Within weeks after this meeting I was in attendance of a national gathering of performance artists in Black Mountain, North Carolina. (I am a Poet) The gathering was hosted by Alternate Roots.http://www.alternateroots.org/... During the week long conference there were many main performances scheduled. One performance in particular caused a great stir amongst the attendees. The controversy was centered on a one man (white man) skit. The skit involved the performer wearing a two foot long card board black penis, while his other character brandished a real shotgun (not loaded I presume). Fear and indignation was ignited amongst the crowd for different reasons. A walk out by the Black attendees ensued. Because of the walk out and refusal to participate further in the conference by Black artists, a emergency meeting was called. What resulted from the meeting was that the director of the Peoples Institute was flown in to facilitate a conflict resolution. . Ron Chisom http://www.pisab.org/...
In the 1970s Ron recognized that economic exploitation is typically organized and sustained by a racial hierarchy that is personally internalized and institutionally perpetuated. Importantly, he understood that most organizers did not know how to undo their racism and subsequently extended the racial fault lines into causes such as the women’s rights movement, the environmental movement, and other initiatives to empower local people to create change. As a result, these movements are fractured but the racial hierarchy within them is strong.
This matter is complicated by the fact that the best training in effective organizing actually perpetuates the problem. In the 1950s and 1960s, Ron was apprenticed by several legendary community organizers including Saul Alinsky, but in the mid-1970s he decided to correct a consistent problem with those who work to empower American communities. Most community organizers were trained in political analysis and organizing techniques but did not understand the history and practices that support racism. In Ron’s words, “Community organizer trainings usually focus on tactics and skills but giving organizers more skills without teaching them how to deal with racism was just making them more skilled racists.” When this happens, organizers often practice gate-keeping—the practice of deciding who will have access to knowledge and opportunities that rightfully belong to disempowered people.
Ron has since been recognized internationally for his work as a community organizer/anti-racist activist. http://www.ashoka.org/... My attendance at this gathering became a pivotal experience for me as an Anti-Racist Activist. In fact, after the presentation by Ron Chisom, he invited me to participate in the Peoples Institute's National gathering of community organizers in Mississippi the following month. Well, I took the invitation very serious and in fact was one of the organizers of the Million Man March, which was scheduled two weeks after the Black Mountain incident. While in attendance at the Million Man March I found my way to the Grant Memorial and was standing below the statute when I turned and found myself face to face with Ron Chisom! Sufficed to say, with a million to one odds Ron and I became spiritually bonded. Ron became my mentor. Two weeks later I was again with Ron at the Peoples Institutes national gathering. My memory of that gathering stands out. The issue of the color gradient within the African American identity became a conference issue. I remember feelings from my childhood surface again. Being mixed, it was said during a heated exchange meant that bi-racial persons were confused. That bi-racial individuals who embraced that identity were betraying the identity of being a Black American. My consternation at this comment caused me to speak out loudly. "I cannot hate my white side no more than I can hate my Black side"..."My self identity should be inclusive of all the racial parts that created me"...."My self esteem is based on self-identity" "My cultural self-identity is a Black".
I remember being approached after that exchange by Joseph Brandt who was in attendance. Joe thanked me for bringing up the issue of the color gradient and wondered out loud why the issue seemed taboo at previous conferences.
Dismantling Racism: The Continuing Challenge To White America.
Barndt, Joseph. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 1991.
Synopsis:
Addresses the issues facing white Americans of dismantling and deconstructing racist privilege. Clarifying a number of important issues, from personal to institutional to cultural racism, Brandt also addresses racism in the church. Recommended to anyone working in the field of social justice and social diversity as well as those trying to understand what the issues and roles of white Americans are concerning race and racism. Non-threatening, it does not attack or try to promote guilt, but does call for some critical thinking and evaluation.
I was tired of being Grey in a black-and-white society. The Grey area of racial categories in the United States for me has always been blurred. I am Negro on my Birth Certificate. I am a Afro Descendant. Born in 1958 when mixed marriage was illegal in most States, I was thereby involuntarily born an outlaw in this society.
High-Tech Retribalization. Having left the United States after the Peoples Institute experience, (I actually stayed in New Orleans and trained with Ron after the National gathering of the Peoples Institute) and now tucked away in the jungles of Belize, I became convinced that the organizing capabilities of peoples movements must be centered on the ability to communicate. (this especially included the ability to universalize the definition of Racism) While globalization was gaining it's corporate foothold worldwide, I became convinced that social change agents must be armed with the ability to coordinate efforts. Thus, High Tech Retribalization became my Vision...
I subsequently left Belize and found my way to New York City in quest of realizing my Vision. I arrived in New York City on September 10, 2004. Right past midnight I was on stage at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. http://www.nuyorican.org/... Now, September 11th, I proceeded to perform this poem:
State of Emergency Some weeks before the September 11th attack America came back from a International Conference on Racism in Durban S. Africa.
In fact, America walked out, Which leaves no doubt that blaming the victim is truly one major symptom of our many sicknesses.
So, in a State of Emergency, we should recall 911 and we will see the emerging deniability to the United State of Mind call racism, something we can longer shun
Nor the reality of others who've victimized by our own patriotic guns ablaze as silent weapons used upon the death, blind and dumb.
Personally, I've become despondent over recent events and the messages of hate that we reciprocate continuously being sent.
And the subsequent response of million dollar bombs launched against ten dollar tents while anthrax mail was delivered for 34 cents for who knows whose premise
As we suffer 24/7 sounds bytes of the so-called Muslim menace and we maintain these fertile grounds for subliminal sounds of hate can we negate the thoughts?
Civil Liberties for all will be lost as freedom is tossed to and fro the cost of Liberty now risen to who knows what price of invasion of human lives by the righteous satellites of the moral right
While rockets are used by psychotics who define what is patriotic and Racism, maintains its stamp of approval
Like a mirage thats been sent through economics of Voodoo and who do you side with? while the end is decided by silent wars as mainstream media so graciously keeps score and all the points lead towards a universal war between the have and have nots, for the have mores.
So what is left for one to think when reality is distinct about how lowly we sink in denial of the truth, which is: The Chickens did truly come home to roost.
Yet we continue to profile and maintain our denials that we US are the ones who dialed 911....EMERGENCY!
I was sent to NY by Umar Bin Hassan. We had met that Summer in Idlewild Michigan at a gathering "Poets in the Woods". A gathering which included Jessica Care Moore, Savion Glover, Black Ice, Third Eye Open, Last Poets, and many more Poets and supporters. NOI and Garvyites kept security. I crashed this gathering as my Mom called me to alert me that Poets were coming to Idlewild. I waited at the Welcome Lodge as 5 Charter Buses pulled up and unloaded. Buses from Detroit and Chicago. As folks come into the Lodge, I got out of the car and entered the Lodge with the rest of the crowd. As peopled laid their bags down someone announced that everyone should sign up to share a poem that night. The clipboard was passed around as folks mingled and talked. I did not know anyone so I found a seat in the back and just observed. As the gentlemen finished collecting signatures he looked back at me and asked if I had signed yet. I said I did not plan to sign and he asked if I was a Poet and I said yes and he passed the clipboard to me as he prompted me to sign anyway. I signed as the attention focused on the stage as the first Poet begin reciting.
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