P.o. Box 15692 ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87506-15692 ~

P.O. Box 15692 ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87506-15692 ~ (505) 424-6100 President 1st Vice President 2nd Vice President

Carol Johnson Wanda Ross- Padilla Agnes Moses

Secretary Asst. Secretary Treasurer

Cynthia Geder Alex Downen Christine Johnson

August 2009

2009 marks the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. We are the oldest Civil Rights Organization in America.

PRESIDENT’S LETTER – Carol Johnson

since the Legislature did not provide funds for the Santa Fe 400 commemoration. Santa Fe 400, the Branch and others are investigating potential funding sources. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Members of the Branch met with Mr. Katz after the meeting at Santa Fe 400 for lunch and stimulating conversation. We will keep you informed as to the progress and plans for a presentation by Mr. Katz in Santa Fe. Congratulations to Christine Johnson, Bob Moses and Wanda Padilla for their awards from the New Mexico Office of African American Affairs on June 13, 2009. They are well deserved. Thanks to them for their continued hard work and dedication to the NAACP and the community. It has been a busy spring and summer for the Branch. Read on for more details. We are sending the newsletter electronically, by email and on website, and will have printed copies at meetings. If you would like a printed copy mailed to you, please let us know. The cost of printing and mailing the newsletter was becoming prohibitive. Sorry for any inconvenience. Thanks for your support and dedication to the mission of the NAACP.

I hope you are having a great summer. The NAACP National Convention was held in New York City, July 11-16, 2009. The theme was NAACP 100 Years Bold Breams – Big Victories! Chris Johnson was our delegate; see her report for highlights. I accompanied William Katz, author of The Black West to meet with Libby Dover, Executive Director of Santa Fe 400 during his visit to Santa Fe in May. Santa Fe 400 would like to include Mr. Katz in their quatrocentenial lecture series which will begin October, 2009. Funding is an issue

ABOUT US Protecting the diversity of culture, ethnicity, and the rights of people under the law is at the heart of the mission of the Santa Fe branch of the NAACP. Bruce King, former New Mexico governor declared, in 1979, that New Mexico is a multicultural state. The NAACP is about ensuring the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and discrimination.

BOLD DREAMS BIG VICTORIES! NAACP NATIONAL CONVENTION JULY 11-16, 2009

to and MUST DO in the next 100 years--starting NOW!!! Tuesday, July 14th, at our Regional meeting met with Miller Newman presiding--we elected Dr. Ernest Johnson (La) as our Regional Nominee to the Board of Directors. Our present Board of Directors members gave their reports. The Youth of Regional VI elected officers and they were introduced. Sam Bone, Jr. (NM State Pres) gave a detailed report of the Region VI's Leadership Conference held in ABQ. In Feb, 2009. The Conference made $1,311.82. There were over 2,000 registered Delegates, and 5,000 attendees at this historical Convention--the largest ever!!!

-Report by Christine Johnson. The Annual NAACP National Convention was held in New York City, July 11-16, 2009, the birthplace of the NAACP in February, 1909 and this was its 100th Anniversary. The Theme was BOLD DREAMS BIG VICTORIES. On Sunday, July 12th, I attended the Prayer Breakfast/Memorial Service for deceased NAACP Officers and members, the Rev. Al Sharpton was the "Speaker" and he preached!!!! Later on in the evening the Grand Ballroom was packed for the Opening Public Mass Meeting, which was very ably presided over by the VP of the Board of Directors, Roslyn Brock. All the dignitaries from NY State and City, State Senators and Representatives and the US House of Representatives Speaker of the House brought greetings. The Keynoter was Julian Bond, Chairman of the Board. He was committed to what the NAACP stands for and insistent in what MORE has to be addressed and done in the next 100 years. He announced that he will not be running next year for Chairman of the Board. On Monday, July13th, we began having our Regional Meetings which begin (Mon, Tues, & Wed. @8am) for Region VI (AR, LA, OK, NM, & TX). Sam Bone, Jr. presided and I took the minutes. The newly elected Officers 20092010 are Chair: Miller Newman (OK), Vice Chair: Gary Bledsoe (TX), Secretary: Twan Jones (OK), Asst. Sec: Yolanda Smith (TX), Treasurer: Ora Washington. The 1st Plenary Session had 5 of the former Presidents/CEOs speak and then our young Pres/CEO Benjamin Jealous gave the Keynote address. He was energetic, forward thinking and explicit in what this organization has

During the Legislative session, I was most impressed with the young delegates who spoke to and for different Resolutions on the floor, in a concise, intelligent, researched, and committed manner. Some notable Resolutions passed on Tuesday, were: National Day of NonViolence,April4,2010;anti-bullying and Harassment in schools; HIV/AIDS "The Way Forward" in 2006 in collaboration with the Black AIDS Institute; Change the time of Annual Financial Report from February to March; NAACP supports legislation to address Racial Discrimination and Disparities in Criminal Justice Prosecutions. Tabled Resolutions that will come before the Delegates on Thursday AM were: Combining the Efforts of ACTSO of the mind and Back to School Stay in School program to assist in Demolishing of High School Dropout Rates among AfricanAmerican students. We started all the Plenary and Legislative Sessions with this Call led by the President FIRED UP--and we answered--READY TO GO!!!! This was done three (3) times each louder than the first. WOW!!!!! Thank you for permitting me to represent the Santa Fe Branch!

TRUTH & RECONCILIATION IN SOUTH AFRICA -Report by Vikki Scott The end of apartheid in South Africa and the election of the first democratic government in 1994, was one of the defining events of the end of the 20th century. After careful consideration, the new government decided against instituting judicial proceedings based on the Nuremberg model to prosecute the perpetrators of human rights abuses under the Apartheid Regime. It was thought that to "judicialize" the process would by too costly in time and money for the young nation and the patience of her citizens to bear. Instead the South African Government under the leadership of President Nelson Mandela, instituted the first Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) by statute, the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, No. 34 of 1995. Since then Commissions have been set up to address all sorts of government wrongdoing in countries from Argentina to the United States. These Commissions have taken various forms and served different ends, but the South African model remains foremost in the minds of people the world over.

An important objective of the Commission was to discover the truth of what happened during the apartheid era. It was thought that an honest and open examination of past events would foster informed public debate and an accurate public consciousness of shared history. The mandate of the Commission was limited to only two years. Distinctions between the function of the TRC and the judicial system were defined in the Statute

and refined in practice. The Commission sought free confession and the renunciation of violence by perpetrators, the incentive being the possibility (not the promise) of amnesty. Crossexamination, legal representation, the determination of guilt, and the imposition of sanctions were left to the Courts. The process was thought to reinforce democracy. The experience of the TRC in South Africa and its role in facilitating the transition to a democratic, nonracial South Africa continues to be evaluated and debated. The South African model is invoked where people seek to resolve conflict and expose government abuse outside the limitations of the judicial system. Here in the U.S., Senator Patrick Leahy and Representative John Conyers have proposed a "truth commission" to investigate, but not prosecute, alleged crimes of the Bush administration. It is appropriate for people who value democracy to understand the workings of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission in order to support the effective implementation of the principle where needed.

FORT CRAIG REPATRIATION CEREMONY SANTA FE NATIONAL CEMETERY JULY 28, 2009

The remains of 64 soldiers and civilians exhumed from Fort Craig Cemetery in central New Mexico by the Bureau of Reclamation are now resting at the Santa Fe National Cemetery. The last three of the soldiers were reburied following a memorial service at Santa Fe on July 28, 2009. The three identified soldiers, United States Army Privates Levi Morris, Thomas Smith and David Ford and the other soldiers and civilians received full military honors during the ceremony held on National Buffalo Soldier Day. All three were Buffalo Soldiers.

Cliff Shields, director of the Santa Fe National Cemetery, was Master of Ceremonies; the Presentation of the Colors was performed by the New Mexico National Guard; the Eulogy was given by retired U.S. Army General Julius Parker; and other comunity leaders were on hand at the event.

FROM NAACP NATIONAL AUGUST, 2009

NAACP Congratulates Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor APPLAUDS U.S. SENATE FOR CONFIRMING THE NATION’S FIRST LATINA JUSTICE AND BALANCING THE SUPREME COURT (For more on the story go to http://www.usbr.gov/uc/feature/FtCraig/index.ht ml)

WASHINGTON DC—The NAACP issued the following statement today on the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the next Supreme Court Justice. “The confirmation of the first Latina to join the Supreme Court is a moment that our nation should celebrate,” NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous said. “It brings us one step closer to the inclusive democracy that is the hallmark and promise of our great nation. Judge Sotomayor has the judicial track record, the intellectual fortitude, and the life experiences that will serve the Supreme Court and our nation well.” Said Jealous; “The NAACP applauds the U.S Senate and the Judiciary Committee members Senators Patrick Leahy, Benjamin Cardin, Charles Schumer, Sheldon Whitehouse, and Lindsay Graham for moving this process along in a swift and judicious manner. Justice Sotomayor brings more federal judicial experience to the Supreme Court than any justice in 100 years and we are proud to see her confirmed.”

“The United States Senate made history today, and the NAACP is proud to stand with newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Sotomayor’s historic nomination and confirmation to the Court is an excellent choice, and she will bring much needed balance to Supreme Court,” stated Hilary O. Shelton, Director of the NAACP’s Washington Bureau and Senior Vice President for Advocacy. “Justice Sotomayor’s decisions after 17 years on the federal bench show her to be thoughtful, intelligent and extremely fair-minded with a strong and proven commitment to civil rights protection. As such, we have not seen a more inspired nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court since the great Judge Thurgood Marshall,” concluded Shelton. HTTP://WWW.NAACP.ORG/

NORTH AFRICAN & CARIBBEAN CAFE AUGUST, 2009

Jambo Cafe North African and Caribbean influenced restaurant will be having its grand opening in Santa Fe! Chef Amed Obe has a great menu featuring his native foods. Jambo Cafe has good prices and a welcoming environment. Drop by and say “Jambo” (hello)! Lunch or dinner anyone? Location: 2010 Cerrillos Road Open 11am to 9pm 505-920-4803 for information Only 15 percent of drug users are AfricanAmerican, yet 74 percent of all drug offenders sentenced to prison are black Arianna Huffington on Sunday, July 26th, 2009 in This Week with George Stephanopoulos

INTERNATIONAL VISITOR LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AUGUST 11, 2009 At the August 11th monthly meeting, we will have very special visitors present who are participating in the International Visitor Leadership Program sponsored by the State Department and hosted by The Council on International Relations. They are from Israel, including an Ethiopian student coordinator. The objective of their visit includes Examining how grassroots organizations seek to influence human rights policy at the national, state, and local level and Exploring citizen's rights and responsibilities in a civil society, particularly minority rights. Hope you are able to attend!

SANTA FE NAACP BRANCH MEMBER PASSES Luis Rodriguez 1935 – 2009 NAACP Branch member, Luis Rodriguez of Santa Fe and Las Vegas, passed away in the early morning of Friday, June 26, after a brief struggle with lung cancer. He died at home surrounded and supported by family and friends. Louis Alphonse Rodriguez, Jr. a.k.a. Luis Rodriguez was born January 24, 1935, on Cerro Gordo Road near Two Mile Reservoir in Santa Fe. He was 5 years old when he and his 2 brothers were orphaned by the death of their mother from TB. His father left Santa Fe to serve in the Navy during WWII. The brothers were raised by their grandmother, Simona Ortiz Rodriguez. Grandma Rodriguez made tortillas by hand on their woodburning stove; they drew water from the acequia and kept goats on the hills above. Grandma taught him to roll and smoke tobacco at the age of eight: he was a life-long smoker. Luis's experience growing up in pre war Santa Fe, in Oakland, CA, and later in the US military, gave him a keen sense of racial justice and social bias. Luis is survived by daughters Audry Rodriguez of Albuquerque and Yvonne Rodriguez of Sacramento, California; companion of 20 years, Victoria Scott of Santa Fe; her children Charles Mundy-Castle of Las Cruces; Jenny MundyCastle, and daughter Salomé Castle-Verkouille of Santa Fe.

PLANNING MEETING The Santa Fe NAACP Branch 2009-10 Planning Meeting was held March 10, 2009 during combined Executive Committee and Membership meetings. In this centennial year and the next, we are planning productive and exciting activities, which will increase our ability to continue the struggle for civil rights for all. Some of the activities planned include events to increase membership and strengthening our partnerships with other organizations with like missions; speakers at monthly meetings; Juneteenth and Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday celebrations; participation in the 400th anniversary of Santa Fe; a Walk for Family Justice; a trip to Africa…

OBJECTIVES OF THE NAACP The principle objective of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) shall be to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority group citizens; to achieve equality of rights and to eliminate race prejudice among the citizens of the United States; to remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes; to seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state and local laws securing civil rights; to inform the public of adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination; to educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and, to take any lawful action in furtherance of these objectives consistent with the Articles of Incorporation.

The following members have agreed to chair and participate on the following committees: Communications/Press & Publicity – George Geder & Vikki Scott Community Coordination – Cedric Page Education – Rebecca Cecil & Carol Johnson Finance/Fundraising – Christine Johnson, Daran Moon & Carol Johnson, Political Action – Bob Moses & Reena Szczepanski Youth Work – Isaac Engelson Health – Doris Fields

Membership – Cynthia Geder & Alex Downen

NAACP – The Oldest Civil Rights Organization in America Founded in 1909

Juneteenth – Nichoe Lichen & Karen Finney Legal Redress – Karen Finney

100th Anniversary Celebration in 2009

Chair and committee members are pending for the following committees: Armed Services/Veterans Affairs, Religious Affairs, Economic Development, Housing, Labor & Industry, and Martin Luther King Day. Volunteers are need for all committees. Your participation will be greatly appreciated and will increase our ability to continue the struggle for civil rights for all.

www.naacpsfnm.blogspot.com

Special thanks to the following members who assisted in getting out this newsletter: Carol Johnson, Christine Johnson & Victoria Scott. George Geder, Editor