Valdosta State University's Black History Week committee did it again by bringing together the best organizations on our campus to present a week of celebration, service and reflection on our grand history and great progression. We call it SCHOOLDAZE! Cleverly named after the 1988 Spike Lee movie, the committee made it their mission to create the best seven days for everyone in our Valdosta community to take part in.  

The week started off from Sunday, February 16, 2014 at New Life Ministries where the church welcomed our students with open arms to fellowship alongside them and praise under the same roof. On the morning of Monday, February 17 our NAACP Chapter had the pleasure of participating in the VSU on-campus student organizations fair to broadcast to prospective members what the oldest and boldest civil rights organization has to offer. We met with many students eager to learn what they could do for their community and how they may get involved with our powerful movements. Monday night was dedicated to a hot-seated forum called "Kolorblind" presented by VSU's Lambda Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. It presented a platform for many of our diverse fraternities, sororities and student organizations to speak on many unspoken truths such as the much observed topic of race being the central theme for our SGA elections almost every year and racial controversies surrounding the use of the "N' word amongst blacks and other races.

Tuesday, February 18 was a day of pure fun and celebration for our VSU congregation. We had a cookout called "The Reunion" on Palms Quad and was open to any and every one to socialize, jam to the DJ and enjoy good food. There was so much joy in the air as everyone took their mind off of classes for a while and enjoyed dancing and just being in each other's company.

Here is what what we have in store for the rest of the week and we hope you can come out to celebrate with us!

Wednesday, February 19: "Knowledge is Power" Quiz Bowl in Jennett Hall 2211 at 6:30 p.m. Come see your favorite student organizations compete for the title of Black History fact champions!

Thursday, February 20: "Varsity Spirit" Girls and Boys basketball game at the PE complex. Lady Blazers starting at 6:00 p.m. and Men at 8:00 p.m. This will be a BLACKOUT game, so everyone wear your Black Student League sweatshirt if you have purchased one or all black attire.

Friday, February 21: "Family Time" Matinee Movie in Bailey Science Center 3009 at 3:00 p.m. There will be a screening of the movie Fruitvale Station, so bring a friend and enjoy!

Saturday, February 22: "The Big Payback" community service event at Oak Parking Deck starting at 10:00 a.m. Come out and give back to you Valdosta State Community as we wrap up BLACK HISTORY WEEK 2014!

We want to say a huge thank you to all the participating organizations and students who came out to the events this week!
**Don't forget to hashtag #VSUSchoolDaze and take pictures of you and your friends participating in any of these events and send them to us at vsunaacp@gmail.com so we can put them up!**

Follow us on Twitter @VSU_NAACP and Instagram @vsunaacp for all of our updated news, meetings and events!

By: Morgan B. Matthews
Press and Publicity Chair

#JusticeForKJ Continues!

Our Valdosta State University NAACP Chapter has been working hard on the Justice for Kendrick Johnson movement and have been fighting to move more and more supporters to this heartbreaking story. Our chapter has held many interactive events, rallies, sit-ins and marches to expand the knowledge of this particular case to the masses. Just this past Wednesday, Dec. 11, there was a rally conducted on the steps of the Georgia State Capitol building in Atlanta, GA. There were plenty of influential leaders from all over the Atlanta area that spoke in front of a crowd of two hundred plus people. Martin Luther King lll, son of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., started the rally off with encouraging words for the Johnson family and citizens of their Valdosta community. "We must always remember that justice will always be served when you keep fighting for what is right," said King lll.
Some other speakers of the rally were, Morehouse College's NAACP President, Stephen Green, The Johnson's family Attorneys Chevene B. King and Benjamin Crump, BET Media Personality Jeff Johnson, Spelman College SGA President Shanteal Lake, VSU's NAACP President Alexis Bell and many more. The air was filled with so much pride for the people who came together for the Johnson family and wanted to know what steps were next in coming any closer to justice.

Another pinnacle of the movement for our chapter is the collaboration with the youth and social change organization group called Dream Defenders. The Dream Defenders are known for "training and organizing youth and students in nonviolent civil disobedience, civic engagement and direct action". A group of the defenders have been helping our chapter with an assimilation of VSU students, Kendrick's family and people from the Florida and Georgia areas to come to together for multiple sit-ins at the Lowndes County Courthouse and documentaries on the entire sequence of events.

We hold the hands and uplift the hearts of this very brave Johnson family and are continually praying for the best in a positive outcome of Kendrick's case. The rally in Atlanta was just the beginning of addressing to Georgia's Governor Nathan Deal for a point of prosecution for a further investigation of Kendrick Johnson's Death. We all want to move forward and lay to peace this entire experience and reach Justice for KJ!    

To gain anymore information on events with your VSU NAACP Chapter:
FOLLOW us on Twitter @VSU_NAACP
                            Instagram @vsunaacp
To learn more about the Dream Defenders please visit their website at www.dreamdefenders.org

By: Morgan B. Matthews
Press and Publicity Chair
         

Dream Defenders #JusticeForKJ

VALDOSTA- Today marks the tremendous 50th Anniversary for Valdosta State University to implement integration in their school. Ms. Drewnell Thomas and Mr. Robert Pierce were the first two people of color to attend then named Valdosta State College and pioneer for many generations to come. A Heritage cookout located on Palms Quad is the official kickoff to the "Celebration of Inclusion". From Noon-2
pm today there will be various esteemed speakers to provide knowledge on their recollection of where they were at the time of this momentous event and their connection to our historical alumni. There are various events happening to celebrate this 50 year accomplishment throughout the 2013-2014 academic year. We hope to see our NAACP members, VSU faculty, staff and students attending any of the following events  to commemorate 50 years of Integration:

 A Look 50 Years Back and 50 Years Forward

Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m.
Bailey Science Center Auditorium Room 1011
Open to the public. 

Pioneer's Brunch

Saturday, Oct. 5 from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
University Center Cypress Room
Invitation Only

Political Symposium

Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Student Union Theater
Open to the public.

Social Symposium: Being a Minority at a Predominantly White Institution 

Film Presentation - Nov. 12 at Valdosta Stadium Cinemas (Students only)
Student Panel - Nov. 13 at Student Union Theater (Open to the public.)

Academic Symposium

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014 at 7 p.m.
Student Union Theater
Open to the public.

Diversity Workshops

Feb. 6-7, 2014

A Night of Celebration

Feb. 25, 2014
Student Union Ballroom

Open to the public.

Detail of events Courtesy of Valdosta State University 50 years of Integration Webpage. (http://www.valdosta.edu/about/news/integration/events.php)

VSU's NAACP Fall 2013 Update

Greetings!

 

 We want to say Happy Wednesday and hope everyone is having a fantastic Fall Semester. Your Valdosta State University NAACP chapter just wanted to let everyone know that this year will be an absolute trailblazing year for everyone involved! We have some great events, forums, jammed packed meetings and all the important information on the civil rights action in and around our Valdosta community. We are still here fighting for justice for KJ, for the voices of all of our diverse student body and providing a haven for anyone who wants to make a positive change! In upcoming news, this Thursday, September 12, 2013, our NAACP chapter will be co-sponsoring the PreFunction Charity Talent Showcase. This spectacular event's doors will open up at 6:00pm in the Student Union Ballrooms and include support from some of the most notable VSU organizations, such as: The Black Student League (BSL), Media Arts Geniuses (M.A.G), NPHC Greek organizations, Collegiate Women of VSU and so much more! The entry fee is $1 or a canned good and proceeds will go to the VSU food pantry and L.A.M.P We hope to see a house full of Blazers ready to have fun and enjoy the show See you all there!

Stay in the know by following VSU's NAACP on Twitter @VSU_NAACP.

By: Morgan B. Matthews

Press and Publicity Chair

Can Georgia Turn Blue?

With Election Day around the corner, the state of Georgia has already broken state records pertaining to early votes.  According to data collected by the Secretary of State’s Office, the number of votes cast has reached 1.3 million, with black votes accounting for 34 percent of the votes. This year’s election could be recorded as the largest black voter turnout event in Georgia’s history. In 2008, African Americans cast 30 percent of the votes, but that number is already up to 34 percent for this year’s election. The high turnout shows that there is enthusiasm in the Democrat party especially among African Americans. Georgia is not a swing state, so this high turnout is not suspected to turn the state blue. However, it does moves toward the goal of getting more African Americans to vote that many activists and leaders have been pushing for. It is important to note that if there was ever a chance for Georgia to be turned into a blue state, this is the time. Black votes are not enough to turn the state of Georgia blue though. Hispanics, Jews, blacks and all democrats must exercise their right to vote. To find out more about the voting results and process in Georgia you can visit http://www.sos.georgia.gov.

The YES Summit

The Awards just seem to keep coming in for the Valdosta State University’s NAACP chapter. VSU’s NAACP chapter won two awards at the Youth Empowerment Summit (the YES Summit) held at Clark Atlanta University on the weekend of Sept. 21 -23. The YES Summit’s theme was “Thinking Outside the Box.” Some topics included Juvenile Justice, 21st Century Civil Rights Problems, the 2012 election, and other issues affecting our youth. VSU’s NAACP chapter won the Chapter of the Year for their second year in a row. They have also won an award for the Juvenile Justice initiative, which they also won at the national convention.

Because of their great success at the summit, the chapter has been featured on their university's homepage, accompanied with an article and picture of the NAACP chapter’s executive board. To read the article visit the link below:

http://www.valdosta.edu/about/news/releases/2012/10/vsu-naacp-wins-two-awards-at-the-youth-empowerment-summit-at-clark-atlanta-university.php

The Absentee Ballot

It is important that college students are aware of the voting processes in the county that they are currently residing in. With this years race being predicted to be closer than last years, either political side needs as many voters as possible to stay ahead of their competitor.

Even though you may be registered to vote in your home town, the county where you attend school will put up issues on the ballot that may affect you, and even if you are not interested in voting in any other county beside your hometown, you need to know that you can be affected.

Whether you are in tune with what is going on in your hometown or not and you want your vote to count, you can get an absentee ballot. An absentee ballot “is the printed ballot marked by an absent voter, sealed in a special envelope, and given or mailed to the municipal clerk,” as stated on gab.wi.gov.  If you are interested in an absentee ballot, you can visit http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/elections/voter_information/absentee.htm to fill out an application.

By William Garrett

Voter Registration Updates

By William Garrett

If you are planning on voting in the state of Georgia for the upcoming presidential election, being informed about the Voter ID Law can save you from having to turn around and going to get the proper identification. Georgia is one of the many states that have a Voter ID Law and I list the ID’s that are acceptable as listed on sos.georgia.gov  below:

                Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a FREE Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar's office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)

                A Georgia Driver's License, even if expired

                Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority or other entity of this state

                Valid U.S. passport ID

                Valid U.S. military photo ID

                Valid tribal photo ID

If you do not have any of these IDs, the State of Georgia offers free Voter Identification Card. Identification card can be issued at any county registrar's office or Department of Driver Services Office for free.

VSU's NAACP Chapter Recognized

Valdosta State's University chapter for the NAACP has accomplished an amazing feat, this past July. They have won first place for Juvenile Justice for the Youth and College Division at the 103^rd NAACP Convention in Houston, Texas. This was a great accomplishment because they were the only chapter in the state of Georgia to receive an award and be recognized at the national convention.

The initiative of the Juvenile Justice initiative is to educate young people about the justice system. VSU's NAACP chapter's advocacy was based on juvenile justice rights on campus through events such as the vigil for Troy Davis and the Trayvon Martin: Do We Look Suspicious forum. As an organization they strive to inform faculty and students of current issues regarding the rights of young people.

“This award was a great honor for our college chapter,” said Airyagany Hall, VSU NAACP president. “To be recognized at the national level is an outstanding achievement. Even though we are young college students, this award showed that we do care about current issues and that others are proud of the hard work we do here on campus. We could not have gotten this award without our members and supporters. VSU NAACP plans to continue striving for excellence in all that we do.”

By Maya Kellam