Group must rebuild NAACP chapter

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2001 | 8:52 a.m.

The NAACP has charged a group of 17 politicians, lawyers, pastors, community activists and leaders to lay the foundation for a new beginning for the organization in Las Vegas.

Frank Humphrey, a member of the board of directors of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, met with local members of the group Tuesday night to explain the process for reorganizing the branch.

"I have confidence that the 17 people who make up the reorganizing committee will be able to develop a strategic blueprint of the issues in this community," Humphrey said at Zion United Methodist Church in Las Vegas.

The Rev. Marion Bennett, County Commissioner Yvonne Atkinson Gates, state Sen. Joe Neal, Las Vegas City Councilman Lawrence Weekly and attorney Uri Clinton are among the members of the committee.

Humphrey said he hopes that the committee will have identified issues that the Las Vegas branch should tackle by the April meeting of the board of directors.

"I hope we're in a position where I can recommend that the suspension on the local charter be lifted," Humphrey said. "Then we will engage in holding elections."

Humphrey and NAACP Western Region Director Frank Berry said they plan to hold monthly meetings with the members as well as with the reorganizing committee.

Kevin Tate, a local attorney, will serve as the chairman of the reorganizing committee.

That organization's strategic plan includes advocacy training, reviewing the criminal justice system, civil rights and economic empowerment.

The local branch was suspended in April by the NAACP for violations of policies and procedures. The controversy started in May 2000 when former branch President Gene Collins uncovered MGM MIRAGE Inc.'s lack of minority contractors. Collins took the issue to the media and the gaming company instituted a diversity program.

But the relationship with the local NAACP grew more complicated when Collins pressured MGM MIRAGE to invest $100 million in a West Las Vegas redevelopment program to make amends for its diversity shortcomings.

The gaming company then began negotiating with the NAACP's national office, and a letter was sent by the organization to Collins asking him to stop talking to the media about MGM MIRAGE.

Collins continued to call attention to diversity problems in the gaming industry, and the local branch was suspended. Collins and a small group of followers continue to fight the suspension, saying that it resulted from "back room deals" between the national office and MGM MIRAGE.