July 2015 Newsletter
July 2015 Fruit of Labor World Cultural Center Newsletter
produced by: Black Workers For Justice's Hip Hop 4 Justice edited by: Mari Caldwell-Robinson & Tiffany Debnam Contact Information: Address: 4200 Lake Ridge Rd, Raleigh NC 27604 (919) 231-2660 – Anytime (919) 876-7187 – Day email: fruitoflaborwcc@netscape.com website: www.fruitoflabor.org Hip Hop For Justice at The Great Labor Exchange
On June 26th, Mari and I were fortunate enough to attend The Great Labor Exchange in Silver Springs Maryland. Once we arrived, we quickly made preparations to present on the work that HHFJ is doing in Raleigh. About 13 participants engaged in our presentation, some from Fruit of Labour. After a brief introduction, I showed the video displaying some of the various artist we have had perform. We talked about how the shows are organized from set up to break down. We also discussed the importance for artist to express positive music and for youth to have an outlet to express what is going on in their lives and community. Photos were passed around highlighting our events such as “The Know Your Right Brunch and our participation in NC Raise Up.
We then opened up the floor to discuss some of the dilemmas young people are facing and how they can get more involved in the movement. Ideas were shared such as creating a separate Facebook page for HHFJ, contacting high schools and making presentations about what we do and reaching out to older musicians and artist to talk about what they faced then and now.
Donnae Ward Laughinghouse
A Short Short Video of the 26th Annual Coney Island Tribute to the Ancestors (click here)
"A Short Short Video of the 26th Annual Coney Island Tribute to the Ancestors"
Hundreds Turn Out for Day Long Tribute to the Ancestors Who Resisted the Middle Passage and Slavery in Coney Island, Brooklyn, N.Y.C.
When my mother Gloria and father Charlie Jr. moved to Coney Island, Brooklyn in New York City in the late 1950's , the public schools my sister Gwen ,older & younger brothers ( Kabar & Adilifu) and myself attended taught and socialized all students with a racist white supremacist perspective of African/Black/African-American people. I remember their racist account of our peoples history in Africa, the U.S. and the world.... and our peoples struggle against the Trans -Atlantic Slave Trade/Middle Passage ,slavery , wage labor exploitation and white supremacist ideas and institutions..... I recall a proud fellow white Jewish student in my elementary school by the name Allen Levi reading these racist lies in our history text books and this racist film" Birth of A Nation" in our class. He turned around and spat in my face and said " You must be a shame of your people...!" Having been raised to be just as "proud of my race and family " by two very intelligent and proud working class African-American /Black parents , ....I responded by punching this student square in his face . After both of us told the teacher what had happened and why Allen's nose was bleeding, the racist teacher took only me "with all my fighting pride" to the principal 's office and the proud white Jewish student who spat on me was not disciplined. This incident got me thinking at an early age about why this school / system/ society / world had no respect,no dignity , truth and justice for our people.
As a growing and questioning child in the 1950's-60's,I pondered. and asked a lot of questions....I was observant but was not afraid to question and challenge the injustices. I was quick and certain to critically recall and challenge others on how the wealthy oppressor white rulers of this nation and in Africa used the news media,T.V. , educational school system, book publications they controlled to make our peoples struggles for human rights, dignity and political power look like we we were ungrateful for what the white power structure had and was doing to make us Africans/ Blacks as a people civilized....I was growing up from being a young challenging/questioning child into a politically conscious young man who wanted a deeper understanding of this U.S. capitalism and imperialist empire system . I wanted respect, dignity , power for our people & action to change the oppressed position of our people in society & world . I was growing up in the midst of a great awakening of our peoples struggles against a white supremacist , racist and exploitative system of oppression .... and our advanced thinking African/Black people was engaging many of us young folks in organizations , movements and revolutions for freedom and liberation.
Again....African / Black people during this period was intensely engaged " by all means necessary " ( non-violent and violent) against our super exploitation / colonization of African nations and U.S. apartheid " Jim Crow" segregation. We exercised our human right to fight for emancipation,human rights and liberation / Black Power ! Many African nations and their liberation organizations fought against the "white supremacist capitalist" model for what they termed " African Socialism".... They believed that "an anti- capitalist/anti-colonial/ anti-imperialist/ anti-corporate empire/anti-white supremacist model" was not the solution to our peoples historic exploitation and racist national oppression of our people.
Its important that we see events such as this NYC Coney Island Tribute as a means of educating our people with our traditional culture about our long enduring history and continued resistance against racist national oppression from "Mother" Africa to the present day resistance and liberation movements of people of African descent in the U.S, North & South America, Caribbean, Mid East, Europe and the entire world. We must celebrate our ancestors struggle , but also use these events to engage our people in today's struggles and movements. Raise Up for $15/hr and Union Rights....Black Lives Matter/End the War on Black America./End Police Repression & Profiling...Organizing Unions in the South....Moral Monday Protests .....are all worthy of our direct participation as we use our culture of resistance to honor the resistance of our ancestors !
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES....
Click here to watch short video of the drummers.
Angaza Sababu Laughinghouse for the Fruit of Labor World Cultural Center
Texas Police Officer Eric Casebolt Resigns in Wake of Pool Video | 09 June 2015 | The police officer who was videotaped slamming a teen girl to the ground and raising his gun towards others during a fight at a Texas pool has resigned, sources tell ABC News. Cpl. Eric Casebolt's resignation comes a day after hundreds of protesters marched near the pool in McKinney where the incident took place last weekend. The release of the video prompted national outcry after there were allegations that race played a factor in the way that the white officer treated the African-American teens.
Newtown police chief, who oversaw department's response to Sandy Hook shooting, to retire --The department has come under some criticism for not immediately entering the school when officers first arrived and the [alleged] shooter, Adam Lanza, was still firing his Bushmaster weapon [which the media reported was found on the car seat and never actually used in the shooting/drill until they went with a different version of the story]. | 03 June 2015 | Newtown Police Chief Michael Kehoe, who was in charge of the department's response to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, announced Tuesday night that he intends to retire after nearly 37 years on the force. In a short letter to the Police Commission, Kehoe did not mention the Dec. 14 shooting that left 26 dead, including 20 first graders. Kehoe, who has been chief for 14 years. said he will be retiring as of Jan. 6, 2016. The police commission accepted his retirement letter Tuesday night but did not announce a timetable for finding a replacement.
Texas policeman resigns after video shows him toppling teen | 09 June 2015 | A Dallas-area policeman seen in a viral video tossing a bathing suit-clad teenage girl to the ground has resigned from the McKinney Police force, the city's police chief said on Tuesday, calling the officer's actions indefensible. McKinney Police Corporal Eric Casebolt, who is white, had been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation of how he appeared to target black youths at the disturbance on Friday in the city about 30 miles (50 km) north of Dallas, an incident that has raised fresh questions about racial bias in U.S. policing. "He came into the call out of control and as the video shows was out of control during the incident," McKinney Police Chief Greg Conley told a news conference.
Firing of Officer Urged After Pool Party Fracas in McKinney, Texas | 08 June 2015 | Religious and civic leaders on Monday called for officials in McKinney, Tex., to fire the police officer seen in a video throwing a 14-year-old girl in a swimsuit to the ground and pointing his gun at other teenagers after a disturbance at a pool party. Speaking at a news conference in front of police headquarters, the leaders also urged the Department of Justice to investigate whether the incident, which occurred Friday in west McKinney, was racially motivated. "We are demanding that the officer be fired and be charged with assaulting the youth," Dominique R. Alexander, the president of the Next General Action Network, based in nearby Grand Prairie, said.
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BLACK WORKERS FOR JUSTICE STATEMENT ON THE TERRORIST ATTACK IN CHARLESTON, SC
>> WE MUST TURN OUR GRIEF INTO STRENGTH ....BY ORGANIZING OUR PEOPLE INTO ORGANIZATIONS AND A NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO END THIS TERRORIST WAR ON BLACK AMERICA ! TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ORGANIZING A NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR BLACK LIBERATION, PLEASE BWFJ:
>> P.O.Box 1863, Rocky Mount, NC 27802
919.749.1691, 919.876.7187 or 252.907.4443
blackworkersforjustice@earthlink.net