Wednesday, March 28, 2018

A3 Newsletter: Angola 3 Spring Update



A3 Newsletter, March 28, 2018:
Where Common Ground Began
--Help Malik Save Lubertha's Home
  

Featured below is a fundraising appeal from longtime Angola 3 supporter and former Black Panther Malik Rahim, who is shown in the photo above, alongside Robert King and Albert Woodfox.

The Angola 3 have long been involved with and supported Malik in his efforts with Common Ground and multiple other projects. We hope that our supporters will do what they can to assist Malik in saving his motherʻs home, the very home that was the initial base for Common Ground. Please take a moment to watch the video Malik has put together and help if you can.

We also want to remind you that Albert and Robert will be speaking in Los Angeles, California on April 7 at The Main and on April 9 at the Mark Taper Auditorium - Central Library. The April 7 event, moderated by artist and longtime A3 supporter Rigo 23, will occur inside the exhibition 'Rigo 23: Ripples Become Waves,' which takes its title from a quote by Robert King: "You throw pebbles into a pond, you get ripples; ripples become waves; the waves can become a tsunami." A fitting metaphor for the decades-long A3 struggle.

 

A Message from Malik Rahim

(Watch Malik's video and donate here.)

Almost 13 years ago, days after Hurricane Katrina, Mary Ratcliff of the Bay View News Paper called me for an interview which later was entitled  "This is Criminal." First, this article exposed the fact that over 150,000 people (the vast majority being Black) in the City of New Orleans were abandoned and offered no relief. Second, it launched the founding of one of this nation's greatest relief efforts, the Common Ground Collective. Through this collective, Common Ground Relief and Common Ground Health Clinic were organized. Together, we served over a 1/2 Million people in 19 affected parishes in Louisiana as well as counties in both Mississippi and Alabama. We provided outreach assistance to displaced residents in over 20 states.

All three organizations were founded at the home of my late Mother (Lubertha and step Father Irwin Johnson). I also housed over 200 of the early volunteers while serving as their first distribution center. Over 4,000 people received aid at my late mother's home. And it was from that home on Atlantic Ave, just weeks after Hurricane Katrina when we were hit by another hurricane, Rita. These early volunteers, working from my family home, cleaned hundreds of storm drains, preventing Algiers (which later became the community that the City of New Orleans was able to use to begin it's recovery efforts) from flooding. Never has the City of New Orleans, State of Louisiana nor this nation acknowledged the role and sacrifice those who volunteered with these organizations played in the aftermath of both hurricanes.

Now, in this New Orleans' 300th year anniversary, the city is attempting to sell my family home for back taxes. Taxes I will pay, for I truly believe there are enough grateful people in New Orleans to help me raise $ 31,000, to save a home if renovated would be valued over $200,000. But as these taxes are paid, I will be filing a civil right's law suit against the City of New Orleans, State of Louisiana and U.S. Federal Government, declaring our civil rights were violated, that I was targeted for being a member of the Black Panther Party and for the work I did to free the Angola 3 (three men who spent a combine total of 114 years in solitary confinement). But most of all, for exposing the injustice infected in my community in the aftermath of these hurricanes.

Please support my effort by not only making a contribution to save my home but calling for city, state, and congressional hearing on this civil action. Remember this can happen again if we fail to act.

Thanking you in advance for your support.
In the struggle for environmental Peace & Justice

Malik Rahim

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Please Support Herman Bell - Four Things to do Right Now!

We are reposting this call to action released by supporters of Herman Bell. Please do what you can!


Dear friends,

Last week the New York State Board of Parole granted Herman Bell release. Since the Board’s decision, there has been significant backlash from the Police Benevolent Association, other unions, Mayor De Blasio and Governor Cuomo. They are demanding that Herman be held indefinitely, the Parole Commissioners who voted for his release be fired, and that people convicted of killing police be left to die in prison.

We want the Governor, policymakers, and public to know that we strongly support the Parole Board’s lawful, just and merciful decision. We also want to show support for the recent changes to the Board, including the appointment of new Commissioners and the direction of the new parole regulations, which base release decisions more on who a person is today and their accomplishments while in prison than on the nature of their crime.

Herman has a community of friends, family and loved ones eagerly awaiting his return. At 70 years old and after 45 years inside, it is time for Herman to come home.

Here are four things you can do RIGHT NOW to support Herman Bell: