Bristol-The annual Freedom Fund banquet of the Greater Bristol Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, with the theme "Fighting for Equality", is scheduled to be held at the Doubletree Hilton in Bristol on October 29th.

According to chapter chair Eric Clemons, social hours will start at 6 pm and dinner will start at 7 pm

Clemons said that Lexie Mangum, the past chairperson of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, will be commended for his contributions to civic service at the event over the years.

"We will pay tribute to our dear friend and longtime servant Lexie Mangum," Clemons said. "We will also have our keynote speaker Jay Williams. He is the chairman of the Hartford Public Endowment Foundation. He is a former servant of the Obama administration. Since the death of (George Floyd) Since then, his unique perspective on the hot issue of diversity and inclusiveness that we have always had is very powerful and unique. He has tackled this problem from many aspects."

Over the past few decades, Mangum has been known as a community leader and business leader in Bristol. 

"He was one of the first black entrepreneurs in Bristol, and his Mangum barbershop has existed for about 40 years," Clemons said. "It has witnessed generations of people coming here, father, son, grandson, all in the same family. He is a faithful church member and community service member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and serves on the board of directors. He earned respect for his hard work."

The information provided in this chapter states that Williams is known for his commitment to bringing fair social and economic mobility to the region while seeking to end structural racism. The Hartford Public Endowment Foundation works with regional partners and stakeholders. During his time with President Obama, Williams served as the Assistant Secretary of Economic Development in the US Department of Commerce. He served as deputy director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Clemons pointed out that the banquet ticket is $80, including a one-year magazine subscription and NAACP membership.

The club chairperson said that the Liberty Foundation Banquet may be the club’s most important event this year. It is not only a fundraising event, but also a gathering of like-minded people, and a place to meet and welcome new partners. Clemons said he believes it is important for regional youth to consider participating in activities to understand the organization and the ways in which they can contribute.

"We are working hard to reach out and establish new partnerships and satisfy new ideas," Clemons said. "We don’t want people to think that we will only march. We have and are doing it, but we want young people to come here and tell us what we can or don’t do so that we can prepare for the future. Including young blood and their Ideas are important."

Clemons said that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has always had individual members from different backgrounds and races. Such diverse members are important for continuing to advance the mission of bringing fairness to all citizens of the United States.

For more information about tickets or the banquet, please contact the Bristol branch at 860-973-4821, or the chairman of the banquet, Deborah Dorsey, can answer questions at ddorsey7311@gmail.com.

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