Today was the final day of the 2014 Cadre Intensive held by the African People's Socialist Party.
Today's raising of the red, black and green flag was filmed and photographed for the historical record, and all of the comrades gathered in formation outside the Uhuru House were donned in their "I Am A Cadre" intensive t-shirts.
As comrade Blaqmoor called out, "Africans, present arms!", the comrades raised their fists high and chanted, "UHURU!"
As the sun-lit banner of the African nation brightened up the cloudless sky of south St Pete with revolutionary glory, the comrades re-convened in Akwaaba Hall for the final assembly.
SG Gaida Kambon summed up month-long intensive as a process that forged and transformed everyone who came through it. Comrades from the different units came up to the podium to deliver their final reports. Every unit delivered powerful reports, some participants even moved to tears by the process. The enthusiasm and revolutionary fervor of the room was palpable.
After lunch, certificates were presented to the comrades to recognize their attendance and graduation from the intensive. The participants went up to the podium to receive their certificate and have their picture taken with Chairman Omali Yeshitela.
Then SG Gaida presented four special awards. The Outstanding Veteran Cadre Award went to Comrade Bakari Olatunji from Oakland, CA for his decades of outstanding commitment to the African revolution and his leadership stance in the cadre intensive.
The Outstanding Transformation in a Cadre Award was delivered to Antonieta Gomes of Norway. Antonieta's stance was exemplary, as she struggled against language barriers and other contradictions to undergo serious transformation into a revolutionary cadre.
The award for the Cadre Who Exempflied Deep Unity Between the African and Mexican Peoples was presented to Comrade Juan Samaniego. Juan's stance throughout the intensive was affirmation of the indestructible unity of Africans and Mexicans that is "built into our revolutionary DNA" as SG Gaida said.
Finally, the Best Sons and Daughters of Africa Award was given to Fenty Tholley, the Party leader from Sierra Leone. The comrades rose to their feet to the beat of Sierra Leone dance music as Fenty was awarded this prestigious recognition by the Party intensive.
After the award ceremony, Chairman Omali Yeshitela gave his final summation of the intensive. "If there's anyone in this room today that is the same person you were when you arrived, then we failed completely," said the Chairman. The Chairman spoke about the significance of our work as revolutionaries and rebuilding a worldwide revolutionary movement with cadres on every continent. Without cadres and the Party there cannot be a revolution.
It was hard to believe it was over, but in so many ways, the work has just begun. The ending of the 2014 cadre intensive was a new beginning for the African revolution and worldwide revolutionary struggles of oppressed peoples.
This time til it's won.
Uhuru!
