BOSTON — Drive past the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and the anticipation is building for the city to host the national NAACP Convention.
“This convention is 5 years in the making. We were scheduled to be here in 2020 then the pandemic hit and so this speaks to the resilience of Boston being ready for the NAACP,” says Trovon Williams, NAACP Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communication.
Inside the convention center a team prepared for the more than 7,000 people expected to attend. The convention will feature Vice President Kamala Harris, Patriots Owner Robert Kraft and the rapper Meek Mill just to name a few.
“Boston can expect an amazing community-based experience. We wanted this convention to be very unique. Boston is ready for us, and NAACP is ready for Boston,” says Williams.
Friday is when the convention starts, but the unofficial party already kicked off Wednesday night with high school students from across the country celebrating their talents.
“I am very excited this is my first time,” says Miyah Miller, an upcoming college freshman.
On Thursday hundreds of kids will compete in categories such as performance, culinary arts, and STEM for a chance to win scholarships. It’s part of the ACT-SO program also known as Afro-Academic, cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics.
“It means everything to me because I am an immigrant and I am immigrant here representing every immigrant out there,” says Debbie Gomez-Rivera, an upcoming college freshman.
Win or lose, these kids say they’re just looking forward to the connections they’ll make in Boston.
“I am very excited more about learning new things and meeting new people,” says Miller.
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