With the new year comes new leadership and ideas for the 2023-24 term. One of the goals of our organization is making outreach to all the various community groups that make up our constituent base to better understand their issues and how we can support them. The speakers at the Sun Lakes Democratic Club meeting on Monday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. will address issues facing our Afro-American residents.

Kiana Sears, EV NAACP President. The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) was formed in 1906 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans. The East Valley has an NAACP branch, so we are pleased that Kiana Sears, the EV NAACP president, will address us at this meeting. Ms. Sears is also the program director for the LIFT Initiative, a Faith Based Community Partnership at ASU, and serves as a Mesa School District Governing Board member. Ms. Sears will discuss local issues the African American community faces, such as the environmental issues in Randolph, Ariz., and how the community is responding to youth access of nicotine candy.

Karl Gentiles, Chair of the Maricopa County Democratic Party Black Engagement Committee. In his role with the county party, he has been instrumental in developing outreach to the African American community. He will update us on the issues important to African American voters as we go into the next election cycle.

Jennifer Pawlik, AZ House Representative, LD 13. Rep. Pawlik will provide an update on the current legislative session and pending legislation before the AZ House.

Our monthly meetings are held the second Monday of the month at the Sun Lakes Country Club Navajo Room at 7 p.m. Please direct any questions to Roxy Banta at 480-899-5696 or [email protected].