“It is undeniable that our downtown Cleveland corridor is a booming corridor; there’s been billions of dollars of reinvestment. We want to make sure that African-Americans— both contractors and employees—are able to take advantage of that opportunity.” —Michael Nelson

Michael Nelson, President of the NAACP Cleveland Branch, sat down with TV20 to explain how the Cleveland chapter continues to embrace its progressive spirit and its role as spearhead for civil rights and equality issues tracing all the way back to its roots. (Watch the interview below).

It was the Cleveland and Detroit chapters of the NAACP that provided the bulk of financial support to post bonds for the protesters of the Deep South during the Civil Rights Movement. Still today the Cleveland branch is effectively executing the NAACP’s critical mission to protect the civil rights of African-Americans and other people of color.

Nelson explains how he and the Cleveland chapter are carrying out the organization’s mission by, “…trying to create  job markets by recruiting corporations and companies to come to this community and take advantage of our workforce.”

Nelson goes on to say,

“In addition to that we want to make sure those businesses that are here get an opportunity to participate in the economic renaissance that is taking place. It is undeniable that our downtown Cleveland corridor is a booming corridor; there’s been billions of dollars of reinvestment. We want to make sure that African-Americans— both contractors and employees—are able to take advantage of that opportunity.”

Nelson also touches on voting in Cuyahoga County. He believes that many minorities sit out the voting process due to apathy, feeling turned off by political conversations, and overall dissatisfaction with what they are getting out of the political process. He goes on to  mention, “we have millennials questioning the process, but one of the reasons that the process is like it is is because millennials have sat out the process so, you don’t sit it out and then wonder why it doesn’t work, you have to get in the nuts and bolts of it to make sure that it works.

Nelson urges community members to  support and partner with the NAACP, “It’s critical that our membership drive is a success because it’s the way we speak. The fact that we have critical mass gives us the ability to speak on issues, and because it’s affordable it makes it easy for everybody. Not a single person I know is beyond $30 for joining the NAACP”

Basic membership’s prices start at:

• $30 for Adults
• $15 for Youth
• $75 Lifetime

Visit: naacp.org or call  (216) 231-6260 for more information and for information on membership packages.