by Kevin ‘Rashid’ Johnson, Minister of Defense, New Afrikan Black Panther Party
For Juneteenth (June 19th) 2019 the New Afrikan Black Panther Party (NABPP) and its mass organization, the United Panther Movement (UPM), organized a People’s Barbecue at Westside Park in Newark, N.J., where the NABPP is headquartered.
The six-hour event, where some 300 people from the city’s local communities ate their fill of chicken, burgers, barbecue and other wholesome foods, was organized not as a charity event but as a community Serve the People operation.
The labor and resources that made the event possible were all produced cooperatively and voluntarily by the Panthers and the people.
For the occasion, Panthers delivered a sound dose of political education and demonstrated cooperative economics to the people through their participation and example showing they can, through Serve the People programs, solve their own problems, meet their own needs, and build community-based people’s power.
Veterans of the original Black Panther Party (OPP) also attended and participated in the event, including the OBPP Lieutenant Minister of Information of the Connecticut Chapter, Comrade Charles Penderhughes, and Comrade Atno “Smiddy” Smith of the Newark OBPP chapter, among others.
Also in attendance was Comrade Sharon Shoatz, daughter of veteran OBPP and Black Liberation Army PP/POW Comrade Russell “Maroon” Shoatz, who gave the NABPP a hearty shout-out.
The keynote address to the gathering was given by Comrade Shaka Sankofa Zulu, chairman of the NABPP, along with NABPP Deputy Minister of Finance for the Delaware branch Comrade Teresa Flannery.
Key organizers of the event were UPM Comrades Kaleshia, Askari, Sameerah, Yolanda, Malik, Sariah, Onyx and Chairman Shaka.
People interested in learning more about, joining or linking up with the UPM can contact Comrade Shaka and others at zulu6003@Gmail.com.
Dare to Struggle, Dare to win! All Power to the People!
Send our brother some love and light: Kevin “Rashid” Johnson, 264847, Pendleton Correctional Facility, G-20-2C, 4490 W. Reformatory Road, Pendleton, IN 46064.
