U.S

More Than Protesting: Strategic Action, Effective Change

Posted on by TanzyWard

Protests are not always effective when it comes to progression/change. So, what is? To help gradually decrease police brutality, there needs to be reconstruction , change & progress  on the federal, state, and local levels of government. The reason why unfit and bad cops keep getting away with these crimes is because they are protected by policies that are flawed. We cannot keep simply protesting, being out raged on social media, and accepting that this is just how it is. Effective change means not just discussion and protest signs, but it also means strategically planning & taking action. So, let’s contemplate a few effective actions we can do that will help implement change.

1. Educating ourselves on the policies/laws already enacted and policy solutions that needs to be enforced, then demanding action from policy officials at all levels of government. Don’t complain, but then refuse to actually be a part of change. Don’t shoot down my suggestions, then refuse to try or give better solutions.

2. It’s okay to be angry, but create positive change from that anger. Saying “fuck the police” and then ranting on social media is not going to solve anything.

3. I encourage all to learn more at joincampaignzero.org, which goes into detail more specifically on the  problems, solutions, and actions we can take to implement effective change.

All in all, if we live in a place where issues like police brutality and basic human rights violations plague the land, then we all should help implement change and discuss/take actions concerning effective solutions…. Especially for those of us who complain and are angry.

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Boogie Down Bronx:Classic Photography

Posted on by TanzyWard

1520 Sedgwick Avenue and D.J Kool Herc are names forever synonymous with a part of the origins of rap music. In 1973 on August 11th, Kool Herc hosted a back to school party for his sister at the recreation room of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue apartment building. At the community house party, he introduced a technique that involved two turntables, a mixer, two copies of the same record, and playing another song at the beginning or middle of the record while focusing on ”the break” in each one. With D.J Kool Herc presenting his technique, his friend Coke La Rock began to rap and many legendary rappers like Afrika Bambaataa and Grand Master Flash all claimed to have witnessed this historic significant event in music history. In honor of The Boogie Down Bronx, here are some truly amazing and influential photos that shows why  The Boogie Down Bronx will always be considered a birthplace of the rhythmic poetic art we call Hip Hop.

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J. Edgar Hoover Deemed Them The Greatest Threat: Vintage Footage of Black Panther Party’s Youth Learning Centers *Edited*

Posted on by TanzyWard

J. Edgar Hoover once called the Black Panther Party for Self Defense ”the greatest threat to the internal security of this country”. Um,okay. At first I was looking at this quote from just one angle, but if you think about it they stood for a lot of things that many Americans with a mindset like Hoover did not want. So, they were a threat but definitely not a negative/bad one. One definition of ”internal security” means upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats. Yet when I analyze Hoover’s quote, what he really meant was ”keeping the order of things the same way”  and not acting, disturbing, or speaking out against unfair mistreatment/ racism in our society. The Black Panther Party were not about being racist or spreading a hateful message, but they believed in being revolutionary/rebellious concerning the mistreatment/societal issues in our country. In Hoover’s mind this was a great threat to our country’s internal security. Of course, just like all other organizations there were some members who were not really for the party’s cause, however the Black Panther Party were doing great things in the community like helping children learn, get healthy breakfasts, and basically following a belief that is totally fine with me and makes a lot of sense: Self Defense. The problem is, since they were black, armed, and speaking out against the horrible things happening on a mass mainstream level to African Americans and other minority groups….it was a problem. They were a younger generation who did not want to necessarily follow Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s method ,had revolutionary mindsets, and this was threatening to many. Unfortunately and sadly, COINTELPRO  and other illegal projects caused total destruction to the Black Panther Party, which included assassinating people like Fred Hampton, harassment, and etc.  This video is a great example of how The Black Panther Party For Self Defense had learning centers and positive resources in inner city communities. But nevertheless, Hoover said this was the greatest threat to the internal security of our country. I wonder why.

America: Two Options For Me

Posted on by TanzyWard

Racism will always exist and so will brutality among humans.  However,  we can decrease and minimize this, but the question is….can most humans be on the same page and actually want to achieve this? What I mean is,  some people just don’t value or really care  about certain groups and their lives. Some people don’t really care for change or progression.  The justice system (among many other things) in America has alot of flaws like other places, of course,  and we can either decide to help change this or move out of the U.S. It’s funny how we can complain about America,  but alot of us will never move to another place.  Do you know how many people who have free will to go, complain and passionately hate America….yet they probably will live and die in the same nation that treats them unfairly?  As an African American who is not okay with the current state of the U.S, I feel as though I have two options: move out of America and become a permanent resident somewhere else, or help be apart of the change that I want to see. Just complaining is not an option for me because that doesn’t solve anything.  Some people don’t have faith in America because of its history, but there have been good people who’ve left influential/postive marks on this land. The problem is,  we need more people with that mindset….So I have a question for all of us who do not like a lot of the things that happen in America.  Since we’re here….. What are we going to do to better America? Or, are we just going to point out problems and complain?  And if you feel like America is damned & can’t become better….then put yourself in a position to leave.