Times staff report
The Alabama NAACP will open its 64th Annual Convention with a press conference on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2016 at 10 a.m. at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel.
“We are very excited about this year’s convention as we have a lot of information to engage, empower and lift up the community,” said Benard Simelton, Alabama President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Hezekiah Jackson, IV, president of the Metro Birmingham NAACP said the local chapter “was proud to host the convention here at ground zero, where blood was shed, lives lost and sacrifices made for us to keep fighting until victory is won. Birmingham is the bastion of Civil and Human Rights, as well as the struggle for unity,” he said.
The convention comes at an opportune time, Jackson said.
“The current climate of uncertainty and distrust in the black community at large regarding law enforcement is best addressed by sitting together and interacting on the reforms we want to present to our elected officials who have authority over law enforcement,” Jackson said. He added that law enforcement officials “must be partners in the change that is needed.”
Scheduled speakers include A. C. Roper, Birmingham Chief of Police and Mark Potok, the Southern Poverty Law Center. Panel discussions will be held on Race and Policing in minority communities.
Jackson said the convention will deliver a message of “Our Lives Matter, Our Votes Count and that we can do more being stronger together, we must create a round table, large enough for all ideas and plans of actions, as we advance with a sense of commonality.”
Workshops will be held on “Protecting Alabama Against Fraud and Scams” intended to empower the people affected by this the most in African American and Latino communities.
Officials will also unveil an 8 feet wide by 20 feet long, Medicaid quilt, which has 1000 squares representing the minimum 1000 lives prematurely lost every year in Alabama, due to lack of health insurance.
The quilt is also intended to remember additional lives lost due to inability to afford co-pays and deductibles, hospital closures, and all financial barriers to healthcare. Quilters contributing to this project will also be recognized. The idea for the quilt is to write the names of those who have died prematurely because of financial barriers to healthcare in Alabama.
Calendar of EventsThurs. Oct. 6 10:00 a.m. Press Conference 4th Floor 10:45 a.m. Executive Session w/host Branch 4 Floor 12:00 p.m. Registration 2nd Floor 12:30 p.m. Protecting Alabama Against Fraud Scam -FTC BJCC East N 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Consumer Forum – FTC City Hall 3rd floor 8:15 p.m. -10:00 p.m. Meet and Greet City Hall 3rd floor Fri. Oct. 7 7:30 a.m. Labor/Human Rights Breakfast Ballroom 1 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Registration Forum 2nd Floor 10:00 a.m.- 5:00p.m. Hospitality 4th Floor 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Opening Plenary Session Forum A-B 10:15am-10:45am Ban the Box – Corporate Leaders Forum A-B 10:05 a.m.-11:30 a.m. WIN – Don’t Let Your Benefit Go to Waste Forum E 11:30 p.m.-1:00 p.m. WIN Luncheon Ballroom 1 1:15 p.m.-2:15 p.m. Health – Healing & Wholeness for the Body Forum E 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Environment Justice – Power is the Ability to Act Forum E 3:45 p.m.-4:45 p.m. Economic – Community Reinvestment Act Forum E 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Political Action – Our Votes Counts Forum E 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Race and Policing in America Ballroom 11 8:45 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Delegate Reception Boutwell Auditorium – Main Level Sat. Oct. 8 6:00 a.m. – 6:45 a.m. Yoga Forum A-B 7:30 a.m.-8:50 a.m. Religious Affairs Breakfast Ballroom 1 8:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m. Registration (Adult/Youth) Forum 2nd Floor 9:00a.m.-2:00p.m. Hospitality 4th Floor 9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Second Plenary Session Forum A-B 10:15 a.m.-11:15 p.m. Membership – What’s membership worth to you Forum E 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m. AYCD Luncheon Ballroom 1 1:15 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Education – Every Student Succeeds Act Forum A 1:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Oratorical Contest Forum E 2:45 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Poverty Simulation (Adults & Youth) Ballroom 3, 4, 7 & 8 3:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. President’s Forum 4th Floor 5:05 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Quarterly Meeting Forum A-B 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Freedom Awards Banquet Ballroom 1, 5 8:00 p.m.-11:30 p.m. Youth Social Award Ballroom 11 Sunday Oct. 9 8:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. Executive Session 4th Floor 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Church Service 16th Street Baptist Church 11:00 a.m. Hotel Check Out |
