by Adjoa Barbara J. Baker, Midwest Regional Rep
On June 25, 2011 during the Regional Caucus at the 22nd Annual N'COBRA Conference meeting in Chicago, the Midwest Region had 23 present, the largest attendance in all of the last 6 Conferences.
Everyone present from MN, IL, IN, WI, was committed to doing the work for Reparations. Ideas were discussed on waking up the movement by placing Public Service Announcements in the Print & Electronic media. It was suggested we call in on the Black Radio Talk Shows with information about your upcoming organizing meeting and/or special events like Human Rights Day (Dec.10) Kwanzaa, Marcus Garvey’s Birthday, Bud Billiken Parade in Chicago (the largest Black Parade in the U.S.A.) August 13th. Posting literature on Bulletin Boards, in church bulletins, at Universities & Colleges: Accept speaking engagements, where you expound on the work of Human Rights as a means to our Reparations. Update your mailing lists & starting mailing and/or emailing or blogging the upcoming meetings and events.
Since the Conference a group of five MN residents & supporters of Reparations have met to organize a Minneapolis, MN Chapter.
Milwaukee is going to work on their proposal to host the 2013 Conference.
The above Marketing Strategies are very important. Management is equally important.
Chicago has enjoyed the theme of Reparations Awareness. With this theme we work on bringing new facts and updates on the struggle. At one of our meetings, I passed out the 30 Articles of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Experts are invited to our monthly meetings as guest speakers. Book Review reports and video shows are the other methods of bringing more knowledge to our community/chapter. An agenda at each meeting allows for a well-organized meeting. Guests and members prefer a professionally run meeting.
Sustaining the membership and the movement-- The success that is going on must be announced, for example:
Business -The Chicago Black Wall Street under Chairman Ron Carter has been successful in starting over 13 different areas in Chicago and Gary, IN as Black Wall Street Districts. A resolution was passed in the State Of Illinois legislation naming 75th St. from Dan Ryan on the west to Cottage Grove on the east as a Chicago Black Wall Street District.
Criminal Justice - Another important piece of legislation, led by Attorney Stan Willis, has a Commission that is studying how the victims of police torture can receive Reparations. Atty. Willis continues to work on a law that will provide no statute of limitation on torture victims.
Buy Black Campaign - Rev. Webb Evans, founder, is an important strategy for the economy of Black people. The UAPA goal is to buy from people who look like you to the tune of $2 Million Dollars a year. To date UAPA has reached $990 thousand dollars.
Education - This important component of our struggle has the Black Star Project founded by Mr. Phillip Jackson, Chicago N'COBRA Lifetime Member whose motto is "Educate or Die" We regularly support the programs that Black Star Projects presents.
Homework assignments - Membership is asked to give reports on how many people they spoke to since the previous meeting; how many elevator speeches they gave on reparations; how many people they surveyed on "What Do You Think About Reparations For People of African Descent." The one sheet survey form is available contact me at 312/720-0648. As an incentive to communicating our movement by surveying our people with the above survey, I am, starting in September 2011, to recognize those members who return the most survey forms each quarter.
Special Alert: From attending The Institute for Human Rights Education & Advocacy in Minnesota, I have learned another way we should frame our fight and some additional tactics we should be using. More to come.