More and more petit bourgeois (petty bou) African women are being held up by the bourgeoisie and black petty bourgeoisie for their ability to assimilate into colonial culture.
Radical petty bou women—colonized women who advocate for social justice within capitalism—become pundits on white people’s news shows, while the rank and file petty bou measure their success in “firsts;” “first black woman to…” you fill in the blank.
These women, however, are the minority of African women.
The majority of African women’s reality isn’t broadcast across the airwaves.
We are left to believe that we are isolated in our struggles that are a result of colonial exploitation and oppression when the truth is that we are united by our struggles.
Colonialism and slavery is what has divided us. Fighting colonial domination is what will unite us.
Colonialism in the everyday lives of African women
Life under colonial domination and oppression is fraught with contradictions for African people.
African women are often left to bare the brunt of the responsibility in our communities.
African women have endured centuries of kidnap, rape, other abuse and death; watching the hope for our future snatched away.
Today’s State violence and horizontal violence (black on black violence), often keep us in the streets protesting the death of one too many Africans.
Always lurking, this monster—colonialism—invades our lives in any way possible.
Our families are destroyed by mass incarceration, our children are taken by child protective services, we are being pushed out of our homes and neighborhoods and our minds are destroyed as we self medicate just to cope.
The State is the military, police, courts, prisons and schools.
Their sole purpose of existence is repression and to protect the existing social system through coercion.
This beast is cruel, unfair, deranged, depraved and parasitic.
But through the eyes of African Internationalism, the political theory that explains how we can change the world, we see past all of that.
We recognize our oppressors for who they are, and we classify them, by name.
We are waging war and our message is clear, “We are coming for you!”
ANWO setting the stage for the true emancipation of women
There is a different sound rising as the African National Women’s Organization (ANWO) steps forward as the voice of the revolutionary African working class woman.
We are taking a stand and armed with the revolutionary theory of practice, we are emerging as the only organization for black women that actually exposes and organizes around the core contradiction of our oppression—colonialism.
We recognize that other movements don’t address the real issues that impact the lives of people so we don’t make the “only” claim lightly.
Feminists and other African women activists would rather hold a parade that says “black women lead,” stage a die in, and bask in the glory of their own sense of self-importance.
Meanwhile they will not organize against the assault on African mothers fighting to get their children back in their custody.
They will not organize prison rides to support African women or men in prison.
They will not organize revolutionary childcare collectives. They will not support African women with deep contradictions, brought on by colonialism.
But ANWO is building our strength and strategy because we see an end to African oppression. We realize band-aids will not work. We must deal not with the symptoms but the disease.
ANWO knows why this is happening to us and we know we must educate and organize the women affected, as well as any other African woman or man that understands that we are in a position to win.
We believe that we must make a revolution and that is the only solution. We believe that as African women, we are more than capable of leading.
Always willing and determined to fight for our own, for the women of ANWO, fear is not a recognized emotion.
The weight of imperialism is constantly upon our shoulders and standing by waiting for someone else to rescue us is not an option.
The time is now!
We are organizing with African women around the world. It’s time that African women unite!
We will see liberation in our lifetime!
ANWO’s Black Women’s Convention charts the way
Join The African National Women’s Organization’s at our Black Women’s Convention scheduled for March 27-29 in Philadelphia.
It is a gathering of poor and working-class black women who believe that a better world is possible.
The purpose of the convention is to encourage discussions and workshops that will challenge, excite and organize working-class African women under our own leadership.
The convention will bring together women from across the African diaspora to get on one agenda which is to create a new society where the leadership of black women is integral to the success.
Our theme, Sisters United for the Revolution, envisions a near future where black women, from all over the world, connect with and support each other in our efforts to shape a new world.
The Black Women’s Convention will be an intergenerational socialist event that will sharpen black women’s awareness and deepen our concepts of freedom with strategies to get there.
We look forward to building new sisterhoods.
Although our organization is organized under the leadership of poor and working-class African women, who oftentimes are the voiceless, we are inclusive of ALL black women regardless of income level.
This is a space for young women, mothers, aunties, sisters, cousins, grandmothers, daughters, including those who are gender non-conforming.
The African National Women’s Organization is a membership-based socialist organization for black women, who recognize our responsibility to plan, educate and organize African women to take our rightful place in history as makers and shapers of a new free African society where oppressed African people in general and African women, who suffer a double oppression, will eradicate all oppression and achieve self determination.
We call on you to stand up, roll up your sleeves and take up your responsibility as a maker and shaper of a new society for African people!
Up you mighty African Warrior Woman!
Join us in Philadelphia!
Visit convention.anwouhuru.org to register or call us at (240) 326-3959!
