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News 12 Staff

WCHVP&P2_2025-06-29-12-38-03

Welcome back to Power and Politics. We continue our exclusive conversation now with the new leader of America's oldest civil rights organization, El Joy Williams. One of your priorities I know is diversifying the NAACP's New York State network of partners. Um, what does that look like and who would you like to bring to the table that hasn't traditionally been there before? I'm glad you asked that question because even in this time period now when there is nationally this conversation about immigration, quite often our view. View of um immigration is singly focused on the southern border and um the Latino speaking communities some of which there are black people there too but what's absent also is continental African population black people who are uh those institutions aren't as large, those that serve that population. And I think the NAACP adding its voice to other black uh folks in the diaspora, um, particularly here in the United States, uh, the plight of Sudan and Haiti, um, and the people, the populations that are here in New York state, right, and and us being able to amplify their work and build upon. Our institutions I think that is something significant that we're looking to do as well is the NAACP still the most powerful civil rights organization in the United States? I would argue it is it is because not only of our footprint across the country and I can just speak for the state of New York, um, our footprint across the state. And I would argue it is because also some of those partners um when they are looking to take action when they are looking for a piece of legislation to you know get before the governor or get the legislature to take action on it. The question in the room, even when we're not there is where's the NAACP on this and so if we are spoken of, even when we're not in the room, if we are spoken of as a way like we can get this passed we can get this addressed if we get NAACP to the table, then I would argue that we are powerful. Are there any new areas of advocacy or policy that you believe the NAACP needs to elevate that perhaps weren't as prominent during Doctor Duke's era? No, I would argue that for a large part of the work under Doctor Duke's, it wasn't amplified as much as we would have liked to, and that's not because, um, you know, of the work itself it's really because having the resources. People forget NAACP is an all volunteer organization, even my job, right, it's a full-time job and it's also unpaid, right? And so every dollar that we invest in, um, I have to raise that. I have to raise the money necessary to get our message out by having communications staff. I have to raise that money in order for us to be able to function and I think. That is something significant that Ms. Dukes was able to do. She left the state conference in a very stable financial way. Getting your reaction now to proposed dismantling of the Department of Education, uh, what do you think the impact will be for public schools in black and brown communities here across the tri-state? Here's another instance where, uh, misinformation and disinformation becomes prevalent. Um, because people believe that Department of Education on a federal level dictates to the states and dictates to specific schools what they ought to be teaching rather than setting standards, um, and that's really all the federal, uh, agency does is it sets standards it. Also addresses issues um here in New York state where we have an issue of special education with I what's called IEPs to be able to assist students um who need that students with disabilities who need whether it's extra time, extra resources or actually tools for them to learn um that's what the federal Department of Education does. If you knew civics you knew that the state's control already right already control what students are taught, what the calendar is and the investment in infrastructure in public schools, and that the Department of Education only helps to set standards and again that's when I'm looking to leaders to correct the record and not just move on talking points and inform people you can explain to people. what is happening and instead people are acting and treating people as if they're stupid um and moving in this method of misinformation and disinformation and getting people uh riled up and it's not going to address what they think so just thinking of immigration, right? People are telling people that the reason why you can't have affordable housing, the reason why you can't get a job is because immigrants in, you know. Country, tell me what are we saving now? We're deporting all of these people. ICE is going around terrorizing communities. Is your rent now affordable? Do you now suddenly have a job because somebody that was, you know, uh, in this country illegally now they came knocking and said, OK, you can have this job now? No, right? So it's really a shell game along the lines of immigration. Do you agree with Mayor Adams? Approach hands off approach uh thus far basically leaving this action to federal enforcement. Well, I would ask again the question how does it benefit New York? How does it benefit New Yorkers? What greater investment do we have in the city, you know what greater opportunities if you're taking this hand off approach, what is the benefit to everyday New Yorkers? That's the question. I know you've been deeply involved with the NAACPI at the branch level for years. What's one thing about the organization's behind the scenes work that you think the public doesn't fully understand? People understand this is committed volunteers, right? We have close to 12,000 people across this state who give of their time. Who have paid to be a member and our membership is $30 a year um at the base level who pay their membership fees who organize who fundraise who do lobby day meetings, who are experts in issues of education, environmental justice, economic opportunity, and they have decided. That it is through NAACP that I'm gonna give to my community that I am going to organize for a better future for black people um in this state. I deeply value that. Still ahead, is enough being done to support black women in politics. Eljoy Williams has a message for the next generation of leaders.

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WCHVP&P3_2025-06-29-12-38-17

Welcome back to Power and Politics. We continue with the fight to uplift black women in politics, and Eljoy Williams has a message for those still hesitating to invest. Tara Rosenblum brings us the rest of their exclusive conversation. Do you feel that you're seeing enough institutional support for black women candidates, especially at the statewide and local level? Well, even nationally, right, people, I think people in general, particularly following this presidential election, people are asking the question, even women are asking the question, you know, should we be investing in women candidates or black women candidates? Certainly I am pleased. Pleased that women are not waiting for an answer to that question that they are putting their names out they are putting their candidacies out all across the country. One of my other hats is being the political action chair for Higher Heights for America which seeks to identify and elect more black women all across the country and that's, you know, in Congress that's mayors of the uh. Top 100 cities um and statewide and we're seeing more and more, particularly black women step up and say, you know, I can lead. There's a little funny thing that we say in that organizing space that you know you have to ask a woman 7 times you never have to ask a man because he looks himself in the mirror and says I'm the one, but more and more we're seeing more women say I am the one. And I, I, I love that that people are not waiting for that, but what's happening I think is because there have been losses that people view that as oh women can't get elected and I would push back on that and so for those donors and for those organizations who are hesitant about invest. in women, I would argue that if you're having that challenge internally you should resist that. Doctor Dukes always talked about lifting as she climbed. Who are you lifting right now? Young people and when I say young people I mean not up to 40, I mean below 21. What do you hope young girls who might be watching this story take away from your story? Mm. That It's OK to lead. Um, that who they are and um. They can bring so much to the table from their own lived experience. A new chapter, but the same fight. Once again, I'm Jonathan Gordon, and this has been a special edition of Power and Politics inside New York's civil rights handoff. On on News 12 where local elections lead to national change.

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This week's guest is L. Joy Williams, who was recently named as the new leader of the New York NAACP.

Power & Politics: Full interview with L. Joy Williams, New York's new NAACP chair

This week's guest is L. Joy Williams, who was recently named as the new leader of the New York NAACP.

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