Jamaica NAACP members attend national convention

Jamaica Branch President Candace Prince-Modeste attends the leadership program NextGen’s graduation. Photo courtesy of Jamaica Branch NAACP.

By Victoria Merlino

Jamaica NAACP members attended the NAACP’s 110th National Convention in Detroit, Michigan last week. This year, the theme was, “When We Fight, We Win.”

The 2020 census and upcoming election cycle were hot topics during the convention, with 10 presidential candidates visiting the convention for a forum. Other highlights included a career fair and an address from former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.

“Jamaica Branch delegates joined their colleagues to pass a unanimous resolution calling for the impeachment of President Donald J. Trump, citing his numerous policies and behaviors that run counter to the ideals of the association,” the Jamaica NAACP wrote in a statement. 

The branch also co-sponsored four resolutions, which all passed. The resolutions included condemning Islamophobia, advocating more African-American history be taught in schools, support for the NAACP’s leadership training program NextGen and a resolution that called for LGBTQ diversity and sensitivity training in NAACP programs.

The Jamaica Youth Council also received awards for programmatic activity in Economic Empowerment and Juvenile Justice and the Medgar Wiley Evers Youth Leadership Award. 

The 2020 convention will take place in Boston, Massachusetts from July 25-29.