NOTES ON THE FORMATION OF A CONGRESS OF AFRICAN PEOPLE
BY Mwalimu Kabaila
Mission Statement:
The Congress of African People is an organization dedicated to the cultural and material transformation of Africa and its Diaspora, and people of African descent globally. Because of the unique history of African people, unique institutions are required to remedy historical circumstances which deny African people their inalienable right to Self-Determination, i.e. the right to determine their daily lives destiny, as a free, proud and productive peoples. This body is not a political organization, but a cultural organization, which seeks to research, organize, agitate, advocate and harness the collective resources of African People, worldwide, in order to engage in sustainable development, and to assert our unique vision of a world free of want, toil, exploitation and domination. African culture and civilization have given much to the world, and has yet, much more to contribute to human transformation and progress.The Holocost of Enslavement divided these resources, thus weakening them, but today African Peoples everywhere, are prepared to step back on the stage of Human History, ready to speak our special truth to the world. This is the mission of the Congress of African People. We introduce ourselves, proudly!!!
Principles:
The Congress of African People stands on several principles to which its constituent organizations, communities and advocates believe, promote and adhere to.
1. Self determination – In the Pan African context, this principle is best defined as the recognition of the right and responsibility to define, defend and develop our interests as a people and Pan Afrakan Community, and to step back on the stage of human history as a free, proud and productive people.
2. Operational Unity - Entering into and engaging in a principled and practical unity that does not seek to deny autonomy, but rather, to foster a spirit of working together towards common goals and objectives, the ultimate of which, is to build a more perfect and harmonious union in the interests of our Pan African Community.
3. Sovereign Rights as a People and Community – this is recognition of the fact that Afrakan and Diasporan Peoples shares a common history, culture, life experiences, consciousness and therefore the same or similar life chances. Because of these we also have the right and responsibility to build the structural and institutional capacity to create and contribute to human progress in our own image and interests, as a free and self-determined people.
4. The Seven Cardinal Virtues of Ma'at - From Ancient Kemet, these Virtues provide a classical African Ethical System which can guide our development and assist in the process of restoring our people to their tradtional greatness, based on their universal acceptance in the Pan African Community.They are Truth, Justice, Balance, Harmony, Order, Reciprocity, and Propriety. Their goal is to create the righteous man and woman.
5. The Nguzo Saba - which from the basis of Kwanzaa, the holiday which is the singular event which unites African People around dthe world at the same time, and which are, also, universally accepted and practiced. They are, Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith.
Goal and Objectives:
The Congress of African People does not seek to duplicate any existing organization, but does draw its inspiration and insights from many organizations, including the UNIA, Pan African Congresses, OAU, Pan African Parliament, OAAU, WADU, as well, as the first formation of CAP, in 1970. While we recognize that these organizations are necessary, it is felt that the myriad needs and aspirations of African Peoples, remain insufficiently met. CAP seeks to fill this gap.CAP's overall scope is Pan African, and yet in recognizes the unique social and historical circumstances of each National African Community. However, there are general defining elements which give Pan Africanism its meaning. These elements can be found in at least seven basic areas of Cultural Activity:
1. History
2. Spirituality/Religion/Ethics
3. Social organization
4. Political organization
5. Economic organization
6. Creative production (Art, Music, Dance, Fashion, Literature, Technology, Theater, Cinema, Spoken Word)
7. Ethos – Collective psychology and it’s defining characteristics
What CAP seeks, is to define a minimum set of program areas which each African Community can engage in, and in doing so, bounds us in common developmental activities, which will build Pan African Consciousness, in the process of transforming our social reality. At a minimum, these program areas might include the following:
PROGRAM OUTLINE FOR THE CONGRESS OF AFRICAN PEOPLE
A.History
1) Writing corrective history of African Peoples and developing historiography. This is important because history is a record (written and oral) of our peoples’ achievements, contributions and role in human progress.
2) Corrected history of African peoples provides critique, models, images, and paradigms of what we have done and can do to rescue and reconstruct our communities locally and with a national scope.
B. Spirituality/Religion/Ethics
1) Developing organizational structures and institutional capacity to promote ethics, values, morality and a spirituality that are people-centered and socially-based within an ecumenical spirit and framework. Promote study of Maat as classical African ethics.
2)Researching, documenting, gaining understanding and teaching the role and history of the black church and other spiritual institutions in our struggles for national liberation and continuing our social justice tradition.
3) Developing ways and means of networking with those in the other six areas, to ensure that the spiritual dimension of our lives is always represented and actualized in all that we do, in keeping with African and Pan African tradition. Collaborating in an ecumenical spirit to develop affirmations, prayers, meditations, stories, myths and other spiritual expressions that uplift and elevate us to higher levels of life.
4) Black churches can serve as institutional conduits to building regional unity. These opportunities should be explored by community organizers and activists.
C. Social Organization
1) Education
Public, Private (Church, etc.), Alternative (African centered), Charter schools, Pre-school, Historical Black Colleges (HBC) program and curriculum emphasis.
Support structures for Black students enrolled at Universities and in Graduate Schools
Support structures and systems for Pan African Studies Programs and Curriculum, particularly in HBC’s
Ways and means of supporting and organizing advocacy groups for education of black students developing a system of communication and disseminating information on progress, models and issues as they arise. Encouraging Pan African students to go into areas of study that pursue our Pan African interests as a Pan African Community of people and that allow us to occupy key areas of social space, i.e. – Law, Science, Medicine, Trade, Commications, Cultural Transformation.
2) Health
Expose’ of the status and critique of, and correctives for health in Pan African communites.
Establishing and submitting agreed upon proposals for Universal Health Care in each of our countries..
Commission to study and report on universal health care and delivery systems in other countries (China, Cuba, Europe, Canada)
Research and Advocacy for Wholistic and people centered (as opposed to profit oriented) medicine and encouraging regular conferences and national formations for support.
Development of a Wholistic Health Care Delivery systems which respond to the needs of Afrakan people.
3) Family
History and current status of the African peoples family structure – African enslavement , post slavery, current; DNA testing
Research and Study of new family and community forms adapted to an industrialized, urban, technological society, multi-cultural and developing societies (Rebuilding the Village).
4) Council of Elders
Definition, Role and Relevance
5) Rites of Passage as means of addressing Children and Gang issues by insisting that children rise up to definable community standards and rewarded (or sanctioned) by family and community rituals.
a.) The Rites of Passage should address:
[1.] Developing a Multi-dimensional Personality...
a. learning one of the arts - music, art, poetry, architecture, computer arts,
b. learning African centered spirituality and values training - Maat, Ifa, Dogon, Zulu, Akhan, etc.
c. Basic knowledge and understanding of Black History - Kemet, Songhay, Mali, Reconstruction, Harlem Renassaince, Black Cultural Revolution, Black Arts Movement,
[2.] Physical development,
a. Martial arts, Kemetic yoga, meditation, etc., capieora
b. routine of running, walking, swimming, hiking
c. Survival training
d. Team sport can be a substitute in this area
[3.] Community Orientation
a. Senior escort service
b. youth corp training curriculum and means of implementation - Community Alert Patrol for gangs and drugs.
c. participation in political campaigns and/or community organizing
[4.] Basic Education and Tutoring
a. Science, Math, Language, writing skills proficiency
b. basic intro to African languages and encouragement to learn at least one extra language.
c. Science, Math, African centered Architecture, computer technology,
d. Maatian governance
[5.] Social Skills
a. relationship training and orientation with reinforcing rituals
b. sexuality from Afrocentric perspective
c. family skills and orientation
d. Communal principles of building community in contemporary society
[6] Economics Value Orientation
a. how to develop, follow and evaluate a personal budget
b. understanding the importance of a personal savings program
c. practicing collective economic investment and/or wealth-building
d. triangular development (Africa, Caribbean, Africa America and other Diasporan communities
[7] Time Management
a. how to plan, use and assess a personal schedule
b. learning to set and accept responsibility for personal priorities
c. practicing collective decision-making and/or organizing
{8} Study Abroad
a. Especially in Africa and the Caribbean
(9) Spiritual Development
a. Maat, Yoruba, Zulu, Akhan, Dogon
b. wellness, massage, acupuncture
Some of the essential goals and objectives here, in my opinion, should be to establish some community standards and expectations for our youth and establish a system of reward and sanctions that reinforce these, and to institute a type of graduation ceremony with progressive African rituals.
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6) Criminal Justice
Research, debate and implementation of nationally accepted standards for equal administration of justice.
Strategies for prevention and re-socialization after imprisonment
Abolition of 3 strikes
Education, training and Job development (particularly Green jobs) for bro’s and sisters returning to community from incarceration.
7) Diasporan Relations
Building stronger social, spiritual, economic and cultural relationships between and among African Americans, Continental and Diasporan Africans.
Promote the building of Universities on each continent that study our respective histories and struggles as African people.
D. Political Organization
1) Electoral Politics
Designing local, national and international strategies to develop, promote and pursue black interests; Use to mobilize the masses, to access resources and organize around definable and relevant issues.
2) Extra-Parliamentary Politics
This involves strategies and tactics of mobilizing and organizing at local, regional, national and Pan-african levels in order to affect, influence, and challenge policies, programs and issues from without the ordinary channels of power, when expedient to do so, in order to get intended results.
Also to research, design and propose other national and Pan-african formations that can pursue and agitate for a National Agenda for Black Americans and progressive policies towards Diasporan peoples.
3) National Black Agenda - Formulating, Proposing and devising strategies and tactics of implementing policies, programs and projects that define, develop and defend the collective interests of people of African descent. To be made up of a consortium of Black Professionals, Community activists, and Union organizers.
4) National African American Congress and corresponding national entities in each country or region.
An issue defining, policy formulating, program implementing alliance, made up of delegates to be chosen from their respective regions of the country; areas of emphasis will include, Political, Economic, Spiritual/Religious, Artistic (creative), Communications, Social (Education, Health, Psychology) Community defense and development. This body is charged with initiating and implementing a multi-disciplinary approach that institutes a comprehensive National Black Agenda.
5) Building the Organizational and Institutional capacity to engage in Pan-African and Diasporan relations
a) Participation in the African Union (AU)
b) development of people to people trade – Creation of Pan African and/or Diasporan Trade Market and Festivals
c) Cultural Exchange and development – Building Pan African Film Festivals and Festpac type of events into institutions
d) Continuing the Pan African Congresses and State of the Black World Conferences and building them into institutions.
e) pursuing duel citizenship, Diaporan reparations (could be debt relief) , and resettling of Diaporans on the African continent.
6) Council of Elders
To be made up of men/women of stature, experience, knowledge and commitment to community interests, whose role shall be defined by their respective communities, but inclusive of conflict resolution, advise and (in some cases) consent of means and ways to implement policy, programs and projects for community growth and development
7) Community Defense and Development
Development of New African Scouts, Simba Wachanga or New Black Panther formations that are conscious, committed and capable of developing and defending black community interests and who are accountable to the Council of Elders and National African American Congress.
8) Building a New Black Political Culture and new paradigms for
Black political action, leadership and community organization.
a) Of greatest import here is develop new paradigms of Black Leadership and ways and means of providing training for emergent leadership who show initiative, innovation and insight in meeting the challenges that our communities face.
9. National Intelligence Force
10. Support and promote the building of an Inter-dependent Woman's Movement that has the capacity to address Women's issues in our struggle for National Liberation.
11. Formulate, Promote and Develop a Diplomatic and Ambassador Corps to represent our interests in Diaspora and Internationally.
12. Exploring the possibilities for establishing a Nation-Entity structure that houses our national aspirations for Self-determination and to have the institutional capacity to control our own communities in our own image and interests. Ending the external occupation and gentrification of urban areas where the masses of our people are concentrated. Gaining UN and AU support for such a movement.
E. Economic Organization
1) properly addressing class relations in the Black community and the impact on community development
2) Definition, Role and Relevance of Black Middle Class
a) Building people to people trade relations with and between Continental Africans and Diasporan
b) Encouraging investment in and between black communities at home and in Diaspora
c) Encouraging and supporting Buy Black campaigns and culture
d) Formulating, analyzing and developing structures and systems that implement Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) in our communities, e.g. Matah, 1IMall, Afrikan Business Development Fund(ABDF LTD.)
e) Coordination of Ways and Means to support N’Cobra and others involved in the struggle for Reparations.
f) Strategies to get the business sector to support Black Ownership
g) develop strategies to engage in the Ecological, Sustainabilty and Green Revolution
(1) This deserves highest priority in terms of developing teams of grant and proposal writers, contractors and negotiators for sustainable and green training programs, work projects, patent development in order to prepare our youth, and former prison inmates for jobs programs.
(2) SEVEN ELEMENTS OF SUSTAINABLE DELOPMENT IN AFRICAN AND THE DIASPORA
Trade and Commerce Missions (Africa, New Africa, Caribbean)
A. Determining which industries are most attractive to and marketable for African/Diaspora people; e.g. Fashion
Industry(African centered designs, textiles, clothing outlets) tourism, agriculture, herbology, sustainable housing
Construction (Esp. African centered architecture designs).
B. Deciding where to place each industrial center/plant in order to maximize production and distribution of the
designated commodities.
C. Determining the most efficient trade/commerce/transportation routes to get products to market, and which
are for export and which need to be imported.
D. Given the above factors, price schedules must be established which allow for affordability, but also enough profit to make the industry sustainable over time/circumstances (market conditions, weather/climate changes competition.
E. Economic Intelligence – defense and development.
F. Determining the best places to begin building African Marketplaces, which would also house museums, learning centers, theaters, Community Administrative centers (Council of Elders, youth/Simba Corps, Cultural/Convention Center, Communication and Response Teams.
G. Training centers for the various trades or a trade college/university.
2. Revenue and Funding Sources
A. dues, taxes, IMF, Foundations, grants, donations, charities
B. The key difference is that these funds will not go to corrupt politicians or civil servants, but will be allocated and administrated by a Foundation, with a Pan African Board of Directors which will determine which projects get funded based on need; how, when, where, and by what means.
C. We propose that any Reparations which comes in monetary form also be allocated through such Foundation, or Foundation approved sources.
D. Immediate debt relief for African and Caribbean Countries and people of African descent, as part of a reparations package
3. Infrastructure Building
A. Transportation – Cross continental Rail System, Modernized air transport system, commercial shipping fleet, trucking system. Roads which facilitate commerce and tourism trade.
B. Sustainable Energy – water (waterfalls, reservoirs, ocean, stream), wind, methanol-ethanol, Solar, Bio-Thermal, which all link up with a continental energy grid.
C. Indigenous Sustainable Sanitation Systems and Water purification
D. Indigenous Communications Systems with the ability to link up with Global systems
E. Reduction of and Penalties for Toxic Waste caused by foreign and/or domestic corporations.
4. Expansion of Cultural and Economic Trade and Exchange
A. Exhibition and Preservation of African People artistic heritage and the progressive character of its culture – Museums, Festivals Seminars, Performing Arts Shows
1) As African people enter into this Renaissance era and new stage of development , new rules of engagement must be designed to enter into the global economy. It is mandatory that institutions are built which preserve the integrity of African and Diaspora art forms, languages, systems of thought (Dogon, Maat, Ifa, Akhan, Zulu, Masai, etc.) and cultural traditions, such as Council of Elders, Rites of Passage, Cooperative Economics, Extended Family, Reverence for Nature and the Spiritual Quest for Oneness with a God Force. These defining elements of African life and culture must not be lost or compromised at the expense of modernization and/or development.
2) Recognition that Africa Culture is one of Africa’s most important , if not the most important exports. It has played a dominant role in the American, South American, Caribbean, and Australian cultures, and now even in faraway places such as Japan. African culture has economic and human value. Thus, it must be packaged to represent the best of what Africa was, is and has the possibility to become, though, it should not just be viewed as a commodity, rather, an expression of who we are as a People in the forward flow of human progress.
B. Employment of Culture in our Collective Struggle for Human Liberation and Transformation
1) Culture must provide the foundation for our:
(a) Identity – who we are, based on our historical Personality as a people
(b)Purpose – based on who we are, what our role and responsibility is in relationship to elevating the quality of life of our people, creating human progress, and transforming society to reflect the best of who we are as Africans and humans.
(c) Direction – the means we choose to achieve the above. To engage in the struggle to define, defend and develop ourselves as African, Pan Africanists and humans. The process(es) of Social Transformation which allows the human personality to realize its fullest potential, and creates a social context which allows for human flourishing.
2) Definition of a Black Aesthetic which gives Black/African art its distinction and unique qualities as an art form.
3) African and African centered Culture is our most valuable product and therefore, must not only be preserved, but promoted among our own people in our quest to regain our historical personality, and overcome the Post Traumatic Shock of Enslavement.
C. Culture as Economic Stimulus for Africa and Diaspora
1) Gain economic dominance in those areas of Culture where we can gain a measure of control, i.e.
(a) African centered Fashion Design, tailoring, textiles, haberdashery, millinery
(b) Control of Music Production, distribution and promotion
( c) African Centered Architectural Design
(d) Sports and Entertainment personalities donating to Foundations engaged in Sustainable Development policy, programs and projects. Research of Pan Afrakan Sports Federation of designated sports.
(e) More exchange between and among African (Nigerian, Ghanaian, Senegalese) and New African filmmakers; building community theaters.
(f) Encouraging youth to become more inventive and innovative in technology and teaching modalities, particularly in Black schools.
5. Modernization of Agricultural Production among African people is mandatory, while Preserving the Quality of Rural, Social and Cultural Life.
A. Low Carbon foods are healthier/while balance must be struck with export/import crops.
B. Irrigation systems must be installed and maintained, esp. in arid and dry areas.
C. Basis for industry-wide growth as Garvey called for; feeding into grocery markets and restaurant chains; developing food and herb coops; Holistic Health Coops and delivery systems which service underserved communities.
D. Methodologies which ensure that African Mineral Wealth benefits indigenous people. Corruption must be challenged and rooted out, and replaced by a system which allows re-distribution of wealth on a level of parity. Quatar and Kuwait might serve as models.
6. Transfer and Exchange of Knowledge, Technology and Science between and among Continental African and Diasporas
Each sector of the African World (Continental Africans, African Americans, African ex-patriates, Caribbeans, Brazilians, Africans in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, and the rest of Diaspora) must seek methodologies and modalities whereby Science, Knowledge and Technology will be used for human good and progress from an African Worldview, which puts humanity, and Human Good at the center. Emphasis on establishing consortiums, economic clubs, Coops, Conferences and strive to build Pan African Universities which can encourage inventions, study of African languages, architecture, science, Math, Governance, and requirements for re-structuring civil society.
7. Dynamic Development Strategies and Methods -
A. Revolution, as a social phenomena, should never be limited to just struggle from physical bondage, but is inclusive of economic, political and psychological liberation also. Sustainable development strategies and methodologies must be cognizant of this fact, while seeking ways and means of empowering the disenfranchised (peasants, workers and people of color). In this millineum, in todays’ world, Sustainable Development is the sine qua non of today’s revolutionary process. Sloganizing, theorizing nor repeating ideological formulations will no longer suffice. Therefore, we must seek processes of fulfilling the Garvey admonnition "to build industries in every area of human endeaavor which affects oue destiny and daily lives".
3) Instituting Maatian values in the application of Economic Affairs and Relations
F. Creative Production
1) The definition, role and relevance of the black creative experience in raising social and community consciousness.
Is there a Black Aesthetic? Defining the difference between popular art and culture and national art and culture.
2) Sponsoring seminars, forums and town halls on how values, ethics and morality are transmitted and transferred via various cultural expressions, i.e. Art, Music, Literature, Spoken Word (Poetry), Dance, Theater, Cinema, Sports, Comedy, Architecture and Technology and Fashion. Instituting an annual National Unity Tour involving artists in the above categories.
3)Developing Communications networks and outlets that respond to the need of our National Community and Pan African , to be informed and educated on issues, topics and current events in the context of our technological society. Develop ways and means of promoting and supporting our IT community. Promote the learning of African languages as well as French, Spanish and Portuguese.
4) Development of community theater, exhibitions, concerts, art, dance and fashion shows (or some combination of all), that promote national and Pan African culture and the values that flow from them.
5) Means and Ways of building and supporting institutions that promote and project Black art and fashion. This would give jobs, create outlets and context for free and liberating expression for black artists.
6) Artist associations and leagues by which artists develop their crafts as well as creating ways of becoming and being more relevant to black community interests, growth and development.
7) Finding creative ways of making the point that technology should not define our social agenda, but rather, we must find ways of making technology serve our collective community agendas.
G) Ethos/Psychology
1) Developing a unifying and positive self conception as a person, people and national community with definable history, life circumstances, identity, and future.
2) Collective Identity
Defining, developing and educating our people on our collective identity and how it translates into a national one. Developing modalities that bridge the light vs. dark skinned divide.
3) Strategies, methods and treatment modalities which assist in overcoming the effects of Post Traumatic Enslavement Syndrome
4) Defining and developing the relationship between our identity as African Americans,
Pan Africans and Humans and means and ways to institutionalize same.
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