sista cipher!
AquaMoon creates safe spaces to disseminate information and dismantle the culture of silence.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Arab and African American relations
Before we can get to a point of solidarity, there has to be an honest dialogue on the lived experiences of African Americans with Arabs in African American communities, and vice versa.
This blog is from an email of an organization that AquaMoon is a part of, Ella's Daughters.
"Our meeting on Gaza and the Black Community on January 10 was a success with nearly 50 people in attendance. This meeting was initiated by the Arab - Jewish Partnership for Peace and Justice in the Middle East as well as other concerned individuals. As you know we obtained quite a number of signatures on our statement and have begun to distribute it. But we cannot let this issue drop, nor can we let the voice of the Black community be muted or marginalized when it comes to speaking out in solidarity with those struggling for justice in Palestine and Israel. One issue raised at the first meeting was the need to further educate ourselves and one another. So, we have scheduled a meeting which will include an informal roundtable discussion, followed up with up to date briefings from those in touch with people in the region or who have just returned. A number of African Americans, including Alice Walker, who is planning a trip to Gaza, former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who was on a Free Gaza boat headed toward the Occupied Territories when she was attacked, and others have been speaking out. Still the assault upon the Palestine people continues. We will discuss what else can be done including a big citywide forum we will be planning. This meeting Professor Paul Zeleza, prolific author and scholar of the African Diaspora, will offer his thoughts on the relevance of Palestine to Africa. Toussaint Losier and Leena Odeh, two young Chicago activists will also offer remarks that make the political connections between the realities faced by people living under Occupation in Palestine and the struggle of Black and Latino communities in the United States. Literature and fact sheets will be provided as well. We thank Bennett Johnson for graciously providing space at the offices of Third World Press.We will meet at 7822 South Dobson on the southside of ChicagoSunday, March 1st, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Please rsvp so we can know how many people to expect. Please invite others you think would be interested. We promise a lively and informative discussion and a productive meeting with ideas for next steps.Please come and help us build solidarity around this critical critical issue.
Things you can read: http://www.zeleza.com/blogging/global-affairs/gaza-tragedy-wests-connivance-israeli-apartheid
WHERE: Meet at Millennium Park, across from the Chicago Cultural Center (Randolph and Michigan) then march to then march to the Isreali Consulate (111 East Wacker Drive) as a symbolic action to show that we will no longer tolerate the siege on Gaza.
WHAT: Voices for Creative Nonviolence invites you to join this international action initiated by the Egypt-based group To Gaza (http://togaza.net) who organize primarily against Israel's violence against Gazans.
The first stage of this protest on February 6, 2009 resulted in several members and associates of To Gaza being illegally detained by the police. One such activist, Philip Rizk, has since been released. His associate Diaa Gad is still being detained; his well being and whereabouts remain unknown.
WHY: We will march in solidarity with people in Gaza and those around the world opposed to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
We are a part of an international movement acting in solidarity to resist the inhumane conditions imposed on people in Gaza and the West Bank.
Our demands reflect respect for basic human rights and many non-governmental organizations are voicing these same demands. We call for:
• The immediate and comprehensive end to the illegal siege of Gaza and its population;
• The immediate release of Egyptian blogger Diaa Gad;
• The accountability and immediate trial of all Israeli persons who are responsible and/or participated in the carrying out of war crimes against the Palestinian people, including the killing of civilians, the utilization of weapons deemed illegal by international law, and the causing of environmental and health crises;
• Reparations for all damages, including physical, health, environmental and infrastructure, incurred by the Palestinians as a result of Israel’s illegal actions.
in the round is cipher- the intergenerational gathering of sistas in a circle to hone our knowledge of self, each other, and the various communities, trains of thoughts and lived experiences from which we come. there is no hierarchy in the cipher, we are all on the same level, equal ground. in the round, we give ourselves permission to heal, change, create, lead and to let our voices be heard.
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This blog is from an email of an organization that AquaMoon is a part of, Ella's Daughters.
ReplyDelete"Our meeting on Gaza and the Black Community on January 10 was a success with nearly 50 people in attendance. This meeting was initiated by the Arab - Jewish Partnership for Peace and Justice in the Middle East as well as other concerned individuals. As you know we obtained quite a number of signatures on our statement and have begun to distribute it. But we cannot let this issue drop, nor can we let the voice of the Black community be muted or marginalized when it comes to speaking out in solidarity with those struggling for justice in Palestine and Israel. One issue raised at the first meeting was the need to further educate ourselves and one another. So, we have scheduled a meeting which will include an informal roundtable discussion, followed up with up to date briefings from those in touch with people in the region or who have just returned. A number of African Americans, including Alice Walker, who is planning a trip to Gaza, former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who was on a Free Gaza boat headed toward the Occupied Territories when she was attacked, and others have been speaking out. Still the assault upon the Palestine people continues. We will discuss what else can be done including a big citywide forum we will be planning.
This meeting Professor Paul Zeleza, prolific author and scholar of the African Diaspora, will offer his thoughts on the relevance of Palestine to Africa. Toussaint Losier and Leena Odeh, two young Chicago activists will also offer remarks that make the political connections between the realities faced by people living under Occupation in Palestine and the struggle of Black and Latino communities in the United States. Literature and fact sheets will be provided as well.
We thank Bennett Johnson for graciously providing space at the offices of Third World Press.We will meet at 7822 South Dobson on the southside of ChicagoSunday, March 1st, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Please rsvp so we can know how many people to expect. Please invite others you think would be interested. We promise a lively and informative discussion and a productive meeting with ideas for next steps.Please come and help us build solidarity around this critical critical issue.
Things you can read:
http://www.zeleza.com/blogging/global-affairs/gaza-tragedy-wests-connivance-israeli-apartheid
http://www.monthlyreview.org/mrzine/fletcher260608.html
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=1809
www.arabjewishpartnership.org/blog/
www.adc.org
MARCH TO GAZA!
ReplyDeleteWHEN: 12 NOON on Saturday, February 28
WHERE: Meet at Millennium Park, across from the Chicago Cultural Center (Randolph and Michigan) then march to then march to the Isreali Consulate (111 East Wacker Drive) as a symbolic action to show that we will no longer tolerate the siege on Gaza.
WHAT: Voices for Creative Nonviolence invites you to join this international action initiated by the Egypt-based group To Gaza (http://togaza.net) who organize primarily against Israel's violence against Gazans.
The first stage of this protest on February 6, 2009 resulted in several members and associates of To Gaza being illegally detained by the police. One such activist, Philip Rizk, has since been released. His associate Diaa Gad is still being detained; his well being and whereabouts remain unknown.
WHY: We will march in solidarity with people in Gaza and those around the world opposed to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
We are a part of an international movement acting in solidarity to resist the inhumane conditions imposed on people in Gaza and the West Bank.
Our demands reflect respect for basic human rights and many non-governmental organizations are voicing these same demands. We call for:
• The immediate and comprehensive end to the illegal siege of Gaza and its population;
• The immediate release of Egyptian blogger Diaa Gad;
• The accountability and immediate trial of all Israeli persons who are responsible and/or participated in the carrying out of war crimes against the Palestinian people, including the killing of civilians, the utilization of weapons deemed illegal by international law, and the causing of environmental and health crises;
• Reparations for all damages, including physical, health, environmental and infrastructure, incurred by the Palestinians as a result of Israel’s illegal actions.