African National Women’s Organization (ANWO) convened our 6th annual convention, our Black Women’s Convention, entitled “One Voice! Many Fists!”
During the two-day program, guests and organizers spoke about issues confronting African women and how our work addresses those issues.
The Convention Steering committee worked constantly in the months previous to the convention, to organize our program, promotion, fundraising and so much more. The committee included Sayi Kamba, Koko Lewis, Indigo Alexander, Pauline Dixon, and Yejide Orunmila.
This convention was supported through financial sponsorships from IndiEverything.com, Movement For Family Power, DeColonaise Hair and Body and Saving Our Babies Arts and Cultural Center.
It was also supported by our amazing Department of Agitation and Propaganda who offered professional delivery of the two-day online program on the Facebook and YouTube platforms.
Convention highlight African women workers
As the only anti-colonial, anti-imperialist revolutionary African women’s organization, ANWO’s conventions and events focus on strategies that improve the conditions of African women living under colonialism, while teaching us how we should fight against those oppressive conditions.
The two-day event was MC’d by Robin Harris, a long-time ANWO member and activist organizer based in Orlando, Florida.
The Convention opened with a tribute to African women leaders of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) followed by a slideshow highlighting women leaders of yesterday and today.
Then we had incredible culture from comrades including Indigo X, who is a rapper and a poet. Elikya Ngoma, a talented sister comrade, presided over the playing of the African Nation Fight Song, of which she is the writer, composer and performer.
This was a great way to transition to solidarity statements given by our U.S. Regional Coordinators; Malika Alexander, Bakari Olatunji, Tiffany Murphy and Kobina Bantushango.
Union del Barrio Mujer Committee’s Christina Lares and African People’s Solidarity Committee Chair Penny Hess also gave statements, uniting with the necessary struggle that African and oppressed colonized women must make to destroy capitalist colonialism.
The first panel featured amazing African women organizers who spoke about colonialism’s impact on women’s health and how to combat it.
International Membership and Recruitment Coordinator Sayi Kamba moderated and contributed to the discussion which featured Dr. Michelle Strongfields from IAMM Science, Chanel L. Porchia Albert, the founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ancient Song Doula Services and Alexandria Myles an amazing doula who supports women who want spiritually holistic support before, during and post pregnancy.
These sisters help set the tone discussing birth and community, revolutionary care networks, being our own advocates and controlling how and what is done to our bodies in the health sphere.
Keynote addresses
Following a few advertisements from the #buyblackpower business of the movement, I gave a presentation that focused on African women as workers and the motivation we must have to end the ownership of our labor and land when we continue to be subjugated.
Delivering the keynote address, APSP Chairman Omali Yeshitela drilled down on the fact that there won’t be any freedom for African women if African people are still colonized—putting forward that African women must be part of the struggle to destroy colonialism as a liberatory practice in freeing ourselves and our whole people.
The presentations for the rest of the Convention captured our campaigns ArrestCPS, Uhuru Kijiji Childcare Collective and the war of ideas objectives which were deepened by the powerful presentations given by Akilé Anai, Director of the APSP Department of Agitation and Propaganda and Kalambayi Andenet, the President of the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement, who spoke about her experience contending with the ruling class and the black bourgeoisie in her electoral bid for council person in St. Louis.
Our comrades in Occupied Azania (South Africa) gave an informative presentation about the conditions of African women there and some strategies they are developing to intervene on the ground.
We also used the convention to provide insight into the inner workings of ANWO, our objectives over the next year and what our members and contacts should expect from us.
Meeting membership and fundraising
We were able to raise over $2000 through our fundraising and won memberships, which propels us toward accomplishing our goals moving forward to 2022.
This convention saw more participation from our broader membership than in the past. Forces who just came into political life, jumped in with both feet to give presentations and work behind the scenes as moderators and tech assistants.
We appreciate all of our supporters and anticipate working with you to keep our ANWO growing; building the revolutionary capacity of African women around the world.
