On September 14, 2019 members of the International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement (InPDUM) from around the world gathered at 4101 W. Florissant Ave. for the convening of the 2019 convention of InPDUM, themed: “The Struggle is Real. This is Genocide. Africans Charge Genocide and the Demand is Reparations.”
It was a weekend full of dynamic presentations, exciting workshops, powerful cultural performances and important decisions to determine the future of InPDUM.
African people are under attack; we know this.
We have been under unrelenting assault by this social system ever since the first European stepped foot on Africa and enforced his will on an African over 500 years ago.
As colonized subjects, African people have only known acts of brutality being put on our bodies.
We have only known wretched lives and the regular infringement on our democratic rights.
Since the 1991 founding of InPDUM by Chairman Omali Yeshitela, founder of the Uhuru Movement, InPDUM has stood in defense of the democratic rights of African and colonized people throughout the world.
In the face of intensifying State terror (police, FBI, court system, etc.) and the unlivable conditions regularly imposed on us such as the near toxic food and the poor healthcare made available to us in our communities, it can only be deduced that this social system has declared genocide on our people.
What African people need is revolutionary organization to combat the ongoing genocide waged on our people and InPDUM’s 2019 convention served as a strategizing summit for the masses of African and colonized people to gather and determine the political future of our people.
The turn-up was real
The black community celebrated the convening of our 2019 InPDUM Convention with a night of music, awards and celebration of the ongoing resistance of the black community.
InPDUM Struggle Awards were given to InPDUM members as well as members of the black community who’ve demonstrated the various strengths necessary to bring genuine self-determination to the black community.
Among the awards given was the Uhuru Swag award given to the flyest comrade able to best articulate the line of African Internationalism to the masses, which was given to comrade Abdullah Alexander.
Comrade Olofin Ikemba, Managing Editor for The Burning Spear newspaper, was given the Kefing Award, named after our late comrade and fierce proponent for The Burning Spear newspaper, Omowale Kefing.
This award is given to a comrade who represents The Burning Spear in the best way through either selling The Spear, writing for it or having a general enthusiasm for The Spear.
The Growing Branch award, given to a city or area of InPDUM that has shown the most growth in numbers, political action or political maturity, was given to InPDUM Occupied-Azania.
In addition to the awards, dynamic cultural performers from dancers to emcees to poets to singers graced the stage throughout the evening.
The creative genius of the black community was on full display, making it truly a night to remember.
Excerpt from the International President’s report
“… We have to understand that the ground-game is everything. We have to be on the ground.
“We have to build mass movements. We have to have campaigns.
“In St. Petersburg, we have the ‘Make the Southside Black Again’ campaign. We won. Akile Anai won the primaries and is now in the general election on a reparations platform. Somebody literally won saying ‘Make the Southside Black Again.’
“In St. Louis, we have the #KEEP28 Campaign against ward reduction which led us to Jesse Todd who would later run for 18thward Alderman on the Black is Back National Black Political Agenda for Self-determination and win.
“We have to build campaigns and go to their town hall meetings. We have to be in the room. We have to call off sick from work, whatever we have to do, but we have to be in the room. They don’t want us in the room but we have to be in the room.
“Tomorrow, we are going on a tour of our first InPDUM office, but this is only the beginning.
“We want to secure our own building where we can have UZI, Decolonaise, the Chairman’s books, The Burning Spear newspaper, Uhuru Pies, all of our economic development products. The African masses have to be able to see, touch and feel Black Power.
“We can’t just fist-pump. We can’t just protest. We have to go back to wherever we are and build campaigns, find an office even if its something with a leaky ceiling, it might be a little corner somewhere but it has to be someplace that Africans can come in and feel genuine power.
“Comrades, this is not a talk fest. The struggle is real. My brothers died from horizontal violence (so-called ‘black on black crime’).
“The only way that we fight and win against horizontal violence is to build a revolution. If we’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, it’s time for us to roll up our sleeves and put in work.”
Official InPDUM office in St. Louis
Convention attendees were given a tour of InPDUM’s new office space, located right in the heart of the black community.
Our office will function as a meeting area, cultural center and economic development hub for the black community.
This is the beginning of InPDUM answering the call made in Vanguard: The Political Report to the 7thCongress to the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP), to open local offices in the black community.
Our office will be open for service to the black community on October 20.
Black Power never looked so good
UZI, InPDUM’s revolutionary fashion brand, showcased their latest looks in an amazing fashion show. UZI is a unique brand that celebrates the fighting spirit of the African working class with style and flare.
Models strutted down the runway with looks that sported empowering phrases such as “Bad and Working Class,” “Reparations Now” and “African Women Must Lead.”
In addition to featuring calls for Black Power on their clothing, UZI customizes the cuts and designs of their clothing to fit your personal style.
However, what most separates UZI from the other guys isn’t the custom designs, it isn’t the phrases promoting Black Power, it’s the fact that UZI is an economic development institution with the express purpose of bringing resources into the black community and KEEPING them in the black community.
This is the difference between simply “buying black” and buying Black Power.
Uzi is a strategy to bring genuine economic development to the black community.
It is a strategy to economically fortify the black community against the onslaught of predatory gentrifiers that prey on our community.
It is a strategy to move the black community to a place of complete self-determination and look damn good while doing it.
Get your UZI today! UZI Revolutionary Custom Designs: where black fashion meets Black Power.
This is not a talk fest
To quote President Kalambayi, “This is not a talk fest. Everything we do is about forwarding the work.”
InPDUM is about forwarding the work, plain and simple. We are not an organization of social media militants and comment-section-commies whose political activity extends no further than fiery debates on Facebook statuses.
We are not an organization of talk-smarters, assembling only to stroke our own egos and pat ourselves on the back about how much we think we “know.”
We are on-the-ground-organizers intent on bringing every African and colonized person on Earth into organization because we understand that political, social and economic self-determination will only come to African people once we are organized.
The intent of this convention was to build and we did. The ranks of InPDUM were filled with new members won to the necessity of all African people being involved in organization.
Resources, which sustain InPDUM and its various campaigns and institutions, were raised not by some government entity but by the African working class who see the future liberation of Africa and African people in InPDUM’s work.
We debuted our InPDUM St. Louis office, which will forward our efforts to build an anti-gentrification, economic stronghold around the black community.
In addition, two areas received their official branch certification: New York and San Diego, granting them all rights, privileges and voting powers associated with an official branch status.
We repeat, this is not a talk fest. Everything we do is for the purpose of furthering this struggle and strengthening our capacity to win liberation for African and colonized people.
Changes to the constitution
One of the purposes for convening our annual convention is to exercise African self-governance.
For 500 years, we’ve had our laws, government and very way of living dictated to us by a foreign, hostile and oppressive force.
The process of constitutional amendments gives African people an opportunity to make determinations on the policies and bylaws that govern us.
It is a demonstration of State power in the hands of the African working class.
Leading up to the annual convention, revisions to the Constitution are submitted to be voted on by InPDUM’s membership at the convention.
This year, it was submitted and voted on by the people that our student membership level be renamed to our Musa Abantu level, in honor of our dear comrade, Musa Abantu. Long live!
Taking into consideration the current cost of living and the overall living conditions of African people, it was also voted that the cost of our standard annual membership be changed from $35 to $25.
Our movement is spreading exponentially; so much so that our organizational structure itself must be updated to accommodate our international growth.
It was voted that each country have a National President of InPDUM, with each region having a regional Vice President.
Each National President will be charged with reporting regularly to the International President and building national conventions in their countries.
Presenting our new International Executive Committee
The International Executive Committee (IEC), the highest governing body of InPDUM, is put forth every year by the International President and voted on by InPDUMs general membership.
Comrade Chiwoniso Luzolo (Houston), who’d worked diligently in the role of International Secretary for three years, has transitioned from the role in order to apply her vast skills in the All African People’s Development and Empowerment Project (AAPDEP).
Jah-Sun Kine (San Diego) has been elected to come into the role of International Secretary.
Fofeet Alkebulan (St. Louis) has been elected to continue in her role as International Economic Development Coordinator, leading InPDUM’s struggle to build an economically independent black community.
Ushindi Watu (Newark, NJ) who has presided over the International Outreach Office up to this point has transitioned into the role of International Membership Coordinator with Ikemba Bomani-Ojore (NYC/Philadelphia) joining the IEC and presiding over Outreach.
Dexter Mlimwengu (Boston) has been elected to continue in his role of Information and Education Coordinator, presiding over the propaganda apparatus of InPDUM.
While the members of the IEC are elected by the International President, the President itself is appointed by the Chairman of the APSP.
President Kalambayi’s tremendous work leading InPDUM was recognized and she has been appointed International President for an additional term.
Sister, brother, we need you!
InPDUM is an organization for the people.
In an era where colonized people have been jailed, killed or demoralized out of organizing for self-determination, InPDUM functions as a revolutionary training ground to re-introduce the colonized masses back into political life.
InPDUM is your organization.
InPDUM is the only organization in existence today which has fought consistently for the rights and dignity of the most beaten down, most degraded, most humiliated people on Earth – the African working class.
We refuse to sit idly by while our people suffer these indignities. We refuse to sit idly by while our people have their human rights violated by an inhumane social system.
We refuse to sit idly by while our people are made homeless by predators called land developers and our communities are gentrified out of existence.
We refuse to sit idly by while our people are gunned down in their homes, in their sleep by the police.
This is the position of InPDUM.
We are an organization unwaveringly and selfishly committed to the total liberation of African people, but sister, brother we need you!
InPDUM is your organization and your participation in this struggle is vital if we are to ever know peace if our children are to ever know peace.
The time to talk to our oppressors has come to end. The time to plead with our oppressors has come to an end.
The only solution for our people is revolution. The days of the slave have come to an end and African people will be free because we made it happen.
The Struggle is Real!
Fight for freedom, join InPDUM!
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