Reposted from the Montclair Times

Montclair delegates report on national NAACP convention

THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011

LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2011, 1:28 AM

THE MONTCLAIR TIMES

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People held its 102nd annual convention July 23 through July 28. The theme for the convention was "Affirming America's Promise." The organization set the policies and agenda for the coming year. Among the more than 2,000 voting delegates and observers was Montclair NAACP president Thomas Reynolds.

This year, the NAACP voted on resolutions ranging from celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Youth and College Division to Ending the War on Drugs, Reynolds stated in a release.

"The NAACP discourages the illegal use of drugs, and recognizes that addiction is a chronic mental illness that is treatable," stated Reynolds. 'But the war on drugs has been a mismanagement of money and talent."

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, only 35 percent of the federal drug control budget is spent on education, prevention and treatment combined, with the remaining 65 percent devoted to law enforcement efforts. This one policy setting resolution addresses the concerns that people who are convicted of felony drug charges lose the right to federal student aid.

The NAACP resolution calls for a reinvestment of money from incarceration to treatment and education programs.

Reynolds stated, "A person who makes a mistake in their life and tries to move on past it may be denied the opportunity at higher education."

This year the NAACP started a dialogue on dispelling homophobia in the black community. The panel discussion included NAACP Chairman Emeritus Julian Bond, comedian Wanda Sykes, and CNN anchor Don Lemon, as well as LGBT activists. The panel acknowledged gay civil rights leader and organizer Bayard Rustin.

The Montclair NAACP will be following the direction set at the national convention and hosting workshops and forums on issues addressed at this year's convention.

Bond Nthenge, the Montclair NAACP's economic development chairman, announced the receipt of a national grant to host workshops on financial freedom and literacy.

"We will be reaching out to the community to make sure that Montclair can be a role model of education in financial freedom," Nthenge stated. The workshops will be around topics ranging from foreclosure prevention and recover, loan scam prevention to wealth and asset building.

"The NAACP has made it clear that the 2011 civil rights fight is about over-incarceration, voter restriction laws, and making sure that as we come out of this recession, it's not on the backs of the poorest American workers. This convention has me fired up, and ready to go!" stated Reynolds.