Abolition Today

Max and Yusuf are joined by The Queen Mother of Benin, West Africa to discuss international prison systems and modern slavery abolition movement from an African centered global perspective.

Her Majesty The Kpodjito Dòwòti Désir Hounon Houna II Guely, is the Queen Mother of the Royal Palace. She is a Manbo Asogwe (High Priest) in Haitian Vodou and a Chief of the Zangbeto, and Egungun secret societies.

The Founder of The AfroAtlantic Theologies & Treaties Institute travels extensively to promote human rights for African descendants globally.

She is an author, and curator whose work focuses on issues of cultural and spatial production, particularly as it concerns the sacred and contemporary art forms produced by people of African descent. The Queen Mother focuses on product development, sustainable energy production, and rebuilding the primary school associated with the Royal Palace.

Her Majesty is also a committee member for the UN and a partner and consultant with the Abolish Slavery National Network.

For more information see: www.queenmotherd2h2.net.

We discuss organized prison rebellions past and present. Starting with #ShutemDown2021. 

This week we'll acknowledge many historical events whose anniversaries occurred either within the past week or will come up this week such as the Attica Uprising September 9-12, 1971, which came on the heels of the August 21, 1971 murder of George Jackson, the murder of 6 young black children in Birmingham, Alabama (4 at the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church and 2 others later that day). And of course, yesterday marked the anniversary of 9/11. We'll also be joined by Chinweizu Abu, the Moderator for the Millions for Prisoners Human Rights Coalition to update us on the events and results of the #shutemdown2021 movement.

"I fear I am integrating my people into a burning house. Let us not stand by and let the house burn. We should become the firemen.” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr as told by Harry Belafonte⁠

The American house is ablaze. Denial is rampant. Ignorance celebrated. Propaganda propagates faster than Australian farm mice. Democracy itself is under siege by domestic terrorists in seats of power. The constitution has become a shredded farce only protected through privilege. Violent coup attempts orchestrated by the slaver class have already happened with more planned. Voter suppression, mass incarceration, civil disenfranchisement, exploitation, extortion, brutality, poverty, and institutional systemic bias are our daily bread. All while we face multiple current or impending natural disasters beyond what any generation has experienced.⁠

In the midst of it all, a rapidly growing slavery abolitionist movement shines a beacon of reason, rings the bells of freedom, and in a season of woes, goes straight to the roots of the rotten fruit. If this nations soul is at stake, it cannot be saved while slavery and genocide is a government sanctioned reality. Start at the heart of the problem. The choice is freedom and equality or anarchy and ashes. The firemen are literally prisoners.

One year and a day after the official launch of the Abolish Slavery National Network we look back.

We're broadcasting live from ACA3 land in Sacramento California. Also one day after the nationwide March For Our Voting Rights rallies and marches where members of the ASNN leadership team spoke about systemic voter disenfranchisement in multiple cities. This was followed by a powerful virtual presentation from the ASNN.

 

A good chunk of the crew is in California. Max, Yusuf, Tribal Raine, and Jamilia Land. We're calling it a party. 

So, come join the party as we look at yesterday and yesteryear.

We've come a long way since we heralded The Birth of an Abolitionist Nation in Season 1 Episode 24. 

But, we did everything we said we would do. More than anyone ever expected we could do.

It wasn't a prophesy or a prediction. It was the plan.

"The path from dreams to success does exist. May you have the vision to find it, the courage to get on to it, and the perseverance to follow it." - Kalpana Chawla

A week before the August 28th March On for Voting Rights rallies we dig deep into voter disenfranchisement. How, why, and who. Welcome to America. Where you have to pay taxes but can't vote. Where a single criminal conviction can turn you into a non-person with no rights or protections.

We are also only a week away from the anniversary of the Abolish Slavery National Network. In a single year we've made epic accomplishments never seen before in US history. Successfully changing 3 state constitutions to remove slavery exception clauses. Organizing over 30 other states to do the same within the next 4 years and introducing a joint federal amendment to counter the slavery exception clause of the 13th amendment. For the 1st time since reconstruction, slavers have to defend slavery for everyone to see and hear. Which they have done in Tennessee and Louisiana. Where state senators publicly presented their defense for keeping slavery legal.

ASNN core leadership members will be speaking during the massive national marches in DC, California, and Texas.

Dennis Febo in Washington, DC. Savannah Eldridge in Texas, and along with Jamilia Land, Abolition Today's hosts Max Parthas and Yusuf Hassan will speak in Sacramento, CA.

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

We count Ten Million Violations of the 15th Amendment against ten million living US citizens due to conditions of involuntary servitude. When is enough enough? This episode of Abolition Today begins that critical conversation.

On 28 August 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act was given Royal Assent and came into force on the following 1 August 1834. Its full bill title was ‘An Act for the Abolition of Slavery throughout the British Colonies; for promoting the Industry of the manumitted Slaves; and for compensating the Persons hitherto entitled to the Services of such Slaves’.

We revisit this historic legal act and provide insight into the real reasons for the abolition of the Triangle Slave Trade. Controlled Demolition.

When it comes to slavery and abolition, everything you've ever been taught is a lie. In this episode we expose the truth of what really happened during Black August of 1833 for all to hear.

As is our our way on Abolition Today, we incorporate incredible music and poetry mixes to move the soul and body. With tracks from Snoop Dog, Slick Rick, The Poppy Family, Prince, The Untouchables, Kago Saul, Khao, and MRK SX.

And of course, we bring the ancestors words back to life for a new generation of slavery abolitionists. This week we hear the tale of Fredrick Douglass's struggle with the slave-breaker Mr Covey at Mount Misery.

“You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man” - Fredrick Douglass

In the words of George Jackson, "The only way the oppressor can maintain his position, is by fostering, nurturing, deadly contempt for the oppressed." 

In music and messaging, last week was one of our most powerful programs to date as we tackled King Cotton. 

This week we delve into the tactic of nurturing contempt for the oppressed. We'll be joined by Allegra Casimir-Taylor. Daughter of Hugo Pinell who spent 47 years in solitary confinement (Torture) before being assassinated at the age of 70 in prison by white supremacists at New Folsom Prison on August 12, 2015. He was known as one of the “San Quentin Six” for his resistance efforts under the leadership of George Jackson.

On this first day of Black August 2021, we look at how the cotton industry made kings in america. We'll keep you updated on the latest efforts in the slavery abolitionist movement and discuss recent news as it relates to the struggle.

#shutemdown2021 has begun! 

This message comes from our sponsors at Jailhouse lawyers Speak and I Am We Ubuntu Millions for Prisoners Human Rights Coalition. Follow the link iamweubuntu.com

And of course, as always, we've got music and poetry that will touch your soul and move your body. Including bringing the voices of the ancestors back to life in our Bridging The Gap segment.

The US is brazenly throwing accusations of crimes against humanity at other nations. Slavery, forced labor, systemic oppression, and genocide. Like we did with the legal definition of Slavery, we'll examine the international definition of genocide and how it applies to descendants of the African Diaspora today. We're putting the United States of Genocide on full display.

Of course, we've got news, updates on the Abolition movement, and awesome music/poetry to move your soul. And as always, we bring the ancestors words to life for a new generation in our Bridging The Gap segment.

In our previous episode we connected the corporate dots between African for profit prisons and the US model which they have adopted. We also highlighted the unspeakable human rights atrocities being committed by the state in those colonial style hell holes. We'll give you an update on the Queen Mother's health. Last week she was very sick and couldn't join us.

his week we celebrate a victory for the abolitionist movement. In 2022, Oregon joins Tennessee as the first two states to put ending legal slavery on the ballot since our 2020 wins in Nebraska and Utah. We'll be joined by the Director of Legislative Strategy for OASIS and lead organizer in the Oregon abolition efforts, Jordan Schott. Abolitionist Super-hero.

Other states are making their way through committees to do the same. Including Vermont, California, and Ohio. We've also got federal legislation on the table with the 2021 Abolition Amendment.

Since 2016 the abolitionists have been kicking asses and taking names. Even our losses turned into wins. We'll cover all that and much more. Including powerful music mixes, incredible speeches, and we'll Bridge The Gap by bringing the Ancestors words back to life for a new generation.