For nearly a quarter of a century NAKO (National Association of Kawaida Organizations) and the IAAF (International African Arts Festival) have been unstinting in keeping our community deeply informed and alerted on issues pertinent to culture and politics.
That tradition continues on Saturday, June 30, and the New York Chapter of the organizations will present its 23rd Annual Symposium on Cultural, Community and Struggle, featuring renowned African and African American scholar Dr. Molefi Kete Asante of Temple University.
Asante, among the world’s most published authors and the progenitor of Afrocentricity, will be discussing the ongoing plans to develop an African American think tank, to be called “Afrocentricity International.”
He will be joined on the program by Lecia Brooks, director of Outreach for the highly respected Southern Poverty Law Center. She will be presenting a short video entitled “White Supremacist Terror.”
Noted New York Daily News columnist/author Juan Gonzalez and co-host with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now will provide insight on “News for All the People—the Epic Story of Race and the American Media” a book he co-authored with Joseph Torres.
Others confirmed for the event are Larry Hamm founder and President of the People’s Organization For Progress (POP), who will address, “Social Justice, Organizing and Organization”; Professor Michael Tillotson of Africana Studies at the University of Pittsburgh and author of “Invisible Jim Crow: Contemporary Ideological Threats to the Internal Security of African Americans” will do a power point presentation titled “Agency Reduction Formation: The Role of the State in Public Discourse”; and Paul Washington, past president of the Vulcan Society will address the history of racism in the New York City Fire Department.
The troubling issue of the Stop and Frisk Policy of the Police Department of New York will be addressed by City Councilman Jumaane Williams [3]and Linda Tigani of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM).
Also, there will be a panel discussion on the arts entitled, The Role of the Conscious Artist in a Cultural Context with: acclaimed pianist and composer Randy Weston; Yoruba priestess and singer Amma McKen; therapist, artist and author Paul Singleton, and; culture and art promoter Kojo Ade.
As you can see there will be broad and in depth presentations and performances and the event will take place in Brooklyn, at PS 287, located at Navy St. and Flushing Ave. 11201, near the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Pre-registration must be done by June 26, adults $12.00, seniors $10.00, and a limited student scholarship by request is offered.
Day of event registration is $15.00 for adults, $12.00 for seniors.
For information and directions call (718) 789-3264 or (718) 523-3312 or email nakoinfogroup@yahoo.com [4]. For information on the International African Arts Festival (IAAF) [5]also starting from Saturday, June 30th to Wednesday, July 4th go to www.iaafestival.org [6].
