I attended today's Women's March in Sacramento, California, U.S. The turnout was overwhelming. Southside Park where the march assembled can probably hold about 20,000 people and the park was pretty much to capacity with many, many, more people joining the march along the way. For a revolutionary Pan-Africanist organizer like me, this was an extremely exciting and thought provoking sight. And, after engaging in all the triumphs, disappointments, and everything else in between that makes up the body of this type of work, I'm experienced enough to be very well aware of the obvious contradictions. In fact, I'm so aware of them that the last thing I need is any of you outside of organizational organizing to attempt to explain the problems to me. I can detect movement contradictions to the lowest common denominator. I saw all of the liberal and extremely problematic signs out there today. There was an overwhelming focus on the president of the U.S. capitalist empire and those surrounding him. And, many of the people not focused on him were offering alternative individuals to occupy his and other political seats as the solution to our problems. Clearly, just replacing him cannot be the answer since capitalist oppression existed long before him and will exist after he's gone. Yet, in this sound bite, social media, two second consciousness society that exists today, this is where most people live. So, before you tell us, I saw the masses of European women, many who could be seen and heard openly thanking police for being there today. They were doing this while these same women shifted away from me as if I was there to rob them. One of these women even turned around as I walked behind her and asked me if I needed to get by as if I couldn't possibly be there to march for women's rights just as she was. I know most of these women are as racist as it gets. I get the absurdity of those contradictions much better than most of you who are going to spend all your time criticizing them. These women would thank police, who are just there because they are getting paid overtime to do so. I get it. I know what upsets you about these events. There was a point when I had a conversation about this with a young Palestinian woman who was marching with a sign that called out European woman feminism. No one understands these problems better than brown activists who spend our entire lives, whether organizing or not, having to maneuver through these issues in our daily lives. So, although I also understand why so many of you so-called radicals are going to spend the entire weekend criticizing these marches on social media, I really don't need to hear that from you because as usual, you are demonstrating that you are again missing the point as well as what this golden opportunity represents.
As has been stated many times before, much of the problem in the so-called radical communities today is many of these folks are very new to movement work e.g. if you have been doing this on a consistent level (not haphazardly) for less than five years - you're new). And, many folks who are not new are just stuck and unable or willing to grow intellectually. Either way, its not a criticism of new people. Everyone deserves your time to develop in this work. I certainly had mine, but because I had that time, I know it takes time. You see, I recall when I was fueled by anger and frustration in this work. I remember when my personal trauma was the vision from which I approached this work. I can admit to a time when my involvement was overwhelmingly based on negative factors, even when I was doing good work. And, I now know that this early period in my work caused me to miss some very important lessons that I'm starting to understand now. One thing that has never been an issue for me is humbling myself to recognize those who had more experience in this work than I did. This is definitely an issue today. I'm sick of hearing people say "listen to POC" because all that means is pretend you are hearing us until we say anything you don't understand or agree with, then its the same old problem. And that applies to everyone, including Africans, because white supremacy is universal.
The first thing, and please repeat after me, is that any event of any kind that brings together large numbers of people for a cause of justice is a good thing. For the revolutionary organizer, we know that the masses of people in the capitalist U.S. empire are not going to assemble today and call for the overthrow of capitalism. If they were at that point, our work would be much easier than it is. So, we know that, but we also know that thirty years ago, in the aftermath of the counter intelligence era after the militancy of the 60s/70s, there were no marches of thousands of people coming out for anything. Like a vine that grows from a seed after the destruction of an entire crop, the fact that thousands, possibly millions of people are out today to demand justice for all genders and non-genders is a positive thing. We can work with all the negative messaging. If you are serious about revolutionary organizing, doing that is your job. You know that advancing consciousness is going to be your primary responsibility, but the first step is always getting people to recognize that there are problems. And, despite the varying levels of consciousness. Despite the contradictory support for bourgeois rights for women while supporting the capitalist system that is behind women's oppression. Despite many of these women crying out against the injustices against women while they ignore African, Indigenous, and Asian women and white supremacy as a whole. If you understand absolutely anything about movement building than you know once people are out there, whatever their consciousness, they are giving you license to engage them. To work with them to raise that consciousness. Because folks, that's the absolute only way that process takes place. But, despite our egos and our unwillingness to admit our personal shortcomings, we already know that because you started in this work by attending an event that was very similar to what happened today. Your first event wasn't a revolutionary organizing event and even if it was, you didn't sign up at that first meeting and instantly start organizing for revolution. And, even if you did, you are without question the lone exception to the rule. Most people need a process to grow in their consciousness and events like today are our invitations to do that work.
What does this work I'm talking about look like? I know that most of you don't know because if you did you would be doing it. Here's an example, go to the people participating today and ask them what they think about the event. From there, a conversation is started. Get their contact information. Follow up with them and invite them to coffee to talk about what your organization is doing. Better yet, go to their organization meeting and volunteer to help them do what they are doing. I've often joked that being a revolutionary Pan-Africanist means I'm in environments I don't agree with 95% of the time. I'm there because I know my work. I volunteer to help them do what they're doing, even if its not what I want to do because doing so is how you build relationships. And, its relationships that break down the barriers that words like revolution, socialism, militancy, and radical generate in this sound bite society. This was clear when we started feeding children in Portland, Oregon, in 2015. When you are feeding people's children on a physical and intellectual level. When you are nurturing them, parents will let you teach their children whatever your message is and the parents will listen to. This is organizing 101. You should try this approach some time. It works.
My point is I see events like today as opportunities and if you engaged in organizing work on a consistent basis, you would too. I don't mean getting together with people who already agree with you. I'm talking about doing recruitment work to create more radicals. More revolutionaries. We can't have revolution without revolutionaries. So, we have to go where the people are. People make that statement all the time, but most folks making it really have no idea what it actually means. It means go to events like today. Go where so many of the people participating are seeing the event as a photo op. Don't get irritated with them for seeing it that way. How else are they with their CNN level of consciousness going to see it? You have to understand that. So, don't view them with disgust and then get on your computer/social media and spend 48 hours talking about how stupid and disgraceful they are. Find out what organizations they are in and attend. Radicalize their groups. Reach out to them and invite them to your meetings. Mentor them. There are so few people doing this work on a serious level that doing so requires very little effort. That's why All African People's Revolutionary Party cadre can dominant any room we enter. Because we know how to organize. That's how we have active chapters all over the globe without the benefit of the capitalist media propagating our work. That's why I, as a proud African man, can attend a funeral of a co-worker who was a biker and sit shoulder to shoulder with his biker club people, many who were open white supremacists displaying swastikas and confederate flags on their biker jackets and that wasn't even what I was thinking of. I was excited about the fact they were passing around jugs of liquor in a church. The general level of rebelliousness made me contemplate where the radicals were who could radicalize these folks on a political level. That's why when you look at today all you see are bourgeois women who are stupid and its why when I walk around I see many potential soldiers for our fight for justice. And, until you can begin to get over your ego and see that also, we will continue to have just us handful of radicals and no ability to actually move an agenda for radical change. Or, maybe some of you really aren't interested in that. You just want everyone to know how unhappy with them you are. If that's you, this article isn't aimed at you. Its aimed at those who genuinely want to organize for change. The opportunities for us to do this have never been better than they are right now. Today is just another clear example of that.
As has been stated many times before, much of the problem in the so-called radical communities today is many of these folks are very new to movement work e.g. if you have been doing this on a consistent level (not haphazardly) for less than five years - you're new). And, many folks who are not new are just stuck and unable or willing to grow intellectually. Either way, its not a criticism of new people. Everyone deserves your time to develop in this work. I certainly had mine, but because I had that time, I know it takes time. You see, I recall when I was fueled by anger and frustration in this work. I remember when my personal trauma was the vision from which I approached this work. I can admit to a time when my involvement was overwhelmingly based on negative factors, even when I was doing good work. And, I now know that this early period in my work caused me to miss some very important lessons that I'm starting to understand now. One thing that has never been an issue for me is humbling myself to recognize those who had more experience in this work than I did. This is definitely an issue today. I'm sick of hearing people say "listen to POC" because all that means is pretend you are hearing us until we say anything you don't understand or agree with, then its the same old problem. And that applies to everyone, including Africans, because white supremacy is universal.
The first thing, and please repeat after me, is that any event of any kind that brings together large numbers of people for a cause of justice is a good thing. For the revolutionary organizer, we know that the masses of people in the capitalist U.S. empire are not going to assemble today and call for the overthrow of capitalism. If they were at that point, our work would be much easier than it is. So, we know that, but we also know that thirty years ago, in the aftermath of the counter intelligence era after the militancy of the 60s/70s, there were no marches of thousands of people coming out for anything. Like a vine that grows from a seed after the destruction of an entire crop, the fact that thousands, possibly millions of people are out today to demand justice for all genders and non-genders is a positive thing. We can work with all the negative messaging. If you are serious about revolutionary organizing, doing that is your job. You know that advancing consciousness is going to be your primary responsibility, but the first step is always getting people to recognize that there are problems. And, despite the varying levels of consciousness. Despite the contradictory support for bourgeois rights for women while supporting the capitalist system that is behind women's oppression. Despite many of these women crying out against the injustices against women while they ignore African, Indigenous, and Asian women and white supremacy as a whole. If you understand absolutely anything about movement building than you know once people are out there, whatever their consciousness, they are giving you license to engage them. To work with them to raise that consciousness. Because folks, that's the absolute only way that process takes place. But, despite our egos and our unwillingness to admit our personal shortcomings, we already know that because you started in this work by attending an event that was very similar to what happened today. Your first event wasn't a revolutionary organizing event and even if it was, you didn't sign up at that first meeting and instantly start organizing for revolution. And, even if you did, you are without question the lone exception to the rule. Most people need a process to grow in their consciousness and events like today are our invitations to do that work.
What does this work I'm talking about look like? I know that most of you don't know because if you did you would be doing it. Here's an example, go to the people participating today and ask them what they think about the event. From there, a conversation is started. Get their contact information. Follow up with them and invite them to coffee to talk about what your organization is doing. Better yet, go to their organization meeting and volunteer to help them do what they are doing. I've often joked that being a revolutionary Pan-Africanist means I'm in environments I don't agree with 95% of the time. I'm there because I know my work. I volunteer to help them do what they're doing, even if its not what I want to do because doing so is how you build relationships. And, its relationships that break down the barriers that words like revolution, socialism, militancy, and radical generate in this sound bite society. This was clear when we started feeding children in Portland, Oregon, in 2015. When you are feeding people's children on a physical and intellectual level. When you are nurturing them, parents will let you teach their children whatever your message is and the parents will listen to. This is organizing 101. You should try this approach some time. It works.
My point is I see events like today as opportunities and if you engaged in organizing work on a consistent basis, you would too. I don't mean getting together with people who already agree with you. I'm talking about doing recruitment work to create more radicals. More revolutionaries. We can't have revolution without revolutionaries. So, we have to go where the people are. People make that statement all the time, but most folks making it really have no idea what it actually means. It means go to events like today. Go where so many of the people participating are seeing the event as a photo op. Don't get irritated with them for seeing it that way. How else are they with their CNN level of consciousness going to see it? You have to understand that. So, don't view them with disgust and then get on your computer/social media and spend 48 hours talking about how stupid and disgraceful they are. Find out what organizations they are in and attend. Radicalize their groups. Reach out to them and invite them to your meetings. Mentor them. There are so few people doing this work on a serious level that doing so requires very little effort. That's why All African People's Revolutionary Party cadre can dominant any room we enter. Because we know how to organize. That's how we have active chapters all over the globe without the benefit of the capitalist media propagating our work. That's why I, as a proud African man, can attend a funeral of a co-worker who was a biker and sit shoulder to shoulder with his biker club people, many who were open white supremacists displaying swastikas and confederate flags on their biker jackets and that wasn't even what I was thinking of. I was excited about the fact they were passing around jugs of liquor in a church. The general level of rebelliousness made me contemplate where the radicals were who could radicalize these folks on a political level. That's why when you look at today all you see are bourgeois women who are stupid and its why when I walk around I see many potential soldiers for our fight for justice. And, until you can begin to get over your ego and see that also, we will continue to have just us handful of radicals and no ability to actually move an agenda for radical change. Or, maybe some of you really aren't interested in that. You just want everyone to know how unhappy with them you are. If that's you, this article isn't aimed at you. Its aimed at those who genuinely want to organize for change. The opportunities for us to do this have never been better than they are right now. Today is just another clear example of that.
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