Sanford Citizens Continue to Demand Justice at NAACP Town Hall Meeting

The Seminole County NAACP Town Hall meeting was packed with information.  The forum was held at Allen Chapel AME church on Monday night at 7pm.  The main focus of the meeting was next steps in the aftermath of the George Zimmerman verdict.  George Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges in the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin.  This verdict has served to motivate the community to speak out against injustice and work toward true justice.

NAACP National Activites

Seminole NAACP President Turner Clayton began the meeting by listing the national organization's plans for dealing with the verdict.  The first step is to collect more signatures for the petition to bring civil rights charges against George Zimmerman.  You can go to www.naacp.org to find out more information and sign.  The NAACP is also callng for a revocation of George Zimmerman's concealed weapons permit.

The NAACP will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King gave the historic "I Have a Dream Speech."  On August 24th the NAACP will join in the commemoration of this landmark Civil Rights Movement event by gathering on the National Mall.

NAACP Local Activities

The Seminole County Branch of the NAACP is also planning some local efforts.  There will be a march during the fist week of August.  The branch will also be looking into allegations that there was jury tampering in the George Zimmerman trial.  There have been charges that the jury was not completely sequestered during the trial.  There will be town hall meetings held monthly to update the community on progress toward justice.  President Clayton also announced that there will be annual commemoration events for Trayvon Martin.  Each year a prayer vigil will be held during the month of February to remember the life that was lost.  February 5 was Trayvon's birthday.  February 26th was the day he was killed by a grown man.  Also, the branch is calling for economic sanctions each year on July 13, which is the date of the "Not Guilty" verdict. 

ALEC

President Clayton also gave out information on the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).  This organization raises money to elect conservative candidates among other things.  One of the other things they have raised money for is the George Zimmerman Defense Fund.  Many companies in which we spend our money belong to ALEC.  The NAACP suggest that we stop spending our money with organizations that actively (and blatantly) work against us.  By giving our money to these companies, we are supporting ALEC.  Companies like Wal-Mart, McDonald's, Amazon and Coca Cola have pulled out of ALEC.  Companies like AT&T, State Farm, Yahoo, Pfizer and Time Warner Cable disrespect us and show that they do not value us or our hard-earned money by supporting a cause that we have demonstrated so passionately against.  You can go to www.commoncause.org to find a list of all of the companies that are still a part of ALEC.

Police Brutality in Sanford

Sanford released the killer of an unarmed teenager and literally the next day the Sanford police tased Samuel Fuller (an older African American man) in the head, causing him to have to be admitted into the hospital.  The new Chief of Police, Cecil Smith, was at the meeting to bravely face the community.  Smith said the tasing was an accident that occurred because the police officer and Fuller were both running.  The community expressed support and said that they would be patient with Chief Smith.  However, they by and large did not buy the excuse that this event was an accident.  Many of the citizens said the police officers are trained to handle the taser gun.  They also questioned whether pulling out a taser and chasing a man who was suspected of shooting dice was even called for. Not to mention, witnesses said Fuller was not even involved in the dice game but only a spectator.  Many citizens want the Federal Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the SPD.  They said they do support and trust Chief Smith.  However, they do not trust many of the officers and staff who report to Chief Smith.   Take a look at the pictures and  judge for yourself.

We Can Still Get Justice for Trayvon Martin

The Zimmerman verdict has saddened many tonight. It was suggested by Zimmerman's attorneys that those seeking justice for Trayvon Martin are angry people. Mark O'mara said that those people who wanted this trial to happen are just angry, responsible for stirring up hatred for George Zimmerman. O'mara and others are saying that the people who feel that George Zimmerman should have been arrested, tried and held accountable for the death of an innocent, unarmed child are just angry, even hatemongers.

 However, what I have seen and heard are just words and expressions of sorrow for Trayvon Martin, Sybrina Fulton, Tracy Martin, and the rest of their family. They have had to sit and watch their son be put on trial instead of the man who killed him. They have had to see images of the dead body of their child. They have had to listen to him scream. So those who have prayed for justice are not angry. We are so very sad.

However, we must realize that we can not stop at being sad. We have got to continue the fight for our boys. The media are turning off their lights and cameras and getting in their vans to go home. We are still here. We still have boys who are profiled everyday. They are being profiled from the time they come out of the womb. They are marked for failure as soon as they walk into the kindergarten class. Prisons are being built to house them. And now we know that the graves that are carved out for them are not grieved over by some.

If this trial didn't show us anything else, it should have showed us that we can not wait on anybody else to value our boys. Some people may never see black boys as worthy of defense. They may never empathize with the tears shed by black mothers and fathers.

But those of us who live in Sanford and other communities across this nation and world must support and nurture our boys and girls. We must do everything we can to make sure that they know they are worthy. We must tell them they are destined for greatness not graves at an early age. We must prepare them for college not the criminal justice system. We must make it so that if our boys are profiled, it will not be as potential criminals. We must make sure that anyone who sees our boys can expect nothing but strength, good character, and intelligence. Because that is who they are. That is who God created them to be. We must tell them who they are. We must fight for them. Not in anger, but in love.

The Seminole County NAACP Vows to Stand Firm in the Fight for Justice

The Seminole County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held its 72nd Annual Freedom Fund Awards Banquet  on June 1 at the Sanford Civic Center.  The theme for the evening was "We Shall Not Be Moved."  Faye Henderson and Gospel Praise provided world class gospel and jazz entertainment throughout the evening. 

The guest speaker, Dr. Peola Butler-Jackson, asked the question, "From what are you not going to be moved?"  Dr. Butler-Jackson is the founder and president of DEWS Associates.  She is an international motivational speaker, lecturer, consultant and researcher.  She is passionate about community uplift and promoting world peace.  Her passion led her to Sanford, where she gave a fiery speech that was part pow-wow, part scolding and part history lesson.

Dr. Butler-Jackson started the speech by warning that the NAACP may not ever invite her back after hearing what she had to say.  She said that she was tired of "feel-good sessions" where everyone goes home and then back to the status quo.  Dr. Butler Jackson admonished the crowd that the African American community as a whole (and in Seminole County specifically) has some serious problems that need to be dealt with.  She said that the issues are so grave that "there is a coming generation that can take us back into slavery."  She mentioned the challenges of teen pregnancy, educational failure, and disproportionate prison rates.  She directed each listener to look in the mirror and ask, "What am I doing to make a difference?"

Dr. Butler-Jackson also warned the NAACP to fire up the younger members of the community to get involved, because "an organization that has more old people than young is a dying organization."

Turner Clayton, Jr., the branch president, answered Dr. Butler-Jackson's question, saying the branch would not be moved from its mission to make sure that all students receive a quality education and that all citizens are treated fairly under the law.  He said that the minority community of Seminole County will never go back to second-class citizenship and that there will be justice for all people.

Several awards were given to the community leaders of Seminole County.  Gloria Cummings received an award for earning "Life Member" status in the NAACP.  Pastor Valerie Houston (Allen Chapel AME Church), Pastor Lowman Oliver (St. Paul M.B. Church) and Dr. Velma Williams (Sanford City Commission) were presented with presidential awards for their dedication to bringing about justice for Trayvon Martin. Clayton was presented with the "Earl T. Shinholster Through the Storm Award."   This award is given by the Southeast Region of the NAACP, which consists of the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

If you would like to become a part of the Seminole County Chapter of the NAACP, you can call (407) 328-7496 or send e-mail to naacp-seminole@prodigy.net.  You can join or get more information at www.naacp.org.

Ladies of Sanford PMF Club Deliver a Taste of Kentucky

The sisters of the Pearlie Mae Ford Community Service Club of Sanford gave Central Florida "A Taste of the Kentucky Derby" on Saturday, May 4 at the Longwood Community Center.  The ladies put on a party like no other, drawing both women and men of all ages to strut their stuff and show off their fiercest hats.

They danced everything from the "Twist" to the "Cupid Shuffle", ate delicious Southern-style food, took pictures with "Cinnamon the Horse", watched "Orb" win the race and of course delivered some serious swag in fabulous hats of all sizes, colors and styles.  Now the evening was fun-filled, but the party also had a purpose.  The ladies held the event to raise money for their scholarship fund.

PMF just celebrated its one-year anniversary.  The club mission is to assist in community programs, support charities, provide scholarships and provide support and encouragement to its members.  The club motto is "Changing Lives...One Pearl at a Time." They support programs such as the Seminole County Public Schools "Red Bag Campaign," Wicklow and Hamilton Elementary School projects, and "Dress for Success Greater Orlando."  In just one year, PMF has already made a mighty impact in Sanford!

If you are interested in working to make our community stronger by building bonds of sisterhood and love or to find out scholarship information, you can contact PMF at (407) 592-1850.

Seminole School Board Rezoning Could Unfairly Impact Black Students

    
The Seminole County School Board will have a very important meeting on February 25 to vote on rezoning. Students will have to be shifted around because of overcrowding at many elementary schools.

      At the meeting on Monday, board members will vote on a plan. The board could vote to do away with the Northwest Cluster (a cluster of schools that includes Bentley, Wilson, Wicklow, Crystal Lake, and Idyllwilde). This would take away school choice altogether. The favored plan is to keep the cluster and divide it into two regions. Currently, students in the cluster can attend any school within the cluster.

      Of course, any time rezoning comes up in any district, there will be controversy. Many parents do not want rezoning because their children will have to change schools. This can be both inconvenient and traumatic for students.

      However, some of the controversy is due to issues of race and class. The district is supposed to maintain a racial and economic balance due to a federal order and an agreement with the federal government. However, it doesn't look like the plans are really addressing this issue at all. The more affluent schools such as Heathrow and Wilson will remain lily white. (It seems that some of the parents at these schools are concerned that there could be a negative impact on property values if color is added to the campus). Often, schools in more affluent neighborhoods have better resources and more experienced teachers. Shouldn't all students have access to the best?

      The rezoning issue also affects black students because the students who live in the predominately black (and not so affluent) neighborhoods (Lincoln Heights, Academy Manor, Lockhart and Goldsboro) that are attending Idllywilde Elementary could be forced to change schools, depending on which plan is chosen. It would certainly not be fair to put all of the burden and inconvenience on this group.

      Regardless of which plan we favor, we need to get out to the meeting to let the Board know we care about and support our children. We need to make sure that the burden of rezoning is equally shared and that all of the students have access to a top quality education. Then we need to keep showing up and participating to make sure that no matter what school they attend, all of our children will excel.

The meeting will be held on Monday, February 25 at Seminole County Public Schools (400 E. Lake Mary Blvd) at 5:30 p.m.

Big Trouble in Little Sanford

Sanford is a small town with people whose roots go way deep. Its image was tarnished last year because of the killing of Trayvon Martin. I have heard a few say Sanford's image was unfairly stained by the whole situation. In fact, the City of Sanford and local groups are working to "restore" Sanford’s old fashioned charm. But before we take out the cans of fresh paint, I think we are going to have to do some further examination. Since Trayvon Martin’s death, there have been more shootings of young black men. Just as senseless. Just as tragic. The difference is most of these shootings have been by other young black men. Reports say many of the shootings are the result of a killing that took place 10 years ago, causing a war between two groups from two different neighborhoods. As far as I know, there have been no marches. There have been no rallies. No prayer vigils. No tributes. No memorials. Just sad funeral after sad funeral. Weeping mother after weeping mother. Sanford is a small town. (I used to think it was the smallest.) But it has the same big problems among black males as big cities like Chicago and Detroit. I’ve been asking myself what can we do. I know many others are asking the same question. I’ve heard it said that all this is a result of God’s judgment. Well if God is punishing, whose actions are under indictment? Is it the young men or is it us who have failed to help nurture, teach and raise them? What about when some “innocent” person gets caught in the crossfire? We’ve all heard the saying... bullets don’t have names on them. What about the next Trayvon Martin or Jordan Davis who gets taken to be “one of the thugs?” How many more jail cells need to be filled? How many more funerals do we need to have before we stop pointing the finger and do something about this? It’s going to take more than a march. More than gun control. More than a speech. More than a t-shirt. And more than a superficial image makeover. We have a much bigger restoration project. The churches, organizations and individuals need to ask themselves are they doing enough? I know I am asking myself what more can I do.

Sanford Speaks Up About Trayvon Martin...Keep Talking

The death of Trayvon Martin transformed our tiny riverside town of Sanford, FL into a media magnet. The city was overrun with local, national and even international news organizations. National leaders like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson came to town. Before the shooting, we had to go to Atlanta to see a CNN truck. But in the last few weeks, it’s become a common occurrence to see one parked right there on 13th Street.

But soon, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and CNN will move on to the next case. Although we appreciate the attention this all brought to the injustices in Sanford, they all have to go home at some point. Some people criticize them for coming, saying they are all exploiting the tragic situation. There is even a sign on French Ave. saying Al Sharpton doesn’t speak for Sanford. But I’m grateful. If they wouldn’t have come here, Trayvon would have been just another dead black boy in Sanford. We here in town know there have been quite a few senseless and tragic deaths. But those all got ignored. That’s why many in Sanford are saying God used Trayvon to shine the light on Sanford.

But now what? Trayvon Martin was not the first black boy to fall victim to an unjust system. What will we do for the black boys who still live in Sanford? The ones who still walk these streets, viewed as suspicious. Our boys are profiled and sized up at a very early age, even at birth. We tell them to pull their pants up, speak good English and stay in school. However, the irony is that the profiling often begins in school.

When a little black boy walks into the classroom, the teacher has often formed an opinion of him before he says one word. Just like the walk Trayvon took from 7-Eleven to his stepmom’s house, the school system is a treacherous path that way too often leads to tragedy for black boys. They are more likely to be placed in remedial classes. They are more likely to be sent to the principal’s office. They are more likely to be suspended. They are more likely to drop out. They are more likely to find some criminal way to support themselves. They are more likely to go to jail. They are more likely to get the death penalty than anyone else. So black boys are way more likely to have their lives cut short by a bad education than by a racist vigilante.

Let’s rally together about that. Let’s march and protest and argue and discuss the system that is killing our boys. Let’s fight for them. We need them. They need us. We don’t have to wait for Rev. Sharpton to do this. If we want to change the criminal justice, educational, or political systems. We can do it. We can join together and make it happen. Enough little voices can have just as much power as one big voice. Here are a few ways to get started in Seminole County:


Register to vote or run for office.

Seminole County Supervisor of Elections
http://www.voteseminole.org


Go to government meetings.

Seminole County Commission
http://seminolecountyfl.gov/bcc

Seminole County School Board

http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/schoolboard/Home


Join civic organizations.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
www.naacp.org

National Urban League
www.cful.org


Volunteer in a school.

Seminole County Dividends
http://www.scps.k12.fl.us/dividends/Home