

ABOUT
HOW WE GOT STARTED
In May 2021, founding members Darlene Futrel, President; Pastor Yolonda Hughes, Vice President; Cynthia Franklin, Treasurer; and Marilyn “Peaches” Dow, Secretary, began meeting weekly to organize and form an Orange County Chapter of the National Action Network (“NAN OC”). On July 31, 2021, the 26 Founding Members of NAN OC held its INTENT TO CHARTER meeting. On October 19, 2021, the National Executive Director and President, Rev. Al Sharpton, approved and recognized NAN OC as a chapter in full compliance.
OUR STORY
National Action Network (“NAN“) was founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton. It is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. In May 2021, founding President, Darlene Futrel, formed an Executive Committee comprised of Pastor Yolonda Hughes, Cynthia Franklin, and Marilyn Dow. They would convene on a weekly basis to strategically organize and establish an Orange County Chapter of the National Action Network (“NAN OC”) with the intent to specifically address inequities in the healthcare system; secondhand smoke in multi-unit housing units (47% of Blacks encounter secondhand smoke); race hate (despite being only 2.1% of Orange County’s population, Black people are the most targeted for hate crimes and incidents); advocacy for solo seniors (1 in 5 elderly people do not have supportive family nearby); youth mentorship; food and housing insecurity; erasing the stigma of mental health; and the disproportionate rate of arrests and convictions of Black and Brown people in a county where Blacks make up only 2.1% of the population yet over 5.8% are criminally charged. On July 31, 2021, the 26 Founding Members of NAN OC held its INTENT TO CHARTER meeting. On October 19, 2021, the National Executive Director and President, Rev. Al Sharpton, approved and recognized NAN OC as an official chapter in full compliance.


In its two years of existence, NAN OC has doubled its membership, collaborated with multiple Orange County community organizations (i.e., ACLU, C.L.U.E., The Haitian Bridge Alliance, to name a few) to raise awareness and resolve community concerns and has built and delivered holiday baskets to over 200 Seniors who have no supportive family members nearby and will spend their holidays alone. NAN OC is a member of the governance board of the Health Equity for African American League (“HEAAL”), a community partner of Equity in OC (“EIOC”), an initiative of OC Healthcare Agency and works with a coalition of community organizations throughout Orange County to educate, empower and impact community and policies. NAN OC works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for health equity and one standard of justice, decency, and equal opportunities for all people regardless of age, race, religion, ethnicity, citizenship, criminal record, economic status, gender, gender expression, or sexuality. NO JUSTICE! NO PEACE!
OUR MISSION
NAN OC is a village of activists working to dismantle the barriers to racial equality, aging with dignity, education, criminal justice reform and health equity through policy change, community collaboration and by being the relentless voice of impact, influence, and empowerment for marginalized and underserved communities of Orange County.

OUR NATIONAL FOUNDER
President, Rev. Al Sharpton
With over 40 years of experience as a community leader, politician, minister, and advocate, the Rev. Al Sharpton is one of America’s most-renowned civil rights leaders and the founder and President of the National Action Network (NAN). Sharpton’s highly visible career began at the tender age of four when he preached his first sermon.
Hailed by former President Barack Obama as a “champion for the downtrodden,” Reverend Sharpton has championed police reform and accountability, calling for the elimination of unjust policies like “Stop-and-Frisk.” He has fought for voting rights, equity in education and healthcare, and LGBTQ rights. Across the years, Reverend Sharpton has advocated for those who have been victimized including Yusef Hawkins, Michael Stewart, Amadou Diallo, Abner Louima, Sean Bell, the Jena Six, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, George Floyd, and others.
Reverend Sharpton is the host of “Politics Nation” on MSNBC; a nationally syndicated daily radio show that broadcasts in 40 markets five days a week titled “Keepin’ It Real; and a nationally broadcast radio show on Sunday, “The Hour of Power.”

ABOUT NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK ORANGE COUNTY
"NAN OC"
In May 2021, founding members Darlene Futrel, President; Pastor Yolonda Hughes, Vice President; Cynthia Franklin, Treasurer; and Marilyn “Peaches” Dow, Secretary, held their first NAN OC Executive Committee meeting. On July 31, 2021, NAN OC held their INTENT TO CHARTER meeting along with all 26 founding members.
NAN OC INITIATIVES

