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Soul Food Co-op: an interview wit' co-owner Yasser
September 13, 2009
Right after the chattel slavery era, the great Marcus Mosiah Garvey taught our people all over the world the importance of providing for ourselves as well as the importance of being able to employ our own community. Today Garvey would be proud of ATL transplants Yasser and Vahid, two young adults who brought the Soul Food Co-op (grocery store) to West Oakland’s Village Bottoms Cultural District. We finally have a place, in the hood, where you could send your children to the store to get real fresh fruits and vegetables, without them having to see cigarette and alcohol ads.
Wanda’s Picks for September
September 1, 2009
Next month the most important item on my agenda is Maafa Commemoration Month to reflect on the legacy of slavery and how everyone benefited from this human rights travesty except those who did the work. We began Aug. 30 with a successful Maafa 2009: Hurricane Katrina Fundraiser and Reportback, thanks to all the poets and the visual artists who donated art for the silent auction and of course to Tess and Yeme, the proprietors of Shashamane Bar and Grill.
The POCC’s ‘You Can Kill a Revolutionary ... But You Can’t Kill the Revolution Tour’ update
August 29, 2009
On July 23 the Prisoners of Conscience Committee (POCC) kicked off the “You Can Kill a Revolutionary … But You Can’t Kill the Revolution Tour” in Oakland, California, the birthplace of the Black Panther Party.
Foreclosed and evicted in West Oakland
July 30, 2009
At 8 a.m. July 20, 10 sheriff’s deputies arrived at Tasha and James Alberti’s West Oakland home after they had left for work, forced their children and grandchildren out and left them on the sidewalk. The grassroots movement to stop unfair foreclosure evictions is heating up. ACORN is helping the Albertis reclaim their home from B of A. Just Cause Oakland invites the community to a press conference at Karen Mims’ home of 42 years at 9401 Cherry St., East Oakland, Tuesday, Aug. 4, 12 noon, to announce a temporary stay of her eviction.
The RABblerousers!
June 30, 2009
In a letter dated May 22, 2009, Navy representatives announced their intention to dissolve the RAB. This is not the first time the Navy has threatened to take this action. Indeed, whenever a critical impasse has arisen regarding key shipyard cleanup matters, a threat to disband the elected body recognized by Congress as the legitimate organized voice for public comment, dissent and scientific debate has been made.
Toxic tour of West Oakland
June 25, 2009
Thirty-seven percent of the adults and 20 percent of the kids living in West Oakland have asthma and children living in this community are seven times more likely to be hospitalized for breathing related illness than any other children in California.
Spiritually grounded hip hop: an interview with Idris Hassan, the filmmaker of ‘Bay Area Cypher: Freestyle Documentary’
June 24, 2009
When watching movies we often see the perspective of directors, writers and producers who were not conditioned to see the world and the culture they are filming from the viewpoint of somebody living in it instead of just a spectator. Idris Hassan is one of many emerging female filmmakers who refuse to sit back and just accept someone else’s view of what is happening.
Documenting present-day history: an interview with filmmaker Adimu
June 8, 2009
Right now, Adimu is working on a new documentary called “Operation: Small Ax” about the POCC: Block Report Radio show and its role in organizing in the terrible but fine year of 2009 in the Bay Area in the eye of the storm of controversies like the murder of Oscar Grant, the Oakland Rebellions, the trials of the Oakland 100, the murder of Lovelle Mixon and four OPD and more. It also includes exclusive interviews with Emory Douglas of the Black Panther Party, Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. of the POCC, Umar Bin Hassan of the Last Poets, rappers Beeda Weeda, J. Stalin, Mahasen and Chela Simone and an exclusive Block Report Radio interview with Angela Davis that was used to promote Mumia’s new book.
All gas – no brakes: an inner-view of Oakland rapper Shady Nate
May 9, 2009
Oakland has always been filled wit’ a gang of lyrical MC’s that “gas” ever since Hip Hop really got started in the Bay. Shady Nate is somebody that I could easily see being the King of Bay Area rap in a couple of years.
Cancerous air: Born under a bad sky
January 2, 2009
In San Francisco the average infant will exceed the EPA’s lifetime exposure to toxic air pollutants in 19 days. In LA, it takes only 12 days.
March for Environmental Justice targets PG&E and Lennar
August 29, 2007
Turning to Lennar’s recent activities, Sumchai’s politics came into focus. “We have to fight to control this property. We have to be stakeholders at the table of what goes on in the development of not only this property but other properties throughout southeast San Francisco.
