sabo.
The song can be obtained for a donation of $10.00 or more.
It is available in Santa Fe at Santa Fe Hemp, Pd Bean Coffee House, Turquoise Trail Pack & Ship, El Dorado Cards & Flowers, Outback Video, Sante Studio in El Dorado and Veterans Integration Center in Albuquerque.
More information can be obtained about the plight of homeless veterans and how funds raised will be used at www.youhaveforgottenme.com .

6^TH  ANNUAL AFRICAN EFFECT FILM FESTIVAL
The 6^th  Annual African Effect Film Festival will be held May 2-4, 2008 at the Center for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 1050 Old Pecos Trail.
The festival is again crated by Samba Gadjido, originally from Senegal and now French professor at Mt Holyoke University, and Jason Silverman, CCA director of film programming.
As in the past the festival will present extraordinary films & special programs. For more information, call CAC at 982-1338.

FINANCE/BUDGET - 100th Anniversary Approaching
  We may be forecasting a budget shortfall this year depending on the timing and execution of as yet unplanned fundraising events.
As with any community organization, it is difficult to raise funds. However, 2009 is the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP nationally.
We are excited about playing this up over the next two years, through the end of 2009.
This will require additional funds for things like communications and outreach, printing of promotional materials, and travel to our State, Regional and National conferences..

We need your help:
To this end, if any active, or currently inactive, members would like to help the organization remain a viable presence in Santa Fe, and the defacto anchor branch for the state Capitol for the state-wide organization, we need everyone's help.

If you cannot participate in person very often, or at all, do any of you have the ability to:
-donate extra airline travel vouchers we can use to send our branch reps to NAACP conferences?
-make an additional cash donation, over and above your $30 dues (donations over $50 can be given by credit card)?
-donate a nice item, new or in very good condition, for our annual auction- items of African origin or style are very popular
-or solicit a nice item or restaurant gift certificates from your favorite retail or restaurant (valued under $500, for IRS reasons).
-offer your business's (or personal) copier to print one or all of our three newsletters and/or nine postcards?
-offer your businesses postage machine to cover one or all of our newsletter and/or postcard mailings?
-be a financial sponsor for one of our events or solicit a sponsor or business you know personally (acknowledgement will be included in our newsletter, the event program, and on our website)?
-offer to volunteer for at least one task for at NAACP events

Thanks for your help and thoughts on how to help our branch remain viable and visible for our big anniversary.

Finance Committee: Daran Moon, Chris Johnson, Agnes Moses. Call 471-2881 to offer your help.

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.  HOLIDAY CELEBRATION
Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration was held on Monday, January 21, 2008 at noon at State Capitol Rotunda.
The focus of the celebration was labor in honor of the 40^th  anniversary of Dr. King's assassination in Memphis, Tennessee where he had gone to help settle a strike on behalf of city sanitation workers.

The following students were recognized during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration
and prizes were awarded the next day at Santa Fe Community College for their commemoration of Dr. King's legacy by writing an essay or designing a poster.
Poster Contest Winners:
High School - Estevan Gonzales (1^st  - $100.00); Nathan Montoya (2^nd  - $50.00); Shyanne Stambaugh and Melissa Valencia (3^rdtie - $25.00).
Middle School - Elias Pacheco (Special Mention - $75.00). Elementary School- Tesuque Elementary School First & Second Grades, Renee Mitsinnaga, teacher and Agua Fria Elementary Kindergarten, Eslee Kessler, teacher (Special Mention - $75.00).
Essay Contest Winners:
High School - Brian Romero (1^st  - $100.00); Ryan Mulcahy (2^nd  - $50.00); Melissa Valencia (3^rd  - $25.00). Middle School - Alsel Carpenter (Special Mention - $75.00). Elementary School - Tesuque Elementary First & Second Grade, Renee Mitsinnaga, teacher (Special Mention - $ 75.00).

3^rd  Annual Youth Council Pancake Breakfast
Lilli Raphael

The NAACP Youth Council would like to thank everyone who came out and supported us at the pancake breakfast at St. Bedes Episcopal Church on February 23, 2008.
We received many generous donations and wound up making about $600.00!
Although we made a lot of money, we still have a long way to go before we are able to go to Cincinnati for the NAACP National Convention.
We appreciate any donations, frequent flyer miles or help that can be provided to pay for our expenses.

Thanks again, the Santa Fe Youth Council.
Please contact Lilli at 690-5896 if you have ideas.

PAST PRESIDENT PASSES - Nichoe Lichen

ARTHUR H. SILVERS was born July 12, 1930 and died on Friday, January 18, 2008, at the age of 77, after a protracted illness. He was born in South Central Los Angeles and raised by his mother, May Silvers, and his uncle, Jess Kimbrough, one of the first black police officers in Los Angeles. A graduate from the School of Architecture of the University of Southern California in 1959, and practiced architecture primarily in California for 30 years. He taught architecture at California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo. Silvers was a partner of Kennard and Silvers, one of the first black architectural firms in Los Angeles. He designed private homes, religious institutions, commercial and educational centers such as The Thurgood Marshall College (College III) and planed the redevelopment of a portion of the Fillmore District in San Francisco. Silvers was president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in the 1960s and worked to expose housing discrimination, red lining, and discrimination against Blacks in restaurants. Silvers played a leading role in acts of civil disobedience and non-violent resistance to attempts to undermine public protests against racial segregation. He collaborated with leaders in the civil rights movement including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. After retiring, Silvers lived in Santa Fe, NM, where he was president of the Santa Fe NAACP and was known for his activism to end the Death Penalty, Drug Policy Reform, and disparate treatment of people of color in the Criminal Justice System. He also lived in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico for many years and helped establish a peace center by working with others in Atlanta, GA, to create the office of Secretary of Peace. In 2007, Silvers returned to Los Angeles to be closer to his family and his roots. Silvers is survived by two sons: Gene Silvers and John Silvers; and his wife, Wendy, and their daughter, Joie-May Silvers, all of Los Angeles.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
      1.    2^nd  Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm, Santa Fe Branch NAACP General Membership Meeting, at First Christian Church, 642 Webber Street.
      2.    Sunday, May 11, 2008 at 3:00 pm, Randall Morris, Independent Scholar, lecture on African American vernacular artists at MOIFA. Lectures are free to New Mexico residents.
    3.    Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at 7:30 pm, WORD FOR WORDS: James Baldwin's Sonny's Blues at The Lensic, 988-1234.
    4.    March 27-29, 2008, Southwest Region VI NAACP Civil Rights Advocacy Training Institute: CHANGE IS IN THE AIR, New Orleans, Louisiana.
    5.    Thursday, April 13, 2008, 2008 at 8:00 pm, Ebony Fashion Fair, Albuquerque Convention Center, includes dinner, a one year subscription to ebony or jet, and fashion show.
    6.    Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 7:00 pm, School of American Research: Skin Deep Evolution of Human Skin and Skin Color at The Lensic, 988-1234. free.
    7.    Tuesday, June 3, 2008, New Mexico Primary Election Day. GET OUT AND VOTE!
    8.    July 12-17, 2008, 99^th  Annual NAACP Convention, Cincinnati, Ohio.
    9.    July 30-August 3, 2008, ACT-SO 30^th  Anniversary Celebration, Walt Disney World, Florida.