FLEMING - Since 1910 the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has made the organization's mission to bring greater understanding between people of all colors, thereby ensuring a society where individuals have equal rights and there is no racial discrimination or injustice.
Nearly 100 people gathered at the Springside Inn to celebrate this idea and the work of the Auburn/Cayuga branch of the organization with the 39th annual Freedom Fund Banquet.
The dinner serves as both a fundraiser and as a way to raise awareness about the NAACP in Cayuga County.
“It is our major fundraiser of the year,” dinner chairperson and local branch treasurer JoAnne Spoto-Decker said. “We are grateful for all the wonderful support we receive from our sponsors. It is their efforts and generosity that help us provide the programs and education that we do all year and provide the funds we use to get our work done. But this is also a chance to get the word out to new people about who we are and what we do in the community and get new support and get more people to join us as members to help us achieve our mission.”
One of the keys to the NAACP's mission is education, especially that of the youth of Auburn to help create a better future for generations to come.
With this in mind the Auburn branch decided to make the theme for the evening “Success in the 21st Century.”
“The only way we can achieve our goals is through education,” branch president Eliezer Hernandez said. “Education of ourselves and of others. It is really my pleasure to be president at this time and to be able to present this theme of success in the 21st Century and to be able to celebrate the achievements of our youth.”
Friday, the spotlight was on the young people of Auburn and their achievements and efforts to help create a better future.
Eight students, Aiswarya Irri, Brittany Gordon, Danielle Fedigan, Desiree Gaeta, Jared Humphrey, Marwan Alejandro Circelli, Michelle Faulk and Parth Patel were recognized with the NAACP's Promise Award.
“We're glad to be able to recognize these students,” Spoto-Decker said. “We're really proud to have them with us and to be able to recognize them like this for their excellence and promise as students and members of the community.”
Auburn Mayor Timothy Lattimore presented Hernandez and the children with a proclamation, praising their accomplishments.
“It is really my honor to be here,” Lattimore said. “This is to recognize the hard work of all the members and all their effort and the effort of all these young people to make a positive difference in this community.”
The evening also offered the opportunity to recognize Auburn High School seniors James E. Davis and Ray Richardson, this year's recipients of the William and Helen Jackson Scholarship.
Hernandez said that the Jacksons were well known not only locally for their work with the NAACP, but also on the state and national level for their commitment and dedication.
William was director of the Booker T. Washington Community Center and served as president of the Auburn/Cayuga NAACP for more than 30 years, Hernandez said. “Across the state and nationally he was known as Mr. NAACP. He was so dedicated that the national organization decided that there should be a scholarship in honor of him and his wife, as well.”
Both Davis and Richardson are college bound. Davis is headed for the University of Buffalo, where he plans to study psychology, and Richardson is planning to attend SUNY Oswego, where he plans to pursue a degree in accounting.
“We filled out the application and wrote essays, ”Richardson said. “We had to write about picturing ourselves in our future careers. It feels really good - fantastic - to be recognized like this.”
Davis was also given the opportunity to act as a keynote speaker for the evening, talking about the experience of being black in today's society and looking toward the future and the value of an organization like the NAACP.
“It has a big positive impact, ”Davis said. “I think it is something important for all African Americans in the community and helping to create a stronger future.”
The dinner serves as both a fundraiser and as a way to raise awareness about the NAACP in Cayuga County.
“It is our major fundraiser of the year,” dinner chairperson and local branch treasurer JoAnne Spoto-Decker said. “We are grateful for all the wonderful support we receive from our sponsors. It is their efforts and generosity that help us provide the programs and education that we do all year and provide the funds we use to get our work done. But this is also a chance to get the word out to new people about who we are and what we do in the community and get new support and get more people to join us as members to help us achieve our mission.”
One of the keys to the NAACP's mission is education, especially that of the youth of Auburn to help create a better future for generations to come.
With this in mind the Auburn branch decided to make the theme for the evening “Success in the 21st Century.”
“The only way we can achieve our goals is through education,” branch president Eliezer Hernandez said. “Education of ourselves and of others. It is really my pleasure to be president at this time and to be able to present this theme of success in the 21st Century and to be able to celebrate the achievements of our youth.”
Friday, the spotlight was on the young people of Auburn and their achievements and efforts to help create a better future.
Eight students, Aiswarya Irri, Brittany Gordon, Danielle Fedigan, Desiree Gaeta, Jared Humphrey, Marwan Alejandro Circelli, Michelle Faulk and Parth Patel were recognized with the NAACP's Promise Award.
“We're glad to be able to recognize these students,” Spoto-Decker said. “We're really proud to have them with us and to be able to recognize them like this for their excellence and promise as students and members of the community.”
Auburn Mayor Timothy Lattimore presented Hernandez and the children with a proclamation, praising their accomplishments.
“It is really my honor to be here,” Lattimore said. “This is to recognize the hard work of all the members and all their effort and the effort of all these young people to make a positive difference in this community.”
The evening also offered the opportunity to recognize Auburn High School seniors James E. Davis and Ray Richardson, this year's recipients of the William and Helen Jackson Scholarship.
Hernandez said that the Jacksons were well known not only locally for their work with the NAACP, but also on the state and national level for their commitment and dedication.
William was director of the Booker T. Washington Community Center and served as president of the Auburn/Cayuga NAACP for more than 30 years, Hernandez said. “Across the state and nationally he was known as Mr. NAACP. He was so dedicated that the national organization decided that there should be a scholarship in honor of him and his wife, as well.”
Both Davis and Richardson are college bound. Davis is headed for the University of Buffalo, where he plans to study psychology, and Richardson is planning to attend SUNY Oswego, where he plans to pursue a degree in accounting.
“We filled out the application and wrote essays, ”Richardson said. “We had to write about picturing ourselves in our future careers. It feels really good - fantastic - to be recognized like this.”
Davis was also given the opportunity to act as a keynote speaker for the evening, talking about the experience of being black in today's society and looking toward the future and the value of an organization like the NAACP.
“It has a big positive impact, ”Davis said. “I think it is something important for all African Americans in the community and helping to create a stronger future.”
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