SEATTLE KING COUNTY NAACP

2011-03-10T07:43:00.000-08:00

The Seattle King County NAACP celebrates 98 years of protecting the civil and human rights.

When: March, 19, 2011 @ 6:00 p.m.
Where: First AME Church, 1522 14th Avenue, Seattle WA 98122

Please join us as we celebrate our triumphant past and prepare for the future.

Hilary O. Shelton, one of the most powerful figures in national and international politics will be our key note speaker. Mr. Shelton is the National Field Director for the NAACP and has had the ear of Presidents, Senators and others of political influence. In an era where the government is contemplating significant budget cuts, it is critical that we force politicians to focus on the human condition.

2010-01-28T18:21:00.000-08:00

AOW NAACP PASSES A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF BARRY MASSEY!!!!!

2009-11-04T16:45:00.000-08:00

Resolution supporting the immediate release of Barry Massey and opposition to the imposition of life without the possibility of parole sentences for juveniles.

Whereas the NAACP has passed a national resolution which opposes life without the possibility of parole sentences for juveniles;

Whereas it has been long recognized that many children have not yet developed to the degree that they fully understand the consequences for their actions. (example: we don’t give licenses to those under sixteen and we don’t grant children under the age of 18 the right to vote) ;

Whereas Barry Massey was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at the tender age of thirteen;

Whereas Barry Massey has served twenty three years in prison and has had very few infractions;

Whereas Barry Massey has worked hard to be a positive influence while in prison through joining the Black Prisoners Caucus and speaking to community youth;

Whereas many community members, social justice advocates and others familiar with Barry Massey and the prison system spoke out on behalf of Barry Massed during his clemency hearing;

Whereas the clemency board of the State of Washington voted 4 to 1 to approve the clemency petition of Barry Massey;

Whereas the Governor of the State of Washington rejected Barry Massey’s petition for clemency approximately two years ago;

Whereas Barry Massey is prepared to be a positive contributing member of the public

Therefore, be it resolved that the AOW State Conference and the individual branches work toward the release of Barry Massey from the Washington State Prison System;

Therefore, be it further resolved that the President of the AOW, Legal Redress for the AOW and the President or representative from the Tacoma Branch meet with the governor of Washington State to request release of Barry Massey from prison;

Therefore, be it further resolved that a letter be written on behalf of the AOW state conference requesting that the Governor of the State of Washington grant clemency to Barry Massey;

Therefore, be it further resolved that the AOW make it’s position in reference to Barry Massey known to the general public;

Therefore, be it further resolved that the AOW work with other groups that are in support of release of Barry Massey and the elimination of life without the possibility of parole sentences for juveniles that have been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

NAACP SUPPORTS HEALTH CARE REFORM THAT INCLUDES AN EXPANSION OF COVERAGE TO ALL AMERICANS AND ELIMINATES RACIAL HEALTH CARE DISPARITIES

2009-09-20T19:31:00.001-07:00

From Hilary O. Shelton, Director of Washington Bureau NAACP

THE ISSUE:

Too many Americans today are straining under the burden of two related trends: shrinking health care coverage and rising health care costs. Over the last decade, millions of Americans have found themselves uninsured, and millions more have become under-insured as the value of their coverage has declined. In the years 2008-2010, it is estimated that approximately 6,000 people a day, or almost 7 million Americans total, will lose their health insurance. At the same time, health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs have risen steadily, and the number of families who are facing high health care costs continue to grow. In fact, nearly one in four non-elderly Americans are in families that will spend more than 10% of their pre-tax dollars on health care in 2009, and the vast majority of them (more than 82%) have health care insurance. Furthermore, in the United States today the color of your skin, your ethnic background and where you live can not only influence your health care access and quality; they can determine them. And while medical science has made a lot of advances over the last 10 years, the gains made by discovery of new drugs and treatment have not passed on to all segments of our population.

Health care reform is currently moving through Congress, and the NAACP is working hard to ensure that the final product has the following four elements: (1) full health care coverage that is affordable to every individual, family and business which also provides coverage for pre-existing conditions; (2) Standard, comprehensive health care benefits that meet everyone's needs from preventitive to chronic care; (3) The choice of a private or public health care plan, which includes a new public health care plan that will provide a guaranteed backup which will always be there to ensure quality, affordable health care coverage no matter what; and (4) Equity in health care access, treatment, research, and resources to people and communities of color and stronger health services in low income communities.

CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE AND URGE THEM TO PASS COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE THAT OFFERS AFFORDABLE QUALITY CARE TO ALL AMERICANS AND ELIMINATES RACIAL HEALTH DISPARITIES

To send an email go to www.senate.gov; click "find your senators" look up your senators by state; go to their websites for email addresses

To Send an email to your Representative, go to www.house.gov and click on "write your representative.

To call your Senators and Representative call (202) 224-3121

African American Juvenile Probation Officer Found Not Guilty of Assaulting Seattle Police Officer

2009-09-07T00:24:00.001-07:00

Yvette Gaston, a King County Juvenile Probation Counselor who has dedicated the past twelve years of her life to helping troubled children was found not guilty of obstructing Justice and assault of a police officer. In September of last year, Yvette Gaston secured a clothing voucher through her job so that she could help a child on her case load get school clothes. After securing the voucher she met the young man in downtown Seattle at Sears. After she got school clothes for the young man, she dropped him off on 23rd and Jackson. 23rd and Jackson is an area traditionally known as the Central District (CD). The CD has traditionally been the community of color in Seattle. It has long been known as a refuge for African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos and Asian populations.

Shortly after dropping the young man off, he was approached by police officers who accused him of stealing his school clothes, throwing rocks and jaywalking. The young man called the one person who could vouch for his whereabouts and the fact that he had legally obtained the clothing.....his probation counselor. After the young man reached Yvette Gaston, he handed the phone to one of the officers. Yvette attempted to explain and reason with the officer over the phone. To her surprise she was met with an angry and aggressive tone. The officer told her that the young man was being "lippy" and that he was going to show him how we "operate things in the CD."

The statements of the officer caused Gaston great concern. In recent years there has been a great deal of concern about police misconduct and racial profiling in Seattle. She made the courageous decision to go back to 23rd and Jackson and bear witness to the "incident." Upon arrival, she saw that the young man had been handcuffed and placed in the back of a squad car. (witnesses would later say that the officers had handled the young man in a very rough and unnecessary manner). Yvette approached the officers, showed them her badge and asked if they were really arresting this young man for jaywalking. An officer quickly approached Gaston and accused her of assaulting a police officer. She was so disturbed with the officers actions that she eventually called 911 herself. The Sargent on the scene eventually took the phone from her and essentially instructed the officer to disregard the call.

Shortly after bringing this issue forward through the NAACP, Gaston was charged with assault and an obstruction allegation was later added. The Law Office of Joe St. Laurent and James Bible handled Gaston's case. After nearly 12 months and several pre trial hearings, the case was ready for trial. A jury quickly found Gaston not guilty. While the jury has exonerated Gaston of all charges, she still has many emotional scars that are a direct result of the way in which she was treated by the police.

We can't help but wonder what things would have been like if Gaston was simply a concerned citizen who was interested in protecting the rights of a young man instead of a probation counselor. Would the Jury have sided with her even then?

2nd Annual Seattle King County African American Legislative Day

2009-06-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

The Seattle Martin Luther King Jr. County NAACP is proud to bring to the community the second annual Seattle King County Afri-can American Legislative Day. Our mission is to provide African Americans with information about local politics and give access to our political officials. This event has the ability to unify our community around common interests and provide our children with positive examples. It is time for us to recognize our ability to positively impact our great city and county. We urge the community to join with us in em-bracing this movement!

SEATTLE MARTIN LUTHER KING COUNTY AFRICAN AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE DAY

Meet with city and county elected officials
Attend workshops to help understand and participate in the city and county legislative process
Learn how to access and impact the city/county budget
Participate in hearings on the most significant issues confronting the African American community
Exercise your right by registering to vote
Garfield Community Center

23rd & Cherry
Date: 06/27/09
Time: 11:30am—4pm

Governor Commutes Gerald Hankerson's Sentence

2009-05-08T21:45:00.001-07:00

At the tender age of eighteen, Gerald Hankerson was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole by a judge in the State of Washington. After twenty two years of incarceration, the Seattle King County NAACP is thrilled to announce that Christine Gregoire, the governor of Washington State, has commuted Gerald's sentence. Gerald is now a free man. Gerald's release was a direct result of a community effort that was spearheaded by the Seattle King County NAACP, the churches and other social justice advocates. We will be posting more about Gerald's remarkable story on Saturday May 9th.

2009-03-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

Quality public education is fundamental to a society that values equal opportunity for all people. It has long been known as the great equalizer. Whether you are poor, a minority or speak English as a second language our public school systems are intended to create opportunities that level the playing field. It is unfortunate that the Seattle School District has forgotten the importance of providing quality education for all.

On January 29, 2009, the Seattle School Board approved the Superintendent's proposal to close five schools that disproportionately serve students of color and students with learning disability. It is estimated that of the 1800 children directly impacted by school closure over 1500 of them are minority, many speak English as a second language and many have learning disabilities. Four of the five schools slated for closure are between 99 percent and 70 percent minority. The fifth school is 50.2 percent minority. It is also notable that these schools also served a disproportionate number of students in poverty. During economic hard times public schools should not be balancing the budget on the backs of those that are poor and minority.

The Seattle School Board and its superintendent claim that we are facing a 24 million dollar budget deficit and that these school were under enrolled and ineffective. If you were to analyze the Seattle School Districts Budget a little closer you would find that the District has a 30 million dollar rainy day fund. In addition to having money in reserve, it is important that the Seattle School District develop more creative strategies to address any perceived budget crisis. How about cutting administration. It is increasingly apparent that the largest increase in expenditures in the Seattle School District are linked to administrators that do not directly serve children. In deed, our own school superintendent makes over 260,000 thousand dollars per year and took a 10 percent pay increase during a period in which it is likely that she was preparing to close schools. Is this a reasonable allocation of resources? Is this how our school district squanders money? Perhaps the administration should move from lush John Stanford Building and operate out of one of the many schools that they closed just a couple of years ago. This would likely serve to save a significant amount of money and would have less of an impact on children.

We have an opportunity to build a school district that has smaller school and class sizes. We should seize this opportunity to do better by our children instead of seeking to eliminate opportunity for disenfranchised populations. The Schools that are now slated for closure were doing as well at educating children of color and the poor as any other schools. Instead of closing these schools we need to provide greater support.

95 Years of protecting civil rights in Seattle

2008-10-16T22:14:00.000-07:00

The Seattle King County NAACP will be celebrating its 95th year of serving the civil and human rights interests of all people. Over the course of the past several decades we have promoted and protected equality in education, housing, employment, voting and so much more. While we are proud of our storied history, we will not rest on our past accomplishments. In the past year we have created several programs that we hope will become institutions in the Pacific Northwest. These programs include:

1. Seattle King County African American Legislative Day. This event is geared toward helping people of color to understand local politics and provide access to local politicians. We are touting this event as a major success. it was held at the Seattle City Hall and in the King County Council Chambers. Members of the community presented issues and concerns to local officials and we had the opportunity to have an open and frank discussion about what needs to change in our various communities. This is intended to be an annual event and will be held every year on June 19th.

2. Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education: This is event is intended to provide educational access to those that are reliant upon a fully functioning public education system. Through this program we are able to provide information about open enrollment, special education programs, advanced placement classes and college admissions. This is now a yearly event.

3. Police Accountability Panel: Over the course of the past year we have held public hearings in throughout the county in reference to police accountability. Our research has helped to create policies that provide for greater accountability.

4. Health Fair: The Seattle King County NAACP recognizes that health disparities are a significant issue in our society. We also acknowledge that there are some diseases that disproportionately impact people of color. We are choosing to do something other than stick our head in the sand. We are holding a health fair on the same day as our 95th anniversary. At this event we will be discussing health care issues ranging from access to adequate health care to diabetes and HIV.

5. Youth Council: The Seattle King County NAACP recognizes that it is its responsibility to promote tomorrow's leaders. We are proud of our young people that have chosen to play an active role in their communities.

6. Executive Committees: In addition to the above mentioned programs, we have 18 executive committee members that handle hundreds of civil rights complaints every year.

95th Anniversary

This year we will be celebrating our 95th year by holding a special community event at Mt. Zion Church followed by a Dinner Reception at the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle on November 15, 2008. Dr. Michael Eric Dyson will be the guest speaker at the Mt. Zion event. Dr. Dyson is one of the foremost experts on urban culture and equity and equality in our society. His message is an inspiring one that helps people to understand the complexity of our society.

The Dinner reception at the Westin will involve entertainment and awards for those that have made significant contributions to civil and human rights in Seattle. This year we will be celebrating the King County Bar Association and the Loren Miller Bar Association.

In the early 1970s the King County Bar Association created a scholarship for minorities that had law school aspirations. The creation of that scholarship has helped to create greater diversity in the legal profession. In fact, there are attorneys on the NAACP Executive Committee that were recipients of the KCBA's scholarship.

The Loren Miller Bar Association is essentially the African American Bar for Washington State. As Loren Miller enters into its 40th year of promoting diversity in the legal system, it is important to honor its founding fathers and the trail that they blazed for so many others that dreamed of being lawyers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 15TH Seattle King County NAACP celebrates 95 years of dedication to civil and human rights!POWER, JUSTICE, FREEDOM: VOTE!Program with Dr. Michael Eric Dyson* keynote address FREE to the community. Purchase tickets to Freedom Fund Reception at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/ or call 1-800-838-3006*for more information on this speaker, please visit http://www.apbspeakers.com/

2008-09-28T12:45:00.001-07:00

Press Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAACP IS PREPARED TO RESPOND TO RACIAL PROFILING AND DISPARATE TREATMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN YOUTH IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND SOUTH KING COUNTY

The Seattle/King County Branch of the NAACP is deeply concerned about what appears to be a dramatic increase in racial profiling of African American youth in the Central District and South King County. We will be bringing two particularly egregious cases that have occurred in the past month to the attention of the public. One case involves an African American Juvenile Probation Officer who was grabbed by police officers and verbally harassed when she attempted to explain to police officers that one of the children on her case load had done nothing wrong. The other case involves a high school student at Garfield who has consistently been stopped and harassed by police officers. On multiple occasions his white counterparts have witnessed the officers swearing at the high school student while telling him that he will never amount to anything in his life. This behavior is appalling and must be stopped. It adversely impacts the self identity of our children and impacts their ability to succeed. Additionally, this sort of treatment undermines the objectives of programs that are geared toward helping youth.

We will also be talking about the steps that the NAACP will be taking to empower youth and what steps we will be taking to protect against racial profiling.

Presenters at the press conference:

The Juvenile Probation officer that was harassed by police officers;
The Garfield High School student that was harassed by Police; and
James Bible, President of the NAACP

When: Monday 9/29/08

11:15 p.m.

Where: Seattle Urban League Building

105 14th Avenue
Suite C, 1st Floor
Seattle, WA 98122

Seattle King County NAACP turns 95!

2008-09-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 15TH Seattle King County NAACP celebrates 95 years of dedication to civil and human rights!
POWER, JUSTICE, FREEDOM: VOTE!
Program with Dr. Michael Eric Dyson* keynote address FREE to the community.
Purchase tickets to Freedom Fund Reception at www.brownpapertickets.com or call 1-800-838-3006
*for more information on this speaker, please visit www.apbspeakers.com

Join us for our Freedom Fund Dinner

2008-09-24T23:37:00.000-07:00

The Seattle King County NAACP has been serving the civil and human rights interests of the people of Seattle for nearly 95 years. While we are proud of our tradition of working hard to protect the rights of all people while promoting equality and equity, we will not rest on our laurels. We will continue to take stand up for what is right.

SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 15TH Seattle King County NAACP celebrates 95 years of dedication to civil and human rights!POWER, JUSTICE, FREEDOM: VOTE!Program with Dr. Michael Eric Dyson* keynote address FREE to the community. Purchase tickets to Freedom Fund Reception at www.brownpapertickets.com or call 1-800-838-3006*for more information on this speaker, please visit www.apbspeakers.com

ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE

2008-08-31T08:45:00.001-07:00

Come Celebrate 95th

2008-08-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

The Seattle King County Branch of the NAACP is the oldest branch west of the Mississippi River. Over the course of our 95 years of service to the greater Seattle area, we have worked to end discrimination in housing, employment, political participation, health, and criminal justice. We will continue to work to bring inequitable treatment to an end.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR

We will be holding our 95th anniversary fund raiser on November 15, 2008. We would love to see you there. Please save this date and we will be sending more information soon.

ACT-SO Competition

2008-04-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

Finals and award presentations for the 2008 ACT-SO Program is April 26, 2008, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center at 10:00 am until 1:00 pm. Please let every high school student in grades 9-12 that you come in contact with know it is not too late to be a part of this year's program. All they need to do is show up with a science project, song, poem, drawing, dance, painting, original essay, photography, or sculpture and get it judged. The time limit for all presentations is five (5) minutes. ACT-SO continues to strive for excellence in our students and encourage them to take advantage of all opportunities to showcase their talents. This year the first place winners will be going to Disney World to represent the Seattle King County Branch at the National ACT-SO. We are still in need of a few judges (science, painting, drawing, humanities, and music), while searching for a few of our past judges we have lost contact with. If you wish to be a judge, please contact the NAACP office at 206-324-6600. If you know or see Simeon Rhoden, Quinton Morris or Marlette Buchanan ask them to get in touch with ACT-SO at the above number.

Youth Violence Prevention Network

2008-04-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

The Youth Violence Prevention Network is an organization dedicated to helping youth find creative solutions to violence in their communities. I have had the pleasure of attending these meetings and am greatly impressed with the level of thought that is put into creating an environment in which all people are respected and valued. For more information about this wonderful organization contact (206) 937-0210 or visit them on the web at www.youthviolence-prevention.org.

Free Gerald Hankerson

2008-01-06T19:34:00.000-08:00

Dear Governor Gregoire:
Our Washington State Constitution asserts a belief in the rehabilitation of its felons as demonstrated by the very fact that it vested our State's governor with the pardoning power. Further, to assist the governor in the wise exercise of this power it created the Clemency Board; to review and commute the sentences of offenders in the most extraordinary of cases. On June 7, 2006, the Clemency Board voted unanimously in just such a case, and recommended clemency for Gerald Hankerson. In response to the Clemency Board's exceptionally favorable counsel, you "arrived at a different conclusion." This letter, on behalf of your community's leaders and the friends of Gerald Hankerson, and based upon the criteria herein, formally requests a reconsideration of your decision in order to balance the scales of justice.

Clemency empowers our State's Governor to pardon a person convicted of a crime or commute the sentence of a felon, often to time already served. Commutation reduces a criminal sentence. A pardon strikes the conviction from the books as if it never occurred, effectively wiping the slate clean. Gerald Hankerson is not asking for a clean slate per se, but fairness in sentencing. Gerald holds himself accountable for his involvement in the crime, but who, within our legal system, do we hold accountable for faulty jury instructions? By dropping the aggravating factor from his sentence, Gerald would be a candidate for the Department of Corrections Mutual Agreement Program (MAP). MAP is specifically tailored to offenders serving sentences for first-degree murder as a means to supervise an offender's transition back into the community. And the community would only benefit from Gerald's return.
Gerald has conducted himself in a manner both above and beyond what one would expect of a prisoner, and his positive demeanor is not typical among inmates. For a number of years, Gerald has had no serious infractions, has the maximum number of custody points, and is at the lowest security level possible for his sentence. Gerald has paid all his restitution and court fees, and has participated in numerous programs to benefit and better himself and others such as the Concerned Lifers Organization and Youths at Risk. Gerald has a positive and extensive support network in place as evidenced by the turnout at his clemency hearing; even the Clemency Board itself commented that they had never seen such an outpouring of support. Community leaders, councilmen, family and friends, all have invested a lot of time and effort in Gerald. He has a guaranteed four year college scholarship should he want to study, and he has a job with Korum Motors waiting for him. Most importantly he has good friends to turn to and guide him.
If our prison systems are intended to rehabilitate those incarcerated, to restore them to a useful life through therapy, education, and specialty programs to such a degree that they are able to contribute to themselves and become productive members of society, then our prison system has succeeded with Gerald Hankerson. But by denying his clemency, what message has now been sent to the rest of the prison population? What are they going to take from this decision? That positive change doesn't matter? That hard work and participation in state endorsed programs won't help their circumstances? That a unanimous decision by the Clemency Board means nothing?
Forgiveness, leniency, compassion, mercy: these words are the very definition of clemency. The reason you are reading this request today is not because of Gerald, but because of us, your constituents. Gerald would never have considered applying for clemency on his own accord; forgiveness seemed well beyond the realm of possibility. At our insistence he reached for the impossible by asking for leniency, and succeeded, unanimously so. We have seen Gerald grow over the decades, for indeed, a transformation of this magnitude is not one that happens overnight. Gerald's journey along this road of change has been a long and challenging one, and our compassion for him has never faltered. Mercy to those who have redeemed themselves is the right thing to do, and the very reason why clemency was established.
Often the most arduous task a leader must undertake, or the most difficult decision a leader has to make, is the morally correct one. We, the below signed petitioners, urge you, Governor Gregoire, to accept your Clemency Board's recommendation. Please reconsider this clemency based upon what is ethically, morally, and justifiably correct by Gerald S. Hankerson.

UW Retains Coach Willingham

2007-12-07T15:31:00.000-08:00

The Seattle King County NAACP supports the University of Washington's decision to retain Tyrone Willingham as it's head football coach for at least one more year. During his tenure, Coach Willingham has repeatedly demonstrated that he has the qualities that will lead the University of Washington back to national prominence. Perhaps, more importantly, Coach Willingham has demonstrated that the future of his student athletes are of great importance him. Coach Willingham's incredible work ethic, discipline and character is exactly the sort of example that we all should be following.

Community Meeting 10/22/07 at 6:30 (Seattle Urban League Building)

2007-10-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

The Seattle Martin Luther King County Jr. NAACP will be holding its monthly community meeting on Monday, October 22 at the Seattle Urban League. This meeting will address issues relating to police and community member interactions. This is intended to inform community members of their rights when it comes to interacting with law enforcement.

Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education

2007-09-28T05:08:00.001-07:00

October 6, 2007
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education Logistical Information
Theme: “Moving Up; Moving Forward”
Audience: Families and Students (K-20)
Date: Saturday, October 6, 2007
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Langston Hughes Cultural Center
Keynote Speaker: Larry Gossett (Topic: King County’s role in public education)
Sponsor: NAACP

Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education Background Information
The Martin Luther King County Rally for Public Education is designed not only to engage King County communities, parents/guardians and students in public education issues and advocacy opportunities; it is intended to provide a wide variety of resources and information.

Featured Resources
College Preparation
o Testing Calendars (for two- and four-year colleges)
o College Applications
o Financial Aid Applications
o Scholarship Information
o Onsite High School Counselors
K-12 Informational Tables
o Education Issues
o Advanced Placement
o English Language Learners
o High School Graduation Requirements
o Low Income/Poverty
o Special Education
Post-secondary Opportunities
o Apprenticeships
o Two-year Colleges
o Four-year Universities
Citizen Empowerment
o Voter Registration
o Education Advocacy Opportunities
City, County and State Organizations
o Black Child Development Institute (BCDI)
o Casa Latina
o El Centro de la Raza
o Sea Mar
o Seattle Education Association
o Washington Education Association
o Washington State Special Education Coalition

Civil Rights
o Civil Rights Advocacy
o Process to Address Alleged Civil Rights Violations
Health Care
o Health Care Information and Resources
o Sexually Transmitted Diseases

2007-09-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

NAACP FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST MORTGAGE LENDERS

2007-07-20T19:29:00.000-07:00

Last week the NAACP filed a federal class action lawsuit against fourteen of the country's largest subprime mortgage lenders. This lawsuit is designed to stop these lenders from engaging in systematic institutionalized racism in making home mortgage loans. In part, the decision to file a class action was based on a 2006 study conducted by the Center for Responsible Lending. Researchers found that when creditworthiness and credit risk were equal, African-Americans were still 31 percent to 34 percent more likely to receive higher rate then their Gaussian counterparts.

Additionally, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition revealed that lenders on average made high-cost subprime loans to higher-qualified African-Americans 54 percent of the time, compared to 23 percent of the time for Caucasian, even when the Caucasian applicants were less qualified.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE NAACP

IF AT ANY TIME IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW TOOK OUT A HOME MORTGAGE LOAN OR REFINANCED A HOME, WHETHER WITH ONE OF THESE LENDERS OR ANOTHER LENDER, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF THESE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES. PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THE PERSONS LISTED BELOW.

WEE NEED YOU TE HELP STOP DISCRIMINATORY LENDING AND TO RECOVER THE MONEY THE NAACP ALLEGES WAS CHARGED ILLEGALLY BY THESE LENDERS. PLEASE TELL YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES.

NAACP

Angela Cicolo, Esq.

Interim Gerneral Counsel

4805 Mt. Hope Drive,

Baltimore MD 21215

(877) NAACP-98

(410) 580-5777

FEAZELL & TIGHE LLP

(877) 948-4842

info@feazell-tighe.com

KABATECK BROWN KELLNER, LLP

Brian Kabateck, Esq.

(866) 266-1800

bsk@kbklawyers.com

The Civil and Human Rights of People in Seattle must be Protected

2007-07-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

seattletimes.nwsource.com/avantgo/2003771751_webchief02m.html

Imagine witnessing a defenseless individual in handcuffs being beaten with a club and fists by law enforcement. Imagine a police officer jumping on person who is laying on his stomach waiting for law enforcement to place him in hand cuffs (this person suffered a popped lung and cracked ribs). Imagine a law enforcement officer spanking your child. In each of these cases the Office of Professional Accountability found that the officers had committed acts of misconduct. To the shock of the people of Seattle, Police Chief Kerlikowske overturned the decision of the Office of Professional Accountability and exonerated these officers of any wrong doing.

These horrific incidents of injustice are just three of the twenty-two cases that Chief Kerlikowske has overturned in the past couple of years. We are concerned that the Chief is seeking to cover up acts of injustice that are committed by Seattle Police Officers at the expense of the public. We are concerned that the Chief is failing to put his reasons for disagreeing with the Office of Professional Accountability in writing.

The Chief has repeatedly demonstrated that he is willing to ignore the depth and reasoning of the Seattle Office of Professional Accountability in favor of officers. George T. Pattersons case is particularly disturbing. In the Patterson case, there was a 600 page investigation, a video tape, a forensic experts findings, warnings from the City Auditor and a ruling by a judge which suggested that the officers in the Patterson case had committed acts of misconduct. In spite of this evidence, the Chief chose to exonerate these officers. Even worse, he chose to misrepresent the issues to the public. He chose to slander Mr. Patterson and tried to infer that a weapon was involved in this case when everyone is well aware that there were no weapons present.

We need a chief who is willing to tell the public the truth and sanction those few officers who choose to violate civil and human rights.

Recently the Minority Executive Director's Coalition (MEDC) Joined the Seattle King County NAACP in calling for the Resignation of Chief Kerlikowske. People of color and the poor can no longer have confidence in the chiefs ability to protect their civil and human rights.

Arrested for Protecting a Student (The illegal arrest of Rajnii Eddins)

2007-07-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

Rajnii Eddins, a well known spoken word artist and educator, was preparing youth for a play called the Tobacco Monologues when one of his students came running up to him in a panic. The student explained that one of her friends was being arrested. Out of concern for his student, Rajnii went to the area in which the student's friend was being arrested. Upon arriving at the scene, Rajnii attempted to ask the officer for information that he could relay back to the arrested youth's parents. Rather than seeing Rajnii as a concerned instructor, the officers viewed him as a threat. One officer responded to Rajnii's request for information by telling his co worker, "check him for drugs and guns." Shortly thereafter Rajnii was handcuffed and placed in the back of the patrol car and taken to jail and charged with obstruction.

Rajnii has never been in trouble with the law in his life. While he was growing up, his mother shared there home with over 50 children. He is dedicated to helping children to develop to their full potential. He does not deserve what is happening to him.

Nearly 150 people showed up for Rajnii's arraignment. At his arraignment the prosecutor offered Rajnii a deal that would have lead to dismissal of all charges in exchange for community service. Instead of accepting the plea offer, Rajnii stayed true to his heart and set the case for trial. His trial is now scheduled for mid July in Seattle Municipal Court. Hopefully justice will prevail and Rajnii will be found NOT GUILTY.

It is time for the people to stand up for justice. Stay tuned for more information.

Police Misconduct in Seattle

2007-06-30T19:07:00.000-07:00

That justice is a blind goddess is a fact to which we Blacks are wise,
her bandages hide two festering sores that once perhapse were eyes.

Langston Hughes

At the time that Langston Hughes authored this poem, African Americans were experiencing the injustice of segregation. While separate but equal policies have been deemed unconstitutional, it is apparent that we still have a separate system of justice for people of color and the poor. This separate system is most pronounced when people of color and the poor interact with law enforcement. Even when people of color have concrete evidence that a law enforcement officer violated their constitutional rigthts, little to nothing is done. To add insult to injury, people who file complaints often find that the department will exonerate the officers and demonize the person who was brave enough to walk through the doors of the police department and ask for justice.

The Seattle King County NAACP has taken the lead in protecting the civil and human rights of those that have encounters with law enforcement in our jurisdiction. We receive and investigate hundreds of cases each year. Because the Seattle Chief of Police and the Seattle Office of Professional Accountability have failed to adequately protect people of color and the poor, we will be sharing many of our completed investigation with the public. It is our hope that the public will stand and demand a stronger system of accountability and greater protections for people of color and the poor.