NAACP of Champaign County Updates

At this month's local NAACP meeting, a lot of upcoming events and local government topics were highlighted (including the fact that there will be no January General Body meeting for the county NAACP). Most pressing is an upcoming Unit 4 school board meeting that the county's ACLU and NAACP chapter are going to be attending to address ongoing racial disparities on December 9th. More on that from the C-U Local Cheat Sheet post here.

Local violence issues touched upon included the recent shootings involving minors, including the recent shooting of a 10 year old child and the community response. The NAACP had a representative at the most recent community violence task force meeting occurring at the same time as the group's General Meeting. More coverage on that meeting is available from WCIA here. Upcoming meetings were also announced on the Champaign County Community Coalition's facebook page:

Just a heads up that our Community Violence Response Task Force will be holding December's meeting in the evening to be more accessible to community members.

Please join us December 11 at 5:30 p.m. (after the Coalition Meeting) at the Holiday Inn, Champaign at 101 N. Trade Center Dr.

Further updates available form their facebook page here or their website here. The family has been overwhelmed, but has a Pastoral liason and a contact point for more information on helping the Roberts family find safe accommodations and other needs while Decari recovers. From information given to NAACP members:

Because the family has been overwhelmed and need things streamlined Pastor Johnson from Mt. Calvary is serving as the family's liaison and as Pastoral support.

He has included out Community Violence Response Team in this process so that we can be of help (and help coordinate the help).

Currently, the family is spending most of their time at the hospital or a hotel (because of the safety issues).

There list of currently identified needs are listed below.

If you or a group that you work with can help out in anyway please email : Samyra Leonard who is organizing and putting together a master list of what help is coming and where are the the unmet needs.

Samyra.a.leonard@gmail.com

There biggest needs are financial to support their move and safety.

On other issues of violence, there was also some discussion on Urbana's approval of expanding its Student Resource Officer program (also discussed in this Cheat Sheet post on school board updates here). Concerns ranged from experiences with the school-to-prison pipeline to positive experiences kids and parents had with some Student Resource Officers locally.

Other upcoming events in January:

• There will be no NAACP General Meeting in January!

• In cooperation with the local Baha'i Faith organization, is a True Justice Workshop on January 5th and 12th (more information coming soon to their website here). 

• January 9th at the Champaign City Building and City Council Chambers, the NAACP will be co-hosting an event on working on criminal justice issues locally. State Representatives Carol Ammons will be attending.

The rest of the meeting included program updates, reports, and committee appointments. All of the time and effort that goes into organizing and staying involved in the local community.