Valdosta, Ga Juneteenth Celebration

[Additional pictures will be added]

Saturday, June 23, 2012, was the 20^th annual Juneteenth Celebration in downtown Valdosta, Georgia at the historic Lowndes County Courthouse Square. Many came to support the history of America and to also have fun with family and friends.

Valdosta State University’s (VSU) own NAACP chapter had their own booth set up to allow people to register to vote, and to also play a friendly game of Jeopardy in order to spread light on some exciting facts about our history, in Valdosta and in the entire U.S.A.

There was also a guest speaker, Dr. Shirley Hardin, the director of the African American Studies program at VSU, who spoke on the education of the celebration. Ending with Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise, Dr. Hardin's words continued to uplift the audience.

In addition to this experience, there were plenty of events for families and acquaintances to enjoy. Things, such as the Kid’s Corner, the Youth Talent Explosion, and the Gospel Fest, filled the square and graced everyone within it.  Vendors and organizations also filled the square to offer their services and products to everyone who came.

There were also tour rides that took guests and residents down to the Valdosta/Lowndes County museum to learn fun facts, such as famous people who were from Valdosta, Georgia, that contributed in some of the World’s most famous things. One of these people, that many will soon recognize, is James Lord Pierpont. Lord Pierpont was the maker of the song Jingle Bells. After the museum, the tour took the visitors and residents on a trip around Valdosta to see what this town was and has become, and then back to the square for more celebration.

NYC Stop And Frisk

Laws are made to protect our natural rights, liberty, and property, and when laws come about that disproportionately targets a certain group of people, it is our responsibility to question the law at hand. This brings me to the highly controversial law: The Stop and Frisk law.

The Stop and Frisk law is a law, in New York, that allows policemen to stop and frisk anyone they deem suspicious. Unsurprisingly, this law is the driving force behind the unjustified frisking of thousands of black and Hispanic men. Even though statistics show that this law is not working, the NYPD and conservatives alike continue to praise the intentions and results of the law while purposely and knowingly ignoring the facts about the flaws in the law.

If you are interested in finding out more about this law and how it affects people, look no further then the new, sleek app. The sleek app is an app that allows New Yorkers to record and report their run-ins with cops pertaining to the Stop and Frisk law. The app allows them to record and report any incident they deem inappropriate regarding residents and the law.

It is our job as U.S. citizens to help fight against unjustified laws, and being aware and informed is the first step. We all know the power of the social media, so take to your Twitter or your Facebook and alert your followers and friends about a law that is being used as legal from of racial profiling – The Stop and Frisk law.

Another effort that is being put forth is the NYC Silent March. Thousands of people were invited to join a “Silent March” against racial profiling. The march will be held Sunday, June 17, 2012 in New York, New York. For more information, visit the following links:

http://www.silentmarchnyc.org/

http://www.naacpconnect.org/content/main

Last Day To Register To Vote

Your votes count and your voices deserve to be heard. It does not matter if you are black or white, gay or straight. It does not matter if you are a republican or a democrat. What does matter is that you are an American citizen, and that your voice needs to be heard in the upcoming election. It is our duty as American citizens to speak up on what we believe in and how we want to live the rest of our lives, and registering to vote is the first step.

If you are registered to vote, I commend you. If you are not, don’t worry because there is still time.

According to O.C.G.A., July 2^nd is the last day for a person to register and be eligible to vote in the General Primary/Non-Partisan/July Special election and Runoff Election.

By William Garrett (VSU)
Press and Publicity Coordinator