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ww t LTT aera rane gp nemaaag I i. on elite nen tpn ST + TS TER teres sis terme os - Michigan and Minnesota go independent for youth by Dan Delmont 7 In late May Eric McGuinness, 3 16. year old Black youth who had heen o champion swimmer, was found drowned with his clothes on in the river that sep- urates St. Josephs and Benton Harbor. two small towns in southwest Michi- gan, A resident of Benton Harbor. Mc- Guinness was last seen at a St. Josephs ; teen club where the staff and clientele are predominantly white. “There has been massive retliation in the Black community.” says Ezra Rogers, a 23 year old African American man who is running as an independent for the Benton Harbor city council. “Black youths have formed an: organization called the Black Revotuttonary Guard: this group is going around and beating white youths. | don't condone this type of activity. but I'm not entirely against it either. Given the indifference of the to- cal administration and the do-nothing posture of the focal NAACP and Oper- ation PUSH chapters. people are strik- ing back in one of the-few ways they can. It's infuriating that McGuinness was killed- over three ‘ 1 and there hasn't yet heen a serious investi- ation of his death.” “The McGuinness case is just one of many examples of racit violence here.” explains Antoine Echols. an 18 yeur old Black youth who, slong with Rogers and Eric Hockett, make up the People’s Power Movement state for city council. “There is a conspiracy against Black people here: just last year Morris Muahen. a Black youth, ‘was-murdered by a white cop. and the judge ruled ita justifiable homicide. tm ranning for city council because the current local government has no interest in the peo- ple and I think that if you get inside a virus you can do something about it: I'm running on the People’s Power slate because I'm disgusted with the two party system.” . “We're going door to door to build our campaigns.” says Rogers. “because we want to stir up the sleeping giant of this city. It's been a tong time since peo- ple have seen concerned catididutes at their door, Folks are angry that they are not represented in the city government, and they often express that anger to us at first. People are yery hungry to ex- press their desires, and as they warm up to us they have a lot to say. We ulso reach out to people by flyering at police arrests in drug areas: our platform will be hased on what the people want to sce re NOC eee closer to a can of gasoline. They don’t understand that this is not like Tianan- men Square. where you could round up protesters who were in one small yrea. * Benton Hurhor is the Detroit of south- west Michigan. The city is 95% African American, police brutality against poor Blacks is rampant und there ure no jobs and op recreational facilities for our youth. The city power structure has plans to gentrify the sity and supplant |. the residents of cofor. it’s clear that. taw. there are many in this town who need people in city hull who have anti-crime. anti-police brutality and pro-social re form positions. We expect our support tocome from all kinds of people left out of the system: the youth. gay people. ad- dicts, dealers und concerned parents.” As he grew up. Rogers suys he was fascinated by Malcolm X, and that in- terest has transferred to Minister Louis Farrakhan. “1 am drawn to the Nation of Islam's brand of political fire build- ing.” Rogers explains, “1 am ulso aware. that Farrakhan endorsed Fulani in her 1988 Presidential bid.” Rogers first heard of Dr. Lenora:Fuluni the chair- person of the New Alliance Party. who is running for President again in 1992, during a J988 radio interview. “I respect Fuluni’s awareness of society's conspir- ‘ney to. make Black men took like hoods.” says the 23 year old activist. ~The Police Sell Drugs’ video give us hope. since these things are happening all over the country. Benton Harbor is - no different” Rogers has been working for several months to build a NAP chapter. “As we build a stronger relationship with the community. I plin to incorporate NAP more into our campaigns.” he says. “People in Benton Harbor have no in- terest in new organizations until they know what they're about: 1 think as things progress. this area will prove 10 be fertile ground for the growth of NAP and Fulani’s 92 campaign.” Minnesota “There is a war against people of col- or in Minneapolis.” changes Sandra Coleman. 3 NAP activist who is run-, ning on the independent party's line for Minneupotis school bourd. “There's a fot of drugs und 4 high unemployment rate in our communities, and hate crimes by skinheads are on the rise. tm going to use my campaign for schoot bourd to focus on the educational abuse of Black youth. “There is no real investment to edit- cate Black kids here.” Coleman contin: Tecan thas bool Bovrdt fitires | ty. progressive white folks and the BY: _ with the two party system. a9'V hink. aback pay, the workers are asking W " more people will vote ii . kick ass this year and next yeer Lenora, * [Fulani] will come in and kick sas.” . national committee] and Lenora eve, oem : . ‘ . . . Sante San teem toa an etaneen meee ee ’ mae vagal ger pede ou > FomerMCGE ss employees win firstround- = = in multi-million dollar bias tights enforcement under Bush's f . ‘ , ‘new werid order,’ four Black a j a ‘ of MCI, Inc. won the right ay : 2 ” ‘work (© a jury trial to recover fall damages for the effects of sys- The National Alliance July 4, 1991 ie a case that has the potenrial : into & major test of civil | "ih discrimingtion by the com- Mest of the plaintiffs had been taught. An African American teacher. ' ised by MCT in its first years of “wus recently called big unig $0 develop and put in dumb by the school udreinistrution, und Black kids are frequently fabe! fearning disabled or kicked out of school as a way of keeping them down: This hus gottochange” |. : Coleman expects a strong in the school hoard race. “Tl prob: win” predicts the outspoken! activd® -. People huve seen me for three yea ap lots of media. Texpest apport” fram the Africas Americun vonmmunt-= aa See it varns out — being tracked for ‘middie level management posi- he rein who had left York Telephone and other ‘tmablished phone companies to join SACL, were passed over fur and summarily fired in 1986. In addition to jury ial. “For the past four years MCI has fought this case tooth and nail,’ noted the workers’ atlorney, Harry Kresky. “If management had exhibited any sense of fairness and : for the pai decency it would have been settled ndeperident, Vil, ybe CORMpenas™ Le pain and ‘0. The case is now an ndfering consed by the . 4 tong a8 rentment. by the company’® five plaintiffs remain important test of the legality of MCT has been seeking for four damages for lost wages and anon- racist corporate tacking »ys#ems. a community. There. is a a of disgusta’ Coleman is no stranger 10 @e com, ell migay, she ran bee teasers . tthe Secnerecenee NAP demonstrators call for accountaility acempaign : . Kememeomecreerés. inn Qrutality CASCS © eenemnserna - =» garnered an impressive 16,059" he cide auuempa. The ¢ peace her prey nical eat aight or Ateze Party led a ne on wile cor shot eight times by the Hynes. “Why are these ened stil sand cna why my campaigns ee Hall on Friday, June aoe in December while defend- ‘under investigation?’ * challenged Site Snletaee Tax Hrepemcainey Swe MAMAN Gee Gee mace nes ome : about who Pred (Dr. Fred Newmen, the Hynes gave the keynote address Jewish Marxist who sits on NAPs: » for a Brooklyn borough-sponsored ; gemeai bias workshop. Dr. Mendez the alliance with Sharpton, and the ties «was Joined by Justinia Cruz (the 1 Fare Ne Te cama | aro to me. ion Pi provide a vehicle # build NAP with.” . Cofeman. a 48 yeur old Black work- ing class lesbian from Chicago. has # rich political history. In the 508 she par. c ticipated in civil rights marches in Chi- cago: ten years later she was a paid staff member of the West Side Chicago branch of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. “I thought of joining the Muslims back then,” she re- .. calls. “But | did not want to go back ie the closet, so I didn’t join. NAP is the first place where [have ever fitin: L was Pb ahee ' PORTRAITS OF PEOPLE WITH AIDS ———— © *FLEPHONE ANSWERING SER * LIFELINE SUPPORT SYSTE! « FECERAL EXPRESS SERVICES, * BLYSSA i RUNDLE | t