“There is no age limit to activism!”

On Tuesday, February 12 President Charles Hampton, Executive Director Dr. Corey Wiggins, and Youth & College Division President Marquise Hunt represented the NAACP on a Black history panel discussion at the Power APAC School in Jackson.

The school organized the assembly to help fourth and fifth grade students contextualize their month-long study of African-American history and the civil rights movement in Mississippi. The conversation connected education—particularly elementary education—with the social justice and activism.

Dr. Wiggins encouraged students by letting them know there is no such thing as being too young to get involved. “There are children in our organization who are aware of social injustices and very active in combatting them,” said Wiggins.

Students relished the opportunity to learn more about the MS NAACP and the remarkable accomplishments members have made over the years. Several students were inspired by the event and hope to find ways to become involved in social justice movements in their communities.

Dr. Charlotte L. Keys, State Director
MS NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Division

“I don’t want people to forget there is real work to be done.”

For over two decades, Dr. Charlotte L. Keys has worked in her hometown of Columbia, Mississippi and abroad as a drum major for Jesus and justice. Her activism, described as a cohesive intermingling of the two, is focused on addressing the spiritual and environmental needs of her people.

Her journey in the fight for environmental justice began after a toxic chemical explosion in her hometown left residents infected with cancer and other illnesses—and without any relief or knowledge of the cause of their conditions. Understanding the broader implications of the devastation impacting her community, Keys responded by founding the grassroots organization Jesus People Against Pollution (JPAP) in 1994.

Through JPAP, she set out to educate impacted communities about the availability of toxicology and environmental health information so residents could better understand the relationship between exposure to toxic substances in the environment and the possibilities of disease.

“It’s my hope to educate our people on issues that affect them and empower them to use that knowledge to solve their problems,” Keys says. “Without a vision, the people perish, so it’s my hope that those who are forced to live in unlivable conditions will envision better lives and become advocates for change.”

From summoning state policymakers to visit her community to petitioning national entities like the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Keys is committed to ensuring the welfare and well-being of her people do not go ignored or overlooked. Her dedication and ongoing work led her to be officially named State Director of the MS NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Division this year.

Dr. Key’s enduring advocacy efforts and unwavering activism are two of the many reasons she has been named our March 2018 Member of the Month.

ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE JUSTICE DIVISION

The NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program was created to support community leadership in addressing environmental injustice, including the proliferation of climate change. This human and civil rights issue has a disproportionate impact on communities of color and low-income communities in the United States and around the world.

This month, the Senate struck down House Bill 957, a pernicious piece of legislation devised to dismantle the Mississippi Adequate Education Program and shortchange already underfunded public schools by almost $300 million annually.

On behalf of students and parents across our state, MS NAACP would like to thank the policymakers who took a stand in support of public schools in the often overlooked and under-resourced communities.

We must work to ensure the next generation of leaders in our state has access to quality education, and this fight will be a collaborative effort between our members and partners. We remain committed to ensuring every student of color receives a quality public education that leads to skills that allow for meaningful contributions to the community and broader society.

We firmly believe education will continue to be the great equalizer, and we encourage all who desire the best for our state to remain steadfast and committed to the ongoing fight for access to quality, fully-funded public education.

Did you know that African-Americans are 3 times more likely to experience kidney failure? Because kidney disease often has no symptoms, it can go unnoticed until it is very advanced. Taking steps to live a healthy lifestyle can go a long way towards reducing risk, and early detection and treatment can slow or prevent the progression of kidney disease.

Kidney Disease Quick Facts:

• African-Americans suffer from kidney failure at a significantly higher rate than Caucasians – more than 3 times higher.
• African-Americans constitute more than 35 percent of all patients in the U.S. receiving dialysis for kidney failure, but only represent 13.2 percent of the overall U.S. population.
• Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure in African-Americans. African-Americans are twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes as Caucasians. Approximately 4.9 million African-Americans over 20 years of age are living with either diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes.

On March 15, the NAACP, in collaboration with community partners, hosted a kidney health workshop in Clarksdale. We encourage all members to educate themselves on kidney disease and take steps to remain healthy.

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