WASHINGTON, DC—The Black is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations will hold a rally and march on Saturday, November 3 and conference on Sunday, November 4 in Washington, DC under the slogan: “Break the Silence! The Unreported Wars and Attacks on Africans Worldwide.”
The Black is Back Coalition recognizes that there are countless wars and attacks on African communities that are routinely ignored by the mainstream media as well as by the traditional peace movements.
On the African continent, more than five million Africans in the Congo have been killed since 1998 as a result of proxy wars that have also led to the looting of our resources there.
In South Africa several months ago, police opened fired on striking miners killing over 30 and wounding at least 70 in an act of violence reminiscent of the apartheid era.
In Haiti, thousands marched recently in protest against the Martelly government, who they contend has done very little to improve living standards.
Here in Washington DC, the historic Barry Farm community at this very moment is on the frontlines of the gentrification assault. The proposed redevelopment scheme of Barry Farm, if successful, would lead to the displacement of many long-time residents there.
Yet, the media and anti-war movements remain silent.
Unfortunately, there is a general lack of concern for and implicit support of the oppression faced by Africans worldwide.
The assaults on African communities not only here in the U.S., but throughout the Caribbean, throughout Europe and on the African continent itself in the form of proxy wars, police containment, mass incarceration, economic underdevelopment, joblessness etc., are all being swept under the proverbial rug.
The Black is Back Coalition is calling for an end to this indifference.
“On November 3, we rally in Malcolm X Park in Washington, DC, from every community in the U.S. Here we will make our united voices heard; here we will declare our united will to join with the peoples of the world to change the course of history that has enslaved and impoverished the majority for the benefit of the parasitic few,” said Omali Yeshitela, Chairman of the Black is Back Coalition.
“And on November 4, we will hold a conference to organize and plan. We will collectively decide what to do to tell our own story and to place our own aspirations, values and plans on the agenda for human progress and the conquest of social justice, peace and reparations.”
The November 3rd pre-rally starts at 10am-1:30pm. The march will be leaving from Malcolm X Park.
The conference will be held on Sunday, November 4th at SOUL 57, 1326 Florida Avenue NE from 12noon to 6:30pm.
The Black is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations was founded September 12, 2009.
Its members include a wide sector of the African Liberation movement from a variety of political and ideological persuasions whose objective is to forge a common anti-imperialist agenda. It is headquartered in Washington, DC.
For more information on the Black is Back Coalition, please visit: www.blackisbackcoalition.org.
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Media Contact:
Ayesha Fleary
Washington, DC
(202) 681-7040
November 3&4, 2012 Rally
Agenda
Pre-March Rally @ Malcolm X Park 10-1:30pm
MC: AYESHA FLEARY
10:00 –10:10 Princess Bella (performance)
10:10– 10:15 Lisa Davis –BiBC Health Care Working Group
10:15-10:20 Solomon Commissiong – Your World News
10:20-10:25 Penny Hess –African People’s Solidarity Committee (APSC)
10:25: 10:30 Clement Gyma – Congolese Activist
10:30-10:35 Amina Baraka – Activist Educator
10:35-10:40 Linda Miller – Barry Farms Residence Council
10:40-10:50 – J’Sun (performance)
MC: LISA DAVIS
10:50-10:55 Ari Merretazon – National Co-Chair of N’COBRA
10:55-11:10 Glen Ford –Black Agenda Report
11:10-11:15 Thomas Ruffin – Jericho Movement
11:15-11:20 Ushindi Watu – BiBC Newark
11:20-11:30 Nellie Bailey – Harlem Housing Organizer and Advocate
11:30 -11:45 Chokwe Lumumba – Chair, New Afrikan People’s Organization (NAPO)
11:45-11:50 Markus Kothner – Patrice Lumumba Coalition
MC: WALEEAH BROOKS
11:50-12:00 Africa’s Trigger (performance)
12:00 –12:05 Diop Olugbala– International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM)
12:05- 12:20 Chairman Omali Yeshitela – African Socialist International & BiBC
12:20 -12:25 Modesta Agbemaple – Students Against Mass Incarceration (SAMI)
12:25 – 12:35 Tendani Mpulubusiel (performance)
12:35-12:50 Imam Musa – Masjid Al-Islam
12:50 –12:55 Freedom Koofshaw –DC Troy Davis
12:55 – 1:10 Lawrence Hamm – People’s Organization for Progress
1:10-1:15 ((FR Call))
1:15 – 1:20 ((Mem Call))
DAY 2 – November 4th Program (Soul 57)
Noon Opening and Welcome —
12:10 Glen Ford – Overview Opening discussion of the state of the world about which silence must be broken
12:40 Mass actions (Teach-ins, demonstrations raising issues of youth and students, police, prison, border issues, Congo, Palestine, etc.) William Sama – African Student Progressive Action Committee, Richard Piedrahita, African People’s Socialist Party
1:40 Significance of BIB – Omali Yeshitela
2:10 Fundraising appeal – Ousainou Mbenga
2:20 Congo workshop – Clement Gyma
2:50 Healthcare industry – Lisa Davis
3:20 Break
3:50 Membership appeal –Waleeah Brooks and Nellie Bailey
4:00 AFRICOM – Glen Ford, B.A.R
4:30 Exposing conditions for blacks in US, and Europe – Lawrence Hamm, Markus Kothner, Diop Olugbala
5:15 Using our media to break the silence – Glen Ford (BAR), Omowale Kefing Washington Informer
5:45 Discussion
6:15 Closing and summation
