Civil rights leaders from 3 states in Anchorage for workshop, convention

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – African American civil rights leaders from Washington, Oregon and Alaska gathered Saturday on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus to workshop their next steps as an organization.

Members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP, met at UAA for an annual convention that started with events Friday night. There were multiple workshops on Saturday that went over organizational structure and training. Keynote speakers included Celeste Hodge Growden, president and CEO of the Alaska Black Caucus, and Gyasi Ross

NAACP members traveled to Anchorage for a yearly convention that began with a reception Friday. Saturday multiple workshops on organizational structure and member training were accompanied by keynote speakers Celeste Hodge Growden of the Alaska Black Caucus and indigenous storyteller and educator Gyasi Ross.

“We train on what do we need to do for the fight ahead?” said Sheley Secrest, president of the NAACP state conference of Alaska, Oregon and Washington. “Right now, for the upcoming presidential election, we’re making certain that we have our grand troops out, hitting every single street, because we need to make certain that we’re turning out the black vote.”

NAACP members said on Saturday their intent is on training successors in the civil rights movement and also to simultaneously welcome non-members to join.

“I get very, very excited when we talk about youth and the opportunities that these great minds of the future can bring to not only the legacy of NAACP, but how they’re going to level us up and take these challenges head on,” said Cheryl Cox Williams, president of NAACP Anchorage.

Cox Williams explained in one of her presentations Saturday how the local branch of the NAACP engages African Americans in Anchorgae with matters of health, voting, education, economics, crime and on future generations.

“Once we’re finished training, once we’re finished working, we’re going to make certain that we have a good time,” said Secrest.

Copyright 2024 KTUU. All rights reserved.