More than 300 attend Freedom Fund event
The Carbondale NAACP welcomed Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch at the 47th Freedom Fund event Sunday, Oct. 27 at the Carbondale Civic Center.
Following an introduction by Glenn Poshard, Welch’s comments to the audience of more than 300 focused on the NAACP’s theme of “All In,” coupled with reflections on the history of the NAACP.
Welch noted that the NAACP has a storied history in Illinois, including reaction and response to the targeting and victimization of Black people in Springfield that became a catalyst of the formation of the association. Welch noted that he was an invited attendee of a White House meeting this summer when the Springfield area where the 1908 race riots were held was named a national historical site.
In her remarks, Carbondale NAACP President Dr. Linda Flowers noted that justice, equality and civil rights can only be attained by “each and every one of us — whether you are an advocate, a supporter or a community member. ‘All In’ means that no one is left behind. It means we must work together, now more than ever, for the betterment of Carbondale, southern Illinois and beyond.”
Flowers highlighted several of the branch’s 2024 achievements, including continued sponsorship of the annual King Scholarship Breakfast, a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Brown v. Topeka Kansas Board of Education decision with a reenactment, the awards of $1,000 Dr. Seymour Bryson scholarships to area high school seniors, and others.
As part of the banquet activities, welcomes were offered by Carbondale Mayor Carolin Harvey and SIU System President Daniel Mahoney. Additionally, the NAACP recognized Lynnette Miller and Toyin Fox for their years of community service.
Miller, a CCHS and SIU graduate, is the circulation manager at the Carbondale Public Library. In addition to being the unofficial photographer of all happenings in Carbondale (photos by TLynette), Miller holds memberships in a number of community organizations, including the Black Chamber of Commerce of Southern Illinois. She is a graduate of the Carbondale Citizen’s Police Academy and is currently serving on the Carbondale PLAN steering committee.
Fox is a Carbondale resident and has more than two decades of experience in higher education. She currently serves as director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access at John A. Logan College. In addition, Fox serves on several community boards, including the I Can Read Program of Southern Illinois, Connect 360 and the American Association of University Women.Recipients of the Dr. Seymour Bryson Scholarship were also recognized: Corinthus Beverly (SIU), Abigail Cook (Illinois State), KaShayla Farr (SIU), Shakarah Richardson (Howard University) and Kimani Wiley (SIU).