The NAACP Gary Branch is hosting its Life Membership Gala: A Black & White Affair Nov. 21.

Entitled The Fierce Urgency of NOW, the gala will feature Angela Rye of CNN as guest speaker.

The 55th NAACP Life Membership Gala celebrates the ongoing legacy of the NAACP. The event honors those who have shown outstanding commitment to advancing justice, equality and civil rights for all people.

The Gary Branch of the NAACP was established in 1916. For more than a century, the branch has advanced the mission of the NAACP to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights for all people and to eliminate race-based discrimination. The Gary Branch works to advance justice, improve access and promote equity across the community.

The Gary Branch serves the City of Gary and the Northwest Indiana community through a variety of programs. Its ACT-SO (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological, and Scientific Olympics) program empowers and celebrates youth excellence. Its scholarship initiatives support students in pursuing higher education. Active committees include political action. legal redress, economic development, criminal justice, community organization, education and health.

The black-tie gala will take place Nov. 21 at Hard Rock Casino in Gary. Learn more here.