March
12, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
FOR
MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Lonnie L. Feemster, President (775) 722-0042
NAACP Reno-Sparks Branch No. 1112
<lonnielfeemster@netscape.net>
Andrew Barbano,
First Vice-President (775) 786-1455
<barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us>
RenoSparksNAACP.org
March
12 Reno-Sparks NAACP meeting cancelled
NAACP
TO HOST EMERGENCY TELE-TOWN HALL AHEAD OF CORONAVIRUS’
LIKELY IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
RENO,
Nev. — Reno-Sparks NAACP President Lonnie Feemster
today announced responses to the Coronavirus/COVID
19 pandemic.
 |
|
Lonnie
L. Feemster
|
"A
number of of people have indicated they will not
be able to attend the scheduled Reno-Sparks Branch
executive committee and general membership meetings
on Thursday evening, March 12. Accordingly, I do
not believe it possible to achieve a quorum for
either. I am therefore postponing business
until the regularly scheduled meeting of April 9,
2020. Please call, text or email me if there
are issues that need immediate attention,"
Feemster said.
"All
committee work will continue and I have included
some information (below) that may be of interest. Executive
Committee and officers are being asked to determine
if a special meeting may be required this month.
"After
reviewing the U. S. Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) advisory information and the Washoe County
Health District spokesperson's input, I feel
we can relieve some anxiety and reduce the speed
of flu, which will help the local health agencies
if there is an increase in the Corona Virus/Covid
19 problem in our community. This is a rapidly
changing situation and the information hereinbelow
is also available at NAACP.org/
Lonnie
L. Feemster
President, Reno Sparks NAACP
Vice President, NAACP Tri-State Conference of Idaho/Nevada/Utah
Nevada State Director, NAACP National Voter Fund
NAACP
EMERGENCY TELE-TOWN HALL
Baltimore,
MD (March 11, 2020) – On Sunday, March 15,
at 8:00 p.m. EDT/5:00 Pacific, the NAACP will host
an Emergency Tele-Town Hall — "Coronavirus:
COVID-19 and its potential impact on communities
of color."
As a civil rights organization and stewards of human
rights, the NAACP is feverishly working to ensure
that the policies and practices that are born out
of this pandemic justly address the health,
economic and social needs of all people.
In the United States alone, nearly 1,300 cases
of COVID-19 have been reported. Because of the racial
and economic inequalities embedded within our country’s
infrastructure, the effects of the Coronavirus are
likely to be compounded in Black
and Brown communities.
“The truth is, there are so many within this
nation that are disenfranchised from receiving adequate
and affordable care due to socio-economic circumstances,"
stated Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and
CEO. “This virus will have dire consequences
on so many, but specifically African Americans who suffer
from higher rates of diabetes, hypertension,
lung disease and heart disease.
"With guidance from our Emergency Management
Task Force, our Environment
and Climate Justice program has put together
Ten Equity
Implications of the Coronavirus Outbreak in the
U.S. which can be viewed on our website,"
he noted.
Marjorie Innocent, Ph.D., NAACP senior
director of health programs, stated, “The safety
and well-being of our communities is our primary
concern, and we will continue to advocate for access
to quality, affordable and timely healthcare
and the elimination of race-based discrimination
so that the effects of this virus don’t linger
long after the outbreak is managed.”
"The Emergency Tele-Town Hall will feature
health experts and panelists who will speak to how
we can lessen the negative repercussions of this
pandemic on our communities." Media
interested in joining the Tele-Town Hall may register
here.
CIVIL
RIGHTS ADVOCACY TRAINING INSTITUTE (CRATI)
Civil
Rights Advocacy Training Institute (CRATI) trains
officers and representatives of local units to do
the work of the NAACP. The CRATI reaches out to
empower our civil rights leaders with new information
and skills to aid in our fight for justice and equality.
The CRATI is designed for each unit (Adult and Youth) to
send participants who will train and lead others.
2020 CRATI UPDATE
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC)
have advised companies to not only consider canceling
non-essential business travel, but to be prepared
to modify, postpone, or cancel large events for
the safety and well-being of participants.
Yesterday, President Johnson released the following
statement regarding Travel
Restrictions Due to the Coronavirus.
Given the serious and rapidly changing nature of
the Coronavirus outbreak, the NAACP has instituted
an immediate restriction on domestic and international
travel for all staff. Keeping our staff and volunteer
community safe and informed is our top priority. In this
moment, it is important that we heed the advice
of health officials to implement preventative safety
measures. Unless absolutely necessary, staff travel
will be restricted until further notice.
In light of this guidance and the threat COVID-19 could
pose, we have made the difficult decision to cancel
the upcoming Civil Rights Advocacy Training
Institutes (CRATI).
We know how important this training is to the advocacy
work of the NAACP and we will be working to provide
an alternative to ensure that those needs are met.
Look forward to receiving web-based training
opportunities in the near future.
The most
up-to-date guidance and resources about the Coronavirus
may be accessed here.
____________________________
The Reno-Sparks
Branch and Laborers' International Union Local
169 are major sponsors of the region's annual
César Chávez celebration which
has been re-scheduled to Saturday, May 30, at Reno's
Atlantis Resort. The late Dennis Myers will
become the first journalist inducted into the César
Chávez Nevada Labor Hall of Fame. (CesarChavezNevada.com/)
Reno-Sparks Branch No 1112 will celebrate its founding
at its 75th Anniversary Freedom Fund Banquet
this coming October. An array of other events involving
the US Census, voter education and registration,
among others, will be announced as they are finalized.
The Reno-Sparks Branch is part of the nation's oldest
civil rights organization which dates from 1909.
Longtime Reno activist and business leader Lonnie
L. Feemster is serving his fifth non-consecutive
term as Reno-Sparks Branch president. He is Vice-President
of the NAACP Tri-State Conference of Idaho/Nevada/Utah
and Nevada State Director of the NAACP National
Voter Fund.
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