April 27, 2002 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Forest Park Community College – St. Louis, MO

Approximately 75 people attended the Midwest Fightback meeting on April 27, representing three states and five cities. Registration packets contained position papers by the BRC, OBS literature and other articles related to the war. The participants first heard from a distinguished panel who spoke on topics that also coincided with workshop titles to set the tone for the afternoon’s discussion.

Shiriki Unganisha is a activist and freelance writer from Kansas City, MO. She addressed the repressive laws being implemented and their impact on the Black Liberation Movement. Rose Brewer is a Black Studies professor from Minneapolis, MN. She represented the political positions of the BRC on the history and strategy of the Fightback effort. Juju Jacobs, a student and member of the Organization for Black Struggle, talked about the role of students in the anti-war activities. Sylvester Brown is Editor and Publisher of Take Five Magazine in St. Louis, MO. He discussed the perpetration of misinformation and other media tactics regarding the Bush war machine.

The following are summations and actions steps from workshops.

Presenters: Kuumba Nia– All African Peoples Revolutionary Party

Rose Brewer – Black Radical Congress

Facilitator: Diane Riley- Jobs with Justice

Discussion centered around information, organizing youth as a priority and establishing an ongoing anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist organization for the work. Principles identified in the work were a clear anti-war emphasis, anti-racial profiling and support for self-determination. A number of alternative media websites were cited such as stlimc.org, Alternet.org, democracynow.org and newblackcity.com, etc.

Action Steps

1. To utilize and access the various mediums, i.e.. Internet, radio, print, television, etc.

2. To constantly and regularly pass out information related to our principles we have identified in order to educate, mobilize and move to revolutionary action.

3. To prioritize youth involvement in the movement in addition to prioritizing women’s involvement in the movement.

4. To organize and implement mass community education blitz.

5. To build an anti-imperialist front, including coalescing with groups from Africa to Palestine.

Presenters: Vishal Singh-Independent Media Center

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Facilitator: Juju Jacob-OBS Chapter, Forest Park Community College

XX and XX presented a videotape of the youth summit at the World Conference Against Racism held last year in Durban, South Africa. A concept that emerged from the WCAR summit on listening projects was introduced. Discussion included outreach to such groups as KOCO, ACEP, Worldview Institute, Independent Media Center, student groups at area campuses. Using Hip Hop as a medium of expression would be a way to bring in youth involvement.

Action Steps

1. Create Listening Projects (MW)
Can be done via parties, informational "Speak Outs", forums

2. Unity Building
Joint canvassing, utilize Email Networks

Presenters: Lisa LaGrone

Facilitator: Jamala Rogers

Discussion centered on impact on military budget on social services and education. In St. Louis, loss revenue will be re-couped through taxation on the poor through summons for city violations. We should use the unmet needs of the women and their children coming off the welfare rolls by July 2002 as an example of the contradictions the war is creating where the war is usurping domestic needs. We must get the community involved with assisting these families, especially targeting the assistance of Black Elected Officials and the black churches and demanded their accountability. Information and education will be key to fighting disempowerment of the African American community and getting people involved in a fight-back.

Action Steps

1. Develop creative ways to get information out and taking it to the streets, including setting up a speakers bureau* (talk about issues such repressive laws affecting our civil liberties, criminalization of youth and poor people, candidates and ballot issues)

2. Get youth involved in all levels of the Fightback

3. Demand accountability from our so-called black leadership, such as elected officials, ministers, businesspeople, etc.

*Johnson Lancaster and Karim Perim have agreed to set up engagements on the various public affairs program (radio, TV and cable).

"The U.S. Patriot Act and its Impact on Black Liberation"

Presenter: Donnell Smith, local attorney

Facilitator: Shiriki Unganisha, writer and activist

Action Steps

1. Get information out as widely as possible (through word of mouth, leaflets, Internet, media, etc.)

2. Define the Patriot Act in understandable terms & how it impacts us.

Note: There was no workshop on "Deconstructing Disinformation" due to a scheduling conflict of the presenter.

Black Radical Congress
National Office
Columbia University Station
P.O. Box 250791
New York, NY 10025-1509
Phone: (212) 969-0348
blackradicalcongress@email.com