The La Plata Police Department Honors Local Community Difference Makers During #BlackHistoryMonth: LPPD honors Charles County NAACP President Dyotha Sweat.
Dyotha Rene’ Sweat was born in Franklin, Virginia and raised in Paterson, New Jersey. She was educated in the Passaic County school system and had the honor and privilege of being educated by the late Principal Dr. Joe Clark. After high school, President Sweat enlisted in the United States Navy, and retired as a Navy Chief Petty Officer where she would serve honorably for 24 years.
Prior to becoming the President of the Charles County NAACP in 2019, Ms. Sweat’s public service career in Charles County began as a volunteer with the Charles County Literacy Council.
Ms. Sweat now devotes her life to advocacy work with multiple organizations. She not only serves as the President for the Charles County Branch of the NAACP, but she is the Maryland State NAACP Youth and College Division Advisor. As Youth and College Division Advisor she manages all Maryland NAACP Youth members in supporting the development of future civil rights leaders today. In the areas of Voting Rights and Political Representation, Economic Sustainability, Education, Health and Juvenile Justice. She also supports organizations like The Arnold House and Lifestyles who provide resources to our homeless and disenfranchised population within the County. As a retired Veteran, Ms. Sweat remains passionate about the care and concerns of our veterans. For this reason, she continues to support local Veteran organizations such as Home Away Transition Services (HATS) and serves as Adjutant for the American Legion Randolph Furey Post 170 located in Pomonkey, Maryland. She is member of Top Ladies of Distinction, Southern Maryland Chapter, and is a charter member for National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) section of Charles County. She serves as a member of the Robert D. Stethem scholarship committee.
As the President of the local branch of the NAACP, Ms. Sweat has worked with policy makers to implement legislation to promote fair representation at the ballot box when electing members to the local school board, to bring accountability to the local law enforcement agency and advocated for a local Civil Rights Commission to address discrimination cases locally. As branch president, spearheaded the organizing of the local school bus drivers in their quest to unionize the bus drivers and the bus attendant’s.
In June 2021, President Sweat played a pivotal role in conjunction with the CCNAACP Youth Council advocating for an acceptable graduation of 7 students 2 posthumously. The seven were part of a larger group of 23 seniors and others who engaged in a sit-in on May 29, 1969, to protest the method for choosing cheerleaders and majorettes at the high school. They were allowed to graduate but were instead given frames without diplomas, which were mailed later. Alas, seven diplomas were returned to the school system undelivered to the graduates. La Plata Class of 1969 who were denied their High School diplomas. Through her leadership the local NAACP has partnered with Maryland Equity Task Force and the local Dept of Health to address the disparities of the COVID vaccination by hosting 5 very successful vaccination clinics.
Ms. Sweat received the following awards in recognition for her dedicated community service:
- 2017 Female Veteran of the Year – Boots 2 Heels Organization
- 2019 Dream Team Award – Maryland State Conference NAACP
- 2020 Hall of Fame recipient – Southern Maryland Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
- 2021 Southern Maryland Women to Watch Nominee
- 2021 Humanitarian Award – Southern Maryland Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.
President Sweat holds a BA in Sociology and MBA in Information System Management. She is currently a cybersecurity professional with a US Department of Defense contractor.
LPPD Salutes NAACP President Dyotha Sweat as a community difference maker.
