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Show your love for Baba Muhammad, Mama Mary, Baba Willie et al!
by Baba Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma’at
6263 AAAK / January 2023 JC-PG
Africans Deserve Reparations! ‘Cause, Black Lives Matter!
Blessings of IMANI (FAITH) Beloved, Brilliant, Bold, Brave and Beautiful G-o-ds, Elders, Sis-Stars, Bro-Stars and Youthful Revolutionaries.
May our Most High Divine Mother-Father Creator of and in All – and incredible Ancients and Ancestors from past millennia, yesteryears and, literally, yesterday – find you and (y)our extended family thriving towards healing Spirits, Love for all Life and sacred MA’AT. WE are so grateful to greet you once again from the occupied, unceded lands of the Indigenous OHLONE nations (named san francisco bay area by the murderous Euro-amerikkkan enslaving, colonizing, mercenary missionaries and land-grabbers).
Our thoughts at this moment are with our colleagues and friends further north in Indigenous Wiyot, Yurok, Hupa, Karuk and Whilkut lands, aka humboldt county, calif. – including Bay View contributor Mama Karpani Burns – who have survived a deadly 6.2 magnitude earthquake. To quote our revolutionary Community Ready Corps, WE all have the duty to “Get Ready! And, Stay Ready” (and make preparations for the natural disasters and abusive inhumane Maafas that continue to confront us). Amen. Asé.
Nakupenda (WE Love You, Swahili) Baba Muhammad, Mama Mary, Baba Willie, Et al!
As WE embark on this renewed segment of our journeys for truth and justice, i offer my utmost Gratitude to the founder and continuators of our San Francisco Bay View Newspaper. In 6216/1976, Muhammad al-Kareem, who had the vision to initiate and run the critical first leg in building this incredible publication you’re now reading. Then, in 6232/1992, Baba Muhammad handed the baton to Mary and Willie Ratcliff. Over the past three decades-plus, the Ratcliffs have invested their lives, energies and earnings to expand the Bay View from a local newspaper to a regional, national and world-wide voice of and for the people.
Under the Ratcliffs’ stewardship, our Bay View has become one of the most consistent vehicles for truth, justice and upliftment, particularly for people and movements of Afrikan ancestry, internationally. For every generation, from elders to youth. WE have covered numerous villages around the planet and even from inside the prison walls (including several kkkoncentration kkkamps where WE are still banned from helping spread the facts about state terrorism and torture).
The Bay View is a place where labor activists, falsely-imprisoned political or exiled leaders, as well as students, continue to share their righteous viewpoints and struggles. And, where poets can slam, rappers can spit, preachers opine and visual artists can share our creativity without censorship. Straight-no-chaser.
i first got involved with our Bay View back in 6237/1997. As a newcomer to this area, from chicago, i was serving as a labor rep/negotiator for thousands of workers, with Service Employees International Union (SEIU). My most significant assignment was as a co-visionary and co-facilitator of our joint and successful commUNITY-labor campaign to keep our public Highland Hospital open and, in turn, help save thousands of health-care related jobs in alameda county. During that period, i was also blessed to briefly serve as Editor for Third Force (now ColorLines) magazine at our Center for Third World Organizing; as well as Editor/Publisher of our National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA) REPARATIONS NOW!
But, it was the fullest freedoms of expression and creativity provided by the Bay View that allowed us to create a long-term relationship which has lasted for more than a quarter of a century and counting. It was quite difficult initially, since WE were then a weekly publication and i was working 50 hours a week – not including my volunteer efforts to help build our reparations and freedom for political prisoners efforts through N’COBRA and Jericho.
Even after being recruited to new york city for several years to lead our successful organizing of major labor unions, community-based organizations and public housing residents to fight the neo-fascist policies of then corrupt Mayor Giuliani, the Bay View still allowed me, and others i personally recommended, to fully express ourselves regularly. And, not only from the east coast, but in my evolving reparations work around the Afrikan continent and diaspora.
Most notably was our 6241/2001 Triumph for Reparations at the United Nations’ World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Afrika. And, the Tragedies of Imperialist and Group Terrorism two days after returning home to brooklyn, new york from that event in Afrika, where 12 members of our N’COBRA lost their lives, and the Alliance for a Working Economy that i was leading and the sole staff person for in the six boroughs (i include new jersey) had 155 lives perish at the World Trade Center.
Please help us keep growing for another generation. Not only through our monthly print edition, but through our daily presence on key social media platforms. Become a sustainer, send us your news, take out an ad or contribute directly by going to www.gofundme.com/dr-willie-ratcliff-editorial-fellowship.
Honoring a few of our new Ancestors
WE mourn, celebrate and pay tribute to several recent transformations to Spirit, including: Our good friend, businessman, second barber (after our Baba) and fellow teenage pool hustler, CALVIN STUART, JR. Amen. Asé.
Long-time activists and partners MARGARET SHAPER JORDAN and MIKE PARKER. i first met them at our Labor Notes conferences in detroit; and they published several of my articles on Afrikan/Black worker issues from chicago to mississippi to Soweto, during the 1980s-’90s. Years later WE became reacquainted when they moved to the Bay Area and were active in our powerful Richmond Progressive Alliance as well as the righteous movements to hold the dirty Chev-Wrong (aka Chevron) fooli$h fossil fuel polluters accountable. Amen. Asé.
WE remember two incredible contributors to our KPFA/Pacifica Radio Network: BOB BALDOCK, who, due to his expert knowledge of weapons, was welcomed into the revolutionary armed democratic, freedom and anti-imperialist struggle in Cuba led by then-commandante, and later presidente, FIDEL CASTRO RUZ, his brother RAUL CASTRO, ERNESTO “CHE” GUEVARA and other leaders.
Bob also founded Black Oak Books, in berkeley. The eccentric JENNIFER STONE, whose commentaries WE helped record, edit and enhance as part of the First Voice program – she left us with many wise words including gems like: “If men could get pregnant, then abortion would be a sacrament.” Or, her familiar closing of “Go easy. And, if you can’t go easy, go as easy as you can.” Amen. Asé.
The great PAUL SILAS, oakland-bred, McClymonds High and Creighton College grad and all-american – as well as NBA All-Star, Hall-of-Fame player, coach, mentor to many and three-time Champion. Following in his giant footsteps, his Sun, Stephen Silas, is now Head Coach of the Houston Rockets NBA corporation. Mr. Silas is also a cousin of, and contributor to, the world famous “Yes, We Can Can” Pointer Sisters, Brothers and Family. Amen. Asé.
Finally, WE offer our righteous anger and sacred-most thoughts for the many precious lives stolen by the capitali$t-imperiali$t merchants-of-death robbers, enslavers, colonialists, militaries and polluters represented in wa$hington, on wall $treet as well as London, Brussels, Paris, Rome, Lisbon, Madrid, Amsterdam, the imperialist-apartheid states of isreal, australia and other neo-fascist dictatorships.
They continue their massive production and distribution of deadly weapons; denial of basic human rights; withholding of basic necessities like food, housing, healthcare, a clean environment, etc.; as well as conducting genocidal corporate wars against the people and our climate. Stay informed of the latest imperialist crimes against humanity and nature, and how WE can collectively act, by visiting our Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) at blackallianceforpeace.com.
Long Live the Spirit, legacies and numerous contributions of these new and All our incredible predecessors. Asé. Asé. Asé-O!
PONGEZI (CONGRATULATIONS)!
PONGEZI (CONGRATS) as well to our comrades and friends in Brasil, particularly members of the Partido dos Trabalhadores (Workers’ Party), who organized and mobilized to re-elect President Lula da Silva; and, defeat the neo-fascist, corrupt and Trump-like Jair Bosonaro and his (Social) Liberal Party. Two decades ago this month, i was fortunate to travel around Brasil presenting on Reparations. Asante to my colleagues from Salvador Bahia, São Paulo, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro and other areas, i found myself in the same large room with the newly-elected and sworn-in President Lula, in 6243/2003.
Prez Lula’s administration began to implement our victorious Durban Declaration and Program of Action (DDPA) that WE collectively won at the Third WCAR in Afrika two years prior; provide land and housing to millions in the favelas without adequate shelter; increase workers’ rights and wages; secure more protections and advancements for women and girls; take major steps to help save our climate, including protecting the Amazon River basin and Indigenous nations; put some checks on the out-of-control killer police and military; as well as promote more democratic policies throughout the society.
Many of us also critically condemned Prez Lula for the Brasilian troops’ abusive treatment of our Alkebulan/Afrikan family in Ayiti (Haiti). They were a part of the United Nations’ contingent that, unfortunately, some of us advocated for in the lead up to the ucptsa coup under G.W. Bu$h (supported by the Clintons and corporate democratic party), murder, imprisonment, kidnapping and removal of our duly-elected Fammi Lavalas Party officials and President Jean Bertrand Aristide, in 6244/2004.
It appeared to many of us that President Lula opportunistically sacrificed Afrikan-Haitians as a “favor” to the imperialists in an unsuccessful attempt to win a seat on the powerful U.N. Security Council. And, that is another sickening crime against humanity on his hands. Amen. Asé.
Finally, PONGEZI (CONGRATS) to our good Brother Eduardo Martinez, who was successful in his first campaign for Mayor of richmond, calif.! PONGEZI also to Queen Mama Doria Robinson, who won her first election to serve on the City Council of “Rich City.” And, while i’ve never met him, Cesar Zepeda’s victory to that city’s council is a lesson on how much every vote matters. After the ballots were tallied, and then re-counted, he was still tied with Andrew Butt, the son of the outgoing mayor, Tom Butt. Zepada won, and will now serve, after his name was drawn from a gift bag by the City Clerk, Pamela Christian. Amen. Asé.
Sisters and Brothers, continue to take (y)our righteous steps, knowing our Divine will do the rest. And, always walk in the Power of IMANI (FAITH) on each and every day. Amen-RA Hotep! Asé.
#BlackLivesMatter #AfricansDeserveReparationsNow #FreeTheLand #BringOurEldersHomeNow #AbolishPrisonsandPolice #AbortPatriarchy #LoveandDefendMotherEarth #BlackNewDeal #DISBANDusaImperialistAfricaCommand
Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma’at is the fourth of seven Suns of Ancestors Baba CLEVELAND LEE ARMSTRONG, SR. and Queen Mama ELIZABETH ELIZANN OAKS ARMSTRONG; Baba of Chioke Bakari; and, traces his roots to the Ewondo (present-day Cameroon) and Yoruba (Nigeria) in Alkebulan-Afrika. He is the author of several books, including Afrikans Deserve Reparations! With Many Paths to Kujichagulia (Self-Determination). Baba Jahahara is also a Life Member and former National Male Co-Chair of N’COBRA. Take a listen to a few songs from his musical catalog here. Invite Baba Jahahara to present at your group, school, spiritual gathering or event c/o support@africansdeservereparations.com or FONAMI, P.O. Box 10963, oakland, ca 94610.
