Northern Macomb NAACP president touts diversity
Leadership perhaps most progressive in state, says Alexander
The first president of the Northern Macomb Branch NAACP says the organization’s leadership team is perhaps the diverse and progressive in the state.
Pamela Alexander of Macomb Township was elected president and nine others were elected to posts on the executive committee last month, and the officers were sworn-in Saturday in a virtual ceremony.
The 10-member committee is a mixture of Blacks and whites.
“It’s important because we’re getting a well-rounded view from all voices,” Alexander said in an interview. “We have a really dynamic team, and I’m really proud of them.”
She said the diverse makeup came about naturally after Charles Womble of Romeo and others took steps to form the branch last June following the Romeo
Rock graffiti incident last year and other national incidents in the recent past, such as those involving George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
“It was a process of people coming together naturally and saying, ‘This is not right,’” she said of the reaction to the June 2020 incident when the Romeo Rock was defaced by a racist response to a Black Lives Matter message. “Through protests, people became active.
“We need to tell a story and have a diverse group of people telling that story, not from a monolithic group. That’s really going to enhance what we do as a branch.”
Alexander said the Romeo Rock incident “was not reflective of how everyone was feeling. It was wrong to do, and voices rose up.”
Macomb County has had a NAACP branch since 1926, and it is the third-oldest branch in Michigan. State NAACP officers decided that Macomb is large to accommodate two branches, one south and one north, Anderson said.
The new organization already has about 130 members.
Alexander and the executive committee were swornin by attorney Saleem Goodman Sheikh. NAACP Michigan State Conference President Yvonne White officiated. The Rev. Kim Newport of First Congregational Church Romeo United Church of Christ performed the invocation.
The committee, which includes several subcommittees, will meet April 12 to set the 2021 agenda.
Alexander hopes one of the areas on which the group will focus is supporting more art availability in north Macomb County.
“Art is one way to bring people together, and it’s cer
tainly an important part of education,” she said. “Why not have a place where people of different backgrounds can come together and learn about each other? We want to support communities that are expanding beyond retail, restaurants and sports.”
Alexander also wants to build on efforts to encourage large corporations and the young people they hire to live in Macomb County by promoting the county’s increasing diversity.
“We want to bridge the gap to be as welcoming to anyone who wants to live here and for students to have the best access to schools, for families feel supported, that we take care of our elders and help our economy grow,” she said, adding the perception of the county as being intolerant has long existed and continues today but wants to combat that and help provide a voice in public policy, education, economic development and other matters.
She said the county needs to do more to promote its diversity.
Alexander, 65, is a Macomb County native, growing up in Clinton Township and graduating from Clintondale High School. She also lived in Detroit and New Baltimore, and has resided in Macomb Township for nine years.
She retired last June after working 37 years in social services agencies in Wayne County and Detroit, and was involved in an anti-substance abuse issues in Romeo for about 10 years, she said.
She is divorced and has two adult children. She is a Gold Star Mom as her son, Vincent James Bell, was killed at age 28 in 2011 in Marine combat action in Afghanistan.
The leadership panel also includes Tristam Craig of New Haven, first vice president; Chantelle Atkins of Romeo, second vice president; John Tinsley of Chesterfield Township; third vice president; Julie Alward of Washington Township, treasurer; Shannon Debono of Shelby Township, secretary; and at-large members Christy Seitz of Washington Township, Emily Mellits of Washington Township, Brandon Foitu of Shelby Township and Aaron Krueger of Bruce Township.
Anyone wishing to join can send an email to nmacombnaacp@gmail.com or go to the national site, naacp.org