The Work!
 Issue 3, Volume 1 * June 2019
From the
President's Desk
Greetings Freedom Fighters!

Welcome to this edition of the Work. This newsletter keeps members and friends of the Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP apprised of our advocacy work and community engagement activities. The Miami Dade Branch continues to be a very active branch in advocating for Social and Criminal Justice, Civic Engagement, Economic Development, Healthcare, Environmental Justice and Housing concerns. If you have a passion for advocacy in any of these categories, I encourage you to join our efforts.

Hurricane season is upon us and it’s expected to be a busy one. I encourage all of you to stock up on hurricane supplies early and secure free hurricane guides at published locations. Elisha Moultrie our Environmental Justice Chair will be partnering with local environmental justice experts to provide up-to-date information to the community via emails and workshops.
June is also Fair Housing month – Vice President, and Housing Chairperson Daniella Pierre will continue to keep us abreast of Fair Housing Developments via newsletters, emails, and community meetings.

The Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP will be honored by the City of Miami Neighborhood Enhancement Team (NET) During the Juneteenth Commemoration. We encourage all who can attend this celebration to attend. Details about this event are included in this newsletter.

Finally, I would like to congratulate all 2019 Graduates for your amazing accomplishments. I wish all graduates continued success in all your endeavors. Special acknowledgement to the parents, educators, caregivers, spouses, and other family members that supported the graduates in achieving their goal.

Fellow Freedom Fighters, I hope you enjoy this edition of our newsletter and please feel free to share it with friends and associates to keep them informed about the Work.
 
Ruban Roberts, MBA; MSW
President of the Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP
 
Are You Prepared?
The Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP Wants You to be Ready for Hurricane Season
I t’s June, and here in South Florida that means it is the beginning of our region’s Hurricane Season. As South Floridians, it is easy to become complacent because we feel like we are experts because many of us have been through so many storms in the past. However, every storm is different, and with the climate crisis that our society faces, cyclonic activity across our region and beyond will increase and become more virulent.

Obviously, we cannot control that on an individual level. What we can do, though, is be prepared. Miami Dade County has put out a comprehensive, multi-lingual hurricane preparedness guide that lays out a lot of information for county residents; from planning emergency evacuations to assistance with putting together kits & checklists for you and your family. More information here: https://www8.miamidade.gov/global/emergency/hurricane/home.page

Additionally, The Red Cross has dedicated an entire website to hurricane safety and preparedness, including a “Be Red Cross Ready” checklist to assist residents with preparing for a storm. You can view that checklist and other critical information here: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/hurricane.html

Being prepared is critical before, during and after a storm. The more prepared we are as a community, the easier it will be to "bounce back" and return to ‘normalcy’ after a storm.
Over the next few months, the Environmental & Climate Justice Committee (ECJC) of the Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP will be providing branch members and the broader community information on being individually and communally prepared to weather the storm. Stay tuned!

#HurricaneSeason #BePrepared #305Resilient  

Elisha Moultrie, Environmental & Climate Justice Committee (ECJC)
Happy Father's Day!
From the Miami-Dade Branch NAACP

Miami Dade Branch NAACP Recognizes
National Homeownership Month
T hinking about becoming a homeowner this month? Well, I have some good news for you because June is National Homeownership Month. That’s right, since 2002 the month-long celebration has taken place. This is the time all Americans are encouraged to explore and learn more about securing the "American Dream" in their communities. 

As you know, over the years, homeownership has been respected as one of the keys to building wealth and a strong, thriving middle class.  However, the homeownership rate for Blacks who are classified as low to moderate income is still very, very low. As a matter of fact, nationally, the gap among Black homeowners fell to 43 percent in 2017, virtually erasing all of the gains made since the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968, landmark legislation outlawing housing discrimination, according to the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB). For these reasons and more are why first-time homeownership programs and fair lending are important keys in the process.  

Locally, programs offered through Miami Dade Economic Advocacy Trust (MDEAT); Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida (NHSSF); the Housing Finance Authority (HFA) and many others who all aim to help families achieve the “American Dream” –homeownership.  And many of their programs are available year-round. Take some time to check them out. You'll be amazed to find out what they have available. 

Should you have information about local homeownership opportunities and available affordable housing, please contact  affordablehousingmatters@gmail.com .
In closing, on behalf of your Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP we look forward to providing both members and friends with informational resources to help guide you along your journey to homeownership.  


In service and steadfast unity,


Daniella Pierre,
Third Vice President
Housing Chairperson
.
Committee Spotlight
Miami Dade Branch NAACP Housing Committee, Other Branch Members & the Community Gathered to Raise Awareness for
Affordable Housing
O n a balmy Thursday evening, June 6, 2019, Several members of the Miami Dade Branch NAACP, former & present elected officials, community activists, and others came out to the gathering for affordable housing in the city of Opa-Locka. NAACP Miami Dade Branch Housing Committee member, Mrs. Rivers, organized the gathering in conjunction with the National Low Income Housing Coalition. As the crowds gathered waving signs, passers-by honked horns and some even joined in. Clearly, this is a pressing issue that resonates across all socio-economic, racial and political lines.
Happy Juneteenth!
J uneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. It is also known as Emancipation Day, Juneteenth Independence Day, and Black Independence Day. On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX, and announced the end of the Civil War and the end of slavery. Although the Emancipation Proclamation came 2½ years earlier on January 1, 1863, and many slave owners continued to hold their slaves captive after the announcement, Juneteenth became a symbolic date representing African American freedom.

For African Americans and, indeed, Black people throughout the Diaspora, this day should be a time of celebration. Here are some ways to celebrate:
  1. Organize a public reading of the Emancipation Proclamation
  2. Put together a sing-a-long or 'musical' at your place of worship or with a civic organization, highlighting classics like "Lift Every Voice and Sing" (The African-American National Anthem) or "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", etc.
  3. Plan a street fair on your block or at a local park, serving traditional, Southern, African-American cuisine
  4. Conduct a panel discussion on Juneteenth and the importance of this moment in American history.
  5. Put on a children's play re-enacting the moment our ancestors learned of their freedom.
Regardless of how you celebrate, remember that this is a day of great celebration and engagement with your community! Happy Juneteenth!

Some information was sourced from the US Congressional FactSheet entitled, "Juneteenth". Learn more here: https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44865.pdf

Tools & Resources
Get ready for back-to-school!  

The tax-exempt period runs from Aug. 2 to midnight Aug. 6 and is part of a $121 million package that legislators approved in May.

Here’s what’s included in the exemption:

The five-day “back-to-school” sales tax exempt period will begin August 2 and last until August 6, 2019. The exemption of sale tax on school supplies include:
  • clothing, footwear, and backpacks costing $60 or less
  • school supplies costing $15 or less including pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, notebooks, paper, tape, scissors and calculators
  • personal computers or personal computer-related accessories costing $1,000 or less per item 
Be prepared for the 2019-2020 school year and don’t miss out on the savings during the 2019 “back-to-school” Sales Tax Holiday.



Read more here: 

Is Your Teen Eligible for the College Board Opportunity Scholarship?
This program will guide your teen through the college planning process, with a chance to earn scholarships along the way. When your teen completes all six steps, they will also be eligible to earn $40,000 for college.

Each scholarship is open during different months, so make sure your teen keeps track of their progress.

Joining the program is easy. Your teen just needs to log in using their College Board account, and they can start earning chances at scholarships within minutes .

Upcoming Events
FLORIDA
STATE
CONFERENCE
The NAACP Florida State Quarterly Conference is right around the corner. You've got to be there!
WHERE: The Rosen Center Hotel 9840 International Drive,
Orlando, FL 32819
WHEN: Friday & Saturday, June 21 & 22, 2019

For registration & hotel information log on to: http://www.flnaacp.com/


Get ready for the 110th Annual NAACP National Convention taking place in Detroit, MI from Saturday, July 20 until Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

Learn more, details here: https://www.naacpconvention.org/
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE CENSUS

The decennial Census is a crucial facet of our Republic because its results serve as the basis for redistricting, the enforcement of voting rights laws, and allocating congressional seats to each state. Census population data is also used by the federal government to distribute billions of dollars to local, state, and tribal governments.





Save the Date!

Annual Freedom Fund Soiree

Saturday, September 21, 2019