Category Archives: Black/Brown Unity

34th Annual Martin Luther Support for Labor Banquet

UntitledOn April 8, 2017 the Black Workers for Justice will hold its 34th annual banquet commemorating Dr. King’s contributions to the Civil Rights and Black Freedom struggles. In light of the new administration of right wing populist and white nationalist, Dr. King’s life and views on workers rights and imperialist war are as important as ever. As we have done over the last 35 years, we honor Dr. King in the context of his fight for the Memphis Sanitation workers and his assassination by the forces of capitalism.

Today’s Challenge:Organizing Our Struggle on the Front Lines in the South for Peoples Power” is our theme this year. It means continuing the fight against HB2, voter suppression, Islamophobia, anti-immigrant policies and the rise of white supremacist groups like the KKK and similar groups.

Now more than ever, our work to build People’s Assemblies and the Southern Workers Assembly (SWA) is necessary and urgent.

The keynote speaker will be Fred Mason. Mason is a veteran Labor and Black Liberation Mason_t580Movement activist. Mason is the President of the Maryland/DC AFL-CIO. He will speak on the task of labor, the Black movement and allies in fighting for power on the front lines of today’s struggle.

You can buy tickets here on this website. For further information on tickets, etc. call (240) 882-2102.  If you or your organization would like to take out a digital ad you can write us a bwfj@earthlink.net for information. Your financial support is needed.

 

 

Commemorating the Birthday of Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz)

malcolm-x-1May 19 marks the 91st anniversary of the birth of Malcolm X, the great 20th Century leader of the African American struggle for freedom, justice and equality; for self-determination and liberation. His assassination in 1965, at the hands of those working in the interest of white supremacy, capitalism and imperialism, marked a horrible chapter in our history of struggle and the beginning of the modern Black Power Movement.

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For the Dreamers

by Erin Dale

This is for my sister freedom fighter Viridiana Martinez who again and again has shown me what is to have courage and strength and to fight for what is right. http://www.thedreamiscoming.com/viridiana/

to the dreamers

im a black woman
born in this usa
but they don’t treat me like a citizen
what the hell is one anyway?
i got a piece of paper that says i belong here
but this land isn’t mine
was stolen before i got here
the history twisted over time

dreamers come from their country to their country
crossing imaginary lines
we say “you don’t belong here”
they say “this land used to be mine”
but we  – folks like me
with common sense who know our history
know they stole texas, florida and new mexico
because of the slaves you sheltered
that is truth deeper than deep roots
usa sells bulls@*! deeper than deep roots
and asks the dreamer for their paper, their proof
when we should look in history books
for the proof

they can’t change truth but they can disguise it
call it a law and dreamers illegal
to hide behind it
but can’t really deny it
this land is not their land
this land is not mine
belongs to native american tribes
why didn’t Native Americans ask for our papers
instead of drinking our wine?
why didn’t Native Americans tell us to go home
instead of teaching us to feed ourselves
now we starve youth that are dreaming
and ask them to get to the back of the line

i can’t stand this bulls@*!
they have stolen dreams like they stole the land
can’t go to college and get an education
can’t drive to work or
be in immigrant in an immigrant nation
but can live in fear that ice will come
can work the fields and can pay taxes
and please, please keep cleaning up after capitalists
and don’t ask to participate
or for the citizenship owed you
because usa don’t like to pay what they owe,
40 acres and a mule
still waiting for it to show

do keep dreaming, keep fighting for the dream
i believe its not as far away as it seems
cause folks like me are dreaming and fighting beside you
and will
until we can all feel like citizens too.