Branch Elections

7/31/08 - This is an election year. For anyone interested in running for office, you must contact Branch Secretary Carol Carrington at carolcaqualady@aol.com for additional information. You must be a bonafide member of the Branch, at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the nomination date November 13, 2008. September begins this process.

NAACP MEAB PRESIDENT HONORED BY NEW HOPE BAPTIST CHURCH

6/1/06 - At an awards dinner held at the Somerset, NJ Holiday Inn on Friday, May 26, 2006, NAACP MEAB President Reginald Johnson received the New Hope Baptist Church's House of Hope Unsung Heroes Award. The Metuchen, NJ-based church gave the award to Johnson and two other awardees--Perth Amboy, NJ mayor Joseph Vas and NJ Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex)--for their work in the community.

NAACP MEAB MEMBERS ATTEND ROSA PARKS WAY DEDICATION CEREMONY

5/10/06 - Amidst rows of people holding signs that read "Thank You Rosa Parks", on Sunday, May 7, 2006, MEAB President Reginald Johnson, 1st Vice-President Theodore Carrington and Executive Committee members Sheila Highsmith and Glenn Williams attended the dedication ceremony renaming Highland Park's Magnolia Street Rosa Parks Way. NJ State Conference of the NAACP President James Harris also attended the event, as did Highland Park Borough Council President, Elsie Foster-Dublin and officials from across the state, including NJ Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D)-6th District.

Parks, known as the mother of the Civil Rights Movement, died in October 2005. A candlelight vigil for Parks was held in Highland Park in December, but longtime resident Jamie Gaines decided she wanted to do more. After she, along with other Highland Park residents, contacted the borough's Human Rights Commission for ideas, the decision was made to name a Highland Park street in honor of Parks. With the support of the Highland Park Borough Council, a resolution to rename the street was approved in February 2006.

The hour-long ceremony included speeches and a poetry-reading, as well as performances by the Highland Park High School step team and the New Brunswick-based Black Circle Symphony. Cherise Jones, a 22-year-old graduate student at Rutgers University led the crowd in singing "Lift Every Voice and Sing".

"As we pass through this street, we must realize that there is still work to be done," said Harris. "What Highland Park has done today, the rest of the world will be trying to replicate."

NAACP MEAB CO-SPONSORS WORKSHOPS FOR EDISON JOB CORPS ACADEMY'S PRE-LAW DAY

4/22/06 - On Thursday, April 20, 2006, the NAACP MEAB Legal Redress Committee, along with the Newark F.B.I. Field Office and the Middlesex County Superior Court sponsored all-day workshops for the Edison Job Corps Academy's Pre-Law Day.

The workshops--held on the Edison Job Corps Academy campus--were conducted by NAACP MEAB members, Newark F.B.I. Field Office agents and Middlesex County Superior Court judges, who provided the Job Corps students with information covering varied topics, including expungements, what to do if approached by police, child support, the court system, gangs, public health issues and careers in law enforcement. The all-day event culminated with the students being divided into teams and tested on information provided in the workshops. The winning team was awarded a tour of the Newark F.B.I. Field Office.

NAACP MEAB ACT-SO REPS WIN SILVER AND BRONZE MEDAL

4/3/06 - On Saturday, April 1, 2006, representatives from the NAACP MEAB won a silver and bronze medal at a local NAACP Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition held at Arts High School in Newark, NJ. Jahlisa Norton, a sophomore from Union High School, won the silver medal in the Music Vocal/Contemporary category; Malaika Said, a senior from Scotch Plains High School, won the bronze in the Original Essay category. Other NAACP MEAB ACT-SO representatives were Nadirah Pierre, a sophomore from Montclair High School, performing in the Poetry and Dramatics category; Tarik Carmon, a freshman from Rahway High School, performing in the Oratory category; Woods Sterling, a junior from Woodbridge High School, performing in the Poetry category.

ACT-SO is a major youth initiative of the NAACP. Founded in 1978 by renowned author and journalist, Vernon Jarrett, ACT-SO is a yearlong enrichment program designed to recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students.

African-American high school students who are citizens of the US, enrolled in grades 9-12 and are amateurs in the categories of competition are able to participate. There are 25 categories of competition in the sciences, humanities, performing and visual arts.

The local competition serves to showcase the hard work students have put in all year long. Students receive medals and prizes provided by the local and regional sponsors and contributors. ACT-SO students who receive gold medals on the local level then compete at the National Competition where they receive scholarships and other rewards provided by national sponsors.

NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY ANCHOR DELLA CREWS TO EMCEE NAACP MEAB 30TH ANNUAL FREEDOM FUND AWARDS

3/11/06 - On Saturday, April 22, 2006, the NAACP MEAB will host its 30th Annual Freedom Fund Awards, with News 12 New Jersey anchor Della Crews as mistress of ceremonies. In addition to her duties as news anchor, Crews is also host of the station's "Defying Age", a talk show she launched shortly after joining News 12 New Jersey in 2000. The show spotlights New Jerseyans 50 years old and up who are leading active lives. "I love the loyalty that New Jerseyans express for News 12 New Jersey," Crews says. "They've adopted our station as their own and feel we cover stories that truly affect them and wouldn't be covered as extensively on New York City stations."

With "Conscience of a Nation" as this year's theme, the black-tie affair will be held at the Bridgewater Marriott in Bridgewater, NJ. The purpose of this annual event is two-fold: honor individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the community; raise monies for the NAACP Metuchen-Edison Area Branch Scholarship Fund. The gala affair will begin at 7:00 PM with a reception, followed by dinner and the awards ceremony. Additionally, there will be a silent auction, fifty-fifty and door prizes. Music will be provided by B.C. Productions.

This year's honorees are: Anna M. Aschkenes, Executive Director, Middlesex County Cultural & Heritage Commission, receiving the Coretta Scott King Cultural Award; Wade Baker, former Middlesex County Prosecutor, receiving (posthumously) the Hon. Justice Thurgood Marshall Legal Award; Samuel J. Caldwell, Jr., Sr. Staff Consultant/Mgr. - State Govt. Relations, State Public Affairs, Policy & Commission, Verizon Communications, receiving the Booker T. Washington Education Outreach Award; Yolanda Caldwell, Owner & President, Titus Enterprise, also receiving the Booker T. Washington Education Outreach Award; Gwen Crews, community activist, receiving the Rosa Parks Community Outreach Award; Teresa Douglas, Manager, Career Transition, Edison Job Corps Academy and 3rd V.P., NAACP Metuchen-Edison Area Branch, receiving the Presidents Award; Ben Hogan II, Chairman, New Line Solutions, receiving the Reginald F. Lewis Philanthropy Award; Shaila, on-air personality, 98.7 KISS-FM Radio, receiving the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Communication Award; Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, author, historian, educator, Rutgers University, receiving the W.E.B. DuBois Cultural Award; Allen Williams, Director of Food Service, The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc., receiving the John H. Johnson Achievement Award.

NAACP MEAB MEMBERS ATTEND MILLIONS MORE MOVEMENT

10/15/05 - With a pre-dawn departure, on the morning of October 15, 2005, NAACP MEAB President Reggie Johnson, 1^st Vice-President, Ted Carrington and Executive Committee members, Mary Martin, Glenn Williams and Bennett Yalartai began a three-hour drive to Washington, DC to attend the Millions More Movement. Three of the branch's young adult members, Kia Alexander, Kara Lane and Atalia Young, joined the group later in the day.

The event, held October 14, 15 and 16 on the National Mall, commemorated the tenth anniversary of the Million Man March, and focused on issues impacting the Black community, including education, political power, economic development, reparations and prison reform.

Highlights of the event were speeches from the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Dr. Dorothy Height, syndicated columnist and economist Julianne Malveaux, attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz, historian Dr. Yusef Ben Jochannan and Rev. Al Sharpton, and a dedication to the victims and survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

MEAB members also fellowshipped with many organizations, including the NAACP Detroit Branch, NAACP Easton (PA) Branch and the NAACP Stockton College (NJ) Chapter.

NAACP MEAB MEMBERS ELECTED TO NAACP NJ STATE CONFERENCE POSITIONS AT ANNUAL CONVENTION

9/25/05 - On September 25, 2005, at the annual NAACP New Jersey State Conference Convention, MEAB First Vice-President Theodore Carrington was elected as Second Vice-President and MEAB Executive Committee member Glenn Williams was elected to the Executive Committee.

Delegates at the three-day convention, held at the Newark Liberty Airport Marriott Hotel, also elected a new president, James E. Harris. Harris will begin his term of office immediately because the incumbent, Keith Jones--who did not run for a second term-resigned immediately after the election. The other officers and members of the Executive Committee will begin their terms of office on January 1, 2006.

In addition to Carrington, the other officers elected were Lloyd Henderson, Esq. (Camden-East Branch), First Vice-President; Anna Wilkins Daily (Perth Amboy Branch), Third Vice-President; Joyce Mollineaux (Atlantic City Branch), (re-elected) Secretary; Carolyn Carmon (Perth Amboy Branch), Assistant Secretary; Richard E. Barber, Sr. (New Brunswick Branch), (re-elected) Treasurer; Mel Robinson (Plainfield Branch), Assistant Treasurer.

NAACP MEAB PRESIDENT HONORED BY NORTH STELTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

9/17/05 - In recognition of his work in the community, MEAB President, Reginald Johnson was honored at the inaugural North Stelton Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC) Awards Banquet. Johnson received the "Community Service Award" at the banquet, held on September 17, 2005 at the Pines Manor in Edison, NJ. Other honorees were NJ State Senator Bob Smith, receiving the "Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Saunders, Sr. Leadership Award"; Harold S. Reid, receiving the "Partners in Education Award"; Warren and Rev. Pamela Tucker, receiving the "Community Service Award"; James and Wilhelmina Bryant, receiving the "Program Service Award"; Dawn S. Grayer, receiving the "Community Service Award". Former NJ Secretary of State Rev. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. was the event's keynote speaker.

The NSEDC, founded in 1998 by Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Saunders, Sr., is a faith-based initiative, and operates as a private, non-profit tax-exempt organization. The organization grew out of the North Stelton AME Church outreach initiative, AGAPE Community Outreach Center, Inc. The NSEDC, located in Piscataway, currently services that community through its Food Pantry Program, Housing Development and partnership with the Piscataway Board of Education on educational initiatives.