If you are looking for information about the next Pan-African Youth Summit and its plans for 2010 and beyond please visit the following updated website.
http://panafricanyouth.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
The Official Report
Howard University Student Association
In conjunction with the Kwame Ture Society for Africana Studies and
the Political and Educational Action Committee
The Inaugural Pan-African Youth Summit
a Report
By: Joshua Myers, Co-Coordinator
For the first time in the known history of Howard University,
students attempted to bring together the youth of the entire African
world to have a conversation about issues pertaining to the political,
social, and economic fortunes of people of African descent. From
February 23-28, 2009, the summit was successful in bringing together
250 students, elders, and leaders of the worldwide African community
and hundreds more through a live stream of the events. Participants
ranged from activists from Nigeria, the international president of the
Universal Negro Improvement Association, members of the All-African
People’s Revolutionary Party to 120 Howard students, professors, and
staff to officials representing the government of Venezuela. This
summit provided the community a much needed chance to have the all
important intergenerational transmission of knowledge and experiences
in struggle, so that we may move forward. The planners of the summit
have thus agreed to create the Pan-African Youth Collective, a group
of pan-African activists dedicated to convening the summit each year
and to the completion of a project that deals with the issues
discussed. Here we will provide some highlights of the summit.
The summit was comprised of six days and five themes. Each theme
represented a focus area on issues as they pertained to African people
throughout the world.
The first day was coordinated by Amanda Lockett and Saraya
Wintersmith and focused on issues pertaining to the education of
African people throughout the world. The first panel of the day
featured Dr. Greg Carr, Dr. Acklyn Lynch, and Mjiba Frehiwot. Carr
presented his ideas about the usefulness of the academy in terms of
being a conduit for the liberation of African people. He stated that
the system was not set up in the best interest for African people, and
that we should use the privilege of ‘being left alone’ to have
conversations about how to secure the best future for African people.
Ms. Freihowit debunked the myth that success in the academy can lead
to victory for African people. In fact, she showed the fallacy using
herself as an example. Instead she offered the alternative of joining
organizations to affect meaningful change. Dr. Acklyn Lynch amazed
summit attendees with an eloquent recantation of the history of the
pan-African movement within the academy. He showed the ways in which
we can carve out maroon space in an intellectual environment. He
walked through the history of the movement, and showed that there is
nothing new under the sun, and urged us to remember lessons of our
history. The next panel, entitled ‘Educating our Children’, focused on
methods of raising African children. The consensus of the panel
comprised of George Mason professor Dr. Kmt Shockley and Roots School
principal Bernida Thompson, was that African-centered education was
the only option available for the effective rearing of our children
today. They both underscored both theoretical and practical
applications for their position and were well received by the
audience. The last panel was geared toward the topic of building a
pan-African education for all. Panelist and filmmaker Haile Gerima
warned summit attendees about the fraudulent people out there claiming
‘pan-Africanism’ but showed that their practice indicated otherwise.
T’Shango Mbilishaka shared his experiences in the field of education
and how it keeps him going strong for the benefit of African children.
UNIA legal counsel, Faruq Muhammad shared his personal experiences in
the struggle for African liberation and the need to prepare us for
coming changes. Between each panel the dance group N’saa provided
showcases of Africana talent and student playwright Joshua Nelson
debuted his play Tomorrow.
The second day featured passionate activist and a ‘fiery
orator’. Coordinated by Bakari Jackson, the day focused on the
Political Economy as it affected people of African descent. Diop
Olugbala, of the UHURU movement, kicked off the first panel on ‘The
Military Industrial Complex and the Financial Crisis’, with a brief
overview of issues affecting people of African descent across the
Diaspora and linked the common thread of classism playing a role. He,
throughout the day issued the call to build the African Socialist
International with the UHURU movement. A representative of the
government of Venezuela, labor attaché Marcos Garcia spoke on the
movement in Venezuela, and how the government was actively seeking to
strengthen pan-African ties with not only Caribbean countries but with
countries on the continent. He spoke about the Chavez administration’s
plans to increase their presence in Africa. Chioma Oruh, also of the
UHURU movement and Resist Africom, spoke on the military industrial
complex and its relation to Africa command. Banbose Shango, a member
of the Venezuelan Solidarity Network and the A-APRP, spoke of the need
to remember the struggles of various countries in the Caribbean and
the work the A-APRP is doing to aid in the development of a
revolutionary pan-African movement in Cuba, Haiti, and other nations.
The second panel was on youth and unemployment in the African Diaspora
and featured activist Nefta Freeman, of the Institute for Policy
Studies, student Jerell Blakely, and Ben Woods of the Malcolm X
Grassroots Movement. This panel hashed out some harsh statistics and
attempted to delineate an economic agenda to address these concerns.
Panelists spoke on the questions of socialism and capitalism. Woods
warned that when we talk about socialism, that he meant the cultural
sensibilities of African ways providing for the community and not
necessarily the European concept. Freeman provided a lecture on the
issues facing Zimbabwe during lunch, and he charged us to believe none
of what we hear and some of what we see in regards to situation in
Zimbabwe. While many organizations are divided about their analysis of
the situation, the common ground, Freeman stated, was that ‘we should
all be against the sanctions on the country’. He then issued the call
to get involved in t he movement to end these sanctions. The next
panel focused on science, technology and pan-Africanism. Panelists
John Tharakan and Bob Stephenson, both Howard University professors in
Engineering spoke on appropriate technology and activism in
engineering respectively. Student representative of the organization
Engineers Without Borders, Bianca Baily spoke on specific ways
students can get involved with technology in the Diaspora announcing
trips the organization planned to sponsor to Bahia, Brazil and Kenya
to build infrastructure. Howard professor, A-APRP member, and advisor
to the steering committee outlined some key steps for institutions to
take in bringing appropriate technology to the people in need. The
next part of the summit was a roundtable discussion where members of
the community got the chance to ask questions and engage the elders in
attendance, of those were Mama Marilyn Preston Killingham, the 10th
president of the UNIA Senghor Baye, and Baba Tariq Oduno. Congolese
activist Kambale Musavuli, who explained the need for issues in the
Congo to be present on every Pan-African agenda, as instructed by
Kwame Nkrumah, initiated the discussion. The discussion, moderated by
Dr. Greg Carr was centered mainly around the way to go forward in the
discourse on pan-African movements. After the roundtable discussion,
‘fiery orator’, Mukasa Da Da (formerly known as Willie Ricks) offered
a rousing history of the movement toward Pan-Africanism from the
60s-forward. Recounting some of the stories that have yet to be
written, Mukasa plainly stated the need to develop the next generation
of leaders, and inspired the participants to view themselves as
Africans and to relish in it.
The third day focused on health and nutrition in the Diaspora.
Coordinator Makina Table sought to bring to light her vision of
looking at non-traditional approaches to health and their relevance
for African people. The first panel focused on nutrition and featured
Howard professors Dr. Quito Swan and Mark Mack. Swan spoke on the need
to rethink how we came to eat the foods we eat, and offered
alternative foods that we should begin to incorporate into our diets.
Mack gave some insight into the startling statistics as if effects
African people and obesity. He stated that we as Africans must ‘eat to
live and not live to eat’. Tiana Matthews, a HU graduate centered her
presentation on food oppression, while anesthesiologist, Dr. Jawara
Hunter presented on the link between stressors and good health. A
holistic health panel that featured practitioners Stephanie Mwangazaa
Brown and Dr. Kokayi Nichols followed this panel. They spoke on the
various myths and theories that make up our daily lives. From the
amounts of sugar we ingest daily to the various amounts of stress that
unknowingly piles up in our lives, their presentations provided some
much needed insights. Darrell Fogan continued on with some
non-traditional ways of approaching healthcare. The panel concluded
with a discussion on vegan lifestyles by Dr. Baruch, of Everlasting
Life, who provided meals during the weeklong summit. The next panel
dealt with psychological impact of standards of beauty in the African
community. The panel featured students Kim Howard and Will Brown who
spoke on their various experiences. Psychologist and HU professor, Dr.
Camara Jules Harrell spoke on the origins of these perceptions, which
included white supremacy and racism in the media and other outlets. HU
professors Dr. Tariqah Nuriddin, and Nubia Kai Al Nura-Salaam
contributed insights as well. The last panel of the day featured
members of the community who have actually worked within the
healthcare system, and addressed the state of healthcare in the
Pan-African community. The panel consisted of HU professor Krista
Johnson, Dr. Chinua Akukwe of the Africa Union Africa Diaspora Health
Initiative, Dr. Clarence Hall of Africare, and Dr. Nomonde Xundu
representing the Embassy of South Africa. This panel discussed the
impact of policy on the health care system that directly affects
African people. They offered some of their insights as to the
optimistic happenings in the pan-African community.
Shamette Franklin coordinated a very important and rarely talked
about piece of the summit, that of Gender and Family. During the first
panel HU professor Dr. Quito Swan and History PhD. Candidate Iyelli
Ichile Hanks spoke of the history of the African family. The focused
on different cultural imprints and how they were disrupted with the
maafa. Dr. Swan focused on the history of Bermuda as it pertains to
pan-Africanism, and often neglected topic. This followed with a
genealogy workshop, which featured Franklin and planning committee
member James Morgan, both of whom offered steps of how to do
genealogical studies. The second panel featured Haitian national
brother Dantes Augustin, Mama Marilyn Preston Killingham, and Gillian
Moise of the Maya Angelou Public Charter School. Entitled, “Sacrifice
and Struggle”, this panel offered a glimpse of some of the
implications of participating in freedom struggles for the family.
Mama Marilyn spoke on her long history of engaging in struggle, and
emphasized that this is a sacrifice that we must cherish. The last
part of the day featured a workshop conducted by Dr. Mark Bolden, Dr.
Quito Swan, and Iyelli Hanks that focused on the relationships, family
life, as it relates to our Africanity. Bolden posed the question of
“Who is ready to get married to an African man or woman today?” This
sparked an interesting dialogue in terms of marriage as it relates to
nation building in the pan-African community.
Day Five’s theme was spirituality. Jaminnia States and Sawdayah
Brownlee coordinated the day. It featured a myriad of student
participants on both the graduate and undergraduate level. The first
panel featured students of various faiths and how they dealt with
essential questions. This was geared at showing the unity of Africans
of different faiths, and how we work together toward a common goal.
The keynote followed and featured Dr. Jeff Menzise of Fisk University.
His brilliant presentation dealt with the many issues that we face as
a result of the cultural unconsciousness in the African community. He
reminded us of very simple cultural practices that were once important
to us but lost in translation. He then showed us the way to reclaim
them, and led us after lunch into a breathing workshop which was aimed
at teaching us how to deal with various issues as a result of our
oppression. His presentation was wide ranging and gave us many tools
in the spiritual realm to be able to deal with the mess we’re in. The
day concluded with States and Brownlee joined by Temple scholars and
Howard alums Ava Wilson and Courtney Javois presenting on how
spirituality was used historically as a tool of liberation. Citing
examples of the Haitian revolution and Civil Rights Movement, this
panel was aimed at unifying ourselves in the spiritual realm toward
our goal of liberation.
The final day concluded the conference with a student-elder
intergenerational dialogue. The first panel featured students Melvin
Barolle, PhD Candidate, undergraduates Nana Brantuo and Nkoyo Efretei,
and Mjiba Frehiwot came back to share some additional insights. This
panel spoke on how students in the academy work to bridge the gap
between others in the African community to bring about change. They
spoke about how students can get involved, and members of the
community shared how they felt about the current situation. The next
panel was a dynamic one indeed, as we talked about the role of
Africans in the Diaspora in developing the continent. Hope Masters, of
the Sullivan Foundation who provided her perspective as to how this
should be achieved, led it off. Gregory Jenkins, a physicist and HU
professor, talked about his various trips to Senegal bringing needed
technology to the community. Akil Khalfani, of Essex Community College
gave his insights as to how Africans in America raise their
consciousness enough to view themselves as a larger community. Bob
Brown, of the A-APRP, brought it all together as he spoke about how to
bring revolutionaries and non-revolutionaries who were interested in
Africa, and use each other to actually bring about revolution. He
emphasized the importance of using all of the tools at our disposal to
begin to have real meaningful change on the continent. As summit
attendees participated in the Pan-African Marketplace throughout the
day, we were able to sit at the feet of elders in the struggle and
gain insights. The final event of the summit, the keynote lecture by
Dr. Jared Ball of Morgan State University, was interactive opportunity
to begin to realize and see the revolution through the lens of the
historical plight of post-apartheid South Africa.
As the summit concluded, co-coordinator Austin Thompson outlined
plans to begin the process of creating the Pan-African Youth
Collective. The information about this process will be forthcoming.
Please email panafricanyouthsummit2009@gmail.com for additional
questions and/or concerns. The summit would like to thank the staff,
attendees, and Howard University for a successful summit.
In conjunction with the Kwame Ture Society for Africana Studies and
the Political and Educational Action Committee
The Inaugural Pan-African Youth Summit
a Report
By: Joshua Myers, Co-Coordinator
For the first time in the known history of Howard University,
students attempted to bring together the youth of the entire African
world to have a conversation about issues pertaining to the political,
social, and economic fortunes of people of African descent. From
February 23-28, 2009, the summit was successful in bringing together
250 students, elders, and leaders of the worldwide African community
and hundreds more through a live stream of the events. Participants
ranged from activists from Nigeria, the international president of the
Universal Negro Improvement Association, members of the All-African
People’s Revolutionary Party to 120 Howard students, professors, and
staff to officials representing the government of Venezuela. This
summit provided the community a much needed chance to have the all
important intergenerational transmission of knowledge and experiences
in struggle, so that we may move forward. The planners of the summit
have thus agreed to create the Pan-African Youth Collective, a group
of pan-African activists dedicated to convening the summit each year
and to the completion of a project that deals with the issues
discussed. Here we will provide some highlights of the summit.
The summit was comprised of six days and five themes. Each theme
represented a focus area on issues as they pertained to African people
throughout the world.
The first day was coordinated by Amanda Lockett and Saraya
Wintersmith and focused on issues pertaining to the education of
African people throughout the world. The first panel of the day
featured Dr. Greg Carr, Dr. Acklyn Lynch, and Mjiba Frehiwot. Carr
presented his ideas about the usefulness of the academy in terms of
being a conduit for the liberation of African people. He stated that
the system was not set up in the best interest for African people, and
that we should use the privilege of ‘being left alone’ to have
conversations about how to secure the best future for African people.
Ms. Freihowit debunked the myth that success in the academy can lead
to victory for African people. In fact, she showed the fallacy using
herself as an example. Instead she offered the alternative of joining
organizations to affect meaningful change. Dr. Acklyn Lynch amazed
summit attendees with an eloquent recantation of the history of the
pan-African movement within the academy. He showed the ways in which
we can carve out maroon space in an intellectual environment. He
walked through the history of the movement, and showed that there is
nothing new under the sun, and urged us to remember lessons of our
history. The next panel, entitled ‘Educating our Children’, focused on
methods of raising African children. The consensus of the panel
comprised of George Mason professor Dr. Kmt Shockley and Roots School
principal Bernida Thompson, was that African-centered education was
the only option available for the effective rearing of our children
today. They both underscored both theoretical and practical
applications for their position and were well received by the
audience. The last panel was geared toward the topic of building a
pan-African education for all. Panelist and filmmaker Haile Gerima
warned summit attendees about the fraudulent people out there claiming
‘pan-Africanism’ but showed that their practice indicated otherwise.
T’Shango Mbilishaka shared his experiences in the field of education
and how it keeps him going strong for the benefit of African children.
UNIA legal counsel, Faruq Muhammad shared his personal experiences in
the struggle for African liberation and the need to prepare us for
coming changes. Between each panel the dance group N’saa provided
showcases of Africana talent and student playwright Joshua Nelson
debuted his play Tomorrow.
The second day featured passionate activist and a ‘fiery
orator’. Coordinated by Bakari Jackson, the day focused on the
Political Economy as it affected people of African descent. Diop
Olugbala, of the UHURU movement, kicked off the first panel on ‘The
Military Industrial Complex and the Financial Crisis’, with a brief
overview of issues affecting people of African descent across the
Diaspora and linked the common thread of classism playing a role. He,
throughout the day issued the call to build the African Socialist
International with the UHURU movement. A representative of the
government of Venezuela, labor attaché Marcos Garcia spoke on the
movement in Venezuela, and how the government was actively seeking to
strengthen pan-African ties with not only Caribbean countries but with
countries on the continent. He spoke about the Chavez administration’s
plans to increase their presence in Africa. Chioma Oruh, also of the
UHURU movement and Resist Africom, spoke on the military industrial
complex and its relation to Africa command. Banbose Shango, a member
of the Venezuelan Solidarity Network and the A-APRP, spoke of the need
to remember the struggles of various countries in the Caribbean and
the work the A-APRP is doing to aid in the development of a
revolutionary pan-African movement in Cuba, Haiti, and other nations.
The second panel was on youth and unemployment in the African Diaspora
and featured activist Nefta Freeman, of the Institute for Policy
Studies, student Jerell Blakely, and Ben Woods of the Malcolm X
Grassroots Movement. This panel hashed out some harsh statistics and
attempted to delineate an economic agenda to address these concerns.
Panelists spoke on the questions of socialism and capitalism. Woods
warned that when we talk about socialism, that he meant the cultural
sensibilities of African ways providing for the community and not
necessarily the European concept. Freeman provided a lecture on the
issues facing Zimbabwe during lunch, and he charged us to believe none
of what we hear and some of what we see in regards to situation in
Zimbabwe. While many organizations are divided about their analysis of
the situation, the common ground, Freeman stated, was that ‘we should
all be against the sanctions on the country’. He then issued the call
to get involved in t he movement to end these sanctions. The next
panel focused on science, technology and pan-Africanism. Panelists
John Tharakan and Bob Stephenson, both Howard University professors in
Engineering spoke on appropriate technology and activism in
engineering respectively. Student representative of the organization
Engineers Without Borders, Bianca Baily spoke on specific ways
students can get involved with technology in the Diaspora announcing
trips the organization planned to sponsor to Bahia, Brazil and Kenya
to build infrastructure. Howard professor, A-APRP member, and advisor
to the steering committee outlined some key steps for institutions to
take in bringing appropriate technology to the people in need. The
next part of the summit was a roundtable discussion where members of
the community got the chance to ask questions and engage the elders in
attendance, of those were Mama Marilyn Preston Killingham, the 10th
president of the UNIA Senghor Baye, and Baba Tariq Oduno. Congolese
activist Kambale Musavuli, who explained the need for issues in the
Congo to be present on every Pan-African agenda, as instructed by
Kwame Nkrumah, initiated the discussion. The discussion, moderated by
Dr. Greg Carr was centered mainly around the way to go forward in the
discourse on pan-African movements. After the roundtable discussion,
‘fiery orator’, Mukasa Da Da (formerly known as Willie Ricks) offered
a rousing history of the movement toward Pan-Africanism from the
60s-forward. Recounting some of the stories that have yet to be
written, Mukasa plainly stated the need to develop the next generation
of leaders, and inspired the participants to view themselves as
Africans and to relish in it.
The third day focused on health and nutrition in the Diaspora.
Coordinator Makina Table sought to bring to light her vision of
looking at non-traditional approaches to health and their relevance
for African people. The first panel focused on nutrition and featured
Howard professors Dr. Quito Swan and Mark Mack. Swan spoke on the need
to rethink how we came to eat the foods we eat, and offered
alternative foods that we should begin to incorporate into our diets.
Mack gave some insight into the startling statistics as if effects
African people and obesity. He stated that we as Africans must ‘eat to
live and not live to eat’. Tiana Matthews, a HU graduate centered her
presentation on food oppression, while anesthesiologist, Dr. Jawara
Hunter presented on the link between stressors and good health. A
holistic health panel that featured practitioners Stephanie Mwangazaa
Brown and Dr. Kokayi Nichols followed this panel. They spoke on the
various myths and theories that make up our daily lives. From the
amounts of sugar we ingest daily to the various amounts of stress that
unknowingly piles up in our lives, their presentations provided some
much needed insights. Darrell Fogan continued on with some
non-traditional ways of approaching healthcare. The panel concluded
with a discussion on vegan lifestyles by Dr. Baruch, of Everlasting
Life, who provided meals during the weeklong summit. The next panel
dealt with psychological impact of standards of beauty in the African
community. The panel featured students Kim Howard and Will Brown who
spoke on their various experiences. Psychologist and HU professor, Dr.
Camara Jules Harrell spoke on the origins of these perceptions, which
included white supremacy and racism in the media and other outlets. HU
professors Dr. Tariqah Nuriddin, and Nubia Kai Al Nura-Salaam
contributed insights as well. The last panel of the day featured
members of the community who have actually worked within the
healthcare system, and addressed the state of healthcare in the
Pan-African community. The panel consisted of HU professor Krista
Johnson, Dr. Chinua Akukwe of the Africa Union Africa Diaspora Health
Initiative, Dr. Clarence Hall of Africare, and Dr. Nomonde Xundu
representing the Embassy of South Africa. This panel discussed the
impact of policy on the health care system that directly affects
African people. They offered some of their insights as to the
optimistic happenings in the pan-African community.
Shamette Franklin coordinated a very important and rarely talked
about piece of the summit, that of Gender and Family. During the first
panel HU professor Dr. Quito Swan and History PhD. Candidate Iyelli
Ichile Hanks spoke of the history of the African family. The focused
on different cultural imprints and how they were disrupted with the
maafa. Dr. Swan focused on the history of Bermuda as it pertains to
pan-Africanism, and often neglected topic. This followed with a
genealogy workshop, which featured Franklin and planning committee
member James Morgan, both of whom offered steps of how to do
genealogical studies. The second panel featured Haitian national
brother Dantes Augustin, Mama Marilyn Preston Killingham, and Gillian
Moise of the Maya Angelou Public Charter School. Entitled, “Sacrifice
and Struggle”, this panel offered a glimpse of some of the
implications of participating in freedom struggles for the family.
Mama Marilyn spoke on her long history of engaging in struggle, and
emphasized that this is a sacrifice that we must cherish. The last
part of the day featured a workshop conducted by Dr. Mark Bolden, Dr.
Quito Swan, and Iyelli Hanks that focused on the relationships, family
life, as it relates to our Africanity. Bolden posed the question of
“Who is ready to get married to an African man or woman today?” This
sparked an interesting dialogue in terms of marriage as it relates to
nation building in the pan-African community.
Day Five’s theme was spirituality. Jaminnia States and Sawdayah
Brownlee coordinated the day. It featured a myriad of student
participants on both the graduate and undergraduate level. The first
panel featured students of various faiths and how they dealt with
essential questions. This was geared at showing the unity of Africans
of different faiths, and how we work together toward a common goal.
The keynote followed and featured Dr. Jeff Menzise of Fisk University.
His brilliant presentation dealt with the many issues that we face as
a result of the cultural unconsciousness in the African community. He
reminded us of very simple cultural practices that were once important
to us but lost in translation. He then showed us the way to reclaim
them, and led us after lunch into a breathing workshop which was aimed
at teaching us how to deal with various issues as a result of our
oppression. His presentation was wide ranging and gave us many tools
in the spiritual realm to be able to deal with the mess we’re in. The
day concluded with States and Brownlee joined by Temple scholars and
Howard alums Ava Wilson and Courtney Javois presenting on how
spirituality was used historically as a tool of liberation. Citing
examples of the Haitian revolution and Civil Rights Movement, this
panel was aimed at unifying ourselves in the spiritual realm toward
our goal of liberation.
The final day concluded the conference with a student-elder
intergenerational dialogue. The first panel featured students Melvin
Barolle, PhD Candidate, undergraduates Nana Brantuo and Nkoyo Efretei,
and Mjiba Frehiwot came back to share some additional insights. This
panel spoke on how students in the academy work to bridge the gap
between others in the African community to bring about change. They
spoke about how students can get involved, and members of the
community shared how they felt about the current situation. The next
panel was a dynamic one indeed, as we talked about the role of
Africans in the Diaspora in developing the continent. Hope Masters, of
the Sullivan Foundation who provided her perspective as to how this
should be achieved, led it off. Gregory Jenkins, a physicist and HU
professor, talked about his various trips to Senegal bringing needed
technology to the community. Akil Khalfani, of Essex Community College
gave his insights as to how Africans in America raise their
consciousness enough to view themselves as a larger community. Bob
Brown, of the A-APRP, brought it all together as he spoke about how to
bring revolutionaries and non-revolutionaries who were interested in
Africa, and use each other to actually bring about revolution. He
emphasized the importance of using all of the tools at our disposal to
begin to have real meaningful change on the continent. As summit
attendees participated in the Pan-African Marketplace throughout the
day, we were able to sit at the feet of elders in the struggle and
gain insights. The final event of the summit, the keynote lecture by
Dr. Jared Ball of Morgan State University, was interactive opportunity
to begin to realize and see the revolution through the lens of the
historical plight of post-apartheid South Africa.
As the summit concluded, co-coordinator Austin Thompson outlined
plans to begin the process of creating the Pan-African Youth
Collective. The information about this process will be forthcoming.
Please email panafricanyouthsummit2009@gmail.com for additional
questions and/or concerns. The summit would like to thank the staff,
attendees, and Howard University for a successful summit.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Pan African Youth Summit 2009 List of Events
Schedule of Events
February 23, 2009
Day 1: Education and the Arts
8:45 am---- Opening Program and Libations
Education
9:00 am- 10:30 am---- Panel One |Higher Education: The African Past and Future
Panelists include: Dr. Gregory Carr, HU Department of Africana; Dr. Ackyln Lynch, HU; Mjiba Frehiwot, Phd Candidate, HU
11:00 am- 12:30 pm---- Panel Two |Educating our Children
Panelists include: Dean Leslie Fenwick, HU School of Education, Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, author of The Isis Papers; Bernida L. Thompson, The Roots School; Dr. Kmt Shockley, George Mason University
2:30 pm- 4:00 pm ---- Panel Three | A Pan-African Education for All?
Panelists include: Haile Gerima, Sankofa Video and Books, Dr. Bartley McSwine, Chicago State University; Faruq Muhammad, UNIA-ACL
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
Arts
10:30 am- 11:00 am---- Dance Performance One
Featuring: Nsaa Dance Ensemble
Location: Hilltop Lounge
11:00 am- 12:00 pm---- Dance Workshop One
Facilitated by Nsaa Dance Ensemble
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
3:00 pm- 3:30 pm---- Dance Performance Two
Location: Hilltop Lounge
3:30 pm- 4:30 pm---- Dance Workshop Two
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
5:00 pm---- Student Production: Tomorrow
8:00 pm----Africana Talent Showcase
Location TBA
Lunch and Networking- 12:45-2:00 pm
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
February 24, 2009
Day 2: Political Economy
8:45 am---- Opening and Libations
9:00 am- 10:30 am---- Panel One |The Military Industrial Complex and the Financial Crisis
Panelists include: Banbose Shango, Regional Coordinator of the Venezuelan Solidarity Network; Chioma Odruh, HU Graduate Student; Diop Olugbala, Uhuru Movement; Marcos Garcia, Labor Attaché, 1st Secretary Embassy of Venezuela
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
11:00 am- 12:30 pm---- Panel Two |Youth and Unemployment in Africa and Throughout the Diaspora
Panelists include: Ben Woods, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement; Dr. Chinua Akukwe, Africa Union Africa Diaspora Health Initiative; Mr. Nefta Freeman, Institute for Policy Studies; Dr. Claire Nelson, Founder/President Institute of Caribbean Studies
Moderated by: Austin Thompson, Co-Coordinator
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
2:30 pm- 4:00 pm ---- Panel Three | Pan-Africanism, Science, and Appropriate Technology
Panelists include: Dr. John Trimble, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party and HU College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Science; Bianca Baily, Engineers Without Borders; Bob Stephenson, John Tharakan
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
4:00 pm- 6:30 pm---- Roundtable Discussion| Engaging the Audience
Moderated by: Dr. Gregory Carr, HU Department of Africana Studies
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
6:30 pm-9:00 pm- Keynote Lecture| Mukasa Dada
Followed by Q & A
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
Lunch and Networking- 12:45-2:00 pm
We will provide a catered vegan lunch for registered participants.
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
February 25, 2009
Day 3: Health and Nutrition
8:45 am---- Opening and Libations
9:00 am- 10:30 am---- Panel One | Nutrition in the Pan-African Community
Panelists include: Dr. Quito Swan, HU Department of History; Prof. Mark Mack, HU Department of Anthropology; Tiana Matthews, Ph.D. Candidate HU
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
11:00 am- 12:30 pm---- Panel 2|Alternative Wellness
Panelists include: Dr. Kokayi Patterson, African Wholistic Health Association; Dr. Stephanie Mwangazaa Brown, Blue Heron Wellness Center; Dr. Darrell Fogan, HU Department of Physical Education; Dr. Baruch, Everlasting Life Health Complex
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
1:00 pm-2:30 pm---- Panel Three| Perceptions of Beauty
Panelists include: Dr. Tariqah Nuriddin, HU Department of Sociology, Dr. Jules Harrell, HU Department of Psychology, Nubia Kai Al-Nura Salaam, HU Department of Theatre Arts
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
3:00 pm- 5:00 pm---- Panel Four| The State of Health in the Pan-African Community
Panelists include: Dr. Chinua Akukwe, Africa Union Africa Diaspora Health Initiative; Dr. Nomonde Xundu, South African Embassy; Dr. Clarence Hall, Africare; Dr. Krista Johnson, HU Department of African Studies
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
6:30 pm ---- Book Talk| Dr. Wade Noble, author of Seeking the Sakhu
Location: Sankofa Video and Books
Lunch and Networking- 12:30-2:30 pm
We will provide a catered vegan lunch for registered participants.
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
February 26, 2009
Day 4: Gender Roles and the African Family
8:45 am---- Opening and Libations
9:00 am- 10:30 am---- Panel One | History of the African Family from Antiquity to Present Day
Panelists include: HU Department of History Faculty
11:00 am- 12:00 pm---- Genealogy Workshop One
Dr. Reginald Washington, National Archives
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
12:30 pm- 2:00 pm---- Lunch with Keynote Lecture: TBA
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
2:15 pm-3:30---- Panel Two | Sacrifice and Struggle
Panelists TBA
3:45 pm-4:45 pm---- Genealogy Workshop Two
4:45-pm- 6:00 pm---- Recreating the Village: Exploring the Viability of Creating Communities that are Synonymous with the Term ‘Family’
Panelists: Dr. Angela Conti, The Renaissance Group
6:00 pm-7:00 pm----Film Screening | snippet of Sankofa and audience discussion
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
February 27, 2009
Day 5: Spirituality
9:00 am- 9:30 am----Opening and Libations at the Flagpole
Location: Upper Quadrangle
9:30 am- 11:00 am---- Panel One | My Spiritual Journey
Panelists include: HU Students: Hiram Reid, Dionta Thopson, Akosua Akoto, Azizah Moore, Devin Crawford
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
11:00 am- 12:00 pm---- Keynote Lecture| Dr. Jeff Menzise, Society of Ausar and Aset
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
2:00-4:00---- Spirituality Workshop with Dr. Jeff Menzise
Location: Blackburn Gallery Lounge
5:00-6:30----Panel Two| Liberation Theology in the African World
Panelists include: Courtney Javois, Graduate Student Temple University; Ava Wilson, Graduate Student Temple University; Jaminnia States, HU Undergrad; Sawdayah Brownlee, HU Undergrad
Location: Blackburn Gallery Lounge
Lunch and Networking- 12:45-2:00 pm
We will provide a catered vegan lunch for registered participants.
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
February 28, 2009
Day 6: Final Day
8:45 am---- Opening and Libations
9:00 am- 10:30 pm---- Panel One | A Young Pan-African Agenda
Panelists include: Mjiba Frehiwot, Phd Candidate HU; Melvin Barolle, Phd Candidate HU; Nana Brantuo, Undergraduate HU; Jaheed Wise, Morehouse Alum; Nkoyo Efretei, Undergraduate HU
Moderated by: Dr. Sulayman Nyang, HU Department of African Studies
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
10:30 pm- 12:00 pm---- Panel Two| The Role of the African Diaspora in Development
Panelists include: Bob Brown, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party; Hope Masters, President of Leon Sullivan Foundation; Dr. Akil Khalfani, Professor of Sociology, Essex Community College; Mrs. Stephanie Kane, Founder of the Senegalese-American Bilingual School; Dr. Gregory Jenkins, HU Department of Physics
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
10:00 am- 3:00 pm----Pan-African Marketplace
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm---- Keynote Lecture and Dinner | Dr. Jared Ball, Morgan State University
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
Dinner passes are limited and will be given to registered participants first. It will be a catered vegan dinner.
February 23, 2009
Day 1: Education and the Arts
8:45 am---- Opening Program and Libations
Education
9:00 am- 10:30 am---- Panel One |Higher Education: The African Past and Future
Panelists include: Dr. Gregory Carr, HU Department of Africana; Dr. Ackyln Lynch, HU; Mjiba Frehiwot, Phd Candidate, HU
11:00 am- 12:30 pm---- Panel Two |Educating our Children
Panelists include: Dean Leslie Fenwick, HU School of Education, Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, author of The Isis Papers; Bernida L. Thompson, The Roots School; Dr. Kmt Shockley, George Mason University
2:30 pm- 4:00 pm ---- Panel Three | A Pan-African Education for All?
Panelists include: Haile Gerima, Sankofa Video and Books, Dr. Bartley McSwine, Chicago State University; Faruq Muhammad, UNIA-ACL
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
Arts
10:30 am- 11:00 am---- Dance Performance One
Featuring: Nsaa Dance Ensemble
Location: Hilltop Lounge
11:00 am- 12:00 pm---- Dance Workshop One
Facilitated by Nsaa Dance Ensemble
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
3:00 pm- 3:30 pm---- Dance Performance Two
Location: Hilltop Lounge
3:30 pm- 4:30 pm---- Dance Workshop Two
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
5:00 pm---- Student Production: Tomorrow
8:00 pm----Africana Talent Showcase
Location TBA
Lunch and Networking- 12:45-2:00 pm
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
February 24, 2009
Day 2: Political Economy
8:45 am---- Opening and Libations
9:00 am- 10:30 am---- Panel One |The Military Industrial Complex and the Financial Crisis
Panelists include: Banbose Shango, Regional Coordinator of the Venezuelan Solidarity Network; Chioma Odruh, HU Graduate Student; Diop Olugbala, Uhuru Movement; Marcos Garcia, Labor Attaché, 1st Secretary Embassy of Venezuela
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
11:00 am- 12:30 pm---- Panel Two |Youth and Unemployment in Africa and Throughout the Diaspora
Panelists include: Ben Woods, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement; Dr. Chinua Akukwe, Africa Union Africa Diaspora Health Initiative; Mr. Nefta Freeman, Institute for Policy Studies; Dr. Claire Nelson, Founder/President Institute of Caribbean Studies
Moderated by: Austin Thompson, Co-Coordinator
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
2:30 pm- 4:00 pm ---- Panel Three | Pan-Africanism, Science, and Appropriate Technology
Panelists include: Dr. John Trimble, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party and HU College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Science; Bianca Baily, Engineers Without Borders; Bob Stephenson, John Tharakan
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
4:00 pm- 6:30 pm---- Roundtable Discussion| Engaging the Audience
Moderated by: Dr. Gregory Carr, HU Department of Africana Studies
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
6:30 pm-9:00 pm- Keynote Lecture| Mukasa Dada
Followed by Q & A
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
Lunch and Networking- 12:45-2:00 pm
We will provide a catered vegan lunch for registered participants.
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
February 25, 2009
Day 3: Health and Nutrition
8:45 am---- Opening and Libations
9:00 am- 10:30 am---- Panel One | Nutrition in the Pan-African Community
Panelists include: Dr. Quito Swan, HU Department of History; Prof. Mark Mack, HU Department of Anthropology; Tiana Matthews, Ph.D. Candidate HU
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
11:00 am- 12:30 pm---- Panel 2|Alternative Wellness
Panelists include: Dr. Kokayi Patterson, African Wholistic Health Association; Dr. Stephanie Mwangazaa Brown, Blue Heron Wellness Center; Dr. Darrell Fogan, HU Department of Physical Education; Dr. Baruch, Everlasting Life Health Complex
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
1:00 pm-2:30 pm---- Panel Three| Perceptions of Beauty
Panelists include: Dr. Tariqah Nuriddin, HU Department of Sociology, Dr. Jules Harrell, HU Department of Psychology, Nubia Kai Al-Nura Salaam, HU Department of Theatre Arts
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
3:00 pm- 5:00 pm---- Panel Four| The State of Health in the Pan-African Community
Panelists include: Dr. Chinua Akukwe, Africa Union Africa Diaspora Health Initiative; Dr. Nomonde Xundu, South African Embassy; Dr. Clarence Hall, Africare; Dr. Krista Johnson, HU Department of African Studies
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
6:30 pm ---- Book Talk| Dr. Wade Noble, author of Seeking the Sakhu
Location: Sankofa Video and Books
Lunch and Networking- 12:30-2:30 pm
We will provide a catered vegan lunch for registered participants.
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
February 26, 2009
Day 4: Gender Roles and the African Family
8:45 am---- Opening and Libations
9:00 am- 10:30 am---- Panel One | History of the African Family from Antiquity to Present Day
Panelists include: HU Department of History Faculty
11:00 am- 12:00 pm---- Genealogy Workshop One
Dr. Reginald Washington, National Archives
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
12:30 pm- 2:00 pm---- Lunch with Keynote Lecture: TBA
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
2:15 pm-3:30---- Panel Two | Sacrifice and Struggle
Panelists TBA
3:45 pm-4:45 pm---- Genealogy Workshop Two
4:45-pm- 6:00 pm---- Recreating the Village: Exploring the Viability of Creating Communities that are Synonymous with the Term ‘Family’
Panelists: Dr. Angela Conti, The Renaissance Group
6:00 pm-7:00 pm----Film Screening | snippet of Sankofa and audience discussion
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
February 27, 2009
Day 5: Spirituality
9:00 am- 9:30 am----Opening and Libations at the Flagpole
Location: Upper Quadrangle
9:30 am- 11:00 am---- Panel One | My Spiritual Journey
Panelists include: HU Students: Hiram Reid, Dionta Thopson, Akosua Akoto, Azizah Moore, Devin Crawford
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
11:00 am- 12:00 pm---- Keynote Lecture| Dr. Jeff Menzise, Society of Ausar and Aset
Location: Blackburn Ballroom
2:00-4:00---- Spirituality Workshop with Dr. Jeff Menzise
Location: Blackburn Gallery Lounge
5:00-6:30----Panel Two| Liberation Theology in the African World
Panelists include: Courtney Javois, Graduate Student Temple University; Ava Wilson, Graduate Student Temple University; Jaminnia States, HU Undergrad; Sawdayah Brownlee, HU Undergrad
Location: Blackburn Gallery Lounge
Lunch and Networking- 12:45-2:00 pm
We will provide a catered vegan lunch for registered participants.
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
February 28, 2009
Day 6: Final Day
8:45 am---- Opening and Libations
9:00 am- 10:30 pm---- Panel One | A Young Pan-African Agenda
Panelists include: Mjiba Frehiwot, Phd Candidate HU; Melvin Barolle, Phd Candidate HU; Nana Brantuo, Undergraduate HU; Jaheed Wise, Morehouse Alum; Nkoyo Efretei, Undergraduate HU
Moderated by: Dr. Sulayman Nyang, HU Department of African Studies
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
10:30 pm- 12:00 pm---- Panel Two| The Role of the African Diaspora in Development
Panelists include: Bob Brown, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party; Hope Masters, President of Leon Sullivan Foundation; Dr. Akil Khalfani, Professor of Sociology, Essex Community College; Mrs. Stephanie Kane, Founder of the Senegalese-American Bilingual School; Dr. Gregory Jenkins, HU Department of Physics
Location: Blackburn Digital Auditorium
10:00 am- 3:00 pm----Pan-African Marketplace
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm---- Keynote Lecture and Dinner | Dr. Jared Ball, Morgan State University
Location: Blackburn Reading Lounge
Dinner passes are limited and will be given to registered participants first. It will be a catered vegan dinner.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Registration Forms Available!
Calling all Africans!
The steering committee of the Inaugural Pan-African Youth Summit announce the release of the registration form for the week's activities.
We are calling all:
Elders, youth, scholars, activists, and political leaders of African ancestry!
Again, the dates are February 23-28, 2009.
To register click here
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Global Change Inspired By Obama Campaign: A Historical Movement In The African Diaspora??
Below is an article I found quite interesting. What do you think about Obama's election having created a new movement in the African diaspora?
________________________
SPONSOR WIRE
Washington, D.C. — President-Elect Barack Obama has inspired the world to believe in and to work for change. This vision of change began during the Obama Campaign and continues with vigor, enthusiasm and dedication by a group of volunteers known as African Diaspora for Change (formerly African Diaspora for Obama). This movement is an example of how grassroots efforts can stimulate change on a global continuum. African Diaspora for Change (ADC) has formed an alliance of prominent African Diaspora voices with the intent of affecting change locally, nationally and internationally. The group’s success in is largely attributable to the tremendous efforts of many of its young leaders, most of whom are African immigrants themselves or were raised by immigrant families. ADC will host The African Diaspora Inaugural Ball on Sunday January 18, 2009 at the Harman Center for the Arts with the theme, “I Am the Change: Educating, Empowering and Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders.”
This historical event will bring to the dais an eclectic group of "change agents" who are poised to assist in a global change agenda. Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ) chairs the Honorary Host Committee which also includes Baroness Valerie Amos, former leader of the House of Lords and the first Black woman cabinet secretary in the history of Great Britain; Dr. Witney Schneidman, Co-Chair, Africa Experts Group, Obama-Biden Campaign for the President; Ambassador Amina Salum Ali of the African Union Mission to the United States; Camilla Barungi, Ugandan supermodel and entrepreneur featured on Project Runway, and others. The Mistress of Ceremonies is none other than the illustrious Tracey Neale, nine-time Emmy award winning former Channel 9 and Fox 5 News Anchor, and now mother of two adopted twin boys from Ethiopia.
This celebration marks the victory of President-Elect Barack Obama with the performance of Grammy-nominated artists, Les Nubians, a special guest appearance by Grammy Award-winning artist, Angelique Kidjo, and BéLO, Haitian performing artist and winner of the 2006 Radio France International Award. The celebration will also feature some of the brightest stars in DC including Batala, an all women's Brazilian drumming troupe, Lesoles Dance Project, a South African performing group, and Mbuutu, an energetic East African dance troupe.
The theme of the event focuses on the importance of investing in the education and empowerment of America's and Africa's next generation of leaders—a key message of the Obama administration. The Inaugural Ball will benefit two organizations that focus on education. The beneficiaries are the Batonga Foundation, an organization founded by Angelique Kidjo which gives girls a secondary and higher education so they can take the lead in changing Africa; and First Book, a nonprofit which distributes new books to children in low-income communities throughout the United States and Canada. First Book will partner with ADC to donate and distribute 44,000 books (in honor of the 44th President of the United States) to support literacy in Africa and America.
First Book and African Diaspora for Change (www.AD4change.org) are currently accepting requests from local organizations that would benefit from book donations and can submit requests to info@ad4change.org . To quailify, recipient organizations must be registered as a 501 (c)(3) or related organization serving children in need.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200901150680.html
________________________
SPONSOR WIRE
Washington, D.C. — President-Elect Barack Obama has inspired the world to believe in and to work for change. This vision of change began during the Obama Campaign and continues with vigor, enthusiasm and dedication by a group of volunteers known as African Diaspora for Change (formerly African Diaspora for Obama). This movement is an example of how grassroots efforts can stimulate change on a global continuum. African Diaspora for Change (ADC) has formed an alliance of prominent African Diaspora voices with the intent of affecting change locally, nationally and internationally. The group’s success in is largely attributable to the tremendous efforts of many of its young leaders, most of whom are African immigrants themselves or were raised by immigrant families. ADC will host The African Diaspora Inaugural Ball on Sunday January 18, 2009 at the Harman Center for the Arts with the theme, “I Am the Change: Educating, Empowering and Engaging the Next Generation of Leaders.”
This historical event will bring to the dais an eclectic group of "change agents" who are poised to assist in a global change agenda. Congressman Donald Payne (D-NJ) chairs the Honorary Host Committee which also includes Baroness Valerie Amos, former leader of the House of Lords and the first Black woman cabinet secretary in the history of Great Britain; Dr. Witney Schneidman, Co-Chair, Africa Experts Group, Obama-Biden Campaign for the President; Ambassador Amina Salum Ali of the African Union Mission to the United States; Camilla Barungi, Ugandan supermodel and entrepreneur featured on Project Runway, and others. The Mistress of Ceremonies is none other than the illustrious Tracey Neale, nine-time Emmy award winning former Channel 9 and Fox 5 News Anchor, and now mother of two adopted twin boys from Ethiopia.
This celebration marks the victory of President-Elect Barack Obama with the performance of Grammy-nominated artists, Les Nubians, a special guest appearance by Grammy Award-winning artist, Angelique Kidjo, and BéLO, Haitian performing artist and winner of the 2006 Radio France International Award. The celebration will also feature some of the brightest stars in DC including Batala, an all women's Brazilian drumming troupe, Lesoles Dance Project, a South African performing group, and Mbuutu, an energetic East African dance troupe.
The theme of the event focuses on the importance of investing in the education and empowerment of America's and Africa's next generation of leaders—a key message of the Obama administration. The Inaugural Ball will benefit two organizations that focus on education. The beneficiaries are the Batonga Foundation, an organization founded by Angelique Kidjo which gives girls a secondary and higher education so they can take the lead in changing Africa; and First Book, a nonprofit which distributes new books to children in low-income communities throughout the United States and Canada. First Book will partner with ADC to donate and distribute 44,000 books (in honor of the 44th President of the United States) to support literacy in Africa and America.
First Book and African Diaspora for Change (www.AD4change.org) are currently accepting requests from local organizations that would benefit from book donations and can submit requests to info@ad4change.org . To quailify, recipient organizations must be registered as a 501 (c)(3) or related organization serving children in need.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200901150680.html
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Africa Eyes Own Investment Bank by End of Year
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Libya's central bank governor said on Wednesday that an African Investment Bank (AIB) with total capital of $25 billion would be up and running by the end of the year if the plan is approved by African leaders.
Farhat Bin Guidara told Reuters the bank would have its headquarters in Tripoli and would aim to funnel support to development projects across the world's poorest continent.
"It is the anticipation of the bank to provide finance to enhance developments in Africa for projects with guarantees and feasible studies," Bin Guidara told Reuters on the sidelines of a meeting of African finance officials in Addis Ababa.
The Ethiopia-based African Union, which hosted Wednesday's discussions, is also studying the possibilities of setting up an African central bank and an African monetary bank, he added.
There are also plans for a Pan-African bourse, but the officials meeting in Ethiopia's capital said this should be done by first consolidating stock markets at a regional level.
"Achieving intermediary objectives, such as the harmonisation of the legal and fiscal framework, the liberalisation of exchange rates and the movement of capital, will have to be determined first," they said in a report.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Ethiopia: Freedom and Justice Rally, WED. JAN. 14
By Tedla Asfaw
Ethiopians are starting the new year by coming together on Wednesday January 14 in ten major cities of the world to denounce the TPLF regime in Ethiopia that is throwing the opposition UDJP party chair the honorable Judge Birtukan Medeksa who is now on her tenth day hunger strike in prison in Ethiopia. Amnesty International categorized her as prisoner of conscience.
No one is spared on this crackdown. The famous singer Teddy Afro and many Oromo professionals are among them. The coincidence of this crackdown with the defeat in Somalia is not accidental. The regime invasion of Somalia in Christmas 2006 was then to divert attention from ongoing internal crisis following the 2005 stolen election.
The current crackdown is also to exploit the window of opportunity during power transfer in USA. This is the warning for the coming Obama administration. "Do not get involved on our internal affairs on sovereign Ethiopia, and we know you have your own economic problem, Iraq, Afghanistan etc and leave us alone".
Hopefully this message will be delivered to Obama by the Clinton's people who are now surrounding Obama, Ms. Clinton, Susan Rice etc. who supported and financed the TPLF regime amid continuous protest by the Diaspora exposing the tyrannical behavior of the regime.
The regime in power in Ethiopia exploited the 9/11 incidence on the last Bush Administration and came as the number one fighter of terrorism in East Africa. The invasion of Somalia two years ago was with the direct financial and logistical support from USA. If you ask the members of Meles' Parliament/Club who pays for the two years adventure in Somalia the answer is they do not know. The war book is with Meles and Pentagon.
Somalia is now where it was before the invasion after thousands of innocent lives lost. It is shameful to hear " Mission Accomplished " by the regime cadres and go to their business of destroying opponents that was temporarily on hold during the invasion to get political support. To their dismay no one supported this adventurous war and opposition parties all exposed the consequence of this war, bringing future instability. As the world witnessed, Ogaden has been the main victim of this Somalia adventure. The war in Ogaden is well documented and the time for those who perpetuated this war crime is not going to be far.
The coming Wed. 14 protest is one of the many that is going to be carried throughout the world this year. The dimension of the crisis needs all Ethiopians to come out and voice their anger. This is not a rally for political organizations. Calling this protest is no more than taking the initiative and we should not exploit such gatherings for our own limited political goal.
The banners we carry on this coming protest calls for justice in Ogaden and the release of all political prisoners. Parties that do not take the initiative of organizing this coming rally should join and voice their anger too. From our experience of the last eighteen years protest in the Diaspora throughout the world we learned that all the successful protests were those organized by concerned Ethiopians without any political affiliation.
We all have common enemy and this rally is not a political solidarity with any group, ours should be with the voiceless Ethiopians. The coming rally is by all Ethiopians for Ethiopia and all are well come. I call especially our Somali and Oromo brothers and sisters to join us because it is only when we stand together we will make difference.
Ethiopians are starting the new year by coming together on Wednesday January 14 in ten major cities of the world to denounce the TPLF regime in Ethiopia that is throwing the opposition UDJP party chair the honorable Judge Birtukan Medeksa who is now on her tenth day hunger strike in prison in Ethiopia. Amnesty International categorized her as prisoner of conscience.
No one is spared on this crackdown. The famous singer Teddy Afro and many Oromo professionals are among them. The coincidence of this crackdown with the defeat in Somalia is not accidental. The regime invasion of Somalia in Christmas 2006 was then to divert attention from ongoing internal crisis following the 2005 stolen election.
The current crackdown is also to exploit the window of opportunity during power transfer in USA. This is the warning for the coming Obama administration. "Do not get involved on our internal affairs on sovereign Ethiopia, and we know you have your own economic problem, Iraq, Afghanistan etc and leave us alone".
Hopefully this message will be delivered to Obama by the Clinton's people who are now surrounding Obama, Ms. Clinton, Susan Rice etc. who supported and financed the TPLF regime amid continuous protest by the Diaspora exposing the tyrannical behavior of the regime.
The regime in power in Ethiopia exploited the 9/11 incidence on the last Bush Administration and came as the number one fighter of terrorism in East Africa. The invasion of Somalia two years ago was with the direct financial and logistical support from USA. If you ask the members of Meles' Parliament/Club who pays for the two years adventure in Somalia the answer is they do not know. The war book is with Meles and Pentagon.
Somalia is now where it was before the invasion after thousands of innocent lives lost. It is shameful to hear " Mission Accomplished " by the regime cadres and go to their business of destroying opponents that was temporarily on hold during the invasion to get political support. To their dismay no one supported this adventurous war and opposition parties all exposed the consequence of this war, bringing future instability. As the world witnessed, Ogaden has been the main victim of this Somalia adventure. The war in Ogaden is well documented and the time for those who perpetuated this war crime is not going to be far.
The coming Wed. 14 protest is one of the many that is going to be carried throughout the world this year. The dimension of the crisis needs all Ethiopians to come out and voice their anger. This is not a rally for political organizations. Calling this protest is no more than taking the initiative and we should not exploit such gatherings for our own limited political goal.
The banners we carry on this coming protest calls for justice in Ogaden and the release of all political prisoners. Parties that do not take the initiative of organizing this coming rally should join and voice their anger too. From our experience of the last eighteen years protest in the Diaspora throughout the world we learned that all the successful protests were those organized by concerned Ethiopians without any political affiliation.
We all have common enemy and this rally is not a political solidarity with any group, ours should be with the voiceless Ethiopians. The coming rally is by all Ethiopians for Ethiopia and all are well come. I call especially our Somali and Oromo brothers and sisters to join us because it is only when we stand together we will make difference.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Why Pan-Africanism?
A 1981 publication of Ujima, the voice of the Howard University Student Association of the year, poised this poignant question. This is a question that still must be answered 27 years later.
In order to effectively answer the question of the necessity of a Pan-Africanist political social and economic orientation, we must first define the term. P. Olisanwuche Esedebe, in his seminal work, Pan-Africanism: The Idea and the Movement, offers a definition that describes Pan-Africanism as “a political and cultural phenomenon which regards Africa, Africans and African descendants aboard as a unit. It seeks to regenerate and unify Africa and promote a feeling of oneness among the people of Africa among the people of the African world. It glorifies the African past and inculcates pride in Africa.” One of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century, W.E.B. Dubois in a 1933 Crisis article puts it this way, “the Pan-African movement aimed at an intellectual understanding and co-operation among all groups of African descent in order to bring about the industrial and spiritual emancipation of the Negro people.” Simply put, a Pan-Africanist-oriented agenda is aimed at politically, socially, and economically unifying an already culturally unified African people.
“Africa Must Unite!” was the rallying cry of the father of African Nationalism, Kwame Nkrumah. Across the Diaspora, those who trace their cultural heritage to the African continent must come together to bring about the liberation of each other. As Nkrumah later would say, the fates of African descendants and continental Africans are “inextricably tied.” How can we as African-Americans be liberated, when neo-colonialist and aggressive foreign policy with regards to Africa still exists? The same ideology that contributes to the underdevelopment of Africa contributes to the poverty of African-Americans. We must fight these ills together from a united front. For African-Americans, Pan-Africanism means opposing Africom since we are in a strategic position to do so. For continental Africans, Pan-Africanism means using their international leverage to control resources, assuring that their counterparts in other parts of the world are taken care of. In other parts of the world, Pan-Africanism means providing resources and support across the Diaspora to ensure that all Africans are provided for. We cannot reclaim our humanity as African-American people without reclaiming it for continental Africans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos and vice versa.
Before we were interrupted by the maafa, the unity of African people created the earliest forms of modern democracy and governance. Preceding this, the unity of ancient Africans allowed them to create the first and greatest civilizations. Marcus Garvey famously stated, “What we have done, we can do.” White supremacist dominion in our lives, make Pan-African unity a powerful alternative.
Africans across the world face many challenges, brought about through the aforementioned maafa. The root causes of these problems are centered on factors and agendas that come from the same source, white supremacy. Therefore to combat this, a unified agenda of African unity must first occur. This is what we as an African people must do to return to ma’at. We must utilize the teachings of sankofa across the Diaspora to return to where we were before we were so rudely interrupted.
Dubois also stated in Darkwater, “that a belief in the humanity is a belief in colored men.” Every organization of individuals of African descent, interested in the humanity of African people, must be oriented towards a Pan-African agenda
In order to effectively answer the question of the necessity of a Pan-Africanist political social and economic orientation, we must first define the term. P. Olisanwuche Esedebe, in his seminal work, Pan-Africanism: The Idea and the Movement, offers a definition that describes Pan-Africanism as “a political and cultural phenomenon which regards Africa, Africans and African descendants aboard as a unit. It seeks to regenerate and unify Africa and promote a feeling of oneness among the people of Africa among the people of the African world. It glorifies the African past and inculcates pride in Africa.” One of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century, W.E.B. Dubois in a 1933 Crisis article puts it this way, “the Pan-African movement aimed at an intellectual understanding and co-operation among all groups of African descent in order to bring about the industrial and spiritual emancipation of the Negro people.” Simply put, a Pan-Africanist-oriented agenda is aimed at politically, socially, and economically unifying an already culturally unified African people.
“Africa Must Unite!” was the rallying cry of the father of African Nationalism, Kwame Nkrumah. Across the Diaspora, those who trace their cultural heritage to the African continent must come together to bring about the liberation of each other. As Nkrumah later would say, the fates of African descendants and continental Africans are “inextricably tied.” How can we as African-Americans be liberated, when neo-colonialist and aggressive foreign policy with regards to Africa still exists? The same ideology that contributes to the underdevelopment of Africa contributes to the poverty of African-Americans. We must fight these ills together from a united front. For African-Americans, Pan-Africanism means opposing Africom since we are in a strategic position to do so. For continental Africans, Pan-Africanism means using their international leverage to control resources, assuring that their counterparts in other parts of the world are taken care of. In other parts of the world, Pan-Africanism means providing resources and support across the Diaspora to ensure that all Africans are provided for. We cannot reclaim our humanity as African-American people without reclaiming it for continental Africans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos and vice versa.
Before we were interrupted by the maafa, the unity of African people created the earliest forms of modern democracy and governance. Preceding this, the unity of ancient Africans allowed them to create the first and greatest civilizations. Marcus Garvey famously stated, “What we have done, we can do.” White supremacist dominion in our lives, make Pan-African unity a powerful alternative.
Africans across the world face many challenges, brought about through the aforementioned maafa. The root causes of these problems are centered on factors and agendas that come from the same source, white supremacy. Therefore to combat this, a unified agenda of African unity must first occur. This is what we as an African people must do to return to ma’at. We must utilize the teachings of sankofa across the Diaspora to return to where we were before we were so rudely interrupted.
Dubois also stated in Darkwater, “that a belief in the humanity is a belief in colored men.” Every organization of individuals of African descent, interested in the humanity of African people, must be oriented towards a Pan-African agenda
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