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ACT-SO (Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics)

Linda Lydia, Chair.
Linder Lane and Daisy Mitchell, Co-Chairs.

 The State ACT-SO Committee once again worked diligently to reach the youth of the state. This year our participants came from the cities of Ennis, Duncanville, Desoto, Killeen, Collin County, San Marcos, Balch Springs, Farmersville, Denton and Lancaster. We received interest from other areas and hopefully next year they will be a part of our award winning 2000 team.

 ACT-SO, a major youth initiative of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), provides a forum through which minority youth can demonstrate the same prowess, expertise and recognition often only reserved for entertainers and athletes. Rooted in the firm conviction that minorities can succeed and compete at the same or superior levels as their counterparts in classrooms, boardrooms and locker rooms across this nation and abroad, the ACT-SO objective is to prepare, promote and recognize youth who exemplify scholastic and cultural excellence.

 The ACT-SO goals are:

ACT-SO conducts annual academic competitions for students in grades 9-12. Participating branches hold local competitions in 24 categories. The top winners compete against students from other cities at the national ACT-SO finals during the NAACP national convention.

 ACT-SO was designed to recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural achievements among high school students. In short, we will "actso" that academic and cultural achievers recieve the same recognition as athletic excellence.

Categories:

Eligibility. Each contestant must: Any student who is or has been paid professionally in any category of competition is not qualified to compete.

Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs

Ronald Cornish, Chair
William Rhea, Co-Chair

Audit

Ethel Minor, Chair.
Joycie Burns, Co-Chair.

Branch Revitalization

Alphonso Vaughn, Chair.
Harry Gudger, Co-Chair.

Bylaws

Gene Collins, Chair.
Willie Hardeman, Co-Chair.

Convention

Linda Lydia, Chair.
Terry Mills and Cynthia Fairley, Co-Chairs.

Criminal Justice

Rod Goode, Chair.
Thomas Rockeymoore, Co-Chair.

Economic Development

Hopeton Hay, Chair.
Horace Grace, Co-Chair.

 The Texas NAACP actively supports improving the ability of Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) to compete. According to the Texas General Services Commission, the dollar value and percentage of dollars spent by state agencies with HUBs actually decreased from $888,874,274 (15.89% of total dollars) in Fiscal Year 1995 to $832,440,870 (13.91%) in Fiscal Year 1998. This is especially disconcerting in light of the rapid growth in the number of minority- and women-owned businesses. Census Bureau data indicates the number of minority- and women-owned businesses is growing at a rate four to five times faster than the number of majority-owned businesses.

 In the 76th Legislature, the NAACP testified in support of HUB legislation (House Bills 1343, 1567, 1890, 2430, and sections of 3032) that would hold prime contractors more accountable for meeting goals and having subcontracting plans, require state agencies to submit a report on their HUB program when requesting their next appropriation, and develop a mentor-protege program for HUBs.

Education

Nelson Linder, Chair.
Denise Upchurch, Co-Chair.

Back to School - Stay in School. Young people are abandoning the nation's public schools at alarming rates and many that are graduating, graduate functionally illiterate. The NAACP Back-To-School/Stay-In-School (BTS/SIS) Program is an incentive based program seeking the retention and graduation of at-risk youth, particularly African Americans and other minorities. The mission of the program is to increase the number of skilled, literate youth graduating from high school by providing them with mentoring, tutoring, remedial assistance, and incentives for maintaining regular attendance, thus creating a more attractive approach to education. Advocacy by way of cultural and extra curricular activities are also offered to increase selfworth, cultural awareness and community service. 

Environmental Affairs

Gene Collins, Chair.
Leslie Fields, Co-Chair.

There will be an environmental workshop at the Annual State Convention. The Beaumont and Port Arthur NAACP branches have been very active in environmental issues. 

Finance/Fundraising

Jimmie Ruth Johnson, Chair.
Howard Jefferson, Co-Chair.

Freedom Fund

Bob Lydia, Chair.
Terry Mills and Wayne Alexander, Co-Chairs.

Health

Carol Moore, Chair.
Linda Lydia, Co-Chair. 

Housing

Robert Starr, Chair.
Delores Caudle, Co-Chair.

The Texas Office of the NAACP Community Development Resource Center offers assistance that includes home buyer education and counseling and help with the new FNMA homebuyer initiative.

Through the assistance that the NAACP CDRC offers, you can get "a little closer" to the American Dream. Please call 512/477-5541 for NAACP CDRC services. Kimberly Bradford-Brown is the Executive Director of the CDRC in Texas; Ruth Godine is the Director of Business Development.

Internal Affairs

Thomas Rockeymore, Chair. 

Labor and Industry

Carl Williams, Chair.
Oscar Woods, Co-Chair. Job-related links:

Legal Redress

Robert Notzon, Chair.
Jerry Hicks, Co-Chair. 

Mandatory Training

Ora Washington, Chair.
Ethel Minor, Co-Chair.

Membership

John Guthrie, Chair.
Earnest Deckard, Co-Chair. 

Newsletter

Barbara Glenn, Chair.
Linda Jagours, Co-Chair.

Political Action

Howard Jefferson, Chair.
B.J. Williams, Co-Chair.

If you are Black and not voting in this year's election, you are a burden too heavy for your brothers and sisters to bear. Register, vote, and be heard! For information, call your local NAACP branch or 1-888-96-NAACP.

Press and Publicity

Ann Boney, Chair.
Ora Washington, Co-Chair.

Religious Affairs

William Lamont Ross, Chair.
Rev. Joey Baggett, Co-Chair.

Technology

Terry Mills, Chair.
Kyev Tatum, Co-Chair.

Voter Empowerment

Claude Foster, Regional and Texas Coordinator (contact through the Texas NAACP office)

NAACP and Voter Empowerment - NAACP activists played a central role in passage of the Voting rights Act of 1965. The NAACP remains a force in voting rights, redistricting and advocating for the inclusion of African Americans in the planning and implementation of the census. The non-partisan NAACP Voter Empowerment Program is dedicated to empowering the African American community by aiding their full inclusiion in America's political and social system.

Youth and College logo

Youth and College

Vance Winslow, Chair.

Standing Committees:

Contact chapter officers for current activities.

Women In NAACP (WIN)

Ethel Minor, Chair.
Yvonne Right, Co-Chair. See article.
 
 
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 This page last updated September 19, 2003. Texas NAACP, 1107 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701. Telephone (512) 322-9547 or (512) 322-9992. Fax (512) 322-0757. Email.