If Black lives truly matter … then Afrikans deserve reparations!

by Baba Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma’at

Greetings of imani (faith), esteemed G-o-ds,

May our Divine Creator of and in all – and beloved ancestors from yesteryear and yesterday – find you and (y)our extended family in healing spirit. Asé. Amen.

We joyously welcome and fully support Baba Troy Williams as the new editor of our San Francisco Bay View (SFBV) newspaper. Baba Troy brings a wealth of valuable experience in uplifting community members and skills in developing innovative media, from inside and outside the prison walls.

Look for some special “meet and greet” community events with our new leader in the coming period. Once he gets settled and orientated by SFBV Publisher Baba Willie Ratcliff and long-time Editor Mama Mary Ratcliff, WE are sure Baba Troy will be accepting invitations to address your groups. And, you can also join us in building our evolving SFBV Editorial Support Team to enable our paper to thrive even more. Asé. Amen.

Fondly remembering our new ancestor God(Dess) Bobbe Norrise, who, supported by her late husband Baba Cosey Norrise, helped bring healing yoga, critical breath-work and great wisdom to our African community over several decades. Like thousands of others, WE are grateful for the opportunity to experience her positive presence and energy. Long live the spirit of Bobbe Norrise! Asé. Amen.

Congratulations to our collective movements for the victory in winning the release of Puerto Rican independista, Baba Oscar Lopez Rivera, one of our longest-held political prisoners. A major rally was held in Berkeley, where Baba Oscar came to personally thank everyone for supporting him during his three and a half decades of unjust encagement.

May WE use this achievement to win the freedom of our hundreds of political leaders who have suffered decades of torture and abuse for their righteous actions. Contact our Jericho Amnesty Movement at www.thejerichomovement.com. Free them all! Bring them all home! Reparations sasa (now)! Asé. Amen.

In addition, we are celebrating a major success in our “Kush District” of the capitalist prison state of Mississippi. Brother Attorney Chokwe Antar Lumumba has been elected as the new mayor of Jackson! The second Mayor Lumumba is the son of revolutionary, attorney and former mayor and ancestor Baba Chokwe Lumumba and revolutionary, cultural contributor and mighty community activist God(dess) Nubia Lumumba.

WE know they are, like all of us, extremely proud and pleased with the decision of the people of Kush, our movement and their son. Even with this positive outcome, Mayor Lumumba and the people’s movement in Kush will need our continuous support. More to come. Asé. Amen.

Asante sana – meaning  great thanks and appreciation in Swahili – to everyone who helped us welcome President Baba Kwesi Jumoke Ifetayo of our Provisional Government – Republic of New Afrika! Prez Ifetayo is also serving as the current national male co-chair of our National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA).

In the spirit of ancestors Betty Shabazz, Gaidi and Imari Obadele, Dara Abubakari, Kwame Afoh, Mwesi Chui, Chokwe Lumumba and so many others, Prez Ifetayo profoundly shared aspects of his life’s journey and process of becoming a leader in our continuing movements for self-determinations, independence, land and freedom through reparations.

Special shout-outs to God(dess) Joyce Gordon for hosting at her beautiful gallery in downtown Oakland; God(dess) Kujichagulia and Ma’at Arkestra, featuring Baba Val Sarrant, Baba Six, God(dess) Taiwo Kujichagulia-Seitu and God(dess) Sassafras, for providing the sacred riddims, inspiring UP-beats and powerful dancin’; and musician-producers Baba Kupigani (fka K.E.D.) and Ricardo Love for recording our session. WE will be editing the footage and inner-view for release in the very near future. You can reach President Ifetayo, who is based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area, directly at [email protected] or on Facebook. Asé. Amen.

Speaking of celebrating our independence, gather with us on Tuesday, July 4 (birthday of my Goddess Mother and new Ancestor Elizabeth Elizann Oaks-Armstrong’s 94th sacred b’earthday), at 11 a.m., in downtown Oakland, near the corner of 14th and Franklin Streets. Led by Baba Dr. Marvin X, a co-founder of the revolutionary Black Arts Movement in the 1960s, WE will gather to read Ancestor Frederick Douglass’ still relevant speech, “What to the Enslaved (Afrikans) is the Fourth of July?”; share our sacred art and poetry; and, distribute our red, black and green liberation colors around the newly-adopted, City of Oakland-sanctioned Black Arts Movement Business District (BAMBD) envisioned by Baba Dr. Marvin X. Asé. Amen.

Jahahara is a Baba (Father), a “free-tired” community-labor-environmental and justice organizer, writer, musician and author of several books. Reach him c/o [email protected] or FONAMI, P.O. Box 10963, Oakland, CA 94610 usa.