ASU's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People chapter will send 20 students to Washington, D.C. for the “Justice or Else” rally on Oct. 10.
Chapter executives said the trip has been in the works for three months and is an attempt to provide representation for ASU's African-American students. Students will be in Washington, D.C. Oct. 9 to 12, said chapter vice president and business legal studies junior Darien Washington, who is going on the trip.
"We’ve been planning this out for a while … I’m so super excited,” Washington said. ”We’re there so we can get that experience and bring it back here and apply it. We’re kind of putting Arizona State on the map.”
Washington said this is the first year ASU’s NAACP will take a trip outside of Arizona, and it is the only organization from ASU to officially attend the rally.
The “Justice or Else” rally is in response to recent race-related violence, including the killing of Eric Garner and Trayvon Martin. Prominent black social leader and previous head of the Nation of Islam, Minister Louis Farrakhan, is leading the rally.
Event speakers will touch on issues such as wanting justice for African-Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, women, the poor, the incarcerated and veterans, according to the event website.
The rally coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Million Man March. This march was held in and around Washington, D.C. in 1995 to bring awareness to urban and minority issues.
Keyon Pritchett, chapter treasurer, event planner and journalism junior, said "Justice or Else" is the most prominent event for people advocating for social issues, like justice for those killed in instances of police brutality.
“Basically it is to address social issues and what people do to move forward to change them,” Pritchett said.
ASU NAACP president and justice studies and African-American studies senior Yadima Ugwuala said the application to go on the trip was open to all students and the ASU NAACP executive board selected each candidate.
Organizers meant for the trip to be paid for in full by contributions from many separate organizations, but Ugwuala said the group doesn't have all the necessary funding for the trip.
"We’re currently talking to the school about funding it, we're talking to other organizations," Ugwuala said. “We're going everywhere we possibly can and local churches as well.”
Those interested in helping the group get to Washington can donate on the organization's website.
Washington said aside from attending the rally, students will be visiting the White House, Lincoln Memorial, Frederick Douglas Memorial and the Civil Rights Museum.
The Black African Coalition, which oversees black student organizations including the NAACP, will host a television-viewing event for the rally on Oct. 10 in Murdock Hall.
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