Category Archives: events
Jesse Jackson speaks! Where next for anti-racism and US / UK BLM?
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/usuk-blacklivesmatter-where-next-for-the-anti-racist-movement-tickets-111867592982
What Next for the Anti-Racist Movement?
It has become impossible to ignore the disproportionate effect of state violence on Black communities worldwide but especially in the United States and the UK.
The sheer scale of the recent global protests is reflective of the fact that the murder of George Floyd is not an isolated incident. The protests also come at a time when Black communities in the US and the UK feel that they have been deliberately endangered in the response to Covid-19 and deprioritised in general.
Diane Abbott MP and Rev. Jesse Jackson will be joined on Friday by notable members of the civil rights movement and anti-racist campaigners for a special discussion exploring ‘What Next for the Anti-Racist Movement in the UK and the US?’
SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
Jesse Louis Jackson Sr
American civil rights activist, Baptist minister, and politician.
As early as 1971, Ebony Magazine named Jackson to its “100 most influential black Americans list.” During the 1980s Jackson achieved wide acclaim as a politician and a spokesman for civil rights issues.
Dr. Sheridan Todd Yeary
Senior Pastor of the Douglas Memorial Community Church in Baltimore, Maryland. A third-generation preacher/pastor, Dr. Yeary serves the faith community of Douglas Memorial as the fifth pastor in its 90-year history. Dr. Yeary is often sought after to offer commentary, public testimony, and insight on a variety of public policy and leadership concerns, and has presented in a variety of forums.
Bishop Tavis Lane Grant II
Senior Pastor of the Greater First Baptist Church in East Chicago, Indiana. Bishop Grant is an alumni of Moody Bible College and has several honorary doctorates. You will often times hear him say “Tough times don’t last, tough people do!”
Jonathan Luther Jackson
American business professor, entrepreneur and social justice advocate. He is the national spokesman for the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and a partner in a Chicago-based beverage distributorship
Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE
British actor, playwright, director and broadcaster. In 2018 he was made Artistic Director of the Young Vic, where he has directed Twelfth Night and Tree. From 2011 to 2018 he was previously the Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage where he directed: Jazz, Marley, One Night in Miami, Amadeus, Dance of the Holy Ghosts, The Mountaintop; An Enemy of the People, The Whipping Man and Things of Dry Hours
Diane Abbott MP
The UK’s first black woman MP and former shadow Home Secretary.
Justice for Shukri Abdi – protest Hyde Park London Saturday 27th June 1pm
Below is the text from the petition started nearly a year ago demanding a full investigation into the drowning of Shurki, which many suspect was in fact an act or murder. The campaign is supported by John Boyega and the daughter of Malcolm X, Ilyasah Shabazz, and US rapper Ice Cube.
We call for a criminal investigation to be opened into the circumstances surrounding the death of Shukri Abdi and for a criminal prosecution to take place
We want a fair trial in the case where we get fair justice for the murder of Shukri Abdi – we do not want it to be brushed under the carpet like nothing happened. And we want to see appropriate action taken against those who were involved in the murder of Shukri Abdi.
We want to see Real Justice – based upon a proper and full criminal investigation which should be opened ASAP – and not brushed away like it was 11 months ago.
12-year-old Shurki drowned in the River Irwell in Greater Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police said it was treating what happened as a “tragic incident” and did not believe there were any suspicious circumstances.
Shukri’s family, who live in Bury, said she could not swim and playing by the river was “out of character”.
Her uncle, Mustaf Omar, said: “She was a sweet, innocent child. Her mum is absolutely destroyed.”
“Everything about it is out of character for her.
“She couldn’t swim so she wouldn’t even go near the edge.”
Shukri, from Somalia, was the eldest of five children and was new to the country, Mr Omar said.
She attended Broad Oak Sports College.
Head teacher Paul Greenhalgh said: “Shukri was a lovely young girl, always smiling, always wanting to please people and work hard.”