Revived Muskegon County Youth NAACP Council To Meet April 30

Andrew Trzaska | April 24, 2012

The first meeting of the newly revived Muskegon County Youth NAACP Council will be held this coming Monday, April 30.

The first meeting will be an informational session and will take place at Muskegon Heights City Hall in the council chambers at 6:30 p.m.  The council is open to all youth ages 13 to 17 living in Muskegon County.

Muskegon Heights City Councilwoman Patrice Johnson will coordinate the group. In communications with Johnson, she stated that her idea for the council came to her in March 2011 when she was attending Michigan State University, before she decided to run for city council.

Johnson originally presented the idea to the City of Muskegon Heights, and then later got connected with the NAACP in Muskegon County. She realized city and association shared the same goals and vision, but the NAACP’s reach was broader.

The Youth Council has received support from local activist Naeink as well as unofficial support from the City of Muskegon Heights.

A now-defunct NAACP youth council previously existed in Muskegon County and was guided by ex-county commissioner Bill Gill. It is unclear when this council specifically ended. Other youth forums and councils have come in and out of existence in recent years as well.  The most recent attempt at a youth forum or council was the county-wide youth forum created last year by ex-Muskegon city commissioner Clara Shepherd.  This youth forum did not have an affiliation to the NAACP or any city specifically, nor does it actively meet at the present time.