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Greetings, NOBLE members and supporters!

Welcome to the President’s Corner of NOBLE Journey, which will now be a monthly publication! The name has changed for branding and consistency, but I promise you will get the same informative content you are accustomed to receiving to stay abreast of NOBLE activities and accomplishments at headquarters and our hardworking chapters.

I believe communication is important, and I will be deliberate about using this platform, alongside our social media channels and Constant Contact to ensure you are well informed. With that said, I want to share a few updates:

• NOBLE’s leadership changes annually – and while that wards off burnout, it makes maintaining stability and continuity of thought and action, something I think is critical to success, a little tricky. When I thought about what I could do to make a difference, it was clear to me that leveraging the skills of the first and second vice presidents is key. We will work collaboratively to further the organization’s brand as subject matter experts in matters related to justice and equity in law enforcement.

• Colonel Glover, Chief Hall and I will share responsibility in representing NOBLE’s voice with the media, and we will work as a team to not only address issues important to NOBLE but also those that are important to me – especially the exploitation of women and children of color and mentoring middle management to prepare them for leadership roles.

• I resurrected the Past Presidents Council and because institutional knowledge is such an important part of shaping a comprehensive agenda, we have already had our first meeting. I owe a debt of gratitude to Immediate Past President Brenda Goss Andrews for agreeing to chair the council.

• On Thursday, September 7, we hosted our first stakeholder meeting, with nearly 20 organizations represented, including the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, the Anti-Defamation League, several members of the National PanHellenic Council, and more. This is special to me because I recognize that there are many legacy organizations whose missions and efforts align with ours and vice versa – and I know we can be more effective if we communicate regularly and support one another.

Finally, please remember that we look to the chapters to keep us informed of the events and activities they undertake in alignment with NOBLE’s focus areas. Chapter and regional presidents received an email with instructions and a link to a revised Good News Form to submit your updates – and we look forward to hearing from you.

Until next time,

Rodney K. Bryant

46th National President

Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference 2023: A Look Back

President Rodney Bryant, Second VP Renee Hall, and other NOBLE leadership were a part of important discussions that took place during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 52^nd Annual Legislative Conference, which took place September 20 – 24 in Washington, D.C.

At the invitation of our partners, Axon and the State of Arizona, President Bryant addressed the Arizona delegation, advocating for change and celebrating legacy. Second VP Hall participated in the Black Women’s Roundtable – The Power of the Ballot: We Won’t Be Erased. Other discussions included Don’t Build a Jail for Me: Prevention, Not Detention – Policing in the Black Community, with former NOBLE President Dr Cedric Alexander as a panelist, and Mothers of the Movement

– Where Do We Go From Here?, featuring Quovella Mayweather, a member of NOBLE’s executive board.

President Bryant was on hand for the White House announcement of the creation of the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention, aimed at reducing gun violence and implementing and expanding upon key executive and legislative action.

National Faith and Blue Weekend

Initiated in 2020 as a collaborative effort of MovementForward, Inc., and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Faith and Blue’s aim is to reinforce relationships between residents and officers to foster neighborhoods where everyone feels safe and included.

During National Faith and Blue Weekend, October 6 – 9, law enforcement professionals across the country and the communities they serve participated in service projects, athletic contests, and public forums held in local neighborhoods and jointly hosted by houses of worship and local law enforcement entities to uplift the community and promote understanding and inclusivity.

President Bryant adopted missing and murdered people of color – particularly women and children –as one of his primary focus areas – and because the impact this issue is having on the safety of underserved neighborhoods in particular, NOBLE hosted a Table Talk, “Sounding the Alarm: Murdered and Missing People of Color” Friday, October 6, to coincide National Faith and Blue Weekend. If you were unable to tune in, please find the webinar recording here (password is =yZCXdR4).

International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference 2023

The International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference 2023 took place October 14 – 17 in San Diego, California, with attendance of more than 16,000 public safety professionals who benefited from training, networking, and 600 vendors showcasing products and services to assist the law enforcement profession.

The day prior to the conference’s start, NOBLE conducted a meeting of its executive board, which hosted Nigeria's first female minister of police affairs, Imaam Sulaiman-Ibrahim. She spoke from an international perspective about the challenges and opportunities facing law enforcement agencies in today's rapidly evolving global landscape. NOBLE also hosted a reception, with approximately 300 in attendance. 

Stakeholders and Constituent Briefing

In week one of President Bryant’s administration, he shared his vision of hosting a meeting to bring NOBLE’s existing partners and constituents, as well as representatives of legacy organizations with similar visions, up to speed on the work we are doing and discuss how we can potentially collaborate.

On September 7, President Bryant assembled representatives from those organizations – ranging from law enforcement and law reform to civil and human rights and community advocacy – for a virtual meeting. During the meeting, he spoke about NOBLE’s priorities and addressed questions on election security.

Melanie Campbell, president/CEO, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable, was a guest. She enumerated issues with the elections process, including poll worker and advocacy group safety, and asked guests representing the FBI and DOJ to speak to how to prepare for the upcoming election cycle.