Weekend of 23rd and 24th Houston On Saturday, we  had an open mike/fundraiser for the BAsics bus tour in a historic Black community in Houston.  Inspired by quote 1:13 by BA, five people performed spoken word or sang songs they had written.  Some of it was written specifically off the quote, and others were more inspired by the theme of the quote.  One young woman said that she was so moved by what she was hearing, that she wrote a poem on the spot and shared it with us.  I can’t quite capture the emotions that were being expressed by the artists about the life this system has for youth.  Some of them also spoke to the mental shackles that are keeping people from rising up, and others spoke to their hopes of how the world should be.  [[MORE]] Several people made and donated things to sell to raise money at the event.  An out of town artist donated prints of her work.  A young woman made earrings with her son.  And another person laminated centerfolds from Revolution to sell.  Several of the people came to the event off of posters or flyers they saw in the neighborhood.  Some people came out from Occupy Houston.  There was a lot of interaction between people, many of them learning about BA and revolution for the first time.  One guy was intently reading BAsics.  I overheard a conversation between a couple of people who were talking about all the bad things they’ve heard about communism. And someone asked, how she changed your mind. She said “I’m changing it right now.” Several people commented that they were uplifted by the event and there was a sense of community being built, a community for changing the world.  Later that evening, a crew of people went out to the Gay Pride parade and got out hundreds of palmcards with quote 1:13 and raised money.  We walked through the crowds with a banner that said “The system has no future for the youth, but the Revolution does”.  Several of the youth who took stacks of palmcards asked what kind of revolution, and is it for everybody.  On Sunday, we took out a banner draped car, blasting audio from BA and drove up and down streets in a far Houston neighborhood.  Several youth took up stacks of cards and distributed them to their friends and neighbors.  Many people were surprised and glad to hear about BA and that there is a movement for revolution.  The quote struck a chord with many, many people.  The question for them was how do we make good on this.  There was also a lot of intense debate among people about the possibility of revolution and how are we making sure that the leadership is protected so that the revolution can go all the way. These are a couple of the poems performed at the cultural event based on BAsics 1:13 Raisin’ Kain: Seemed like we were burning babies/ Could have sworn—generations in cages/ But mom and dad looked so pleased/ They said, “Drink up!” And I did *  *  * Untitled Holding her baby in her arms, She imagined that he would grow up to be strong That he would run around with the other boys in her village Hunting and exploring and experiencing the pleasures of life. She could not imagine the wars and the destruction. The militias that would turn her child into a solider Barely bigger than the rifle assigned to him. Holding her baby in her arms, She imagined that she would grow up to be beautiful. That she would make lots of friends to play with And be full of happiness and love. She could not imagine the desire and evil That would steal her daughter and place her in brothels, hotel rooms Alone, Abused and Ashamed. Holding her baby in her arms, She imagined that he would grow up to be a hard worker. That he would work the fields his father, and his father before him And his father before him had worked. She could not imagine their land would be stolen by Treaties and contracts established thousands of miles away And her son crossing borders never to be seen again. These realities can be reconfigured So that our imaginings Can be rendered whole And children are not bound by circumstances, Rather, they transcend.
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Weekend of 23rd and 24th

Houston

On Saturday, we  had an open mike/fundraiser for the BAsics bus tour in a historic Black community in Houston.  Inspired by quote 1:13 by BA, five people performed spoken word or sang songs they had written.  Some of it was written specifically off the quote, and others were more inspired by the theme of the quote.  One young woman said that she was so moved by what she was hearing, that she wrote a poem on the spot and shared it with us.  I can’t quite capture the emotions that were being expressed by the artists about the life this system has for youth.  Some of them also spoke to the mental shackles that are keeping people from rising up, and others spoke to their hopes of how the world should be. 

Several people made and donated things to sell to raise money at the event.  An out of town artist donated prints of her work.  A young woman made earrings with her son.  And another person laminated centerfolds from Revolution to sell. 

Several of the people came to the event off of posters or flyers they saw in the neighborhood.  Some people came out from Occupy Houston.  There was a lot of interaction between people, many of them learning about BA and revolution for the first time.  One guy was intently reading BAsics.  I overheard a conversation between a couple of people who were talking about all the bad things they’ve heard about communism. And someone asked, how she changed your mind. She said “I’m changing it right now.” Several people commented that they were uplifted by the event and there was a sense of community being built, a community for changing the world. 

Later that evening, a crew of people went out to the Gay Pride parade and got out hundreds of palmcards with quote 1:13 and raised money.  We walked through the crowds with a banner that said “The system has no future for the youth, but the Revolution does”.  Several of the youth who took stacks of palmcards asked what kind of revolution, and is it for everybody. 

On Sunday, we took out a banner draped car, blasting audio from BA and drove up and down streets in a far Houston neighborhood.  Several youth took up stacks of cards and distributed them to their friends and neighbors.  Many people were surprised and glad to hear about BA and that there is a movement for revolution.  The quote struck a chord with many, many people.  The question for them was how do we make good on this.  There was also a lot of intense debate among people about the possibility of revolution and how are we making sure that the leadership is protected so that the revolution can go all the way.

These are a couple of the poems performed at the cultural event based on BAsics 1:13

Raisin’ Kain:

Seemed like we were burning babies/
Could have sworn—generations in cages/
But mom and dad looked so pleased/
They said, “Drink up!”
And I did

*  *  *

Untitled

Holding her baby in her arms,

She imagined that he would grow up to be strong

That he would run around with the other boys in her village

Hunting and exploring and experiencing the pleasures of life.

She could not imagine the wars and the destruction.

The militias that would turn her child into a solider

Barely bigger than the rifle assigned to him.

Holding her baby in her arms,

She imagined that she would grow up to be beautiful.

That she would make lots of friends to play with

And be full of happiness and love.

She could not imagine the desire and evil

That would steal her daughter and place her in brothels, hotel rooms

Alone, Abused and Ashamed.

Holding her baby in her arms,

She imagined that he would grow up to be a hard worker.

That he would work the fields his father, and his father before him

And his father before him had worked.

She could not imagine their land would be stolen by

Treaties and contracts established thousands of miles away

And her son crossing borders never to be seen again.

These realities can be reconfigured

So that our imaginings

Can be rendered whole

And children are not bound by circumstances,

Rather, they transcend.