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March 18, 2004

Black Agenda Convention brings activists to Roxbury

Jeremy Schwab

This weekend Roxbury, which has produced and nurtured many of the nation’s civil rights leaders, once again becomes center stage for history in the making.

African American lawmakers and religious, cultural and economic leaders from across the country have converged on RCC for the five-day National Black Agenda Convention.

The goal of the convention, which began yesterday with a youth day and continues through Sunday, is to formulate a political and economic agenda which African Americans across the country can support.

“Ultimately, we must have a voice on issues of concern to black people in America and also in the world,” said former state Sen. Bill Owens, one of four convention co-conveners. “We need to find ways to hold our elected representatives accountable.”

The agenda will be ratified by those in attendance, then presented to each presidential candidate.

“We will ask them to include it in their debate and/or their party platform,” said Owens.

But convention attendees will not simply hope that the white-dominated major parties begin paying more attention to the needs of black people.

Attendees plan to work in their own communities following the convention to implement the agenda.

“What comes out of this comes to the National Caucus [of Black State Legislators] and we have a chance to forward the agenda on a national basis,” said Springfield state Rep. Benjamin Swan, another convention co-convener.

Roxbury native Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan will speak at the convention, as will California Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Professor Charles Ogletree. Speakers and workshop attendees will discuss education, health, public safety and other areas of concern to black people.

Farrakhan and Ogletree are scheduled to speak tonight during a town hall forum from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.

The convention is the first of its kind in recent years, according to its conveners.

National black political conventions have been held periodically since 1830, as African Americans struggled first against slavery, then against continued white political and economic oppression.

Today, blacks lag far behind whites in annual income, not to mention savings and inheritance. African Americans are underrepresented in positions of power, particularly upper level government and corporate posts.

Furthermore, the current Republican administration took a strong stand against affirmative action and has dramatically cut funding for social programs, with even greater cuts likely in the future due to a record deficit, huge tax cuts that disproportionately benefit the wealthy and an expanded defense budget.

Many blacks blame the Democrats for not standing up to the Republicans on these issues, and for hardly bringing up racial disparities as the two parties vie for the presidency.

“Democrats should already take note, considering we vote ninety percent Democrat,” said convention organizer Arthur Williams.

The convention’s organizers aim to re-energize African American leadership on the national level and for the long-term. The nonprofit National Black Agenda Convention has 10 state chapters.

“We will continue to build NBAC chapters in every state,” vowed Owens.

To register for the convention, call 617-287-7138. A full convention pass costs $125, $90 for seniors and $75 for students. Passes for an individual speaker or event are $25.

 

 

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