2014/09/23 – Vicksburg, MS – The Mississippi State Conference NAACP is pleased to announce that the National NAACP President & CEO Cornell William Brooks will serve as keynote speaker during its Freedom Fund Awards Banquet on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at the Vicksburg Convention Center. The semi-formal affair will culminate the state conference’s 69th Annual State Convention & Policy Institute in Vicksburg, MS. The evening affair kicks off with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by the banquet at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 each and can be purchased from the Mississippi NAACP office. Tables and sponsorship levels are also available.

The Freedom Fund Banquet is just one of the premiere events during the three-day conference, which runs November 6-8, 2014 at the Vicksburg Convention Center. This year’s convention theme is “All In For Justice & Equality,” and continues the commemoration of Freedom 50. The Convention agenda is deliberately designed to address issue policy areas such as education, criminal justice, environmental justice, access to healthcare, workers’ rights, and voting rights. It will also include sessions on membership recruitment, branch finances, and Women In NAACP (WIN).

The 2014 Convention kicks off with the Ministers’ Luncheon on Thursday at 12 noon with a training session from NAACP Health Programs Manager Rev. Keron Sadler that provides tools and resources faith leaders can use to address the HIV epidemic affecting our communities. Following the luncheon will be the Health Workshop led by Dr. Corey Wiggins on how we can continue to increase access to care and advocate for hospitals without Medicaid Expansion. Both events are open to the public.

The community at-large is also invited to join us at 6 p.m. Thursday evening for the Gospel Choral Fellowship and Community Mass Meeting, taking place at Travelers Rest Baptist Church, located at 718 Bowmar Avenue in Vicksburg.

Other public events will take place at the Vicksburg Convention Center, including:

Education Workshop
This session will address a public education campaign to fully fund public education in the state of Mississippi as well as engage the delegation on other pressing education issues including the 3rd Grade Reading Gate, Common Core State Standards, SATP2 Testing, and other graduation options.
When: Saturday, November 8th at 8:30 a.m.

Labor Luncheon
The labor luncheon is an opportunity for the attendees to learn about worker’s rights from a national expert. Local labor and worker’s rights advocates are recognized during this function. Coalition of Black Trade Unionists National President Terry Melvin will serve as
keynote.
When: Saturday, November 8th at 11:45 a.m.

Criminal Justice Workshop
This session will provide an overview of House Bill 585, a new sentencing reform law that is designed to reduce the incarceration rate in the state’s prisons. Experts will discuss how this law impacts sentencing in Mississippi.
When: Saturday, November 8th at 2 p.m.

The Mississippi NAACP 69th Annual State Convention & Policy Institute is supported by Entergy Mississippi, MGM Resorts, AT&T, Rooms To Go Children’s Fund, City of Vicksburg, UAW, BankPlus, BancorpSouth, and One Voice.

Call 601-353-8452 or visit www.naacpms.org/MS_NAACP_State_Convention for more information.

Source: NAACP MS Staf