APRIL 8, 2022 (WASHINGTON) – The Links Foundation, Incorporated, the philanthropic arm of The Links, Incorporated awarded its sixth $1 million Legacy Grant to the Obama Presidential Center, which is set to open in Chicago in 2025. With a focus on driving economic growth and development, bolstering tourism, and developing the next generation of leaders, the Obama Presidential Center’s vision and mission fully aligns with the goals and objectives of the Legacy Grant program.

“This is such a proud moment in our history,” said Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D., national president of The Links Foundation, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated. “And we are honored to take part in cementing this historic milestone that celebrates our nation’s first African American president and first lady on the South Side of Chicago, the place they call home.”

Nestled in historic Jackson Park, the Obama Presidential Center will feature a world-class museum, forum, and a branch of the Chicago Public Library. The Obama Presidential Center will serve as a place to welcome visitors to honor history while inspiring young people to write chapters of their own. At the heart of the 20-acre Obama Presidential Center will be a public plaza named in honor of John Lewis. The late congressman lauded The Links, Incorporated in 2019 as a distinguished organization of outstanding community service and influence. “The Links is committed to supporting organizations like the Obama Presidential Center that also celebrates change agents like the late civil rights icon John Lewis who fought for rights and privileges we enjoy today,” remarked Rosalind Hudnell, national director of philanthropy for The Links Foundation, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated. The Links join a distinguished group of donors who have made significant pledges toward the completion of this historic center.

“We appreciate The Links Foundation’s support of the Obama Presidential Center which will inspire, empower, and connect the next generation of leaders here in Chicago and around the world,” said Obama Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett. “Support from organizations like The Links Foundation is crucial to helping us bring the Obama Presidential Center to life and invest in the community that means so much to president and Mrs. Obama.”

About The Links Foundation, Incorporated

Since 1979 The Links Foundation, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) corporation, has donated more than $27 million to noteworthy charitable causes that impact lives and change communities for the better. Grants of scale support projects or institutions that are of regional, national, and/or international significance. The Foundation’s $1 million Legacy Grant recipients include the United Negro College Fund; the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; The National Civil Rights Museum; the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC); St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and the Obama Presidential Center.

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

Photo Credit: Obama Foundation

March 30, 2022 (WASHINGTON, DC) – Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D., national president of The Links, Incorporated and The Links Foundation, Incorporated received the President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Award on Sunday March 20th at the Army and Navy Club. Established in 2003, the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA), issued by AmeriCorps and the Office of the President of the United States, is given to individuals in recognition of their exemplary citizenship through service. Along with Dr. Jeffries Leonard, Brigadier General Terrence A. Adams, Dr. Prudence Pollard, and Dr. Calvin B. Rock were also PSVA recipients.

The award is a testament to Dr. Jeffries Leonard’s lifelong commitment to impactful public service through community leadership and hands-on organizational participation. “I am truly humbled and honored to receive this special award,” Dr. Jeffries Leonard said. “It is my hope that this incredible recognition from President Biden serves to encourage others to also serve their communities through volunteerism. The habit of helping others sharpens our sense of purpose, shares our expertise and widens our network of those working toward the same good end.”

Dr. Jeffries Leonard’s volunteer service has transformed communities around the globe and empowered thousands of women and countless youth in the areas of health, economics, education and voting rights. As national president of The Links, Incorporated, a more than 16,000 member volunteer service organization, she sets the vision and example for the organization of civic-minded professional women who track over one million service hours annually.

Award nominations were submitted by Lowcountry Rice Culture Project (LRCP), a Charleston, SC non-profit founded by award-winning artist Jonathan Green. Dr. Kim Cliett Long, LRCP Executive Director, presented the PSVA to the four honorees. “We were elated to facilitate Dr. Jeffries Leonard’s nomination for this award,” said Dr. Cliett Long. “Her lifelong commitment to service at the local, state, national and international levels embodies the spirit and intent of the award. Her leadership in service is influential and will demonstrate to many others the importance of service to our fellow citizens.”

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

Thomas Paine, one of the country’s founding fathers, once said, “It’s not in numbers but in unity that our great strength lies.” As African-ancestored women, we know inherently the power of that sentiment and embody its message.

Over the last year, we celebrated the inauguration of Vice President Kamala Harris, the country’s the first woman, first African American and first South Asian American, and a member of The Links, Incorporated, to hold the position. We could barely contain our joy when then newly elected President Joseph R. Biden thanked women of color for changing the political landscape, then vowed to name a Black woman to the Supreme Court. History was made, and we created the opportunity. President Biden’s words gave hope and honored our work, community commitment, and decades of sacrifice.

Today, the president has vowed to keep his election promise and will name a Black woman to the nation’s highest court as Justice Stephen G. Breyer retires. Members of The Links, Incorporated, more than 16,000 strong worldwide, thank him and are beyond grateful.

As women of color, we recognize the talent and capacity of those in our community. We see and experience those gifts every day. We also know there are several African American women who can fill the seat with integrity, intelligence, and creative spirit. We have labored and longed for this moment, and our beautiful, brown daughters, granddaughters, and nieces will be the direct beneficiaries. So we thank President Biden again and look forward to his selection. And now the real work begins.

November 5, 2021 (Washington, DC)—In commemoration of The Links, Incorporated’s 75th anniversary, the organization’s philanthropic arm, The Links Foundation, Incorporated, will donate $75,000 to the UNCF. The gift will support historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and the students they serve, as well as help to preserve the legacy and ensure the financial viability of these institutional pillars in the Black community.

“We are mindful that this has been a challenging time for many of our HBCUs,” said Links National President Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D. “It’s important, particularly now, that we show our support to those who are educating our next generation of leaders. During our 2019-2021 programming years, our chapters funded nearly 3,000 HBCU scholarships. This gift to the UNCF complements the work our chapters are already doing in their communities and further demonstrates The Links’ commitment to increasing the retention and graduation rates of students attending HBCUs.”

The Links has a long and rich history with UNCF dating back to 1972 when the organization donated $64,000 to the nation’s largest private scholarship provider to minority students. Subsequent gifts resulted in UNCF becoming The Links Foundation, Incorporated’s first million-dollar Legacy Grant recipient in 1984.

“The commitment and generosity of The Links are unmatched. Thank you for your continuous support of UNCF and historically Black colleges and universities. For nearly 50 years, we have remained partners in this mission to foster the success of HBCUs and their students. Our work is never-ending, we know no boundaries, and we know what is at stake, the future of our HBCUs, our students, our nation. I accept this gift with great humility and wish you continued success as we join in celebrating The Link’s 75th anniversary milestone” said Michael L. Lomax, Ph.D., president and CEO of UNCF.

The gift will be presented to President Lomax on Saturday, November 6, 2021 during The Links, Incorporated’s 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Gala and Concert, being headlined by GRAMMY Award-winning artist Patti LaBelle. The Gala and Concert is one of the signature events during The Links’ six-day virtual anniversary celebration. The Diamond Jubilee is proudly being sponsored by M Financial Group, AARP, AT&T, FedEx, Cadillac, Ochsner Health, Target, WK Kellogg Foundation, American Cancer Society, Anthem Foundation, Gilead Sciences, Georgia Pacific, Dove, and Crown Media.

About The Links Foundation, Incorporated

Since 1979 The Links Foundation, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) corporation, has donated more than $27 million to noteworthy charitable causes that impact lives and change communities for the better. Grants of scale support projects or institutions that are of regional, national, and/or international significance. The Foundation’s $1 million Legacy Grant recipients include the United Negro College Fund; the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; The National Civil Rights Museum; the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC); St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and the Obama Presidential Center.

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

November 4, 2021 (Washington, DC)— In honor of The Links, Incorporated’s 75^th anniversary, its philanthropic arm, The Links Foundation, Incorporated, is donating $25,000 to the Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This play space for children holds significance in The Links’ rich legacy, for in 1947 it was the sight of the organization’s founding chapter’s first service project—a picnic for children in the local community. The chapter has continued its support of this facility through the years, most recently during the campaign to renovate the iconic 44-foot Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide.

“We can’t talk about our illustrious history without talking about this historic playground that has welcomed hundreds of thousands of youngsters and their families annually,” said Links National President Kimberly Jeffries Leonard. “We are proud of our continued support of this treasure in the city of Brotherly Love and it is our hope that this wonderful playground can serve generations to come.”

“Smith has been a vital resource to the community for over 120 years, and The Links Foundation’s generous gift will play a significant role in helping us ensure that the children of our city become healthy, happy, and resilient adults,” noted Smith Memorial Playground’s Executive Director Frances Hoover. “We are very honored to be associated with the history of this important organization, and we appreciate their role as an ally and supporter of Smith.“

This donation further demonstrates The Links’ commitment to serving children. Through its Services to Youth facet, the organization implements transformational programs that are responsive to the academic, cultural, career-development, and mentoring needs of youth. The facet is just one of five programmatic thrusts. The four others are The Arts, National Trends and Services, International Trends and Services, and Health and Human Services. Annually, The Links impact the lives of millions of children.

The gift will be presented to Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse’s Executive Director Francis Hoover on Sunday, November 7, 2021, as part of The Link’s 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee, which is proudly sponsored by M Financial Group, AARP, AT&T, FedEx, Cadillac, Ochsner Health, Target, WK Kellogg Foundation, American Cancer Society, Anthem Foundation, Gilead Sciences, Georgia Pacific, Dove, and Crown Media.

About The Links Foundation, Incorporated

Since 1979 The Links Foundation, Incorporated, a 501(c)(3) corporation, has donated more than $27 million to noteworthy charitable causes that impact lives and change communities for the better. Grants of scale support projects or institutions that are of regional, national, and/or international significance. The Foundation’s $1 million Legacy Grant recipients include the United Negro College Fund; the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.; The National Civil Rights Museum; the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC); St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and the Obama Presidential Center.

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

March 16, 2021 (WASHINGTON) — The Links Foundation, Incorporated has been awarded a $350,000 grant from Gilead Sciences, Inc. to advance the organization’s work in ending the HIV epidemic that continues to disproportionately impact people of African descent. The grant will allow The Links to scale up its Links HELP (HIV Education, Leadership and Prevention) program.

The Links Foundation, Incorporated is the philanthropic arm of The Links, Incorporated, one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.

Links HELP is an integral part of the organization’s Health and Human Services programming facet agenda. It takes a holistic approach to addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic that is ravaging Black communities worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared with other races, the Black diaspora has a higher proportion of new HIV diagnoses. In 2018, 1 in 5 new HIV diagnoses in the US were women. While significant progress has been made in reducing the number of new diagnoses among women, Black women represent the majority of women living with HIV as well as the majority of new infections among women. The Gilead grant strengthens The Links’ position in the global fight to prevent the spread of AIDS and eradicate the epidemic.

“Even though we are in this pandemic battling the novel coronavirus 2019, HIV has been a virus that we have been battling for 40 years. We cannot turn our attention away from it now. And, as with other issues, communities of African descent are disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS with no vaccine and no cure. Our organization continues to be galvanized to make a difference and we are poised to deliver impactful and sustainable programs through those platforms that allow us the greatest reach to our members and into our communities,” said Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D., national president of The Links, Incorporated and The Links Foundation, Incorporated.

“We are inspired by The Links Foundation’s commitment to addressing HIV in the Black community, particularly among women, where the impact is disproportionately high,” said Korab Zuka, VP, Public Affairs, Gilead Sciences. “We are confident this grant will help the organization continue its important work making a global impact in ending the HIV epidemic.”

The Links will deliver expanded HIV education and prevention programs through impactful webinars and conference workshops for its membership and the larger community as well as live social media conversations and panels, while also collaborating with HBCUs and the organization’s national partners to move this vital work forward.

“Through this generous grant, it is our hope that our important work will help reduce the number of new HIV infections; increase awareness about HIV in our communities; reduce HIV-related disparities by increasing knowledge and combat stigmas that impact our domestic and international communities of African descent,” said Jeffries Leonard.

About The Links Foundation, Incorporated

The Links Foundation, Incorporated has contributed more than $25 million to charitable causes since its founding. In 2018, it named its fifth $1 million grantee – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Other million-dollar grantees include the United Negro College Fund, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., the National Civil Rights Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American Culture and History in Washington, D.C.

About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 16,000 professional women of African descent in 292 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

Washington, D.C. (July 26, 2020) —Today The Links, Incorporated announced its national partnership with When We All Vote, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization launched by Co-Chair Michelle Obama in 2018 to increase participation in every election. When We All Vote is a mission to change the culture around voting and close the race and age voting gap to ensure every eligible voter is registered and ready to vote.

“When We All Vote is on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap by changing the culture around voting. We are proud to partner with The Links, Incorporated to train thousands of voting squad captains across the country,” said When We All Vote Board Chair Valerie Jarrett. “Together, through a voter registration challenge, we will ensure thousands of eligible voters are registered and ready to vote in every election. We know that our democracy is stronger when we all vote, and organizations focused on empowering our communities like The Links can deeply impact voter participation.”

The Links has and continues to be strong advocates for ensuring that all people, particularly Black and brown communities, are able to exercise their right to vote. Through this partnership, The Links will expand get-out-the-vote efforts to increase voter registration, engagement and turnout helping to ensure those 100 million eligible voters who did not cast their ballots in 2016, do so in 2020. The Links will also use this effort to help guard against voter suppression so that every single vote is counted.

“We know that transforming communities starts with getting people to understand and exercise their civic responsibility, and voting is chief among them. Our primary weapon is our vote and we must wield that power in this country to make change,” said national president of The Links, Incorporated Kimberly Jeffries Leonard. “Over the next 100 days, we plan to leverage the voices of our more than 16,000 members to educate, engage and mobilize voters and stakeholders in our communities. We will help ensure everyone is registered and ready to vote. Our voice, our vote, and our power matter now more than ever.”

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About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated consists of more than 16,000 professional women of color in 288 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

About When We All Vote

When We All Vote is a national, nonpartisan nonprofit that brings together citizens, institutions, brands, and organizations to increase participation in every election. Launched by Michelle Obama, the organization is committed to closing the race and age voting gap and empowering all eligible voters to cast their ballot by harnessing grassroots energy, establishing strategic partnerships, and implementing digital organizing strategies, with the ultimate goal of changing the culture around voting.

Michelle Obama is joined in this effort by fellow Co-Chairs Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monáe, Chris Paul, Faith Hill, Selena Gomez, Liza Koshy, Megan Rapinoe, Shonda Rhimes, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington, and Rita Wilson.

We formally condemn the police actions that led to the deaths of Mr. George Floyd, Ms. Breonna Taylor, and countless others who died at the hands of law enforcement. Additionally, we are very concerned and alarmed by a society and justice system that seems to devalue the lives of people of color like Ahmaud Arbery. We offer our heartfelt condolences and prayers to each of these families. The police officers who have been charged with the death of Mr. Floyd must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

These senseless deaths demand that Justice Must Be Fair, Justice Must Be Transparent, and Justice Must Be Equal!

It is critical that we address the systemic deficiencies that plague law enforcement and disproportionately impact people of color in the judicial system. “NOBLE believes there is work to do and we need to start on that work today,” said NOBLE National President Cerelyn J. Davis. “The changes the protesters are demanding of the police are well within our reach. Humane treatment of all people is well within our reach. A duty to intervene is well within our reach. Removing officers who fail to perform their duties in alignment with policies and the values of the community is well within our reach.”

Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D., National President of The Links, Incorporated, believes that like-minded citizens must work together. “Our more than 16,000 members are outraged at the continual targeting of black lives. We believe that working with law enforcement officers who share our values and also want change is an important first step toward reforming a broken system,” said Jeffries Leonard.

NOBLE and The Links, Incorporated believe that a comprehensive approach is required in addressing the issues of police accountability. There must be trust between law enforcement agencies and the communities they are sworn to protect and serve.

We are fully aware that race-related issues in America are complex. Issues within the law enforcement spectrum are a small part of a larger picture which includes an unequal distribution of resources — America will never realize her true potential until all of her citizens are equally valued and protected under the law.

Law enforcement precedent that must be addressed is as follows:

• Police Qualified Immunity: Presently, under federal law, state and local police officers can only be sued in civil court when the officer’s discretionary actions infringed on the civilian’s constitutional rights. The qualified-immunity doctrine shields the officer from any suits unless the officer’s actions violated “clearly established law” to which there is no specific law established.
• National Use-of-Force Policy: The use-of-force policy must include the following:
  • Mandatory de-escalation training AND policy requirements for all sworn officers.
  • Prohibition of all physical restraint maneuvers on or above the neck.
  • Mandatory requirement that officers render immediate medical aid to all people.
  • Mandatory requirement that officers intervene when another officer is using physical force inappropriately or excessively.
• Comprehensive Legislation: National mandates should also address:
  • Mandatory National Law Enforcement Accreditation.
  • Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department enforcement against pattern and practice discrimination described in section 210401 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (42 U.S.C.A.).
  • Continued appropriations for the Department of Justice Community Relations Service directed towards programs to improve community and police relations.
  • Federal data collection of use-of-force, traffic stops, pedestrian stops, and detentions.

What can you do? Call and write your congressional representative to express your outrage. Let him or her know that legislation enacting police reforms we have outlined above as well as the funding to make them a reality must happen now.

Use the following templates as you call and write. Click here for a list of those who represent you. We must continue to act until there are changes in our cities, our states, and our nation.

NOBLE and The Links, Incorporated demand that Congress act swiftly in passing comprehensive police reform legislation for the benefit of our nation and its legacy.

As leaders of African-American women’s organizations in America, we condemn in the strongest terms the senseless and unjustified killings of Black women, Black men, Black girls, and Black boys by police and vigilantes. We have organized knowing that we are stronger and more effective when we work together to raise our more than five (5) million collective voices and exert our collective power to address the unspeakable, horrific killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Nina Pop and too many others – killings that have sparked a global movement for racial justice.

We stand united and join with Black communities across our country in an urgent demand for police reform now. Our national shame, which plays out on streets, in cars and even in the sanctity of homes that is resulting in the repugnant killings of African Americans, has reached a fever pitch that can no longer be tolerated.  These latest killings, along with those we seldom hear about, have garnered national and international attention and share one common denominator — they demand justice.  The trauma of these occurrences is exacerbated by the fact that the nation is in the grip of a horrific pandemic which has had a disproportionate impact on African Americans and other people of color living in poverty. Black, low-wage, essential workers, who risk their lives daily, have disproportionately contracted the COVID-19 virus and died, rendering the most vulnerable families’ recovery uncertain.

As African-American women leaders, we are committed to using the power of our collective voice, vote, leadership, and influence as we join the American people and citizens around the world to demand that the routine use of lethal force by law enforcement officers who are duty-bound to protect and serve comes to a swift end.   Our #United4Reform alliance comes on the heels of global protests over the deaths of George Floyd and too many others at the hands of the police, because of the color of their skin or how they identify.

To achieve these goals, we present the following actions to our 5 million plus members and the broader community to hasten universal change as we continue to advocate and demand justice.

#United4Reform AGENDA ACTION ITEMS

• Police Reform. We seek sweeping federal legislation regarding police reform mandating a zero-tolerance approach in prosecuting police officers who kill unarmed, non-violent, and non-resisting individuals during an arrest. The legislation should also:
  • De-certify or terminate police officers who use lethal force in non-violent offenses
  • Eliminate the use of choke holds in all forms
  • Create a national database registry to restrict re-hiring of law enforcement officers that were terminated with cause by other cities or states
  • Require all police officers to wear body cameras and terminate officers who intentionally turn off their cameras
  • Require de-escalation training and unconscious bias training for all police officers
  • Require psychological evaluation of police officers before hiring, and periodic evaluations while employed
  • Require a citizens’ review board to review and report police misconduct complaints
  • Mandate gun-violence prevention education and training
  • Push for the passage of hate crime statutes
• Voter Engagement/Voter Mobilization/Voter Education.
  • We all must vote
  • We are urging everyone to double the local voter mobilization and participation efforts to vote, and elect the candidates who will most effectively advocate for our communities.
  • We have committed to have all of our 18 year olds registered to vote as soon as they are able to, per their respective state guidelines
  • Several of us have partnered with When We All Vote. We will use the strength of this partnership to increase our voter engagement efforts
• Voter Legislation. Demand the Senate debate and vote of H.R.1 (For the People Act) that has passed the House of Representatives and would restore the Voting Rights Act and limit voter suppression
• Census 2020 Participation. Complete the 2020 Census and encourage our families and communities to do the same
• Engagement with Elected Officials. Contact local, state, and federal elected officials regarding any legislation that is harmful to African Americans and that does not provide equal protection under the law
• Participate with the Poor People’s Campaign. Attend the virtual march on June, 20, 2020 at 10 a.m.
• COVID-19 Relief. Advocate the passing of additional legislation that protects essential workers and healthcare professionals. COVID-19 has magnified the racial, ethnic and health disparities in the US
• Domestic Violence Protection. Offer real protections for children and adults contending with family violence, therapeutic services for abuses as well as precaution
• Mental Health Support. Implement community-based mental-health support services
• Mentoring and the Protection of Our Children. Enhance and implement service programs that provide social, emotional and academic support to help children realize their worth to unleash their potential
• Facilitate Courageous Conversations about Race and Racism. Engage in facilitated courageous conversations about race and racism in our communities

In Sisterhood and Solidarity,

Washington, D.C. (June 2, 2020) – The NAACP and The Links, Incorporated are releasing a joint statement to express their strong support of the collective outrage and calls for policing reform expressed by residents all over the country in response to the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers and the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and others at the hands of current or former law enforcement officers. The nationwide protests represent the anger, pain, fear, and distrust directed toward law enforcement resulting from decades of brutality against African Americans.

For too long, law enforcement and the criminal justice system at large has racially profiled, arrested, convicted, and sentenced African Americans more harshly than the rest of America. As George Floyd’s killing tragically demonstrates, any interaction between an African American and law enforcement can instantaneously become deadly. We will not rest until all the officers involved in these incidents are arrested, charged and convicted. We must ensure that justice is served in each and every case.

The nation’s collective condemnation of police violence against the Black community represents a watershed moment. This is the time for systemic changes to policing in this country. We need federal, state, and local reforms which impose strict police accountability, limit the use of force, eliminate racial profiling, de-militarize law enforcement, track and report data, and ensure proper screening, education and training of all officers. Local law enforcement agencies receive federal funding and must be made to comply with federal civil rights laws.

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP: “Enough is enough. The entire country has reached its limit in terms of deadly police practices. We cannot allow one more Black person to die at the hands of government. Our #WeAreDoneDying campaign is aimed at eliminating racial disparities that are harming our communities and taking our lives. Nowhere is there more systemic injustice than in law enforcement’s treatment of the Black community it is charged with guarding and protecting. We must seize this moment to eliminate racism from policing and to hold every officer accountable for his or her actions.”

Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, Ph.D., National President, The Links, Incorporated: “Our community has reached its breaking point. We cannot take one more death based on race, one more unjust sentence or one more denial of our civil and human rights. The time to speak is now. We must let those in power know that daily rights—jogging, buying personal items, or just sleeping in our home— should not end in a death sentence for Black people. The Links, Incorporated and our 16,000+ members are committed to ensuring the survival of our communities of African descent and the change necessary to do so. We stand with the NAACP’s call for the United Nations to classify the mistreatment of Black people in the United States by the police a human rights violation. We call for incident oversight by review boards and human rights commissions and the use of body cameras for all officers.  We can no longer delay action.  Our collective voice can make a difference. Enough is truly enough. #LinksCallToJustice.”

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About The Links, Incorporated

The Links, Incorporated consists of more than 16,000 professional women of color in 288 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom.  It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry. For more information, visit www.linksinc.org.

About the NAACP

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our six “Game Changer” issue areas here.