We Demand our own Security for Black Vendors at Lake Merritt

Black Vendor Association Planner/Organizer Marvin X met With Security Consultant Abdullah and Lake Merritt Bean Pie Vendor Clayton

• The Juneteenth homicide at Lake Merritt has prompted Black Vendor Association planner/organizer Marvin X to enlist a security team for the Black vendors at Lake Merritt. "The female vendors feel very insecure after the incident. We must secure the vendors, especially the women. We understand the homicide could have been prevented by a security team since an argument between the persons involved had been going on for some time but escalated to violence since there was no intervention. 

  
  

  Marvin X invited his long time friend, Abdullah, aka Hillary X., to Oakland for advice as per security for the Lake Merritt Vendors. Brother Abdullah is a veteran security professional. He was a bodyguard for Attorney Johnny Cochran during the O.J. Simpson murder trial, also worked as a bodyguard for Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson, and Nation of Islam Minister Farrakhan. Abdullah drove up from Los Angeles to check out the situation at Lake Merritt. We will consider his advice and prepare a proposal for a grant for security in the range of $100,000 annually (five year grant to ensure security and stability; to employ four part-time security persons, two males and two females @ $25.00 per hour X 4 hours. eight days per month. 

  
  

  Security is an emergency. Human beings deserve to feel secure. The first duty of a nation is national security. The first duty of a community is communal security. The first duty of a family is security of wife, husband and children.

  
  

  We call upon foundations and corporations to award us emergency  funds to provide immediate and longterm security to the Black Vendors Association, specifically the Lake Merritt Vendors under Director James Copes, founder of the Black International Marketplace of Oakland. 

  
  

  We thank the Silicon Valley Community Foundation for their generous grant to help us establish the Black Vendors Association. The award has allowed us to support Mr. James Copes and the Black International Marketplace of Oakland. 

  
  

  We featured the Black International Marketplace of Oakland in Black Street Magazine, official publication of the Black Vendors Association. See cover attached.

  
  

  Please consider making a generous donation to the Black Vendors Association, c/o Berkeley Juneteenth Association, Inc. You donation can be tax deductible.