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| This is the Civil Rights Movement
for This Generation! | | | 
Guest Commentary Occupy The Hood Calls On Young People of African Descent to Uplift the Community By Phillip Jackson
November 1, 2011 (Liberia, West Africa) The Occupy Wall Street Movement has captured the imagination of the world. We now have Occupy Tokyo, Occupy Berlin, Occupy Mexico, Occupy Australia, Occupy Brazil, Occupy Denmark, Occupy Asia and even Occupy Antarctica. But where are the voices of young people of African descent and why are their voices silent?
On Saturday, November 19, 2011, people of African descent are being encouraged to join the Occupy Wall Street Movement in their cities and in their communities. But before occupying Wall Street or any street, we need to properly and successfully occupy the minds and spirits of people of African descent with thoughts of improvement, achievement, excellence, progress and cooperative labor. We must do this every day until we have created a new world in which people of African descent will thrive!
 | | Photo courtesy of Black Youth Project. |
To look at the evening news on the occupations, it would seem as though young White men and women suffer most from the problems of our societies and the world in which we live. That is absolutely not true! In fact, the suffering from social and economic ills of people of African descent around the world is hugely disproportionate. So why has the "Occupy Movement" not inspired more young Black people across the globe to demand change and improvement in their world?
Some say Black people have too many "real" problems to be concerned about the volatility of the stock markets or whether Fortune 500 companies will each capture another billion dollars. Some say that Black Americans have forgotten the lessons learned from the civil rights movement. And others say that young Africans and young Black Americans today have been reprogrammed with technological toys, various forms of entertainment and other relatively mindless distractions. Regardless, young Black people around the world do not understand that decisions that govern the quality of their lives are being made without their input.
But a glimmer of hope has come to us in the form of a spinoff from Occupy Wall Street. It is called Occupy The Hood. While Occupy Wall Street addresses the viciousness of capitalism, uneven distribution and control of world resources, corrupt and ineffective governments, lack of human well-being across the world, climate change and the environment, wars and global violence and other dire issues, Occupy The Hood is being led by young people of African descent and addresses issues that cause people of African descent to suffer. And while we must absolutely stand in solidarity with our White, Asian, Arab and Hispanic brothers and sisters working to change the world, we must also organize to directly improve the conditions in our "hood".
 | | Photo provided by The Black Star Project |
If things are going to change for us for the better, young people of African descent around the world must begin the real work of nation-building. This work begins by getting in action in their communities, in their villages, in their cities and in their countries-to generate and ensure safe and prosperous places for us. We cannot wait for our parents, our leaders, Wall Street or those who occupy Wall Street before we take control of our futures and our destiny. We must organize and get into action now doing the work to save our race!
On November 19, people of African descent around the world will join in this work to Occupy The Hood. This work calls us to mentor youth in schools and in communities, assist and support senior citizens, work with men in jail, prison and ex-offenders, clean up neighborhood paper, trash, etc., walk safety patrols in communities, take youth to faith-based services, read to children at local schools, organize community health walks/runs, hold community-wide voter registration drives, organize men to take their children to museums, parks, sporting events and cultural events, organize volunteers to help at local hospitals, shelters, recreational and park-district facilities, shop at Black-owned stores, and design and develop additional community-building direct actions.
For young people of African descent, Occupy The Hood is this generation's civil rights movement! Launching Occupy Wall Street took only three days. How long will it take us to Occupy The Hood?
Phillip Jackson
Founder and Executive Director The Black Star Project
3509 South King Drive
Chicago, Illinois 60653
773.285.9600 office
Blackstar1000@ameritech.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Chicago, you can connect to Brittany Gault and the "Occupy The Hood" Movement by calling 773.285.9600. |
| On November 12, 2011, Black Men Across America Will Organize, Plan and Act for Achievement | | | Cities that will host Black Male Achievement Summits on November 12, 2011: Albany, New York
Altanta Georgia
Baltimore, Maryland
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Cincinnati, Ohio
Detroit, Michigan
Jackson, Mississippi
Los Angeles, California
Louisville, Kentucky
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
New York City, New York
Newark, New Jersey
Omaha, Nebraska
Peoria, Illinois
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Phoenix, Arizona
San Bernardino, California
Washington DC |
| With the Jobless Rate for
Black Teens in Chicago at 54.9%,
Economic Violence Will Follow!!! | | Those who are interested in solutions to mass teen unemployment must joins us tonight for a Youth Unemployment Town Hall Meeting Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at Columbia College 618 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois at 5:30 pm featuring - Chicago Sun-Times columnist and Channel 7 political analyst Laura Washington -
moderating. Jack Wuest of the Alternative Schools Network Illinois State. Rep. La Shawn K. Ford (8th District)Phillip Jackson of the Black Star Project Anton Seals Jr. of U. S. Cong. Bobby Rush's office,Teen panelists from Chicago Public Schools If we can't get Black and Latino young men and teens employed, then we cannot stop the violence in Chicago and all of our current anti-violence efforts are just pretending. |
| Critiquing Post-Race and Post-Feminist Media | | | Saturday, November 5, 2011
12:00 pm
Ida Noyes Hall, Max Palevsky Cinema
1212 East 59th Street
Chicago, Illinois
FREE!!! Description: This interactive event includes a panel of scholars, activists and artists in discussion with the audience about the politics of media representations of race and gender in this current period, which has been characterized by some as post-race and post-feminist. We will dissect contemporary moments in popular culture and political debates where race, gender, class and identity come center stage. Films like The Help, reality television shows like Basketball Wives, and hot button political issues such as immigration, Islamophobia, and the burgeoning Occupy Wall Street campaign lead the list. Panelists: Rosa Clemente, Bakari Kitwana (moderator), Joan Morgan, Mark Anthony Neal, Vijay Prashad, and Che "Rhymefest" Smith. Contact: Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture (CSRPC) / 773-702-8063 Persons with disabilities who need an accommodation in order to participate in this event should contact the event sponsor for assistance. |
| Hear Young Black People Tell Their Own Story | |  Arguably more than any other underrepresented group of Americans, African American youth reflect the challenges of inclusion and empowerment in the post-civil rights period. However, in contrast to the centrality of African American youth to the politics and policies of the country, their perspectives and voice have generally been absent from not only public policy debates, but also media, art and film projects. Increasingly, researchers and policy-makers have been content to detail and measure the behavior of young African Americans with little concern for their attitudes, ideas, wants and desires. This documentary will work to fill that void. For the last two years we have followed five youth and have witnessed family and social interactions, school and work life activities. The youth, ages 16-21, (three young women and two young men) represent a diversity of backgrounds and interests. A youth advisory panel has provided input on interview questions and screened footage throughout the production. We have now completed shooting and need money to complete the post production - editing, music scoring - for the film. This is a critical stage. Your donation will also enable us to begin the construction of the website which will feature a curriculum/discussion guide to encourage ongoing dialogue on issues raised in the film. We hope you'll join us in telling real stories about real lives, not just the typically negative, twenty second sound bytes we see on the evening newscast. |
| Private tutoring is not just for students who are behind. It is especially for students who want to excel! Give your child The Black Star edge! | | | |
"Take a Young Black Man to Worship Day" On Sunday, November 20, 2011, if your faith-based institution is not inviting, embracing and supporting young Black men, WHY NOT? On this day, every Black man is a father. You have plenty time to organize a successful "Take a Young Black Man to Worship Day." Call Bruce at 773.285.9600 for an organizing kit or to register your faith-based organization. | | Take a young Black man to worship at your church, mosque, temple, synagogue or place of worship in your home town on Fathers Day.  | | The Men of St. Elisabeth Catholic Church in Chicago surround their young Black men with love and support at the last "Take A Young Black Male to Worship Day". |
The Black Star Project's Million Father Movement is partnering with the most dynamic force in the Black community--the Black church. Black churches, mosques, temples and synagogues across the country are working together on "Take a Black Male to Worship Day," Sunday, November 20, 2011. Faith-based institutions throughout America are participating in this event. We are especially asking fathers, grandfathers, foster fathers, stepfathers, uncles, cousins, big brothers, mentors, deacons, trustees, male choir members, significant male caregivers and family friends to join The Black Star Project in this movement. Women and men of all ethnicities are also encouraged to "Take a Black Male to Worship Day." Please email blackstar1000@ameritech.net or call Bruce Walker at 773.285.9600 to bring this effort to your city, to receive a complete organizing kit or for guidance concerning this event. Participating faith-based institutions will be listed in our national directory. If your faith institution is not participating, why not? Please ask your faith leader to ensure that your faith-based institution participates in this event. If you wish to participate in or lead the effort in your city or in your congregation on Sunday, November 20, 2011, (or your day of worship near this date), please call Bruce Walker at 773.285.9600 for an organizing kit and to register or email blackstar1000@ameritech.net. Those who want to educate their children rather than wait for others to educate their children should join The Black Star Project in this effort at 773.285.9600 or visit our educational programs at www.blackstarproject.org. | | Support the Work of The Black Star Project | | | For more information on our other programs and how you can get involved, click on these links below or please call 773.285.9600: |
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