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Let’s Commit to End the Onslaught of Black Deaths This MLK Day

January 20, 2014 By

Reverend Dr Martin Luther King came from a long line of Black preachers who represented Prophetic Teachings

Today we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr... His actual birthday was January 15th but the holiday which calls for us to service the community is today, 3rd Monday in January.. Hopefully many of us take time to reflect on King and think about ways to better our community…

As we think about MLK, let’s also reflect on the inspiring and magnificent homecoming that was held for Amiri Baraka.. The words spoken about him and his accomplishments from everyone from Sonia Sanchez to Jessica Care Moore to Cornel West to Danny Glover to Sister Souljah to his son Ras Baraka to name a few underscored the importance of forward thinking and community upliftment.

As we reflect on the life and legacy of both King and Baraka, let’s think about this poor mother in East Oakland who lost her 13-year-old son Lee Weathersby. He was walking home from the boys and girls club at 9pm on New Years Eve when he was gunned down in what many were speculating as a case of mistaken identity..

The heartbroken family had just buried Lee and was still trying to make sense of his killing when Sunday night her other son 19-year-old Lamar Broussard was gunned down as he sat in his car. This took place in the middle of the day at 2pm..Also killed was the passenger in the car.. U can read about that here —> http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/oakland-family-loses-second-son-space-weeks/nctdC/

Earlier this week a 24-year-old brother named Brandon Clemens was killed as he walked home with a friend over on 14th Avenue.. He was robbed of his school books.. The mom when shown on TV was understandably beside herself..http://www.mercurynews.com/crime-courts/ci_24924745/man-fatally-shot-east-oakland-robbery

The way these stories get covered in the news is very sterile.. Black death is routine with the faces of crying family members making for good television, but rarely are they treated where the humanity of those killed is upheld and made universal. Such stories are always followed with a meaningless stat of how many were killed this year vs last year at a particular time as if less or more death somehow make things better.

Screen Shot 2014-01-20 at 6.53.40 AMMany of us who live in these communities are left consciously and unconsciously hoping that the victims of these deaths were somehow involved in something shady so we can justify in our minds their killings. It’s hard to own up to the fact that Black life, meaning all our lives in general are seen as meaningless both within and outside the community.. That’s gotta change…

We can no longer fall back on the excuse that it’s the parents not doing their job.. Maybe they are, maybe they arent’.. What difference does that make if its your well raised loved and cared for loved one gunned down by someone who devalues life?

Maybe its the music and things shown on TV..We’ve been noting that for a number of years.. Definitely for the last 20-25, and what we’ve seen is corporate outlets presenting more not less toxic material and throwing obscene amounts of money in the face of those who will create and deliver such goods.

We can get more police to patrol our communities and hope that they care enough to actually solve the crimes versus containing entire populations who spark fear in the majority population because of how these stories are reported..

We need to reflect on King and the bold steps he took with the Civil Rights Movements and Baraka and the bold steps he took with the Black Arts Movement and the 1972 Black Power Convention in Gary, Ind and ask ourselves what BOLD, INNOVATIVE steps can we take individually and collectively starting today to end this continuing heartbreak that is visiting our communities from Oakland to Memphis to Philly to Houston to Chicago to Miami far too often..There are no easy answers, but the least we can do is plant seeds and model the type of loving behavior we’d like to see others emulate.

So in closing all of us should reflect, not just on King, Baraka and all our ancestors but also on the unimaginable pain the families, especially the mothers who just lost precious sons..Lets reflect on ways to heal our community…

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Our Conversation w/ Sonia Sanchez as she Remembers her Friend Amiri Baraka

January 14, 2014 By

sonia SanchezIn the wake of Amiri Baraka passing, we’ve been speaking with a number of people about his life and legacy.. One of the people closest to him was legendary poet, educator and author Sonia Sanchez. She’s the author of over 20 books including Sonia Sanchez is the  Homecoming, We a BaddDDD People, Love Poems, I’ve Been a Woman, A Sound Investment and Other Stories, Homegirls and Handgrenades and most recently  Morning Haiku.

She is also the Poet laureate of Philadelphia and was in the process of working on a book with Amiri about the Black Arts Movement which was due out in May of 2014..

That book will be completed and of course dedicated to Amiri… During our interview Sonia opened up and talked about her friendship with Amiri, recounting the funny way in which the two met.. She explained that as a college student she attended a show where Baraka was performing.. At that time his name was Leroy Jones.  As she walked by, Baraka called her out and demanded she submit a poem  to an anthology he was doing. She said she thought he was kidding and paid him no mind..

She returned to the theater for another show a few days later and this time Baraka called her out again and ribbed her for not wanting to be in his book.. This time she took his words seriously, left the venue and returned home.. She typed up some poems and got them to him and that was the start of their life long friendship…

Sonia gave us lots of gems to chew on about Amiri Baraka. She talked about the beginnings of the Black Arts Movement and how they functioned. She underscored how they continuously supported one another and collaborated. She explained how Baraka was accessible to the community no matter how busy or traveled he was..He had great love for the people and was a genius, she noted.

She said his intellect and sharpness is often downplayed or taken for granted and it shouldn’t be when you consider all that he accomplished..

Below is our Hard Knock Radio interview with Sonia Sanchez

http://www.audiomack.com/song/hard-knock-radio/poet-author-sonia-sanchez-speaks-on-amiri-baraka

Sonia Sanchez is a force on to herself and also a treasure to our community.. We wanted to share with you a conversation we had several years ago when she talked about the Black Arts Movement and its relationship to Hip Hop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtRffMdbB0Y

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News Tagged With: , , ,

Our Tribute to Amiri Baraka-Things We Should Never Forget About Him

January 10, 2014 By

Screen Shot 2014-01-09 at 2.00.55 PMMany are still reeling from the news of playright, author, activist, educator Amiri Baraka going home to the ancestors yesterday…Considered the father of the Black Arts Movement, the world lost a great treasure, a pioneering figure and inspiring individual who touched multiple generations all around the world, including here in the Bay Area where he had strong ties.

We gathered up some material to help people reflect on Baraka’s legacy and life. Hopefully it moves people to pause, reflect and build upon some of the artistic,  political and philosophical endeavors he laid down.. All of us should be re-reading his ground breaking book Blues People which was written under his given name Leroi Jones.It is a key foundation to understand Black music and expression.

We should all go back and look at 1964 play The Dutchman which was an allegorical tale for race relations at the time and later made into a movie in 1967..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI6XmBX9-po&list=PLRxi8YQ0qxEuUPj9BoNt0Vp2U9Fu_mPkG

All of us she re-listen to his landmark poem on Black Art as he confronts a segregated hostile world and explains in no uncertain terms what Black Artists need to be doing to push the envelope and help reshape and redefine the world..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh2P-tlEH_w

We should all remember how Amiri Baraka spent time in the SF Bay Area and was a part of the upheavel in 1968 at SF State where they launched a historic game changing Third World Strike. Here we see Baraka addressing students https://diva.sfsu.edu/collections/sfbatv/bundles/187241

All of us should look back and never forget the important role Amiri Baraka played in the organizing of the historic 1972 National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana and the more than 8 thousand people it attracted. We should never forget the calls for ‘Nation Time‘  It has all been erased from history..

(this entire Eye on the Prize episode is good, but to see the part of the National Black Political Convention go to 38 minutes into film)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrIWacqu13E

All of us should take time out and look at the incredible interview Amiri Baraka did with the late great journalist Gil Noble.. This conversation gives a great overview on his life, his art, is disappointment with Spike Lee‘s movie on Malcolm X, forming a united front and so much more.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgUUvXaa9wKZWF2FkngmQSpFCWjTS4A0R

We should all go back and re-listen to Amiri Baraka’s post 9-11 poem ‘Somebody Blew Up America ‘ where he defiantly spits reality to why a terrorist attack really took place in America. At the time he was the poet laureate of New Jersey… A law had to be passed to remove him because of this poem..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUEu-pG1HWw

One of my most cherished moments was the interview we did with Amiri Baraka for Free Speech TV during a recent visit to Oakland’s Eastside Arts Alliance

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

Below is the podcast to our Hard Knock Radio on air tribute upon learning of Baraka’s death. Our special guest is Professor/ author Rickey Vincent who gives us a thorough breakdown of his legacy

http://www.audiomack.com/song/hard-knock-radio/a-tribute-to-amiri-baraka-may-he-rest-in-power

Filed Under: 2014 Daily News Tagged With: , , , ,

Somebody Blew Up America: Amiri Baraka’s Hard Questions About 9-11

September 11, 2013 By

Amiri_BarakaHere are some powerful words from author, poet Amiri Baraka about the September 11th Attacks. It was poem called Somebody Blew Up America that was written several months after the attacks where Baraka raised a lot of hard questions about US foreign policy which he felt created a climate fomented terrorism. He stepped on a lot of toes and made many feel uncomfortable including than NJ Governor Jim McGreevey.

McGreevy tried to remove Baraka from his post of Poet Laureate of New Jersey to which he had been appointed and soon learned that there no legal way to remove him. As a result legislation was introduced in the State Senate to abolish the post.  This was signed into law by Governor McGreevey and on July 2, 2003, Baraka ceased being poet laureate. He in turned sued McGreevy and in response the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled that state officials were immune from such suits.

In November 2007 the Supreme Court of the United States refused to hear an appeal of the case.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUEu-pG1HWw

Somebody Blew Up America

They say its some terrorist,
some barbaric
A Rab,
in Afghanistan
It wasn’t our American terrorists
It wasn’t the Klan or the Skin heads
Or the them that blows up nigger
Churches, or reincarnates us on Death Row
It wasn’t Trent Lott
Or David Duke or Giuliani
Or Schundler, Helms retiring

It wasn’t
The gonorrhea in costume
The white sheet diseases
That have murdered black people
Terrorized reason and sanity
Most of humanity, as they pleases

They say (who say?)
Who do the saying
Who is them paying
Who tell the lies
Who in disguise
Who had the slaves
Who got the bux out the Bucks

Who got fat from plantations
Who genocided Indians
Tried to waste the Black nation

Who live on Wall Street
The first plantation
Who cut your nuts off
Who rape your ma
Who lynched your pa

Who got the tar, who got the feathers
Who had the match, who set the fires
Who killed and hired
Who say they God & still be the Devil

Who the biggest only
Who the most goodest
Who do Jesus resemble

Who created everything
Who the smartest
Who the greatest
Who the richest
Who say you ugly and they the goodlookingest

Who define art
Who define science

Who made the bombs
Who made the guns

Who bought the slaves, who sold them

Who called you them names
Who say Dahmer wasn’t insane

Who? Who? Who?

Who stole Puerto Rico
Who stole the Indies, the Philipines, Manhattan
Australia & The Hebrides
Who forced opium on the Chinese

Who own them buildings
Who got the money
Who think you funny
Who locked you up
Who own the papers

Who owned the slave ship
Who run the army

Who the fake president
Who the ruler
Who the banker

Who? Who? Who?

Who own the mine
Who twist your mind
Who got bread
Who need peace
Who you think need war

Who own the oil
Who do no toil
Who own the soil
Who is not a nigger
Who is so great ain’t nobody bigger

Who own this city

Who own the air
Who own the water

Who own your crib
Who rob and steal and cheat and murder
and make lies the truth
Who call you uncouth

Who live in the biggest house
Who do the biggest crime
Who go on vacation anytime

Who killed the most niggers
Who killed the most Jews
Who killed the most Italians
Who killed the most Irish
Who killed the most Africans
Who killed the most Japanese
Who killed the most Latinos

Who? Who? Who?

Who own the ocean

Who own the airplanes
Who own the malls
Who own television
Who own radio

Who own what ain’t even known to be owned
Who own the owners that ain’t the real owners

Who own the suburbs
Who suck the cities
Who make the laws

Who made Bush president
Who believe the confederate flag need to be flying
Who talk about democracy and be lying

Who the Beast in Revelations
Who 666
Who know who decide
Jesus get crucified

Who the Devil on the real side
Who got rich from Armenian genocide

Who the biggest terrorist
Who change the bible
Who killed the most people
Who do the most evil
Who don’t worry about survival

Who have the colonies
Who stole the most land
Who rule the world
Who say they good but only do evil
Who the biggest executioner

Who? Who? Who?

Who own the oil
Who want more oil
Who told you what you think that later you find out a lie

Who? Who? Who?

Who found Bin Laden, maybe they Satan
Who pay the CIA,
Who knew the bomb was gonna blow
Who know why the terrorists
Learned to fly in Florida, San Diego

Who know why Five Israelis was filming the explosion
And cracking they sides at the notion

Who need fossil fuel when the sun ain’t goin’ nowhere

Who make the credit cards
Who get the biggest tax cut
Who walked out of the Conference
Against Racism
Who killed Malcolm, Kennedy & his Brother
Who killed Dr King, Who would want such a thing?
Are they linked to the murder of Lincoln?

Who invaded Grenada
Who made money from apartheid
Who keep the Irish a colony
Who overthrow Chile and Nicaragua later

Who killed David Sibeko, Chris Hani,
the same ones who killed Biko, Cabral,
Neruda, Allende, Che Guevara, Sandino,

Who killed Kabila, the ones who wasted Lumumba, Mondlane,
Betty Shabazz, Die, Princess Di, Ralph Featherstone,
Little Bobby

Who locked up Mandela, Dhoruba, Geronimo,
Assata, Mumia, Garvey, Dashiell Hammett, Alphaeus Hutton

Who killed Huey Newton, Fred Hampton,
Medgar Evers, Mikey Smith, Walter Rodney,
Was it the ones who tried to poison Fidel
Who tried to keep the Vietnamese Oppressed

Who put a price on Lenin’s head

Who put the Jews in ovens,
and who helped them do it
Who said “America First”
and ok’d the yellow stars

Who killed Rosa Luxembourg, Liebneckt
Who murdered the Rosenbergs
And all the good people iced,
tortured, assassinated, vanished

Who got rich from Algeria, Libya, Haiti,
Iran, Iraq, Saudi, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Palestine,

Who cut off peoples hands in the Congo
Who invented Aids
Who put the germs
In the Indians’ blankets
Who thought up “The Trail of Tears”

Who blew up the Maine
& started the Spanish American War
Who got Sharon back in Power
Who backed Batista, Hitler, Bilbo,
Chiang kai Chek

Who decided Affirmative Action had to go
Reconstruction, The New Deal,
The New Frontier, The Great Society,

Who do Tom Ass Clarence Work for
Who doo doo come out the Colon’s mouth
Who know what kind of Skeeza is a Condoleeza
Who pay Connelly to be a wooden negro
Who give Genius Awards to Homo Locus
Subsidere

Who overthrew Nkrumah, Bishop,
Who poison Robeson,
who try to put DuBois in Jail
Who frame Rap Jamil al Amin, Who frame the Rosenbergs,
Garvey,
The Scottsboro Boys,
The Hollywood Ten

Who set the Reichstag Fire

Who knew the World Trade Center was gonna get bombed
Who told 4000 Israeli workers at the Twin Towers
To stay home that day
Why did Sharon stay away?

Who? Who? Who?

Explosion of Owl the newspaper say
The devil face cd be seen

Who make money from war
Who make dough from fear and lies
Who want the world like it is
Who want the world to be ruled by imperialism and national
oppression and terror violence, and hunger and poverty.

Who is the ruler of Hell?
Who is the most powerful

Who you know ever
Seen God?

But everybody seen
The Devil

Like an Owl exploding
In your life in your brain in your self
Like an Owl who know the devil
All night, all day if you listen, Like an Owl
Exploding in fire. We hear the questions rise
In terrible flame like the whistle of a crazy dog

Like the acid vomit of the fire of Hell
Who and Who and WHO who who
Whoooo and Whooooooooooooooooooooo!

Filed Under: 2013 Daily News Tagged With: , , , ,

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

February 28, 2013 By

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

Filed Under: 2013 Daily News, OLM News Show Tagged With: , , , , ,