March 19, 2024 • 26 mins
Today's special guests are the three dynamic hosts of the "Seedz of Revolution - Daughters of the Whirlwind" podcast. Part 1 of 2.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Doctor. Asanto Asuni Ali, Princess Madaya Yeshreel and Aisha t
Obafemi are the daughters of lifelong liberation movement builders, educators, intellectuals,
performing artists and all around dope humans. Ahmed Obafemi, Ulani
Suni Ali and Balal Suni Ali. An Associate professor of
(00:23):
Africana Studies. Asantewa Suni Ali is the author of publications
and plays exploring her research interests black childhood, performance, identity,
and liberation.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
She is the creator, producer.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
And director of the documentary film series Seeds of Revolution.
Princess Medaia Efuwata Shakura Israel is a wife, mother of five, daughter, sister, aunt, niece,
and cousin. She was born in Washington, d c. Has
resided in many states and was reared in Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Georgia.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Medaya is a shepherdess, gardner, semi farmer by joy and necessity, entrepreneur, colligionist, acupuncturist,
licensed medical assistant, and dolah by choice and design. She
is currently Assistant Principle of Goshen Hebrew Academy at Temple Keifairem.
Aisha t Obafemi is an entertainment executive with thirty plus
(01:19):
years of expertise creating impactful marketing and branding solutions for
high profile clients across the sectors of music and entertainment, beauty, finance,
venture capital and community. Aisha is a mother, mentor, author, producer,
ted X talker CEO and founder of the Blue Nile
Group co CEO and founder of the A and D
(01:40):
Agency and interagency partner Slash CXO of the Whitley Agency. Collectively,
these sisters proudly carry on traditions of leadership, education, activism, organizing,
land ownership, business, entrepreneurship and cooperative economics. This is done
in part through their groundbreaking podcast Seeds of Revolution Daughters
(02:01):
of the Whirlwind. And we are fortunate to have all
three hosts as our guests today. This is the Black
Information Network Daily Podcast and I'm your host, Ramses job
all right, Doctor Asantia Sunni Ali, Princess Madaya Yeshreel and
Ayisha ti oh by Fami. It is an honor to
(02:22):
have the three of you on the show today. Welcome
and obviously you all are very accomplished, very powerful individuals
and again we couldn't be more honored to have you
on as our guest today.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Thank you, yes, of course. So here's what we do
on the show. We start our stories at the very beginning,
and I know we touched on that a bit in
the intro, but for the benefit of our listeners, do
us a favor, give us a little bit about your background,
a little bit more about sort of how you grew
up and what spired you inspired you to do the
(02:59):
work that you're doing today. So doctor Asanto a Suni Ali,
let's start with you first.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Sure, so thank.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
You again for having us today. It's always interesting to
think about our stories because we all have varied perspectives,
and so you'll hear that today. So a little bit
of my background. I'm the youngest of a whole lot.
(03:30):
I don't even want to say the number we're in
the teams, and the numbers actually continue to increase because
we have you know, what we call, you know, blood
relatives or folks that we share genetics with. And then
we also have extended you know, siblings, folks that we
(03:53):
embrace as family members from the community. And so I
am one of the youngest of that collective of siblings.
Our parents, as you mentioned, were members of the Black
Panther Party also citizens of the Republic of New Africa correction,
(04:17):
the provisional government of the Republic of New Africa. And
so you know, I grew up. It's difficult to talk
in an individual sense, so I'm going to try to
do that to answer your question. But I grew up
within not only an activist household, but also an activist
(04:39):
extended community.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
And so.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Growing up was an experience that often felt.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Magical, right.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
I actually have a poem that I wrote that says
that growing up in New Africa, which particularly in what
we call Atlanta, Georgia, which is a geopolitical space. It's
not necessarily, you know, marked on anyone's map as New Africa,
(05:14):
but it's land that's claimed right that rightfully belongs to
Black people because of our years and years and actually
centuries of unpaid labor on this land. So I talk
about growing up in the Republic of New Africa as
growing up in a magical bubble that's bursting with energies
(05:36):
of kuji china lah which means self determination in Ujima,
collective work and responsibility, and also tethered ties to pre
colonial African traditions. And so growing up in New Africa
and growing up in this family and extended community has
(05:57):
been an honor. It has been a privilege to know
myself to not, you know, have had an opportunity or
an experience in my life where I said, oh, I
don't really know who I am or I have to
you know, it didn't happen for me in college or
in a Black studies class. My life was that from
(06:21):
the time that I was born. And so I'll stop
right there.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
I'm sure I could share more later.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
No, that's that's fantastic. It sounds like a dream come true.
But but you're right, we we got to share the
stage here. So Princess Mediah Israel, same question, you know,
give us a little bit more about your background and
what led you to you know, the work that you're
doing today.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Okay, So, as a son said, we have a big family.
I am in the middle. I have a twin brother,
so we're in a or somewhere. What the background is,
son to us said, our parents, our biological parents, Balao
(07:08):
Sunni Ali and Filami Sunili were in the Black Panther Party.
My mother was in the chapter in Boston, and our
in New York and Boston, and then our father actually
Balau suny Aali, one of our fathers.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
He started the.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Notorious Bronx and Harlem chapter of the Black Panther Party
along with our uncles. Two of our uncles the Mumba
Shakur and Seku Odinga maybe they both both rest in peace.
And then our mother, her father actually was one of
the founding members of the Provisional Government of the Republic
(07:51):
of New Africa. And so growing up in that household
and then along with our other Barba Akhmedo by Fami,
it was always taught to us to be proud of
who we were, to walk with our handheld high, to
enunciate who we were through you know, our actions being
positive and right and righteous, and understand that liberation for
(08:15):
our people is ongoing.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
So as I grew up.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
As something I said too, it's like it is magical
because you believe it in this world and you are
in this world. You know, of course we're in America,
but were in this other world where we know no
bounds of who we are.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
We just we're free to be who we are.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
We're free to be beautiful, We're free to be strong,
We're free to be a resilient, be resilient, and then
we're just free to be expressive of our mind, you know,
to ask the questions and to in so many ways
the man answers for understanding, so that when we do
when because all of us do have now, but when
(09:01):
we did become mothers and wives and go out into
this world, that we're able to stand on who we
are in that belief.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
So with that in the mind, when.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
I walked into the path of becoming a Hebrew Israelite
sixteen years ago, I you know, went before the Creator
and I asked him about, you know, what I needed
to do and how does this fit into my life?
And as I gradually lived this life, I realized that
(09:32):
being disciplined the way that our parents raised us was
part of the path that I'm on now like presently,
because our parents we had a slogan all our life
is free to land. And freeing the land doesn't mean
going and taking land from someone else. Friend of land
means going in and buying land, living on that land,
becoming sovereign, growing your own food, you know, all the
(09:54):
different things that so many people are trying to or
attempting to do now. So I got married to my present,
to my husband and he bought one hundred and ten
acres of land. So now I am presently building that
land with him and a few others in rural Georgia.
And right now, like we said, we have a school
(10:16):
that we established three years ago. We have a medical institute,
a holistic medical institute that we're working on. So growing
up is one of the reasons why. One of growing
up the way I did is one of the reasons
why I'm so I guess embedded and being on the
land and understanding that freeing the land is beyond just me.
(10:39):
It's for our whole nations, for our people. So our
community is open for our people, for all black people,
because we understand that in.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Order for us to grow, we have to have somewhere.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
For us to you know, get information from, to get
food from, to be able to have somewhere to go
in case there's an emergency, things like that.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
So I'll leave it then, No.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
This is amazing. You know, we have plenty of conversations
here about folks who deal with different facets of the
black experience different challenges, food and security being one of them.
And to see that there's kind of a holistic approach
in your story. That feels very special. So I can't
(11:25):
wait to get back to that and continue that conversation.
But I've been waiting to talk to maybe because I
listened to a few episodes, but I remember some of
the profound responses coming from the woman who's sitting to
(11:46):
my right. I'm sure she's on your left over there,
But you know, same question to you, give us a
little bit more about your background and what inspired you
to walk the path that you're on.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
The inspiration, you know, as my sister said, is our parents,
in our community, our elders, our uncles, aunts, you know,
just other seeds of revolution like ourselves. Me being the
oldest girl, I'm fifty six, almost fifty seven, and having
(12:23):
seen so many things and experienced a lot of things
in my life and being surrounded by some amazing teachers
and all of these people who poured into me always
ensure that I knew that I was loved, that I
(12:43):
was protected, and to always be proud of who I
am and never shy away from that. So although I have,
you know, been in the entertainment industry professionally since nineteen ninety,
but we grew up in it because of who our
parents are and were. You know, our mothers sang with
me and Micayba and Nina Simone, so I traveled the
(13:05):
world with her for a toddler, you know, the first
five years of my life. While Zenz we called Miriam
Zenzy because that's her name, Zenziley Mary Maccayba was married
to our uncle, Kwame Toure, also known as Stokey Carmichael.
When you have these people and these are the people
who are your eldest, who are your family, and you
(13:26):
look at people like, wait, that's oh you oh, it's
you know, to us, it's that's just the uncle, you know.
But I do overstand who he is in the world
and how people look at him, you know. And my
Baba Blau is an original member of Gil Scott Heron's
Midnight Band, So that aspect and being around that our
(13:49):
whole life. And then my biological father I've met Oba
Fami was a singer on Showtime at the Apollo, and
you know, all of these things. So we come from
we come from musical revolutionaries, that's what we like to say.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
So it was revolution. But it's always music.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
We all you know, we all sing, all children sing,
I mean, it's it continues, it goes on and it
goes on, so, you know, and like my sister said,
you know, we do have a lot of siblings, so
I like to say, we don't have and we don't step.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Ain't no half stepping over.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Here, you know.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
So my baba's are my baba's and and and that's
what it is, and that's how it's always been. Our
children are the same all the grandparents. They're all their grandparents.
So we don't do any of that. And you know,
it's an honor to be the oldest sister, especially now
since our mom is no longer here with us in
(14:46):
the physical.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
So I'm the mama. I've always been the mama though.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
And you know I and I you know, I don't
take it lightly. I'm honored that that they, you know,
trust my counsel that I'm here for my nieces, my
nephews as well as my own daughters, and you know,
just to be that person. And I have a lot
of history up here because I've been around so many things,
(15:14):
so I have answers to a lot of questions about
things that have happened, you know, years ago when they
were too young or not born, you know, things that
I know and privy to, so I take all of
that responsibility very seriously and know that it is our
job to continue to share where we come from, who
(15:37):
we are, what it is that we need to do here,
and it is to educate, It is to share stories.
It is to expand upon a lot of the stories
that people think they know about certain people that they
don't fully understand or overstand, because it's more than that.
It doesn't just start with one It started somewhere else.
(15:59):
And then you see these people who are brought to
the forefront, but you have to know from whence they came,
So that is very important and I'm a historian, our
family historian, so very clear on that. And then sharing
those those parts of who we are and making sure
that that gets out.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Into the world.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
The Black Information Network, I think it's caused us really
to focus on the equity and inclusion piece and not
just the diversity piece celebrating black history. Then the day
is class.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
As I said, we're not asking, we're saying, this is
the way it's gonna be.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
And now making sure that yeah, that was a first,
but it won't be the only time that that's happened.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
We want to make sure that we can continue to
do new.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Things because our story continues.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
We are here today with doctor Asanto A Suni Ali,
Princess Medaiah Yeshraem and Dayesha ti oh by Fami, hosts
of the Seeds of Revolution, Daughters of the Whirlwind Pots Cast. Listen, Listen,
you came to the right place today, because if you
(17:11):
want somebody who is going to celebrate your love for
names like no Stokely Carmichael and Gil Scott Heron and
Ni Simone, if you came to a place, if you
wanted to come to a place where you know someone
(17:34):
could truly thoroughly appreciate the no half step in because
you know I have twenty four siblings and myself.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Yeah yeah, must be yea but yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
And and again no halfs, no steps, right and that
in my case though, it would only be halfs, no
halves because there would not be steps anyway. But but yeah,
this is I feel energized already. And I know we
haven't even really gotten to the question. But one of
the things that jumps out at me, especially after talking
(18:09):
to is I'm really saying this for the benefit of
one person, because I know he'll listen to this. But
I have a radio show I do in addition to
this show. It's called Civic Cipher. And on this show
and on that radio show, my co host his name
is q Ward. He and I often will say to
(18:30):
our listeners and in person events as we travel around
the country and talk to folks, we will say that,
you know, people ask for advice, what should they do?
How can they be better allies? And that sort of thing,
and we always tell them to listen to black women.
And then we add to that that our belief is
(18:52):
that you will never be closer to God on this
planet then you will be standing next to a black woman.
I think that really the three of you embody that.
And this is why I say, so far, I feel
energized just listening to your stories and seeing your faces.
And we haven't even gotten to the questions yet. So uh, this,
(19:13):
this truly is an honor. I can't wait to get
into it. But I know that our our listeners have
clicked and tuned in to check out, you know, to
to understand really what's going on with you know, your show,
your podcast, The Seeds of Revolution, Daughters of the Whirlwind.
So let's talk about that. A little bit. What made
you want to start that podcast? Give me the inspiration story.
(19:36):
Let's let's continue with you, Aysha.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
So it's interesting.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
Initially I think it might have been four or five
years ago. Well I meant my sisters because we talked like,
these are my best friends.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
These are not only my sisters.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
You know, it's a blessing to to be able to
have that, like we are true sisters in every sense
of the world.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
So I talked to them about I was like, I
think I'm ready to do a podcast.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
And a lot of that came from we share, you know,
on social media, and I'll share, you know, I know
everybody's birthdays and I'll you know, recall their birthday. You know,
Quamee Tory, I'll post his birthday and you know things
about him and I'll give us a history or a story,
you know, share different things, things that people don't know
(20:27):
about people, Like did you know that quame Toure was
very funny?
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Now got all the videos I see of him, he's very.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Like he's very but he's also a cancer like me.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
It's a very funny. So with us, he's a joker,
you know, like he wouldn't let make us laugh, so
and knowing the real true person, like I do understand
who people think he is because he is that. But
we just saw Quame, you know, just being silly, you know,
and that's who we saw.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
So I'll share these things. And my friends are, oh
my god.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
Whenever you share like your history facts and about your
family and you just go and you used to do
the most amazing things. You need to talk more about
these things. So I was like, Okay, maybe I should
talk more about them. Maybe I'll do a podcast. So
I actually I designed had a logo design and everything.
As I'm talking to my sisters and you know, we're
(21:22):
all telling our stories in different ways, and so I
think it might have been as I came and just said,
why don't we.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Just do this together. We should just say, yeah, we
could be a podcast.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
And so yeah, we decided to do that, and you
will get our individual accounts of things stories as well
as our shared experiences.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
So it just made sense to just bring it all.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Together and become who we are who you see sitting here,
the daughters of the world.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
I'll take it. I'll take it fantastic now, doctor Souni Ali, Yes,
this is the Black Information network. Of course, I want
to ask you a question though that on its face
may seem like a simple one to answer, but I
(22:14):
suspect that there's probably more to it. Who is this
program created for? Who's your target listener? Where are they
in their mind on their journey? You know, give us
who you're making this show for. Who are you talking
to when you crack the mics?
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Yes, I love that question, and I loved your caveat too,
because we do think very critically, you know, about everything
that we do, even when we curate our episodes.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
We're curating our.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Next season right now, and we're thinking about not only
the audience, but what is the temperature right, what is
the climate? What are we collective facing as a people?
And sometimes that might extend beyond you know, black people,
(23:07):
It could be marginalized people, or what are we all
facing collectively as human beings. Often, because I am a
professor of Africana studies, when we go in to curate
a particular episode or even think about a guest that
we want to have on, we're thinking about how to
(23:28):
be not only appealing but accessible to your average young person.
I would say average college student may be young twenties
and so I think we're speaking to I mean, it
really is no kind of limitation on age or background
(23:53):
in terms of who we are targeting. However, we want
to intentionally speak to younger generations.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Okay, we want to speak to.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Our own you know, comrades, our own peers, and we're
also speaking to elders. And so I think we're recognizing
that while our target is younger generations, because we want
to carry on the tradition chat on education.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
We want to you know.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
As my sisters have said, expand narratives that you might
think you know or that you might know a version
of which is kind of extension of what I do
in the classroom. Right, I'm talking about You mentioned the
turned Black experience earlier, and there are varied black experiences, right,
and we can talk about black experience.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
For years and.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Years, depending on the particular topic and depending on who's
teaching it, the perspective from which they're teaching or sharing.
And so, yes, we want to speak to younger generation,
but we are honoring our elders, right. We are intentional
about being a voice that honors our elders. We've had
parents that have passed away, we have one you know
(25:12):
parent that is still here and other extended parents as well,
but we want to be intentional about calling those names.
If you listen to the episodes, we call the names
of our ancestors, and not only the names, but we
share the stories. We share why they are important. We
share why folks should go, you know, to Google or
(25:33):
whatever search engine, or go to the library and continue
their research on a particular person. And then we also
understand that our peers might see us or they might
revere us for particular reasons based.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
On you know, who we are and what we do
in the world. But we also know that we can.
Speaker 4 (25:52):
Inspire them and share these nuances and multiple players of
not only who we are as individuals, as sisters, but
who we are as black people, who we are as
black women in the world.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
This concludes Part one of our two part conversation with
doctor Asanti was Suni Ali, Princess Medaya Yeshraeo, and Ayisha
ti Obafemi, hosts of the Seeds of the Revolution Daughters
of the Whirlwind podcast. Check back in with us for
part two as we discuss the current media landscape, their
ties to TUPAC, and their hope for the future Right
here on the Black Information Network Daily podcast
Doctor. Asanto Asuni Ali, Princess Madaya Yeshreel and Aisha t
Obafemi are the daughters of lifelong liberation movement builders, educators, intellectuals,
performing artists and all around dope humans. Ahmed Obafemi, Ulani
Suni Ali and Balal Suni Ali. An Associate professor of
(00:23):
Africana Studies. Asantewa Suni Ali is the author of publications
and plays exploring her research interests black childhood, performance, identity,
and liberation.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
She is the creator, producer.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
And director of the documentary film series Seeds of Revolution.
Princess Medaia Efuwata Shakura Israel is a wife, mother of five, daughter, sister, aunt, niece,
and cousin. She was born in Washington, d c. Has
resided in many states and was reared in Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Georgia.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Medaya is a shepherdess, gardner, semi farmer by joy and necessity, entrepreneur, colligionist, acupuncturist,
licensed medical assistant, and dolah by choice and design. She
is currently Assistant Principle of Goshen Hebrew Academy at Temple Keifairem.
Aisha t Obafemi is an entertainment executive with thirty plus
(01:19):
years of expertise creating impactful marketing and branding solutions for
high profile clients across the sectors of music and entertainment, beauty, finance,
venture capital and community. Aisha is a mother, mentor, author, producer,
ted X talker CEO and founder of the Blue Nile
Group co CEO and founder of the A and D
(01:40):
Agency and interagency partner Slash CXO of the Whitley Agency. Collectively,
these sisters proudly carry on traditions of leadership, education, activism, organizing,
land ownership, business, entrepreneurship and cooperative economics. This is done
in part through their groundbreaking podcast Seeds of Revolution Daughters
(02:01):
of the Whirlwind. And we are fortunate to have all
three hosts as our guests today. This is the Black
Information Network Daily Podcast and I'm your host, Ramses job
all right, Doctor Asantia Sunni Ali, Princess Madaya Yeshreel and
Ayisha ti oh by Fami. It is an honor to
(02:22):
have the three of you on the show today. Welcome
and obviously you all are very accomplished, very powerful individuals
and again we couldn't be more honored to have you
on as our guest today.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Thank you, yes, of course. So here's what we do
on the show. We start our stories at the very beginning,
and I know we touched on that a bit in
the intro, but for the benefit of our listeners, do
us a favor, give us a little bit about your background,
a little bit more about sort of how you grew
up and what spired you inspired you to do the
(02:59):
work that you're doing today. So doctor Asanto a Suni Ali,
let's start with you first.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Sure, so thank.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
You again for having us today. It's always interesting to
think about our stories because we all have varied perspectives,
and so you'll hear that today. So a little bit
of my background. I'm the youngest of a whole lot.
(03:30):
I don't even want to say the number we're in
the teams, and the numbers actually continue to increase because
we have you know, what we call, you know, blood
relatives or folks that we share genetics with. And then
we also have extended you know, siblings, folks that we
(03:53):
embrace as family members from the community. And so I
am one of the youngest of that collective of siblings.
Our parents, as you mentioned, were members of the Black
Panther Party also citizens of the Republic of New Africa correction,
(04:17):
the provisional government of the Republic of New Africa. And
so you know, I grew up. It's difficult to talk
in an individual sense, so I'm going to try to
do that to answer your question. But I grew up
within not only an activist household, but also an activist
(04:39):
extended community.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
And so.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
Growing up was an experience that often felt.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Magical, right.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
I actually have a poem that I wrote that says
that growing up in New Africa, which particularly in what
we call Atlanta, Georgia, which is a geopolitical space. It's
not necessarily, you know, marked on anyone's map as New Africa,
(05:14):
but it's land that's claimed right that rightfully belongs to
Black people because of our years and years and actually
centuries of unpaid labor on this land. So I talk
about growing up in the Republic of New Africa as
growing up in a magical bubble that's bursting with energies
(05:36):
of kuji china lah which means self determination in Ujima,
collective work and responsibility, and also tethered ties to pre
colonial African traditions. And so growing up in New Africa
and growing up in this family and extended community has
(05:57):
been an honor. It has been a privilege to know
myself to not, you know, have had an opportunity or
an experience in my life where I said, oh, I
don't really know who I am or I have to
you know, it didn't happen for me in college or
in a Black studies class. My life was that from
(06:21):
the time that I was born. And so I'll stop
right there.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
I'm sure I could share more later.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
No, that's that's fantastic. It sounds like a dream come true.
But but you're right, we we got to share the
stage here. So Princess Mediah Israel, same question, you know,
give us a little bit more about your background and
what led you to you know, the work that you're
doing today.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Okay, So, as a son said, we have a big family.
I am in the middle. I have a twin brother,
so we're in a or somewhere. What the background is,
son to us said, our parents, our biological parents, Balao
(07:08):
Sunni Ali and Filami Sunili were in the Black Panther Party.
My mother was in the chapter in Boston, and our
in New York and Boston, and then our father actually
Balau suny Aali, one of our fathers.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
He started the.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Notorious Bronx and Harlem chapter of the Black Panther Party
along with our uncles. Two of our uncles the Mumba
Shakur and Seku Odinga maybe they both both rest in peace.
And then our mother, her father actually was one of
the founding members of the Provisional Government of the Republic
(07:51):
of New Africa. And so growing up in that household
and then along with our other Barba Akhmedo by Fami,
it was always taught to us to be proud of
who we were, to walk with our handheld high, to
enunciate who we were through you know, our actions being
positive and right and righteous, and understand that liberation for
(08:15):
our people is ongoing.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
So as I grew up.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
As something I said too, it's like it is magical
because you believe it in this world and you are
in this world. You know, of course we're in America,
but were in this other world where we know no
bounds of who we are.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
We just we're free to be who we are.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
We're free to be beautiful, We're free to be strong,
We're free to be a resilient, be resilient, and then
we're just free to be expressive of our mind, you know,
to ask the questions and to in so many ways
the man answers for understanding, so that when we do
when because all of us do have now, but when
(09:01):
we did become mothers and wives and go out into
this world, that we're able to stand on who we
are in that belief.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
So with that in the mind, when.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
I walked into the path of becoming a Hebrew Israelite
sixteen years ago, I you know, went before the Creator
and I asked him about, you know, what I needed
to do and how does this fit into my life?
And as I gradually lived this life, I realized that
(09:32):
being disciplined the way that our parents raised us was
part of the path that I'm on now like presently,
because our parents we had a slogan all our life
is free to land. And freeing the land doesn't mean
going and taking land from someone else. Friend of land
means going in and buying land, living on that land,
becoming sovereign, growing your own food, you know, all the
(09:54):
different things that so many people are trying to or
attempting to do now. So I got married to my present,
to my husband and he bought one hundred and ten
acres of land. So now I am presently building that
land with him and a few others in rural Georgia.
And right now, like we said, we have a school
(10:16):
that we established three years ago. We have a medical institute,
a holistic medical institute that we're working on. So growing
up is one of the reasons why. One of growing
up the way I did is one of the reasons
why I'm so I guess embedded and being on the
land and understanding that freeing the land is beyond just me.
(10:39):
It's for our whole nations, for our people. So our
community is open for our people, for all black people,
because we understand that in.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Order for us to grow, we have to have somewhere.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
For us to you know, get information from, to get
food from, to be able to have somewhere to go
in case there's an emergency, things like that.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
So I'll leave it then, No.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
This is amazing. You know, we have plenty of conversations
here about folks who deal with different facets of the
black experience different challenges, food and security being one of them.
And to see that there's kind of a holistic approach
in your story. That feels very special. So I can't
(11:25):
wait to get back to that and continue that conversation.
But I've been waiting to talk to maybe because I
listened to a few episodes, but I remember some of
the profound responses coming from the woman who's sitting to
(11:46):
my right. I'm sure she's on your left over there,
But you know, same question to you, give us a
little bit more about your background and what inspired you
to walk the path that you're on.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
The inspiration, you know, as my sister said, is our parents,
in our community, our elders, our uncles, aunts, you know,
just other seeds of revolution like ourselves. Me being the
oldest girl, I'm fifty six, almost fifty seven, and having
(12:23):
seen so many things and experienced a lot of things
in my life and being surrounded by some amazing teachers
and all of these people who poured into me always
ensure that I knew that I was loved, that I
(12:43):
was protected, and to always be proud of who I
am and never shy away from that. So although I have,
you know, been in the entertainment industry professionally since nineteen ninety,
but we grew up in it because of who our
parents are and were. You know, our mothers sang with
me and Micayba and Nina Simone, so I traveled the
(13:05):
world with her for a toddler, you know, the first
five years of my life. While Zenz we called Miriam
Zenzy because that's her name, Zenziley Mary Maccayba was married
to our uncle, Kwame Toure, also known as Stokey Carmichael.
When you have these people and these are the people
who are your eldest, who are your family, and you
(13:26):
look at people like, wait, that's oh you oh, it's
you know, to us, it's that's just the uncle, you know.
But I do overstand who he is in the world
and how people look at him, you know. And my
Baba Blau is an original member of Gil Scott Heron's
Midnight Band, So that aspect and being around that our
(13:49):
whole life. And then my biological father I've met Oba
Fami was a singer on Showtime at the Apollo, and
you know, all of these things. So we come from
we come from musical revolutionaries, that's what we like to say.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
So it was revolution. But it's always music.
Speaker 5 (14:07):
We all you know, we all sing, all children sing,
I mean, it's it continues, it goes on and it
goes on, so, you know, and like my sister said,
you know, we do have a lot of siblings, so
I like to say, we don't have and we don't step.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Ain't no half stepping over.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
Here, you know.
Speaker 5 (14:25):
So my baba's are my baba's and and and that's
what it is, and that's how it's always been. Our
children are the same all the grandparents. They're all their grandparents.
So we don't do any of that. And you know,
it's an honor to be the oldest sister, especially now
since our mom is no longer here with us in
(14:46):
the physical.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
So I'm the mama. I've always been the mama though.
Speaker 5 (14:54):
And you know I and I you know, I don't
take it lightly. I'm honored that that they, you know,
trust my counsel that I'm here for my nieces, my
nephews as well as my own daughters, and you know,
just to be that person. And I have a lot
of history up here because I've been around so many things,
(15:14):
so I have answers to a lot of questions about
things that have happened, you know, years ago when they
were too young or not born, you know, things that
I know and privy to, so I take all of
that responsibility very seriously and know that it is our
job to continue to share where we come from, who
(15:37):
we are, what it is that we need to do here,
and it is to educate, It is to share stories.
It is to expand upon a lot of the stories
that people think they know about certain people that they
don't fully understand or overstand, because it's more than that.
It doesn't just start with one It started somewhere else.
(15:59):
And then you see these people who are brought to
the forefront, but you have to know from whence they came,
So that is very important and I'm a historian, our
family historian, so very clear on that. And then sharing
those those parts of who we are and making sure
that that gets out.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Into the world.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
The Black Information Network, I think it's caused us really
to focus on the equity and inclusion piece and not
just the diversity piece celebrating black history. Then the day
is class.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
As I said, we're not asking, we're saying, this is
the way it's gonna be.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
And now making sure that yeah, that was a first,
but it won't be the only time that that's happened.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
We want to make sure that we can continue to
do new.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Things because our story continues.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
We are here today with doctor Asanto A Suni Ali,
Princess Medaiah Yeshraem and Dayesha ti oh by Fami, hosts
of the Seeds of Revolution, Daughters of the Whirlwind Pots Cast. Listen, Listen,
you came to the right place today, because if you
(17:11):
want somebody who is going to celebrate your love for
names like no Stokely Carmichael and Gil Scott Heron and
Ni Simone, if you came to a place, if you
wanted to come to a place where you know someone
(17:34):
could truly thoroughly appreciate the no half step in because
you know I have twenty four siblings and myself.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
Yeah yeah, must be yea but yeah yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
And and again no halfs, no steps, right and that
in my case though, it would only be halfs, no
halves because there would not be steps anyway. But but yeah,
this is I feel energized already. And I know we
haven't even really gotten to the question. But one of
the things that jumps out at me, especially after talking
(18:09):
to is I'm really saying this for the benefit of
one person, because I know he'll listen to this. But
I have a radio show I do in addition to
this show. It's called Civic Cipher. And on this show
and on that radio show, my co host his name
is q Ward. He and I often will say to
(18:30):
our listeners and in person events as we travel around
the country and talk to folks, we will say that,
you know, people ask for advice, what should they do?
How can they be better allies? And that sort of thing,
and we always tell them to listen to black women.
And then we add to that that our belief is
(18:52):
that you will never be closer to God on this
planet then you will be standing next to a black woman.
I think that really the three of you embody that.
And this is why I say, so far, I feel
energized just listening to your stories and seeing your faces.
And we haven't even gotten to the questions yet. So uh, this,
(19:13):
this truly is an honor. I can't wait to get
into it. But I know that our our listeners have
clicked and tuned in to check out, you know, to
to understand really what's going on with you know, your show,
your podcast, The Seeds of Revolution, Daughters of the Whirlwind.
So let's talk about that. A little bit. What made
you want to start that podcast? Give me the inspiration story.
(19:36):
Let's let's continue with you, Aysha.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
So it's interesting.
Speaker 5 (19:43):
Initially I think it might have been four or five
years ago. Well I meant my sisters because we talked like,
these are my best friends.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
These are not only my sisters.
Speaker 5 (19:53):
You know, it's a blessing to to be able to
have that, like we are true sisters in every sense
of the world.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
So I talked to them about I was like, I
think I'm ready to do a podcast.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
And a lot of that came from we share, you know,
on social media, and I'll share, you know, I know
everybody's birthdays and I'll you know, recall their birthday. You know,
Quamee Tory, I'll post his birthday and you know things
about him and I'll give us a history or a story,
you know, share different things, things that people don't know
(20:27):
about people, Like did you know that quame Toure was
very funny?
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Now got all the videos I see of him, he's very.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Like he's very but he's also a cancer like me.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
It's a very funny. So with us, he's a joker,
you know, like he wouldn't let make us laugh, so
and knowing the real true person, like I do understand
who people think he is because he is that. But
we just saw Quame, you know, just being silly, you know,
and that's who we saw.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
So I'll share these things. And my friends are, oh
my god.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
Whenever you share like your history facts and about your
family and you just go and you used to do
the most amazing things. You need to talk more about
these things. So I was like, Okay, maybe I should
talk more about them. Maybe I'll do a podcast. So
I actually I designed had a logo design and everything.
As I'm talking to my sisters and you know, we're
(21:22):
all telling our stories in different ways, and so I
think it might have been as I came and just said,
why don't we.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Just do this together. We should just say, yeah, we
could be a podcast.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
And so yeah, we decided to do that, and you
will get our individual accounts of things stories as well
as our shared experiences.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
So it just made sense to just bring it all.
Speaker 5 (21:48):
Together and become who we are who you see sitting here,
the daughters of the world.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
I'll take it. I'll take it fantastic now, doctor Souni Ali, Yes,
this is the Black Information network. Of course, I want
to ask you a question though that on its face
may seem like a simple one to answer, but I
(22:14):
suspect that there's probably more to it. Who is this
program created for? Who's your target listener? Where are they
in their mind on their journey? You know, give us
who you're making this show for. Who are you talking
to when you crack the mics?
Speaker 4 (22:30):
Yes, I love that question, and I loved your caveat too,
because we do think very critically, you know, about everything
that we do, even when we curate our episodes.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
We're curating our.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
Next season right now, and we're thinking about not only
the audience, but what is the temperature right, what is
the climate? What are we collective facing as a people?
And sometimes that might extend beyond you know, black people,
(23:07):
It could be marginalized people, or what are we all
facing collectively as human beings. Often, because I am a
professor of Africana studies, when we go in to curate
a particular episode or even think about a guest that
we want to have on, we're thinking about how to
(23:28):
be not only appealing but accessible to your average young person.
I would say average college student may be young twenties
and so I think we're speaking to I mean, it
really is no kind of limitation on age or background
(23:53):
in terms of who we are targeting. However, we want
to intentionally speak to younger generations.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Okay, we want to speak to.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
Our own you know, comrades, our own peers, and we're
also speaking to elders. And so I think we're recognizing
that while our target is younger generations, because we want
to carry on the tradition chat on education.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
We want to you know.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
As my sisters have said, expand narratives that you might
think you know or that you might know a version
of which is kind of extension of what I do
in the classroom. Right, I'm talking about You mentioned the
turned Black experience earlier, and there are varied black experiences, right,
and we can talk about black experience.
Speaker 2 (24:48):
For years and.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Years, depending on the particular topic and depending on who's
teaching it, the perspective from which they're teaching or sharing.
And so, yes, we want to speak to younger generation,
but we are honoring our elders, right. We are intentional
about being a voice that honors our elders. We've had
parents that have passed away, we have one you know
(25:12):
parent that is still here and other extended parents as well,
but we want to be intentional about calling those names.
If you listen to the episodes, we call the names
of our ancestors, and not only the names, but we
share the stories. We share why they are important. We
share why folks should go, you know, to Google or
(25:33):
whatever search engine, or go to the library and continue
their research on a particular person. And then we also
understand that our peers might see us or they might
revere us for particular reasons based.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
On you know, who we are and what we do
in the world. But we also know that we can.
Speaker 4 (25:52):
Inspire them and share these nuances and multiple players of
not only who we are as individuals, as sisters, but
who we are as black people, who we are as
black women in the world.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
This concludes Part one of our two part conversation with
doctor Asanti was Suni Ali, Princess Medaya Yeshraeo, and Ayisha
ti Obafemi, hosts of the Seeds of the Revolution Daughters
of the Whirlwind podcast. Check back in with us for
part two as we discuss the current media landscape, their
ties to TUPAC, and their hope for the future Right
here on the Black Information Network Daily podcast
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