P.O.

Box 15692 ~ Santa Fe, New Mexico 87592-15692 (505) 424-6100

President Carol Johnson Secretary Cynthia Geder
1st V. President Wanda Ross Padilla Treasurer Christine Johnson
2nd V. President Agnes Moses

Summer 2010

President’s Letter- Carol Johnson

2010 is an election year for Branch officers. A nominating committee will be appointed at September 14,
2010, 7:00 pm General Membership meeting at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church. Anyone who has been a
member of the branch for at least 30 days can be appointed to the nominating committee. The nominating
committee will identify candidates for Executive Committee Members At-Large, President, First Vice
President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer, and Assistant Treasurer Any
member in good standing as of April 1st and lives and/or works within the branch jurisdiction is eligible to
run for office in branch elections.

Self-nominations are welcome. Please consider actively participating in the leadership of the Santa Fe
NAACP. The nominating committee will submit a report in writing of nominees at the October 12, 2010
meeting. Also at the October meeting, an Election Supervisory Committee will be elected. The election of
officers will be held at the November 9, 2010, 7:00 pm General Branch Membership meeting. Anyone who
has been a member of the branch for at least 30 days prior to the November 9 election is eligible to vote.
Absentee or proxy votes are not allowed.

The struggle continues. We must be vigilant and continue to work together to ensure
equality for all while celebrating our diversity. Thank you for your dedication to mission
of the NAACP. Check the webpage, HTTP:///NAACPSFNm.BLOGSPOT.COM, for
meeting topics and activities. I hope to see you soon.

Santa Fe Branch NAACP ~ Spring 2010

One Nation Marching for One Dream

ONE NATION WORKING TOGETHER is a multi-racial, civil and human rights movement. Our mission is to
reorder our nation’s priorities to invest in our most valuable resource – our people -- because we believe
everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve the American Dream – a secure job, a safe home, and a
quality education.

ONE NATION WORKING TOGETHER believes in an economy that works for all. We believe in good jobs, fair
jobs, safe jobs, and more jobs. We believe in repairing our immigration system and reforming Wall Street.
We want everyone in America to have the opportunity to contribute and strengthen our country.

In this time of economic crisis, it is easy to find convenient scapegoats for the problems that plague us.
ONE NATION WORKING TOGETHER seeks to transcend our superficial differences and bring us together in
a common quest for equal opportunity and justice for all.

During this economic downturn, banks and corporate lobbyists have made off with trillions of public dollars
while small businesses can’t get loans and cities are laying off teachers, police, and firefighters.

We must find solutions that are concrete, enact new policies that take into account how this country
is changing. We are demanding the change we voted for. But obstructionists in Congress are blocking
legislation and impeding good governance. America deserves better!

We are going to small towns, big cities, conferences, town hall meetings, marches and rallies to promote a
united civil, labor, and human rights movement throughout the country. On October 2nd, we will march in
Washington, DC to set our country’s priorities on the right track.

ONE NATION WORKING TOGETHER is about reinvigorating voters to demand the change we voted for.
Keeping the electorate engaged will only strengthen our democracy and make America a better place.

ONE NATION WORKING TOGETHER is about preparing our children for the future. We want to rally around
this country’s greatness and set our path in the right direction.

ONE NATION WORKING TOGETHER is about motivating and mobilizing voters across the country to
finish the job we began in 2008. Through our organized, collective power, we will use the ballot box to
secure the American Dream for everyone and ensure that our elected officials invest in our most valuable
resource - Our People.

For more information go to www.NAACP.org

~
Santa Fe Branch NAACP ~ Spring 2010
New Mexico State Conference of NAACP Branches

The Annual Conference of the New Mexico State Conference of NAACP Branches will be held October
29-30, 2010 at the Ramada Palms Hotel in Las Cruces. The theme for the Conference is NAACP: One
Nation, One Dream. There will be national, state and local speakers. Workshops on the following topics
are being planned: Education, Criminal Justice, Health, Reverse Mortgages, Membership and Youth.
There will be activities specifically for youth. It should be a great time to learn more about NAACP
and meet people from around New Mexico. For more information check out our webpage at HTTP://
NAACPSFNM.BLOGSPOT.COM or send email to NAACPSFNM@gmail.com.
~

Poll Workers Needed for November 2010 Election

The Santa Fe County Bureau of Elections is in need of poll workers for the November 2, 2010 General
Election. It is a long day - 6:00 am until 8:00 pm or so. Poll workers do get paid $120.00 for the day
for Clerks and Judges and $150.00 per day for Presiding Judges. More than the money there is the
satisfaction that you have done your civic duty in carrying out one of the most essential functions of our
Democracy – conducting a free and fair election. Poll workers are needed for this election more than
ever since PERA (state, county and city) retirees will not be able to work the poll with out giving up one
month’s retirement pay. Many PERA retirees have worked the poll in the past. Efforts are underway to
amend the legislation on “double dipping” to exempt poll workers during the 2011 legislative session but
nothing can be done in time for this election. Please consider working the poll on November 2, 2010. For
more information contact the Santa Fe County Clerk’s Office at (505) 986-6379
~

Santa Fe Branch NAACP ~ Spring 2010

Juneteenth

A celebration of Juneteenth was June 19, 2010 at St Bede’s Episcopal. It was a great sharing of food
and friendship. For the last 2 years, the Office of African American Affairs through the New Mexico State
Conference of NAACP Branches has provided funds to Branches who have had Juneteenth celebrations.
The Branch has been discussing sponsoring a citywide Juneteenth celebration at the Railyard Park in
2011. This would be a large undertaking but could give us exposure in the community and build greater
cooperation among all members of the Santa Fe community. If we want to do this, we must start now
and need interested individuals with experience planning big events to come forward. If that is you or you
know someone, contact us at NAACPSFNM@gmail.com.

Santa Fe Branch NAACP ~ Spring 2010

NAACP Youth Council

Now that school is starting, we need to identify young people to reestablish our youth council. To be a
Branch in good standing, we need to have an active youth council with at least 25 members. For years our
youth council was very active and accomplished many things including awards at the local and national
ACT-SO competitions; travel to state, regional and national NAACP conferences. Two of our youth council
members received Gates Millennium Scholarships in 2009. If you know of any young people who might be
interested in joining the youth council, please let us know at NAACPSFNM@gmail.com.

Any age birth to 18 (25 if in school) can be a youth member. For the youth council, we are thinking of
focusing on middle and high school students but are willing to consider other suggestions.
~

Santa Fe Branch Participates in Con Alma Health Foundation Statewide Health Care
Disparities Focus Group

Our regular August 10, 2010 meeting was dedicated to a Focus Group sponsored by the Con Alma Health
Foundation. The Foundation is the state’s largest health foundation, which offers grants to non-profit
groups around the state. It was an honor for our branch to be one of the 12 focus groups conducted
statewide. The purpose of the Focus Group is to provide the staff and Board of Con Alma input for the
upcoming grant cycles…..priorities for healthcare in our community and our vision of a healthy community.

Wanda Ross Padilla, M.ED, DPA member of the Community Advisory Board of Con Alma and Doris Fields,
PH.D, our Branch Health Committee Chair facilitated the Focus Group.

Participation was lively and substantive. Our note taker was Vikki Scott. Our comments will be a part
of an overall report, which will be posted on Con Alma’s website in the near future (www.conalma.org).
Thanks to all who attended and participated!

Santa Fe Branch NAACP ~ Spring 2010

My View: How Many “Dr. Lauras” Are Out there? - Wanda Ross Padilla
Published in the Santa Fe New Mexican; Sunday, August 22, 2010

As an African American woman who married outside of my race (my husband is half Irish/Spanish), this
particular situation cut deep into my soul and re-stimulated a lot of reminders of my days growing up in
the south. I am speaking particularly of the “Miz Anns” I encountered. To those of you not familiar with
that particular term, it is the female equivalent to a white male being called “the man” or “Mr. Charlie”.
Most African Americans of my generation and background know what these terms mean immediately
when you say them. They know the profile of a “Miz Ann” and “Mr. Charlie”. We can now add the profile
of “Dr. Laura” to this description, when her name is spoken from now on, you will know what I am talking
about.

I’d like to share with you how I found our about the “Dr. Laura” statement. I was in my car on the way
to my bank when my favorite radio talk show host (Randi Rhodes---who happens to be a white female
by the way, so not ALL White women are “Miz Anns”). Randi was ranting about Dr. Lauras’ response to a
Black woman who had called in stating that she was “beginning to resent” her husband for not standing
up for her when they were in the company of family and friends of theirs who were White and racist
remarks were made. Well, “Miz Ann” (I mean Dr. Laura) went on to berate the woman and called her “too
sensitive” and proceeded to say the n-word 11 times on national radio! I was stunned, speechless and
caught totally off guard. When I got into the bank, my cell phone rang, it was my insightful and brilliant
son who said to me, “Ma, did you hear what Dr. Laura said?” I responded to him I had just heard it and
was still in a state of shock.

After, I calmed down a bit, I e-mailed my son and reminded him about the “Miz Ann” syndrome I’d spoken
to him about, particularly when he had a white woman boss who fit this profile. In my e-mail to him
I told him “I hope I wrong about this, but Dr. Laura will stay on the air. There are many “Dr. Lauras”
(male & female) out there who will support her.” I wrote to him that Dr. Laura is “the typical, unaware,
insensitive, ignorant, “silly”, arrogant, elitist, unconscious, elitist “Miz Ann” type, overtly in the South,
more subtle in other parts of our nation”. Remember the “silly” white woman portrayed in “Color Purple”
when she was being taught how to drive by a Black woman? That is the most blatant example that comes
to mind. Well, you get the point. Thank God I was wrong on this one! Dr. Laura, because of what I
believe was pressure from her shows’ sponsors, is “resigning” from the airways. Again, I was in state of
shock…but this time, “pleasant shock”. Dr. Lauras’ deep-seated racist mindset was not missed nor was
it overlooked. Dr. Laura further dug her professional grave deeper by acting like she was “victim”…being
deprived of her “right of free speech”…. Imagine that? Watch out Sarah Palin…..you may lose your
status as the “#1 Miz Ann of America!”

Well, God bless America! Now is the time! May all the “Miz Anns” and “Mr. Charlies” please stand up!
We (African Americans) know who you are; do you know who you are? One of the best ways to begin to
heal is to admit you have a problem. Perhaps in the manner of AA ….if this article triggers guilt, horror,
embarrassment, defensiveness, anger, anxiety or confusion in you, maybe it is time for you to go before
a group of supportive folks and say “I am a racist.” Let’s begin to dialogue, let’s begin to examine our
beliefs. This will truly help to uproot racism in this wonderful country of ours. Yes, this is the first step.
Now is the time for healing, not denial.
~

Santa Fe Branch NAACP ~ Spring 2010

Santa Fe Branch Election

Nominate & Vote!

2010 is an election year for the NAACP branches.

A Nominating Committee must be elected at the September 14, 2010 Santa Fe

branch General Membership Meeting at 7:00pm at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church, 1601 St.
Francis Drive at W. San Mateo.

The first meeting of the Nominating Committee must be held no later than 10 days after
its election.

The Nominating Committee must present a report at the October 12, 2010 General
Membership Meeting of the Santa Fe branch; additional nominations by petition may be
made at that time.

The election is to be held at the November 9, 2010 General Membership Meeting.

The following officers are to be elected:

President,
Vice President(s),
Secretary(ies),
Treasurer(s),
and Executive Committee Members.

Anyone whose membership is current as of 180 days prior to the date of nominations
and lives and/or works within the branch’s jurisdiction may be nominated for any office.
Self-nominations are welcome.
~

Santa Fe Branch NAACP ~ Spring 2010

Join Us!

Adult: Annual membership $30.00

(includes subscription to “The Crisis”
Or Life Membership $750.00
(payable in 10 annual installments of $75.00 or more)

Child < 13 years: Annual rate $15.00 with Crisis subscription or $10.00 without Crisis
Jr. Life (duration until age 13) $100.00 (payable in four annual installments of $25.00 or more)

Youth 14-17 years: Annual rate $15.00 with Crisis subscription or $10.00 without Crisis
Teen Life (duration age 14-17) $250.00 payable in five annual installments of $50.00 or more)

Extra Donation $ ______________

Please identify youth / adult status:

NAMES:______________________________
____________________________________

MAILING ADDRESS:___________________
_____________________________________

Telephone:____________________________
Email: _______________________________

I am interested in participating on the following committee(s):

( ) Civic Engagement ( ) Political Action
( ) Armed Services and Veterans Affair
( ) Legal Redress ( )Criminal Justice
( ) International Affairs/Immigration
( ) Economic Empowerment ( ) Housing
( ) Economic Development
( ) Labor & Industry ( ) Education
( ) Health ( ) Membership ( ) Youth Work
( ) Press & Publicity ( ) Religious Affairs
( ) MLK Day ( ) Juneteenth
( ) Soul Food Event
( ) Newsletter ( )Webpage
(… )Other (specify)

Help Wanted! The Santa Fe Branch NAACP is looking for a Newsletter & Website editor.

Santa Fe Branch NAACP ~ Spring 2010

 ~

2010 General Elections - Ask the Candidates

Santa Fe NAACP is partnering with the League of Women Voters of Santa Fe County and the
American Association of University Women in sponsoring forums to educate the public for the 2010
general election. Santa Fe NAACP is taking the lead in planning the Congressional District 3 Forum with
candidates Ben Ray Lujan and Tom Mullins. It has been scheduled for Sunday, September 26th from
3:00 to 5:00 PM. The location has not been confirmed. Bob Moses is our contact person. Gubernatorial
and State Representative Forums are being planned. Watch media for more information as it becomes
available. Come out and ask candidates how if elected they will address what is important to you.
~

Santa Fe Branch NAACP ~ Spring 2010