Sunspot Sunday #8 | An Addition to our DFIs

What’s Sunny CNH!

During the August District Board Meeting, which occurred on August 2nd, 2020, the CNH District Board approved a NEW addition to the 2020-2021 District Fundraising Initiatives (DFI), say hello to The NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund Inc.

The NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund Inc (LDF) was founded in 1940 by the first Black Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall. It was established to, and has since maintained the same focus of, achieving “racial justice, equality, and an inclusive society.”

Since its establishment, it has achieved and fought in various landmark cases throughout history, that has defined and shaped the battle for racial justice. In one of its landmark cases, Brown v. Board of Education, LDF was able to make history in overturning the “Separate but Equal” doctrine that plagued us throughout Jim Crow and Segregation eras of the United States of America’s (USA) history. This led to a large number of additional suits due to the resistance to desegregation which was evident throughout schools, districts, cities, and states.

In the more recent past, LDF also worked to uphold Affirmative Action, which increased diversity in University and College Campus admissions all over the country – during the 2003 Grutter v. Bollinger Case. Additionally, they have worked diligently to educate lawyers, activists, public officials, and more to ensure that the fight against racial injustice and inequity is not single-sided, focusing on providing resources to underprivileged and represented youth in addition to working with the aforementioned individuals to promote racial justice, equity, and equal opportunity.

You can learn more about the NAACP LDF at the website: www.naacpldf.org

Though it has been added on as a District Fundraising Initiative for the Term, that does not mean that Fundraising is the only way that we can promote this DFI throughout our district and clubs.

For ways to incorporate the LDF into your club, check out the following:

Fundraising, Obviously!
- Fundraising for our DFI is vital, but possibly working to bring education and advocacy into the mix may bring a positive twist!
  - Sell ’Social Justice’ Packages, with readings, materials or other items to educate others on issues of racial justice and equity
  - Bingo Card Fundraiser with the addition of educational or promotional materials for each donation
  - Host a social justice/civic engagement/race injustice workshop for a donation
Educate Club Members on Current Racial Injustice Issues
- Utilize the sources available throughout the LDF website and inform members of your club regarding ongoing cases that are being litigated by the LDF and help out in any way we can!
  - Contact elected officials and lawmakers to ensure that proper resources and steps are being taken to support lower socioeconomic and marginalized people during the ongoing pandemic
  - Call out racist practices, engage in necessary conversation and speak out against institutional racism and acts of voter suppression
  - Educate friends, family, and strangers of the struggles of BIPOC individuals and ways to engage and help
Host Workshops and Normalize discussions on Racial Injustice, Institutionalized racism, voting rights, and more!
- Now more than ever can we support the LDF through understanding and educating ourselves in ways that we can or cannot engage with certain issues, how to reach out to elected officials, and speak out against cases of racial injustice. Additionally, we need to work to be more open to the subject and ensure that we are no longer being complacent in issues that are being fought against a day in and out

The CNH Circle K District’s commitment to diversity, equity, and justice for BIPOC individuals in our clubs, communities, and world plays a necessary role in adding the LDF to our list of DFIs. Though it started a little later than usual, we hope that you will help us in supporting the LDF throughout this term, and continue to have the necessary conversation about equity in our world and throughout our organization.

Yours in Passion & Service

Aaron Piña

[He/She/They/Usted]

20/21 External Relations Chair

aaronpina00@gmail.com

Information From this Article was Provided by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund Website.