The award-winning Garland Unit of the NAACP will host its Freedom Fund Brunch & Silent Auction Sept. 17. The silent auction will begin at 9 a.m., and brunch begins at 10 a.m. The online silent auction will begin Sept. 11. The theme for 2022 is “Coming Out of the Storm, Still Work to Do.”
The event will be held at the Hyatt Place Dallas/Garland/Richardson, 5101 North President George Bush Highway in Garland.
Drs. Latoya Harris and Latonya Harris, former twin valedictorian and salutatorian from South Garland High School, will be this year’s guest speakers. The mistress of ceremonies is LaKisha Culpepper, the Garland Independent School District liaison to the African American Community.
African American seniors with the highest GPAs from each of Garland’s seven high schools will receive scholarships. In addition, the Elaine Bradley scholar from the Garland NAACP Youth Council will be recognized and receive a scholarship.
There are also several awards to be presented to adults. Those include: Entrepreneur Award, Education Award, Community Service Award and Bridge Builder.
Click here to purchase tickets.
About:
The Garland Unit of the NAACP was chartered July 6, 1984, with 127 members. Ms. Goldie Locke served as founding president and Mr. Johnnie O. Steadham was first vice president, along with 18 Executive Committee members. Two of the original 18 board members are still active: Mr. Chester Johnson currently serves as chair of Legal Redress and Ms. Carol Montgomery is active on two committees. Mr. Richard Dockery, NAACP regional director, chaired the standing-room-only organizational meeting where two key issues were addressed: 1). the firing of African American police officer Sam Allen; 2). substandard schools in the minority area of Garland. Mr. Sam Allen was later rehired as a Garland firefighter. To address schools, the Garland Unit became a plaintiff to the original school desegregation court order filed by the United States Justice Department and the Texas Education Agency. This judgment remains in effect.