The Importance of People Of Color Unifying to Execute
Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend my first ‘Black Panther’ like meeting. The name of this organization is BBRRAAPP, which stands for Black Brown Revolutionary Rootz Agriculture Arts Political Party. Sitting as Co-Chair are AnAkha Anet and Michael ‘Magneto’ Banner. I did not know what to expect, I had been studying the Black Panthers and other Black history that took place in America and all over the world, so I walked into this event with a sponge-like mindset.
I invited Jaylon Weathers , Key’Shawn Wilson , Tyaira Newkirk, and Dae’Kwon Johnson out to this event because we are all interested in helping and supporting our community. Other familiar faces were in the building, such as; Chanel Nestor, Terrell Harris ,Lester Whitt from S.G. Atkins Community Development Corporation , Yusef Suggs-El, who I have always seen in Town Hall Meetings, representing The Dream School and Action 4 Now, lastly, Kismet Loftin-Bell from Skyland Park . In the background Malcolm X’s Message to the Grass Roots was playing. However, I wasn’t quite paying attention until after dinner. AnAkha made her famous veggie lasagna, plain salad, and limewater. Once the event started, the speech was replayed, and I retained more information and learned more about “Uncle Toms” and things of that nature from the speech.
Getting into the core of the meeting AnAkha Anet and Assata X went over 7 gateways to success in our communities.
Agriculture- Implement cooperative home based organic food systems.
AnAkha said something that stuck with me, and that’s the confidence and value one will have from growing food/plants with their own hands.
Entrepreneurship- Promoting self reliance through work/wide connectivity in trade and innovation.
Drug/Rehab- Employing holistic approaches for redeeming the human capital from dependencies.
Mental Health- Nurture therapeutic mental connections.
Arts- Encourage artistic expression through poetry, craft, etc.
Self-Defense- Asset our human inherent right to justly defend and protect ourselves and our families.
Education- Embrace and further all forms of self-actualizing, educational excellence towards developing talent rich outcomes.
Some reasons why people of color should support their local communities is because the federal government won’t. This act will stop violence amongst the youth, build wealth in our communities; for an example, if every person of color supported black businesses on the east and south side of town then those business owners will be able to hire more of their own kind, and pay more than minimum wage. Giving finical stability; also this will bring the people together to start other organizations to build up the community’s appearance. A very important reason is voting for the community leaders who run for local, state, and or federal office positions. Because we need to take control in policies being made about us, that will affect us. We need to control that narrative, for us now and generations to come. Lastly, is education, if you support the east and south sides of town through education, the youth and adults will know how to read and articulate what they want in different environments around different ethnic groups. We are lacking reading skills, leadership of good influences, and trust. I feel once we restore these values then the unification with people of color will prosper and we will begin to execute.