Local NAACP joins National “We are one” campaign to fight ongoing attacks on Labor & Civil Rights in America<\/strong> <\/p>\n (April 4, 2011) – Today, the Fort Wayne\/Allen County Branch of NAACP joins\u00c2\u00a0people throughout Indiana and across America to honor the \u00c2\u00a0legacy of Dr. Martin Luther\u00c2\u00a0King, Jr. On April 4, 1968, Dr. King was assassinated while working in support of\u00c2\u00a0sanitation workers demanding collective bargaining rights in Memphis. To commemorate\u00c2\u00a0Dr. King and encourage grassroots action to defend labor rights and civil rights, the\u00c2\u00a0national NAACP’s We Are One campaign includes community events nationwide today.<\/p>\n Dr. King, along with other civil rights leaders, including A. Philip Randolph, WEB\u00c2\u00a0DuBois and Medgar Evers among others, understood the strong correlation between\u00c2\u00a0labor rights and civil rights. They considered the right of workers to organize to be as\u00c2\u00a0fundamental as the right of African Americans to vote, and regarded the labor movement\u00c2\u00a0as a strong ally in the struggle for civil rights.<\/p>\n “Our needs are identical with labor’s needs: decent wages, fair working conditions,\u00c2\u00a0livable housing, old age security, health and welfare measures, conditions in which\u00c2\u00a0families can grow, have education for their children and respect in the community,” Dr.\u00c2\u00a0King said. “The duality of interests of labor and Negroes makes any crisis which\u00c2\u00a0lacerates you a crisis from which we bleed.”<\/p>\n 43 year after Dr. King’s death, poor and middle class working families are again under\u00c2\u00a0attack as politicians and legislators in Indiana and across the nation work to destroy labor\u00c2\u00a0rights. With grassroots events across America, the We Are One campaign reminds people\u00c2\u00a0of the indivisible link between labor rights and civil rights, and the urgent need to defend\u00c2\u00a0both for the benefit of individuals and families in \u00c2\u00a0America.<\/p>\n “We are facing unprecedented, coordinated attacks on our civil rights across the country,”\u00c2\u00a0said Paulette Nellems, President of the Fort Wayne\/Allen County Branch of NAACP.\u00c2\u00a0“We must begin to unite as one to find solutions to move the dream of Dr. Martin Luther\u00c2\u00a0King, Jr. forward.”<\/p>\n Selecting from the many people working each day to find solutions to challenges in our\u00c2\u00a0community, the local NAACP chose to recognize the work of two individuals committed\u00c2\u00a0to addressing the issues of social, educational, economic and political change: Jonathan\u00c2\u00a0C. Ray and Jamie L. Garwood of the Fort Wayne Urban League.<\/p>\n Jonathan C. Ray<\/strong>, MSW – For the past five years, Fort Wayne Urban League President\u00c2\u00a0and CEO Jonathan C. Ray has worked to strengthen the organization’s services and\u00c2\u00a0advocacy for low income and minority residents. Ray has modernized the agency to\u00c2\u00a0improve efficiency in order to better serve the public. Under his leadership, the Fort\u00c2\u00a0Wayne Urban League’s education, employment and housing programs have improved\u00c2\u00a0outcomes for individuals, youth and families. Ray is also an outgoing civic leader on\u00c2\u00a0issues related to education, housing, poverty, violence and crime.<\/p>\n “Jon is willing to take a stand on issues that others may avoid,” Nellems added. “He\u00c2\u00a0listens to all sides but remains true to his strong, core values. Jon is a genuine consensus\u00c2\u00a0builder and community builder.”<\/p>\n “I’m grateful to be recognized by the NAACP on this historic day,” Ray said. “Our\u00c2\u00a0community has challenging issues to address and difficult conversations to hold but much\u00c2\u00a0to gain if we work together to expand opportunity for all.”<\/p>\n Jamie L. Garwood<\/strong>, MPA – Currently serving as Director of Development for the Fort\u00c2\u00a0Wayne Urban League, Jamie Garwood has nearly 15 years of experience working on and\u00c2\u00a0teaching about issues of educational and economic inequality. Prior to her position at the\u00c2\u00a0Urban League, Garwood developed “Real Men Read,” a community campaign to close\u00c2\u00a0the third-grade reading gap by recruiting a diverse group of men into elementary\u00c2\u00a0classrooms for rewarding reading experiences with students. Garwood has also taught\u00c2\u00a0courses in child development, sociology and multicultural education.<\/p>\n “We must rid our community of the education gaps and low expectations that we have for\u00c2\u00a0many children of color,” Garwood said. “If we don’t, we will deny them and ourselves a \u00c2\u00a0prosperous life and real freedom.”<\/p>\n “Last year, the local NAACP awarded Jamie our Elizabeth Dobyness Award – one of our\u00c2\u00a0highest awards for leaders fighting for racial and economic equality,” Nellems said.\u00c2\u00a0“We’re proud to recognize her again for her continued passion and willingness to\u00c2\u00a0challenge the status quo for what she believes is morally right.”<\/p>\n On behalf of the Fort Wayne\/Allen County NAACP, Branch President Nellems presented\u00c2\u00a0Ray and Garwood with NAACP\/We Are One Certificates of Recognition.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n httpsv:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5s8arDB329w<\/p>\n <\/p>\nngg_shortcode_1_placeholder\n <\/p>\n The Fort Wayne\/Allen County NAACP #3049 website<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n News release from the Fort Wayne\/Allen County NAACP #3049: Local NAACP joins National “We are one” campaign to fight ongoing attacks on Labor & Civil Rights in America Fort Wayne NAACP also honors Jonathan C. Ray and Jamie L. Garwood of the Fort Wayne Urban League for their efforts to support civil rights Related Images:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1716],"tags":[4685,4686,23,630,25,3074,631,7996,4688],"class_list":["post-18578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-releases","tag-elizabeth-dobyness-award","tag-erma-belt","tag-fort-wayne-indiana","tag-fort-wayne-urban-league","tag-indiana","tag-jamie-garwood","tag-jonathan-ray","tag-naacp-fort-wayneallen-county-branch-3049","tag-paulette-nellems"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nFort Wayne NAACP also honors Jonathan C. Ray and Jamie L. Garwood of the Fort Wayne Urban League for their efforts to support civil rights<\/em><\/p>\nRelated Images:<\/h3>
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![](\"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/wp-content\/gallery\/fort-wayne-people\/147587.jpg\"\n\t\t\ttitle=\"Jamie "\\"Jamie")
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