TRENTON, NJ - In honor of the historic legacy of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the New Jersey Department of State will host a Youth Leadership Summit on Friday, February 20 at Kean University. 2009 marks the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP, the nation's oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization.
"This educational and intriguing summit will engage high school students in a mock civic exercise of formulating mission statements for the creation of a present day organization, while utilizing the original tenets of the NAACP as guidance," remarked Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells. "The Youth Leadership Summit is geared towards enhancing the motivation of our youth to excel academically and to develop leadership skills for the benefit of our society."
Students will take part in a variety of workshops that will focus on several proposed areas for civic reform, which are highlighted in the original tenets of the Niagara Movement (the founding organization of the NAACP). Workshops will address the following: Civil Liberties and Engagements, Economic Opportunities, Education, Health Care Reforms, Social and Political Agency and Leadership in the 21st Century. The Summit will also hold a Town Hall Meeting in which the students will unveil their resolutions, views and directions for their individual organizations.
Speakers Include:
- Keynote Speaker: Dr. Lillie Edwards, Professor of History, Drew University
- Nina Mitchell Wells, Esq., Secretary of State
- Dr. Dawood Farahi, President, Kean University
- Mr. James Harris, President, New Jersey State Conference of the NAACP
- Mr. Ryan Haygood, Esq., Co-Director, Political Participation Group, NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc.
