About Us

The Eugene Springfield NAACP is unit 1119 of the over 2,200 NAACP branches across the country.

About the Movement

Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

The NAACP is a c4 organization (contributions are not tax-deductible), and we have a partner c3 organization known as NAACP Empowerment Programs (contributions are fully tax-deductible as allowed by the IRS).

Please contact admin@naacplanecounty.org should you wish to donate. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization, and shares our commitment to equal rights.

Vision Statement

The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race.

Objectives

To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens
To achieve equality of rights and eliminate race prejudice among the citizens of the United States
To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes
To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state, and local laws securing civil rights
To inform the public of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination
To educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and to take any other lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP’s Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.

Eugene NAACP Leadership and Volunteers

Demond Hawkins

President

Demond Hawkins is currently serving as the President of the Eugene Springfield NAACP and holds the position of Senior Health Equity Specialist at Trillium Community Health Plan. With a background rooted in his faith, family, and a strong work ethic, Demond brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his roles.

In his capacity as a Senior Health Equity Specialist, Demond collaborates with diverse stakeholders to identify and address disparities in care and outcomes. By leveraging data, his direct experience working with individuals, and fostering community partnerships, he actively contributes to transformative changes in health equity delivery. Demond is particularly passionate about promoting diversity, health equity, and inclusion, as well as recognizing and dismantling systemic barriers associated with racism.

Driven by his goal to effect meaningful change, Demond strives to be intentional in his efforts to ensure that future generations can enjoy a better quality of life than.

April Broadnax

Vice President

April Broadnax serves as Vice President of the NAACP Eugene-Springfield Branch, where she helps lead local civil rights advocacy, community engagement, and organizational initiatives that advance equity and justice in the region. She plays a key role in strengthening partnerships, elevating community voices, and supporting programs that address systemic barriers facing Black and marginalized communities.

She is also a Housing Case Manager with HIV Alliance, specializing in eviction prevention and housing stability for individuals and families at risk of losing their homes. In this role, April supports clients in navigating complex systems, accessing vital resources, and building pathways toward long-term stability and well-being.

Deeply passionate about affordable housing, racial justice, and equitable access to services, April views her work as soul-driven and community-centered. She is dedicated to building, uplifting, and empowering the community she calls home.

Susan Schroeder

Secretary

Susan has served on the NAACP Health Committee for over five years, collaborating with committee members to develop a series of webinars for health care providers on anti-racist patient care and for patients on self-advocacy. Her professional background as a project manager and grant writer includes extensive work in public health research and program development. Susan’s commitment to racial justice and health equity is grounded in her Christian faith and shaped by the example of her father, a Presbyterian minister whose ministry emphasized racial justice and equal rights for women and LGBTQ+ individuals.

Kristinia Rogers

Assistant Secretary

Kristinia Rogers serves as the Assistant Secretary for the NAACP and as the Senior Traditional Health Worker Liaison at Trillium Community Health Plan. Bicultural in Thai and Hispanic traditions, she brings a profound understanding of how identity and community shape health, belonging, and resilience.

Passionate about expanding the Traditional Health Worker workforce, Kristinia works to strengthen BIPOC representation and ensure that communities can access providers who reflect their identities, honor their cultural experiences, and amplify their voices. She is deeply committed to advancing health equity through lived experience, community voice, cultural humility, and community-centered partnerships.

Deborah Reynolds-Lange

Interim Executive Director:

Deborah Lange is the interim Executive Director of the Eugene/Springfield NAACP, the region’s oldest and most active civil rights organization. A seasoned educational leader, her career spans nearly every aspect of the field—from classroom teaching and student support to district and state administration. Having served as an educational assistant, teacher, principal, state director, and state assistant superintendent, Deborah brings a comprehensive and compassionate perspective to every endeavor.

Throughout her career, she has championed educational equity, community empowerment, and culturally responsive, relationship-centered leadership. At the Eugene/Springfield NAACP, she continues this mission by leading community-driven initiatives that unite families, schools, and organizations to advance racial and social justice, emotional well-being, and equitable opportunity for all. Guided by the NAACP’s historic commitment to ensuring political, educational, social, and economic equality, Deborah is dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers and creating lasting pathways for future generations.