Mexico, Central and South America

Editor’s Note: The following is a transcription of a special episode of the Omali Taught Me Sunday Study, the first in a series discussing the unity of African and Mexican people in the struggle against the colonial state.

“I’m happy to report you stayed classy, San Diego.”  That is how San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer addressed the community as local beaches and parks reopened on April 27.  That class, however, was San Diego’s white ruling class. 

As of May 8, there have been 4,929 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in San Diego County and 165 deaths. The death rate of 3.3 percent, San Diego County’s COVID-19 death rate is 55 percent of the U.S. national average. Tijuana, the Baja California city across the false border, comparatively has 1,136 verified cases—77 percent fewer cases than San Diego—but 226 deaths!

During the current lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, African workers are scrambling to feed our children, pay our rent or mortgage or cover any medical expenses.

On November 10, 2019, it was reported that Bolivian President Evo Morales was forced to resign amid imperialist imposed unrest and violence following the October 20, 2019 elections, in what Evo’s government is declaring to be a coup by opposition forces in the country. The Burning Spear newspaper, as the official organ of the African People’s Socialist Party, declare our fierce and unwavering solidarity with the people of Bolivia involved in the struggle to overthrow imperialism.

Due to having been under foreign domination for the past 600 plus years, African people around the world have lost a great sense of who we are. That is reflected in the fact that we often refer to ourselves as various foreign titles, most of them tying us to those who oppress us, such as ‘American’ or ‘French.’

St. Petersburg, Florida—A plane crashed less than a block away from the Uhuru House on Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 3:45pm. A total of 5 people were injured and 3 cars totaled. Amongst the three injured was an African woman and her grandson.