ON SATURDAY, December 4, 2010, members of the Colorado, Montana, Wyoming State Branches of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) held their State Conference of Branches, to elect new Denver officers.

Ms. Beatrice Madison, State President for Colorado, Montana and Wyoming NAACP State Conference of Branches: “We are excited that this reorganization is an opportunity for the Denver Branch to experience a brighter and wonderful future.

“As you know, Colorado’s educational system is not up to standard as it should be. That is one of the most forefront activities that the NAACP national office wants us to be involved in-getting the education piece of the states in gear, because as a people, Americans are losing on the education front.

“Also, the national office emphasizes that ‘people come in all colors.’ so when we say ‘colored people,’ we are speaking of people of all colors; it is not just an African-American organization anymore. We reach out to everybody, because everybody reaches out to us. No matter what the problem is, nowadays, I think the first stop people make is at the NAACP.”

Ms. Robbie Bean, Membership Chairperson, Reorganization Committee: “I have learned so much, and today I am bubbling with happiness.”

James Simmons, First Vice President of the Colorado, Montana, Wyoming NAACP State Conference of Branches, and President of the Casper Branch: “Our Casper Branch was chartered in December, 1950, and has overcome many challenges. Today it touches all aspects of society, and commands a lot of respect. The majority of my members are White.

“Once they got into the organization and saw what we are actually about, instead of seeing that it is an organization that is for Blacks only, they find that it is an organization that doesn’t have a color requirement.”

“The concept of the NAACP came forward, and they saw how we function in the community; they know how effective we are if we go by the by-laws of the NAACP, and that it works. It works regardless of what color you are; it works regardless of what gender you are.

“Even the Ambassador of Guatemala (who has since passed on) and his wife joined the NAACP because they saw how we did things, and they supported us in a discreet manner. They believed in the concepts of our organization. We try to continue handling the cases we get in a very professional way; and we are very effective.”

Marcus J. Farmer, newly elected NAACP Denver Branch President: “Some of the goals we have for this reorganized Branch are to immediately become involved and address the issues that are the forefront issues of the community.

“We want to be sure the community sees our Branch as new, fresh, revitalized, energetic, passionate, and there for them. One of the things that I want to emphasize to the readers of the Body of Christ News is that I want them to shift their paradigm and rethink about NAACP in Denver.

We are doing a complete reorganization; it’s a new thing, and I particularly want to encourage people in their 20s, 30s and 40s to look at what we’re doing, because what we’re going to be focusing on are things that are relevant for our day, our time, the 21st Century: the things that people of color face in our society.”

Richard Smith, Chairperson for the reorganized NAACP Denver Branch: Currently, we do not have an office in Denver. It will take us a few months to get organized and to identify where our offices should be located. As soon as our new officers are in place, we will have press releases with phone numbers and e-mail addresses so people in the Metro Denver area will know who to contact.

“In January, we also have a national training session for all new Executive Officers, which needs to be completed before we become active within the community. We also want to work together with other organizations. We have contacted the Ministerial Alliance, fraternities, sororities and other African-American organizations.

“We encourage people from throughout the metro area to become members. This is no longer a predominately African-American organization; we want Caucasians, Latinos, everyone, to be members of this great organization. We are here, and we are ready to move on within the Metro area, and also within the State.

“We have a lot of issues at hand, when it comes to human rights, and civil rights and this is what we are focusing on. Times have changed, and we are changing with the times. We are being inclusive, rather than exclusive. We want to work together.”