Challenging power and standing up for the people should be central to the purpose of event’s like the annual NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner, Roland Martin, a longtime journalist and commenter told Michigan Chronicle Sunday at Huntington Place.
“The question is if you represent the people and you’re acting on behalf of the people, are you challenging power and advocating for them?” Martin, 56, told Michigan Chronicle. “These kinds of events of events are so important — but only if you leave and then go do the work. Sitting up there behind the podium is great, but if you don’t come down to talk to people and see them and touch them then you can’t reach them. It’s meaningless without action.”
On stage, Martin accepted the William Monroe Trotter Freedom and Justice Award.
“We gone fight until hell freezes off and when it does we’re gonna fight on the ice,” Martin said.
Local and national leaders, including Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist joined clergy, activists and organizations at downtown Detroit’s Huntington Place for what organizers call the largest sit down dinner in the country.
“I say congratulations on 70 years of impact, on 70 years of resource development, on 70 years of community activism and on 70 years of progress,” Gilchrist told the crowd on stage. “Ya’ll this is our moment, this is a moment when our rights, when our ideas and identity is under assault. The tactics that worked last year, or last decade or last generation are not going to deliver the progress we need next year and for the next decade and next generation.”
Gilchrist also thanked Detroit NAACP president Wendell Anthony. Gilchrist called Detroit’s branch “the baddest” in the country.
With Michigan Chronicle, Martin also talked about his criticism of the National Association of Black Journalists’ decision to invite then-former president Donald Trump during his campaign to the annual journalism conference. Martin said leaders should have taken control of the conversation as Trump began criticizing event organizers and accusing the association of starting the event late.
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