You Mad Because the GOP Knocked You Out?

Davey-D-brown-frameElection 2014 The Aftermath: Well folks, the people have spoken with their choice of candidate or their willingness to sit it out and make a statement of how unhappy they are with the system or the electoral process. The agendas of those who are now in control of both houses has been made crystal clear for a number of years.. Hence look for them to carry it out full steam.

The privatization of schools, medicare, social security and the elimination of safety net programs are all on the menu. Look for them to go full steam ahead with pushing forth Keystone XL and TPP..(Trans Pacific Partnership aka NAFTA on steroids) Both of those projects, this current President strongly supports…
Look for them to dismantle any progress legislatively made around Climate Change. Look for non profits to come under close scrutiny and to be investigated by folks who are no heading up ethics and judicial committees who felt such orgs were thorns in the side. We all knew this going into last nights election when we made our choices..

Some will say that it doesn’t matter..Bending to the will of the rich and powerful is what all elected officials do. ‘They were gonna jack up common folks anyway’ is what some will claim.

Lil Jon VotingPerhaps.. But the bottom line is this.. The person you vote into office is done to give your MOVEMENT more time to build itself up with the goal of being an unavoidable, unbreakable factor…There was and should always be push back on those who are in power until you get everything you want and need sans being severely compromised.

In many parts of the country what will unfold is the strength or weaknesses in our movements. What will be made clear in the months to come is how and what ways do Movements need to define and redefine themselves..And by movement we are talking about a group of people who are able galvanize folks around an idea or vision and see it to fruition.

In terms of yesterday’s outcome, many will put analysis and all types of spin on the results. Was this the result of low voter turn out? In some places one might make that claim. Was it voter suppression? In some places you could definitely see how.. But to be honest, neither of these factors are excusable.

In places where there was low voter turn including here in Oakland, those who are the losing side of an issue or candidate will have to answer some hard questions honestly- Why didn’t neighbors, friends and family support your cause/ candidate??

Vote for the 1%The easy answer is to say it was all about the money? That’s too simplistic and really doesn’t address the issue at hand. Money is here to stay.. What will matter most is our ability to out think and out maneuver those with money. It’ll require creativity, thinking outside the box and a strong resistance to the seduction those in power will use to lure you to inescapable traps. It’ll require community building.

If there any solace, we have lots of examples where folks show up en masse without the aid of thousands of TV ads. We also have lots of examples where folks have been bombarded us with ads and mailers and it didn’t work.. Have folks forgotten when billionaire Meg Whitman got clobbered?? Have we forgotten how folks will spend the night on line to buy a new pair of Jordans, Iphones or concert tickets without all the TV and radio ads?

Folks standing in line for iphones

Folks standing in line for Iphones

We need to ask ourselves, why did our neighbors show up to buy the latest Iphone which cost them money and even put them in debt but didn’t show up for a particular candidate or issue? It may be a hard pill to swallow, but honest answers will inform our next moves.

Was enough investment made into motivating folks? Did we rely too much on personalities and pundits who claim to have a pulse of the people? Did those personalities and pundits deliver? If not why not?

We have to be honest in answering the question as to whether or not people were feeling or not feeling what was being offered? In looking at races all over the country it was clear in far too many cases the candidate was not connecting to the masses needed to propel them into office. It doesn’t mean they needed to be great speech maker or buy another ad, but it did mean finding key threads amongst various communities to connect and engage people. It meant building a solid team of folks who could enhance the message.

And to be brutally honest, we have to come to terms with the fact many of these candidates had no interests whatsoever in courting us. They had no interests whatsoever in inviting us to the party. Sad but true in many cases the disconnect was deliberate vs one being ignorant and not having good oversight.

What do I mean by this? In some political circles, its a strategy to hyperfocus on one or two particular groups sometimes dubbed likely or swing voters) and discard everyone else. This strategy works perfectly if its known that the folks who are discarded will cede ground, walk away in frustration and not enter into the electoral arena for any number of reasons. In short if we was to break this down to the metaphor of relationships, its the suitor courting someone, having his or her way and never courting them again until they want their way again.

This is important to note because emotions are used to excite people around particular issues. Even if the person is friendly, likeable or of the same race and gender, the goal of the movement is what needs to be fulfilled and if a candidate can’t or won’t do it, they are to be pressured or replaced.. Politics is not a game.

krsone1smile-225As KRS-One once famously said when referencing President Obama. ‘He is not your man. He’s not your homie.. He’s the President. he is ‘Power’ and you need to engage him as such.. That goes for any of these folks holding office.

We should also keep in mind both Dems and Repubs spent over 1.5 Billion each on this past election. Its not like in some of these battleground states folks were without resources. In places where there was low turnout, folks may want to ask, what did all that money actually do? Remember the low turnout applied to all parties and candidates involved. A worthwhile goal is how do we get numbers up?

The other excuse people like to use is that this was a midterm election and there was no Presidential ticket so people stayed home.. That is complete and utter BS.. That may have been the case in the past, but there is more than enough information and history for folks who know that could and should change.. If folks didn’t come out its not because it was a mid term.. It was because you didn’t do enough to excite and engage voters.. Period..

Scared to be seen with ObamaNot to mention there were many races were Democrats were handed their asses and opted not to stand alongside Obama during their campaigns. You see what good that did them? It didn’t work for Al Gore when he abandoned Clinton and it didn’t work for folks like Alison Grimes when she abandoned Obama in her bid for Senate in Kentucky. But again the real weakness here is the fact that respective candidates could not excite voters to show up in large numbers even with so much on the line.

We also have to take into account that there were many groups who were simply fed up and opted not to show up.. In Florida Black voters stayed home in Broward County around this governor’s race. This was on top of the polls being jacked up and opening late.. How many times is this type of BS gonna happen before the issue is eradicated once and for all?

For those who wish to detach themselves from voting recognize their right to not partake and build with those who are open.. Some folks feel the system is too far gone and have checked out..If your not convincing tea party folks to be liberals, why convince folks who say no to voting to vote.. What will change minds is your success. What will change minds is the strength and vibrancy of your movement.

Richmond Chevron Protests

Richmond , Cali Beat Chevron Backed Candidates

Did people see Black folks in Florida excited and ready to ride hard for candidates like Charlie Crist in Florida? What was he offering other then scary stories of ‘how bad things will be if he’s not elected’? The narrative has got to change.. Folks wanna ride hard for someone.. They don’t wanna always be acting on fright and running scared. I would suggest that folks take along hard look at Richmond California where Chevron poured millions of dollars into the campaigns of hand picked ‘leaders.. You know what happened? Richmond Whup they azz.. Read about here–> http://bit.ly/1uwYdDX

We have to come to terms with the fact that other groups sat this one out or as the spin doctors call it ‘Underperformed’. For examples, Latinos in many places angered by mass deportations of family and friends checked out. Many women for a variety of reasons sat it out..Instead of pointing a finger and bemoaning what they should’ve done, its best to figure out why and how candidates resonated or didn’t resonate with them in various races.

With respect to voter suppression?? That’s been going on forever. In many of our lifetimes we can point to the 2000 election and see that attempts to suppress the vote never stopped. When it came down to it Black folks showed up and made things happen. Other groups not so much.. So for example, in places like Wisconsin and Texas we saw college students disenfranchised. That means many who organized around this didn’t see beyond their own circles and take into account the laws impacting us could very well impact others..

For a better understanding of voter suppression I would encourage folks to listen to this interview with folks from Ferguson about why they had low turn out historically.. Its disturbing, sobering and true–http://bit.ly/1sjexlU

Got democracyHere’s the bottom line.. Politics is a rough and tumble endeavor because its about power. Its about maintaining it or yielding it and exercising control over communities and resources. The mistake many make is engaging this arena around election time versus preparing all year round. Having strong political presence amongst friends and family is something that’s should be ongoing. Political education has got to be year round.. Its got to be built into the fabric of any vibrant movement. If the community is connected and educated on key issues and people seeking their vote, no amount of TV ads and dark money for mailers will sway them..It wont take a lot to get people to the polls, it’ll be one of the many activities folks partake in their quest to fulfill a goal..

With that being said, folks although disappointed with the results of last nights election, should clear their heads and know this that even in victory there are lots glaring weakness within those running things. How you capitalize off that is on you. The weakness exploited after 2008 and 2012 was many saw the election and re-election of Obama as the end goal and not a stepping stone and continuation of a movement that Can’t Stop and Should’ve Never Stopped.

Many made the mistake of thinking that because a politician compromised a movement pushing core values and seeking justice and freedom needed to compromise. Politicians compromise, Movements should not.

For example if the goal was single payer and the politicians compromised and gave us Obamacare.. The movement for Single Payer should’ve never ever stopped. Yes, you could enjoy Obamacare. Yes you could take advantage of it, but as long as it had flaws, the push for what was an ideal goal should’ve never stopped.

People-PowerNot that the GOP/ Tea Party should be the standard barer, there is a lesson to be learned from them.. They never stopped pushing for their goals even after there was compromise. One clear goal is to educate and strengthen community and make social justice and front and center issue. that should’ve never ever stopped no matter who was in office.. In two years Obama will be gone and what will be left is a Movement and a clear indication of its strengths and weaknesses.

What will also be left is a group of people who right now seem like massive like Goliath. If history shows.. Its just a matter of time before they over reach..My suggestion to all is get your stones ready.. And thank you Richmond, Cali for throwing the first of many stones…

Written by

Davey D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkBejea7T7k

3 Dope Songs from Coco Peila; Taking the Bay Area to New Heights

Coco PeilaAs we continue our 3 Dope Song series designed to turn folks on to underplayed and new artists, we turn our attention to Coco Peila who is a dope emcee/ singer who comes from Berkeley, California.  She’s been putting in work for a minute, both as an activist , student and artist doing everything from winning Poetry slam championships (2005) to graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recording Arts and a Master of Science Degree in Entertainment Business from Full Sail University in Orlando Florida, to performing on stages all over the world including in Guatemala and New Zealand.

She first caught a lot of people’s attention back in 2007 when her song Any Day was chosen by Youth Noise to be the face of a campaign they had launched to raise awareness about body image.

A couple of years ago Coco released her first mixed tape entitled  “Can I Reminisce…Progress Not Perfection” .

She recently dropped a banger of a song called ‘Misses Shoot ’em Down‘ that deals with female empowerment and respect. It’s the first single from her debut album as she takes a firm seat at the table of dope emcees making moves from the Bay..

 

Misses Shoot ’em Down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9S1SBdWreVs

“Any Day Now”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhZsA99tgi8

Coco Peila and Groove Major- Make It Hot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyCPDxiEXt0

Free Speech TV…Davey D Intv w/ Legend Amiri Baraka (OLM News)

Amiri BarakaThis is our Free Speech TV show OLM News w/ Davey D where we sat down w/ educator, activists, Black Arts Movement founder Amiri Baraka.. There’s so much to talk w/ this legend about and we covered a lot of ground..including art and activism, the connection between Hip Hop and the Black Arts Movement that proceeded it.. the political state of our country..

It’s important to build with elders like Amiri to get a sense of history which allows us to make important connections between movements they started and current happenings.. This is eye-opening and compelling. It was shot at Eastside Arts Alliance in Oakland.. enjoy

You can catch our weekly Free Speech TV show on Sunday nights w/ repeats 3 times during the week.. Check local listings..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fbQVIErafU

Have We Forgotten All the Bank Foreclosures? Cali Rapper Bambu Hasn’t

There’s a lot of talk about Hip Hop being dead or completely compromised with messages and images that fulfill corporate agendas and while that may be true in terms of what is presented on some of the largest stages around us, we should not discount the fact that everyday folks are waking up and fighting the good fight… One cat that puts in work day in and day out is Bambu.. Some may be familiar with him as one half of the group Native Guns.. Others know him as a committed community activist who is always trying to find ways to uplift the youth..

This week many activists and concerned citizens are in Chicago protesting the NATO Summit.. Many are being arrested and tossed in jail with the bogus charge of terrorism for simply live streaming or marching. I hope people are paying attention to what is going on as we are witnessing a complete news blackout.. With that being said NATO is where you will find government forces from all over the world who are beholden to the 1%.  Many of us forget that our real fight is with that small cabal of people who dictate the direction of the economy and now the types of oppressive and restrictive laws we will live under.. Artist like Bambu haven’t forgotten as illustrated in this new video..He goes hard on the issue of foreclosures which in 2012 represent the biggest theft this country has ever seen..   He deserves major props for stepping up and reminding all of us what sort of truth we should be speaking in these turbulent times..

written by Davey D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWXrQ5FBao0

 

 

 

Hip-Hop Activists Host Live Discussion on Recent Cases of Police Brutality

A Conversation About Police Brutality
Paradise Gray and Jasiri X Will Host a Live Discussion Online

Photobucket

Every week, a new story emerges of a local community rocked by police violence. These stories typically follow a similar pattern: a young man of color, alleged to be carrying a weapon that is never recovered, gunned down by police officers in a mysterious altercation that, too often, disappears under a mountain of police pressure and legal mismanagement. Taken individually, these stories are surreal tragedies; viewed as a whole, they reveal a disturbing pattern of police abuse and a serious need for a commitment to a 180-degree makeover of community police procedures. This conversation will be a chance for us to work together as activists and Americans to discuss ways to rebuild the trust between police departments and the communities that they are sworn to protect.

WHO: Paradise Gray, Jasiri X, The League of Young Voters Education Fund

WHAT: Live Online Broadcast of the Summer Chat Series from Pittsburgh

WHEN: Wednesday, July 20, 2011, 4 p.m. EDT

WHERE: YoungVoterLive.com

WHY: To encourage a provocative and real conversation on how to deal with police brutality in our communities.


Opportunity to Join the Conversation:
Tweet your questions @TheLeague99 to get them answered live.

Brought to you by:

Paradise Gray is a founding member of X-Clan and the Blackwatch Movement. He is a dedicated activist and member of the hip-hop community. Along with Jasiri X, he is one of the founders of One Hood Media, which is a project to train urban youth on media outreach.

Emcee and community activist Jasiri X is the creative force and artist behind the ground breaking internet news series, This Week with Jasiri X, which has garnered critical acclaim, thousands of subscribers, and millions of internet views. From the controversial viral video What if the Tea Party was Black?, to the hard hitting hilarity of Republican Woman…stay away from me, Jasiri X cleverly uses Hip-Hop to provide social commentary on a variety of issues.

The League of Young Voters Education Fund is a non-profit political organization that engages young people who have been shut out of the political process. We train them to be sophisticated organizers in their own communities, where they learn to build multi-racial, multi-issue alliances.

For more information, contact Sarah Stern at (347) 464-8683 or media@99problems.org

Are Well-Off Progressives Standing in the Way of a Real Movement for Economic Justice?

This Alternet article..Are Well-Off Progressives Standing in the Way of a Real Movement for Economic Justice? is a very interesting article that addresses a topic that with each passing day is causing more and more tension in left leaning enclaves.

To be honest this problem as outlined in the article has long existed but it often manifested itself in the form of tensions between communities of color and white progressives. The initial contention from various communities of color was that white progressives were reluctant to share power, resources or seats at the table.

It was cool to have a Black or Brown face here or there to validate an issue, organization or an agenda, but the convo and outreach wasn’t gonna go too far. Many POC have often complained that many amongst white progressive allies rarely wanted to dig deep and help fundamentally resolve key problems.  You might see this manifest itself  in discussion around an important issue where POC call for justice and major overhaul of an institution while their white counterparts might take a softer stance and call for ‘Reform’. The biggest complaint from POC has been a willingness among white progressives to follow the leadership of POC.. This is not a new discussion, Malcolm X addressed this in several speeches.

Fast forward to 2011…Today the landscape has shifted a bit where we now have a lot of well to do Black and Brown folks who sit comfortably in many of these progressive enclaves. Some refer to them as a new punditry/buffer class whose presence and visibility has created the illusion that they are on the case and smashing on key issues important to the masses in their respective communities. They’ve created the illusion of being on the same page with on the ground grassroots folks who are doing the heavy lifting of organizing, but sadly many of these Black and Brown pundits are accused of being disconnected and all about protecting the status quo.

Complicating this dilemna is the long running joke/ whispers about how some of these popular leaders who assert that they speak for the  ‘down trodden’ wanting to come to those same poor communities and charge outrageous fees amounting to tens of thousands of dollars including first class airfare and 5 star hotels. Many have been accused of NOT touching on key issues at all..This was evident when we saw many, avoid addressing glaring police brutality cases like the murder of  Oscar Grant and the beating of Jordan Miles in lieu of safer more marketable issues like Lebron James‘ choice of basketball team or actor Mel Gibson‘s racist outburst.  The talk has been many within the new punditry class approach and speak to issues with the goal of getting a speaking gig moreso than shedding light to

Bottom line there’s a class battle of sorts brewing… and while its easy to identify and attack when its along political fault lines, its bit more painful and not as obvious when its amongst those who are supposed to be your allies.   This recent Alternet article begins the conversation…

-Davey D-

Are Well-Off Progressives Standing in the Way of a Real Movement for Economic Justice?

Many progressives are affluent and well-educated. Does their elite status stand in the way of a movement to fight attacks on the working class?
May 22, 2011 |

Over the past few years, it’s become an article of faith among progressives that we’re living through a second Gilded Age — you know, an era in which great fortunes accrue to powerful business leaders and institutions and the nation’s wealth is concentrated at the very top. In the past few months, as Republicans have proposed budgets that would cut taxes still further on the backs of the middle and working class, progressives havehammered away at the statistics — like that the top 1 percent of Americans hold 34.6 percent of the nation’s wealth; the bottom 90 percent, just 26.9 percent.

But the growth in inequality and decline of the middle and working class, though exacerbated by Bush administration economic policies, isn’t a recent phenomenon — it’s been in progress for decades. Which begs the question: why on earth did it take so long for the Left to take notice? How did we end up with inequality reaching levels not seen since before the Depression without waging anything approximating a real fight against it? Surely the trends of decreasing social mobility and increasing social stratification in the supposed “land of opportunity” call for serious resistance — where has it been? As thoroughly reprehensible as the Right’s slavishness to wealth and power is, the fact that it took a financial meltdown for economic justice to even begin to replace welfare reform on the political agenda suggests progressives need to do a bit of navel-gazing.

continue reading this article on Alternet

The Root: Oakland’s Marriage to Hip Hop & Politics

The Root has been doing a series on our beloved city of Oakland.. One of the topics they tackled dealt with the long marriage between Hip Hop and political activism. Now of course an entire book could be written on this.. LOL I damn near wrote one when writing this.. The original article I penned for this series was around 5000 words , which was way too long and just too much to read in one sitting, But hopefully folks get a small taste of what goes on out our way…

-Davey D-

 

Boots Riley of the Coup

 

One of the hallmarks of Oakland, Calif, is its activism and politics and its longtime alignment with hip-hop culture. When I say “aligned,” I’m not talking about a rapper doing a song where he spits a couple of cool verses with a socially relevant message. Don’t get me wrong; that’s important, too, but that’s just surface stuff. Political involvement requires much more. As a radio journalist, writer and activist who’s been living in Oakland for the past 22 years, I feel privileged to live in a city where hip-hop and political activism are so closely linked.

The attitude in Oakland is that everything is political. Even being apolitical is political. Folks understand that politics is a rough-and-tumble sport; a closed mouth doesn’t get fed. Here, the end goal is not just getting the chosen one elected into office. Holding folks accountable is paramount, and going beyond the limits of electoral politics is how many see the political landscape. Voting is a tool, but not the only tool to bring about change. Hip-hop is another tool, a potent way to communicate with the masses.

continue reading article HERE  at The Root

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Open Letter from Kevin Powell to Black Leaders: ‘Stop Ghetto Dictatorships’

NOTE: This statement is also posted at Daily Kos: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/9/17/115615/585?new=true

Post-Congressional campaign STATEMENT by Kevin Powell

Friday, September 17, 2010

I first want to say thank you to God for giving me an incredible opportunity to run as a Democrat for Congress in 2010. I am so profoundly in love with Brooklyn, New York, with the residents of Brooklyn, because I truly believe in one Brooklyn, and I believe that Brooklyn is America with its great diversity and creativity and magic. Be it Russians in Starrett City, or Chinese immigrants or Puerto Ricans in Williamsburg, or African Americans and West Indians in Canarsie, or my Jewish sisters and brothers in Boerum Hill, I cannot begin to tell you how spiritually and emotionally uplifting this 2010 journey has been for me as a human being and as a man. Thank you, Brooklyn, thank you.

Indeed, I am so glad to have run for Congress, as I believe deeply in public service, in helping people, all people, to help themselves. We did not win the election but we did win in the hearts and minds of many Brooklynites and New Yorkers in general, and folks across America. There has been such a great outpouring of positive and affirming messages via phone, email, Twitter, and Facebook, that it is very very humbling, to say the least. I am invigorated by this love and support from everyday Americans. For we know that together we can make our country the land of opportunity and access for all.

Second, I want to thank my campaign staff, paid and unpaid, the ones who stuck with us to the very end, did not quit or make excuses, did their work and beyond, because they too believe in the power and nobility of public service. And because they really believed in our Congressional campaign from start to finish. I love each and every one of you, and I know I would not have made it across the finish line without your individual and collective strength and determination.

Next, I must say thank you very much to all the donors, voters, and supporters (both public ones and the silent, invisible ones) who helped us along the way. Suffice to say you were godsends to our Congressional campaign. Thank you for believing in me, and for having the courage to invest in a new kind of leadership for Brooklyn, and for America. A leadership that is honest, transparent, about practical solutions, and that puts people first, always.

Additionally, I must say this to my opponent, Congressman Ed Towns, his team, and his supporters: You may have won this time but it is so clear to so many that the days of your reign here in Brooklyn are very close to over. You’ve never had to work so hard to hold on to your seat, you’ve never had your nearly three decades of lazy leadership exposed so much and to so many, and you can no longer be invisible, silent, or otherwise missing in action to the people of Brooklyn’s 10th Congressional district, nor to the American people.

Mr. Towns, we expect you to earn the salary and great benefits our taxpayer dollars cover, and we expect you to think very seriously about your legacy as a Congressman in these final years of your Congressional life. When you and I crossed paths Tuesday night, election night, at that polling site near Starrett City, it was the first and only time we’ve ever had a one-on-one conversation, and I have lived in this community, in your district, for 20 years. You avoided debating me in 2008 (as you have avoided debating all opponents since you were first elected in 1982), and you avoided debating me again this year. And that is fine. It is clear you do not really believe in the very democracy that many sacrificed their lives for to achieve, including those in places like North Carolina where you were born and where some of the great battles of the Civil Rights Movement occurred.

But what was most telling about our conversation, Mr. Towns, is that all you could say is that you had not attacked me as I attacked you, and that you did not know me. First, let me correct you, sir: your team was relentless in attacking me personally, in the media, in the social networks, including many times very disrespectfully coming on to my Facebook page with the personal insults. We never did that a single time to you or your team or family. Never. What we did do was talk about your record. I never stepped into your personal life the way you did mine, although I could have, as there is much there to discuss. But we decided to be bigger than that, to talk about ideas and what we can do to help Brooklyn. Not once during this campaign did you offer any real vision for the future of Brooklyn, sir.

Moreover, Congressman Towns, it is a two-way street: you have to begin to respect and acknowledge the leadership that is not just your son, or your daughter, or your daughter-in-law, or someone you’ve handpicked to be in your Brooklyn circle. As I have stated before, what is most troubling for me and many others in Brooklyn is that within Black Brooklyn (as is the case throughout Black America) we have something I call “ghetto dictatorships.” In other words, you may have had good intentions when you first got into office, Mr. Towns, for I do believe you are, at your core, a good and decent man. But somewhere along the way you lost your way and your Congressional seat has become more about power and influence for yourself than about everyday people. This is particularly disturbing when we look at the poorest and most underdeveloped parts of Brooklyn’s 10th Congressional district: for example, huge sections of East New York and Bedford-Stuyvesant (especially inside the many housing projects in the district). These people need jobs, affordable and decent housing, afterschool programs, quality schools, senior centers,, and they need it now, Congressman Towns. Your job, as an elected official with access to federal dollars and a network you’ve created with nearly three decades in Congress, is to figure out basic solutions for the most vulnerable in the district by all available means. Earn your salary, Congressman Towns, and create a legacy, for it is not too late to do so, if you really care and if you really try.  If you do not, I and many others, locally and nationally, are going to very publicly hold you accountable every single time you fail to be a loud voice for the people of this district. I guarantee that.

So I end this statement by saying that I challenge you, Congressman Towns, and all Black elected officials in Brooklyn and across America, to cease participating in these ghetto dictatorships, to really look yourselves in the mirror and answer the question I asked you, Mr. Towns, which you could not answer on Tuesday night: What is your legacy going to be, what have you really done for the people of your district, not just for a handful of people lucky enough to have gotten a job or favor from you? That is the true mark of leadership, to touch as many lives as possible, to help as many people as possible to become self-empowered, with or without legislation, and in as many creative ways as possible. Anything less means we’ve done a grave disservice to whatever God we claim to believe in, a grave disservice to the history and the people that came before us, and a grave disservice to that sacred space we call public service.

Kevin Powell is an activist, writer, and an author of 10 books based in Brooklyn, NY. His email is kevin@kevinpowell.net

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Live From Detroit:The USSF-An Intv w/ Adrienne Maree Brown-Why Detroit?

Long time organizer Adrienne Maree Brown speaks about what to expect at this week’s USSF here in Detroit. She talks about why Detroit is a such a significant city in terms of movement building and being solution oriented. Much of Detroit’s resilience has come as a result of having to endure economic hardship for the past 30 years.

Adrienne also talks about the misperceptions many have when looking at Detroit, in particular those from the coastal cities who act and feel like Detroit’s problems can be solved by them and not from residents of the city. This is truly a bottom up led city in terms of movement building where consensus building is the name of the game and not charismatic personality.

For more info check out USSF.org

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qidy1a6qM0w

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