Local NAACP president back from convention
Mayo energized by experienceBy DAVE GOSSETT, Staff writer
STEUBENVILLE - A local civil rights leader said he was "energized by the training and speakers" last week at the 99th-annual national convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Royal Mayo, president of the Steubenville branch of the NAACP, described the five-day national convention in Cincinnati as "exciting and motivational."
"It was great to meet with people from all around the country. It gives you energy to meet with these people and to listen to stories and ideas from the different participants," said Mayo.
"We had a number of smaller training sessions and several very dynamic speakers," he noted.
"The two presidential candidates seemed genuine when they spoke," Mayo said of presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama.
"But there are still a lot of questions from the black community that need to be answered. Issues that the black community deals with on a daily basis need to be addressed in detail before the general election," said Mayo.
"Racial profiling, disparate treatment, the high incarceration rate for blacks as well as the high dropout rate among African-Americans are issues the candidates need to discuss and answer, " Mayo said.
According to the NAACP Web site, more than 8,000 members, delegates and visitors attended the convention in Cincinnati that focused on power, justice, freedom and the vote.
The convention also offered registrants the NAACP Continuing Legal Education seminars, as well as adult and youth workshops highlighting tips and trends on the NAACP legislative agenda/strategy, economic empowerment, juvenile justice, the assault on affirmative action, health care, civic engagement, education, voting rights and civil/human rights law.
"I'll be putting a lot of the things I learned at the convention into action real soon. It is good to listen to different ideas and to take part in the different training. Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner spoke on the importance of voting. And our national president Julian Bond told us that if a local branch isn't pushing voter registration it should shut its doors," explained Mayo.
"We do voter registration here all year round. But I plan to personally try to register everyone I meet and encourage them to vote. I want to stress voter empowerment and voter rights. We need to get more people out to vote. And we need to elect people who agree with our positions," stated Mayo.
"I also want to focus on equality in our community. Approximately 45 percent of our public school students are black but only 5 percent of the teachers are black. We have one African-American police officer in the city. I believe the employees should be made up of the city residents that are served," added Mayo.
The NAACP was founded in 1909 and is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization.
Mayo said he attended the 99th convention with his son and longtime NAACP member Alberta Dixon.
"I also want to thank the sponsors of our trip, Lauttamus Communications and the law firm of Frankovitch, Anetakis, Colantonio and Simon of Weirton," said Mayo.
The civil rights group will meet next year for its centennial convention in New York.
(Gossett can be contacted at dgossett@heraldstaronline.com.)
