July 26, 2007:-The Association of Citizens and Friends of Liberia (ACFLi) has been chartered into membership of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA). The ULAA National Board of Directors voted to admit the California-based Liberian community organization into ULAA membership on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at a special teleconference session.
The vote on the ACFLi application was unanimous and it followed a presentation of a report and recommendation by the Board Oversight Committee on Membership and Accreditation chaired by Board Second Vice Chairman David K. Flomo. The matter had been referred to this special Board Committee on May 12, 2007.
In their report to the full Board, the Membership Committee members found that “the ACFLi has met the requirements for membership into the Union pursuant to Article 25 of ULAA's Constitution” and recommended that the Organization be chartered into the Union.
The ACFLi, through its President, Mrs. Bendu Hunter and Board Member J. Siaka Konneh, has for several months now being engaged in efforts to join ranks with other Liberian Community Organizations that are already in the ULAA fold. The discussions, which began with the last ULAA Administration, gained a major boost when the incumbent ULAA National President, Mr. Emmanuel S. Wettee, paid a special visit to Sacramento and joined in the community's immigration rally on Sunday, May 6, 2007. While in Sacramento, Mr. Wettee held talks which furthered the effort to bring ACFLi into ULAA membership.
Shortly thereafter the National Administration received the ACFLi application package which it reviewed and promptly submitted to the Board for consideration. The Board’s Membership and Accreditation Committee spent more than a month holding grueling sessions to ensure that all requirements were fully met.
The ACFLi becomes the 21st member organization of ULAA and the second Chapter in the Union’s Western Region. Washington State is the other ULAA Chapter in the Western Region.
The admission of ACFLi into the Union on the eve of the 160th anniversary of Liberia's independence comes as a historic July 26th treat to the officers and members of that Organization.
Information and Public Affairs Committee