SCE (SANKOFA COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT) develops culturally relevant and socially practical educational models that cultivate community-based leadership.
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Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessaline, Steven Biko, Nat Turner and many more brothers and sisters who fought and lived for the liberation of people of Africa descent.
Sankofa boasts a plethora of talented writers who write about the bondage and genocide of the black community from police brutality and mis-Education in the public school system, to wrongful imprisonment and black-on-black crime.
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About me: The mission of Sankofa Community Empowerment, Inc., is to educate and empower people of African descent to change the condition of our deteriorating communities. Our programs and community events are multi purpose mobilization mechanisms that serve as educational tools, workshops and support groups.
Who I'd like to meet: Contact: For Immediate Release
Oona Chatterjee 347.268.1892
Lurie Daniel-Favors 917.326.0615
PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!
Black and Latino Teachers & Activists Racially Profiled & Arrested While Attending Court Proceedings on Behalf of Their Students.
What: PACK THE COURT HOUSE
When: December 12th at 9am
Where: 120 Schemerhorn St., Brooklyn Court House, 8th Floor
PRESS CONFERENCE AT 12:00pm.
On November 30, Brian Favors, teacher and director of Sankofa Community Empowerment and member of MXGM, Nkululeko Sechaba, President of the Queens chapter of InPDUM, Jesus Gonzales, community organizer with Make the Road, NY, and Mario Cox, an honor roll student at BCHS were attending court proceedings in support of the Bushwick 32 students, when they themselves were racially profiled and placed under arrest. The Bushwick 32 is a group of students who were racially profiled and arrested while en route to a funeral on May 21, 2007. The NYPD mistakenly identified the students as a gang and held them for 36 hours. Though police did not find any drugs, weapons or gang paraphernalia on the young people, they did find letters from their school and parents granting them permission to attend the funeral. Despite the widespread media attention, community support and numerous eye witness testimonies which contradict the NYPD's account of events, District Attorney Charles Hynes has refused to drop the charges.
Community supporters, including teachers, family members and activists rallied once again behind the Bushwick 32 on November 30. Shocked and appalled at the sub par representation the students received in court, teacher, and long-time supporter, Brian Favors discretely urged several defense attorneys to competently represent the students. One of the defense attorneys, offended at the questioning of her paltry representation, returned to the court room and informed a Court Security Officer ("CSO"), with whom she has a personal relationship and parents a child, that she did not like the way Mr. Favors spoke to her and she wanted the "Black man with dread locks" ejected out of the court room. The CSO mistakenly identified Mr. Sechaba as the "Black man with dread locks" in question and shouted for him to leave the court room. Mr. Favors then stood up and informed the CSO that he had kicked out the wrong "Black man with dreadlocks." Mr. Sechaba told the CSO that he had just engaged in an act of racial profiling, and requested the CSO's badge number. The CSO, refusing to acknowledge his public mistake, ordered fellow officers to "cuff" both Mr. Favors and Mr. Sechaba. Mr. Gonzales and Mr. Cox were also arrested for the "crime" of informing the officers that their teacher and supporter had done nothing to warrant an arrest. All four men were violently assaulted during the course of their arrest.
Councilman Charles Barron stated "First the police terrorize us and arrest our youth for wanting to attend a funeral. Then the court officers terrorize us again and deny our constitutional right to enter a court room and support our youth at their trial. If this is not fascism I don't know what is. I support these brothers 100% and they should be set free."
The community insists that this is only the latest example of the targeting of people of color by the NYPD and the criminal justice system. Press conference organizers highlight data gathered by the New York Civil Liberties Union -- in 2006, over 94% of stop and frisks by the 83rd precinct and 90% of stop and frisks citywide resulted in no summons issuance or arrest. Several New York Times Articles detailing the controversy surrounding the Bushwick 32 case are attached.
What: PACK THE COURT HOUSE
When: December 12th at 9am
Where: 120 Schermerhorn St., Brooklyn Court House, 8th Floor
PRESS CONFERENCE AT 12:00pm.
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FREE JENA 6 FREE JENA 6. Hey Ya'll much love. I have a great documentary that I think we should watch.... Sisters in Cinema. Its about black women film directors of past and present and their struggle to get support in making and distributing their films. Being able to tell our stories from their perspectives. Check it out. Chelle
asalamuhaleykum dearest friend,it's an real honor and pleasure to be within your friend's page.and in plus it's nice to know that they still have people who cares a lot about there origine.just stay so and may the blessing of the higher most god be opun ya'll!!! khadre straight from the mother land "afrika",regards!!!
