Greetings NBPA Members and Friends:
This year’s Annual Conference and Job Fair was a huge success and all involved should all give themselves a pat on the back for making it happen in the City on the Bluff. I thank Presidents Award recipient Attorney General Eric Holder for taking time out of his very busy schedule to give us words to live and work by, as he addressed us at the Profiles in Courage Luncheon. Let us all say a prayer for Mr. Holder as he musters the courage of leading the Nations law enforcement professionals into a new year. I congratulate Regional Director Mercedes Maynor-Faulcon and her Co-Chair Damon Griffen, along with their Memphis-Nashville Conference Committee, for a job well done. The Job Fair, headed by once again by Coordinator Audrey Moore and her NY based committee, was well attended, with more Federal interviewers than ever before. NBPA thanks all of our sponsors, especially Pfizer Incorporated for being our Platinum Sponsor, and Marcus Green for his continuing advice and support of our organization.
While in Memphis, VP of Programs, Winifred Acosta Nesmith took an idea, which began as a seed at the National Black Crown Prosecutors Association Conference in London, England, and grew the NBPAs first Annual Youth Conference. Each year we will bring in a group of inner city youth to enlighten them about the criminal justice system.
Your NBPA Board of Directors is working hard to stretch our arms out to as many Black prosecutors as we can find, and also trying to lend a hand to those trying to climb onto the ladder from the Nations law schools. As an initial step, I have personally written emails and letters in order to partner with the National District Attorneys Association, to locate Black prosecutors around the country. Their response has been phenomenal, and those names have been forwarded to our Regional Directors and Vice President of Membership for out reach. As I write, there are plans in several Regions for membership events and law school prosecutor panels. Please send us the names of new Black prosecutors, as they enter your offices. Please volunteer to give back to the legal community, sponsor an intern in your office.
Looking forward to seeing you in San Francisco!!
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MISSION STATEMENT
WHAT IS THE NBPA?
The National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA) is the only professional membership organization dedicated to the advancement of blacks as prosecutors. Founded in 1983, the Association's membership is comprised of over 800 prosecutors nationwide and in Canada . It includes both chief and line prosecutors from local, state and federal offices. In addition to prosecutors, the association's membership includes law students, former prosecutors, and law enforcement personnel.
NBPA is emerging as the international association of black law enforcement professionals with a reputation for providing education and leadership in the legal profession through its intensive training sessions and multi-disciplined networking.
MISSION AND GOAL OF THE NBPA
The mission of the NBPA is reflected in the organization's commitment of the recruitment of blacks within the prosecutorial arm of the legal profession. It is to ensure not only retention of blacks in prosecution, but also to correct the dramatic inequity that exists with respect to black representation in the executive ranks of prosecutors' offices. A further goal is to recruit, train and mentor younger aspiring lawyers for leadership roles in the years ahead.
NBPA mission is realized through the following important goals:
To serve as a catalyst for interdisciplinary communication, innovative training, professional development and camaraderie among blacks choosing careers in law enforcement.
To provide intensive training, both academic and practical, accommodating the wide variety of specializations within the membership.
To seek out and support young people interested in public service providing realistic exposure to the prosecutor's role as a vital member of the community.
To create a pool of legal scholars to provide and conduct symposiums on topics that are contemporary, germane, and on the cutting edge of the legal profession.
To create forums, both national and regional, which involve subjects that impact directly the needs and concerns of the black community.
To develop an international information network relevant to the needs of black law enforcement personnel.
To promote, strengthen and support the roles of blacks in all aspects of law enforcement.
TRAINING PROGRAMS
NBPA has established a number of training programs in direct response to the needs of its membership.The annual convention serves as a comprehensive and intensive training session on innovative changes in the law, its application and consequences.
The regional school programs such as the High School Mentor Program in Los Angeles , California , Legal Lives: partnership for Respect of Esteem, the Adopt-a-School Program in Brooklyn , New York , and various other youth programs throughout the nation are either initiated or endorsed by NBPA members.
The purpose of these programs is to expose students to positive role models within the criminal justice system through law related education. These programs increase students' awareness of racial, cultural and religious diversity and broaden their knowledge of the criminal justice system and its relationship to the community. They further increase the students' awareness of the legal and social consequences of drug use.
IMMEDIATE GOALS
The immediate goals of the NBPA are:
To establish a technological presence
To create a national database of all Black lawyers and law students
To establish regular regional training programs
To develop a youth crime prevention campaign | ||