Yes, “AST SPEAKS” with Queen Mother Dr. ChenziRa Davis Kahina (affectionately known as Dr. Chen) airs live every 1st and 3rd Thursday on the “DA CREW Podcast”.ShareYou can tune in to the show and listen to past episodes on various podcast platforms, including iHeart, Amazon Music, and YouTube.Queen Mother Dr. ChenziRa Davis Kahina (affectionately known as “Dr. Chen”) is a multifaceted cultural leader, educator, and activist with over 35 years of experience dedicated to uplifting communities through cultural preservation, healing arts, and education.Subscribe nowCareer & Roles
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/da-crew-podcast--5763835/support.
- Academic & Cultural Director: Dr. Chen is the founding and current director of the Virgin Islands Caribbean Cultural Center (VICCC) at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), the only Historically Black College & University (HBCU) in the Caribbean, where she also teaches.
- Organizational Leadership: She is a co-founder and managing director of Per Ankh (House of Life), an international non-profit with UNESCO Special Consultative Status.
- Media and Consultancy: Dr. Chen is the CEO of AST Speaks consultancy, a media host, and communications advisor, known for hosting the “AST SPEAKS” segment on the “DA CREW Podcast”.
- Author & Artist: She is a published author, cultural artist, and the producer/director/writer/narrator of the ethnodocumentary Queens of the Virgins.
- Spiritual Leader: She is also an ordained ministerial priestess, motivational speaker, and naturopathic therapist.
Get more from ANGELA THOMAS SMITH in the Substack app
Available for iOS and Android
Get the app
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/da-crew-podcast--5763835/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Ladies and gentlemen, May I have your attention please. The
show starts in ten.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Ve eight.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Seven, six, five, four three two one go.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Greeting, so tep and welcome once again to another live
broadcast of I Speaks. Building a new I can see
here with the crew. Podcasts on the first and third
Thursdays of every month, at least were twenty twenty five
at eight pm Eastern nine pm Atlantic. The intention is
(01:18):
for us to talk about and to still be able
to have some engaging vibrations around things that are happening
in the Caribbean, in Africa, throughout the America's central forty
eight contiguous north and South. And we'd like to also
(01:41):
make sure that we're speaking of things from a context
of being global and at the same time speaking of
revolution not just in thought, not just in theory, but
in practice. And I have the joint privilege of I'd
(02:02):
like to take a moment of reflection for those that
have recently begun their ancestral transition journey into the realms
of Viamenta into the heavens, including my own matriarch, Queen,
great grandmother Alie domas Mejiack Baker Davis. May she continued
(02:29):
rise in power, and I also extend that to others
that are preparing themselves for celebrations of life for family members, friends,
close ones. And again we always send out in these
times our well wishes and positive energy beyond the resilience
(02:51):
that has been exhibited by our brothers and sisters devastated
by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, Cuba, Ina. And so I
think we may have to navigate a little bit differently
(03:13):
when we start to speak about what, how does all
of this relate to some that we have been having
here on this podcast, on these various broadcasts, How do
we involved, how do we the center of some of
these conversations, and then also how do we begin to.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Speak of truth.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
In the midst of things. To explain some of the
back sound, I'm going to ask my guests to join
us in the platform, and that is an other than
Brother Obi. As soon as I can get that in place,
I want to make sure that our okay, sure why
(04:02):
I cannot get you up on the board, but I
would like for my engineer in the ethers to please
welcome our guests who has joined us. Thank you very much,
Obi Aguna. Second greetings, Brother Obi, thank you so much
at such a short notifica for joining us here. On
(04:23):
Us Speaks on the Crew podcast. How are you this evening,
I'm fine.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
It's always an honor to be in your company. And
let me begin by just extending heartfelt condolences to you
on the transition of your mom.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Thank you very much. I really give thanks for that.
She keeps me, she's keeping me, she's keeping me as
she always has. I'm grateful. I'm really excited because there
were so many You spend a lot of time with children.
You spend a lot of time teaching children in a
(05:01):
very pragmatic, kinesthetic way. You keep them always academic excellence
so that they can know themselves, really heal themselves, really
love themselves, really respect themselves as much as possible. And
even those that are challenged by the world as it is,
you still are able to embrace them and strengthen their
(05:24):
ability to truly be the spark of any revolution, the
spark of change. So I'd like for you one of them.
It's not that I want you to talk about a
number of things, but I'd like us to start with
the activity that took place at Howard University recently.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yes on Sunday Night, the Mass Emphasis Children's History and
Theater company in conjunction with the Center for Farrapina Khan,
which is a West African dance company and a still
(06:02):
pay group the Center. Wow, oh my lord, and let me,
I gotta, I gotta look this up.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Very good, take your time looking up, because that's what
we're talking about. We would like to make sure and
and it's.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Escaping. Sincerely apologized.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Okay, well, no no apologies required. One your your your,
you're your king man, you are Papa. And I see
that our beloved is giving us some background sound so that.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
This was most definitely so that way we can keep.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Things alive and and authentic here in this broadcast. And
we're very grateful for that, right, a really powerful young
young royal. Very grateful. You know, I know that there
was a lot of conversation of having this connection with
the wider community that provides very various forms of Africans centric.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
The Cultural Academy for excellent cafe and this this is
a an incredible children steel pan ensemble like you have
never seen.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
So somebody from the Caribbean, hold hold back, hold back.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Oh exactly no, but I'm saying just in terms of
to see these children and we know, we know the
quality of steel Pan music you're accustomed to and you demand,
but to see.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Teenagers, excellent, excellent.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Teenagers and the end. And so so we did a
We did a children's an African children's tribute to defallen
Pan African giant and icon Kwameterray on his transition weekend
at the invitation of the Kwame Terray Society, which is
in his twenty fifth year at Howard University. So these
(07:53):
are some students, most of them are seniors, and they
invited us and they had a conference on sovereignty and
we had the honor and privilege of closing it out.
And whenever we perform publicly for the purpose of showing
the role of children's institutions and vehicles in the decolonization process,
we never want to perform alone. So what happened the
(08:16):
other day is farafin Na Khan, whose drumming techniques are
Guinea inspired. So taking into consideration that Kwame spent the
last thirty one years of his life living in Conacrete, Guinea,
that was very special. Then you have a steel Pan
children's group understand Ikwame's birthplaces Trinidad, June twenty ninth, nineteen
(08:38):
forty one. So they did six songs and then we
did which is becoming one of our staple poems, We
all Love our Mother and the Children of the Mass
Emphasis Children's History and Theater company. We performed it in English, Spanish,
ebo Qi, Swahili and Triginya Wow. And we had some
(09:01):
children from the Eritrean Community Center in DC, which is
the social outlet of the EPR left the government of Eritrea.
We had four children come and they recited in their language,
So we recited our poem in five languages. So that's
what people at Howard University on quame to raise transition
weekend got the opportunity to see.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Oh, that's fantastic, and that's what I'm speaking to, that
you can have that type of an integration of culture, education,
heritage preservation and then doing it with the layer of
excellence with young people. You know teen agos, you know
those that are still navigating who they are strengthening of course,
(09:44):
strengthening their identity. And that's what we're navigating. How do
we restore ancestral sacred traditions host in a form that's
practical like, how do we keep doing that? Tell us
a little bit about the history and the longevity of this.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
It's fifteen years old now and it's inspired by the
pioneers of the revolution in Bikina Fosso during the time
of Tama Sankara, the Youth Pioneer Institute during the time
of Osogy for doctor Kwame and Kruma, and the Convention
People's Party and lacoll Manita in Cuba, which is the
(10:27):
children's vehicle of the Cuban Revolution. One of them beautiful
and what happened is it ended up? It has three
components to it. You have the Mass Emphasis, children's history
and theater company which enables us to perform. We have
something called the Mass Emphasis, Positive Action and Creativity Youth Brigade.
What we also showed that day is four years ago
(10:48):
we had a ten and thirteen year old two siblings.
They did a Kwame Terrae mixtape and it was our
effort to complement the Black Power Mixtape, and they ended
up using Kwame's speeches and they created a mixtape using
a harmonious blend of jazz, reggae, hip hop and blues
(11:10):
to compliment brother Kwame speaking in different places on different platforms,
so we showed that for about fifteen minutes. We also
showed another which has become probably our most popular offering.
We have a poem called the Language Poem and the
video has taken on a life of its own. It
shows children at the Thomas and Karus Center, Berkina Fasso
(11:32):
doing our poem, children with the African pri Night Club
in South Carolina doing our poem, children with the United
African Diaspora. We in Calgary, Alberta, Canada doing our poem.
So we showed that, and a few years ago we
did a video around when the fiftieth anniversary of the
passing up asaject for doctor Kaime Chromosoon that would have
(11:53):
been three years ago, we recited. We did a video
reciting doctor w e Vy Dupois in Chroma for doctor
Kwame and Klum a tribute poem Ghana Calls. So that's
what the audience got the opportunity, so they got a
chance to see some of our video work and then
they got the opportunity to see the children live. So
we have those three components working in unisons together and
(12:16):
through that we also have done some art shows. We
have some children who can draw and we have our
children have done an art show to the Henry Reed
Medical Brigade Cuban Doctors. They've done an art show to
the Late recently Late Fall the Warrior Aside of Olubalashakor,
(12:36):
and they're about to start next week. They're doing an
artistic tribute to Malcolm X, Patrice Lumumba France, Fannan Medga
Evers and Felix Moome out of the Camera Roon who
all turned one hundred this year. And we'll be collaborating
with Casa del called Tura, which is the Artistic Children's
(12:58):
arm in so we're supposed to be working on that together.
So those are that's just what we've been up to
in the last couple of months.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Right Well, I'm really excited about all of the different
ways that you've been able to get these young people
involved and I'm looking forward to seeing and I love
that you have it so it's global, it's regional, yes,
it's national, yes, but you've made it international and really
just far reaching. And I'm sure that once more young
people and persons that are into the creative arts see
(13:30):
more of the work that's being done by mass emphasis
and all the different layers and iterations. You know, they'll
be more involved in the educational piece because by the
you know, those regular I'll just call them, you know,
freedom Saturday school type activities. That's where they get the content,
they get the knowledge, they get.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Oh and shout out and shout. And we also have
a partnership with Theatre of the Old Press right there
in the Virgin Island. Shout out to my Society of
the card right yeah, who we thank you for introducing
us to when we had the honor of doing the
opening address for the Caribbean Studies Association's conference a couple
of years ago.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
WI, how time flies, I know.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
So we were happy and that was one of the
highlights of being down there, was to have a real
meeting of the minds with somebody inside this caliber. And
we started working together immediately, and we're going to be
collaborating for sure moving forward.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Right And they are doing a variety of pieces, especially
like this, it seems like either we're waiting to get
things done or there's so much happening. And especially like hair,
it's on the eve of the holiday season, and this
is when Saint Croix particularly has its various cultural festivals.
Around the Christmas Christmas holiday and it's just so much
(14:49):
between pageantry and concerts and more pageantry and concerts and
of course parades. You know, the Virgin Islands Department of
Tourism is definitely going to have a significant features. And
inside of that, there's always a nuance that is grounded
(15:09):
in the culture, the heritage, the traditions of this space
II Saint Croix with the entire the wider Caribbean, because
we have so many people from so many places, so
it becomes an authentic next layer of united nations that
come together through the creatives. And so I'm looking forward.
(15:30):
We're hoping in the future that we would have mass
emphasis actually be participatory in some of the festival activities
that happened around this time of year. And if not
fit for the Saint Croix Festival, there's Saint John Festival
June July, and then there's always April May for the
Virgin Island's carnival festivals that happen inside of Sex.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
It's an honor, it's an honor to even be considered thank.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
You, you know. So it's I mean, you're doing some
really great work and I've had a chance to at
least see a lot of the different excerpts and recordings,
and that's why it was important to us to be
able to hear directly from you. I mean, I know
some of the viewers and listeners are like, well, where's
the music, where's the video? So if anything, we can
just post some of the links to things that we.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Will definitely we will definitely send you a compilation of
things that we've done so we can share it with
the space. And ironically, the last time we were on
this platform, you showcased our play in key Swahili, correct
the key Swahili Explosion, a whole play in keyth Swahili
with English subtitles. So yeah, so any opportunity that we
(16:40):
have to expand people's efforts, we can, And for us,
it's not only the opportunity to work with children, but
to collaborate with other people who understand the immeasurable value
of working with children in their respective area. So any
(17:01):
platform that gives people a chance to learn our work,
absorb our work, appreciate our work, and inspire our work,
that's a very humbling process.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Yeah, well, we're very we're very excited to be able
to do certain things and a lot of times we
do not get the joint privilege of doing the things
we think that should be done. But we're working in
that direction, and I think that that's part of our
you know, that's part of our that's just definitely part
of our MOO right now, is that we're working towards
(17:37):
being able. You know, how do we continue to do
these types of activities, do these kinds of programs, engage
and again have them properly supported, because that's one of
the things that we've always had an issue with is.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
May I please, may I please share like a historical
antidote that in the relationship to Kwame. In nineteen ninety five,
I picked Wami up from the airport in DC. He
was speaking at the University of Maryland College Park for
the last time in University of Maryland, Baltimore County for
the last time. And this is before he realized that
(18:12):
he had contracted prostate cancer. So we're playing in the
car at tape. This is how long ago it was.
It was a cassette and it was Santana doing an
homage to Olatunji from the nineteen sixty four Drums of
Passion album and Kwame's like at the back seat. Who's
(18:35):
that trying to do all ATUNEJ song? And I said Santana.
So he goes on and he says, oh, you got
to return to the source like Cabra teaches us. You know,
that's all the tune J and I started laughing. He said,
what you disagree? I said, I had both tapes on
the dresser, but wanted to be on time to get you,
(18:55):
so I left the other one. So I actually have
dead tape to my hobbies as I collect music. So
he says, oh, yeah, because got to tell you, young blood,
the what we're trying to do in the political arena.
The artists are ahead of us light years and they're
(19:17):
doing it, and you know we're trying to catch up
with them. So anytime we have an opportunity to recognize
their efforts, we must. And I said, I agree with you.
So we keep driving for like ten minutes later. So
ten minutes later, he smacks me real hard on my
shoulder and I said, why are you in my shoulder?
He said, oh, I have to humble myself. I'm sitting
(19:39):
here telling you this. Your father was light years ahead
of us. He was doing that when we were babies.
And struggle. So Denny says, so when you gonna get serious,
it's in your blood. When are you gonna pick that up?
And at the time, I'm twenty five years old, and
(20:00):
so I'm not, and so I'm in my fifty year
frontline service. That's the last thing on my mind is
using art and culture and writing and playwriting and screenwriting
to elevate out let alone children exactly. So every opportunity
that we get to do something in this space. Because
(20:23):
mass emphasis has been around for fifteen years now, I've
written thirty three plays in which at least twenty nine
have been performed. And our work has been performed not
only in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, as the young
people say the DMV. Our work has been done in
the Democratic Republica, the Congo. Our work has been done
in Burkina Fasso, and our work has been done in Haiti.
(20:46):
So to know that Kwame Terrey indirectly his challenge, his
loving challenge, ends up resulting in a vehicle of this
sort anytime we add about and the play we've done
the most is a play called Same Neighborhood, Different Perspectives.
A conversation between General Colin Powell and Kwameterray. We actually
(21:10):
have two versions of it. Our initial version and then
we wrote a version after we went through some training
and got a better nuance of how to utilize theater
and make it actually theatrical. So, just knowing his role
in this process, I reflect on it often that all
I could do is smile, So I wanted to share
(21:31):
that with the audience. I hope that was fitting.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Yeah, I think that's quite fitting. I mean, we're still
in the month of November, so there's a lot of
observances honoring Robert Kwame Terray and his legacy and also
looking into the fullness of how do we take all
of that that we learned from him, his words, his
(21:55):
that whole tenor to how he engaged in revolutionary struggle
and bring it to the forefront exactly we pulled from.
You know, you've mentioned some power powerhouses, you know, when
you're mentioning Thomas Kata, We can you know now live
clearly speak of Ibrahim in twenty twenty five and others, you.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Know, and to know that we are working with a
children's center that are twenty five twenty six year old,
naming them. Richardson launched off the ground that has been
so successful and so received number king unify so. But
because of the South Hell Alliance earlier this year they
(22:38):
opened their second center in the Jair So to know
that we have a partnership with them, to know we
have a partnership with Theater of the Oppreston of Virgin Islands.
To know we have a partnership. We're developing a partnership
with Costa del Co children and La called Manita in Cuba.
To know that our work is And we did a
play a few years ago, Carl, y'all understand what I'm saying.
(23:00):
And it was a tribute to Paul Robson and we
did it. One of we used one of our poems
as the backdrop of the play. The poem was performed
in fourteen languages. Bend and Sarah brought exactly so. A
young sister did it in Norwegian, two of my students
did it in Portuguese, Spanish, one of my students, Ziem
(23:25):
Muhammad did it in Mandarin, and Mendey in Sarah, leone
a Kan in Ghana, Shona in Zimbabwe. And just to
see that we have hands on interaction with children in
all these different places who are part of vehicles. So
(23:46):
when you think about the Handbook of Revolutionary Warfare and
OSIJ for doctor Kwami and Kruman talking about the All
African Committee for Political Coordination, and to see that you
have these children's vehicles that are so difficult to maintain
once you establish now as you know as an organizer,
(24:10):
and to see that we have these functional relationships and
we're collaborating every opportunity we get, no competition, collaboration. So
it has that United Front character, it has that revolutionary
Pan African character. Everything we could ever want it to be,
if we were putting it down on paper, if we
were having theoretical discussions about it that one.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
And not just conferences. I do remember that conversation as well,
that we're doing something that extends beyond conferences or even
congresses or work seminars. The intention not that those things
are not functional. They have a place. However, as we're moving,
I should say, in addition to as we move beyond
(24:55):
twenty twenty five and go into the spaces where we
can have more pragmatic.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
And doctor Chann, I feel like I'm cheating. I'm gonna
be honest with you. I'm starting to feel like I'm cheating.
And what I mean by that is when I'm in
those spaces and you know our favorite part of those spaces,
well what we need to do, and when you know that,
you're doing it every day and you're reaching people all
over and the response is what it is. But there
(25:24):
are people saying we need to do that, I do
feel like I feel like I'm cheating. I feel like
we have this unbelievable advantage and just having an opportunity
to expand on it all the time because we're not
satisfied every time we make a breakthrough. We're looking for
the next breakthrough correct always working, always probing, always searching.
(25:46):
So I love it. That's one thing. I love. Your
ability to move you and Mukasadata in terms of people
who I work with directly, your ability to move around
and so when you tell me how you move around
and you tell me on some of the exchanges because
I'm stationary these days for now, but to know that
from sitting right here in Hyattsville and Maryland, every time
(26:08):
we make a contribution, we're connecting with folks a little
bit of everywhere, taking advantage of being in this Washington,
d C. Space too, never taking that for granted, right,
So it's as.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Long as you're you're protected, we're grateful because that's usually
the concern that persons have, especially those of us that do,
like many escapes from the forty eight contiguous and then
have to find ourselves escaping from the global americanisms and
then trying to find some type of solace and sanctuary.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Yeah, we do what exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Without any hindrances or any interference. So true, that's the part.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
And one more and one more thing thanks to our
conversation and thanks to our conversations, would you one more
thing that we've gotten into this year that is really
taken of. We've been dealing with the food and security
dynamically many who may not know on this platform in Washington,
d C. At this moment, one out of five children
(27:11):
go to bed with our food in Washington, d C.
Do I need to say that again? One out of
five children go to bed with our food. So four
times this year already we've gone into communities because we
have our Saturday classes. That's the third part of Mass Emphasis,
the Mass Emphasis Children's History Education and Navigational Institute. Third
(27:33):
Sister History class fancy name for history class. So we
go in we do the class virtually, but we go
into what are considered the challenge communities once a month
and we teach a class, but we provide that community food.
And this is not nonprofit. This is grassroots inspired by
(27:53):
people who do this work already. So there's church support,
there's family support. Some of the children, the parents of
the children who we teach, and we feed these children,
but we teach them too. So we've had four successful
programs under our belt, and we have a new component
that we're willing to explore for those who are not
(28:16):
as traveled like you, doctor Chen that may not know
the DC metropolitan area. Right outside of DC is a
place called Prince George's County and in Prince George's County
there are two communities, in particular Brandywine, Maryland and Upper Marlborough.
That is the agricultural belt of the state of Maryland,
and you have acres of land owned and controlled by
(28:38):
African people, and so we've been meeting with them. So
we're talking about this summer launching a project where we
take children out of the most challenged communities teach them
how to build bathouses. Because for those of you who
know agriculture that's eat a a thousand mosquitos an hour,
so you protect the fertilizers. They're going to learn how
(29:01):
to use tractors, the three type of tractors that you
mostly use in the agricultural space. So we're talking about
collaborating with projects in the different agricultural based HBCUs. But
we want to connect with the Agricultural Department at the
UVI where you are, because we know they're doing some
children's work. We're looking at children in Venezuela, children in
(29:25):
the Sahel Region, children in the Static Region of Africa,
children in Guinea Basal, and we want to have by
the end of around this time next year the first
All African Children's Agro Expo in honor of a Malecar
Cabral and George Washington Carver. So that came out of
(29:47):
our efforts just going into the community, feeding the babies,
feeding their minds and their bodies simultaneously. So you know,
so even though we don't even though we are not
at these conferences assemblance.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Actually but actually, because that's what I'm saying, like, the
reason that we're doing these types of interactions and discourse
is so that because there's a. I'll give a perfect example.
There's getting ready to be an international Black Women's March
in Brazil and started this weekend, and you know, around
(30:23):
the time where the United Nations designated November twenty fifth
is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,
you know, and again as a tie to not only
an international space, but linked to the assassination murders of
the Minnabel sisters in Cuba, you know century, So there's
(30:46):
like a whole connection of that that's being highlighted, and
then the connection to what's happening with the afrodiscendient, the
Afroan descendants ascendance more correct, let me make sure I
correct myself. We tend to say Africa descendants because we
keep letting colonizes define terms, but it should proactive and
(31:06):
that we're speaking of African ascendence because we're rising, right, yeah,
And that's kind of what's taking place in Brazil, and
it's bringing very progressive sisters from around the globe.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
Are you are you going?
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I was invited, but because of my recent shift, I'm
not going to be able to attend, you know, because
if I went, I can only stay for lack a
day right now.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
You're you're but you're in contact with the organizers being
the incredible networker that you are. Okay, so let me
just you and doctor Chan is so humble, don't let
her fool you, guys. In the last two years, doctor
Chan has been one of the main coordinators of a
campaign called the Aside of Your Core Cuba Defense Campaign,
which was a campaign set up to get us side
(31:54):
of your terrists, get two million dollar bounty lifted on
her hand, and to get Cuba off the list of
countries US imperialism accuses of state sponsor terrorism. Y'all know
how courageous that was because they were people in these
Cuban solidarity circles that felt it was not necessary worldwide
(32:16):
strategically to merge ASADA's issue with the issue of dealing
with Cuba and the relationship with the state sponsor terrorism.
So we were defiant with love, defiant with humility, and
we ended up also incorporating a project within the campaign
(32:37):
in honor of Assida Shakur and Pauline Lamouba, which is
working with Cuban doctors on the African continent. So that's
some of the things that doctor Chen is involved in.
But one of the ways we've pivoted from the campaign.
We want women, all African women and other women in
solidarity with the African cause all over the world to
demand that former US President Obama apologizes to the African
(33:02):
world for adding another million dollars to the bounty on
the side of Chaqueur. It was one million, he added
another million dollars to it, and the Congressional Black Caucus
apologized to our community worldwide was supporting the extradition attempts
on sister Asida because even though she was safe and
(33:24):
sound in Cuba, many people have no idea of the
insidious attempts to try to extract her against her will.
So that's something that's something that we've definitely So we
have an album coming out in honor of Patresea, Pauline
Lamuma and Asida Shakur, but to highlight Cuba's medical work
(33:47):
on the African continent. So that album is supposed to
be ready around March. So for all you artists out
there that understand the two aspects of our music of resistance,
music with a message and music with a car, we
would love you to be involved in that.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Because there's some artists there and the children. I think
that what you're doing, Like I said, how we.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
Started, We've collaborated before it.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Yes, right, I'm looking forward and.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Our children and the children of mass Emphasis. Guess what
they did, Remember that doctor Chann mc the press conference.
They put a call out to African children all over
the world and before July twenty six next here we
should have all Africans children's collage of images of Cuba's
medical brigade at work all over the world. And it'd
(34:38):
be the first all African children's collage at that point.
And the first thing that we were able to do.
We were able to give support to the son of
Mukasa Dada, the pet African and Black Power icon. His
son Ebeku da Da, my play nephew, who's a graduate
of the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba, who
(34:58):
practices in Savannah, George, in one of the poorest rural
areas in Georgia. He went to Guinea Bissau for the
month of August and worked hands on with Cuban doctors
on the ground. In Guinea Bissau in a community that,
based on electrical outages, have to shut down electricity at
(35:19):
three pm in the afternoon, so for the rest of
the time he had to treat these people. And he
told me he worked eighteen hour days. And they started
a group called the International Medical Society, which consists of
Cuban graduates from Cuban's medical school who are going to
go to nations all over the world and work with
(35:39):
their doctors on the ground. And we know they have
four thousand doctors on the African continent. And this is
important because his doctor chen has been to Ghana at
least three times in the last four years. Osogy for
doctor Kwame and Krumer was the first world leader to
recognize the victory of the So it's so we have
(36:03):
a brother in Ghana right now that's negotiating to have
the Cuban Medical Henry Reed Medical Brigade have a sit
down with those who relocated to Ghana around doctor King's
birthday with some Ghanean students who graduated from the Latin
American School of Medicine, so they could talk about what
they could do. And you may and the reason that's
(36:25):
important George W. Bush as the largest highway in Ghana
named after him because he's a born again humanitarian. And
remember from any of you the same insults you are
hurling at President Trump. Were those same insults, those same adjectives,
those same adverbs, those same nouns you were using those
(36:46):
to label President Bush twenty years ago. And he's set
up a foundation, and according to record, he's claiming to
have tested more African women for breaston cervical cancer in
any family foundation that has made Africa their focus. So
the fact that the United States Agency for International Development
(37:08):
die deserving LIS this gives us the opportunity to have
a project where we are invested in Africa's future at
a time when from twenty ten to twenty thirty eight,
the World Health Organization said fifty seven million people on
Earth would perish by noncommunicable diseases. For those of you
(37:32):
who aren't familied in medicine like us, but that's diabetes,
that's strokes, that's cancer, as heart attacks. They have now
surpassed AIDS, cholembra, and malaria as the number one killer
of the human being. And all those diseases. Our numbers
are disproportionate to the rest of the planet. And Cuba
(37:54):
now has a treatment for diabetes victims that prevents the
amputation of limb.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
So pause, pause, you got to see Cuba.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Cuba. Cuba now has a treatment for diabetes victims that
prevents the amputation of limbs. Match that with their program
to eradicate glaucoma called Operation Project Miracle with Venezuela, which
has restored eyesight to thousands of people. And we would
(38:26):
like to Brother Stevie Wonder as a symbolic gesture to
consider that treatment, just to make a strong statement at
this historical moment. So these are and then of course
during the Corona pandemic, they were the only nation in
the Americas to create a vaccine institute defend Lay Vaccine
Institute where they created three vaccinations and another one that
(38:49):
dealt with nasal and understanding that they're the only nation
in the Americas where green medicine is part of the
national health policy. They exactly, and I want to thank
you and Sister Rhoda for pushing CSA to develop a
(39:11):
memorandum of understanding with Cuba, which are the type of
things that make this work that we're talking about possible,
the vehicles we already have in place. And thank you
so much for getting us on Ambassador David Comasong's radar.
It's a very valuable contact to have. He's always very
not only supportive, but encouraging definitely and inspiring. So yeah,
(39:36):
so just looking at all this work, just looking at
all this work, so I missed the road, to be honest.
But when you're traveling like you're traveling, I feel represented.
When Mukasa's traveling like he's traveling, I feel represented because
for me, at.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
This particular point, all our lives like literally, I'm.
Speaker 3 (39:59):
Just feeling at this particular point. My role individually for
this collective struggle is to develop the project that are
the most adequate follow up in these assemblings that we're having,
because we have to make assemblance a weapon like they
were before the fifth that African Congress is remembered, not
(40:22):
to the other four or the other seven or eight,
the number one through four, number six, number seven, not
that they weren't great, but we know I've resulted in
fifteen years later, thirty five nations in Africa being independent. Correct.
We know what the NAACP was created, what that resulted
(40:42):
in people to say what they want. We know what
the National Association Colored Women. All these institutional vehicles, organizational formations,
they come from assemblance. A student conference to Shawn University
created the Student Coordinated Committee. This is our culture. We've
(41:03):
never wasted time when we assemble correct. We don't allow
intellectual show voting when we assemble correct. So even though
that appears to be problematic a little bit, I would
say to people who are a little bit discouraged, just
let your history inspire you. It will be fine. Matter
of fact, the enemy needs to have alternative conferences because
(41:28):
we're working so hard and we are making breakthroughs, so
they have to paint the picture that nothing is being done.
Now where we compromise, we'll always say not enough is
being done. Is we know we can never do enough.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
And that is true.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
Every contribution we make, we know when we go back
and reflect, we go crazy. We could have did this better,
we could have done that better. So as long as
we are not satisfied, we don't rest on our laurels
or we're not supposed to this. So I see that
whole And this is why the other thing about kwame
(42:06):
Terrae to be at Howard University in this particular space
at a time where on their shuttle bus they take
pride in having the most Peace Corps volunteers in the
HBCU community. And we know the only difference between the
Peace Corps and the CIA is the same difference between
the White Citizens Council and the Ku Klux Klan. So
(42:27):
to know that they are open, yeah, so to know
that they are openly recruiting that way. And after the
George Floyd situation when Bill Clinton took y'all talk about
white privilege, but you don't talk about white liberal latitude,
and where he took white liberal latitude and decided to
(42:48):
insault Brother Kwame at John Lewis's funeral, Yes, we knew
that what that meant was they were telling students in
that HBCU space that John Lewis's approached the struggle was
more advantageous for them than Kwame to raise approach the struggle.
So to have us so to have a society on
Howard's campus that brings us in within two weeks to
(43:13):
have an Assiders Court tribute, and then we follow up
with this African Children's tribute to Kwame. It lets us
know that things are looking very promising in the immediate future,
and we'll continue to do what we do. We'll just
get into these spaces when we can, and we'll make
the most of our opportunities when we get them, right.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
Well, I just wanted to add a linkage to several
things that you said in terms of, you know, the
types of gatherings that persons are having, the historiography in
terms of how there's more organizing happening many people may
not know, and then all the different layers that mass
emphasis the various efforts that are being done. You know,
(43:59):
these things are being done while our beloved revolutionary Empress,
Queen Aside of Chakor was still on this side of
the stay there you go, Well, that we were doing
this and even on with her now moving into that
ancestral transition and within her forty days, right, for sure,
(44:20):
I think it's powerful that we're continuing to keep this
kind of work on because we have to protect those
that protect our interests as ancestral ancient African people. Right.
So I want to just what was happening today, and
we'll continue in about.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
And her daughter and her daughter, her daughter Coquia was
so thankful for what we were able to do. And
just because you remember in the beginning people were like,
well did you get the clearance from the family, Remember
they saying that to us and of course, like we
were going to tell people on the phone with our
level of interaction with the family was yeah, exactly right, right,
(45:06):
So just to know, so just to know that we
were able to do that, and of course we had
the opportunity before he transitioned to be advised by Blao
Ali exactly.
Speaker 2 (45:16):
I'm just That's what I'm saying. This was a very powerful.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
And meeting him, meeting him and meeting and when I
met him in Selma, he had heard me close out
the educational segment of the conference. So he just comes
up to me smiling and I said, man, I've been
looking for you. He was like, I'm not hard to find.
So we talked outside the George Wallace Community College for
like about check the name out, like for about two hours.
Speaker 2 (45:41):
Nice.
Speaker 3 (45:42):
So I just so I used your term actionable deliverables, right,
And I told him, I say, bro, what if I
told you that a campaign could be launched in our
sister's honor and you just have to advise from the background.
He's smart and he smiled and said I said, well,
(46:02):
I would say, get to it.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
So and we got to it.
Speaker 3 (46:07):
No, and I and I told him, I said, you
probably don't you probably you have every reason to doubt us, sir. Right.
So when we did it, and when he spoke at
that press conference, remember that smile on his face.
Speaker 2 (46:22):
It was wild.
Speaker 3 (46:25):
So that's what I'm saying. So when you when you
have these type of experiences, I mean you, you're gonna
have nothing but confidence and optimism moving forward. And like
I said, I have, I have a lot of fun
in these circles. It's starting to scare me. Like I
remember one time, just a minute ago, when we first
(46:46):
got mass emphasis off the ground. I won't say the
person's name, but no, I can't because it's all. We
were on a platform with Marine ba Ani at San
Copa bookstore. So she says, we have to have political
education for children. Where is that being done? So people
(47:09):
are pointing at me. I'm on the platform next to her,
you understand, And she's like, what are you'all pointing at?
They were like, oh, Mama, the young man next to you,
he's doing that. So we going and she says, but uh,
they're up for children. The black guarts.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
Move my darling renaissance, that's us.
Speaker 3 (47:29):
Where is that today? They're pointing again? She says, what
do y'all keep pointing at She's like the young guy there.
So after the thing is over, she says, well, I
didn't know.
Speaker 2 (47:38):
I said, well, you know now right, And I think
that that's a powerful way because I want to again,
our time has really come to an on We've got
a few more minutes, but I just wanted to foremost
appreciate you sharing and giving some context to what mass
emphasis and all its iterations from being occasional piece the
(48:01):
creative arts, the cultural heritage, the preservation and the economic
drivers so that you can keep this going. Yeah, that
you share it with us, And I want to highlight
that something that's happening as we speak, it started yesterday,
well today and is moving into tomorrow, is the seventh
annual Pan African Diaspora Conference that's being convened in Arusha
(48:25):
in Tanzania as we speak. And so this morning at
two o'clock our time, let's see one o'clock Eastern time
to nine o'clock Tanzani in time, I had the privilege
to be able to be part of a platform that
was speaking to the different programs the projects that are
(48:47):
in place to not only deal with reparations through the
lens of the theoretical space, but what are the current
actionable deliverables that are being implemented, you know, with really
good engagement and outcomes to address repair, justice, the institution
of artifacts. And it was powerful because on the panel,
(49:08):
at least one that I had the joint privilege of
being on, it focused on the repatriation of not only
human remains that were stolen by colonizers and their allies,
but by the sacred, the ancestral sacred treasures and what
people like the artifacts that we know them belongings that
(49:32):
actually stripped the sovereignty of many of our people in
the African continent in other spaces. Oh god, I just
want to highlight that this It's funny.
Speaker 3 (49:43):
It's funny you brought that up because one of the
things I always showed my students is the chapter of
the World World in Africa by the Boys written in
nineteen forty thix. Chapter, my favorite one, the Rape of
Africa with the chronicles the slaughtering.
Speaker 2 (50:01):
Correct. Yeah, correct, And that's important because this was about restitution,
restorative justice, reparations, the right to return, decolonizing education, climate change, agriculture,
real estate, and investment. But this is the part that
I want to make sure I share with you with
(50:23):
this partnership with the sixth Region African Disport Alliance in Tanzania,
in partnership with the band On Africa that on Saturday
they're going to be hosting a large body of young
Africans on this Beyond Borders Youth Conference. I just like again,
(50:44):
I'm very grateful. I'm I have to give my thanks
and deep appreciation to Nana Abana James of the sixth
Region African Disport Alliance in Tanzania, who's also are on
you know, with Boots on the Round in Tanzania and
definitely producing all kinds of actionable do.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
You know you know, you know you got to connect yourself.
Speaker 2 (51:07):
Oh well no, you're already connected. You already know that.
That's why I'm saying that this is something that is
in process and I know that. So that's what I'm saying.
So even while you're being still, and and even for
me being still is that I'm just I tend to
stay in this hemisphere. But the work that we're doing
(51:28):
is literally going is just going global, and I just
for person to just be aware. So if you want
to get more information or if you want to at
least they do have online options for this conmence that's
going to continue again for us on this side, it's
like between one and two in the morning until about
seven in the morning. Seven in the morning, well, well you.
Speaker 3 (51:50):
Know, we've we've worked from people like you. We will
follow up after it's over.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
That's the exactly exactly, because yeah, you know, and I
thought it was just really powerful.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
Hard people underestimate how difficult it is to really have
a strategic meeting on the sidelines of these conferences. It's
not easy because people have their agendas, they have people
that they want to see, especially if they're meeting you
by accident. You're going there looking to meet certain people.
So sometimes that's not the best scenario. But people realize
(52:21):
after the fact when you follow up with them that
you're serious about not only what you're serious about, but
you have a genuine appreciation for what they bring to
the table. Right.
Speaker 2 (52:33):
Well, I think it's important that I also highlight that
our sister is an East African Coordinator for the u
n I aac l r C twenty two in addition
to a long list, you know, serving as the chairperson
of the six regiencies that you know working with our
DC is an African lead facilitator, you know, working with
(52:55):
the Africa USA Chamber of Commerce, working with the One
Many six plus, and you know, it's.
Speaker 3 (53:02):
Ineffable, it's the inevitable that we'll get together and make
the most people we get together. So yeah, exactly, So
thank you, so thank you so much for this opportunity.
Speaker 2 (53:11):
Yeah, well, it's been a joy, it's been a privilege.
And again, like people, people.
Speaker 3 (53:16):
Don't know how often like we we communicate with each other.
So getting the opportunity to just get a taste of
our interaction and a regular basis, on a regular basis,
and it is only and it's not only some of
the most meaningful interaction I'm having at this particular historical moment,
but it's some of the most meaningful interaction I've had
in my thirty five years of involvement. So thank you
(53:38):
so much for.
Speaker 2 (53:39):
Well, thank you for just being receptive and for always
bringing truth as power, not just to power, but truth
as power. And then the level of work that you
do is just it' stellar. So it helps you know,
it's like iron Starping's iron. It's really a good. It's
a good, it's a good engagement, and so I'm very
(54:01):
grateful that.
Speaker 3 (54:03):
I appreciate it. Now. Well, those of you in the Caribbean,
we just know that we hope you're lucky to know
what caliber of human resource you have in doctor Tanzera.
So well, y'all take care. Long Live the African Child, Long.
Speaker 2 (54:18):
Live the African Child. And again, we really want to
thank those listeners viewers that have joined us on this
podcast of our speaks building a new legacy. That's part
of the Crew Podcast Broke programming that is eight pm
every day. I think that there's going to be some
shifts as they move into the next season in twenty
(54:40):
twenty six. So between now and the end of this year,
there's going to be some other engaging broadcasts. We really
do hope that persons will really tune in. I mean,
we have a couple of other I may have a
bonus show here or there before December thirty first, and
I'm working out some of those dates. Because I write
(55:01):
this moment, I'm not remembering all of those dates, but
I know that my regular pieces will be on December
fourth and December eighteenth, and then there'll be some other
bonus dates that I'll be able to broadcast. Persons that
want to get in touch can either email me at
as Speaks that's A S. T. S P E A
K s at gmail dot com, or you can just
(55:22):
look for Chinsrekahina whether it's in Instagram or Facebook. I
don't really use x for obviously reasons. And then you
can also go to the YouTube page and just look
for as Speaks A S T. S P E A
K S at Yahoo Yahoo. Listened to me at YouTube right,
(55:43):
so that you'll be able to get some updates on
some of the things that we're doing. And there's a
lot more to share because there's so much that's going on,
even right here in Saint Croix. We've got the Black
Heritage Tree Project that's going to have a feat event
at one of our largest bio bob trees, and just
(56:04):
having people share narratives and holding space and minimizing the
erasure of our literature, of our narratives, of our history,
of our culture, of our traditions in these spaces. So
we have a lot that's going to be shared in
the very near future. So with that we say Land
(56:25):
is our foundation. Spiritual harmony unifies us, and we know
that you are part of that house of life that
really brings truth as power in our practical work. What
are the actionable deliverables that you'll get to speak about
the next time we speak and reason, I'd like you
to think about that. Remember to stay true to yourself.
(56:48):
Remember it's good to know yourself, respect yourself, and love yourself.
And do something good for someone in your space, in
your community, in your nation, and for humanity. Reparations now,
repatriation now, restitution now be free, Give thanks and have
(57:13):
a blessed evening, and I'll look forward to the next
time that you join us here on our speaks building
a new legacy and a new generation. Give thanks, good night,
Ladies and gentlemen, May I have your attention please. The
show starts in ten.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Ve eight.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Seven, six, five, four three two one go.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Greeting, so tep and welcome once again to another live
broadcast of I Speaks. Building a new I can see
here with the crew. Podcasts on the first and third
Thursdays of every month, at least were twenty twenty five
at eight pm Eastern nine pm Atlantic. The intention is
(01:18):
for us to talk about and to still be able
to have some engaging vibrations around things that are happening
in the Caribbean, in Africa, throughout the America's central forty
eight contiguous north and South. And we'd like to also
(01:41):
make sure that we're speaking of things from a context
of being global and at the same time speaking of
revolution not just in thought, not just in theory, but
in practice. And I have the joint privilege of I'd
(02:02):
like to take a moment of reflection for those that
have recently begun their ancestral transition journey into the realms
of Viamenta into the heavens, including my own matriarch, Queen,
great grandmother Alie domas Mejiack Baker Davis. May she continued
(02:29):
rise in power, and I also extend that to others
that are preparing themselves for celebrations of life for family members, friends,
close ones. And again we always send out in these
times our well wishes and positive energy beyond the resilience
(02:51):
that has been exhibited by our brothers and sisters devastated
by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, Cuba, Ina. And so I
think we may have to navigate a little bit differently
(03:13):
when we start to speak about what, how does all
of this relate to some that we have been having
here on this podcast, on these various broadcasts, How do
we involved, how do we the center of some of
these conversations, and then also how do we begin to.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Speak of truth.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
In the midst of things. To explain some of the
back sound, I'm going to ask my guests to join
us in the platform, and that is an other than
Brother Obi. As soon as I can get that in place,
I want to make sure that our okay, sure why
(04:02):
I cannot get you up on the board, but I
would like for my engineer in the ethers to please
welcome our guests who has joined us. Thank you very much,
Obi Aguna. Second greetings, Brother Obi, thank you so much
at such a short notifica for joining us here. On
(04:23):
Us Speaks on the Crew podcast. How are you this evening,
I'm fine.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
It's always an honor to be in your company. And
let me begin by just extending heartfelt condolences to you
on the transition of your mom.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
Thank you very much. I really give thanks for that.
She keeps me, she's keeping me, she's keeping me as
she always has. I'm grateful. I'm really excited because there
were so many You spend a lot of time with children.
You spend a lot of time teaching children in a
(05:01):
very pragmatic, kinesthetic way. You keep them always academic excellence
so that they can know themselves, really heal themselves, really
love themselves, really respect themselves as much as possible. And
even those that are challenged by the world as it is,
you still are able to embrace them and strengthen their
(05:24):
ability to truly be the spark of any revolution, the
spark of change. So I'd like for you one of them.
It's not that I want you to talk about a
number of things, but I'd like us to start with
the activity that took place at Howard University recently.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Yes on Sunday Night, the Mass Emphasis Children's History and
Theater company in conjunction with the Center for Farrapina Khan,
which is a West African dance company and a still
(06:02):
pay group the Center. Wow, oh my lord, and let me,
I gotta, I gotta look this up.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Very good, take your time looking up, because that's what
we're talking about. We would like to make sure and
and it's.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Escaping. Sincerely apologized.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Okay, well, no no apologies required. One your your your,
you're your king man, you are Papa. And I see
that our beloved is giving us some background sound so that.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
This was most definitely so that way we can keep.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Things alive and and authentic here in this broadcast. And
we're very grateful for that, right, a really powerful young
young royal. Very grateful. You know, I know that there
was a lot of conversation of having this connection with
the wider community that provides very various forms of Africans centric.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
The Cultural Academy for excellent cafe and this this is
a an incredible children steel pan ensemble like you have
never seen.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
So somebody from the Caribbean, hold hold back, hold back.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
Oh exactly no, but I'm saying just in terms of
to see these children and we know, we know the
quality of steel Pan music you're accustomed to and you demand,
but to see.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Teenagers, excellent, excellent.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Teenagers and the end. And so so we did a
We did a children's an African children's tribute to defallen
Pan African giant and icon Kwameterray on his transition weekend
at the invitation of the Kwame Terray Society, which is
in his twenty fifth year at Howard University. So these
(07:53):
are some students, most of them are seniors, and they
invited us and they had a conference on sovereignty and
we had the honor and privilege of closing it out.
And whenever we perform publicly for the purpose of showing
the role of children's institutions and vehicles in the decolonization process,
we never want to perform alone. So what happened the
(08:16):
other day is farafin Na Khan, whose drumming techniques are
Guinea inspired. So taking into consideration that Kwame spent the
last thirty one years of his life living in Conacrete, Guinea,
that was very special. Then you have a steel Pan
children's group understand Ikwame's birthplaces Trinidad, June twenty ninth, nineteen
(08:38):
forty one. So they did six songs and then we
did which is becoming one of our staple poems, We
all Love our Mother and the Children of the Mass
Emphasis Children's History and Theater company. We performed it in English, Spanish,
ebo Qi, Swahili and Triginya Wow. And we had some
(09:01):
children from the Eritrean Community Center in DC, which is
the social outlet of the EPR left the government of Eritrea.
We had four children come and they recited in their language,
So we recited our poem in five languages. So that's
what people at Howard University on quame to raise transition
weekend got the opportunity to see.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Oh, that's fantastic, and that's what I'm speaking to, that
you can have that type of an integration of culture, education,
heritage preservation and then doing it with the layer of
excellence with young people. You know teen agos, you know
those that are still navigating who they are strengthening of course,
(09:44):
strengthening their identity. And that's what we're navigating. How do
we restore ancestral sacred traditions host in a form that's
practical like, how do we keep doing that? Tell us
a little bit about the history and the longevity of this.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
It's fifteen years old now and it's inspired by the
pioneers of the revolution in Bikina Fosso during the time
of Tama Sankara, the Youth Pioneer Institute during the time
of Osogy for doctor Kwame and Kruma, and the Convention
People's Party and lacoll Manita in Cuba, which is the
(10:27):
children's vehicle of the Cuban Revolution. One of them beautiful
and what happened is it ended up? It has three
components to it. You have the Mass Emphasis, children's history
and theater company which enables us to perform. We have
something called the Mass Emphasis, Positive Action and Creativity Youth Brigade.
What we also showed that day is four years ago
(10:48):
we had a ten and thirteen year old two siblings.
They did a Kwame Terrae mixtape and it was our
effort to complement the Black Power Mixtape, and they ended
up using Kwame's speeches and they created a mixtape using
a harmonious blend of jazz, reggae, hip hop and blues
(11:10):
to compliment brother Kwame speaking in different places on different platforms,
so we showed that for about fifteen minutes. We also
showed another which has become probably our most popular offering.
We have a poem called the Language Poem and the
video has taken on a life of its own. It
shows children at the Thomas and Karus Center, Berkina Fasso
(11:32):
doing our poem, children with the African pri Night Club
in South Carolina doing our poem, children with the United
African Diaspora. We in Calgary, Alberta, Canada doing our poem.
So we showed that, and a few years ago we
did a video around when the fiftieth anniversary of the
passing up asaject for doctor Kaime Chromosoon that would have
(11:53):
been three years ago, we recited. We did a video
reciting doctor w e Vy Dupois in Chroma for doctor
Kwame and Klum a tribute poem Ghana Calls. So that's
what the audience got the opportunity, so they got a
chance to see some of our video work and then
they got the opportunity to see the children live. So
we have those three components working in unisons together and
(12:16):
through that we also have done some art shows. We
have some children who can draw and we have our
children have done an art show to the Henry Reed
Medical Brigade Cuban Doctors. They've done an art show to
the Late recently Late Fall the Warrior Aside of Olubalashakor,
(12:36):
and they're about to start next week. They're doing an
artistic tribute to Malcolm X, Patrice Lumumba France, Fannan Medga
Evers and Felix Moome out of the Camera Roon who
all turned one hundred this year. And we'll be collaborating
with Casa del called Tura, which is the Artistic Children's
(12:58):
arm in so we're supposed to be working on that together.
So those are that's just what we've been up to
in the last couple of months.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Right Well, I'm really excited about all of the different
ways that you've been able to get these young people
involved and I'm looking forward to seeing and I love
that you have it so it's global, it's regional, yes,
it's national, yes, but you've made it international and really
just far reaching. And I'm sure that once more young
people and persons that are into the creative arts see
(13:30):
more of the work that's being done by mass emphasis
and all the different layers and iterations. You know, they'll
be more involved in the educational piece because by the
you know, those regular I'll just call them, you know,
freedom Saturday school type activities. That's where they get the content,
they get the knowledge, they get.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Oh and shout out and shout. And we also have
a partnership with Theatre of the Old Press right there
in the Virgin Island. Shout out to my Society of
the card right yeah, who we thank you for introducing
us to when we had the honor of doing the
opening address for the Caribbean Studies Association's conference a couple
of years ago.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
WI, how time flies, I know.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
So we were happy and that was one of the
highlights of being down there, was to have a real
meeting of the minds with somebody inside this caliber. And
we started working together immediately, and we're going to be
collaborating for sure moving forward.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
Right And they are doing a variety of pieces, especially
like this, it seems like either we're waiting to get
things done or there's so much happening. And especially like hair,
it's on the eve of the holiday season, and this
is when Saint Croix particularly has its various cultural festivals.
Around the Christmas Christmas holiday and it's just so much
(14:49):
between pageantry and concerts and more pageantry and concerts and
of course parades. You know, the Virgin Islands Department of
Tourism is definitely going to have a significant features. And
inside of that, there's always a nuance that is grounded
(15:09):
in the culture, the heritage, the traditions of this space
II Saint Croix with the entire the wider Caribbean, because
we have so many people from so many places, so
it becomes an authentic next layer of united nations that
come together through the creatives. And so I'm looking forward.
(15:30):
We're hoping in the future that we would have mass
emphasis actually be participatory in some of the festival activities
that happened around this time of year. And if not
fit for the Saint Croix Festival, there's Saint John Festival
June July, and then there's always April May for the
Virgin Island's carnival festivals that happen inside of Sex.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
It's an honor, it's an honor to even be considered thank.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
You, you know. So it's I mean, you're doing some
really great work and I've had a chance to at
least see a lot of the different excerpts and recordings,
and that's why it was important to us to be
able to hear directly from you. I mean, I know
some of the viewers and listeners are like, well, where's
the music, where's the video? So if anything, we can
just post some of the links to things that we.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
Will definitely we will definitely send you a compilation of
things that we've done so we can share it with
the space. And ironically, the last time we were on
this platform, you showcased our play in key Swahili, correct
the key Swahili Explosion, a whole play in keyth Swahili
with English subtitles. So yeah, so any opportunity that we
(16:40):
have to expand people's efforts, we can, And for us,
it's not only the opportunity to work with children, but
to collaborate with other people who understand the immeasurable value
of working with children in their respective area. So any
(17:01):
platform that gives people a chance to learn our work,
absorb our work, appreciate our work, and inspire our work,
that's a very humbling process.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
Yeah, well, we're very we're very excited to be able
to do certain things and a lot of times we
do not get the joint privilege of doing the things
we think that should be done. But we're working in
that direction, and I think that that's part of our
you know, that's part of our that's just definitely part
of our MOO right now, is that we're working towards
(17:37):
being able. You know, how do we continue to do
these types of activities, do these kinds of programs, engage
and again have them properly supported, because that's one of
the things that we've always had an issue with is.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
May I please, may I please share like a historical
antidote that in the relationship to Kwame. In nineteen ninety five,
I picked Wami up from the airport in DC. He
was speaking at the University of Maryland College Park for
the last time in University of Maryland, Baltimore County for
the last time. And this is before he realized that
(18:12):
he had contracted prostate cancer. So we're playing in the
car at tape. This is how long ago it was.
It was a cassette and it was Santana doing an
homage to Olatunji from the nineteen sixty four Drums of
Passion album and Kwame's like at the back seat. Who's
(18:35):
that trying to do all ATUNEJ song? And I said Santana.
So he goes on and he says, oh, you got
to return to the source like Cabra teaches us. You know,
that's all the tune J and I started laughing. He said,
what you disagree? I said, I had both tapes on
the dresser, but wanted to be on time to get you,
(18:55):
so I left the other one. So I actually have
dead tape to my hobbies as I collect music. So
he says, oh, yeah, because got to tell you, young blood,
the what we're trying to do in the political arena.
The artists are ahead of us light years and they're
(19:17):
doing it, and you know we're trying to catch up
with them. So anytime we have an opportunity to recognize
their efforts, we must. And I said, I agree with you.
So we keep driving for like ten minutes later. So
ten minutes later, he smacks me real hard on my
shoulder and I said, why are you in my shoulder?
He said, oh, I have to humble myself. I'm sitting
(19:39):
here telling you this. Your father was light years ahead
of us. He was doing that when we were babies.
And struggle. So Denny says, so when you gonna get serious,
it's in your blood. When are you gonna pick that up?
And at the time, I'm twenty five years old, and
(20:00):
so I'm not, and so I'm in my fifty year
frontline service. That's the last thing on my mind is
using art and culture and writing and playwriting and screenwriting
to elevate out let alone children exactly. So every opportunity
that we get to do something in this space. Because
(20:23):
mass emphasis has been around for fifteen years now, I've
written thirty three plays in which at least twenty nine
have been performed. And our work has been performed not
only in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, as the young
people say the DMV. Our work has been done in
the Democratic Republica, the Congo. Our work has been done
in Burkina Fasso, and our work has been done in Haiti.
(20:46):
So to know that Kwame Terrey indirectly his challenge, his
loving challenge, ends up resulting in a vehicle of this
sort anytime we add about and the play we've done
the most is a play called Same Neighborhood, Different Perspectives.
A conversation between General Colin Powell and Kwameterray. We actually
(21:10):
have two versions of it. Our initial version and then
we wrote a version after we went through some training
and got a better nuance of how to utilize theater
and make it actually theatrical. So, just knowing his role
in this process, I reflect on it often that all
I could do is smile, So I wanted to share
(21:31):
that with the audience. I hope that was fitting.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Yeah, I think that's quite fitting. I mean, we're still
in the month of November, so there's a lot of
observances honoring Robert Kwame Terray and his legacy and also
looking into the fullness of how do we take all
of that that we learned from him, his words, his
(21:55):
that whole tenor to how he engaged in revolutionary struggle
and bring it to the forefront exactly we pulled from.
You know, you've mentioned some power powerhouses, you know, when
you're mentioning Thomas Kata, We can you know now live
clearly speak of Ibrahim in twenty twenty five and others, you.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Know, and to know that we are working with a
children's center that are twenty five twenty six year old,
naming them. Richardson launched off the ground that has been
so successful and so received number king unify so. But
because of the South Hell Alliance earlier this year they
(22:38):
opened their second center in the Jair So to know
that we have a partnership with them, to know we
have a partnership with Theater of the Oppreston of Virgin Islands.
To know we have a partnership. We're developing a partnership
with Costa del Co children and La called Manita in Cuba.
To know that our work is And we did a
play a few years ago, Carl, y'all understand what I'm saying.
(23:00):
And it was a tribute to Paul Robson and we
did it. One of we used one of our poems
as the backdrop of the play. The poem was performed
in fourteen languages. Bend and Sarah brought exactly so. A
young sister did it in Norwegian, two of my students
did it in Portuguese, Spanish, one of my students, Ziem
(23:25):
Muhammad did it in Mandarin, and Mendey in Sarah, leone
a Kan in Ghana, Shona in Zimbabwe. And just to
see that we have hands on interaction with children in
all these different places who are part of vehicles. So
(23:46):
when you think about the Handbook of Revolutionary Warfare and
OSIJ for doctor Kwami and Kruman talking about the All
African Committee for Political Coordination, and to see that you
have these children's vehicles that are so difficult to maintain
once you establish now as you know as an organizer,
(24:10):
and to see that we have these functional relationships and
we're collaborating every opportunity we get, no competition, collaboration. So
it has that United Front character, it has that revolutionary
Pan African character. Everything we could ever want it to be,
if we were putting it down on paper, if we
were having theoretical discussions about it that one.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
And not just conferences. I do remember that conversation as well,
that we're doing something that extends beyond conferences or even
congresses or work seminars. The intention not that those things
are not functional. They have a place. However, as we're moving,
I should say, in addition to as we move beyond
(24:55):
twenty twenty five and go into the spaces where we
can have more pragmatic.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
And doctor Chann, I feel like I'm cheating. I'm gonna
be honest with you. I'm starting to feel like I'm cheating.
And what I mean by that is when I'm in
those spaces and you know our favorite part of those spaces,
well what we need to do, and when you know that,
you're doing it every day and you're reaching people all
over and the response is what it is. But there
(25:24):
are people saying we need to do that, I do
feel like I feel like I'm cheating. I feel like
we have this unbelievable advantage and just having an opportunity
to expand on it all the time because we're not
satisfied every time we make a breakthrough. We're looking for
the next breakthrough correct always working, always probing, always searching.
(25:46):
So I love it. That's one thing. I love. Your
ability to move you and Mukasadata in terms of people
who I work with directly, your ability to move around
and so when you tell me how you move around
and you tell me on some of the exchanges because
I'm stationary these days for now, but to know that
from sitting right here in Hyattsville and Maryland, every time
(26:08):
we make a contribution, we're connecting with folks a little
bit of everywhere, taking advantage of being in this Washington,
d C. Space too, never taking that for granted, right,
So it's as.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Long as you're you're protected, we're grateful because that's usually
the concern that persons have, especially those of us that do,
like many escapes from the forty eight contiguous and then
have to find ourselves escaping from the global americanisms and
then trying to find some type of solace and sanctuary.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
Yeah, we do what exactly.
Speaker 2 (26:45):
Without any hindrances or any interference. So true, that's the part.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
And one more and one more thing thanks to our
conversation and thanks to our conversations, would you one more
thing that we've gotten into this year that is really
taken of. We've been dealing with the food and security
dynamically many who may not know on this platform in Washington,
d C. At this moment, one out of five children
(27:11):
go to bed with our food in Washington, d C.
Do I need to say that again? One out of
five children go to bed with our food. So four
times this year already we've gone into communities because we
have our Saturday classes. That's the third part of Mass Emphasis,
the Mass Emphasis Children's History Education and Navigational Institute. Third
(27:33):
Sister History class fancy name for history class. So we
go in we do the class virtually, but we go
into what are considered the challenge communities once a month
and we teach a class, but we provide that community food.
And this is not nonprofit. This is grassroots inspired by
(27:53):
people who do this work already. So there's church support,
there's family support. Some of the children, the parents of
the children who we teach, and we feed these children,
but we teach them too. So we've had four successful
programs under our belt, and we have a new component
that we're willing to explore for those who are not
(28:16):
as traveled like you, doctor Chen that may not know
the DC metropolitan area. Right outside of DC is a
place called Prince George's County and in Prince George's County
there are two communities, in particular Brandywine, Maryland and Upper Marlborough.
That is the agricultural belt of the state of Maryland,
and you have acres of land owned and controlled by
(28:38):
African people, and so we've been meeting with them. So
we're talking about this summer launching a project where we
take children out of the most challenged communities teach them
how to build bathouses. Because for those of you who
know agriculture that's eat a a thousand mosquitos an hour,
so you protect the fertilizers. They're going to learn how
(29:01):
to use tractors, the three type of tractors that you
mostly use in the agricultural space. So we're talking about
collaborating with projects in the different agricultural based HBCUs. But
we want to connect with the Agricultural Department at the
UVI where you are, because we know they're doing some
children's work. We're looking at children in Venezuela, children in
(29:25):
the Sahel Region, children in the Static Region of Africa,
children in Guinea Basal, and we want to have by
the end of around this time next year the first
All African Children's Agro Expo in honor of a Malecar
Cabral and George Washington Carver. So that came out of
(29:47):
our efforts just going into the community, feeding the babies,
feeding their minds and their bodies simultaneously. So you know,
so even though we don't even though we are not
at these conferences assemblance.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
Actually but actually, because that's what I'm saying, like, the
reason that we're doing these types of interactions and discourse
is so that because there's a. I'll give a perfect example.
There's getting ready to be an international Black Women's March
in Brazil and started this weekend, and you know, around
(30:23):
the time where the United Nations designated November twenty fifth
is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,
you know, and again as a tie to not only
an international space, but linked to the assassination murders of
the Minnabel sisters in Cuba, you know century, So there's
(30:46):
like a whole connection of that that's being highlighted, and
then the connection to what's happening with the afrodiscendient, the
Afroan descendants ascendance more correct, let me make sure I
correct myself. We tend to say Africa descendants because we
keep letting colonizes define terms, but it should proactive and
(31:06):
that we're speaking of African ascendence because we're rising, right, yeah,
And that's kind of what's taking place in Brazil, and
it's bringing very progressive sisters from around the globe.
Speaker 3 (31:21):
Are you are you going?
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I was invited, but because of my recent shift, I'm
not going to be able to attend, you know, because
if I went, I can only stay for lack a
day right now.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
You're you're but you're in contact with the organizers being
the incredible networker that you are. Okay, so let me
just you and doctor Chan is so humble, don't let
her fool you, guys. In the last two years, doctor
Chan has been one of the main coordinators of a
campaign called the Aside of Your Core Cuba Defense Campaign,
which was a campaign set up to get us side
(31:54):
of your terrists, get two million dollar bounty lifted on
her hand, and to get Cuba off the list of
countries US imperialism accuses of state sponsor terrorism. Y'all know
how courageous that was because they were people in these
Cuban solidarity circles that felt it was not necessary worldwide
(32:16):
strategically to merge ASADA's issue with the issue of dealing
with Cuba and the relationship with the state sponsor terrorism.
So we were defiant with love, defiant with humility, and
we ended up also incorporating a project within the campaign
(32:37):
in honor of Assida Shakur and Pauline Lamouba, which is
working with Cuban doctors on the African continent. So that's
some of the things that doctor Chen is involved in.
But one of the ways we've pivoted from the campaign.
We want women, all African women and other women in
solidarity with the African cause all over the world to
demand that former US President Obama apologizes to the African
(33:02):
world for adding another million dollars to the bounty on
the side of Chaqueur. It was one million, he added
another million dollars to it, and the Congressional Black Caucus
apologized to our community worldwide was supporting the extradition attempts
on sister Asida because even though she was safe and
(33:24):
sound in Cuba, many people have no idea of the
insidious attempts to try to extract her against her will.
So that's something that's something that we've definitely So we
have an album coming out in honor of Patresea, Pauline
Lamuma and Asida Shakur, but to highlight Cuba's medical work
(33:47):
on the African continent. So that album is supposed to
be ready around March. So for all you artists out
there that understand the two aspects of our music of resistance,
music with a message and music with a car, we
would love you to be involved in that.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Because there's some artists there and the children. I think
that what you're doing, Like I said, how we.
Speaker 3 (34:11):
Started, We've collaborated before it.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Yes, right, I'm looking forward and.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Our children and the children of mass Emphasis. Guess what
they did, Remember that doctor Chann mc the press conference.
They put a call out to African children all over
the world and before July twenty six next here we
should have all Africans children's collage of images of Cuba's
medical brigade at work all over the world. And it'd
(34:38):
be the first all African children's collage at that point.
And the first thing that we were able to do.
We were able to give support to the son of
Mukasa Dada, the pet African and Black Power icon. His
son Ebeku da Da, my play nephew, who's a graduate
of the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba, who
(34:58):
practices in Savannah, George, in one of the poorest rural
areas in Georgia. He went to Guinea Bissau for the
month of August and worked hands on with Cuban doctors
on the ground. In Guinea Bissau in a community that,
based on electrical outages, have to shut down electricity at
(35:19):
three pm in the afternoon, so for the rest of
the time he had to treat these people. And he
told me he worked eighteen hour days. And they started
a group called the International Medical Society, which consists of
Cuban graduates from Cuban's medical school who are going to
go to nations all over the world and work with
(35:39):
their doctors on the ground. And we know they have
four thousand doctors on the African continent. And this is
important because his doctor chen has been to Ghana at
least three times in the last four years. Osogy for
doctor Kwame and Krumer was the first world leader to
recognize the victory of the So it's so we have
(36:03):
a brother in Ghana right now that's negotiating to have
the Cuban Medical Henry Reed Medical Brigade have a sit
down with those who relocated to Ghana around doctor King's
birthday with some Ghanean students who graduated from the Latin
American School of Medicine, so they could talk about what
they could do. And you may and the reason that's
(36:25):
important George W. Bush as the largest highway in Ghana
named after him because he's a born again humanitarian. And
remember from any of you the same insults you are
hurling at President Trump. Were those same insults, those same adjectives,
those same adverbs, those same nouns you were using those
(36:46):
to label President Bush twenty years ago. And he's set
up a foundation, and according to record, he's claiming to
have tested more African women for breaston cervical cancer in
any family foundation that has made Africa their focus. So
the fact that the United States Agency for International Development
(37:08):
die deserving LIS this gives us the opportunity to have
a project where we are invested in Africa's future at
a time when from twenty ten to twenty thirty eight,
the World Health Organization said fifty seven million people on
Earth would perish by noncommunicable diseases. For those of you
(37:32):
who aren't familied in medicine like us, but that's diabetes,
that's strokes, that's cancer, as heart attacks. They have now
surpassed AIDS, cholembra, and malaria as the number one killer
of the human being. And all those diseases. Our numbers
are disproportionate to the rest of the planet. And Cuba
(37:54):
now has a treatment for diabetes victims that prevents the
amputation of limb.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
So pause, pause, you got to see Cuba.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Cuba. Cuba now has a treatment for diabetes victims that
prevents the amputation of limbs. Match that with their program
to eradicate glaucoma called Operation Project Miracle with Venezuela, which
has restored eyesight to thousands of people. And we would
(38:26):
like to Brother Stevie Wonder as a symbolic gesture to
consider that treatment, just to make a strong statement at
this historical moment. So these are and then of course
during the Corona pandemic, they were the only nation in
the Americas to create a vaccine institute defend Lay Vaccine
Institute where they created three vaccinations and another one that
(38:49):
dealt with nasal and understanding that they're the only nation
in the Americas where green medicine is part of the
national health policy. They exactly, and I want to thank
you and Sister Rhoda for pushing CSA to develop a
(39:11):
memorandum of understanding with Cuba, which are the type of
things that make this work that we're talking about possible,
the vehicles we already have in place. And thank you
so much for getting us on Ambassador David Comasong's radar.
It's a very valuable contact to have. He's always very
not only supportive, but encouraging definitely and inspiring. So yeah,
(39:36):
so just looking at all this work, just looking at
all this work, so I missed the road, to be honest.
But when you're traveling like you're traveling, I feel represented.
When Mukasa's traveling like he's traveling, I feel represented because
for me, at.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
This particular point, all our lives like literally, I'm.
Speaker 3 (39:59):
Just feeling at this particular point. My role individually for
this collective struggle is to develop the project that are
the most adequate follow up in these assemblings that we're having,
because we have to make assemblance a weapon like they
were before the fifth that African Congress is remembered, not
(40:22):
to the other four or the other seven or eight,
the number one through four, number six, number seven, not
that they weren't great, but we know I've resulted in
fifteen years later, thirty five nations in Africa being independent. Correct.
We know what the NAACP was created, what that resulted
(40:42):
in people to say what they want. We know what
the National Association Colored Women. All these institutional vehicles, organizational formations,
they come from assemblance. A student conference to Shawn University
created the Student Coordinated Committee. This is our culture. We've
(41:03):
never wasted time when we assemble correct. We don't allow
intellectual show voting when we assemble correct. So even though
that appears to be problematic a little bit, I would
say to people who are a little bit discouraged, just
let your history inspire you. It will be fine. Matter
of fact, the enemy needs to have alternative conferences because
(41:28):
we're working so hard and we are making breakthroughs, so
they have to paint the picture that nothing is being done.
Now where we compromise, we'll always say not enough is
being done. Is we know we can never do enough.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
And that is true.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
Every contribution we make, we know when we go back
and reflect, we go crazy. We could have did this better,
we could have done that better. So as long as
we are not satisfied, we don't rest on our laurels
or we're not supposed to this. So I see that
whole And this is why the other thing about kwame
(42:06):
Terrae to be at Howard University in this particular space
at a time where on their shuttle bus they take
pride in having the most Peace Corps volunteers in the
HBCU community. And we know the only difference between the
Peace Corps and the CIA is the same difference between
the White Citizens Council and the Ku Klux Klan. So
(42:27):
to know that they are open, yeah, so to know
that they are openly recruiting that way. And after the
George Floyd situation when Bill Clinton took y'all talk about
white privilege, but you don't talk about white liberal latitude,
and where he took white liberal latitude and decided to
(42:48):
insault Brother Kwame at John Lewis's funeral, Yes, we knew
that what that meant was they were telling students in
that HBCU space that John Lewis's approached the struggle was
more advantageous for them than Kwame to raise approach the struggle.
So to have us so to have a society on
Howard's campus that brings us in within two weeks to
(43:13):
have an Assiders Court tribute, and then we follow up
with this African Children's tribute to Kwame. It lets us
know that things are looking very promising in the immediate future,
and we'll continue to do what we do. We'll just
get into these spaces when we can, and we'll make
the most of our opportunities when we get them, right.
Speaker 2 (43:34):
Well, I just wanted to add a linkage to several
things that you said in terms of, you know, the
types of gatherings that persons are having, the historiography in
terms of how there's more organizing happening many people may
not know, and then all the different layers that mass
emphasis the various efforts that are being done. You know,
(43:59):
these things are being done while our beloved revolutionary Empress,
Queen Aside of Chakor was still on this side of
the stay there you go, Well, that we were doing
this and even on with her now moving into that
ancestral transition and within her forty days, right, for sure,
(44:20):
I think it's powerful that we're continuing to keep this
kind of work on because we have to protect those
that protect our interests as ancestral ancient African people. Right.
So I want to just what was happening today, and
we'll continue in about.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
And her daughter and her daughter, her daughter Coquia was
so thankful for what we were able to do. And
just because you remember in the beginning people were like,
well did you get the clearance from the family, Remember
they saying that to us and of course, like we
were going to tell people on the phone with our
level of interaction with the family was yeah, exactly right, right,
(45:06):
So just to know, so just to know that we
were able to do that, and of course we had
the opportunity before he transitioned to be advised by Blao
Ali exactly.
Speaker 2 (45:16):
I'm just That's what I'm saying. This was a very powerful.
Speaker 3 (45:19):
And meeting him, meeting him and meeting and when I
met him in Selma, he had heard me close out
the educational segment of the conference. So he just comes
up to me smiling and I said, man, I've been
looking for you. He was like, I'm not hard to find.
So we talked outside the George Wallace Community College for
like about check the name out, like for about two hours.
Speaker 2 (45:41):
Nice.
Speaker 3 (45:42):
So I just so I used your term actionable deliverables, right,
And I told him, I say, bro, what if I
told you that a campaign could be launched in our
sister's honor and you just have to advise from the background.
He's smart and he smiled and said I said, well,
(46:02):
I would say, get to it.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
So and we got to it.
Speaker 3 (46:07):
No, and I and I told him, I said, you
probably don't you probably you have every reason to doubt us, sir. Right.
So when we did it, and when he spoke at
that press conference, remember that smile on his face.
Speaker 2 (46:22):
It was wild.
Speaker 3 (46:25):
So that's what I'm saying. So when you when you
have these type of experiences, I mean you, you're gonna
have nothing but confidence and optimism moving forward. And like
I said, I have, I have a lot of fun
in these circles. It's starting to scare me. Like I
remember one time, just a minute ago, when we first
(46:46):
got mass emphasis off the ground. I won't say the
person's name, but no, I can't because it's all. We
were on a platform with Marine ba Ani at San
Copa bookstore. So she says, we have to have political
education for children. Where is that being done? So people
(47:09):
are pointing at me. I'm on the platform next to her,
you understand, And she's like, what are you'all pointing at?
They were like, oh, Mama, the young man next to you,
he's doing that. So we going and she says, but uh,
they're up for children. The black guarts.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
Move my darling renaissance, that's us.
Speaker 3 (47:29):
Where is that today? They're pointing again? She says, what
do y'all keep pointing at She's like the young guy there.
So after the thing is over, she says, well, I
didn't know.
Speaker 2 (47:38):
I said, well, you know now right, And I think
that that's a powerful way because I want to again,
our time has really come to an on We've got
a few more minutes, but I just wanted to foremost
appreciate you sharing and giving some context to what mass
emphasis and all its iterations from being occasional piece the
(48:01):
creative arts, the cultural heritage, the preservation and the economic
drivers so that you can keep this going. Yeah, that
you share it with us, And I want to highlight
that something that's happening as we speak, it started yesterday,
well today and is moving into tomorrow, is the seventh
annual Pan African Diaspora Conference that's being convened in Arusha
(48:25):
in Tanzania as we speak. And so this morning at
two o'clock our time, let's see one o'clock Eastern time
to nine o'clock Tanzani in time, I had the privilege
to be able to be part of a platform that
was speaking to the different programs the projects that are
(48:47):
in place to not only deal with reparations through the
lens of the theoretical space, but what are the current
actionable deliverables that are being implemented, you know, with really
good engagement and outcomes to address repair, justice, the institution
of artifacts. And it was powerful because on the panel,
(49:08):
at least one that I had the joint privilege of
being on, it focused on the repatriation of not only
human remains that were stolen by colonizers and their allies,
but by the sacred, the ancestral sacred treasures and what
people like the artifacts that we know them belongings that
(49:32):
actually stripped the sovereignty of many of our people in
the African continent in other spaces. Oh god, I just
want to highlight that this It's funny.
Speaker 3 (49:43):
It's funny you brought that up because one of the
things I always showed my students is the chapter of
the World World in Africa by the Boys written in
nineteen forty thix. Chapter, my favorite one, the Rape of
Africa with the chronicles the slaughtering.
Speaker 2 (50:01):
Correct. Yeah, correct, And that's important because this was about restitution,
restorative justice, reparations, the right to return, decolonizing education, climate change, agriculture,
real estate, and investment. But this is the part that
I want to make sure I share with you with
(50:23):
this partnership with the sixth Region African Disport Alliance in Tanzania,
in partnership with the band On Africa that on Saturday
they're going to be hosting a large body of young
Africans on this Beyond Borders Youth Conference. I just like again,
(50:44):
I'm very grateful. I'm I have to give my thanks
and deep appreciation to Nana Abana James of the sixth
Region African Disport Alliance in Tanzania, who's also are on
you know, with Boots on the Round in Tanzania and
definitely producing all kinds of actionable do.
Speaker 3 (51:04):
You know you know, you know you got to connect yourself.
Speaker 2 (51:07):
Oh well no, you're already connected. You already know that.
That's why I'm saying that this is something that is
in process and I know that. So that's what I'm saying.
So even while you're being still, and and even for
me being still is that I'm just I tend to
stay in this hemisphere. But the work that we're doing
(51:28):
is literally going is just going global, and I just
for person to just be aware. So if you want
to get more information or if you want to at
least they do have online options for this conmence that's
going to continue again for us on this side, it's
like between one and two in the morning until about
seven in the morning. Seven in the morning, well, well you.
Speaker 3 (51:50):
Know, we've we've worked from people like you. We will
follow up after it's over.
Speaker 2 (51:54):
That's the exactly exactly, because yeah, you know, and I
thought it was just really powerful.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
Hard people underestimate how difficult it is to really have
a strategic meeting on the sidelines of these conferences. It's
not easy because people have their agendas, they have people
that they want to see, especially if they're meeting you
by accident. You're going there looking to meet certain people.
So sometimes that's not the best scenario. But people realize
(52:21):
after the fact when you follow up with them that
you're serious about not only what you're serious about, but
you have a genuine appreciation for what they bring to
the table. Right.
Speaker 2 (52:33):
Well, I think it's important that I also highlight that
our sister is an East African Coordinator for the u
n I aac l r C twenty two in addition
to a long list, you know, serving as the chairperson
of the six regiencies that you know working with our
DC is an African lead facilitator, you know, working with
(52:55):
the Africa USA Chamber of Commerce, working with the One
Many six plus, and you know, it's.
Speaker 3 (53:02):
Ineffable, it's the inevitable that we'll get together and make
the most people we get together. So yeah, exactly, So
thank you, so thank you so much for this opportunity.
Speaker 2 (53:11):
Yeah, well, it's been a joy, it's been a privilege.
And again, like people, people.
Speaker 3 (53:16):
Don't know how often like we we communicate with each other.
So getting the opportunity to just get a taste of
our interaction and a regular basis, on a regular basis,
and it is only and it's not only some of
the most meaningful interaction I'm having at this particular historical moment,
but it's some of the most meaningful interaction I've had
in my thirty five years of involvement. So thank you
(53:38):
so much for.
Speaker 2 (53:39):
Well, thank you for just being receptive and for always
bringing truth as power, not just to power, but truth
as power. And then the level of work that you
do is just it' stellar. So it helps you know,
it's like iron Starping's iron. It's really a good. It's
a good, it's a good engagement, and so I'm very
(54:01):
grateful that.
Speaker 3 (54:03):
I appreciate it. Now. Well, those of you in the Caribbean,
we just know that we hope you're lucky to know
what caliber of human resource you have in doctor Tanzera.
So well, y'all take care. Long Live the African Child, Long.
Speaker 2 (54:18):
Live the African Child. And again, we really want to
thank those listeners viewers that have joined us on this
podcast of our speaks building a new legacy. That's part
of the Crew Podcast Broke programming that is eight pm
every day. I think that there's going to be some
shifts as they move into the next season in twenty
(54:40):
twenty six. So between now and the end of this year,
there's going to be some other engaging broadcasts. We really
do hope that persons will really tune in. I mean,
we have a couple of other I may have a
bonus show here or there before December thirty first, and
I'm working out some of those dates. Because I write
(55:01):
this moment, I'm not remembering all of those dates, but
I know that my regular pieces will be on December
fourth and December eighteenth, and then there'll be some other
bonus dates that I'll be able to broadcast. Persons that
want to get in touch can either email me at
as Speaks that's A S. T. S P E A
K s at gmail dot com, or you can just
(55:22):
look for Chinsrekahina whether it's in Instagram or Facebook. I
don't really use x for obviously reasons. And then you
can also go to the YouTube page and just look
for as Speaks A S T. S P E A
K S at Yahoo Yahoo. Listened to me at YouTube right,
(55:43):
so that you'll be able to get some updates on
some of the things that we're doing. And there's a
lot more to share because there's so much that's going on,
even right here in Saint Croix. We've got the Black
Heritage Tree Project that's going to have a feat event
at one of our largest bio bob trees, and just
(56:04):
having people share narratives and holding space and minimizing the
erasure of our literature, of our narratives, of our history,
of our culture, of our traditions in these spaces. So
we have a lot that's going to be shared in
the very near future. So with that we say Land
(56:25):
is our foundation. Spiritual harmony unifies us, and we know
that you are part of that house of life that
really brings truth as power in our practical work. What
are the actionable deliverables that you'll get to speak about
the next time we speak and reason, I'd like you
to think about that. Remember to stay true to yourself.
(56:48):
Remember it's good to know yourself, respect yourself, and love yourself.
And do something good for someone in your space, in
your community, in your nation, and for humanity. Reparations now,
repatriation now, restitution now be free, Give thanks and have
(57:13):
a blessed evening, and I'll look forward to the next
time that you join us here on our speaks building
a new legacy and a new generation. Give thanks, good night,
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.