The Blair County NAACP branch president is stepping down after almost four years in the position to focus on his family and work.
When Andraé Holsey replaced longtime president Don Witherspoon, Holsey was only 22 years old and the youngest branch president ever elected in Pennsylvania.
“I'm really proud of what we accomplished," Holsey, now 26 years old, said.
Holsey said he helped standardize NAACP processes at the state level, address civil rights issues locally, and connect thousands of children to community resources. Plus, he said he spent a lot of time responding to calls to his personal cell phone, even including an active shooter situation.
“I remember getting a call in the late evening from a gentleman, you know, trapped in a house surrounded by law enforcement, including state police SWAT, and calling (Pennsylvania State Police) dispatch to communicate between both parties," Holsey said.
With federal challenges to DEI programs in schools, cuts to the Department of Education and other civil rights challenges, Holsey said NAACP’s work is more important now than ever.
“These actions, these waves that we're making now will be felt for generations," Holsey said. "And we're doing our best. And the branch is doing its best to make sure that the waves made by previous generations are never diminished.”
Tracy Brown is the new president of the Blair County branch. Holsey said he is still an NAACP member, but he said it’s time to let other people make leadership decisions.
Plus, he hopes to spend more time on his business, 41st Acre, LLC, which runs the Railroad City Cultural Center in the Gable's Building in downtown Altoona.
