President’sAnnualReport
AndréJ.Branch,Ph.D.
SanDiegoBranchNAACP
January-December2016
“Thepeoplehadamindtowork.”–Nehemiah4:6
Forthepastyear,IhavehadtheprivilegeofservingaspresidentoftheSanDiego
BranchNAACP.AlthoughthisisthePresident’sAnnualReport,Iwanttotakethis
opportunitytohighlightsomeoftheachievementsoftheSanDiegoBranchasa
whole.Thescriptureverseabovedeclares,“thepeoplehadamindtowork.”I
believetheonlyreasonwehavebeenabletoaccomplishgreatthingsandsurprise
ourdetractorsisbecausededicatedindividualsdevotedtheirtime,theirtalent,and
theirtreasure(money)totheworkoftheNAACP.Inthepastyear,ourmembership
hasgrownmorethanthirtypercent;andwehavecontinuedtoinvestigatethemany
complaintsofdiscriminationthathavecometoourBranch.
OurStateConferenceembarkeduponavoterregistrationcampaignwiththetheme,
#BlackVotesCount,andwejoinedthisefforttoregistervotersinchurches,schools,
parkinglots,movietheatres,andanyotherplacewecouldfindunregisteredvoters.
WeprevailedinhavingtheSanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistrictuserestorative
practiceswiththeLincolnHighSchoolstudentswhowereinvolvedinaschool-based
conflictinsteadofhavingthemtriedinthecriminaljusticesystem.Asaresultofour
interventionandstrategicpartneringwithothercommunityandcivilrights
organizations,onestudentwasabletocompletehishighschooleducationinthelast
academicyear,andanotherstudentisontracktocompletehishighschooleducation
thisacademicyear.
2
Aspresident,Itooktheunprecedentedstepofhostingaluncheonmeetingforthe
mayorsandchieflawenforcementofficersinourjurisdiction.Ourobjectivewasto
beginbuildingrelationshipswiththeseofficialssothatwemighthaveapositive
basisforworkingthroughcrisiseventswhentheyariseinourcommunities.We
werepleasedbytheresponseoftheseofficialswhowereeagertoacceptour
invitation.Theluncheonwasagreatsuccessandnewrelationshipswerecreated.
OurSanDiegoNAACPAnnualFreedomFundDinnerwasthemostsuccessfulofthe
pastelevenyears.Inadditiontosurpassingourattendancegoal,thesponsorships
wesecuredwillallowustoprovideadditionalprogramsforourconstituent
communities.Weaccomplishedthisbecausethepeoplehadamindtowork.
WhenwebeganourdutiesasPresidentoftheSanDiegoBranchNAACPinJanuaryof
2015,thebalanceinthetreasurywas$11,877.00.Whenwebeginournewtermin
Januaryof2017,ourtreasurywillhaveinexcessof$36,000.00.Wehavemadethese
financialgainsbecausethepeoplehadamindtowork.
Werealizedtheseaccomplishmentsintheareasofvoterregistration,increased
memberships,FreedomFundDinnerattendancefundraising,advocatingforthecivil
rightsofcomplainants,andincreasingthefundswithwhichwehavetowork
becauseyou,thepeopleoftheSanDiegoBranchNAACP,hadamindtowork.Thank
youforwhateverroleyouplayedintheworkoftheSanDiegoBranchtoeliminate
racialprejudiceandtoadvocateforthecivilrightsofallpeople.
President’sActivities
January–December2016
AttendedtheCaliforniaHawaiiStateConferencePresident’sLeadershipRetreatin
Oakland,California–8-10January2016
#BlackVoteCounts
SocialMediaPresenceofNAACPBranches
RepresentedtheSanDiegoBranchattheJackieRobinsonYoungMen’sChristian
AssociationMartinLutherKingBreakfast–15Jan.2016
LedtheSanDiegoBranchintheMartinLutherKingJr.Parade.TheSanDiegoBranch
wasjoinedbytheBlackStudentUnionofSouthWesternCommunityCollege,aswellas
aGirl’sLittleLeagueTeamandtheGirl’sBasketballTeamofLincolnHighSchool.For
secondyearinarow,BMWofElCajonloanedtheSanDiegoBranchaconvertiblecar
touseintheparade–17Jan.2016
RepresentedtheSanDiegoBranchattheUAAMACMLKBreakfast(7:00A.M.)–18Jan.
2016
3
RepresentedtheSanDiegoBranchattheAllPeople’sMLKBreakfast(10:00A.M.)–18
Jan.2016
HeldaconferencecallwithPresidentKevinAlvinandVicePresidentKevinGorman,of
theLocal569ElectricalWorkersUnionregardingcollaborationbetweentheunion
andtheSanDiegoBranch–19Jan.2016
MetwithWellsFargoBanktodiscusssponsorshipofNAACPprograms–2February
2016
TestifiedatameetingofthecommissionersoftheCaliforniaPublicUtilities
Commission–3February2016
PresentedaresolutiontothefamilyatthefuneralofRev.Dr.Manley.Dr.Manleywas
aformerPresidentoftheNAACPSanDiegoBranch–6February2016
AttendedtheSanDiegoVoiceandViewpointGala–6February2016
Introduced,“KickedOff”theVoteattheMeridianBaptistChurchSuperBowlParty,
andwasavailabletoregisterindividualstovote,asapartofour#BlackVotesCount
VoterRegistrationPlan–7February2016
MetwiththeAmericanConstitutionSocietyandtheBlackLawStudentAssociationof
USD–toassistinplanningacollaborativeeventscheduledfor8February2016
AccompaniedtheEducationChair,Mr.Taylor,atameetingwiththeYouthAdvocacy
DepartmentofSanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistricttodiscussapartnershipwiththe
NAACPSanDiegoBranch–17February2016
AttendedaspecialcalledmeetingoftheBoardofEducationoftheSanDiegoUnified
SchoolDistricttobegintheprocessofchoosingareplacementmemberoftheBoardto
representDistrictE.–17February2016
RepresentedtheNAACPattheRevivingtheMovementeventatwhichtheReverendAl
SharptoninstalledtheReverendShaneHarrisasthePresidentoftheSanDiego
ChapteroftheNationalActionNetwork–27February2016
TestifiedattheSanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistrictBoardofTrusteesMeetingand
requestedpreviousincidentsofstudentsbeingtasedbytheofficerwhotazedthe
LincolnHighstudentonFriday26February2016–1March2016
DiscussedwiththeACLUandLincolnparentsstrategiesforsupportingstudentsand
theirparentsastheyenduretheaftermathoftheviolenteventsof26February2016
atLincolnHighSchool–1and2March2016
4
TestifiedattheSanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistrictBoardofTrusteesMeetingand
sharedtheSanDiegoBranchresolutionsregardingtheLincolnH.S.incidentof26
February2016–8March2016—TheSanDiegoBranchNAACPcallson
TheDistrictAttorneytodropallchargesagainstthethreestudentsarrestedasa
resultoftheincident
TheSanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistricttohavenomoreuniformed,armedpolice
officersatLincolnHighSchool
TheSanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistricttoreleasethevideooftheincidenttothe
public
SpokeonbehalfoftheSanDiegoBranchNAACPatanNAACPPressConferenceto
explaintheSanDiegoBranchNAACPrationalefortheresolutionsmentionedinthe
previousitem–9March2016
AttendedtheLincolnClusterMeetingoftheSanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistrict–14
March2016
Visitedastudent(andfamilymembers)involvedintheLincolnH.S.incidentof26
February2016–16March2016
LedtheSWAGgrouponatourofQualcomm.Asyouknow,IdirectourNAACP,San
DiegoUnifiedSchoolDistrict,andSDSUpartnershipprogramcalledSWAG(Students
WithAcademicGoals).Twoweeksago,KarenLacey-Jackson,theLibrarianatBell
MiddleSchool,Mr.WilliamLynch(acoach),andItooktwenty-sevenoftheSWAG
participantsfromBellMiddleSchoolforavisittoQualcomm.SWAGparticipants
touredthreeoftheQualcommfacilities,learningabouttheintricateworkofthis
telecommunicationsgiant.WeweretheguestsoftheQAAAD(QualcommAfrican&
AfricanAmericanDiversity)organizationforlunch.Dr.MichaelAlston,aProject
EngineeratQualcommandmemberofQAAAD,wasvitallyinstrumentalinmakingthis
fieldexperienceoftechnologyhappen.–23March2016
RepresentedtheBranchwitheightothersattheWomen’sINCLuncheonhonoring
WomenofDistinction.TheNAACPHonoreewasMs.PetrinaBurnham-Branch–16
April2016
ParticipatedinthePanelDiscussiononVotingRightsandVoterRegistration–19April
2016
MetwithMr.DanielWolf,ManagingDirectorofDemocracyCounts!,todiscusstheSan
DiegoBranchpartneringwithDemocracyCounts!toconductanauditofthe2016
election.
AttendedtheSanDiegoBranchForumforSanDiegoCityAttorneyCandidates–26
April2016
5
ServedasModeratorfortheSanDiegoBranchForumforCandidatesfortheDistrictE
SchoolBoardseatfortheSanDiegoUnifiedSchoolDistrict–27April2016
DiscussedCollaborativeopportunitieswithMs.BrigetteBrowning,Presidentofthe
SanDiegoCountyFoodServiceWorkersUnion–15May2016
RepresentedtheNAACPattheStateCapitolasaTeamLeaderforNAACPLobbyDay.
LedagroupofsixtoLobbyforCALegislationsupportedbytheNAACP–16May2016
LedagroupoftheFreedomFundDinnerCommitteememberswhoattendedthe
RiversideFreedomFundDinnerforthepurposeofidentifyingideasfortheSanDiego
BranchFreedomFundDinner(TheRiversideFreedomFundDinnerisoneofthemost
successfulintheStateofCalifornia)–19May2016
GuestHomilistatMaryMagdaleneApostolicCatholicCommunity.Fivemembersofthe
NAACPSanDiegoBranchaccompaniedthepresidenttothischurchastheguestsofour
NAACPmember,Ms.DianeLangworthy.PoliticalActionChair,PetrinaBurnham
Branch,Esq.,ledanNAACPquestionandanswersessionfollowingtheservice.–22
May2016
DiscussedopportunitiesforWellsFargotopresenttotheSanDiegoBranchregarding
FinancialLiteracy–9June2016
MetwithMr.DougMoore,ExecutiveDirectoroftheUnitedDomesticWorkersUnion,
todiscusscollaborativeopportunitiesbetweentheNAACPSanDiegoBranchandthe
UnitedDomesticWorkersUnion,includingaLaborDayLuncheontohonorLabor
Unions,andsupportoftheSanDiegoBranchFreedomFundDinner–14June2016
MetwiththeLegalRedressCommitteetoreviewcommitteedispositionsofvarious
complaints–5July2016
Initiateddiscussionswiththefollowingunionleadersforaluncheontohonorunion
employees:UDWAFSCME3930,UNITEHERElocal30,IBEWLocal569,SEIU221,
SDPOA,AFSCME127,Roofers&WaterproofersLocal45,TeamstersLocal166,Iron
WorkersLocal229,LaborersLocal89,SheetMetalWorkersLocal206,Plumbers&
PipefittersLocal230–16June–6July2016
DiscussedfundingopportunitiesandopportunitiesforWellsFargotopresentaforum
fortheSanDiegoBranchonDebt,FinancialPlanning,andBudgeting–7July2016
AppearedonKPBSforaninterviewwithKennyGoldbergregardingtheshootingsof
AltonSterling,PhilandoCastile,andpoliceofficersinDallas,Texas–8July
LinktotheTelevisionprogram:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ePFV0CxofU
6
AppearedonMid-dayEditiononKPBSwithMaureenCavanaughtodiscussthe
shootingsofAltonSterling,PhilandoCastile,andpoliceofficersinDallas,Texas–8
July
LinktotheTelevisionprogram:http://www.kpbs.org/news/2016/jul/08/san-diegoofficials-react-attack-dallas-police-off/
HostedaGardenPartyfundraiseratthehomeofPresidentandMs.Branchforthe
2016ACT-SOcontestants–10July
AttendedtheGeneralMembershipMeetingofShowingUpforRacialJustice(SURJ)–
14July
RepresentedtheSanDiegoBranchasadelegatetotheNAACPNationalConventionin
Cincinnati,Ohio-16-21July
ElectedtotheCredentialsCommitteeoftheNationalConvention–18July
TheSanDiegoBranchResolutionforaNationalDayofMourningforAfricanAmerican
MenKilledinPoliceInteractionswasapprovedby1,900delegatesattheNational
Convention.ThisresolutionwaslaterratifiedbytheNationalBoardofDirectorsattheir
Octobermeeting,andisnowthepolicyoftheNationalAssociationfortheAdvancement
ofColoredPeople.–19July
WroteandsubmittedasuccessfulgrantapplicationtoSDG&EtosupporttheAnnual
FreedomFundDinner–22July
InvitedTritobiaFordtobeourguestattheAnnualPrayerVigil.Ms.Fordisthemother
ofEzellFord,anunarmedAfricanAmericanmalewhowasshotandkilledbyaLos
Angelespolicemanon11August2014.–27July
Hostedsixmayors,sevenchieflawenforcementofficers,andothercityofficialsfor
lunchtodiscusspartneringwiththeNAACPinthewakeoftheAltonSterling,Philando
Castile,andDallas,Texaspolicemurders–27July
AttendedthePrayerVigilforOfficerJonathanDeGuzman,aSanDiegoPoliceOfficer
whowasshotandkilledinthelineofduty–31July
AttendedthefuneralforOfficerJonathanDeGuzman,aSanDiegoPoliceOfficerwho
wasshotandkilledinthelineofduty–4August
PresidedattheSanDiegoBranchAnnualPrayerVigil.ThePrayerVigilwasheldat
ChristianFellowshipCongregationalCommunityChurch.Twentypastorsand
communitymembersofferedprayers.Individualsandgroupsfromvariouschurches
providedmusic.-12August
7
ParticipatedinaconferencecallofCalifornia/HawaiiLeadershipregardingtheSan
DiegoBranchparticipatinginaStatewideVoterRegistrationdrive.Becauseofagrant
theStateConferencereceived,ourparticipationhasthepotentialofgeneratingupto
10KofrevenuefortheSanDiegoBranch.–15August
PresentedattheBuildingBridgesTrackoftheSanDiegoCountyRegionalLeadership
Institute.TheInstituteisathree-week/tracktrainingfor35middleandupper
managementlawenforcementofficersin19lawenforcementagencies.President
Branch’stopicwas“SomePerceptionsOfLawEnforcementAndRecommendationsFor
ImprovingRelationshipsBetweenPoliceAndAfricanAmericanCommunities”–17
August
SignedtheMemorandumofUnderstandingbetweentheSanDiegoBranchandthe
California/HawaiiStateConferencethatcommitstheSanDiegoBranchtoregisterat
least150voterseachweekuntil24October2016,thelastdaytoregistertovoteinthe
Novembernationalelection-24August
AttendedtheBlackMenUnitedMeeting.Presentedthe“Two-month‘extrapush’
Intensivepartofouron-goingVoterRegistrationCampaign-30August
MetwiththeSDSUInterimChiefofPolice,JoshuaMays,todiscusscollaborativeefforts
betweentheSDSUPoliceDepartmentandtheSanDiegoBranchNAACP-30August
ModeratedtheSanDiegoBranchForum,“GettingHomeSafelyandKnowingYour
Rights”attheMalcolmXLibrary-30August
AttendedtheAfricanStudentUnionMeetingatSDSUtopromoteourintensiveVoter
RegistrationDrive-8September
RegisteredVotersatSanDiegoStateUniversity-8September
AttendedthePrayerforPeaceinOurCommunities:AnInterfaithServicetoNurture
PeaceandBuildBridgesalongwithothermembersoftheBranch:DianeLangworthy,
JackieDavis,JaneVia,ValHardie,PeachesGrant,ThomasGayton,MillardBranch-9
September
RegisteredVotersatSanDiegoStateUniversity-14September
RegisteredvotersatSanDiegoStateUniversity-19September
ContactedElCajonMayorBillWellstogetabriefingimmediatelyuponlearningofthe
officerinvolvedshootingofMr.AlfredOlango-27September
MetwithPoliceChiefJeffDavisofElCajonfollowinghispressconferenceregarding
theofficerinvolvedshootingdeathofMr.AlfredOlango-27September
8
MetwithconcernedcommunityleadersofSanDiego(MinisterHughMuhammad,the
ReverendGeraldBrown,andMr.RobertTambuzi)abouttheofficerinvolvedshooting
deathofMr.AlfredOlango.-29September
CoordinatedameetingwithElCajonMayorBillsWellstourgereleaseofthevideoof
thekillingofMr.AlfredOlangoinanofficerinvolvedshooting.Thismeetingwasalso
attendedbyMinisterHughMuhammad,theReverendGeraldBrown,andMr.Robert
Tambuzi-29September
MetwithDistrictAttorneyBonnieDumanistourgethatshereleasethevideoofthe
officerinvolvedshootingofMr.AlfredOlango.Othercommunitymembers,including
MinisterHughMuhammad,theReverendGeraldBrown,Mr.AlAbdallahoftheUrban
Leaguealsoattendedthismeeting.-30September
JoinedElCajonMayor,BillWells,ChiefofPoliceJeffDavis,theReverendGeraldBrown,
DistrictAttorneyBonnieDumanis,andotherlawenforcementofficialsatapress
conferenceatwhichChiefDavisannouncedthathewouldreleasethevideoofthe
officerinvolvedshootingofMr.AlfredOlango.Atthispressconference,Ireiteratedthe
positionoftheSanDiegoBranchNAACPthatwheneverthereisapoliceinvolved
shooting,thevideoevidenceshouldbereleasedtothepublic.-30September
Providedadetailedaccountonourradioprogram,Today’sNAACP,onKBLKradio.com,
ofmyactionsaspresidentoftheNAACPSanDiegoBranchregardingtheofficer
involvedshootingofMr.AlfredOlango-2October
JoinedothermournersatthesiteofMr.Olango’skilling-2October
CommunicatedtotheElCajonChiefofPoliceDavistheoutrageoftheNAACPthaton
theeveningof1October2016twolinesofSheriffDepartmentOfficersinriotgear,
withattackdogs,approachedmournerswhowereprayingatthesiteofMr.Olango’s
murderanddeclaredanunlawfulassemblyandproceededtotearapartthememorial
ofcandles,signs,andmessagesthathadbeensetupinMr.Olango’smemory.These
officersintimidatedandharassedmournerswithattackdogs;theybeatsomeofthe
mournersandarrestedothers.-2October
JoinedothermournersatthesiteofMr.Olango’skilling-3October
AttendedameetingofcommunityleadersinElCajontodiscusstheofficerinvolved
shootingofMr.AlfredOlango,andtoplannextstepsforworkingtogetherandmoving
forwardfromthisevent-3October
DiscussedwithElCajonChiefofPolice,Davis,theviolationofcivilrightsofmourners
whoweregatheredatthesiteofMr.Olango’sshootinganddeath-4October
JoinedothermournersatthesiteofMr.Olango’skilling-4October
9
MetwithPrincipalJacksonHubbardandLibrarianLaceyJacksontoplaneventsfor
SWAG(StudentsWithAcademicGoals),theNAACPSanDiegoBranchmentoring
programatBellMiddleSchool-6October
Metwithplaintiffsandattorneysinthependinglitigationinvolvingmournerswhose
rightswereviolatedatthesiteofMr.Olango’sshootinganddeath-6October
AttendedthefuneralofMr.AlfredOlangoattheBayviewBaptistChurch-8October
AttendedBlackMenUnitedmeetingatwhichthecaseofMr.AlfredOlango’sofficer
involvedshootingdeathandtheexcessiveuseofforcebypoliceagainstmournersand
protesterswasdiscussedatlength-11October
Interviewedbychannel10(ABCnews)regardingthefilingoftheFederallawsuiton
behalfoftheNAACPand14otherplaintiffswhoweredispersed(somebeaten,some
arrested)afterfalsedeclarationsofunlawfulassembliesweremadeatthesiteofthe
AlfredOlangoofficerinvolvedshootingdeath-17October
InterviewedbytheUnionTribuneregardingtheapologyofferedbythePresidentof
theInternationalAssociationofPoliceChiefsattheirmeetinginSanDiego
(http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sd-me-chiefs-apology-20161017-story.html)
-17October
ViewedtheVigilsiteclearedoftheAlfredOlangomemorial.Aguardtowerhasbeen
erectedinthemiddleoftheshoppingcenter;fourpolicecarsandeightofficersareon
guardatthesite-18October
AttendedameetingatVoiceandViewpointofconcernedcitizensregardingthe
community’sresponsetotheofficerinvolvedshootingdeathofMr.AlfredOlango-19
October
ElectedtotheCalifornia/HawaiiStateConferenceElectionsProceduresCommittee–
21October2016
MetwithChiefShelleyZimmermantodiscussvariouscivilrightsmattersrelatedto
policing-26October
AttendedthemeetingofthePublicSafety&LivableNeighborhoodsCommittee.This
wastheinitialpublicreviewofthereportfromSanDiegoStateUniversityregarding
itsINDEPENDENTRESEARCHOFSANDIEGOPOLICEDEPARTMENT'SVEHICLEDATA
CARDS-26October
AttendedthehearinginFederalDistrictCourtwherelawyersfortheNAACPmadeoral
argumentsforaTemporaryRestrainingOrdertopreventElCajonpoliceofficersand
sheriffsfromdeclaringunlawfulassembliesillegallyanddispersingmournersand
protesters-26October
10
ElectedtoasecondtermasPresidentoftheSanDiegoBranchNAACP–3November
2016
SentaletterofcongratulationstoallofthewinnersintheNAACPElections-4
November2016
RepresentedtheSanDiegoBranchattheSisterConnectionforBreastCancer-5
November2016
MetwithDistrictAttorney,BonnieDumanis,regardingtheOlangoshooting-7
November2016
RepresentedtheSanDiegoBranchNAACPattheEarlB.GilliamBarAssociation
ScholarshipandAwardsDinner-12November2016
DeliveredcondolencestothefamilyofDr.RichardButcher,lifememberoftheNAACP
andlegendaryphysicianintheSanDiegocommunity.-15November2016
HostedtheNovembermeetingoftheNAACPSWAG(StudentsWithAcademicGoals)
CareerBreakfastMentoringProgramatBellMiddleSchool.CaptainJasonShamleyof
theSanDiegoFireDepartmentwasthepresentingspeaker.-16November2016
CreatedaPublicServiceAnnouncementadvertisingtheSanDiegoBranchNAACPat
CityCollege-17November2016
InterviewedbySanDiegoUnionTribuneregardingthereportoftheStopDataCards
called,TrafficenforcementinSanDiego,California:AnanalysisofSDPDvehiclestops
in2014and2015:
https://www.sandiego.gov/sites/default/files/sdpdvehiclestopsfinal.pdf.-23November
2016
InterviewedbyABCNewsChannel10regardingthereportoftheStopDataCards
called,TrafficenforcementinSanDiego,California:AnanalysisofSDPDvehiclestops
in2014and2015:http://www.10news.com/news/team-10/study-shows-san-diegopolice-officers-more-likely-to-search-blacks-hispanics-during-traffic-stops-29November
2016
RespectfullySubmitted,
AndréJ.Branch,Ph.D.
President