On Saturday, November 1, the NAACP Vancouver Branch proudly celebrated its 80th Anniversary Gala and Awards Dinner—a momentous evening honoring eight decades of advocacy, leadership, and community impact. We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who participated and supported this historic celebration, both near and far.
We were honored to welcome United States Congresswoman Janelle Bynum as our special guest, and we extend heartfelt thanks to our keynote speaker, Vincent Evans, Executive Director of the Congressional Black Caucus, for his inspiring message and for traveling from Washington, D.C. to share in this milestone occasion. This year, we recognized five outstanding organizations whose work continues to uplift and empower communities across our region:
- Highlander Folk School Award for Education Justice – Latino Leadership Northwest
- Ebenezer Baptist Church Award for Prophetic Leadership and Justice – Community AME Zion Church
- SNCC Award for Liberation Philanthropy – Inatai Foundation
- SCLC Award for Regional Justice Leadership – Community Foundation for Southwest Washington
- 2025 NAACP Community Champion Award – LULAC SW WA Council #47013
We also honored eight remarkable individuals, each representing one decade of the NAACP Vancouver Branch’s history, for their leadership and lifelong commitment to justice:
- Mary McLeod Bethune Award for Educational Leadership, Dr. Karin Edwards, President, Clark College
- Marian Wright Edelman Award for Children and Families
- Rekah Strong, Chief Executive Officer, EOCF
- Charles Hamilton Houston Award for Justice-Centered Public Safety Leadership
- Chief Troy Price, City of Vancouver Police Department
Septima Clark Award for Transformative Justice - LaQuinta Daniels, Director of Restorative Justice, Clark County Juvenile Courts
- Medgar Evers Legacy Award for Civic Leadership
- President James Posey, NAACP Portland Branch
- Fannie Lou Hamer Award for Community Empowerment
- Vanessa Gaston, Director, Clark County Community Services Department
Constance - Baker Motley Award for Judicial Leadership
- The Honorable Camara Banfield, Superior Court Judge, Clark County Superior Court
- Benjamin Hooks Award for Lifetime Legacy and Social Justice
- Mr. Earl Ford, President Emeritus, NAACP Vancouver Branch
In addition, we proudly recognized one of our own executive committee members for outstanding service and leadership within the community:
- Congressman John Lewis Award for Civic Engagement and Community Leadership
- Mr. Rashan Williams, Executive Director, Shifted Theory Mentoring Program and Chair, NAACP Community Engagement Committee
We were also delighted to celebrate and recognize several former presidents of the NAACP Vancouver Branch who joined us for this special occasion, reminding us of the strong shoulders on which we stand.
The evening was a powerful reminder that while much has changed over 80 years, the mission of the NAACP remains steadfast—to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights for all people and to eliminate race-based discrimination. Together, we honor the past, celebrate the present, and continue the work toward a more just and equitable future.
