The Scoop with Tanya Flanagan

Unknown Speaker 0:00
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Unknown Speaker 0:25
Good morning, and thank you for joining me for the scoop with Tanya Flanagan. I'm so happy you decided to wake up and start your day with me. Here on the scoop, where we talk about life, joy, funny moments, trending topics, and so much more. We promise to keep you in the know and find out what you know. So let's get started. Good morning and welcome to another Sunday here on K u and v 91.5. Jazz and more. It is the beginning of December actually it's December 3 So I'm going to wish my mother Loretta may she rest in peace a heavenly. Happy birthday. Thank you all for tuning in. This morning. We are going to be talking with NAACP President Quinton savoir I am so excited to have Quinton here to share with us all that he knows about the NAACP. It's focused direction where it's going and what it's doing. So without further ado, good morning, Quinn.

Unknown Speaker 1:15
Good morning, Tanya, thank you. Thank you so much for having me today.

Unknown Speaker 1:19
I appreciate you're getting up. I hope you have a nice cup of coffee and you settled in, in your cozy and you're ready to dig in and share some knowledge and information with the community. All of that all of that. Awesome. First of all, I think it's almost time for the one year anniversary of your newly elected presidency to the NAACP. So I want to congratulate you on closing in on one year.

Unknown Speaker 1:44
Oh, thank you so much. It has definitely been a full year I assumed office January 1 of this year 2023. And going into December, I've just been in this state of reflection. And thinking about what I've learned and thinking about what we can be doing differently next year. Because next year is a really big year for our branch. Not is it just an election year. But the 115 convening of the National Association will be in Las Vegas for their conference in July. So I want to make sure we put on a good show for them.

Unknown Speaker 2:15
Oh, wow. That's exciting. That is really exciting. I want to dig into that in a bit. But before we do, some people may know you and others may not. So introduce yourself a little bit more detailed on your background and how you came to want to head up the NAACP, which is really a heavy lift when you think about the social justice, civil rights equality work that an NAACP focuses on. So who are you and how did you you know, what's your background? Introduce yourself? Sure.

Unknown Speaker 2:45
I'm Quinton savoir. I am a native of Kansas City, Missouri, we're almost the world's best barbecue. I have been in Las Vegas, I've made Las Vegas home. It's I can't believe it's been six years. It's been six years. I got here on December 30 2017. And got my first taste of Las Vegas political life. In the 2018 election season. I was raised by my mom, my single mom with all sisters. So a lot of my affinity for black women and witnessing the strength of black women comes from watching my mom and my sisters like carry the whole world on their shoulders. My dad was a labor leader, he was a Teamster. And that saying about how you really do become your parents, this is really true. I didn't. I didn't intend to become my father. It's kind of it's kind of became this thing of me fighting for and advocating for the same things that my dad fought for and advocated for as a Teamster. I went to college at Rutgers University. I got a degree in political science and communication. But it wasn't even college that got me interested in community work. It was really my dad watching my dad, be active in his union and talk about the role that working families should have in shaping policy. And the role that both of my parents had in helping community. My mom was a school administrator. And I remember I will leave school, go to my mom's job wait for her to get off. She drove us home. But it was never just us going home, she would have to drop off some of the kids because some other parents wouldn't be able to pick up their kids in enough time. And you know, if you end up being at school too long after school, they call the folks telling the people, the Department of Family Services, and then it's a whole other ball of wax that you're dealing with. So I remember vividly watching my mom, my dad and even my stepmom be of nonstop service to our community. And that's really where I learned this, this life of being of service this life of making sure that you leave people's lives better than you found it this life of trying to be of assistance to measurably improve folks as wives. When I got to Vegas, what did I first do? My first got to Vegas, I worked a political campaign and I started working and making work in Nevada. And that is an organization that supports and uplift black women and black families. So I was like, Oh, this is exactly exactly what I made for.

Unknown Speaker 5:11
So you just kept walking kind of in your purpose, which is a beautiful thing, because we don't always get to walk in our purpose. And I didn't realize you and I had so many things in common. My dad is a laborer as well. So I watched him, yeah, I'm a union, we're union family. So I'm a union baby, I guess, if you will. And so a great deal of respect for the working family, and the struggle and the need for that population, which is so much of the bulk of our population as a whole anyway, to have a voice of representation. And so understanding the need for fair wages for skilled labor, and opportunities that are fair across the board for skilled labor. And I think that even though we see our parents do work, there's a certain wiring in certain types of individuals or certain individuals, where you're just fine tune to engage in community service. And it's just something about who you are, as a person, that you're fine tuned in Wired, to give himself to work, to get into grassroots campaigns to see situations and to try to work to see solution. And then to implement those solutions and to rally people to get on board for the same common cause to achieve a united goal. And there's something about the nature of people who are wired that way. So I say thank you, for your selflessness, and forgiving. But now we've come full circle, and you're heading up. You're welcome. You know, who was it Commissioner weakly, former Clark County Commissioner Lawrence weakly could often be heard, saying other people have said this too, but to give folks their flowers while they're alive. So I'm giving you some roses this morning. While you are appreciate it. You're welcome. So walking into the space of the NAACP, which is one of the oldest civil rights organization, and it's huge, that they're coming here in July. It's a heavy lift. So why the hell is it okay if a woman asked a man how old he is?

Unknown Speaker 7:23
Yep, I think that's okay.

Unknown Speaker 7:24
I mean, because we have, we have the reverse. Don't do it. Don't ask me how old I am. I

Unknown Speaker 7:30
won't do it. I told you I grew up with a mom and our sister. So I know the you

Unknown Speaker 7:34
know better. So you know, the rules are completely reversed. So don't you dare ask. But yeah, at your age, you're young 37. I'm 37 years old. And I think you may be one of the youngest NAACP. I'm

Unknown Speaker 7:46
one of the youngest now. I was corrected by one of our community members. The youngest branch president that was elected was Reverend Dr. Marion Bennett, Judge Bennett, father. He was 28 when he was elected president of the Las Vegas NAACP, he served three terms. So I have been telephone. I'm the youngest. I'm the youngest. And she pulled my coattail. And I said, Don't ever be afraid to pull my coattails because I did not want to be out here spreading lies and misinformation. So I am one of the youngest, but Reverend Bennett was the youngest, who was elected and fired three times to this branch. So

Unknown Speaker 8:22
you guys focus on social justice, civil rights, equality, things of that nature? What is the local branch doing differently under your leadership than what was done in the past? Or how are you taking it to the next level? Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 8:37
well, in my day, in my day job, most people don't know the NAACP, like everything is a volunteer work. That's not just that's not just being president, that's vice president, secretary. That's the work of making the branch be available to community, those are all volunteer positions. So in my day job, I work in a political space, I work at run for something. And I'm the political director there, shaping national strategy around what it takes to get young people to run for office. And so much of that work is getting people to understand the moment that we're in the threats our democracy faces. And that's really why I decided to run for NAACP president and that's the lens through which that I have approached my administration, getting people galvanized to meet this moment. We are facing a moment that is unlike anything I've ever seen. However, it's not altogether new. our foremothers and our forefathers have fought off these very same threats and attacks in the civil rights era, and in eras prior to that. So what gives me hope, is knowing that there's a blueprint for how we overcome a lot of this. We just have to get buy in and believe in one another enough to drive towards a collective goal. So what are we doing differently? I wouldn't say that we're doing a whole lot. Well, that's not true. I would say we're doing a whole lot differently because when I first out here, and I've been a member of this branch since I got to Las Vegas, I didn't see the work being done in a way that would help beget mobilization that would help to get unity amongst our community that would help create excitement, not about the work, but about the branch and the opportunity to do the branch. There's all kinds of ways that you can do the work of protecting and advancing civil rights. But the way that I learned from my parents, I didn't see that happening, I didn't see us having one on one conversations, I didn't see as being standing up when we saw transgressions from our law enforcement officials happening, I didn't see us doing full scale, know your rights campaigns, I didn't see us doing anything to help build the bench of who our next generation leaders are. And that's some of the things that we're working on doing. I have tons of goals for this branch, one of the things I'm most excited about, is the work that we've done in collaboration with lightweight consulting, and collaboration with emerge in collaboration with the state Democratic Party to train people how to run for office. In my day job, I talk to folks about running for office, and they're like, Well, you know, I'm not a doctor, I'm not a lawyer. And I'm like, you know, you don't have to be a doctor or a lawyer to run for office, you just have to care, you just have to care. And I think that's where we have a real void in our community is care in one another. Because that care begets investment in each other. And when you're invested in someone, they you, you go out of your way to make sure that they're okay. And I want us to be invested in one another. So that as a branch, we're going out of our way to take care of each other our solution, the solutions to our biggest problems in our community, they don't have to be wrapped up in who gets elected to the legislature, that's part of it. But a lot of the problems we have we can fix if we just talk to each other. And we figure out how we build power amongst one another. So I'm hoping to be the catalyst towards that is finding people who are excited, not about me being president, but about the opportunity to be a part of something meaningful, that can create lasting change. I think that's what we're doing differently under my presidency. Okay,

Unknown Speaker 12:00
so if I'm hearing it, I think I'm hearing a little bit of returning the work to a really super grassroots level, that engages citizens in a participation practice, so that it is very hands on almost like a community garden, but of a sort of metaphoric type where it's about impacting activism for getting people out to vote, cleaning up your community, being engaged in development projects, having a voice in every aspect of what affects your day to day life, but just as a regular everyday citizen, getting people to understand that they have this voice. And the NAACP is here as an organization to help organize any thoughts, efforts and ideas and intentions and to a powerful outcome or an outcome of purpose and impact Absolutely,

Unknown Speaker 12:55
very, very much that all impact. I tell folks all the time, I don't want to do it, if it's not impactful. I'm not, I didn't run for this office so that I could be on the news, those opportunities are nice opportunities to do things like this are nice. I'm more interested in scaling impact of people who are already doing really incredible work. I'm more interested in filling gaps of people who are already doing really incredible work, my name doesn't need to be in the like, I would just want our community to know that the NAACP had a hand in, for example, the black mama bailout, or this back to school drive or this turkey giveaway, because when I talk to my peers and people younger than me, they don't know what the NAACP is, or what it does, or why it's important. And to me as a student of history, that is just so we really dropped the ball there. Two of the founders of the NAACP, where I'd be Will's in WEB DuBois. And when I'm having a bad day, I always tell myself, it's like content. I'd be willing to be proud of you. That's how I keep myself going. Because if I'd be willing to endure the things that she endured to still be of service to our people, then there's no way there's no way that

Unknown Speaker 14:12
that we can endure that. Yeah, I remember watching kind of similar net same thing watching the movie that Ava DuVernay did oh my god, I'm drawing a blank on the name but you know, the the Selma and as I'm watching Salma in the theater, it was like one of those periods for clicks that come but I felt tired but as I'm watching this movie, and the events, the history unfold on the big screen, I'm looking at the struggles and it just made me ask myself what you think you're what tired? How dare you be tired in the face of looking at everything that they went through? We don't even have the privilege in this day and age really of being tired. You should always be motivated. Some people who've come before us have gone through so much But in the space of what you said about people not knowing what the NAACP does, I'd like to make it really personal and say and get into specific things that you work on. I know you guys do some things with housing, voting rights, things like that. But I want to, you know, just make sure we touch on it a little bit so that the abstract becomes very tangible, that you're you affect housing, you affect scholarships, economic development, and from the angle of jobs or equal pay or business development. So while I'm drawing topics, what are some of the programs or projects and committees you guys have going within the local branch that people can get involved with? A specific question, thank you for asking.

Unknown Speaker 15:45
You should visit last you should visit in ACP lasvegas.org. To learn about our committees. We have 21 Standing committees in this branch, yes, 21. Wow, them could probably be like, convinced. I want to like combine some of them. But we have everything from housing, to our freedom Fund, which is the fundraising committee to criminal justice, to win, which is women in the NAACP, there is something for everyone, there's environmental justice, when I'm most proud of, well, most proud, most not all of it, because everybody's really just like taking up the mantle of the thing that they do well. And I always say consistency begets the right following, right, you don't have to plan an event and hope 100 people showed up. But if you have that event, and it's the same time each month, and you have three people show up, and that three becomes six, and that six become 12. Now you have made a following, because your consistency has built a habit. So one of the things I'm proud of is black people like Las Vegas, that was an organization that a mentee of mine started. And now he's doing hikes in collaboration with the NAACP, where our branch members are able to go out and explore nature, be at peace with nature use it as a self care. We're collaborating with other black outdoorsman and outdoors women to learn about our public lands, and to use that opportunity to talk about climate change, and to talk about how we can be adapting to climate change, because there's nothing we're going to be able to do to stop what's happening. But there is a lot we can do to be sharing information amongst one another about how we adapt to what is happening in our world. That's one program that we have that's running. The women in the NAACP, chaired by my first vice president is going is up and running. I think when had like 4550 members, the ladies come together and they have put together plans around socks and underwear drives, they put together plans around feeling boards and commissions. I don't know if folks know. But that is a real opportunity in this state. And at the local level, if you're looking to get involved without putting your name on the ballot, a lot of decisions get made on appointed boards and commissions at the city, county and state level. And I know, at the state level, there's consistently a great deal of vacancies. We need our people filling those vacancies, because the decisions that get made in those places on those boards inevitably end up being city or county ordinances or end up being state laws in some capacity or another. So I really appreciate when having a focus on leadership development by way of service through these boards. That's so smart. And I really just think it's a great opportunity within that particular committee to be building the next generation of leadership, right? Because I tell folks all the time, I don't want to be president for forever. I would love to do this until my heart's desire or until the people decide that they don't want me no more. And then we know who and who another successor is that it's not this like, default situation. That is the culture of the NAACP, that there is an unwillingness to step up and do free work. But I want to change that culture. And I'm hoping to change that culture through these committees. The criminal justice committee I'm really excited about. I have a young person who's chairing that committee, they are going to be working closely in collaboration with the mass liberation project and the work that they do. One project specifically that's come up is the work to help free Ricki slaughter. Rickie Fowler is a young man who was wrongfully convicted at the age of 19, and has been in jail for close to 20 years, there have been all kinds of misgivings and transgressions that have transpired in his case. And we are trying to create enough community awareness so that we can have the case reopened and hopefully have him released from prison very, very soon.

Unknown Speaker 19:24
So when you do cases like that, is there because the NAACP is a local branch of a national organization? Is there ever any collaboration from the national office to assist with what branches are doing? How connected is that relationship of the food chain?

Unknown Speaker 19:41
That's a great question. We are working on that relationship. I don't know what happened before I was here. I've heard stories I don't know what what the what is. But we are working on creating more open lines of communication between the National Film A convention is coming here this summer, it's been a little easier to get in touch with folks. But if you're asking me like, do I have a direct line to someone at the NAACP Legal Defense on? I don't know, it's kind

Unknown Speaker 20:11
of asking you that. But I was also asking just in general, so that listeners understand the structure because a lot of nonprofits, urban legs work the same way to a degree where there's the national umbrella, if you will, and then there are the branches underneath it. So there's NAACP at its highest level, and then there's branches across the country. And I know there's the connected component it to some degree with the finances. I'll urban links fall under Urban League's nonprofit arm. Technically, even though they also have established nonprofit status in the state where they're operating. They're still a connective tissue. So um, you know, it's the same thing with the NAACP. But when you have that line of connectivity and communication, how far does the reach go, and how much support comes into focus so that when it is an issue that while local, is a national reach, because there are so many cases of people wrongfully convicted, I think I saw coverage of one just the other day on CBS mornings, where they were doing a case trying to lobby it to go back before the judge to free someone wrongfully convicted, even with evidence introduced, that at the time of the case was not allowed to be presented, affecting the outcome, having the person put in jail, and now they're trying to reintroduce it. So these cases are prominent across the country in many communities. So I'm wondering like when NAACP is, is an organization that you think have to work on criminal justice reform? How organized is it from the top down so that people understand we're on our own or we're not on our own? Yeah,

Unknown Speaker 21:54
we are not on our own. But I don't know. I'm not sure exactly where the national resources are to help us amplify. When furious transgressions happen. I met with the National general council a couple of weeks ago, some folks came to town because the conventions coming. And they were very intrigued by the work that we had done regarding an incident that happened in February earlier this year. If you recall, listeners recall earlier in February of this year, some students at Durango high school were violently accosted by CCSD Police. And we have not stopped ringing the alarm. And we haven't forgot that this happened to our young people either. What we've asked is for body cam footage to be released, so that we would know why this happens. But the superintendent has denied that request. And I said that no changes would be made to policy. When I provided an overview of that circumstance to the national General Counsel, I was advised to make sure that they know when we engage in those types of activities, so that we could potentially get some assistance to nationalize it. But I imagined at the national office, you have those types of instances happening countless times throughout a week, countless times throughout a month. So I don't know what their process is as far as deciding what's going to get attention or what they give attention to. So I've made it a point to just focus locally, we haven't forgot what happened to the Durango students, we will continue to hold the leadership accountable and making sure we get justice for our young people. But I don't really know where the national fits in when it comes to being able to say, hey, that terrible thing happened. We're gonna bring the full force of the NAACP in to help with this thing. Understand,

Unknown Speaker 23:27
do you do you see yourself? Do you see yourself aiming higher? Because there is the local level work? And then there's taking that work and reaching regional levels and reaching national levels? As you're doing this? Is there ever a thought in your mind to reach further in terms of your service by a sending to NAACP or any other social justice, civic justice? Fight?

Unknown Speaker 24:00
For a planet Earth? That's what I'm gonna run for? No, no, no, no, no. I do have a pretty ambitious goal related to the NAACP. That kind of answers your question. Nevada is part of a tri state conference, we are in a state conference with Utah and with Idaho. Reason being is because the population of members in Nevada doesn't constitute enough for us to be our own state conference. In an ideal world, we'd have our own state conference like Florida, Texas, New York, Missouri, Kentucky, those states have a single state conference president, and that President is responsible for the branches throughout that state. We share a state conference president with the states of Idaho and Utah. And while civil rights and the issues that people of color and black people face largely are the same. Being in our tri state conference I think is a little I'm gonna say out of place, but the issues we have here in Nevada are different than the issues that I've heard my contemporaries in Idaho and Utah have. So my goal, as President of this branch will be to help lead an initiative that could help us establish four new branches in Nevada, that would allow us to have our own state conference. And that was, that gonna be a lot of work. But that would be get some stronger political power for this branch and all the branches throughout Nevada for us to be able to break off from our existing tri state conference and become a single state conference. My goal and getting that accomplished, God willing, is 2028. That's when our specific branch in Las Vegas turns 100 years old. So I've got, what four years to make it happen. Okay, figure it out.

Unknown Speaker 25:46
That's a that's a great goal. I mean, it's really interesting. We're coming into the final phase of time this morning for the show. So I want to make sure while we still have enough time you share with people how they can get involved, get more information, get on a mailing list, or anything like that contact and come out to a meeting, or any event you might be having. So how can one How can the community find you for those who don't already know or want to learn more, and get involved social handles.

Unknown Speaker 26:16
So our final meeting of the year is going to be on Saturday, December 16. Our meetings are always on the third Saturday of the month, they are always at the Pearson center. They are always at 1230. So if you haven't been able to join us, please join us because this next meeting is going to be a year in review reflection. To just talk about all the things and all the great work that we've done this year, you can visit our website at N double A CP las vegas.org. On our website, you can donate because we are nonprofit, we do need your help to keep our mission fueled and moving forward, you can sign up to be on a committee on our website. And you can see upcoming events from our website. So I welcome you to join the December meeting. I would also encourage you to get involved now, because the national convention is coming in July, and it will be all hands on deck. The national team that comes in to plan the convention says we need 250 to 300 Las Vegas at the conference every single day. That's by way of volunteers, by way of just participants by way of observers, by way of helping people just get around the property and help people navigate off the property. My plan is to create a host committee which is already formed, where we can be encouraging folks that come to town for the conference, to come into our community by where real Las Vegas live, and spend money at our bars, our cigar lounges, our restaurants are all the things right like when the convention comes here, it shouldn't just be a lucrative opportunity for the national organization, it should be a lucrative opportunity for the businesses that are in our own community too. So if you have input, I don't have a trademark on all the good ideas. So if you've got input, please join us. I'm very easy and accessible to get in touch with probably too much because I have a lot of meetings. But I want to hear from our community because I'm the type of leader that leads in collaboration with people I want the ideas of others to, to shape how we move forward collectively. I

Unknown Speaker 28:16
think that is all great. And I'm excited for what's going on. I've seen the conference here before in the past. And I know it's awesome. We are, of course at the end of our show yet again. But it's been a morning of really great information about the NAACP, you mentioned the Pearson Center. For those who are not familiar, it's the Dr. William U Pearson Community Center, located at 1625 West Cary Avenue. So that is where the organization meets. Again, Quentin, thank you for coming on the show and spending some time talking with me and sharing with our listeners information about the NAACP locally, what it is doing, where it's going and how they can engage. I want to offer everyone a great Good morning and wish you the best week as we move into the first week of December and gear up for the holiday. So stay safe. Be careful while you're out shopping gear up to enjoy family. And I guess we'll be setting some new year's resolution soon.

Unknown Speaker 29:17
Yeah, we will. Meanwhile,

Unknown Speaker 29:19
take care stay healthy. And I look forward to seeing you and another NAACP meeting in the near future.

Unknown Speaker 29:26
Sounds good. Thank you, Tanya.

Unknown Speaker 29:28
Thank you for coming on. I want to thank you for tuning into the scoop with me telling you Flanagan and I want to invite you to get social with me. I'm on Facebook and Twitter. My name is my handle TA and YAFLA na GA and you can also find me on Instagram at Tanya almond eyes Flanagan and if you have a thought and opinion or a suggestion, don't hesitate to shoot me an email to tonya.flanagan@unlv.edu Thanks again for joining in. Stay safe and have a great week.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai