Culture Currents

The new Kevin Hart movie, “Night School,” was about so many things, but like a good artist, as my poverty skola-teacher Mama Dee used to say, Kevin Hart didn’t pound on the table. Through subtle and sketch comedy, pranks, relationship issues, innuendo and character development, he showed an often unseen part of Mans Skoo (as I call it), which is an ableist, racist, classist institution known as Special Education, which so many of us who live with so-called “learning disabilities” know way too much about.

The important (s)election process is unfolding across the united capitalist prison terrorist states of america (ucptsa) and here in these occupied Indigenous nations. WE are working to change this deadly system that places higher profits for a few elites over the advancement of our broader population and proper stewardship of nature. Still, voters can mos def play a positive role in slowing down capitalism’s never-ending wars and destructive acts.

Congratulations to Brothers in Pen for a fantastic book party and reading Oct. 20 at San Quentin State Prison. The work, whether fiction or poetry, creative nonfiction, memoir or dramatic lit, is stellar and the huge panel afterward, where the writers shared their creative process and the importance of art in their lives, was equally valuable and enlightening. That such beauty is possible behind bars is testament to the power of art to light darkness.

Even in these chaotic and perilous times, there is reason for hope. Humanity finds itself at a major crossroads: Do we choose the path of selfish separatism and inequality based on greed and competition, leading to the destruction of ourselves and planet Earth or the path of cooperation and sharing leading to global peace and prosperity? Here to help us make the correct choice stands a group of Teachers unparalleled in their enlightenment and wisdom, unequalled in their ability to love and to serve. They are the Masters of Wisdom.

Melvin Dickson made the transition to join his ancestors on Oct. 25, 2018, in Berkeley, California. He was 77 years old. Melvin was a long-time and dedicated member of the Black Panther Party, which shaped his thinking and commitment to the interests of all people for the rest of his life. As we honor Melvin’s life and legacy, we hope that you will join us for this very special celebration: All Power to the People! Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018, 2-6 p.m., at Met West High School.

“It takes the hood to save the hood” is the bold quote written on the shirts of the strong male and female organizers involved in United Playaz (UP), a San Francisco based 20-plus-year-old organization founded by Rudy Corpuz with a focus on youth development and violence prevention. UP’s engagement with the community is motivated by the needs of the people. United Playaz is a diamond in our community, shining light through every aspect of its mission at every level.

Dedicated to ensuring the historic Fillmore neighborhood has an economic and cultural anchor to call its own, District Five Supervisor Vallie Brown and a group of nonprofit and African American community leaders have initiated a collaborative campaign to reactivate the Fillmore Heritage Center. Beginning Nov. 5, the collaborative is offering live music, community events, and housing and financial empowerment workshops at the former Yoshi’s site.

Melvin Dickson was a writer, poet, author and organizer whose passing marked a sorrowful day for those who had the privilege to work alongside him. In order to give those community members their moment to reflect and honor our brother, a local community event was held Saturday, Nov. 17, to celebrate the life and legacy of Mr. Melvin Dickson. His recent passing this past October continues to be felt across the Black Panther Party community. Melvin Dickson was one of the longest active Party members, who then went on to found the Commemoration Committee for the Black Panther Party (CCBPP) in the early ‘90s.

Finally, a personal “victory” to share. As some of you know, WE were forced into homelessness over a year and a half ago by the Trump-supporting gentrificators Jessica Sawczuk, Eugene Gorelik, who refers to himself as “Mean Gene,” and their “Oakland Redevelopment Group LLC.” These gangsters purchased the building that our family resided in for over 20 years – and which had been my only residence in California since moving from Chicago in 1995 – and then proceeded to violate our rights and City and State laws.

F.A.B. is the voice of the streets, the voice of the voiceless. F.A.B. is the embodiment of the struggle of young Black men growing up in the raw, merciless streets of post-industrial Oakland, California. He is still a young man. However, in these latter years, F.A.B. has used his voice to offer direction, encouragement and advice to young people desiring to stand on the peak of hip-hop stardom next to him. As he grows into O.G. status, that voice of wisdom becomes more pronounced.

If America were screwed on straight, “Widows“ would have raked in cash last weekend. But everything is crooked, and we can’t have nice things, not even at the movies, where we go to escape the ongoing wasteland. Two HuffPost writers, Zeba Blay and Matthew Jacobs, are here to tell you just how wrongheaded everyone was when they decided not to catch Steve McQueen’s poignant thriller about four women who band together to pull off the heist that saddled them with their late husbands’ debt.

On August 22, 1974, in the City of Santa Clara, California a beautiful baby girl was born to Lewis Wesley and Linda Joyce Pasters [Dr. Willie Ratcliff’s first-born child] and they named her Tanisha Kamilah Pasters. She was a happy child. Tanisha was the epitome of courage and strength. All throughout her life she was faced with several health chal­lenges. Tanisha never wavered in her faith, nor allowed her infirmities to impede her life­style. What a great testimony she had through all of this. We are grateful for the 44 years of life that God loaned her to us.

U.S. military families, the Wrights and Tibbs of Columbus, Georgia, mourn the passing of Brenda M. Wright, wife of U.S. Army Veteran Joe N. Wright and daughter of U.S. Army Veteran Bruce Tibbs Sr. Three children, Damon, Candis and Chad, were born to Joe and Brenda Wright’s 43-year lifelong relationship and 38-year marriage.

Housing is a national crisis due to speculative investment and gentrification. I spoke to Noni Session, executive director of the Oakland-based East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative (EBPREC), about solutions. “EBPREC is: A movement based, investor crowd-funded, multi-land holding entity through which Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and allied communities can cooperatively organize, finance, purchase, occupy, and steward properties, taking them permanently off the speculative market." The Co-op launch party is tomorrow, Dec. 5, at the Oakland Impact Hub.

Happy Kwanzaa Season! Check with thevillageprojectsf.org for all the details. Happy Birthday, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson (Dec. 19, 1875 – April 3, 1950), father of Black History, founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). Happy 60th Birthday to those born in 1958 (smile). ASALH’s 2019 theme Black Migrations emphasizes the movement of people of African descent to new destinations and subsequently to new social realities. While inclusive of earlier centuries, this theme focuses especially on the 20th century through today.

Oakland, PRLog – Lyric Performing Arts Academy (LPAA) presents the third annual “Jazzy Nutcracker” at the East Oakland Youth Development Center on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. Set to the music of Duke Ellington’s “Nutcracker Suite,” this family-friendly event will provide children of all ages an afternoon of holiday fun. Doors open at 4 p.m., and the performance will begin at 4:30.

No different than the impact industry had on America’s business model of the early 20th century, new technological innovations have significantly changed all aspects of business, from the way people consume to how brands engage consumers. “We are on the threshold of a new business paradigm,” said Cheryl Grace, senior vice president of U.S. Strategic Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement at Nielsen. “The digital age is transforming not only commerce and the relationship consumers have with companies, but digital know-how among consumers – particularly African Americans – is fostering new levels of independence and financial freedom.”

To the republic: This is a demand letter on behalf of the peoples known in the United States of America as African Americans, Blacks. As you know, we suffer from a mental disorder called Mental Slavery, which starts in early childhood and ends at death. Some of the symptoms of this mental disorder include, but are not limited to, the acceptance of an inferior status, severe ignorance and the dismantling of self, family and community.

John P. Kee really knows how to throw a party. Recently, the legendary recording artist threw a concert celebrating the 70th birthday of his mentor and gospel icon, Bishop Rance Allen. Kee hosted Jason Nelson, Yolanda DeBerry, Isaiah Templeton, Shawn Bigby and Zeeksong for a spirited and packed-out concert at his New Life Fellowship Church in Charlotte, N.C. Those artists who couldn’t appear in person sent greetings via Instagram. A Korean soul music quartet, Korean Seoul, serenaded Bishop Allen with an a cappella rendition of the Rance Allen Group’s signature tune, “Something About the Name Jesus.”

In the same way that Black dollars matter, our story also matters and we are responsible for holding and sharing our stories and the stories of our ancestors. Often in public education the stories of our ancestors are left out of the curriculum with the more popularized figures crammed into the shortest month of the year. In an attempt to assist with centralizing our story on our collective consciousness I’ve worked with Sincere in Michigan’s Department of Corrections to create OurStory Calendar.