NAACP YOUTH CONTINUES TO TRAIN AND MOBILIZE WHILE PHYSICAL DISTANCING
NAACP youth has continued to advocate and mobilize despite having to self isolate. On April 2, the youth hosted a webinar entitled, “The Pivot: Transitioning from Grassroots Organizing to Online Organizing.” As we all adapt to this new normal of physical distancing we must PIVOT to a more digital approach to organizing our communities. The training provided helpful tools and strategies to organize around the issues that will continue the work of the association.
The NAACP Youth and College members also teamed up with our Civic Engagement department to host a webinar on Black Census Week. On March 27, members and activists gathered (digitally) to learn and hear from leaders, activists and advocates who are pushing forward to get all community members counted in a COVID-19 reality. This session covered strategies, tactics and tools that work.
In addition to the webinars, youth and college members had their personal opinion editorials on the importance of the census posted in national and local newspapers in the recent weeks:
- We Count Too
- Why Should Young People Care about the 2020 Census?
- Stand Up and Be Counted
- NYC is Moving on Up
- The Census Matters
NAACP Youth and College Director, Tiffany Dena Loftin, recently recorded a video with The Root describing how to be civically engaged while social distancing using these 5 tips:
- Change our narrative from “social” distancing to physical distancing, as we still need to be social in this time
- Fill out the census
- Help register people: 29 states haven’t voted yet and 14 dates were moved so we have more time to spend getting folks registered
- Stay updated: Visit vote.org to check your registration status
- If you are not able to vote in the location where you’re registered, request an absentee ballot
A Resource for Students Affected by the Coronavirus has been put together for students looking for educational, financial and civic engagement resources during this time.
Lastly, In the spirit of having to stay away from each other physically, our students are uploading TikTok videos to encourage others to participate in the 2020 Census. You can view these and many other informative posts on the Youth & College Instagram. For more information on how you can continue to mobilize while social distancing, visit naacp.org.