NAACP event to address national conscience

The first step to solving problems is awareness of the problems. That's why the theme for this year's NAACP Monroe County Branch's Annual Freedom Fund Banquet is "Conscience of the Nation."\n"Conscience stops discrimination. It stops prejudice and makes sure that every vote counts," said Bill Vance, president of the Monroe County NAACP. \nThe branch will celebrate its 27th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet Saturday. More than 130 people are expected to attend, the event at Terry's Banquet and Catering Center, Vance said.\nIn addition to members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, about 16 IU faculty and staff members, 16 representatives from Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, and a few IU sororities and fraternities, will attend the banquet. About 25 members of the Monroe County Youth Council, an organization that researches and highlights the achievements of African Americans, will also attend. \nThe NAACP raised money through ticket sales and by selling advertisements, which cost between $50 and $200 in its souvenir booklet. The organization also hopes the banquet will help attract new members, said Debra Vance, chairperson of the Annual Freedom Fund Banquet. \nOne of the Annual Freedom Fund Banquet's keynote speakers will be Alvin Chambliss, an IU visiting professor who works with faculty in the School of Education and in the Department of African-American and African Diaspora Studies. He is expected to discuss voting rights for minorities and this year's theme of the banquet, which is "Conscience of the Nation," Vance said. \nThe NAACP of Monroe County works with Bloomington to address policies it thinks are unfair to minorities. The NAACP has met with the mayor of Bloomington and other city employees to discuss the city's affirmative action policy. \nThis year's banquet is significant for president Bill Vance because it will be his first banquet as president of the Monroe County branch. He spent the last 10 years as secretary before taking the position in December 2004 after Clarence W. Gilliam was president for 23 years. \n"I like helping people," Vance said. "I saw this as an opportunity to be of help to people experiencing unfair treatment"