What Works in Your Community?

[AfroNinpo]

Originally Posted by Conscious Sistah

what works best in the UK, i would say are big pan-african events e.g African Liberation day, as well as smaller events. talks, lectures, panel discussions and debates are also effective. These are actually quite hard to find out about, if your not within certain circles, or don't know where to find information on pan-african centred events. I think that it's ineffective in the sense, that it is not broadly advertised so everyone can can gain information about events such as these.

What works well for me, is just sitting down and talking one on one, or to a small group of individulas. this is effective as you can do it, anywhere, any time, any place. I find it more effective as you've bringing knowledge to someone in a personal way, and it's more interactive then say a lecture.

what works well in your community?

What seems to work here is combining the message of Pan Afrikanism with something else. For example, whenever there is a big musical event, I see a good crowd of Afrikans. Whenever there is a holistic health seminar, there is a decent crowd. But, when there is a speaker (unless it's Min. Farrakhan or Micheal Erik LieSon or Cornell Waste) the crowd is only filled with those of us who already consider ourselves Pan Afrikanists. For example, we have had Nana Kuntu (Del Jones) and Sister Q speak a few times since I've been here. I went three times, and each time, I saw pretty much the same people, so there wasn't much of a point. Spreading the word CAN BE like feeding a child medicine. if you tell him it's medicine, he most likely won't want to take it. But, if you put it in a form that he's more open to, like a chewable tablet, then he's much more likely to take it. Other organizers here in ATLanta might have different opinions than I do, as I have only been here a year and a half, but that's how I see it so far.

[Kweku_Omowale]

there are so many people here doing different things, we hold educational sections,sometimes,videos and dvds,there are small pockets of people doing their own"thang"
i am witha group called afrikan educators,musicians,poets,educators,etc,
i concur with conscious sister,is bringing info to those that dont know,or trying to bring dem to the sessions,is the biggest challenge!
btw afro nimpo,we had doctor tony martin coming all the way to speak on marcus garvey,right,but the rastafarian and garveyites fought among demselves,and that in itself,turned me off because they lost the focus,i was told that in ghana,jamaica repatriates dont mix with other diasporans,that disturbed me as well, why do you think it happens and what are the causes@nimpo? why when people get to the continent emulate divide and conquer,do you think,because it is based on beliefs?

[Revolutionary_Student]

^^^bump!^^^

[Mahmoud Siddiqi]

Originally Posted by AfroNinpo

What seems to work here is combining the message of Pan Afrikanism with something else.

This also usually seems to work in my community.

One thing I have noticed in my community is that alot of people don't care to do anything and wouldn't if they were the only one doing it but they WILL do it if alot of other people are doing it, I'm mainly talking about donatiing. I guess that is peer pressure.

[Im The Truth]

Recruiting:

1.) Go to every event
2.) Setup a table w/ information (free) and products (cost/donation)
3.) Sign in list (contact info)
4.) One or Two Africans working the table. Working: encouraging people to take info, donate to the cause through donation and/or buying products, encourage people to sign the list.

Call everyone back with something to do as a follow-up. This something to do can be invitation to a program you have going or help with, to example information given, suggest a book or website, inform, review, etc, etc.

[AfroNinpo]

Originally Posted by Im The Truth

Recruiting:

1.) Go to every event
2.) Setup a table w/ information (free) and products (cost/donation)
3.) Sign in list (contact info)
4.) One or Two Africans working the table. Working: encouraging people to take info, donate to the cause through donation and/or buying products, encourage people to sign the list.

Call everyone back with something to do as a follow-up. This something to do can be invitation to a program you have going or help with, to example information given, suggest a book or website, inform, review, etc, etc.

Exactly! (Don't forget about the 'Afrikan Market' (ATL) in June behind the Djele! It would be nice to have a HOA or TTDC table there!)

*Back to topic*

Once you reruit enogh brothers and sisters, start organizing your own events. Start small with lectures, seminars, educational movies, spoken word nights, etc. Do all of this to bring more attention to your cause. Having your own events will grow your organization tremendously (if your event is successful).

[Im The Truth]

Will be out there African.

Originally Posted by AfroNinp

Do all of this to bring more attention to your cause. Having your own events will grow your organization tremendously (if your event is successful).

Agreed!!!

[IfasehunReincarnated]

1. Give something away for free (pamphlet, flier with interesting data, etc)
2. Show up with people from multiple generations (from young to old) that support your cause.. Lots of people are looking for the stablility as well as the empowerment missing at home.
3. Have your values or ideology in a form that is easy to digest and easy to explain. Everyone should be well-versed when they talk to public.

[AfroNinpo]

One very important thing I didn't mention that brings a crowd no matter what the discussion is about...FOOD! Straight up! If we announce that there will be food served...everyone in west Atlanta is there and then some! Serve up a hot plate of food and add some knowledge, then combine that with a form of entertainment such as dancing...you have what you need to draw a crowd! The whole food thing can get quite expensive though. Oh, and PLEEEEASE don't run out of food! Our people get quite irritated when that happens! When organizing a large event with food, think VENDORS! That way, you don't have to worry about supplying the food, and you can charge the vendors a booth fee as a fundraiser.

[Mc Griot]

Not giving up. I live in denver co and given the numbers we have we are more separated as a people than the distance we are from the motherland. But I dont let that stop my attempts. On a internal level i work at forming a positive community by being positive. Showing brothas love by acknowledging there exsistence on the streets. Showing sistas love by being a gentlemen and helpful. On a larger more external level I have attempted to organize meetings to deal with the dirty cops, among other more positive gatherings but its tough. I spread the message with my music and poetry whenever possible and have worked with the youth to teach them about making music. And in that capacity i begin to hit them with the knowledge. And still i cannot build allies. Even the so called awake people out here dont want to work together. I started my activism trying to work with other groups and got tired of the talk and no action. But what i have learned throughout it all is to not give up. If it was easy Malcolm and Martin wouldnt have had to die and we wouldnt have the problems. I think the main question i had to be honest about and answer for myself was how far did i want to take this. How involved do i want to be. And for the sake of my seeds im ready to die for the cause.

[Conscious Sistah]

Originally Posted by AfroNinpo

One very important thing I didn't mention that brings a crowd no matter what the discussion is about...FOOD! Straight up! If we announce that there will be food served...everyone in west Atlanta is there and then some! Serve up a hot plate of food and add some knowledge, then combine that with a form of entertainment such as dancing...you have what you need to draw a crowd! The whole food thing can get quite expensive though. Oh, and PLEEEEASE don't run out of food! Our people get quite irritated when that happens! When organizing a large event with food, think VENDORS! That way, you don't have to worry about supplying the food, and you can charge the vendors a booth fee as a fundraiser.

Very True! at the African Liberation Day in London, the food ran out! My friends and I were so vex, and we had to go out to find somewhere to eat in the pouring rain.

[G1deon]

I know I'm late...

What works in my community, my hood, is music! Maybe some ppl won't want to hear this, but many will... Tupac and his music reaches where other venues don't.

If you want to communicate with a person & have that person show interest back, you cannot just walk up on a person and 'preach', you must know the interests of your audience before you even speak. Know your audience!

My many days are spend in the project where I'm surrounded by people who have little knowledge of their histories, but talk can be talked all-day of hustling, guns & money. Tupac inspires these same street soldiers to bouts of reasonings involving the system. I have witnessed real talk being generated off of his music alone and I can part-take now with the youths in reasonings.

[G1deon]

Originally Posted by Kweku_Omowale

clipped....
btw afro nimpo,we had doctor tony martin coming all the way to speak on marcus garvey,right,but the rastafarian and garveyites fought among demselves,and that in itself,turned me off because they lost the focus,i was told that in ghana,jamaica repatriates dont mix with other diasporans,that disturbed me as well, why do you think it happens and what are the causes@nimpo? why when people get to the continent emulate divide and conquer,do you think,because it is based on beliefs?

Rasta & Garveyites fight over Garvey's pointing to look to Ethiopia for a king will be crowned.

Rasta say that king is Selassie... the king of kings, lord of lords & the conquering lion of the tribe of Judah.

Garveyites differ.