Community Events

Annual Freedom Fund Dinner returns with theme ‘When We Fight, We Win’

Featured photo: Thelisa Anthony-Cayton of Vernon Chapel, Dr. Karen Weaver-former mayor of Flint and Teresa Anthony-Johnson of Vernon Chapel attended the NAACP Flint Branch 40th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner.

Written by Tanya Terry

Flint NAACP Branch President Frances Gilcreast

The 40th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner took place after the event had to be cancelled last year due to the governor’s Stay at Home Order being issued just days before. Tickets were not sold for this year’s dinner, but the tickets purchased for last year’s dinner were honored in 2021.

The theme was “Fighting Forward! When We Fight, We Win,” a positive message which allowed for a positive experience for those who attended the part in-person, part virtual event.

Pastor of Saints of God Church Rev. Alfred L. Harris Sr., who is also chairperson of the Flint branch of NAACP Religious Affairs and president of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, presented the event blessing.

“I think it’s important for us to realize the struggle is still on,” Harris said. “We have not arrived. If you look at the founding principles (of the NAACP) and look at what we face today, they are alarmingly similar. We still have things we need to overcome.”

Dr. George Washington Carver/Leo R. Crow VFW Post 8236 Comrades Benny Motley & Samuel Morgan and Commander William E. Saines presented the posting of the colors.

Melissa Overton of Christ Fellowship MB Church passionately sang the Black National Anthem:  “Lift Every Voice and Sing” with a soulful voice, stirring emotion.

Mid-Michigan Now, NBC25/Fox 66 Anchor Mike Woolfolk offered the presentation of dais.

Also, Dr. Karen Williams Weaver, former mayor of Flint and honorary chairperson of the Freedom Fund gave her welcome.

“COVID may have stopped some things, but one thing we know is the work continued,” Weaver said. “This is our one big fundraiser of the year and this is how we do the work that we do. This is how we give the scholarships. This is how we support our ACT-SO program. It’s how we keep our doors open and work for the community.”

The ACT-So introduction and presentations were presented by Ella Greene-Moten, chairperson of the Flint NAACP ACT-SO. The NAACP’s  Afro –Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympic (ACT-SO) is a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate and encourage high academics and cultural achievement among African American high school students.

Moten presented scholarships from the NAACP,  and Jamal Dozier-human resources liaison, presented scholarships from Hurley Medical Center.

Jasmine Hall, health and environmental justice committee chair for the Flint branch of the NAACP, is a former scholarship recipient. She received a Flint NAACP Freedom Fund scholarship nine years ago at a previous NAACP dinner. She said this was based off her community service, her grade point average and her test scores. For her community service, she had worked with March of Dimes and Flint Debutante Cotillion. She also volunteered at the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan.

“It was for $1,000, and I went to Central Michigan University and then Harvard University,” Hall said. “I went to school to study public health. Now I am an epidemiologist. I moved back home in 2019 to work on the response to the Flint Water Crisis. So, I work at Michigan State University-the Flint Registry, with Dr. Mona. We are connecting people to resources to mitigate the effect of the water crisis. As a first generation college student, neither of my parents went to college.  They didn’t have the funds or the resources to go. So, to be able to attend a dinner like this, to know that we’re literally investing in the education of the next generation is beautiful to see.

Hall said it’s also important to know the NAACP is still relevant.

“We have movements like Black Lives Matter,” she continued. “You have all these uprising and these movements taking place, and it’s important to know that we still have our legacy civil rights organization doing amazing things in the community.”

One of the things the NAACP has done was put out an open letter about the proposed AJAX asphalt plant, which many in Genesee County fear will pollute the air in and around the 3rd Ward in the city of Flint.

The Flint NAACP Health & Environmental Justice Committee is also planning a mental health campaign and is “invested in the mental health of people of color.” They will be hosting virtual yoga sessions, additionally, to help mitigate seasonal affective disorder after Christmas.

Awards were presented to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flint and Genesee County, the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Retired Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell and Bryant “BB” Nolden of Friends of Berston. The awards were titled the C. Fred Robinson Civil Rights Award, the Celia M. Turner Humanitarian Award, the Lenore Croudy Distinguished Leadership Award and the Vera B. Rison Unsung Hero Award, respectively.

The keynote speaker was introduced by Rev. Allen C. Overton Sr.

The speaker spoke of Jamal Sutherland, who was died in the jails of Charleston.

“There is no law enforcement officer who is human that would taiser a person10 times in 45 seconds, and put a spit bag over his face and kneel on his neck while he said ‘I can’t breathe.,” declared Rev. Nelson B. Rivers II, the keynote speaker and vice president of religious affairs NAN.  Rivers is also pastor of Charity MB Church of Charleston, SC.

“That is evil and we will not stop until they get locked up and put in jail where they belong,” Rivers added.

Rivers said everything we’ve got, we had to fight to get, and fight even harder to keep. He said just before coming to Flint, a news story popped up on his phone informing in Flint the settlement had finally been approved for the water poisoning of the citizens.

“I thought-if they had given up, if they’d stop, they never would have prevailed,” Rivers pointed out.

William Read, 18, a University of Michigan-Flint Communications students was one of several students to receive the Flint branch NAACP scholarship and was present at the Freedom Fund Dinner. Read hopes to encourage other young Black men.
Rev. Nelson B. Rivers III, keynote speaker at the 40th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner, received a plaque.

 

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