@NBUF Sankofa Caravan to the Ancestors 2013

@NBUF Sankofa Caravan to the Ancestors 2013, a set on Flickr.

@NBUF - On the Front Lines by @SalimAdofo

Officiële trailer TULA. THE REVOLT.

NBUF Builds Black Wealth

Salim Adofo

National Vice Chairperson

National Black United Front

Developed by its Kansas City Chapter, the National Black United Front (NBUF) has launched its' "Buy Black Empowerment Initiative."  The purpose of the initiative is to not only increase the financial wealth of the Black community, but to provide the practical means to do so. 

Utilizing the social networking tool known as a "Cash Mob," people are encouraged to meet at a designated Black owned business, at a specific day and time to shop.  This organic marketing strategy provides many of the small businesses the initiative serves, with a strong boost in sales that they would have not ordinarily received. The initiative also provides the businesses with free word of mouth promotion and a high social networking buzz.

With African-American purchasing power projected to be $1.1 Trillion by 2015, the Black community must find a way to redirect a significant portion of this into its own businesses. According to the Small Business Administration, More than half of Black-owned businesses had less than $10,000 in business receipts in 2002 and in 2007 1.8 million black-owned businesses had no paid employees.  With these kinds of statistics, the Buy Black Empowerment Initiative is very crucial for the survival of African American businesses at this time.

In conjunction with the initiative, NBUF has established the Ajamu Youth Investment Group.  Using the principles of Kwanzaa, children and their families learn financial literacy, investing, how to write a business plan and Black history, through the investment group.  NBUF maintains that the political conscious and cultural values of the Black community must be developed simultaneously, with the building of wealth.

Proper economic, political and cultural education can help to eradicate bad spending habits and bad financial planning (or lack of) in the Black community.  As the community becomes more educated in these areas, it will see how supporting and establishing more Black businesses helps to create employment in the community and reduces crime. Furthermore, building and supporting Black businesses helps to establish a stronger base within the electoral politics arena.  The NBUF Ajamu Youth Investment Group teaches this. 

If you are in the Kansas City MO area, please join NBUF for its Buy Black Saturday.  The event will feature social justice advocate and media personality Bob Law.  He will be discussing “The Power of Black Consumerism.”  The program will take place 10am, November 30^th at the Mohart Multi-Purpose Center 3200 Wayne Ave. Kansas City MO.  

Marc Lamont Hill on Stop and Frisk - @SalimAdofo @NBUF (+playlist)

Bloomberg Strikes Back! Emergency Town Hall on Stop and Frisk

Bloomberg Strikes Back! Emergency Town Hall on Stop and Frisk, a set on Flickr.

Black Solidarity Day a Huge Success by Salim Adofo

Economic development, political empowerment and embracement of African values system such as the principles of Kwanzaa, was the message of the Pre-Black Solidarity Day Celebration, held at the Ft. Green Senior Citizens Center in Brooklyn this past Sunday.  Initiated in November of 1969, by former Brooklyn College professor Dr. Carlos Russell, Black Solidarity day is the first Monday in November.  The purpose of Black Solidarity Days is for African Americans to come together to discuss whom they should vote for on Election Day.  Another purpose for Black Solidarity Day is for African Americans to refrain from spending money outside of their community and to stay home from work and school, as well. During this time the African American community should reflect on strategies to improve its condition and to use its economic power and labor force as leverage against racial inequality.

Hosted by Michael “Kofi” Hooper of the National Black United Front, a good cross section of artists, educators and organizations filled the program.  Bob Law, media personality and community activist, discussed how the African American consumers are disrespected.  He stated that they must use their wealth to build their neighborhoods and institutions, as oppose to those that racially profile African Americans.  Student Minister A. Hafeez Muhammad of the Nation of Islam (NOI) spoke about the NOI’s economic blueprint for Black America.  Muhammad told the nearly 200 people in attendance, if for one year 16 million wage earners donated 35 cents a week to a national treasury, which would give Black people 291 million dollars to be used towards the purchase of farm land.  The highlight of the program was the students of Sankofa Academy.  They amazed the crowd with being able to recite all 54 African countries and all 50 states from memory.

This years celebration was sponsored by a collective of organizations to include the African Nationalist Pioneer Movement, Board of Education for People of African Ancestry, Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive to African People (CEMOTAP), December 12^th Movement, National Association of Kawaida Organizations (NAKO), National Black United Front (NBUF), Roots Revisited, Sankofa International School and the Universal Negro Improvement Association.

Black Solidarity Day 2013

Black Solidarity Day 2013, a set on Flickr.