From the President's Desk
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Greetings Fellow Freedom Fighters,
There is much work still to do. If you watched the headlines I am certain that you heard about the Dyma Loving and Latasha Walton cases which where widely publicized. Dyma Loving lives in the Southern section of DadeCounty and was assaulted and wrongfully arrested by a Miami-Dade County Police Field Training Officer. In the Case of Latasha Walton she was killed by a State Trooper who shot into her vehicle six times for an alleged traffic infraction which based on the video did not threaten or cause bodily harm to the Trooper.
The Miami Dade Branch supported Dyma and Latasha recently by holding a press conference with there attorneys to speak out against police brutality. Let me be clear the Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP is not Anti Police, however, we are against any law enforcement officials that violates the rights of any citizen no matter their race, ethnicity or gender. More details about these cases are highlighted in this edition of the work.
The Florida State legislation is in session and I encourage all who read this news letter to pay attention to how your State Representatives are voting and what legislation they are proffering. The Miami Dade Branch along with Florida International University and Florida Memorial University College NAACP Branches traveled to Tallahassee to support the “No Place for Our Child Coalition”. This coalition is advocating for Criminal Justice reform that addresses Juvenile transfers to adult jails. The bill filed is HB575 sponsored by Representative James Bush. Stay tuned for more information on our statewide legislative agenda.
Finally, I am pleased to see our community at large being more proactive, we showed up in numbers to support the retention of Superintendent Robert Runcie of Broward County Public Schools. This is just one example of how effective our advocacy can be when we come together in numbers. I encourage you to Join the movement of advocacy to address Gentrification, Affordable Housing, High Quality Education for our youth, and Development of Economic Opportunities. Now is the time to make our voices heard by being actively involved in Social Justice matters that effect us directly.
Again thanks for your continued support and I welcome you to share this Newsletter with your family and friends.
Your fellow Freedom Fighter,
Ruban Roberts
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Standing for Justice!
Miami Dade NAACP is on the Case
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Standing with Dyma Loving
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[From left to right]
Attorney Justin Moore, Dyma Loving, Andrea Greene, Jawan Stroder and Miami Dade branch NAACP President, Ruban Roberts
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Dyma Love and her friend and neighbor, Andrea Greene, were harassed and assaulted by Miami Dade Police Department police officers after the women called police to report another neighbor, who verbally insulted and pointed a gun at them, as he drove by where they were walking in South Dade. The NAACP has been on the forefront of this fight, making sure that these brave young women's civil rights are protected and that they receive justice. Stay tuned for more updates on this case. #DymaLoving
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The Branch Meets with College Board
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Ruban Roberts, Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP President sat down with 2nd Vice President Brad Brown, 3rd Vice President Daniella Pierre and Education Committee Co-Chair, Dannie McMillan at his side to discuss the issue of testing security.
The Branch received numerous complaints regarding students from the Urban Core whose test scores were withheld. President Roberts sent a letter to the College Board expressing concerns about the complaints received and requested a meeting with the College Board to discuss their process for identifying and addressing test score inconsistencies and to learn more about the College Board's college access scholarship programs designed to improve minority youth performance on the SAT.
The meeting was ultimately held at Miami Dade College North Campus with key staff from the College Board and Mark Johnson, president of the Miami Dade College chapter of the Association of Florida Colleges (AFC).
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The Branch In Action!
Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP Takes Tallahassee
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The Miami-Dade Branch of the NAACP goes to Tallahassee for the annual "Tallahassee Days" at the State Capitol. A key component of this trip is to visit with state legislators from our home districts and across the state to champion pressing issues and legislation affecting our immediate community.
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Miami Dade Branch NAACP April Meeting in Historic Coconut Grove
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For the branch's April 2019 meeting, members and the community gathered at the historic Greater St. Paul AME Church in Coconut Grove, where Rev. Nathaniel Robinson III is pastor. The meeting was well-attended, and our special guest, Michael A. Finney, the president & CEO of Miami Dade County's Beacon Council, shared with our branch and the community the exciting new initiatives that the Council has introduced to address countywide economic inequities and inequalities. Find out more about the Beacon Council's work here:
https://www.beaconcouncil.com/economic-growth-initiatives/.
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Miami Dade Branch NAACP Housing Committee Honored at County Chambers
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In commemoration of National Fair Housing Month (April), The Miami Dade Branch of the NAACP and Daniella Pierre, Housing Committee Chair, were honored by the Hon. Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, for their important and change-making community work concerning fair housing issues. "Housing matters for all, and even though the Fair Housing Act was passed 51 years ago, access to decent, safe and affordable housing continues to be a challenge for our community, and so the NAACP continues to be at the forefront of this fight," Daniella Pierre said. "We encourage all those who care about this issue to join our housing committee, so we can fight together... All hands on deck!" If you are interested in joining the housing committee, email Daniella Pierre at daniellapierre@live.com
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Health Committee Highlights Mental Health Awareness Month (May)
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The Miami-Dade Branch of the NAACP celebrates Small Business Week 2019
This year, Miami Dade County will host a variety of activities aimed at recognizing the importance of our small business community. Small Business Week events will take place Monday, May 6 until Friday, May 10, 2019. Find out more here: www.miamidade.gov/smallbusiness
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The Miami-Dade Branch of the NAACP Recognizes Haitian Heritage Month, this May
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To all our mothers in the struggle,
Happy Mother's Day!
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Get ready for the 110th Annual NAACP National Convention taking place in Detroit, MI from Saturday, July 20 until Wednesday, July 24, 2019.
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The Miami Dade Branch NAACP
2019 Freedom Fund Soiree
Save the Date!
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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.
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