NAACP BOARD ELECTS DERRICK JOHNSON PRESIDENT & CEO

BALTIMORE (October 21, 2017) —The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), America’s largest and original legacy civil rights organization, has unanimously elected Derrick Johnson president & CEO, it was announced today. Johnson, 49, has served as interim president and CEO since July of this year.

A Detroit native now residing in Jackson, Mississippi, Mr. Johnson, who was also elected vice-chairman of the Board of Directors in February of this year, is a longtime member, leader and a respected veteran activist who will be tasked with guiding the NAACP through a period of tremendous challenge and opportunity at a key point in its 108-year history. The NAACP has undergone transitions in leadership this year as it re-envisions itself to take on a tumultuous and contentious social and political climate. He will have a three-year term.

“In his time serving as our interim president and CEO, Derrick has proven himself as the strong, decisive leader we need to guide us through both our internal transition, as well as a crucial moment in our nation’s history. With new threats to communities of color emerging daily and attacks on our democracy, the NAACP must be more steadfast than ever before, and Derrick has the vision, mobility and courage to help us meet that demand,” said Leon Russell, Board Chairman of the NAACP. “As both a longtime member of the NAACP, and a veteran activist in his own right – having worked on the ground to advocate for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, along with championing countless other issues – Derrick also intimately understands the strengths of the Association, our challenges and the many obstacles facing black Americans of all generations today. I look forward to continuing to work with him in this new role,” he added.

Mr. Johnson has an extensive history and career legacy of dedicated civil rights activism. He formerly served as state president of the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP, where he successfully spearheaded campaigns for voting rights, worker’s rights and equitable education, and he additionally is the founder and executive director of One Voice, Inc., a Jackson-based non-profit organization conceived in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to enhance the quality of life for African Americans through civic engagement training and initiatives.

Additionally, as a past regional organizer with Southern Echo, Inc., another local non-profit organization, Mr. Johnson provided legal, technical and training support to communities spanning the south. He was appointed to the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission by the chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court, owing to his years of committed service to the people of the state.

Having earned a solid educational foundation, Mr. Johnson attended historically black Tougaloo College of Mississippi, before going on to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from the South Texas College of Law in Houston. He was later awarded fellowships from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the George Washington University School of Political Management and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He proudly serves on the board of directors of both the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation.

ABOUT THE NAACP:
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our six “Game Changer” issue areas by visiting NAACP.org.
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FULL SPEECH: Barack Obama speaks in Newark with Phil Murphy

In these tumultuous times it was great to hear comforting and uplifting words from an intelligent person. It was even better that the person was former President of The United States, President Obama reminding us what an actual president looks and sounds like. At a campaign event in Newark NJ for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy, his first outing since he left office Barack Obama lamented the current state of politics. "We thought we put that to bed," Obama said. "That's folks looking 50 years back. This is the 21st century, not the 19th century." Watch his full speech below:

Singer Justine Skye kneels after performing national anthem at Brooklyn Nets game

Singer Justine Skye took a knee after performing the national anthem at Friday night’s home opener for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, the latest in a series of defiant demonstrations during the anthem at professional sports games. Watch her take the knee below:

Got a bit shaky at the end.. was pretty uneasy about singing the anthem and probably won’t ever be invited to sing it again but I had to take a knee for the opening game in my city and let my voice be heard. We will not be silenced ✊🏾 #blacklivesmatter

A post shared by The Purple Unicorn (@justineskye) on Oct 20, 2017 at 5:08pm PDT

GoFundMe Raises More Than $600,000 for Army Sgt. La David Johnson

A GoFundMe campaign has already raised more than $600,000 at the time of this posting for the family of a soldier killed in Niger earlier this month.

Army Sgt. La David Johnson, a Green Beret, was killed along with three other soldiers during a operation in Niger on October 4. Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida, was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg in North Carolina.

Johnson leaves behind two children, ages 2 and 6, and his wife Myeshia Johnson, who is pregnant with their third child.

The GoFundMe page says that the money will be used to set up a scholarship in Johnson’s name.

The 5000 Role Model of Excellence Project, is establishing a Role Model Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson Scholarship to benefit his children by providing money towards their college education. We are asking you to donate to this worthy cause.

[SOURSE: HEAVY]

You may donate to the fund here: Sgt. La David T Johnson Scholarship

Trump to widow of fallen soldier Sgt. La David Johnson: 'He knew what he signed up for'

President Donald Trump told the widow of a US serviceman killed in the ambush in Niger that "he knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurt," according to Rep. Frederica Wilson.

The body of Sgt. La David Johnson was returned home to the Miami area late Tuesday afternoon, with the plane receiving a water cannon salute as it arrived near the gate.

The call from the President to Johnson's widow came shortly before Johnson's casket arrival, Wilson, a Florida Democrat, said on "CNN Tonight with Don Lemon" Tuesday.

"Basically he said, 'Well, I guess he knew what he signed up for, but I guess it still hurt,' " Wilson said, adding that she listened to part of the call on speaker phone while in a vehicle with the family. "That's what he said," she added.

Asked earlier if she was sure the President said that, Wilson told CNN affiliate WPLG: "Yeah, he said that. You know, ... that is something that you can say in a conversation, but you shouldn't say that to a grieving widow. Everyone knows when you go to war you could possibly not come back alive, but you don't remind a grieving widow of that. That is so insensitive. So insensitive."

Listen to the congresswoman's comments below:

[SOURCE: CNN]