Happy Black History Month!
This month we reflect on the innumerable contributions of Black people to culture, art, politics, and history, both nationally and internationally.
During this month, we also envision the future we want as we strive to create an equitable society out of a country organized around racist laws and ideas.
We want our members to be a part of both the reflection and celebration of our rich history, as well as the crafting of the change needed for our brighter future.
The branch has begun the year going full speed ahead and this month we continue that pace. On February 15, we will hold our general membership meeting where we will discuss our advocacy agenda for 2020. We hope you will join us at the West Springfield Government Center. Doors open at 10 AM and the meeting will start at 10:30 AM.
On February 22, we will co-host a Black History Month Forum with the Burke-Fairfax Chapter of Jack and Jill. This will be an exciting celebration with performances, a trivia competition, and more. You can join us at Justice High School from 2-5 PM for that exciting event.
While these events serve to build community, we are always mindful of our roles as advocates. Already this year, we have seen the impact of the branch's advocacy. The Fairfax County School Board
announced
they would begin the renaming process for Robert E. Lee High School. This is a direct result of the advocacy from the branch on this issue to remove the name that is a stain on our community and was introduced to intimidate and demean Black people in the county.
This year, probably more than in recent years, the branch has weighed in on statewide policy,
advocating
for progressive reforms to our criminal justice system.
Being a member of the Fairfax County NAACP means having a voice in the fight for racial justice in your community. We ask your support in our first
FUNDRAISER
of 2020 to help us accomplish our mission.
I look forward to seeing, working, and celebrating with all of you this month.
In Solidarity,
Sean Perryman
