[O]n the same day that President Barack Obama addressed the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) with his vision for reforming the criminal justice system, the first Vermont chapter of the NAACP had what the chapter president called a “coming out party” on Tuesday.
The Champlain area NAACP is lead by the chapter president, Mary Brown Guillory, and the other officers who were also elected in April, including three vice presidents, one treasurer and a secretary. There are three vacancies among the officers’ positions, Guillory said.
Guillory said she feels as if they need even more people to tackle all the work they have to do.
“Right now, my heart is overjoyed at the support that we’re getting from the community and the involvement that we’re getting,” Guillory said. “It took us a little while to get here, but now we’re announcing that we are ready to conquer all the concerns that need to be conquered in this area.”
Guillory said the first thing the chapter wants to do is meet with the Chamber of Commerce, mayors, chiefs of police and the police departments. Their goal is to make sure that every individual is being treated fairly, she said.
“The NAACP will be lobbying for every person to get equal treatment in the Champlain area and so I’m very, very excited,” Guillory said.
She said she also wants to meet with churches as part of a membership drive so that the organization can grow its reach in the Champlain area.
Guillory discussed why a NAACP chapter was necessary in Vermont. She said that she went to the July 13 Burlington city council meeting, which largely revolved around the public debating whether Brandon del Pozo, an NYPD deputy inspector, should be appointed as the new Burlington police chief due to an academic paper he wrote in support of racial profiling, published in 2001. She said that during the meeting, someone had said that there is no racism in Vermont, which she was “shocked” to hear. Several people walked out at that point, she said.
Rep. Kesha Ram, D-Burlington, and a neighborhood organizer for the mayor’s office, attended to support the formation of the chapter.
“I just know that all of the folks at the front of the room are busy, passionate people who have been doing a lot of work just to put these meetings together,” she said. “I see so much talent and passion and energy and I just want to recognize that we should all be grateful for everyone we have in this room that made all of this possible.”
“We have abundance,” she said. “We have a lot of people to work with and we have a lot of work to do.”
Guillory said she is only now realizing just how much work the chapter has to do. She said she is asking each member to make a commitment to inspire at least 15 people to join.
She also plans to open a collegiate chapter of the NCAAP in September when school starts again, she said. The dues are less and it only takes 25 people to officially start a collegiate chapter, she added.