The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is among the most renowned civil rights organization in America. The NAACP’s devotion to their mission “to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens” has been so strikingly evident in their work and leadership, that a number of U.S. colleges have adopted their own branch of the NAACP into their campus culture. Temple University Progressive NAACP is among those college chapters and week by week, they confront and dissect cultural and political issues within and beyond the confines of campus.
Led by President Penda J. Howell, Temple NAACP is devoted to addressing issues that may not always be recognized on campus. From panels on topics ranging from drug culture, domestic abuse, and discussion on what constitutes “blackness,” their weekly meetings provide a forum for open discussion on current controversies. A recent example includes the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri. The goal of their “Policing the Police” panel was to inform students of their rights if confronted by police. Although the panel had already been planned, they decided to make it their inaugural fall meeting given the national discussion taking place on the incident at the time.
The work of Temple NAACP would not be possible if not for the camaraderie among the members of the Executive Board. “It’s a good support system. It feels like family. You don’t feel out of place,” said Health Chair, Raven Brewington. It’s not only the new members of the NAACP that have a lot to gain from the organization, but even long term members find themselves continually enlightened. “There’s never a dull moment. Whether it’s something exciting, sad… you never know what to expect. …You always learn something. … [Whether through] e-board meetings, regular programs, community service, you always come out feeling like a better person. You progress somehow. At the end of the day, you’re progressing as a person,” said Brewington.
With turnouts of 30 to 50 students of all ethnicities at each NAACP meeting, it’s safe to say the organization has made their mark on campus. Brewington considers this one of Temple NAACP’s greatest accomplishments thus far and attributes this to the morale of her fellow Executive Board members. “They’re good at remembering names, remembering faces, and they’re very genuine people,” says Brewington.