Episode 6 - June 2026

In Episode 6 of the NAACP Akron Unit’s Power and Community podcast, Dr. Goggins and Willie B. reflect on a powerful June filled with Juneteenth celebrations, community education, civic engagement, and renewed calls for organized action. The conversation highlights the importance of staying informed, protecting voting rights, supporting justice-centered organizations, and continuing the work with integrity, courage, and steadfastness.

Resource & mentioned links:

Previous housing/zoning episode referenced in the transcript
https://naacpakronpodcast.buzzsprout.com/2500020/episodes/18956363-power-community-podcast-season-3-episode-3-march-2026 - Discussing Akron zoning, minimum lot sizes, and housing density.

City of Akron Planning & Urban Development / zoning information
https://www.akronohio.gov/departments/planning_urban_development/index.php
About zoning changes, minimum lot sizes, single-family zoning, and development standards. (akronohio.gov)

Juneteenth Stronger Together Celebration 2026
https://www.akronurbanleague.org/event/juneteenth-stronger-together-celebration-2026/

117th NAACP National Convention
https://naacp.org/convention
NAACP National Convention in Chicago; July 18–22, 2026. (NAACP)

Obama Presidential Center tickets/info
https://www.obama.org/visit/museum-tickets/
The official page has the most current museum ticket information - obama.org

Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic / HBCU events
https://www.profootballhof.com/black-college-football-hall-of-fame-classic/schedule-of-events - This supports the HBCU Classic, college fair, Battle of the Bands, and related opportunities discussed in the episode. (Pro Football Hall of Fame)

NAACP Akron Power & Community Podcast is available now wherever you get your podcasts or visit - https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2500020/episodes.

NAACP Akron website - www.NAACPAkron.org

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:23

Welcome to the Power and Community Podcast, the official podcast of the NAACP Akron Unit, where we believe knowledge is power, and organized power makes change happen. We hope these conversations inform you, inspire you to action. I'm Dr. Lothardus Goggins II. I serve as your chair of the education committee and co-host of this podcast, and I'm joined by my co-host, Willie B. What's going on, everybody?

SPEAKER_03 0:57

I hope y'all are doing real good out there.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

Yes, and Willie B serves as the unofficial official communications director for the NACP unit. He won't tell him that until he starts believing it.

SPEAKER_03 1:12

I don't know about that, but we'll we'll keep it rolling, Doc. We'll keep it rolling. How have you been?

SPEAKER_00 1:17

I've been doing all right, man.

SPEAKER_03 1:18

Have a good Father's Day.

SPEAKER_00 1:20

I had a good Father's Day, yeah. Uh uh it was a long weekend, you know, a lot of stuff that's been happening and a lot of activities. And I was telling my my my children, uh, yeah, look, you got me for so long, but after we eat, whatever you want to, you know, so whatever you want to do, let's do it before, because after I eat, I'm ready to take a nap. Right, yes, yes. Yes, and to all uh the brothers out here that are they're serving the one that's being the honor to be fathers, but also serving as father figures and mentors and and uh the unks and the uh the big brothers and and all those OGs around the block helping these young folks uh know what it is to be a man and to model manhood. Happy belated Father's Days to you.

SPEAKER_03 2:09

Okay, those count too then? Because hey, these young 20-year-olds is calling me Unk now, and I was like, whoa, hey, yeah, I thought that that was reserved for those who are like 40 and over or something like that. You can't be calling me that. I'm I might be the big homie.

SPEAKER_01 2:24

Right, right, right.

SPEAKER_03 2:24

But unk, you know, yeah, you know that's a little too early there. Step into your eldership. No, no, no, no, no. I didn't hey you uh it's a little it takes me a little longer to get out of bed now, but I ain't there yet. Come on.

SPEAKER_00 2:38

Well, yeah, hey, I I I had uh Unk, and then down at the celebration, we'll talk about it a little later. Uh one of the young brothers going around. Hey, OG, OG, OG, I need you, you need you, you need you need anything, OG? Just let me know, OG. Let me borrow that tape, OG. Uh he was like, okay, man, come on. But at some point, he got it, because hey, had to go, had to go lay down after that. So I'm like, I'm I'm gonna just accept my eldership and my OG status, the unc status, and live in it. But yeah, yeah, he's like.

SPEAKER_03 3:10

You understand as a nation builder. That's what you are. You don't have to accept anything other than that.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

So yeah, yeah. Well, well, yeah, uh technically I am, I'm I'm over the 55, so I am, and I've been uh recognized as an elder. So hey, I'm a young elder, but it is what it is, and I'm and I'm honored. Honored, right? Uh uh there's a brother, David, uh, David Miller, Dr. David Miller, said black men deserve to grow old too. Right? So, hey, I take that. You well, how how you how how was your weekend? Long.

SPEAKER_03 3:45

It was a long weekend, but it was fruitful. Uh not only did uh we have, you know, a great Father's Day weekend that I hope everybody partook in, um, but you know, a great Juneteenth celebration throughout the city, great community education that took place. Uh, and it was just really fruitful to see people coming together to be to see people be a part of a lot of the change that we're trying to make happen here in the Akron area uh and really continue to move things forward because I think as long as we continue as an educated people, we will continue to make the change happen that we wish to see. I think it's when we allow the powers that be to keep us uneducated and not tapped into what's going on, that's when we will start to see it be a lot easier to divide people. And when we can divide people easily, that is when uh the conquering starts to happen. But if we can continue to be educated, we can be united, we can continue to move forward as a full force for the freedom and the liberation that we seek.

SPEAKER_00 4:52

Well, yeah, yeah, for sure. And and the way you brought that up, it reminds me of some of the context that's happening, right? There are people who are trying to to do that divide and conquer and and intimidate. Uh, and so we would be remiss if we didn't also acknowledge uh over this since the last time we talked, and here recently, there's been some FBI raids on the Ohio organizing collaborative in particular, but come to find out that that was not unique. That has been a trend across many states. Uh various organizations that have been highly involved in voter registration and getting out getting the information out about voting and that kind of thing. They have been targeted. They have been targeted uh by the Justice Department. The FBI has showed up at a number of places uh with warrants and to gather information. Uh also there's been some reports of people being followed and and all this other kind of stuff. And what one of the things that we have to be mindful of, right, because sometimes we we're quick to react, and sometimes you let things play out, and and and as they play out, you begin to see what's really going on. Uh uh it came to pass, you know, some some uh information came out and said, well, you know, maybe there, you know, the the the Ohio organizing collaborative uh was involved or some organization that got some information from them. One or two people uh some time ago had some uh irregularities on their voters sign-up page kind of thing, right? Uh and and that that that seems to be uh one of the the the source or one of the the the reasons that they're using. But then you have uh some elected officials, the mayor, some of our uh congressional representatives are saying, well, they're asking questions about let's see what's what's the issue. When we look at the warrant, you know, these one or two possible things that happened some years ago doesn't quite meet up the idea of what you're saying is voter fraud.

SPEAKER_03 7:13

Exactly. It was called, quote, an unprecedented attack on democracy.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

Right. Yeah. And and but it's not, again, uncon is not inconsistent with strategies that were done in the past. And so this is where we have to be mindful, right? That just because someone is being investigated doesn't mean they're guilty. Just because somebody is being investigated doesn't mean that there is any evidential findings. Somebody had a question, they're looking. But we also know here recently, under this administration, there's a lot of theories and conspiracies that under normal circumstances wouldn't get the the seriousness of an investigation, but now they they're investigating. And more often than not, those investigations tend to lead to nowhere or or doesn't it doesn't it doesn't hold the water. So we we we want to be supportive of people that we know are doing good work, but also have the courage to continue to do good work and not run scared just because somebody said boot.

SPEAKER_03 8:36

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 8:37

Right? Now with that said, that um uh FBI intent uh uh raid did get the attention of of some national organizations, including the NACP who got on a state call and and and was talking to the the various state units and saying, look, particularly if you if you are been involved in similar activity, you've been partnered, and those kinds of things, make sure your stuff is in order.

SPEAKER_03 9:06

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 9:07

Right? Because sometimes these rays are just to rattle the cage and see what falls out. So that means get your stuff tight. So when your cage gets rattled, nothing falls out. And and it is the time to get ready isn't when the FBI shows up at your door.

SPEAKER_03 9:29

You gotta stay ready so you ain't gotta get ready.

SPEAKER_00 9:32

That's the ideal. And now that we know they're coming, you know, they're rattling cages, just in case, if you haven't gotten ready, this is your last, you know, day. Don't be surprised. And so all that to say that look, we are, we we know we're in a time in which the those who are concerned with justice, those who are concerned with just protecting our civil rights, they're gonna come under scrutiny, they're gonna test your resolve, they're gonna see how how sure are you that you want to be in this in this work. And we have to res we have to respond with integrity, courage, and steadfastness. Right? Uh and so so, but that is the time that we're in, and that is some of the things that has been happening. In the midst of all of that, there was joy. Absolutely. Right? The Juneteenth celebrations and all the things that were going on in which we uh had opportunity to practice, celebrate freedom and joy. And we'll get more into that a little bit later. But uh that is some of the context that we we are living in and and and and moving forward uh with. So with that, as we do each each uh month with the with the podcast, we review the the general meeting uh and then um do a deeper dive into a a subject or two. And so we're gonna start with our general meeting, and then uh we'll we'll talk some more about all that happened and all the glory in this, the what the the the joy, the joyous celebrations of Juneteenth.

SPEAKER_03 11:34

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 11:36

So with our general meeting, our last general meeting was June 18th, 530, at the Bay Rustin Center. Uh we opened up with prayer, and once again, your fabulous co-host was clear, not me, but Willie B was who ran the meeting and made sure everything was tight and efficient. What you got to say? Tell me, tell me, tell me I'm lying.

SPEAKER_02 12:13

What I shared is tight and efficient.

SPEAKER_03 12:16

Everybody, everybody wanna act like I'm just like some some like uh timekeeper uh uh tough on, I'm like tough on time, like time is the crime or something. No, no, no. Everybody's like, well, I hope but I hope my my report wasn't too long.

SPEAKER_02 12:34

I'm like, just you know, we're just trying to keep the meeting.

SPEAKER_00 12:38

You know, that's hey, what's what's on the agenda next? Okay, boom. Let's go. Do you have a report? Is there a report? Yeah, okay, get a report. All right. We we we we add this to the to the to the to the what? How you say it? We add this to the record. Next.

SPEAKER_03 12:56

Yeah, you know, just just keep it moving. You know, I I'm a I'm a huge advocate for efficient meetings, okay?

SPEAKER_00 13:03

That's that's and you do that, and you do that well, sir. And so we open up with with prayer, and and we went through the agenda. Uh you speak on on on oh, so we start no we started off with with the Black History Moment, and I did, I provided that. And also, I guess we could talk about in the context of all that's going on. The on the 18th, the Obama Center had its grand opening uh celebration, and then on the 19th, it was opened up to the public. If you've not yet had an opportunity to watch some of that uh uh of the center celebration, um it was it was at times inspiring, great music, Stevie Wonder, Bono, uh any number of folks were were were really uh artists were present and and and and and cranking up the atmosphere and and and that kind of stuff. But it was also very inspiring, moving, um, and the the the class and dignity in which it was presented, uh uh uh came across was so refreshing. So refreshing. The center is unique in that, you know, uh, as you may know, that each president has their presidential library, which is a collection of papers and and memorabilia artifacts of their president presidency and that kind of stuff. And that exists, and that is uh uh something that you have to buy tickets or get tickets for. Uh I think it's the the top four floors of of the center.

SPEAKER_03 14:54

Please, please, everybody, do not show up to the Obama presidential library talking about Obama, my cousin. He said I'm good. What do you mean tickets is is booked out? I should now I should be able to get. I know, I know, I know the I know the I know the past president. We cool. You you will not get in, okay? And it's okay. Just get your tickets like $30 plus some fees, you know. We live in the land of fees now. So get your tickets, plan it out, plan a group trip. I believe that there's a trip uh underway to be planned to depart from Akron, Ohio to go to the presidential center and return. I don't know all the details on that, uh, but but I do do know that, you know, be a be a part of, you know, being being part of this this history. You know, it doesn't have to be this month. And it and for many of us, it will not be this month. It will not be next month, it will not be the month after. However, uh, as soon as you can, be a part of, you know, taking in a lot of this history. Now, one thing that I think is uh interesting, and you and you commenting on this, I think what made what is it that makes this um presidential uh library different than others is that was it's all digital. So there's no actual copies of any of the artifacts on site. Is that correct? I'm not sure about that.

SPEAKER_00 16:13

I think there are some that there's some stuff for sure. Uh uh they have like the replica of the over office, so you can go and sit. So they gotta have some kind of.

SPEAKER_03 16:23

That was donated by Shonda Rhimes, right?

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Okay, yeah, that's really cool. And uh uh and there's all that kind of stuff. So, but yes, there's a lot of digital stuff. There's uh I saw things about like uh letters that the president would receive. Uh they that is that is on a uh so you can see the actual letter, but it's digital. There's a lot of that kind of stuff. And and that's unique. But what is super unique, let's say like that, about this center, there's the library, but then there is the the Obama center. Okay. Right? So there's a there's a there's a basketball court, there's a community garden. You remember Michelle uh had uh uh put a garden in and importance of fresh produce and fresh fruits and that kind of stuff. So there's a whole community garden that you can go to. There's uh some reflective pathways and parks part of it. And all of this is situated in the south side of Chicago, uh, blocks away from where Michelle uh grew up, blocks away from where Michelle and Obama first dated. Uh and it is all a part of the South Side of Chicago, in which uh Barack Obama did many of his uh early community organizing working well. So it's it is a real beautiful homage to memory of the Obama administration, but also the ongoing inspirational legacy of what this what they stood for and what is possible when we as a community come together and work and have fun. Right? And all that other stuff is free. Now you can show up for that, walk through the garden, and all that kind of stuff. But if you want to get into the presidential library part, those top four floors, you got to get that ticket. And as I heard, those tickets are sold out through November.

SPEAKER_03 18:37

Okay, all right, through November. Through November. So we will not be taking any Thanksgiving trips uh to the presidential center.

SPEAKER_00 18:45

Unless, unless whoever this local person is who's getting the stuff, they was able to get a block early. And so, you know, they may the whoever they are may already be counted in that in that group. But if you just go on to go, you want to go online and get some tickets, plan for something after November at this point.

SPEAKER_03 19:08

See y'all after November.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

So that was our Black History uh moment talking about the Obama Center. Uh next we had uh our uh committee agenda committee reports. Is that right?

SPEAKER_03 19:32

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 19:33

Yeah. And so uh I'll just jump in here on the education and something a little bit about the criminal justice committee. So from the education perspective, I I shared that the the ongoing bill that we've been talking about from the state, the Senate bill 113, that is that is the anti-DEI bill for K through 12. Uh that bill ended ended up being tabled. So that is, you know, some of the work and F uh uh efficacy that work and and advocacy that we've been doing over the um this past year is paid off. They they end up tabling the bill. Uh it may, if they have a special session in August, it may show up then. But if not, the the the Ohio legislature is not due to come back until November after the elections during that lame duck session. So at least for now, it looks like we are uh clear for the the beginning of the next academic year without this harmful bill. With the criminal justice committee, the ongoing work that uh from our policy from safe and nurturing schools, uh if you um uh have followed some of the discussions that we've had in previous podcasts, uh the school resource officers uh program, we wanted to, we are looking at how to revamp it, get it in compliance with state law, and also uh follow some best practices. So uh this the the police review auditor, the police auditor uh suggested that the um citizen oversight police review board, I'm messing that up, but the citizen police oversight board. The police and the citizens police oversight board um uh form or be a part of forming a task force to um look at and again uh make recommendations about how that Program will look and do that do that task force in partnership with the NAACP and community and Akron Public Schools. So that was reviewed. There was some discussion about that. And they're going to move to talk to APS. But it is, again, a thing that is moving forward. As you can imagine, with with these kind of this kind of work, the politics and and people want to be cautious and that kind of stuff. It doesn't move as as fast as we would like, but it is still moving. So those were the two reports that that came from the Education Committee and the Criminal Uh Justice Committee. And there were some more reports. Will it be?

SPEAKER_03 22:48

Adding to that, we uh had a report out regarding the governor, uh Mike DeWine, now supporting uh the abolishment of the death penalty. So on Tuesday, I believe it would have been the 16th, uh Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called for abolishing the death penalty, marking a significant reversal uh for this governor who helped draft the state's capital punishment policy 45 years ago. So Dewine's stance has shifted gradually throughout his career, leading him to repeatedly postpone scheduled executions uh through an unofficial moratorium, citing pharmaceutical suppliers' unwillingness to provide lethal injection drugs. And also the governor stated that he no longer believes that the death penalty is a deterrent uh to murder, citing federal and state data indicating that capital punishment fails to prevent violent crime. So this was a a really pivotal point in really recognizing the lack of effectiveness in the death penalty as it pertains to being a deterrent for violent crime, and then also uh a shift in thinking of maybe because this is the last uh last hurrah for for Governor DeWine that maybe this change of thought is something that you know he doesn't have to try and rally votes around. Right, right. It doesn't necessarily matter for him. So then that I personally have thoughts around, like how how long has this even been a thought? Or how how long has this really been in discussion?

SPEAKER_00 24:26

I think he he has expressed concern and and and some um uh reservation about the death penalty. Like, like he said, I think the politics and the concern over politics uh didn't, or he chose not to be as vocal as he could have been. Um and even with this decision, there's a number of folks that said, well, no, why did you commute the sentences? And he didn't do that. Uh but as a governor and his and his personal convictions, he's he's he's he's laid out to be known. And so that is a move forward, even though it's not as far as as many would like. And again, this is the work that the NAACP was been involved in. Uh Leah uh Leah Houghton has been uh leading uh our our discussions about this. We we've a number of of uh sign-in campaigns and and letters to the governor and letters to the various uh legislature about this work uh has been going on. And so while often uh impact isn't grand and glorious and and and come with fireworks, uh more often than not they're they're quiet moments that get done over time and a decision is made that that is the result of years of information, advocacy, and and often and sometimes agitation. Yeah, but we're glad to see uh it get to this point.

SPEAKER_03 26:07

Additionally, in the meeting, uh our newly appointed health uh chair, Felicia Williams, she outlined multiple health awareness campaigns and uh local wellness events to support community well-being that are taking place. Um also, you know, really advocating uh as a focus on uh men's health uh and also Alzheimer's and brain awareness, migraine education, PTSD stigma reduction, and national uh safety month uh initiative. So that from health drop-in mobile clinics that are taking place in Kimmore to uh free community sound baths that are taking place, uh wellness and nutrition workshops that are happening, as well as a lot of the uh health and wellness uh initiatives around the Juneteenth weekend that we just had. That that was championed in the meeting as well. I do believe that we will have in the coming days, weeks, um, etc., we will have um more information from our health committee around how we can stay tapped in on what's happening in community, how we can continue to prioritize our health and how we can prioritize the health of those around us who we love dearly. So that would that was really good to see as well. For sure. Yeah, um, so our housing committee um uh gave a report out and and namely um talking about uh National Restore Day in July. It will include uh minor exterior repairs to selected homes with coordination efforts involving uh local realtors. Um additionally, there were some Habitat for Humanity updates that include a recent visit to newly constructed homes on Dan Street uh with zero interest loans uh off uh offered directly uh through Habitat for Humanity and those applications opening in the fall. So there'll be some upcoming information uh about that as well. Another thing that um I believe um has some some right to be mentioned as well is the city of Akron um is has released a survey talking about getting rid of uh minimum lot size requirements and and getting rid of exclusive single family only zoning and addressing uh legal non-conforming. And these are some of the issues that we talked about in prior podcasts about like, you know, we got we gotta get rid of these things or we have to make it more equitable for development to happen for smaller-scale developers. So to see the city of Akron actually um take take some initiative around getting um public opinion and sentiment through those surveys, but also uh a huge uh you know celebratory aspect around like taking some time to educate why these things have been negative as it pertains to how we've developed as a city, uh I believe I I can't remember what month it was, but our uh director of planning, Kyle Jillian, came in to the meeting and many people uh expressed, and I believe yourself included, Dr. Goggins, if we know that these things are wrong, how are we going to go about addressing them? Right. So I do believe that um through this survey uh that the city has put out uh and through really educating on how these things have negatively impacted development, but namely how they have negatively impacted the uh material condition and lived experiences for black and brown people in Akron, Ohio. Hopefully we'll be able to move forward and people will see that getting rid of minimum lot size requirements and single family only zoning doesn't negatively affect their neighborhood. Nothing is going to happen to their house. But what it does do is it allows for more density to take place in our neighborhood, and more density leads towards a lot of the community feeling that many people talk about that they miss from yesterdecades and yesterday. So when we allow for more density in the city of Akron, not only do we allow ourselves to grow, but we allow ourselves to be in community and have the community that we really have been seeking. So there'll be more info on that as well.

SPEAKER_00 30:10

Yes, I'm and I'm and I'm I'm having my NPR moment because we can officially say we can refer to a previous podcast in which this was covered, and we'll put that link in our description.

SPEAKER_03 30:24

Yeah, I kind of remember I kind of went off on that podcast. Yeah, you did. You know, these these things are not enough, and we need to do this, this, this, this, and this. Right. We we we still haven't really addressed uh parking minimums, but that's uh that's a whole man, that's a whole nother conversation.

SPEAKER_00 30:39

You you get that you'll get that on the on the previous conversation because because a part of that density and a part of addressing those those those housing minimums also then becomes how does the neighborhood get structured to further support that community feeling, to further support a sense of both accessibility to the things that you know a community needs, but also maintain the unique nature of that community. And because not every community needs the exact same thing the exact same way.

SPEAKER_03 31:17

But they should have the opportunity to build as they see. Yes, yeah. So that and I think that uh you hit the nail on the head making all of these limitations around setback limits and minimum lot size requirements, and you must have, you know, 4,000 square feet of land. Why do I need this much land to have a house? Like it's and it's like, oh, you can only build a single-family home here. It's like, well, so now I can't have an accessory dwelling unit in the or a backyard cottage for for my grandma to move to when she gets elderly, so we don't have to move her to a senior living facility. Like just all of these facets that we have um almost added to the zoning code to seemingly suburbanize the city. And it's I've always said if you want to live in the suburbs, move there. But don't try and make this city a suburb that does not serve the people who really need to who need to benefit from density. Because when we see the density, that means we we will have improved transit. You can justify having more transit lines, you can justify having more grocery stores and access to fresh food, you can justify having more work opportunities where businesses want to move to certain areas because the population there can now serve that. So there's so many benefits of building into uh the zoning code andor taking away things that are in the zoning code that that don't allow us to have the density so we can have the density we need so we continue to move forward. A lot of people forget that Akron is a city that at one point almost had roughly 300,000 people. Right. Now our population is much closer to 180,000.

SPEAKER_01 33:08

Hello.

SPEAKER_03 33:09

Right, right, right, right. So being able to move in that direction is really, really good as well. I think um what I'll also do is um send a link to that easing barriers to new housing um fast as that can be in the upcoming uh newsletter as well. Um, and hopefully I'll I'll get with our uh housing chair to see maybe uh Kyle Julian can make a return of well, I guess it can't be for a July meeting, but maybe for an August uh meeting to speak on that and and talk about hey, these are things that we're trying to do moving forward, and these are the opinions and the sentiments that we would like to gather from community to see how do you feel about these changes to be able to address the barriers to new housing.

SPEAKER_00 33:51

Makes sense, makes sense.

SPEAKER_03 33:53

So additionally, um we had a report out uh from our uh youth committee. Um D Falconer also reported out at uh with from the youth meeting that they had on June 11th, um, including recognition of uh three graduating singers uh who represented the uh group. Well, publicly uh it was also youth engaged in community events this past uh weekend at the West Akron Parade and the Akron Urban League Juneteenth celebration, or not the Akron Urban League Juneteenth celebration, but the celebration that took place at the Akron Urban League. It was a stronger together celebration. Also mentioned uh the HBCU uh HBCU tour that is uh coming up. Uh and I believe that is in October.

SPEAKER_00 34:39

It's the last part of September that they'll return uh October, that that first weekend in October. Uh and that is a tour uh that is uh uh one of the initiatives of the Akron Rights and Pastors Institute. Uh Terrence Shelton was uh uh one of was the speaker uh at the at the June 11th meeting. Uh they're visiting colleges in uh Mississippi and Louisiana, uh Jackson State, Mississippi Valley, and there's one other one, and then uh ending the uh tour at Grambling, which happens to be the 100th anniversary of the World Fame Marching Band, the baddest band in all the land, uh and uh which also is coincides with their homecoming. So uh those participants will have an opportunity to um visit HBCU, but also one of the the classics, even if you've never been to, if you did not attend at HBCU, you still want to go in your lifetime to an HBCU homecoming. Uh and so they'll have one at Gramling. Uh but the tour is just one part of this whole initiative that is going on, right?

SPEAKER_03 36:15

So the tour, so actually, even before the tour, there is going to be football classes okay, that takes place down at the uh Kent Football Hall of Fame for uh Memorial, not Memorial, uh Labor Day weekend.

SPEAKER_00 36:28

Absolutely. And so there's the part of that. So you get a chance to see the football games, the battle of the bands, and there's a whole weekend of different stuff. Step shows and and uh, you know, we're gonna do a step show, we're also gonna do a gospel choir. Uh and there's going to be uh uh a whole fest that goes around that. And then um the HBCU uh takes place. Tour takes place. And then later in November, uh typically it's the week before Thanksgiving or or depending on how it falls, but typically the week before Thanksgiving or or uh uh uh two weeks before Thanksgiving. There's the um HBCU uh College Fair at Warren's Heights. It is an uh excellent opportunity. There's a common app. There's typically uh a uh a coupon that allows because the common app allows you to pay one fee and apply to a whole plethora of of HBCUs. But at this fair, at this uh uh HBCU college uh fair, they'll give you a coupon that you can do it for free. So you can apply to six, seven, eight different universities for free. Uh and in some cases, scholarships are awarded right then and there. Uh so if your youth, if you have a a junior or a senior in high school, we strongly encourage you to follow or get a hold of our youth council to learn more about the HBCU experience and tour. And you mentioned earlier the the newsletter. This is we take this time to also say this is an excellent opportunity to join the NACP if you're not yet a member. Uh and also go to our website and our Facebook page where you can follow this information, connect with our committees, uh and and and and keep up with the various activities and events from the NAACP.

SPEAKER_03 39:05

Again, that is N-A-A-CPacron.org. N-A-A-CP Akron.org. That's right.

SPEAKER_00 39:13

Uh so that and so what else for the for the general meeting?

SPEAKER_03 39:19

Uh after that, uh, we uh ended up discussing the the finances and uh some general organizational updates. Uh and we had some announcements. Again, uh some announcements dealt with uh, I believe the the the Greater Akron Canton Association of Black Social Workers are planning a bus trip to your Obama presidential uh library. More info um to happen on that. But after that, I'm in a little bit of discussion around voter education, we convene, we convene the meeting.

SPEAKER_00 39:51

Yes, yes, and so yeah, so um and just once again, you hear me say that time and time again, that with our finances, the transparency that happens, our accountability that comes with that transparency, and the integrity that results in that transparency is appreciated. We should not take it for granted. It is not always the case. It is not always the case. Uh so we end it with that. So some of the things I know we uh we have coming up in terms of July, we have the national convention of the NAACP, which is in Chicago. Just so happens to be the same place as the Obama Center. I'm pretty sure we're gonna be some folks that's gonna at least make their way to the south side. I'm about to say, because if they ain't got no tickets. We just walk around through the garden.

SPEAKER_03 40:47

You can go to Jackson Park all you want to and go through the garden, but uh you you will not get in.

SPEAKER_00 40:52

Right, right, right. Oh, we mentioned it's also connected to a library.

SPEAKER_03 40:56

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 40:57

Right? So again, that's a we we we're past it, but I'm gonna say it again. This the Obama Center is not a typical presidential library, it is really a community engagement center, uh and and it makes it so so unique. But our national convention is July 17th through uh July 22nd in Chicago. Um and and that's gonna be one of the reasons why where we're not gonna have a podcast or a general meeting next next month. Or so we may reverse that. We're not gonna have a general meeting and a podcast uh this next month. We will uh convene again in August. So that was the meeting. That was our meeting. And after the meeting, one of the things that uh that we one big activity, of course, we had this weekend was the stronger together Juneteenth celebration that took place at the Akron Urban League.

SPEAKER_03 42:03

It was such a good time.

SPEAKER_00 42:05

Yes, yes, it was it was nice, it was great. It was the the the weather cooperated for the most part.

SPEAKER_03 42:12

Oh, yeah. I mean, by the time it started raining, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 42:15

It was a wrap, it was gonna be a wrap anyway.

SPEAKER_03 42:17

A huge shout out to Dr. Goggins for letting me use his tape for some of these signs that would have otherwise just blown over and fell by the wayside.

SPEAKER_00 42:27

The wind was something to deal with, of course, no problem. But it that that win was something to deal with. But it turned out to be a great celebration. Or uh uh uh there was food, there was the music, there was dance, there were vendors, there was fun, um, it was meaningful. If you if you've not had an opportunity to see the new mural that is on the inside of the uh uh the urban league, go get a chance to see that. That is nice. It's a nice historic uh uh kind of what it was a historic walkthrough, a walkthrough history of the uh Akron area and and some of the uh key figures and and advocacy over the years, uh and and right up to the present. So uh even our own um uh president Judy Hill is featured uh in the mirror. Yeah, it's called Redlining Redefined. Redlining Redefined. Well, then let me well since you since you said that, because your co-host, yet again, Willie B was was on the microphone talking about redlining, redefining. You mind sharing what's some of the things you just said?

SPEAKER_03 43:42

Uh yeah, I'll I'll I'll mention a few things from the the brief speech. Um but yeah, we in the upcoming moments of unveiling uh redlining redefined, I took uh a moment to really press upon the history of what took place, not Only here in Akron, but throughout the entire country. And in 1939, the federal government did draw maps, and they outlined many of Akron's black neighborhoods in red and labeled them hazardous. You look at these wet redlining maps, and you have grade A, B, C, and D, and uh A and even B were the areas that were, you know, those were safe-ish areas to be a part of. And then you had C, which is, you know, declining, and then you had D, which was hazardous. And that intentionally starved those red-lined areas of mortgage capital and insurance. So then we started to see essentially what was a forced decay that then was used as an excuse to run an interbelt right through Opportunity Park, also known as our Little Harlem area, displacing over 700 households and destroying the economic heart of Black Akron. Um, additionally, we when we talk about uh redlining, it's it's because redlining made land in our neighborhoods artificially cheap that led to expanding institutions uh within our area. So we're talking about hospitals, universities, and and that quote unquote cheap land got bought up. And today, nearly one in five parcels in Akron's historically redlined neighborhoods are tax exempt, which means those are institutions that do not contribute to the tax base that supports our schools, that supports our services, that supports streets. When you look at our grade A areas, it is a far lower percentage, uh, between two and three percent that are tax exempt within those areas. So when we when we look at um how that was done by a stroke of a pen nearly 90 years ago, and how almost nine decades later, we're still looking at the implications of what redlining has done to our community. And there is quite literally a geographical scar that runs through the city uh in a particular area, Opportunity Park. Now, mind you, that wasn't the only area that was redlined. We got, you know, areas in North Hill, we got the east side of Akron, you know, there, you know, other areas in the west side of Akron, but namely when we look at that downtown area here, there is a geographical scar that runs through the the city of Akron. So realistically, I kind of like ended the speech. Um, one, advocating for payment in lieu of taxes agreements with a lot of these institutions. Um, but also more importantly, redefining the red line meaning we have to remember who we are. And as a community, we build what we need, and we're not waiting for a broken system to come and save us. So we have many efforts through the city of Akron. We have um ballot initiatives that are you know being taken up right now and getting signatures to improve the material uh conditions of many people in the the city of Akron, and we are going to continue as community to do the work, not in necessarily in spite of the redlining, but just for the fact that we are going to continue to build as community to build what we need and to continue to be the solutions to the problems that we are intimately involved with.

SPEAKER_00 47:22

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's interesting. That's interesting. There's a lot there because and and uh uh we will keep on talking about this, the the great celebration, but I encourage our listeners to follow up on urban renewal across the United States. Because you can you everything you mentioned about the the the inner belt and have the nerve to call it the Martin Luther King uh uh what uh expressway or whatever it is called, uh you can go almost to any neighbor any city across the country and look at where they find the, where's the Martin Luther King Boulevard, where was where was urban renewal and prior to urban renewal, where was the economic base of that black community? Or as James Baldwin said it, uh urban renewal is Negro removal. There you go. And in in almost every if it's the same pattern over and over again. And one last thing, and you talk about the redlining taking backs taking place in 1930. So it seems a long way away, but that scar, as you say, is always there, it continues to be there. And in Cleveland in particular, when when the whole COVID thing happened and uh Cleveland schools were saying, well, let's go online, and we got a number of parents and telling us we don't have online service, we don't have we don't have high-speed internet service. And then when someone did the map to where high-speed internet services are not available in Cleveland and lay that down on the 1930 red line map, it was almost an exact match. So in 2020, the the outline of disenfranchisement or or or underserved communities match the red line of 1930. Right? So history matters, impact matters, and impact does not go away unintentionally. Right? So if you if you created a problem in this area 90 years ago, and for 90 neat for 90 years you don't intentionally address that issue, it is very likely still there. You know, so that I want to get on the soapbox, so we get on that. But yes, it was it was a it was a day of intentionality, fun, reflection, joy. There was some good food. Uh I can't remember the name. I think it was called Mocktails. They had some some good mocktails. Majestic Tales. Majestic Tales, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 50:15

Erica Banks' business. Oh, good grief.

SPEAKER_02 50:18

Uh you know, and Erica, if you want to sponsor the podcast with some mocktails, I'm not gonna be mad at it. I'll take a picture with the mock tails.

SPEAKER_00 50:25

Yeah, yeah, right. Oh, yes, that was good. They're they're hibiscus. Uh what's she selling?

SPEAKER_03 50:34

Syrups? The syrups too? The hibiscus rose, something like that.

SPEAKER_00 50:38

And and and ginger beer. Oh, that was good.

SPEAKER_03 50:41

So yeah, she also is coming out with a line of like syrups that you can buy. Oh, we're gonna do that. Yeah, and then so you can I mean, and you can make it either, you know, a mocktail or a cocktail with it. Um that's gonna be that's gonna be good. Yeah, I'm excited to. I don't know if I was supposed to say that. I don't know if I was supposed to say that she's dropping that, but okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 51:01

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So yeah, I'm ready for it. That was oh, that was so good. That was so good. And uh uh the Jamaican brothers, the uh the brother over the jerk, he sold out. Uh all the folks out on there that sold out. I was told.

SPEAKER_03 51:15

I think Lady T's, Mr. Lucia, I think she sold out. I think uh authentic Nigerian kitchen.

SPEAKER_00 51:21

Yeah, they sold out. Uh I was telling the brother, look, you need to close up the shit. You out here, because you still can smell it. I'm like, you got here, you know, false advertising these smells. Because somebody was telling me, you gotta go over there and get them ocktails. Yeah, we all, you know, we don't we don't have any of that. Like, dude, man, come on. I'm smelling something. Like, very subtle. I call myself waiting all day, you know, but hey, but it was a joyous, joyous time.

SPEAKER_03 51:52

And that's what I really love that you you're capturing right now, um, is the joy aspect. I think oftentimes we, and there's nothing wrong with it, uh, but but a lot of holidays that deal with, you know, black folks, it always ends up being a day on and not a day off, which this was still a day on. I've trust me, my to the my sleep was impacted Sunday uh because of the weekend. However, um for everybody involved, it it was centered around that joy and celebration. And I think that's also because I I want to give a shout out to not only everybody a part of this event, but but those uh especially black organizations have been doing a lot of work this year. I think we have done a really good job this year of continuing what community and uh like public education looks like, you know, in the community. Um so when we get to a lot of these moments, when we get to Kwanzaa, when we get to Juneteenth, when we get to a lot of uh, you know, like Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when we when we get to, you know, Black August, we have a greater understanding because we are being more intentional about educating year-round. Right, right. So we can actually take some of these moments and actually express the celebration and joy that is connected with that. I believe that there's gonna be a time where possibly all of the Kwanzaa celebrations and actorin end up being far more of a majority of celebratory as opposed to educational. And nothing wrong with the educational facet, but what I am envisioning is such a year-round and in-depth community educational facet that we show up to these events internalized with the understanding of the importance of it, so this this uh appointed time, the allotted time can be shifted more towards the celebratory nature of it. And that and that and that's what I'm really, really not only just advocating for, but that that's what I'm really hoping for that that we continue to move towards. And we've been doing such a good job of that this year, and I and I can hope we continue it in the future.

SPEAKER_00 53:58

For sure, for sure. And and in fact, that's what Kwanzaa is, right? Is the first fruits celebration. Absolutely, right? You harvest, you plant during the year, you do the work for the year so that during the harvest celebration, you are celebrating the stuff that was done. You can you can lift up. Hey, back in August, we did this and this and this. Yay. Here's what we last year we were here. Through advocacy, through work over the year, we're here. Yay. You can celebrate the work, not just educate and explain, here's what we need to be doing. Right? We we we're we're and I I agree, we're we're moving towards that, and and ideally soon we can spend more time on the celebration of that. So, yeah, um so let's we're we're gonna wrap this up. I think we're we we've covered just about everything that we did at the meeting and some of the things uh in an active celebration uh and a part of the last um uh moments in terms of some activities that's coming up in July. That we we have uh the African American Festival, which will be the 17th, 18th, 19th of July. Um, and during that time period. Uh we have the village ball that's coming up uh August 15th. Um and are there any other celebration-ish celebration stuff? There's there's a number of things I'm just popping in my head. There's gonna be Yee Paw, uh uh, which is towards the end of July.

SPEAKER_03 55:45

And I'm gonna say this is not an exhaustive list, everybody. We're just saying what we can remember at the moment.

SPEAKER_00 55:52

So, but there is ample opportunities for joy and celebration in our community, celebrating the heritage of us and the things that we have contributed to not only this country, but to humanity. Uh and we should let that joy, history, heritage remind us of the work that we that we that we've done, the the call to action for what we need to do, and uh give us insight for the light and the br uh and uh to shine towards the future. Uh so with that, I think we're going to put a wrap, put a bow on it. Is there anything else, Willie B?

SPEAKER_03 56:48

Nothing I can think of at the moment.

SPEAKER_00 56:51

All right, so this has been the Power and Community Podcast, an official podcast of the NACP Akron Unit. We believe knowledge is power, and organized power makes change happen. We hope this conversation informs you and inspires you to action. Until the next time.