By: Richard L. Smith
The Hillside Branch of the NAACP will mark its third anniversary with a Freedom Fund Awards Gala on Friday, November 1, 2024, at Costa Del Sol in Union. 
This year’s event, beginning at 8:00 p.m., will honor eight distinguished community member.
Tickets for the gala are $100 and can be purchased via Zelle through the Hillside NAACP website.
"We are excited to recognize six remarkable individuals in our community along with celebrating our third-year anniversary," said Nicole Graves-Watson, founder and president of the Hillside NAACP.
The Hillside NAACP was officially chartered on October 16, 2021, marking the first time the township has had its own branch.
Since its inception, the branch has spearheaded numerous initiatives, including a Black History Month essay contest for middle school students, scholarships for high school seniors, and educational workshops on critical issues like the NJ Amistad Act, gun violence, and voter rights.
The gala will honor the contributions of six key figures in the community: actor and comedian Na’im Lynn, Hillside Police Captain Lashonda Burgess-Mason, Bruce Morgan of the New Brunswick NAACP, Yolanda Jackson of Rutgers University, Rev. Cherrena Dale-Rawls, and Charlene Nicholson of the New Jersey Innovation Institute.
The NAACP, founded in 1909, remains one of the nation’s oldest civil rights organizations, dedicated to promoting justice in areas such as education, healthcare, and the economy.
The Hillside NAACP continues this mission with local partnerships and programs aimed at empowering the community.
For more information, visit naacphillsidenj.org.