The One Africa! One Nation! (OAON) Uhuru Flea Markets in Philadelphia enters its 22nd year, continuing its long-standing legacy in supporting and building an independent economy for the African working class. Stewarded by the Northern Region of the African People’s Socialist Party, this steadily growing institution has been managed by a small yet dedicated team of comrades. Read below as they reflect on why they volunteer for the Uhuru Flea Markets.
Nkululeko Sechaba, volunteer:
“I volunteer for the OAON marketplace in recognition of the need for African people to have control of our own institutions for economic self-reliance. The OAON marketplace in Philly is part of the Black Power Blueprint of the Uhuru Movement meant to negate the dependency of the African community on any outside force. As a member of the Uhuru Movement and a volunteer of the Marketplace, I am able to participate in the creation of a new world where the people control what they need to survive, not corporations & governments.
As an African Internationalist I know that this global exploitative economy called capitalism was born out of colonialism, enslavement and the mass displacement of African people around the world. The OAON Marketplace is part of the strategy to build and forward the worldwide African Liberation Movement and this is another reason why I volunteer. We must make sure that all of the skills, labor and resources of the black community is being used to build up the black community and not a foreign group or alien state power. UHURU!”
Cota X, Program Coordinator:
“I volunteer for the market because I believe in economic development in the hands of the African community. And the OAON marketplace represents that because it’s the longest-standing black community-led flea market in Philadelphia, and it’s building black community control of commerce. As a non-black person living in a historically black neighborhood, I believe that it behooves me to work directly under the leadership of a revolutionary black organization that has a proven long track record of making black self determination a reality today. I get to share my talents, skills and expertise to bring together people from all walks of life and to provide liberated territory in Clark Park multiple times a year. If you support black people liberating themselves on their own terms, then you need to become a part of this market. All freedom-loving people are welcome to participate!”
Solyana Bekele, Northern Regional Agitprop Representative & Project Assistant/Social Media:
“I volunteer for Uhuru Flea Markets because I believe in putting economic power back into the hands of the African community and buying Black Power. The One Africa! One Nation! Uhuru Flea market is one of over 50 economic development projects that is organized by the African People’s Education and Defense Fund which is built to put African self-determination in the realm of economics–so that we can own the means of production to the benefit of our own people, of the African working class. The Uhuru Flea Market is just one iteration of that where we bring together African business owners in Philly to support each other and build and buy black power. And I’m honored to be part of this team. I believe in the mission to support economic power back into the hands of the African community. And that is why I am part of this team and why I volunteer–Uhuru!”
Kiongozi Binamu, Regional Director of Organization & Logistics Coordinator:
“I volunteer at the Uhuru Flea Market because I believe in building dual and contending powers to smash colonialism. I’ve been volunteering here for six years–and I’ll continue until the market grows beyond compare. Uhuru!”
Shabaka Mnombatha, Logistics Committee:
“I volunteer at the Uhuru Flea Market because this is one expression of self-determination. After the state, local and federal got together and bombed Philadelphia. This is part of the response of them trying to wipe out anything that has to do with African independence. That’s why I want this market to be strong, s0 there’s always some root, some seed where we can grow from for more African independence that’s separate from anything the government tries to do. That’s why I volunteer here. I was there when they bombed. And this is part of me standing up as resistance to the State. Uhuru, Black Power forever!”
BAk-RA Mn-MAat, Recruitment Coordinator:
“I volunteer so we can create an economic space–an uncolonized economic space for our people!”
Maryam Muhammad, Northern Regional ANWO Representative & Project Assistant:
“Not only do I volunteer because I love fellowshipping with my comrades and I love fellowshipping and talking with the vendors (and the vendors are some of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet), but more importantly we’re trying to build a global economy and we have to start small. We’re trying to build an autonomous African economy for and by the African community. They say in the African community it takes six hours for the dollar to circulate, and in other communities, it takes about 30 days, maybe a few weeks. We’re trying to build what Chairman Omali Yeshitela calls dual and contending power; dual is our own stuff, but contending is the ability to self-govern and what we’re doing is continuing like Marcus Garvey’s dream of an autonomous African community. And we have to start somewhere because we do intend to govern. Uhuru!”
Brian Sessions, Regional Director of Economic Development & Fundraising Coordinator:
“I believe that the Philly can see another black community owned grocery store, shopping center, hospital, school, insert basic need here–which is why I volunteer for the One Africa! One Nation! Marketplace, the launchpad for those possibilities. The OAON Marketplace is an opportunity to circulate resources within our community, bring our families together, and build an economy that serves our people. But if I’m being completely honest, just as important as the work we’re doing here, I volunteer not because I’m a member of the Party that planned it, but because it’s an unapologetic atmosphere seeping at its pores with cultural pride, identity, and self-determination. You can volunteer with the Children’s Circle, stage and entertainment, vendor support, fundraising, outreach and promotion–or maybe you’re a set up and breakdown person, you can volunteer too!
There are a myriad of opportunities to display and further aid in our strives towards self-determination. So I volunteer because I don’t want to be that guy who just talks about the community I ideologically want to see in Philly, I actually want to help build it. I want the government to lose its ability to lie during campaign season and then renege on its promises afterwards because they own our basic needs. I want to see our people exercise a power that, contrary to the practices of Western societies, comes from when we stand together as a collective. So the better [answer] to why do I volunteer to the One Africa! One Nation Marketplace is–why don’t you? Lock in.”
