Local youth feel impact of Black culture, heritage at NAACP convention in Boston

BOSTON - People from around the United States converged on Boston for the 114th annual NAACP National Convention. But it was a trio of moms from Milton who gave voice to the importance of the event for the city and the state.

“I think having the convention here is important to Black families,” said Linda Marc-Clerisme. A mother of twin 8-year-old boys, George and Xavier Clerisme, Marc-Clerisme brought her sons to the event to expose them to successful and interesting people from around the country.

“They see successful young men,” said Marc-Clerisme. The group traveled to the convention for the ACT-So, a national NAACP program that engages young people in the arts and sciences. Local dance, science, art and music teams compete for the chance to showcase their work at the convention.

Exposing them to Black culture and Black achievement is what drew the families.

“I did math with my dad. I could use a slide rule in the second grade,” Marc-Clerisme said, adding that exposure and expertise in math fostered by her father early in her life gave her the confidence to continue her studies through her doctorate. She has earned a Ph.D. in statistics.

The annual convention arrived in Boston earlier in the week and stretches through Tuesday. Highlights included an armchair conversation with Vice President Kamala Harris, a Gospel concert, roundtable and panel discussions, and gala events featuring local and national figures.

That’s for the adults.

And for fun, there’s The Hub.

Set up on the floor of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center is an array of shopping opportunities featuring Black-owned businesses and products, fun activities, food, an author’s corner and Boston service providers like Boston Health Care for the Homeless.

Offerings at The Hub for younger convention attendees, like the Clerisme twins and older youths, included a game area, free samples of local snacks and photo opportunities. The NAACP also arranged for a panel discussion on transitioning to college that featured successful Black college graduates.

Edith Jones, a New Orleans resident, attended her first NAACP convention in Boston after retiring from the Urban League. She traveled with a group of youngsters participating in the ACT-So program that she described as exciting. “It gives the young people an opportunity to shine and thrive, to grow with their experiences, develop and mature.”

“I think the NAACP has done a fantastic job here in Boston,” Jones said. “It’s great that children are exposed to successful professionals, that they get to see career opportunities.”

As the participants in the ACT-So program waited for the results of the Thursday-night competition to be announced Saturday, they were able to indulge in The Hub fun. Jones fell in love with an African dress and scarf she purchased from Designs by Malika, a local seller who works craft fairs and other events.

Malika Crichlow of Hyde Park brought an array of garments and some jewelry she makes herself, including fabric bracelets and earrings.

“This is a big show for me, big crowds,” Crichlow said, noting that it was just the first day of The Hub, and already she felt she needed to pull more merchandise from her supply under the table.

Teenagers Giovanni Greene, 17 and Rena Hunt, 15, attended the convention from Richmond, Virginia, as part of the ACT-So program.

“It’s exciting,” said Greene, a dancer. Hunt, a poet, did not compete but shared a fragment some of her work: “The Sun is shining, like a flashlight on foil. When it rains, my Mom reaches out a hand and touches the soil… It’s a season of great joy; sunflower dresses, joy, joy, joy.”

Always busy was the team from the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program. The group had set up a station where Dr. Paula Hercule and Anne Marie Murray, a nurse, offered blood pressure checks and screening for blood glucose.

“It’s important for the organization to be at the conference to connect with other members,” said Hercule. That ability to showcase the organization’s mission, to make connections with other providers from around the country is vital. “The NAACP has been such an amazing organization, promoting folks of color and civil rights.”

Patricia Holliday, chief equity and inclusion officer for the organization values the exposure and hopes they can serve as a role model for other communities across the nation.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: NAACP holds annual national convention in Boston, inspiring youth