New Minneapolis NAACP president ‘honored’ to lead civil rights group

Angela Rose Myers, 25, was elected president of the Minneapolis Branch of the NAACP at Monday’s meeting.

"I’m so thankful and honored, and humbled," Myers said.

Myers is now one of the youngest presidents to lead the civil rights group that formed in Minneapolis back in 1914. Previous president Leslie E. Redmond was also 25-years-old when elected.

"I think that our history is so unique and beautiful," Myers said. "I’m so proud and honored to have a lot of the leaders still here with us today supporting me."

Myers returned to Minnesota after college, held a previous leadership role in the branch and works at the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice at the University of Minnesota.

"We need a better, more fair and more inclusive Minnesota," Myers said.

The voices raised calling for systemic change on the streets after George Floyd’s death, Myers said, were heard last week at the ballot box. However, she says the energy must continue.

"We saw that passion on Nov. 3, we really came out, people who were marching in the streets, they came and marched to the polls," Myers said."I’m excited to see where that energy leads us."

Myers said she wants to see younger community members who have been energized to join the NAACP branch to learn skills to then be able to create lasting social and economic policy changes.

"To then go on outside the NAACP and make and facilitate change in our government structures," Myers said.

Myers’ term as president of the Minneapolis branch runs for two years.

"The possibilities here in Minnesota are endless," Myers said. "Unfortunately Minnesota does have a long history of racism. To heal from that and to go forward is something I really hope to do with my community.”