MANATEE NAACP PRESIDENT JONES REACTS TO CEASE AND DESIST DELIVERED BY SARASOTA NAACP PRESIDENT TREVOR HARVEY

June 28, 2019June 30, 2019 admin

BY STAFF WRITER

PART 1: On /9/16/19 Sarasota branch NAACP President Trevor Harvey sent a letter to Manatee County Branch NAACP President Rodney Jones directing him to, on direction from Florida NAACP President Adora Nweze that Jones’s course of action on 5/8/19 was not approved or authorized by any unit of the NAACP.

THE BIZARRE NWEZE LETTER

The bizarre letter was sent from Nweze only hours following an incident at a meeting of the City of Bradenton City Commission. Jones was voicing his disaproval of continued harassment toward him and other members of the African American community by the City of Bradenton Police Department. JONES FORCEDLY REMOVED BY POLICE At the meeting in question at Bradenton City Hall, Jones asked for more than the three minutes to substantiate his concerns and when refused in seeking more time, Jones was forcedly removed by the Bradenton police from the meeting and later absurdly arrested. Nweze in this disturbing cease and desist letter further stated

“that in light of a pattern of unauthorized conduct inconsistent with NAACP practice and policy, it could result in sanctions including your potential disaffiliation as an officer of your branch.”

WAS HARVEY BEHIND CEASE AND DESIST LETTER?

What is extremely troublesome is that Nweze cease and desist letter was sent only hours after the incident took place and without any contact with Jones concerning the incident. Was Harvey’s behind action in that Harvey’s agenda, as the longtime NAACP leader in Sarasota. According to reliable sources, Harvey recommended to Nweze to send the cease and desist letter to Jones.

JONES RESPONSE TO NWEZE

Jones in repose to Nweze cease and desist letter, Jones wrote the Florida NAACP President Nweze the following: Greetings Ms. Nweze; “I must at this time express some grave concerns with your leadership as our state president. It appears at times that we are more concerned with memberships and political winds than we are doing the work of the NAACP. “

“Black people have a terrible time putting performance above sentiment. All our activities and leaders must be evaluated on performance. This is not the case. I offer you to prep for the complaint as we are not battle ready here in Manatee or Sarasota. We are experiencing a systems failure, where the by product is continued pain and hurt in our community, and a tarnished image to the community.”

Jones continued, “ I am speaking out as I refuse to believe that the behavior I have endured from Trevor Harvey, Area VI Director, and Don Brown, 1st Vice President of the FSC, and now yourself as the President of the FSC is not, and I repeat is not indicative of the organization that I have dreamed of leading since I was a child.”

JONES COMPLAINT AGAINST HARVEY AND BROWN

Jones has since, as the President of the Manatee County Branch of the NAACP filed a complaint against Harvey and Area XI Director FSC, Don Brown, 1st Vice president. Jones states,

“The complaint is based on my experience with both of the above referenced. Specifically, the complaint involves:

Bullying and intimidation
Threats against my first amendment Freedom of speech is which guaranteed under the protection of the United States Constitution
Poor supervision and support to units
A failure to train which is not only a local issue, but regional
Failure to follow up and generate corrective actions, denoting my alleged behaviors
A failure to support me or our branch in critical situations
A failure to adequately address the needs of the Black community in Sarasota
Authoritarian style of managing which is not conducive for growth of the organization
Derelict of duties · A failure to support the mission and vision of the National NAACP
Threat to have me removed with no supportive documentation

Severe and perverse need for cultural competency training, what works in one community, may repulse another.”

BUCHAND SUPPORT OF JONES

Major local African American support for Jones is exemplified by long time local African American activists’, Valeria Bucahand: I have been following the incident that happen with Mr. Rodney Jones . I don’t understand how a man that has stood with the community in fighting for justice could be removed from office and his membership. It is amazing how the NAACP has gotten so laxed for the people in Florida. Have we so soon to forget the struggles that is going on? We have local leadership that doesn’t fight for any justice for all and you would take their words over speaking to one of your own, who have served faithfully. The NAACP has fallen so far from their mission from time of old. Do you not care about justice? Do you not care about community? Do you not care about the people that fight for unity and not those who sell out? Is it not all about being treated fairly? Is this not what the NAACP is suppose to be about? The mission of the NAACP has changed. These called NAACP leadership need to stop wearing the name of NAACP and name yourselves the good old boys because they control our local NAACP leadership. Buchand support is followed up by this email sent by Gregory Alexandrea Jr. to over sixty dedicate African American activists in the area.

ALEXANDRA SUPPORT OF JONES

As a member of the community and NAACP, I find this disturbing. President Jones has my full support. I cannot believe this course of action is justified after he has laid his life on the line for Manatee county. His ability to support his family as well as his ability to provided a safe haven for his daughter have been severely compromised. Asa2019Manof Valor recipient it pains me to take a stance such as this, but I stand with President Jones. Please accept this as my unavailability to host/mc the 2019 Freedom Fund banquet for the Manatee County NAACP.

WHAT DIRECTION WILL NAACP TAKE?

No doubt what is going on in the local African American communities of Manatee and Sarasota counties is all about what direction the NAACP will take.

WILL NAACP DIRECTION CONTINUE TO BE HARVEY‘S

Will it be the longtime go along get along direction of Hervey with the white establishment, which has slowly but surely gentrified the African American neighborhoods resulting in the massive displacement of the African American population in Sarasota?

WILL NAACP DIRECTION BE NEW JONES AGENDA? Or will the NAACP

direction be one promoted by Jones to create diversified neighborhood, which will be free of continued police harassment?

Will the NAACP direction include not only African American, Hispanic and other working class folks living in diversified neighborhoods and certainly not being told to cease and desist from that type of advocacy?