Celebrating Black Leaders: From The Past and Today
By Yahaira Mayen
This month is Black History month, and we are celebrating our brothers and sister’s history, whom were and continue to be chained down in oppression, racism, and discrimination. In the beginning of 2020, we were dealing with two types of pandemic, the COVID-19 and White supremacy. Throughout the country we saw many displays of injustice on the Black community. The death of George Floyd really sparks the fire within the community, leading to the demands of abolishing the police and investing in communities. We see this new “change” being displayed on national television, such as seeing BLM displayed in jerseys, on the fields, and on interviews in the news. Varrio Voices wants to highlight many leaders throughout history, from back then to now.
According to the article, “Black Panther Party”, written by Garrett Albert Duncan, an Associate Professor of Education and Associate Professor of African and African-American Studies, Washington University in St. Louis, he shares the history and development of the Black Panther Party. “ Black Panther Party, original name Black Panther Party of Self-Defense, African American Party, founded in 1966 in Oakland, California by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale.” Duncan states in his article. Both leaders are very known for bold voices and icons for the African American community. The point of this party was to be a security for the African American community, from the injustice of the police. He also states,” The Panthers eventually developed into a Marxist revolutionary group that called for the arming of all African Americans, the exemption of African American from the draft and from all sanctions of so-call white America, the release of all African Americans from jail, and the payment of compensation to African Americans for centuries of exploitation by white Americans.” This showed that they changed the way of having their own “army” of people, to defend psychically and politically for their community. In May 1967, members and Seale marched to the California state legislature in Sacramento. They protested fully armed, utilizing the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, to protest against the Mulford Act. This protest was to be against police brutality, with making this move they went from just being Oakland-based organization to an international group.
We are all familiar with this young beautiful lady right, Amanda Gorman, is the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history. To add on, she is an award-winning writer and cum laude graduate of Harvard University studying Sociology. She also wrote for the New York Times and three more books with Penguin Random House. Amanda is born and raised in Los Angeles, she represents women of color that as a product of LA, the most diverse city, we are able to reach limits. She has been invited to the White House with the Obamas, performed the Lin-Manuel Miranda, Al Gore, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Malala Yousafzai and many more.
Tupac Amaru Shakur, or Lesane Parish Crooks, aka 2Pac, is another icon to the African American community. His raps, his flows, his words moved us all. Born June 16, 1971 in Brooklyn, New York and died September 13, 1996. Pac was an inspiring rapper and actor who was number one in the game in the 90's. He attended the Baltimore School of the Arts, he was an all around creatives student. According to the article,” Tupac Shakur American Rapper and Actor”, written by Michael Ray, he states,” He distinguished himself as a student t, both creatively and academically, but his family relocated to Marin City, California, before he could graduate, There Shakur took to the streets dealing drugs and becoming involved in the gang culture that would one day provide material for his rap.” This shows us that due to certain circumstances, POC are limited to their dreams. It’s not because they don't complete it, the lack of resources and support are not able to let them achieve it. But for 2Pac, he was able to make it the spotlight this man deserved. Working closely with NWA, Public Enemy, and Ice cube. Soon later, he stars in the film Juice and later in Poetic Justice with Janet Jackson. This man proved to us that anything is possible, with the right support we are able to make it out the hood, show that hood product is the best product.