Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches website

This year, Morehouse College and Yale University and the first of two debates took on the controversial topic of "stand your ground laws" that allow someone who feels physically threatened to shoot to protect themselves. read more click here

This year, we have invited the Debate Team from Morehouse College, a prestigious historically Black Men’s College, to debate the Ivy League Yale University Debate Team. The Great Debate is on track to become an historic event in the State of Connecticut in its own right. These are two of the country’s most acclaimed institutions and the debate between them is likened to the movie, “The Great Debaters”. This event will continue our focus on diversity and building racial harmony.

FYI: Major Victory for CT,
Role of the NAACP in CT Death Penalty Repeal click here

Gov. Dannel Malloy, a Democrat, signed the bill in a private ceremony, saying in a statement that it “although it is an historic moment — Connecticut joins 16 other states and the rest of the industrialized world by taking this action — it is a moment for sober reflection, not celebration.”

According to a Quinnipiac University poll on Wednesday, voters in the state support the death penalty in general 62 percent to 30 percent. Those polled were evenly split, however, on the punishment for murder: 46 percent want the death penalty in such cases, and 46 percent want life in prison without parole. read more click here

Dear All,
I am writing to share good news. Last night, after years of struggle, Connecticut abolished the death penalty.

The CT State conference, under the leadership of President Scot X. Esdaile, did great work delivering key votes. Our staff did a great job supporting the CTNAACP, and the Branch President throughout the State worked tirelessly on this effort. The activists--including many in Youth and College and many recruited are re-energized by the I Am Troy Campaign--came through. And the final vote was 86-62!

The Governor is expected to sign it in to law next week.

This means we have just 9 states left until we have abolished the Death Penalty in a majority of states and can credibly ask the Supreme Court to consider abolishing it entirely.

Today was a great day. Justice is moving for Trayvon in FL. And Justice is moving in the name of Troy Davis in CT.

Yours in the struggle,

Ben Jealous, President and CEO
National NAACP Office

NAACP CONGRATULATES CONNECTICUT Senate for voting to end the death penalty.

Our fight against the death penalty in Connecticut has been in full swing ever since the unjust execution of Troy Davis. In November 2011 -- two months after Troy's execution -- his sister, Kim, joined me in Stamford, Connecticut to advocate for the repeal of the death penalty. Last week, I returned to the State Capitol to reinforce our message: The death penalty has no place in Connecticut, or the United States. read more click here

"Twenty Six, 26" We need the death penalty to be outlawed in 26 states to present our case to the Supreme Court -- that the death penalty is biased and unconstitutional and it needs to be banned in the United States.

Call your state Senator at 860-240-8600 (if your Senator is Democrat) or 860-240-8800 (if your Senator is Republican) and tell them to support anti-death penalty legislation. read entire message click here

NAACP Chief Calls for Action on Alleged Racial Profiling by Police Across the State; Public Safety Chairman Agrees The head of the Connecticut NAACP is calling for the state legislature, Gov. Malloy and even the US Justice Department to act in the wake of a report that shows black and Hispanic drivers are much more likely to face citations or court dates from traffic stops than white motorists.

Scot X. Esdaile tells The Hanging Shad the results of the Hartford Courant analysis don’t surprise him. “We’ve been saying for years that this and other types of racial profiling are still going on. This [data] just backs up what we’ve known for years. They’ve passed laws but it’s still going on,” he said. “It’s pathetic. It’s 2012.” ..read more click here

Editorial Message
Scot X. Esdaile. president
As the NAACP State Conference President for Connecticut I am responsible for hearing and addressing all types of concerns. In Connecticut far too many of the complaints I hear relate to deprivation of what should be a basic human right for all, the right to breathe clean air. For African American communities, in particular, these rights are being violated. ........

...... Currently, regulations under the Clean Air Act, such as the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule in our air, are under attack by polluters and certain legislative initiatives in Congress aimed at blocking the functionality of the Clean Air Act. These rules are essential for sensible reductions in air pollution. Supporting these rules would save up to 330 lives and will prevent heart attacks, hospitalizations, and ER visits in Connecticut every year. read the entire editorial letter click here

More information about the 100 Most Influential Blacks in Connecticut click here

PLEASE stand up publicly, send your thoughts to Florida State Attorney Angela Corey, who will be overseeing the grand jury case: click here
Follow others thoughts and comments .

Join Us In Fighting for Justice for Trayvon Martin Be well-informed, daily updates@

National NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous comments and support for Trayvon Martin's family... The strength of this community gives me hope that justice will indeed be achieved in Sanford, Florida. In the face of tragedy, the community has banded together and continues to raise its collective voice for justice. Please read more click here.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 -- Governor Dannel P. Malloy held a bill signing ceremony at the State Capitol, where he signed into law legislation improving the state's public education system in order to close the state's achievement gap and ensure our state remains economically competitive. He was joined by lawmakers, local and civic leaders, education advocates, business leaders and organizers. The legislation is S.B. 458 - An Act Concerning Educational Reform.

Hartford — State Rep. Ernest Hewett joined with fellow members of the legislature's Black and Latino Caucus and the Connecticut NAACP Tuesday to call on New London officials to rehire black firefighter recruit Alfred Mayo in light of new investigation findings. read more click here

HARTFORD — The Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition has selected Middletown resident Rosa Browne from 16 nominees to be recognized for her accomplishments and community involvement.

The award was presented to Browne, an immigrant from Panama, at the 15th annual Connecticut Immigration Day ceremony at the state capitol Monday, hosted by CIRC and the secretary of the state’s office. read more click here

April Empoyment opp...Summer Internship O&G Industries, Inc. is seeking well qualified and diverse applicants for a Summer Intern position with its Building Division. The internship is for a student actively pursuing both an interest and career in Construction Management. more information click here

Registration and education.
Those three words are the mantra of This is My Vote. They represent the most effective way to fight back against voter suppression and to make your voice heard in November.

Over and over again we see the impact lawmakers can have on our lives. By registering to cast your ballot and educating yourself on the requirements for voting, you can have the effect on our country that proponents of these these laws are seeking to prevent.

Registering to vote takes only 5 minutes. Head to the This is My Vote site, fill out your application, and mail it in today: http://action.naacp.org/voter-registration

I know you've heard it before but I will keep on saying it: There is strength in numbers. We proved this in Sanford, Florida, and I've seen it proven all over the United States in the 100+ campaigns I've worked on.

I know what can be achieved if our nationwide effort to register voters is successful: Elections will be swung, civil rights and social justice will take their rightful place on the policy agenda, and voter suppression laws will be rendered useless.

Don't overestimate the time it takes to register to vote. It only takes 5 minutes, the same amount of time it takes to send our registration link to your family and friends if you're already registered. Together, we can have a monumental impact.

Thank you,
Scot X Esdaile, President

Repeal of the Death Penalty Protects Civil RightsBy Scot X. Esdaile

By voting to repeal Connecticut’s death penalty state lawmakers have demonstrated they truly care about racial equality. After decades of tinkering and failed promises to “fix” the death penalty, our legislators in recent weeks finally reached the inescapable conclusion that the system has failed and is beyond repair.

They heeded the call of the NAACP, which has been actively working for repeal for many years, holding numerous forums and rallies across the state, and collecting hundreds of signatures in support of abolishing the death penalty. They also listened to the impassioned pleas of NAACP National President Benjamin Todd Jealous who has visited our state numerous times urging repeal.

Throughout the death penalty’s history in the United States it has been applied in a racist and biased manner, and the state of Connecticut has been no exception. read more click here

NAACP To Challenge Senate District Changes
April 13th, 2012 · Get ready for another election challenge. Officials with city and state branches of the NAACP say they will file a legal challenge to a redistricting plan of neighboring State Senate Districts that they claim unfairly impacts minority voters in incumbent Ed Gomes’ district. ...read more click here

CT NAACP to sue over redistricting
Brian Lockhart
April 12, 2012

BRIDGEPORT -- The city and state branches of the NAACP will seek a court injunction preventing what members allege is a redistricting plan crafted by white legislative leaders at the expense of minority voters and incumbent Sen. Edwin Gomes, D-Bridgeport. read more click here

By Gregory B. Hadley
3:55p.m. EST. December 14, 2011

CT NAACP considering legal action against state redistricting. The head of the Connecticut NAACP, Scot X. Esdaile calls it “astonishing and heart breaking” that the legislative committee that's deciding on how this state's political boundaries should be redrawn doesn't have a single minority member.

The absence of any African American or Latino lawmaker on the redistricting panel could trigger legal action by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, according to Scott X. Esdaile.

“We don't know yet if we're going to file a lawsuit,” Esdaile said Wednesday as he headed into a meeting with a top Republican legislative leader.

“We're really upset that we were excluded,” added Esdaile, president of this state's NAACP chapter, which has 16 branches throughout Connecticut. read entire article click here.

... A must read
NAACP to examine state's redistricting A legal team from the national NAACP will be looking closely at the state's new political maps when it comes to Connecticut next month.

"The whole process of redistricting tried to keep in mind communities of interest particular to urban areas and I think the 22nd and the 23rd are solid and reflect communities of interest," said Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney , D-New Haven, a member of the Reapportionment Commission. read entire ctpost article click here

NAACP Blasts Red-Light Camera Bill
The Hartford Courant: April 18, 2012
HARTFORD — The Connecticut NAACP said Wednesday that it opposes a controversial bill that would enable the state's 19 largest cities and towns to install cameras at intersections to catch red-light violators.

The association said the measure would unfairly target city-dwellers, many of them poor and members of racial minorities
read more click here

Educational Town Hall Meeting, April 2, 2012
By LAUREN SIEVERT
Press Staff
@LaurenSievertMP
MIDDLETOWN — The situation involving education reform in Connecticut is like a modern day version of the civil rights movement, Gov. Dannel Malloy said Monday during a Town Meeting in Middletown.

The NAACP sponsored the meeting to talk about the Education Reform Bill at Shiloh Baptist Church. Many of the public’s questions focused on the cultural awareness needing to being covered in the bill. Malloy spoke about the points in the bill he wanted to focus on and then opened the floor to questions from the community.

State NAACP President Scot X. Esdaile said before the meeting that there was a serious concern that no one from the black community was in the meetings about the bill. ...read more click here

Re-Scheduled
Middlesex County NAACP
Hosting A

Town Hall Meeting
Governor Dannel P. Malloy will discuss his
Education Reform Bill SB24 (please read) Amendment~Working Draft
with the NAACP

Monday, April 02, 2012, 6:30 P.M.
Shiloh Baptist Church, 346 Butternut St
Middletown, CT 06457

~Town Hall Meeting with the Governor and the NAACP was Previously Postponed~ ...please read President Exdaile comments below. Because of mentioned concerns, it is utmost important that you participate/support the April 2, 2012 discussion.

STATEMENT FROM SCOT X. ESDAILE REGARDING EDUCATION TOWN HALL MEETING

The issue of education reform is one that is long overdue in the State of Connecticut. For centuries, Connecticut has had a shameful legacy of inequity in terms of educating poor and minority children. As policies continue to place our children at an educational disadvantage, we continue to be denied a meaningful seat at the table. In the hopes of expanding the dialogue to include those stakeholders who SB24 most impact - parents of urban minority children - the State NAACP, in communication with the Governor, sought to host a thoughtful dialogue around this legislation. Although the bill is more than 100 pages, the conversation has been reduced to teacher tenure and evaluations, instead of focusing on the relevant issue of ensuring quality education for each and every Connecticut child.

Unfortunately, this partnership was not meant to be. After realizing that an independent conversation that focuses on the needs of our most precious resource would not occur without interference and convolution of the issue, the State and Waterbury Branch NAACP have decided to withdraw from tomorrow's town hall meeting in Waterbury. We eagerly await word in the next day or two from Governor Malloy on his intent to reschedule this urgent conversation.

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Monday, March 19, 2012 860-523-9962

HARTFORD — Gov. Dannel Malloy told members of the state's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People that there needs to be a renewed focus on education reform in Connecticut, particularly in urban school districts.

“We will not have equal rights for all in the absence of equal education for all,” Malloy said as the crowd of about 1,000 that attended a luncheon at the organization's statewide convention roared with approval. read more click here

New Jobs Posting: Director Human Resources more info. click here
The Department of Economic and Community Development posted.
Rocky Hill Location – 400 positions
Mortgage servicing, processing, closing or financial services experience. Competitive salaries, some training, and an excellent package benefits package are offered.
Meriden Location – 80 positions
Call Center - Computer literacy is important, as are excellent customer service skills. The salary is generous and this is a career path. There can be no criminal background and candidates will be screened for drug use.
Please advise interested candidates of the contact information:
Lindy Lee Gold, CD Specialist DECD
(860) 270-8073
lindylee.gold@ct.gov