Chicago Day in Solidarity with African People breaks new ground

CHICAGO "DAY IN SOLIDARITY WITH AFRICAN PEOPLE" EVENT
WINS ALLIES, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT FOR UHURU MOVEMENT'S AFRICAN SELF-RELIANCE PROGRAMS

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The Day in Solidarity with African People held in Chicago broke new ground in a city that has not seen the Uhuru Solidarity Movement for many years.

The Days in Solidarity with African People is the annual campaign of the African People’s Solidarity Committee and the Uhuru Solidarity Movement, organizations of Euro-American people working in white communities under the leadership of the African People’s Socialist Party, which leads the Uhuru Movement.

The Chicago event, held at the Bucktown-Wicker Park Library community room, attracted North Americans and others from all age groups, many who attended because of the postering and leafleting that had been done by the Chicago branch of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement for weeks.

There were also several Africans present, including Wil Lockett, a Chicago organizer for the African People’s Socialist Party.

To start things off, local Uhuru Solidarity Movement organizer, Kristin Gordon, welcomed all attendees and showed the national campaign video for A Day in Solidarity with African People.

Nate Gilliam, Director of Economic Development and Finance for the All African People’s Development and Empowerment Project (AAPDEP), came in from Milwaukee and gave a powerful presentation about the work that AAPDEP is doing in the U.S. and Africa.

Gilliam provided a critique of the charity model propagated by all not-for-profit organizations that not only demoralizes African people but its intention has never been to actually resolve and change the conditions for African people.

Gilliam pointed out the huge profits that NGO’s make in Africa from the suffering and starvation of African people, like the huge food donations that only swamp the market so that Africans cannot make any profit from selling their own produce. Gilliam also raised the critical issue that these NGO’s never ask the question, “Why is charity needed in the first place?” Africa is so rich in fertile land and resources, why would it need donations to feed itself?

Making it clear that the poverty experienced by African people everywhere is imposed, Gilliam stated that the root cause of the poverty was the initial attack on Africa and the continued exploitation by the U.S. and Europe. Gilliam emphasized that it is a war against African people.

Gilliam spoke about the many projects that AAPDEP is working on, including the rainwater harvesting project in Sierra Leone, where he and other African People’s Socialist Party members are going next month, and the Marcus Garvey Saturday School in Washington D.C. He received a rousing applause from the audience.

Chairwoman of the African People’s Solidarity Committee Penny Hess gave a presentation based on the understandings and teachings of Chairman Omali Yeshitela and explained that the white population lives on the pedestal of the enslavement of African people, the genocide of Indigenous peoples and the plunder of oppressed peoples worldwide.

Chairwoman Hess exposed the “Occupy” movement as a loosely-defined group of mostly white leftists that are calling for reform of a capitalist system that is inherently parasitic and simply want a larger chunk of the stolen resources from the oppressed peoples of the world.

Hess laid out that “We are NOT the 99 percent,” that in fact white people are the 10 percent that live off the resources that are expropriated from oppressed countries through war, genocide and exploitation. This presentation won a lot of North Americans to the theory of African Internationalism as several people joined the Uhuru Solidarity Movement that day!

Hess participated in the call for resources with Kristin Gordon and they were able to raise $475 in pledges and donations. One generous donation of $100 was contributed by a college student in Chicago who took the Pledge of Solidarity with African People several weeks ago and sponsored Matt Daniels, a member of Uhuru Solidarity Movement. He was very interested in holding a similar event at his college and wants to be actively involved in upcoming Uhuru Solidarity Movement - Chicago actions.

Uhuru Solidarity Movement is on their way to building a powerful branch in Chicago!

If you believe that there will never be peace on the planet without justice, reparations and reconciliation for African people and all the countless victims of imperialism past and present against whom terror, genocide, exploitation were carried out in our name and for our benefit, then Take the Pledge of Solidarity and contribute at least $10 to the African-led Uhuru Movement for liberation and self-determination for African people everywhere!