Group works to connect with cultural clubs

They have no memories of the civil-rights milestones of the mid-1960s, but that didn’t prevent students at Cal State Monterey Bay from starting a campus chapter of the NAACP last year.

At the chapter’s inaugural meeting in September of 2013, students heard community members – all veterans of the civil rights struggle – talk about the movement’s history and urge them to continue the work.

The students took that message to heart.

Chapter president Shiyla Goodie, a psychology major from Los Angeles, named voter suppression and the student vote as one of the chapter’s biggest concerns. Last year, the group worked to register voters before the presidential election, and members continue to educate their peers on the importance of voting. But that’s not their only focus.

“This year, our mission is to connect with cultural clubs and organizations to educate and promote civil rights,” Goodie said.

The chapter is working to organize a cultural conference in partnership with CSUMB’s Asian-Pacific Islander Association and the Associated Students’ Cultural Enrichment Committee.

According to Goodie, the purpose is to bring students together to engage in dialogue about race, racism, classism and solidarity.

They are also working on an event to commemorate World AIDS Day, planning another voter registration drive and an NAACP membership drive.

Said Goodie: “I want people to know that the NAACP is diligently working to uphold and embody CSUMB’s vision and diversity statements. . . . We are in another civil rights movement with all these social issues going on and the NAACP’s job is to make sure people know,” she said.

“Our job on campus is to protect students’ rights and speak out when we see injustices. We will continue to do that as we continue to grow.” Photo of NAACP campus chapter charter members by Kevin Garcia Left to right: Janelle Pichon, Shiyla Goodie, Charity Hawkins, adviser Steven Goings, Bridgette Johnson, Larenz Tolson, Sheena Nickerson, Asia Goodall, Kymberly Shavers