The Mobile County Branch NAACP #5044 in coalition with Servants of Our Community are co-sponsoring a forum on community and politics, featuring candidates from House District 98 and other races in the upcoming Nov. 4 general election.
The community forum, themed “Brother Love Brother (B.L.B.): Still Believing Our Children Are The Future,” takes place 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27, at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, 505 Mt Calvary Ave. in Prichard.
The event comes as Prichard and the larger Mobile community continue to heal from the tragic death of Hiawayi Robinson, and as the NAACP educates community members on the importance of voting to improve their conditions.
Walter Sumlin, 38, and Jeremiah Mosley, 35, said Hiawayi’s death made them realize that it was time for the young men of Prichard to come together as brothers to help the community’s children.
“We needed to be strong black men who are stepping up — from boys to men, from men to fathers — to protect our children and to serve our community so that it becomes a better place,” they said. So they are working under the name Servants of Our Community and have created Brother Love Brother as an initiative to rebuild and uplift the people of Prichard and beyond.
The young men reach out to the Mobile NAACP as they sought to take their new solidarity to a higher level. “The community has come together like never before since Hiawayi’s death. We wanted to take that energy and continue moving it in a positive direction,” said Mobile NAACP President Ronald Ali. “So we are organizing this forum to educate the community about using the power of their vote to elect officials who will take their concerns seriously and create policies that heal their economic and social hurts.”
The forum will allow community residents to address their concerns directly to the candidates up for election. So the Mobile NAACP has invited House District 98 incumbent Democrat Napolean Bracy to the event, as well as his political challengers — Republican Wayne E. Biggs and Independent Darren Flott — who are all up for election in the Nov. 4 general election. Other invitations have been extended to statewide candidates for Lt. Governor and Governor and congressional races.
The event also features Prichard Mayor Troy Ephraim, Prichard Police Chief Michael Rowland, among others. Special invitations have been sent to four business leaders of the Prichard community — Crenshaw’s Barbershop, Cozy Brown’s Kitchen, Northside Check Exchange and Memorial Funeral Home.
Food sponsors include Hardees, Krispy Kreme Donuts, Pollman’s Bakery, Pizza Hut and Golden Corral. Also Discovery Chiropractic Centers will offer free message therapy to attendees.
For more information contact Vickii Howell, Mobile NAACP Executive Director, at 205–566-3131.
