By GINNY COOPER/Staff Writer

CALERA—The Shelby County branch of the NAACP, which formed last year in the height of the 2013 Voting Rights Act dispute and received approval from the national organization to officially form in February, has over 100 members so far, both black and white, acting-president Joyce Lewis said.

“We formed this branch so we could have more voice in government,” Lewis said. “This is my dream from when I was a small child. I want to do it for the future.”

The Shelby County branch of the NAACP will hold elections of officers and at-large members of the executive committee on April 12 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., with a quarterly meeting just before the election from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., which will focus on voter education programs, Lewis said.

“People don’t know their rights,” Lewis said, and cited education as one goal of the new branch of the NAACP.

Community awareness is also important, Lewis said, and will be another issue the branch addresses.

“There are a lot of problems,” Lewis said. “I can see a little growth, but it could be better. I’d like to see more progress, more unity when it comes to race relations.”