Rev. Medgar Reid

Baltimore, MD (BlackNews.com) — The Baltimore City Branch of The NAACP has named Rev. Medgar L. Reid Chairman of The Voter Education, Registration and Civic Engagement Committee 2012.

In his new role as Chairman of The Voter Education, Registration and Civic Engagement Committee 2012, Rev. Reid will coordinate with other organizations and oversee helping people to use the power of their voice by voting. With an aim to increase the young electorate turnout (18-29), the NAACP in conjunction with other organizations will continue to make voter education, registration, civic engagement and voter turnout a priority.

Baltimore City NAACP Branch President Tessa Hill-Aston, comments, “Medgar’s servant-leadership style regarding voting rights in Baltimore City will ensure that Dr. Martin Luther King’s Dream stays alive for everybody. He comes to this position having been co-chair with The Late Congressman Parren J. Mitchell of The Seven Words to “Save our Cities” – Jobs with Peace Program in the early 90s which helped pave the way for the $100 million Empowerment Zone Grant during Mayor Kurt Schmoke’s administration.”

As a professional chaplain, disabled Marine Corps veteran and consultant, he has served on many boards, committees, commissions and held leadership positions in local, state and federal government and in the international, private and non-profit business sectors. Since 2001, he has made a positive impact in the $62 trillion global economy as liaison to The White House, The U.S. Congress and The United Nations for The Sandiford Group, an international consulting firm whose founder is closely allied with former Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger.

Reid comments, “No amount of money or influence can beat the true power of an informed, educated electorate that is determined to exercise their right to vote for which many, including my name-sake Medgar Wiley Evers, died to secure.”

Reid is a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary International; Ronald E. McNair Scholar of Coppin State University; 2004 Graduate of (ABC) Associated Black Charities Leadership Program “Sankofa Leader”; 2006 Graduate of The (BLEWS) Black-Jewish Forum Leadership Program and brother of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. among other organizations.

He says, “Our plan is to help equip the residents of Baltimore City and other organizations with educational materials, technical assistance, training, online voter registration, new media tools, marketing messaging, mobile text messaging, web based “VAN” style voter contact systems, and constituency coalition building.”

While civic engagement efforts remain at the forefront of the NAACP’s agenda, ensuring Americans’ voting rights are equally important.