Posts tagged with "culture"

An African American Guide Back To The Motherland

As the world turns, communities from across our oceans are longing to connect with each other. This is especially true for many African Americans taking the leap to journey back to Africa. The back to Africa movement is not new. After emancipation Abraham Lincoln sought to relocate newly freed Black people back to Africa. Although the move was largely rejected by many Black leaders of that time, the honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey was instrumental in the push to make this a reality for Black people in the western hemisphere.

Marcus Garvey and his organization, the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), represent the largest mass movement in African-American history. Proclaiming a black nationalist “Back to Africa” message, Garvey and the UNIA established 700 branches in thirty-eight states by the early 1920s.”

Today, the best way to make this dream for some a reality is with sincere preparation. And thanks to Professor Joseph Mbele of Olaf College in Minnesota, who has amassed decades worth of knowledge on the subject, including being an expert on culture and folklore, created a study guide to help those journeying back to the Motherland.

The link to the course: https://joseph-s-site-c20e.thinkific.com/courses/your-first-course

ePa had an opportunity to interview Professor Mbele on his new course study focused on preparing African Americans for their journey back to Africa.

Part I

Part II

Part III

 

DC’s Eastern Market Is Turning 150 This Year!

BY JEANETTE LENOIR

📢 Eastern Market turns 150 in November and there’s a year-long celebration underway.

Eastern Market is the oldest continually operating public market in the nation. The celebrations kicked-off with Eastern Market Main Street’s transformation of the North Hall during cherry blossom season. Throughout the year the public will have more opportunities to celebrate the history of the Market, its future, and the role it plays in our community.  This weekend is the last weekend for Blossoms at the Market — it’ll be open both Saturday and Sunday. Be sure to check it out. The 150th celebrations have more exciting events and opportunities coming soon.

This weekend events:

  • April 8  DC  7pm Rawhides Country Dance
  • April 9  Outside Market Open for Easter 
Open 10am-3pm Tuesday-Sunday

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marcus garvey_quote-epa front page feature

POTUS, The Time Is NOW To Exonerate Marcus Garvey

BY JEANETTE LENOIR

Dr. Julius Garvey made another plea for the exoneration of his father, The Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. He says the push to clear his father’s name has been ignored during every administration since the exoneration movement started in the 1970s, including by the Obama administration when he thought they had a good chance to restore his father’s record and good name in Congress with help from the Congressional Black Caucus. Now, in his sunset years, the last living son of Marcus Garvey, a civil rights icon, staunch pan Africanist and Black freedom legend, is determined as ever to see this exoneration movement through.

“Can we do it? We can do it. We shall do it!” his father once exclaimed to galvanize Black people all over the world to work for their own freedom and self-determination. “Any leadership that teaches you to depend upon another race, is a leadership that will enslave you.” – Marcus Garvey 

This Black History Month, let us rededicate our efforts to request an official response from the White House and President Biden for a posthumous exoneration of the Rt. Honorable Marcus Garvey for his unjust persecution and imprisonment by the U.S. government in 1923.

As time goes by, will President Biden and his administration finally hear the call to exonerate Marcus Garvey?

Please join the movement and help exonerate Marcus Garvey: justice4garvey.org

“God and nature first made us what we are, and then out of our own created genius we make ourselves what we want to be. Follow always that great law. Let the sky and God be our limit and eternity our measurement.” Marcus Garvey

Biden’s SOTU Address Was A Strong Reintroduction & Bid For Second Term

BY JEANETTE LENOIR

It started with a familiar kiss that turned dull halfway through his first term as 46th president of the United States. But by the end of his second State of The Union address, President Biden had delivered a powerful resounding message that touched on every bullet point most Americans would identity with and have in their social and political wish bucket. From promises of 12 million new jobs, American manufacturing, unions, healthcare, foreign policy, global competition, ongoing wars and veterans, to police reform and banning assault weapons, the president, hot like a fed-up dad threatening to turn the car around, delivered a focused agenda, and reminding us that, “America is possibilities.” At one point the pact chamber even unified in shouting, “USA! USA! USA!”

After two years of enduring insults and nonstop remarks about his stamina, and mental ability to lead a divided nation to unity and prosperity after Trump and Covid-19, President Biden delivered a one-two punch that silenced his critics, and raised his weary, even doubting supporters, to their feet. And charismatic as ever, with that crooked smile ready to deliver a corny joke, the president raised his voice instead and pointed his fingers at Americans, reminding us, “let’s not see each other as enemies” and that, “we must give hate and extremism in any form no safe harbor. He said, “democracy must not be a partisan issue. It’s an American issue.”

The president stepped up and into his symbolic role as head of a chaotic household to reign in order and extend a hand to “troublemaking” Republicans with a slight edge, for a chance at something different; a government unified on basic truths and the principles our nation stands upon.

Like a kiss on the lips between the FLOTUS and the First Second Gentleman, the speech was unexpected.

biden_sotu

ePa Live

ePa Live: LAUL Makes History & Improving How The LGBTQIA+ Community Is Portrayed In The Arts

This week ePa Live had another great guest lineup!

Thank you for joining the conversation to hear from Los Angeles Urban League COO, Cynthia Mitchell Heard. She made history as LAUL’s first woman Chief Operating Officer. Also joining the talk is Gregory Q. Jenkins, President and CEO of Quentasia Studios, Inc. He discussed his mission to improve how the LGBTQIA+ community is portrait in the entertainment industry. We will also discuss George Santos denying his drag queen background and how his betrayal of truth affects the community he claims to be a member of.

If you missed the livestream, no worries! Check it our below.  And, see you next Saturday at 2pm on ePa Live!

ePa Livestream_1072023

ePa Livestream: The NFL Culture, U.S. Politics And Prospects In Freetown Sierra Leone

Thank you for joining us for another ePa Livestream conversation on Damar Hamlin and the NFL with AJ O’Hagan, Sports Information Director and Yeshiva University. We will also hear from Ron Carter of The Carter Agency on politics, including Kevin McCarthy’s desperation to become Speaker of the House. And we will also hear from Freetown City Council Member in Sierra Leone, Councilor Abioseh Agnes Wilson affectionately known as, Mama Nee. If you missed the Livestream at 2pm est today, check it out below! 

 

the con men games

Con Man Games: How Kevin McCarthy And George Santos Play In The Peoples House

BY JEANETTE LENOIR

 

Today, Americans are being served a con man, #AsbestosSantos despite his blatant lies to steal an election in New York. Liar-elect George Santos, (If that’s truly his name) is slated to be seated as a bona-fide Member of Congress representing the 3rd Congressional District in New York, despite his blatant criminal acts and un-American behavior, including alleged money laundering and tampering with election spending and reporting. And anyone who thinks his half-assed apology during his Fox News interview where he claims his lies are “debatable” despite clear evidence of his incredible world-record lies, is remotely sincere… is more interested in stoking the fire that keep Americans divided on party lines.

And Kevin McCarthy, who only wants enough votes to secure power and the Speaker title in The Peoples House, has remained dead silent on the egregiousness of this dangerous scam and con man because he wants his ill-gotten vote for Speaker. Regardless of party affiliation, the American people should be outraged at this deliberate burning of our flag by Kevin McCarthy and the Republican Party. The old adage, united we stand, divided we fall, has never been clearer and more significant than what we are witnessing in our political arena today, and in the aftermath of Trumpism.

America is flaring up like a severe case of arthritis and some of our elected leaders only care about personal gains and power. We remain a country divided despite the manifestations of #45 that was the January 6th attack on the nation’s capital. A country divided on basic truths and principles rooted in a shared humanity is a country on the edge of a cliff. History is cyclical. And seating Liar-elect George Santos is no different than what the settlers did to the wild buffaloes to defeat Native Americans. The Republican Party is not working for We, The People. They’re working for themselves to construct an America that only serves the rich, corporations and special interest groups that only want to feed from the trough and the wealth generated by working class Americans and the immigrants they loath. Folks, we’re in big trouble. And seating George Santos despite the fact that he STOLE an election, amounts to awarding a con man for doing a fantastic job conning the people who elected him. And if that’s what Republicans call democracy, imagine what they consider humanity.

In the meantime, Kevin McCarthy is so egregious with his silence and complicity on George Santos, the man has already moved into the Speaker’s Chamber despite the challenge he’s facing within his own party, including not having the votes necessary to become the next Speaker of the House. Imagine that. One can’t be shameful if they’re shameless. And that’s a dangerous precedent that produced the scum con man, George Santos.

The cycle continues.

Feral Rapper Tekashi6ix9ine Is Leading The Coup d’état Of Hip-Hop Culture

BY JEANETTE LENOIR

The spectacle that is Tekashi 6ix9ine can only be described as disturbing. And, like the manifestation of Donald Trump, we have no one else to blame but our American worship culture. Similar to Rock and Roll, Jazz and many other musical inventions, Hip-Hop and rap was birthed by African American culture. The days when we saw black artists express themselves by rapping to tell stories of their experience in a country hostile to their humanity are long gone. From Vanilla Ice, Eminem, Iggy Azalea, Cardi B, Machine Gun Kelly to the grotesque Tekashi69, it’s evident Hip-Hop is forever changed. Today, any knucklehead from the richest neighborhoods, or a strip club dance pole can spray paint themselves with tattoos, don the typical rap gear and spit rhymes about the mean streets they called home, how tough and strong they are, how quickly they’ll shoot you in the face with an AK or Glock, and of course, how many “bitches” or “nigga’s” they got. Oh, and they’re all so incredibly rich that they use stacks of bills to make phone calls nowadays. Even if none of it is true.

What started out as a movement to talk about the struggles of black lives in America following the assassinations of black leaders like Malcolm X and MLK, has turned into what the rainbow pendejo exposed on Instagram Live. The Hip-Hop and rap movement has been derailed and the message hijacked by get rich quick schemes and soft porn stars that even corrupted the ones at the head of it all. Because enough money, sex and notoriety will make you give up just about anything.

As detested as Tekashi is for snitching on his fellow gang members, it didn’t stop millions of people from tuning in to his clown show to brag about his riches, and grossly flaunting the white privilege he’s loaning from the feds for his cooperation. All while boosting about getting away with murder, similar to the Klan in their hay day when they were systematically acquitted for lynching black people, burning their homes and terrorizing them from sea to shiny sea. Time and circumstance are the only difference between the two. Listen closely to the words Tekashi spews while using easy women and cheap sex tricks to gloat about getting away with behaviors no black artist or regular black folks could ever get away with.

Entering his stage with a classic Bob Marley song that turned into the theme song for the TV show Cops, featuring the arrests of mostly black people, Tekashi, flashing his expensive watches and gnashing his horse teeth bedazzled with diamonds and gold yells, “You can never do this! You can neva!” And, he’s absolutely right. Black people in similar positions can never do that. Just ask Meek Mills who learned real quick that his punishment for violating his parole would not only be swift and extreme, but it would be served piping hot by a black judge, the Honorable Genece Brinkley, who clearly had an ax to grind and to prove her loyalty like Stephen in Django Unchained. And, Mills is only one example of a long list of disproportionate punishment doled out by law enforcement.

We, The People, share very different experiences in America. And despite how cringe-worthy that reality is, that’s the harsh truth of the matter when it comes to black people. The callous killing of Ahmaud Arbery—considered a “justifiable homicide” by the local DA—is a prime example of the different lives we still live in a country that owes its glory and might to the black enslaved bodies that planted and picked crops, that help build a nation, including the White House, to amass incredible wealth and privilege only few enjoy.

“You’re a little boy. I’ll kiss you on your forehead. Sit down,” he goes on, waking up the dead with words long gone slaves and oppressed Jim Crow era black people had to bitterly swallow as they watched their country take pride in enacting the 13th amendment, all while leaving them empty-handed, and demanding they compete in an unequal game of life and the pursuit of liberty. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps, boy! Sure, but you stole my boots and put thorns on the road you want me to walk on.

Inhumane doesn’t even scratch the surface of this long-standing injustice. And, the term “boy” is a hideous racist stain for black Americans, as its roots are deeply embedded in the unrepentant diminishments of our humanity. Nonetheless, millions, including Hip-Hop celebrities, tuned in to witness Tekashi behave badly. And, he’s worshiped for it, especially by our younger generation, many of whom seemingly only interested in the culture of debauchery. He’s used as a tool to sell our Hip-Hop in a market that devalues our culture and detests our existence. And, we take front row seats in support of it all. Snitches get stitches, they say. Sure, only if you’re black. Tekashi is being protected by the feds like the pope, despite his criminal behavior. And, as a gift for helping ensnare more black men who were being criminals right alongside him. Justice is not blind, it’s stupid and hateful.

That’s the only reason Tekashi can proudly disrespect black music and culture. He’s babysat by a legal system that will pay any price to keep us cemented in our societal place as second-class citizens. If you didn’t feel the sting of Tekashi, you’re not paying attention to the unwavering trajectory of our American culture. A culture that refuses to recognize how our painful history has shaped us, how it continues to inhibit our growth, hear our cries for real freedom, and call to equally benefit from our country’s prosperity.

Let me be clear. I love my country and the ideals good people from all walks of life are steadily working towards. All I’m crowing about is recognition of the ugly truths of our black lives and circumstances, and to demand change. And, that my country love me back. Not through lip service but by way of sincere actions that will ultimately bring about the equality some white people are so deathly afraid of. Paving the way with diamonds and gold for the likes of Tekashi6ix9ine and his middle finger is painfully symbolic of the unwavering disdain for us, our Hip-Hop culture and rightful claim to America.

Nevertheless, and despite all the disrespect we still endure, we must maintain a firm grip to the mighty spirit and words Maya Angelou left us with: “Out of the huts of history’s shame, I rise. Up from a past that’s rooted in pain, I rise. I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear, I rise. Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear, I rise. Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise, I rise, I rise.” Marching on, black people will continue to rise, guided by the lessons of W.E.B. Du Bois to avoid the temptation to hate, despair and doubt, we shall overcome.

Keeping Up With A Dying Tradition

Adiante Franzoon is a Saamaka tribesman from Suriname. He’s the last remaining woodcarver who’s carving the way his ancestors—escaped African slaves—did hundreds of years ago in the dense tropical forest of the South American country. Adiante Franzoon is practicing authenticity in an ever increasing inauthentic world.

To learn more about Franzoon or to purchase one of his pieces click HERE.

NABJ New Orleans: A Significant Moment In America’s Journey In A City Full Of Culture And Black History

 

BY JEANETTE LENOIR

 

New Orleans can easily be described as America’s secret gem. Despite the havoc caused by Hurricane Katrina and the negative portrayal of a city plagued by violence, New Orleans stands alone in all its glory, people, culture and revelry.

This year, the National Association of Black Journalists congregated in the historic city, part of the group’s annual convention and career fair. America’s racial turmoil, like the most recent incident in Charlottesville, VA, makes the destination for the gathering a unique one that highlights who we are, what we’re capable of and what we continue to stand for as Americans and NABJ members. The struggle for equality and a more just country isn’t over but neither is our resolve and determination to fight bigotry with education, success and the most powerful armor man has against hate; Love. And, New Orleans has plenty of love, history and black culture for the greater mission to improve our world and American culture as a whole.

The Big Easy, as the iconic and beautiful city is nicknamed, was the perfect complement to highlight NABJ’s work and the people that come out to support it. People like, Roland S. Martin, Charles Barkley, Harris Faulkner, Dr. Jeff Gardere, Nyja Greene with CNN in Atlanta, Tracey Rivers with Fox 26 News in Houston, and many other prominent black figures. And, even the presence of arguably the most unpopular black woman in the White House, Omarosa Manigault, couldn’t overshadow the power of the event in a city full of life, talent, charm and charisma. And, how fitting and telling of the group’s importance, growth and impact that even Facebook joined the convention this year to recruit talent for its own innovative work across the globe.

In our current state of aggressive and divisive nationalism, New Orleans was the perfect backdrop to mark black progress in America. Black folks, specifically those that call the Big Easy home, have come a long way as a people. In the repugnant face of racism and discrimination, to a natural disaster that changed the lives and demographics of the city; New Orleanians are overcoming everything that has plagued their journey with music, food, revelry, an organic entrepreneurial spirit and a potent dose of American culture. Nevertheless, it’s clear to see, especially thanks to an administration fueling anti-American values that the civil rights movement is far from over, making NABJ’s mission and work more important than ever.

Jazz or Jass as it was first spelled, was born in New Orleans, making dancing and singing in the streets to great local bands simply a cultural norm. From Bourbon Street to Frenchman Street, the city cradles its patrons like moths uncontrollably drawn to light, despite all the effects that comes with merrymaking, and an alcohol and drugs infused atmosphere. However, there’s more than the music and revelry to talk about. The local artists on the streets hawking their goods like, Alex Lee Calacuayo, add a certain essence to the bright beautiful colors that is New Orleans and its people. Food venders, like Mr. Joe’s Island Grill—unlike some other cities in America—take a great deal of pride in what they prepare and offer. It’s a constant party that hits you all over, from your dancing feet to your mouth full of the best food on the planet. And, none of it takes away from the cultural significance that is New Orleans.

A significant perspective of NABJ’s presence in the Big Easy is the story of Palmer Park, which according to, New Orleans Historical, was named after a staunch supporter of slavery and segregation; Benjamin Parker. The white’s only park was the scene where during the Jim Crow era, during a 1924 speech, “Shreveport Mayor Lee E. Thomas, challenging Senator Randsell for his seat, drew loud applause when he accused the senator of signing a letter supporting a black man for a federal job; the mayor’s allegation sought to condemn the senator’s egalitarian gesture. Similar racism could be seen in reaction to a 1934 incident. Residents nearby the park and civic organizations complained about an unlicensed shoe shine stand, “Sam’s Shine Parlor,” which appeared in the park. The stand, aimed at people waiting nearby for the bus to Kenner, was originally chained to a tree in the park. The black vendor’s chair was removed. White vendors, like the man who sold hot tamales, were allowed in the park.”

Despite a long and arduous journey plagued with racial prejudice black people in America are still standing, and still working towards their own prosperity as our collective American values instills in each and every one of us. And how fitting that after all these years and racial turmoil’s, NABJ is still working to bring organizations together that recognize the importance and value of diversity in the work place, especially in media. We represent the spirit of Sam’s Shine Parlor.

The country is changing. New Orleans is going through it too, especially following the mass public upheaval brought on by Katrina. Walking the streets of the city you can still hear folks talk about all they’ve lost during the August 2005 storm. The breaking of the levees didn’t just spill massive amounts of water covering the city and destroying lives. Some argue that it also washed away a great deal of its culture and fast-tracking gentrification. Even so, the city full of charm with one of the best American accents you’ll hear is still thriving. And a large reason for it lies at the feet of the local population that make a living in the streets, where a great deal of the city’s booming tourism industry can be seen and deeply felt. New Orleans is not just beautiful; the Big Easy is the epitome of what we recognize as the birth of American culture.