Although North Carolina’s primary elections have ended, High Point University’s NAACP made sure its members and fellow students were informed about the weight of their position and the importance of taking action.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an active organization, founded in 1909, that aims to “achieve equity, political rights and social inclusion by advancing policies that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate the well-being, education and economic security of Black people and all persons of color,” according to its website.
Chartered in 2023, HPU’s NAACP chapter has a consistent history of training its members to advocate for themselves, serve their community and understand how the political climate can impact the everyday lives of African Americans in college. This is specifically displayed through the chapter’s Instagram, @naacp_hpu.
During their Jan. 21 general body meeting, HPU’s NAACP invited President Nevaeh Hodge of the NAACP North Carolina Youth and College Division to speak.
There, she spoke about the opportunity students have to be proactive members of their country and allow their voices to be heard. Through registering to vote, conducting personal research about various candidates and having well-mannered conversations with each other, proper change is possible.
“Our generation right now is living with the long-term consequences of decisions that have not only been made in the past, but are actively being made,” Hodge said. “Being active isn’t just about voting; it’s about shaping the future.”
According to the Pew Research Center, young voters ages 18 to 24 are more likely to be partisan leaners than those in older age groups. This indicates an aspect of fluidity and malleability in political perspectives, which gives groups like the NAACP room to inform and educationally influence.
With that in mind, HPU’s own NAACP has given its members resources to register to vote, alongside other incentives to remind them why they should take action in the first place.
In February, the NAACP hosted a week-long series of events leading up to their new member induction ceremony. All of the events were centered around voting season, with the hope of broadening the organization’s reach.
One notable event was the “Be a Better Voter” forum, which involved engaging with and hearing from High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson, Delegate Amanda Cook and other candidates to learn about the importance of voting to build up communities in North Carolina. Students had the opportunity to ask pertinent questions to the very candidates on their ballots.
“Nothing changes if nothing changes,” said Jackson Jones, HPU’s first vice president of the NAACP. “We need different perspectives and fresh ideas in these spaces, and this starts with us actively doing something — taking charge, implementing ourselves and coming together to actually learn.”
The club aims to engage with students on a personal level and not only educate them about the importance of African American history, but also help instill the democratic and social initiatives of the NAACP organization.
“It’s important to meet students where they are at and remind them that their voices truly matter and that their vote does count,” Hodge said. “Being active isn’t just about voting; it’s about shaping the future.”
To learn more about the NAACP, visit this website: www.naacp.org/find-resources/youth-college
To learn more about voting in North Carolina, visit this website: www.ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election
By Zoē Bethea
NewsPoint Network 