Resolution #22
Resolution in Addressing the Santa Monica Police Dept. Practice of Profiling
Sponsored By: Santa Monica Venice Branch
Submitted By: California Hawaii State Conference Date Adopted: October 23, 2011
WHEREAS, over the past several years we have discussed with the command staff of the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) issues concerning racial profiling by officers involving traffic stops; and
WHEREAS, in those conversations with the SMPD they have encouraged our Branch to bring forward complaints by African American or Latino males who have been stopped under questionable circumstances that the community views as racial profiling; and
WHEREAS, we have worked with a definition of “profiling” in which the officers make stops on civilians (African American and Latinos) who had committed no observable behaviors that would legitimize the officers in making the stops; and
WHEREAS, many African American and Latino males (youth) have shared their concerns of historic harassment and fear of retaliation for making complaints against police officers; and
WHEREAS, in February 2011, an SMPD neighborhood resource officer pulled over two African American males, gave no reason for the stop, and asked them if they were felons, how many arrests did they have, and where were they going while being in a predominantly white area of Santa Monica, and in addition as reported by the two men who were stopped, the officer spoke with a condescending tone; and
WHEREAS, the automobile was not reported stolen and was fully registered with no outstanding parking violations; and
WHEREAS, in fact the two men in the car were recent graduates from Johns Hopkins University and USC, and were acting as law abiding citizens should act; and
WHEREAS, the officer admitted in a subsequent interview with the two men, our Branch President and his superior that he engaged in asking trick questions therefore fishing for a crime or reason to legitimize the stop; and
WHEREAS, out of this interview it was agreed that all neighborhood resource officers come out to a community forum to meet the community, develop strategies in appreciating community youth of color, and develop departmental protocols to prevent this behavior in the future; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the 24th Annual California State NAACP Convention supports the U.S. Dept. of Justice’s offer and other community efforts to develop these bridges of respect and protocols for the SMPD officers to follow and that the command staff holds officers accountable and solicits support from the City Council and City Manager.
Resolution #24
RESOLUTION IN REMEMBERANCE OF TROY DAVIS
Sponsored By: California State Youth Conference
Submitted By: California Hawaii State Conference Date Adopted: October 23, 2011
WHEREAS, the Criminal Justice system within the United States has led to an increasingly large amount of incarcerated African American males; and
WHEREAS, these high amount of incarcerations not only impact the African-American males, but also the members of their family and their community; and
WHEREAS, Forty-two year old Anthony Davis, an African-American male whom was negatively impacted by the Criminal Justice system due to falsely being accused of killing a police officer in Savannah, Georgia on November 15, 1989; and
WHEREAS, Anthony Davis was incarcerated for twenty years then sentence to the death penalty on September 21, 2011; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the NAACP California State Youth & College division call on the units to provide recognition of Troy Davis annually on November fifteenth.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP California State Conference refers to the issue of the death penalty within the Criminal Justice system.
Resolution #25
PROMOTION OF COLLEGE READINESS FOR ALL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Sponsored By: Stanford University College Chapter
Submitted By: California Hawaii State Conference Date Adopted: October 23, 2011
WHEREAS, NAACP has consistently supported measures to strengthen college attendance for minority and low-income students; and
WHEREAS, there is not only an achievement gap in K-12 education, but also a gap in college attendance in graduation; and
WHEREAS, graduation requirements in California are not aligned with college readiness standards (A-G requirements); and
WHEREAS, in California, A-G requirements are the minimum requirements necessary for students to be considered eligible to attend state colleges and universities in California; and
WHEREAS, many students are not completing the A-G requirements; students of color and low-income students are disproportionately affected by lower completion rates; and
WHEREAS, not all schools offer A-G requirements; schools serving mostly minority and low-income students are less likely to offer A-G courses; and
WHEREAS, minority and low-income students who attend majority white or Asian schools are less likely to be enrolled in A-G courses; and
WHEREAS, in districts such Palo Alto Unified School District students are graduating from high school but being denied the option of attending state colleges and universities due to a misalignment of graduation and A-G requirements.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the California Hawaii NAACP will work actively to align graduation standards and A-G requirements in California high schools; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the California Hawaii NAACP will emphasize and encourage enrollment of minority and low-income students in A-G courses.
Resolution #27
MENTAL HEALTH IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
Sponsored By: Stanford University College Chapter
Submitted By: California Hawaii State Conference Date Adopted: October 23, 2011
WHEREAS, a stigma exists surrounding mental health issues in the African-American community; and
WHEREAS, only two percent of psychiatrists, two percent of psychologists and four percent of social workers in the United States are African-American; and
WHEREAS, African Americans are often at a socioeconomic disadvantage in terms of accessing medical and mental health services; and
WHEREAS, in the last two decades, there has been a significant increase in suicide rates among African-American adolescents compared to Caucasian adolescents; and
WHEREAS, certain social circumstances may predict the likelihood of developing a mental illness while African Americans comprise forty percent of the homeless population and over twenty-five percent of African Americans live below the poverty line; and
WHEREAS, prison inmates are at a high risk of developing a mental illness while African Americans comprise nearly half of all prisoners in the United States; and
WHEREAS, children in the foster care and child welfare systems are more likely to develop a mental illness while African Americans comprise forty-five percent of the public foster care system; and
WHEREAS, the exposure to violence increases the risk of developing a mental health illness; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the health committee of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People includes in its focus the prevention, management, and social/environmental factors of mental health illnesses in the African-American community; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the State NAACP stands to reduce the current stigmas surrounding mental health illnesses in the African-American community; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the NAACP works to increase education surrounding mental health illnesses and services in the African-American community, and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the NAACP will work to find ways to increase the number of African Americans in the mental health services (i.e. psychiatry, psychology, social work, etc).
Resolution #28
THE NEED FOR JOBS AND THE NEED FOR NEW SOURCES OF ENERGY
Sponsored By: Stanford University College Chapter
Submitted By: California Hawaii State Conference Date Adopted: October 23, 2011
WHEREAS, the Clean Energy sector is a thriving global market rich in both opportunity and capital; and
WHEREAS, the Clean Energy sector in the U.S. is rapidly expanding while there is a shortage of Americans with the skills necessary to fill the positions available; and
WHEREAS, the American people need support in their effort to expand the Clean Energy sector, thereby improving the national economy through the development of skill sets pertaining to clean energy; and
WHEREAS, the Clean Energy sector can generate jobs for the growing population of unemployed Americans; and
WHEREAS, a significant number of those unemployed are young people of color and without a college education.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Climate Justice & Environmental Justice Department formulates programs and partnerships that raise the cognizance of young people of color about the innovative, nascent entrepreneurial Clean Energy sector such as youth-led home energy auditing and solar installations for low-income homes; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these programs are directed toward high school students to promote and expand their perception of clean energy careers; and
THEREFORE, BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that there is a concerted effort to promote green worker education programs alongside clean energy opportunities at a Green Job Fair to increase the low amount of people of color in the environmental professions, regardless of their educational or socioeconomic background.
Resolution #29
INCREASING COLLEGE NAACP MEMBERSHIP
Sponsored By: Stanford University College Chapter
Submitted By: California Hawaii State Conference Date Adopted: October 23, 2011
WHEREAS, movements have been catalyzed by college students; and
WHEREAS, California has 2.3 million students enrolled in UCs, CSUs, and community colleges; and
WHEREAS, college students are uniquely positioned to be mobilized and to agitate for change; and
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the CA NAACP will attempt to double its college membership through attempting to establish chapters on UC, CSUs and community colleges campuses.
