Ras Baraka and the Mayor of Newark NJ race today

Newark voters head to the polls in a steady stream

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By Seth Augenstein/The Star-Ledger 
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on May 13, 2014 at 2:45 PM, updated May 13, 2014 at 3:42 PM

NEWARK — The contest between a high school principal and an attorney, two men from the city's South Ward, has apparently sparked enough interest to draw out more voters than most recent local elections.
But this is not a "street fight," exactly.
"During the James-Booker race they came out more then than they are now," said Henrietta Myrick, a longtime poll worker at West Side High School.
"It's more than usual," said Elaine Neves, a poll worker at East Side High School. "But it's not droves. It's steady."
There was elevated interest at the polls beginning at 6 a.m. — when they opened, said several poll workers at South Ward polling locations.
But the turnout still fell short of presidential-election levels — and also of the 2002 Newark race that pitted a young councilman named Cory Booker against longtime incumbent Mayor Sharpe James, which came to be refered to as a "street fight" after a documentary captured the incendiary race, said others.
"It's not that heavy, and it's been pretty quiet," said Martha Rodriguez, a poll worker at the Robert Treat Academy.
Both campaigns aggressively pushed to get their base out during the day. Throughout the city's five wards, Jeffries' fliers were handed out on street corners, brandished at busy intersections, and left on car windshields.
Baraka's camp was also present at the busiest intersections, holding up signs and banners. Both were active on social media, urging supporters to bolster the numbers.
Voters weighed in on the issues — crime, schools, economic development — but in different ways. For instance, Vernon Pinkney and Noble Milton were concerned about crime. For Pinkney, that meant a Baraka vote. It meant the opposite for Milton.
"Once you address crime, everything will follow that," said Milton.
"Schools are the most important," Pinkney said. "If we're not cultivating the youth, then these kids are going to be running these streets."
The voters also had different opinions on the contentious campaign, which fueled weeks of headlines. Tonya March, a Central Ward voter, said the battle actually would bring out the best in a potential leader.
"It doesn't matter. If you're a leader, you go through this small stuff," March said.
For some, the issues are secondary to the candidate himself.
"It was about picking the right man," said M. Santos, an East Ward voter, as he left his polling site with his wife.
Andra Gillespie, an associate professor of political science at Emory University, has studied Newark politics and written about it ever since the 2002 race when she was a Yale graduate student watching Booker's failed campaign. This year, Jeffries' blitz of TV ads in recent days has pulled the race tighter than it has ever been, she said.
Today's effort to get voters to the polls will mean everything to tonight's results, Gillespie said.
"It's the GOTV (Get Out The Vote) that wins," Gillespie said. "It's the mobilizing of the vote on Election Day that will make the difference."

Towards the Elders Council

Greetings Family, 

I have been working on this project, in attempts to bring together some of the most progressive minds in our community to provide leadership on a National Level. One of the first orders of business is to begin the steps toward forming a viable and vocal Council of Elders, in consultation with Dr. Maaskelah Khemet, who has written the only book on the subject, as it pertains to the US. Dr. John Jackson, of the UNIA, has also offered his guidance and participation in building a COE. I will begin reaching out to other Elders around the country to employ their efforts also. The recent events in Nigeria demonstrate the conceerted need to have a unified, coordinated and conscious leadership Cadre coming from our community, who can speak on issues of Global and National conceerns to African Americans, specifically, and African people in general. Any recommendations you may have, please forward their email. We can no longer just depend to on the Congressional Black Caucus or Al Sharpton, to be the only voices of African people's interests. We need progressive voices willing to show leadership in advancing our collective interests. Please share your critiques and correctives of the plan below.

THE HARAMBEE MISSION

To represent and advocate for the collective interests of all African People in the Global Marketplace, and to engage African people in business and development enterprises, which reflect African values, goals and aspirations as component parts of the Global Community.

PURPOSE

The Harambee Plan is designed to facilitate and protect the territorial and cultural integrity of the continent of Africa, and to define the substantive relationships between it, and its African Communities globally (diaspora). Residual vestiges of European and Western domination, exploitation and influences must be challenged, and the re-emergence of indigenous African solutions and approaches must be pursued and sought. It is the intent of the Harambee Plan to provide the institutional framework and structure to ensure and facilitate such a process. The Harambee Plan shall form relationships with persons and institutions which represent the values of African Community building in their development approaches for the African continent and diaspora. While Harambee will focus on African models and paradigms of Community/Nation Building, this is not at the total exclusion of other approaches, but does so with the recognition that their is a rich tradition in African Civilization which still requires exploration, and which inspires African Creative Genious. It is this creativity which Harambee Recognition seeks to penetrate and realize. The values which form the basis of this nexus are:

1. Respect for and Priority of the Human Interests

2. Respect for and Recognition as Spiritual Stewards of Nature, the Land and its Resources

3. Recognition of Health Care and Basic Education as Fundamental human rights

4. Fundamental Goal of Social Economy is economic equality which negates economic exploitation

5. In African Community, African values and ethics are Paramount, though we Respect and Recognize others.

6. African Creativity and Spirituality form a Synergy in how they are expressed in our culture

7. The Emerging African Personality does not seek to be Superior, but Supreme African in its Character and Expressions, as a value based proto-type.

HARAMBEE STRUCTURE

There are basically two ways to become a part of the Harambee Family:

1. Person - One who has an invention, small business and seeks to become a part of the skills bank of Harambee Enterprises. Persons and/or groups can act as Consultants or Project Managers on any given projects

2. Institution - This would be a business, community institution and/or entity which subscribes to the Harambee Protocols, and which chooses to enter into an agreement, to partner on given projects as mutually agreed upon.

 

A database will be formed of such persons and institutions and determination made which have the needed and available resources to impact given projects as they arise. What will distinguish Harambee Consultants is not only their professionalism, proficiency, and ability, but their value orientation.

Harambee will also become clearinghouse for the authenticity and quality of goods and services which enter and exit the African Marketplace.

HARAMBEE RATIONALE

The House of Harambee is a communitarian concept, which means "Let' All Pull Together" in Swahili. We use this term because it captures the spirit of building family, community and nationhood in this Era of African Renaissance. African Renaissance is a term which refers to the period between 2011 and 2020, generally and it is the aim of the House of Harambee to qualify its meaning and significance, and to define in practical ways the parameters of the Renaissance Movement. As such, the House of Harambee (HOH) is a Think Tank which provides research and education which inform the formulation and promotion of policy, programs and projects which are based on fundamental and basic African values. Some of these values are to be found in the Kwanzaa Accords and are known by many, as the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba); Unity, Self Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. Another set of values which form the foundation for the House of Harambee is the value system of Ma'at, which served as the social, moral, ethical, economic, political, cultural and spiritual foundation  for the longest lasting civilization in history, Ancient Kemet (Egypt). These values are known as the Seven Virtues of Ma'at; Truth, Justice, Harmony, Balance, Order, Propriety, and Reciprocity.

Values matter in this context, as they form the basis upon which social policy is determined and as African and African descended people, we can no longer afford to base our social policy considerations on the "values" of those who seek to oppress, exploit or are otherwise indifferent to our collective needs, interests and aspirations as National and/or Pan African Communities. Thus, Harambee is a Liberational Project, which recognizes that if Renaissance goals are to be achieved, then we must engage in the cultural battle to win the hearts and minds of our people, first, for until we win that battle, not only are our economic and political objectives unachievable, they are unthinkable, without the categories and concepts to conceive them. The value systems above,  and the others which we engage, give us the paradigmatic framework to meet these cultural challenges as we collectively seek to arrive at solutions, strategies, tactics, policies, programs and projects which advance our struggle forward to more progressive and final end.

In this regard, Harambee does not limit itself to just becoming a Think Tank, but also will take a pro-active posture of being an advocate and promoter for its' policy and strategic positions. This will be accomplished through our strategic partnerships with such groups as the Congress of African People, Friends of the African Union, African Scientific Institute, Urban Tech Fair, AJ Action Team, Simba Ghana, Yedma of Uganda, African Union, Sankofa Press,  Harambee Women,Harambee Men, Harambee Youth (these three form Harambee Circles) and other affiliates with whom we share a common vision. While these will be vital institutions by which our research and educational findings will be disseminated, the following will be key and distinct areas of focus which formulate the Harambee Plan:

HARAMBEE PLAN

1. Spiritual Development - Research into various African spiritual/religious traditions and those derived from them. Study will be done on the value/ethical base and system, fundamental practices, and rituals. This knowledge will be taught in Rites of Passage, in addition to the role of spirituality in dance, song, storytelling, drumming, etc. This component will also be charged with researching, institutionalizing and promotion of re-enforcing cultural institutions such as holidays, naming ceremonies, Birth Whispers, funerary services, Rites ceremonies and protocols, morning/evening exercise, Fasting/Health days and practices, Puberty Rites, etc.  

2. History - Study of methodologies to write corrected history; historiography; preserve archives, and the building of museums and libraries. Use of multi-media sources to discuss and disseminate Pan African History, and to promote this history in Theater, Film, Song, Storytelling, Radio, Dance and other communication instruments. These endeavors can form the basis of new industries. A true history of African history must be fully integrated into the educational system, such that parents and children benefit equally.

3. Social Organization

    A. Education - Study into various forms of African pedagogy and teaching modalities (dance, song, storytelling, theater, drum); expanding and refining the study of Africology and teaching its concepts in distance/virtual learning; developing content and a more conceptual basis for Black/Africana Studies program; means of establishing Pan African universities and accreditation system, recognized on a global level. Feeder (K-12)  schools, called Academy's will have specialized focus in STEM, Natural Healing, Communications, etc. Physical conditioning will include organized sports, yoga, capoeira, martial arts, nutrition, and weight training. Key to education is to discover indigenous forms of instruction which provide viable alternatives to Euro-centric forms, and which are more adapted to our learning capacities. Each of these modalities can and will be linked and channeled into the International Movement to bring literacy to all corners of the globe, based on our experience with African children and adults.

    B. Health - We must explore health care delivery systems which are adapted to the needs of our people and their respective communities. Clinics for rural areas, and Coops for urban centers should be coordinated and linked with each other. A key distinction and value orientation of African Health Care is that it is people centered and not profit motivated. Health care is a right and not a privilege, and therefore ways should be found to make it free where possible, and where not free, at least affordable. The goal is for free universal health care. Study and research should be done of African herbs, plants and botanicals for their medicinal value, along with their interactions with each other and known drugs where Integrative Medicine is required. Comparative studies should be done with other indigenous and wholistic systems, such as Oriental, Native American, Ayervedic, etc. Plants must be tested for medicinal value, before any reforestation processes are initiated. New industries include herbs and botanical farming especially for such herbs as Moringa, Neem, etc. Multi-media will be used to build a global market for these new industries, as dependence on Western drugs are reduced.  

     C. Collective Concern - We must develop our own systems for caring for the disadvantaged, sick, autistic, and those not a part of the economy yet. A guiding principle and value in this regard must be that everyone in community has a role and function, and most look to contribute in some meaningful and humane way. Noone in African community is considered to be a Welfare recipient. Each are valuable to the building of Community.  Again, traditional paradigms can serve as a model.

     D. Rebuilding Family Structures - Research must be done into family forms, and how to build support structures for them to be/become successful. Family must be linked to community and nation building projects. An integral part of rebuilding family is to research ways and means of personal healing by both Men and Women, and to aggressively address Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS). Our healers must receive specialty training to address this Mass phenomena. A key therapeudic model to explore, is that all become actively engaged in community building and Adult Rites of Passage.

      E. Youth Development - Providing youth with a quality childhood and preparing them to become responsible participants in Civil Society is one of our greatest challenges. While paradigms from traditional African society will be helpful, we must incorporate a Standardized Rights of Passage which can be applied throughout the Pan African Community, and which allows for social movement from one location to another, without loss of benefits and production. Certain principles of Rights of Passage must be institutionalized as part of the Curriculum. In exchange for Free or reduced rate for education, youth can agree to become trained for Crisis Intervention, Recovery and Rebuilding. Alternatives can be explored by being trained for survival training, working with infirmed Elderly, small children or other forms of National Service (Nigeria has such a system for study).

       F. Labor - Modern society, whether industrial or agrarian, must address the question of labor's relationship to production and provide equitable policies which mitigate against the possibility of exploitation of one class by another. This will be be one of the great challenges of the African Renaissance, if it is to live out the true and real meaning of its goals. In a class based society, the idea that the market will balance these relationships is totally erroneous, and is an area for serious research and remedies as we seek to build a new social order for people of African Descent.

       G. Gender - While certain of these areas of concern might be addressed in Family Development, family is not a remedy or solution for many, most gender issues. Africa has one of the longest traditions of inclusiveness of women in the social fabric. These traditions has been interrupted by the Holocost of Enslavement and the onslaught of Western Cultural Hegemony. Again, the challenge of our research would look into paradigms in our path which would be instructive in how we structure our social relations based on equity, complimentarity, mutuality and respect for each persons Role and Function in building Family, Community, Nation, and Global Pan Africanism. 

4. Economic Organization and Development - This area deals with how we organize the production and distribution of goods and services in our communities in such a way that such a structural format reflects our values, goals and social objectives. Cooperative Economics, not Free Market Enterprise, is the value which guides economic arrangements in our community, and is based on the notions, that we are our brother and sisters' keeper, that we support our own businesses first, and that we practice social entrepreneurship. As evidenced by the African Union's 2063 Agenda. There is also a value for Planning our economic platforms far in advance in order to guide its direction in the interest of the mass number of people. Africa's long tradition for Communitarian ownership of land must also be studied, updated and upgrated to comply with current aspiration and need. It is the aim of Harambee to confront these issues from an African centered perspective and framework. Cheik Ante Diop in his seminal work, "Black Africa: Economic and Cultural Basis of a Federated State", states conclusively, the need to take inventory of every Economic Sector, and to critically assess its best locale, role and function in the impending industrialization process, and the cultural nuances which affect each sector.  He also posits, that we must be clearly aware of caveats for given sectors, such as oils spills, and disposal of nuclear waste. Given the creativity of the African personality, as Fanon points out, each of these economic sectors have the possibility of giving rise for other forms of industry. These Economic Sectors include the following:

1. Construction - Africanized Architecture

2. Planning - New Community Structures

3. Energy - Solar, Wind, Bio, hydro thermal

4. Waste Management - Recycling

5. Creative Production - African Theater, Art, Photography, Film, Storytelling, Dance, Drum, Music, Spoken Word, Sport, Competitive STEM

6. Communications

7. Aeronautics - including Space Stations, Airplane building

8. Auto Industry

9. Fashion - Sankofa Concept Themes (Natural hair, henna, waistbeads, african adornments, body and beauty care, Dress)

10. Transportation

11. Road and Bridge Building

12. Marketing/Advertising

13. Finance - Banking, Currency, Stock Exchange

14. Agriculture - organic; herbal medicinals; botanicals.

15. Textiles

16. Manufacturing

5. Political Organization  and Governance - Politics is defined as the means and structure by which society gains, maintains and uses power. Governance, on the other hand, is more about how the management of human, financial and material resources are structured in a given society in the best interests of the masses of people. Harambee asserts that we must determine how we best transition from one to the other. Rev. Dr. Nikita Imani has provided the best model for this process in his book on Mbongi (http://www.amazon.com/Mbongi-African-Traditional-Political-Institution/dp/0979895103)  , a Governance system practiced by a large segment of Bantu peoples traditionally. The challenge of Harambee is to research this and other systems and find ways to adapt them to our needs, and then ways of implementation in a manner consistent with our collective aspirations.

Mwalimu Wesley Kabaila

Chief of Staff - Friends of the African Union's Congress (FAU)

Simbamaat Consultants - Principal

6709 La Tijera #337
Los Angeles, Calif. 90045
310 713 6236-cell

wesley.kabaila@gmail.com
Skype - simbamaat
Blog - www.simbamaat.blogspot.com
          www.sankofapress.blogspot.com

The Berkeley NAACP requests your attendance at the Berkeley Police-Power & Abuse Community Forum

Hello Everyone,

 

The Berkeley NAACP is requesting your attendance at the:

  

"Berkeley Police - Power & Abuse"

Community Forum

Saturday, May 10, 2014  

South Berkeley Library

1901 Russell Street, Berkeley

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

 "REFRESHMENTS SERVED"

 

Flyer Attached

 

Thank you for your on-going support and we look forward to seeing you at this event.

 

The Berkeley NAACP

Joyce Gordon Gallery presents the work of Emory Douglas, Artist for the People

Emory Douglas:
Artist for the People
May 7 – June 28, 2014

Joyce Gordon Gallery
406 14th St., Oakland
510-465 8928

Opening Reception: First Friday, June 6th 6-9p Instrumental Music by Krista Freelove of Freelove Music School in Oakland Emory Douglas (featured artist), Darryl Thompson (Muralist – Oakland Ink), Jose Garcia (Muralist – Eastside Arts Alliance), Greg Morozumi (Guest Curator – East Side Arts Alliance), Eric Murphy (Gallery Curator, Joyce Gordon Gallery).

 Selections by Joyce Gordon (Gallery Director) Co – Sponsored by Eastside Arts Alliance Joyce Gordon Gallery --

presents a solo retrospective of the provocatively political graphics of EMORY DOUGLAS, the designated Revolutionary Artist and former Minister of Culture of the Black Panther Party.

In the aftermath of the assassination of Malcolm X in 1965, unabated violence against Civil Rights protestors and Black civilians exhausted the will of passive resistance and spurred a militant call for Black Power. Revolutionary groups like the Black Panther Party emerged, heeding Malcolm’s call for self-respect, self- determination, and self-defense, which resonated in Black communities across the nation.

A condensed exhibition of Emory’s prolific artwork, originally designed for The Black Panther Newspaper and for posters and flyers to disseminate political propaganda was reflective of the insurrectionary atmosphere of the times, with urban rebellions igniting from city to city and strikes from campus to campus. 

Emory’s graphics were militantly aggressive and visually bold and dynamic. The cartoon drawings famously depicted confrontations with police (portrayed as ‘pigs’); but others announced the breadth of Black Panther Survival Programs, serving grassroots communities’ basic needs.Today, Emory’s work is currently celebrated in prominent museums in the U.S., presented as graphic nostalgia of the bygone 60s; But for Emory, his message of self-determination still rings true… and he uses his rediscovered celebrity to expound those germinal political ideas with invitations to exhibit and lecture around the world. Viewed here in Oakland, the birthplace and focal point of the Black Panthers, Emory’s drawings evoke a very personal and profound memory. 

Coming soon at the Joyce Gordon Gallery: An Evening with Master teacher/poet Marvin X. 

Letter from the Johnson family: Marcus Book Store padlocked!

An Open Letter From the Johnson Family Hey! They put a boot on my store! Marcus Books of San Francisco Evicted Dear Supporters:  It was difficult to know what to tell you about our struggle to stay in our building, its winding path of lawyers and judges and protests and promises, hopes and gravities made it difficult to report our status on a curved road. But the current property owner has changed the locks to the door of 1712 Fillmore Street. Marcus Books missed a couple of rent payments (not such a rare thing considering that at the same time the largest US banks and even our government asked taxpayers to give them hundreds of billions of dollars of assistance). However, the mortgage holder, PLM Lender, foreclosed on the building that housed Marcus Books of San Francisco since 1981. It was sold to the Sweis family (realtors and owners of Royal Taxi in San Francisco). The Johnson family (co-owners of Marcus Books of San Francisco) has been trying to buy the building back for a year and half. The Sweis' bought this building in a bankruptcy “auction” (apparently, they were the only bidder) for $1.6 million. The Johnsons offered $1.8 million; the Sweis set their price at $3.20 million, hoping to double their purchase price after a few months ownership. After some public outrage resulting in public protests against the Sweis, a negotiation brought their asking price down to $2.6 million, adding a million dollar profit to their purchase without adding any improvements to the property and adding a stipulation that the entire $2.6 million be raised within 90 days. Marcus Books supporters, including the local chapter of the NAACP; ACCE (Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment; Japantown activists; Westside Community Services; Julian Davis, our fearless legal council; Carlos Levexier’s “Keep It Lit” campaign committee; local literary community including writers and other bookstores; people from all over the world: friends, family, customers, churches and unions took a stand against the bulldozing of community. Individuals, unions, and churches donated $25,000. The Community Land Trust of San Francisco garnered loan pledges of $200,000 and Westside Community Services offered a loan of $1.60 million. Though by any standards that would have been more than enough for a down payment, the Sweiss' refused the $1.85 million start and filed for eviction. Concurrently, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution requiring every division of city government make it a priority that they each use their “powers” to help Marcus Books stay in its location. In addition, and after 5 years of efforts by John Templeton (the leader in Black California history), and Greg Johnson (co-owner of Marcus Books of San Francisco), London Breed and Malia Cohen, two San Francisco Supervisors, initiated the Board of Supervisors’ unanimous vote granting landmark status. With the numerous speeches of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee stating his commitment to righting the wrongs of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency’s slaughter of the thriving African American Fillmore District, we at Marcus Books believed the City would take some affirmative action on our behalf, since Marcus Books is the only surviving Black business since the Redevelopment devastation. Maybe that support is around the next bend? Well the locks have been changed, the cavalry is not in sight, and it’s time to pack up the books and store them till we find another space. You might ask yourself, why bother? Materialism rules the day. That is not news. More often than not, we take it for granted that the “bottom line” is the only line worth respecting, though it respects no one. This is a common conception, but not right. Right is the vertical line that runs through all levels: from its spiritual top to its earthly roots. This verticality is manifested only by integrity. Integrity defies gravity in its perpetual longing for truth. Millions of people have been put out of their homes by bottom-line-feeders. It’s common, but it’s not okay, now or at any other time. Sometimes you just have to take a stand. Integrity is a verb. In 1970, I had a vision bout rebirth. A segment of that vision informs this struggle. In this particular scene, the spirit is climbing the Tree of Humanity, being lifted higher and higher by those entwined in The Tree. The spirit never steps on anyone’s face or heart. It just carries their dreams up with it. Because it is growing towards rebirth, it gets younger with each step up. Though there are thousands of supporters at the bottom of The Tree, there are fewer at the top and the helping hands are fewer and far between. At the top of The Tree, at the stratum of the clouds, quantity has morphed in into quality. Here a storm of wind and rain rages, lightning strikes and a mad dog spirals up The Tree, snapping at the heels of the now, infant spirit. Teetering on a limb, the spirit sees a man face down in the mud at the bottom of The Tree. Seems he got there from letting go of his faith in The Tree. The surrounding clouds urge the spirit fall. “Cross Section” The rumors, that were whispered,             Here, the silence screams,             And branches battle shadows             To defend their dreams.             Where Black is cut in pieces,             Can’t hold myself together.             Time cuts me down,             Life me brought up,             But lead me to this weather.             The Time says, ‘Fall             To soulless ease.             To struggle is disgrace.             The gravity will grant you peace,             And hide your shameful face.’             But I am born of honor:             Descendent from above.             My Father’s name is Wisdom             And my Mother’s name is Love.             And I have strength of purpose.             That’s what my climb’s about.             As I’m cut off,             I will hold ON             And trustingly Black-out.” (Copyright 1997, Karen Johnson)  For the hundreds of people who have lent their time, money, and prayers, we are truly grateful. --Tamiko, Greg, and Karen Johnson, co-owners Marcus Books of San Francisco  . . . to be continued