Conclusion (of Winter 2020)
2021 is here. After seeing one of the most controversial years in human history found in 2020, I'm glad to be alive in 2021. Many legendary heroes passed away last year, and we are inspired by their memories to continue forth in the Dream for justice for humankind. People around this time of the year focus on resolutions, but we ought to be focused on the point that change doesn't have to be a insurmountable burden. Change should come voluntarily now. Change won't be perfect, and we should acknowledge our imperfections along the journey for change. Naivete is out of the question. There are more than 20 million Americans with with the virus. Almost 350,000 Americans have passed away from the virus too. Many health care workers are pleading with the public to take precautions and be safe. So, we realize the serious problems of health care crisis, racial oppression, economic oppression, sexism, xenophobia, and all the other unjustifiable injustices that plague the world. 2021 represents a new beginning in our lives. 2021 being much better than 2020 is certainly our wish. As we see a new President and a new Vice President coming about, we are greatly motivated to be better human beings.
For generations, heroes (from Major Charity Adams Earley, Kwame Ture, and to Medgar Evers) have outlined solutions to our problems as a community. The problem is that corporate elites and the rest of the 1% readily promote a hostility to policies meant to enrich the lives of the workers, the poor, and the oppressed. The super wealthy has massive privilege, while others struggle to survive economically and emotionally. When you have a large amount of people seeking food in food pantries and millions losing work, then we have a serious crisis in the world. Real solutions include items like: quality health care for all people prodigiously, creating a living wage of $15 an hour unconditionally for workers, guaranteed quality housing for all people, and instituting investments to rebuild our infrastructure (i.e schools, hospitals, transportation, bridges, roads, highways, businesses, and other industries). Our voting rights and civil rights must be protected and strengthened. There is absolutely no excuse for voter suppression tactics like restricting voting poll places or limiting the time when citizens can vote. Any legitimate agenda must be progressive and bold to ensure the liberation of all the human family. I do believe in Pan-African unity always. Africa is the continent where my original ancestors have lived. That is why it is most valuable to value the strength, the beauty, and the diversity of the Motherland of Africa. Black people must always have our interests honored. An increase of African Americans have migrated to Ghana. I have no issue with this. Many fake conscious people make it their business to claim to love black people, but call black people all sorts of names like cowards, afraid of people, and other contemptible stereotypes. I reject that nonsense. Many of them disparage Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but Dr. King was more militant than these so-called pseudo-nationalist "scholars" have ever been. Dr. King was right to be against the Vietnam War, to oppose imperialism, to critique capitalism, to stand up for economic justice, to oppose massive nuclear proliferation, and to promote reparations for black Americans. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. also defended labor rights, wanting an universal annual income, and honored the beauty of diversity. Those are real revolutionary tenets, and we already know that Malcolm X, Kwame Ture, Ella Baker, Septima Clark, Claudia Jones, Robert F. Williams, and Fred Hampton were revolutionaries too. After almost 40 years of me living on this Earth, I still subscribe to the belief of reparations for black Americans.
I do believe in black Pan African unity. Denmark Vesey, who wanted to free black people in America, was from the Caribbean. Kwame Ture, who fought for Black Power and Pan-African unity, was from Trinidad. A large percentage of black people in NYC and Louisiana have Afro-Caribbean roots. Malcolm X's maternal ancestors came from Grenada. Today, many Afro-Caribbeans are in solidarity with us black Americans in the fight for justice too. African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans were key leaders of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements decades ago. The Afro-Caribbeans weren't riding the backs of us. They worked with us black Americans side by side for change. Raymond Jones and Shirley Chisholm fought for black freedom in America, and they are of Afro-Caribbean descent. The system of oppression is global, and black people in America and worldwide are victims of that system. It's hypocritical for some to claim to desire freedom for black people but he refuses to advocate a global end to anti-black oppression beyond just American borders. ADOS/FDA folly contributes to division, hatred, and a sinister agenda of ruining relationships among black people globally. It is the epitome of anti-Blackness. That is why Afro Cubans are our Brothers and our Sisters. Afro Latinos worked with us black Americans for a long time (like the Schmbourg Center in Harlem, NYC was created by an Afro-Cuban man).
Our ancestors taught us about the love of Africa, black unity, and justice. Malcolm X did preach about Pan-African Unity. His organization was the OAAU or the Organization of Afro-American Unity (which was dedicated in working with black Americans and black people from across the African Diaspora). He visited Africa constantly in trying to unite people of black African descent globally in confronting Western imperialism. He also said be concerned with the lives of black people in America and the black lives in Congo who were the victims of imperialism. His personal hero was Patrice Lumumba, who was a freedom fighter in Africa. Malcolm X legitimately taught black people about self defense, the love of Africa, and black unity globally. I dedicate my words to my black ancestors. Also, Malcolm X taught us about the necessity to honor black women (as Umar Johnson is wrong to say the lie that black women haven't put in any work. Black women have put in work before Umar was born and today). You can't love black people without respecting black women.
In recent years, more and more people are talking about Afro-Latino people. That is a good thing, because many human beings don't know too much about Afro-Latino culture or history. They have existed in the Americas for centuries. They have been abolitionists, political leaders, athletes, lawyers, various scholars, musicians, and other contributors to society. Also, they are black people just like me. Many years ago, I read a book from Henry Louis Gates describing much of Afro-Latino people that certainly interested people including me. Since I have an inquisitive mind, I did my own research too. The largest number of Afro-Latino human begins are found in Brazil, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, and other locations. In Brazil, people like Pele, Zezé Motta, Nene, and Benedita da Silva made long lasting contributions to society. Many Afro-Brazilian expert scientists are: Katemari Rosa, Joana D’Arc de Souza, Anna Maria Canavarro Benite, Sonia Guimarães, and Ernesto Batista Mané Júnior. Celia Cruz, Lola Falana, Laz Alonzo, Nancy Morejón, and Gina Torres are of Afro-Cuban descent. Afro-Colombians like María Isabel Urrutia, Piedad Córdoba, Raul Cuero, and other people represent Black Excellence to the fullest. When you get older, many folks open their eyes to see a fuller representation of the truth. Tons of Afro-Latino people live in America too. As an African American, we have every right to learn and to grow in consciousness. Afro-Latino human beings are always my Brothers and my Sisters.
As an African American, I always send great respect to our Afro-Caribbean Brothers and Sisters. For centuries, they have fought against slavery diligently (like Dutty Boukman, Bussa of Barbados, Kwame Ture, Henri Christophe, Nanny of Jamaica, Sam Sharpe of Jamaica, Solitude of Guadeloupe, etc.), have been political activists (like Marcus Garvey, C. L. R. James, Frantz Fanon, Hubert Harrison, Walter Rodney, and Aime Cesaire), have been great athletes (Usain Bolt, Tim Duncan, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shaunae Miller, Sir Isacac Vivian Alexander Richards, Burgess Owens, the late Kimbo Slice, , musicians (Rihanna, Celia Cruz, Wyclef Jean, Nicki Minaj, Corrine Bailey Rae is of Kittian descent, etc.) developed great cultures, and represents the bonds of solidarity among us. Most people of Afro-Caribbean descent live in Haiti with 8.9 million people, then America with 2.88 million people, and Jamaica with 2.5 million human beings.
One great point about Blackness is that representation is not enough. We also need sovereignty, independence, and resources for justice. Our lives shouldn't be omitted, but we need representation, respect, and liberation. Our duty is to rise. Our ancestors were raped, thrown into the Atlantic Ocean, taunted, murdered, tortured, and oppressed in disgusting ways. Yet, our ancestors never gave up the fight for freedom. They fought in Africa, they fought in the ships, they fought in the Americas, and they fought in other places too for us. For us, they gave their lives realizing that their legacies lived on through us. Working for the interests of the black collective remains preeminent in our way of life. One deception in our generation is the corporate promotion of so-called black shows that in term degrade black people under the guise of promoting a warped version of "Blackness." We know of these shows' names. They either refuse to show Black Love or show black people in conflict with each other while worshiping whiteness as divine and all powerful (which is obviously a lie). That is precisely why I believe in pan-African unity.
With recent events going on in the world, it is important to honor the black African Diaspora. Black people live globally. You can't be pro-black unless you desire all black people to be liberated worldwide. My ancestors came from Africa, and I was born in Virginia. The vast majority of black people who live in the world outside of Africa live in Brazil, the Untied States of America, Haiti, and Colombia. With 43 million black Americans, 100 million Afro-South Americans, and 23 Afro-Caribbeans, there are almost 200 black people in the Americas alone. Black people in France include courageous human beings too. Afro-French human being Laetitia Avia is an MP from Paris for La Republique En Marche!.Maxette Grisoni-Pirbakas (born on April 14, 1973) is a French politician and syndicalist. She is on the list in the 2019 European Parliament election in France of the National Rally (RN). Sibeth Ndiaye (born on December 13, 1979) is a French-Senegalese communications advisor. Rokhaya Diallo (born on April 10, 1978) is a French journalist, author, filmmaker, and and activist. She advocates for racial, gender and religious equality. We have different cultures, and that is great. We are still part of one human family.
By Timothy
We will forever stay woke and real.
'Ase.
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