By Lawrence Hamm
Photos: Facebook\People’s Organization For Progress
The Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice And Resistance will take place Saturday, April 26, 2025, 8:30am to 4:00pm, at Essex County College, Smith Hall, 303 University Avenue in Newark, New Jersey.
The convention is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress (POP). It has been endorsed by 274 grassroots, civic, community, labor, student, religious, racial and social justice organizations.
“The purpose of the convention is to develop a people’s agenda for social justice and resistance to all efforts, including those of the Trump administration, to erase the gains of the civil rights movement and the social progress of the past century,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.
The convention is open to the general public. Those who wish to attend are encouraged to register in advance. Registration for the convention is still open. There is no registration fee.
There will be free parking at the college for convention participants. On-site registration will also take place at the convention. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided free of charge to participants.
People can register for the convention online at Eventbrite.
Those who are unable to register online can call the People’s Organization For Progress at (973)801-0001 or send an email to [email protected].
Hamm said the convention is a “grassroots working convention,” with a very basic schedule. Participants will be served a light breakfast in the morning. This will be followed by a plenary session for the rest of the morning.
The main work of the convention will take place there. During that session resolutions will be brought before the convention as a whole. There are no workshops.
“The resolutions that are passed during the plenary session will become part of the people’s convention agenda which participants and the endorsing organizations will be encouraged to continue promoting after the gathering on Saturday,” Hamm said.
The resolutions brought before the convention will deal with a wide range of issues including both domestic and international concerns. There will be resolutions on issues related to labor, health care, housing, education, poverty, environment, civil rights, human rights, voting rights, women’s rights, budget cuts, immigration, DEI, affirmative action, police brutality, attacks on black history, reparations, racial, social, and economic justice.
International issues to be addressed include ending the genocidal war against the Palestinians, dropping sanctions against South Africa, U.S. policies toward other African countries and Haiti, as well as the struggle to prevent the spread of war around the world.
“The resolutions adopted at the convention are non-binding and do not supersede the policies and positions of the individual endorsing organizations. Support of the endorsing organizations for resolutions passed at the convention is voluntary,” he said.
After the morning plenary session convention participants will have lunch. That will be followed by a gubernatorial candidates forum in the afternoon which is expected to last about 90 minutes. The discussion with the candidates will be facilitated by a moderator.
The candidates will all have an opportunity to make opening statements. This will be followed by a question and answer period. Questions for the candidates will come from a panel of representatives of several of the endorsing organization. The forum will end with closing statements from the candidates.
Hamm said endorsements of the convention are still being sought and will be received up to the day of the event. He said groups that wish to endorse should contact POP immediately.
The 270 endorsing organizations include: Local 108 Retail Wholesale Department Store Union UFCW AFL-CIO, Newark Branch NAACP, Morris County Branch NAACP, New Jersey Black Issues Convention, International Black Women’s Congress, African Diaspora for Justice, New Jersey Poor People’s Campaign, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 21, South Ward Environmental Alliance, 350 NJ-Rockland, Greenfaith International, Hoboken United Tenants, New Jersey Green Sustainable Group, December 12thMovement, Clinton Hill Seniors In Action, New Jersey Peace Action, Cease Fire Now NJ, Jewish Voice for Peace Northern New Jersey Chapter, SOMA Collective for Palestine, Pax Christi, Jersey City Non-Violence Coalition, Steven Institute Students for Justice in Palestine, Elombe Brath Coalition, Omega Psi Phi-Upsilon Chapter, Corey Lewis Teague, Hudson County Sierra Club, Bread Is Rising, Newark North Jersey Committee Of Black Churchmen, Hafiz Farid/Foremost Productions, Food & Water Watch, Marques-Aquil Lewis Civic Association, Black Lives Matter Elizabeth, National United Youth Council, Irvington NAACP, Make The Road New Jersey, New Brunswick Area Branch NAACP, Seton Hall University Martin Luther King Scholarship Association, Tom Paine Brigade, Jersey City Food Not Bombs, Hackensack Riverkeeper, HPAE Local 5089, Bethany Baptist Church, All Politics Are Local, National Black Political Convention, Man Village Men’s Support Group, Islay Walden Education Alliance, New Jersey Communities for Accountable Policing, New Jersey Chapter of the National Action Network, Jumpstart, Journey To Justice, Greater Newark Chapter of the National Action Network, Committee To Eliminate Media Offensive To African People, NAACP New Jersey State Conference, African- American Commission of Camden, Gregory Thomas Foundation, Grandmaster Khalil’s Generation II Ippon Do School of Martial Arts, The Law And Policy Group, Mt Teman AME Church, MAPSO Freedom School, Good Neighbor Baptist Church, Newark Interfaith Alliance, The Radical Elders, The Muslim League of Voters of New Jersey, Philadelphia Black Radical Congress, North Jersey Black Caucus for Social Justice, National Action Network – South Jersey Chapter, National Awareness Alliance, Interfaith Action Movement, New Community Corporation, St James AME Church, Melanintellect LLC, Newark’s Impact, Venceremos Brigade Local Committee, Build More Unity, Black Lives Matter Paterson, Justice For Bernard Placide Jr Foundation, Bergen County Black Caucus, Not On My Watch, Go Pro Radio, First Bethel Baptist Church, Palestinian Student Association SHU, COWHN, St John Baptist Church, Jackie Robinson Little League, Street To Street Mentorship, The Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations – Newark, NJ, Union Baptist Church of Montclair, Young Professionals for Justice, The Elorm Ocansey Ministry Foundation, 4 Asbury Park CPC, Greater Asbury Park Historic Revival Project, Whitesboro Historic Preservation Project, Victory Worship Sounds of Praise Church of Harlem, Urban League of Union County, Salvation and Social Justice, First Baptist Church of Carteret, St Peter’s Baptist Church of Newark, NAACP Atlantic City Branch, Masjid Muhammad of Atlantic City, East Orange Old Guard will endorse, Men Of Essex, New Jersey Institute For Social Justice, Homeowners for Equal Justice, Wisdom Shapes Minds, Community Development Corp, WSM associates, Metamorphosis Development Enterprise, RiverSand Development, CS2 Development, CHS Construction Co., Utility Workers Union of America Local 601, The Institute of the Black World 21st Century, Black Cops Against Police Brutality, NAACP Oranges And Maplewood Branch, Brick City Peace Collective, Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery, National Association of Kawaida Organizations – New York, United Missionary Baptist Convention of New Jersey, CWA Local 1081, American Civil Liberties Union of NJ, Resistance Movement of Union County, Our Revolution New Jersey, Central New Jersey Democratic Socialists of America, Justice for Drew JC, Occupy Bergen County, Make It Plain, Monmouth County – National Action Network, Kickin’ it With Brother Ed, Latino Action Network, University of Orange, Unitarian Universalist FaithAction New Jersey, Good Deeds, Islamic Alliance, Until Freedom, Veterans For Peace/Chapter 021
(Northern New Jersey), Frontiers International Plainfield Area Club, The Newark, NJ Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair, Teaneck Vigil for Peace and Justice, Leonia Vigil for Peace and Justice, Jews for Palestinian Right of Return, AFSCME Local 2298, A. Philip Randolph Institute – Essex County Chapter, A. Philip Randolph Institute – Union County Chapter, District 1199J, AFT Local 1904 at Montclair State University, PAL-Awda NY/NJ, Lazos America Unida, Faith In New Jersey, REFAL, United Parks As One, Brothers Building A Better Nation, Resistencia en Accion NJ, The Young Voters Association, NuFamily Foundation, Inc., Sankofa Leadership Academy, Unapologetic Amateur Looking for Experts, The Robert Hill Foundation, Action 21, Heard AME Church, The Reformed Church of Highland Park, Interfaith Rise, The Ed Cotton Foundation, Friends Committee on National Legislation – New Jersey Advocacy Team, St Paul AME Church – Kenilworth NJ, The Essex Times, The Solidarity Singers of the New Jersey Industrial Union Council, New Jersey Industrial Union Council, The Martin Luther King Jr Commemorative Committee of Elizabeth NJ, SOMA Action, and New Jersey Association of Black Psychologists, Let’s Save Paterson, Kappa Alpha Psi – Newark Alumni Chapter, Amazon Labor Union – IBT Local 1, Public Employees Supervisors’ Union, Metropolitan Baptist Church, South Jersey Progressive Democrats, Mt Zion AME Church – Millburn NJ, Waterspirit, National Association of Black Social Workers – New Jersey, Merchantville Democratic Committee, South Ward Democratic Committee, Parents of Murdered Children Grief Support Group, Mothers of Murdered Sons and Daughters (MOMSAD), Nigerian American Public Affairs Committee, Israel Memorial AME Church, Metropolitan AMEZ Church, Bomber’s Barbershop, HPAE Local 5094, New Life Body of Christ, Ambassador Builders Ministry, Ronald Jones Interfaith Community Outreach, New Jersey Citizen Action, The Concerned Citizens of Clinton Hill, The Foundation of Shakiaa Garrett, Rev. Dr. Herbert Daughtry Sr., President, Herbert Daughtry Global Ministries, You Gone Learn Today, West Orange African Heritage Organization, Sterling Funding Inc., The Phillip Pannell Foundation, Unifying Mothers & Men Initiative, October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression, and the Criminalization of a Generation, New Jersey Working Families Alliance, Coalition For Peace Action, Montclair NAACP Youth Council, NJ AFL CIO, RWDSU District Council, IBEW Local 827, American Muslims for Palestine – New Jersey (AMP NJ), Integrated Justice Alliance, West Orange for Humanity, UFCW Region 1, NJ Give & Go, Social Justice Matters, African American Alliance USA, Essex West Hudson Labor Council, IUOE Local 68, New Jersey Faith Allies for Reparations Task Force: Say The Word, Garden State Equality
Fountain Baptist Church of Summit
Clear View Baptist Church, Social Action Committee of the Ethical Culture Society of Essex County, Greater Mt Zion AME Church – Trenton NJ, BET HaSHEM YHWH, Build Up Resistance Now (NJ BURN), Black Panther Party Commemoration Committee – NY, Urban League of Essex County, Institute for Peace and Leadership USA, Phillips Metropolitan Christian Methodist Church, Center for Spiritual Living North Jersey, St Paul AME Church-East Orange NJ, Allen A.M.E. Church-Newark, Bethel A.M.E. Church-Boonton, Bethel A.M.E. Church-Vauxhall, Union Chapel A.M.E. Church, Women Advisors to the Council of Imams, Masjid Al Hadi, Masjid Al Haqq, Mt. Airy United Fellowship of Philadelphia, Lawrence Neighbors Together, Love Ministries, Organization of Unity and Empowerment, NUWAVE Network, Eyes Like Mine, Africa Views Organization, New Jersey Association of Black Educators, New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, People’s Organization For Progress Children of Right Now, Showing Up For Racial Justice – New Jersey (SURJ-NJ), American Friends Service Committee Prison Watch Program, Seton Hall Africana Studies Program, Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, Nesbitt Funeral Home, Friends of New Jersey Legacy Foundation, Shades of Jersey City, Public Service Governance, South Orange-Vailsburg United Methodist Church, Nells Sweet Retreat, St. Luke A.M.E. Church-Newark NJ, Afrikan Echoes, Breathing Poets Society Breathing For Breya Blackberry, Alexander Skye Group, Prodigal Sons And Daughters Behavioral Healthcare Services, About Face: Veterans Against The War, MY CHIC NAILS, Incarcerated Nation Network, Returning Citizens Support Group, Sophia Inclusive Community, Jersey City Peace Movement, Morris County Chapter – NOW, National Organization for Women – New Jersey, Northern New Jersey – NOW, Morris County Human Relations Commission, South Jersey NOW – Alice Paul Chapter, and Sterling Funding Inc.
For more information or to endorse the convention call 973 801-0001.
