New multicultural group promotes unity

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is set and ready to be re-launched on campus.

NAACP is the oldest and largest civil rights group in America.  Since its establishment at Midwestern, the group has held several debates on issues affecting young people, teaching leadership skills, promoting unity, and encouraged volunteerism.

In 2012, the organization seized operation.

However, two enthusiastic young ladies disheartened by this occurrence have taken up the initiative this spring semester to revive the group.

Olivia Whitley, president and Jasmine Staton, vice President are the two individuals who are eager to revive the NAACP.

Some of the objectives for the group include bringing awareness to HIV, encouraging voting for leadership other than the presidential candidates and promoting the importance of education.

NAACP has been important and influential to the lives of both Whitley and Staton, and they would like their colleagues to experience the same influence.

“I feel like there needs to be something on campus to unite people of color and minorities, as well as teach the history of NAACP to people on why it got started,” said Staton.

Staton said even though there are a lot of organizations geared towards givinb back to the community, the NAACP organization goes beyond that.

“To be a part of something that helps create change on campus and the community is good,” Staton. :If the people of MSU work together on campus, it can do a lot of good.”

To jump-start the organization’s revitalization, the group has several events slated for this spring semester, which includes the recruitment of members and fundraising activities.

“We are going to have a meeting in the form of a meet-and-greet so others can find out about the organizations, said Whitley. “We are going to try and have something in Sunwatcher Plaza where there will be some giveaways and a bake sale. Hopefully by the end of the semester we will have a good standing, so that by fall we can come back stronger.”

As it relates to the functionality of the group, Whitley and Staton plan on enforcing the goals originally set by NAACP. Students who are appreciate these endeavors.

“As far as our purpose on this campus, we are working towards scholarships, activism and working towards solving problems that we see,” Whitley said. “NAACP has molded so many persons into leaders and I feel it can do the same thing to a lot of potential minority leaders we have here on campus, they just need a venue through which they can direct that leadership.”

The group welcomes all individuals from various backgrounds into the group.

For further updates and information about joining NAACP you can visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MidwesternNAACP or you can email them at [email protected].