The Burning Spear newspaper congratulates outstanding Uhuru Movement organizer Herdosia Bentum of Ferguson, MO, who received the African People’s Socialist Party’s esteemed Comrade of the Quarter award THE second quarter of this year.
The Comrade of the Quarter is a popular acknowledgement awarded by the Party to organizers and members who have distinguished themselves through their efforts to build and forward Party-led work for the liberation of African people everywhere.
Every three months movement co-workers submit nominations for outstanding members detailing all the ways they have gained the respect and admiration of their comrades by excelling in their Uhuru Movement work.
The nominations are reviewed and voted on by the Party’s Recognition Committee—a committee that generally faces very difficult choices in the face of so many enthusiastic, hard-working and talented comrades who make up our Party and mass work around the world.
Each Comrade of the Quarter becomes a candidate for the Comrade of the Year award.
Every quarterly winner is announced at a major Uhuru Movement event, in the pages of The Spear and on UhuruNews.com and receives a $50 gift certificate.
The Comrade of the Quarter is part of our Party’s awards and recognition program that also includes the Chairman Omali Yeshitela Certificate, the Movement Unity Award, the Bold Initiative Award and the Organizational Service Award.
by Denice Justice
Uhuru!
I have had the pleasant honor of working with Herdosia for the past several months. One of my many new nicknames for her is “the revolutionary evangelist.”
Comrade Herdosia exhibits great courage and a fearlessness that provides leadership for people in our community who have been beaten down by the State. Her stance sends a strong message to those she is organizing that they must be fearless, too.
She does do not hesitate to put out the Party politics. She seeks and takes advantage of every opportunity to do so.
Herdosia continues to come up with ways to solve the organization’s problems and move it forward. Her logistics work for the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) plenary in April is a good example.
Herdosia worked the logistics from St. Louis, Missouri for an event to be held hundreds of miles away in St. Petersburg, Florida, making sure that the things went smoothly and all details were covered.
Herdosia has also proven to be an excellent organizer. She drew all kinds of people into the work of the Black is Back Is Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations (BIBC) – Black Community Control of the Police event in April.
She did outreach to build for the event and bring the people out. She assisted in the planning, the selecting of program participants, the set up and break down, childcare oversight and the overall behind the scenes running of the event.
From big to small, whatever comrade Herdosia is called on to do by the Party, the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM), and the BIBC she does without reservation.
Herdosia has greatly assists our local BIBC in the organization of its membership. She helps in leading meetings and political training and invites those new members to participate actively in additional party work like PE’s, while struggling to gain new members to InPDUM.
From coordinating InPDUM and BIBC participation in the local May Day parade where Black Community Control of the Police was the message, or Vonderitt Myers, Jr.’s birthday celebration, or attending a funeral for a young woman who lost her life, or building with ANWO and the Mothers Against State Violence – Herdosia is constantly working to push the Party line. She has learned to create division of labor, enabling others to rise by carrying out given key roles.
She struggles to overcome all obstacles and limitations she faces to participate in the work – even with two children. Herdosia asks questions for understanding and unity and is also very thorough in carrying out whatever task she is given.
Although new to the Party and the Party work, Herdosia exemplifies Party leadership and acts as a revolutionary at all times. She struggles to unite the mass workers with the Party’s line and keep the politics in the center for them.
Diligently attending every political education session and meeting that she is called to attend has very much contributed to her growth and political knowledge. She has worked with Sister Giada Kambon in her development in the Party and attempts to apply that knowledge to grow the Party.
Do the work!
The Party must lead!
Congrats to Herdosia!
