Musings: Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and other deadly encounters with the Boyz in Blue

So I've been a bit quiet about this as of late.  I wanted to have enough time to be able to coherently gather my thoughts, and to properly express what I'm feeling inside.  Let me echo one of my favorite rap artists, 2Pac:

"They claim that I'm violent, just cause I refuse to be silient,
These hypocrites are having fits, cause we're not buying it,
defying it..."

Or, better yet, how about Michael Jackson:

"All I really wanna say...they don't really care about us!"

We've seen this time and time again.  We see the same response by so-called Civil Rights activist/leaders calling for calm and peace.  They make calls to "act accordingly", and not be confrontational, to practice nonviolence as a solution.

FUCK THAT!!!!

We DON'T need calm.  Calm has never brought us any results.  Hell...nonviolence has never been proved to be an effective tactic against the oppressive powers.  If any of you had actually bothered to study history, instead of listening to the bullshit rhetoric of these old ass talking heads on these Sunday morning news shows, you would know that even during the Civil Rights struggle, you had MANY that questioned the tactic of nonviolence after several deadly encounters with police forces in the American Deep South.  That's one of the main reasons for the little splits that happened during the movement.

We don't need more damned discussions.  What we need is organization and mobilization to counteract this oppressive treatment by an ever-increasingly militarized police force.  We've been asleep at the wheel for the last 13 years (and lost our backbone <not to mention our minds> for the last 6 years); it's time to wake up, and face reality.

We need to defend ourselves.  If we learned nothing from the BPP-SD, it was that we needed to protect ourselves from external forces that were detrimental to our community.  Those who focused solely on their community programs and NOT on their self defense program and doctrine have shown that they know NOTHING about that organization, and truly have NO idea what they were about.

Let's cut the crap here.  Michael Brown wasn't some young thug making trouble in the community.  Eric Garner wasn't some local petty criminal making problems for the community.  Neither deserved to be murdered by the police for no other reason than being a Black man on the street.  When Eric Garner was murdered, he was accused of selling 'loosies' on the street, yet NONE were found on him at the crime scene, and WITNESSES were on hand to say that he was breaking up a fight, and had nothing to do with any criminality going on.

We are asleep and spineless.  We are completely apathetic and complacent.  Yeah..you'll have a few people go on social media...pop off at the mouth...and then go back to their bullshit lives, worrying about Scandal, Real Housewives, R&B Divas, and other stupid-ass nonsensical shit.  We NEED TO FIGHT BACK!!!!!!  

We need our own fighting formations.  If you're too much of a pussy to want to stand up and fight, and talk that I-hate-violence bullshit, take your ass somewhere, sit your ass down, and SHUT THE FUCK UP.  We do too much talking, and not enough action.  To echo 2Pac again:

"They claim I'm violent, then violent's what I gotta be"

Or, maybe I should be echoing my peoples Public Enemy:

"Shut 'em down".

I'll even through my own voice into the mix:

"No respect to the Boyz In Blue,
And it's not because I hate ya, it's just the shit I see you do,
Givin' beat downs, buck downs...goin' insane,
Ya runnin' shit, can't even roll through my own domain..."

If they want to militarize the police force, then we need to create OUR OWN community defense force.  There are a number of grassroots organizations in our community that are doing just that, but we choose to dismiss them as if they are crazy, and show them no support.  Don't wait until it is too late, for another incident to hit our community.  Stand up, and FIGHT BACK!!  There is NOTHING wrong with fighting back.  If we can cheer an uprising in a foreign country, then why not cheer and support an (well deserved) uprising on the home front?

Strategize....organize....MOBILIZE!!!!!

Uhuru sase, y paz

La Marqueta Stories Literary & Arts Festival

Brooklyn's prodigal son will be participating in this years festival.  I will be on hand with copies of all three of my book titles.  Celebrating East Harlem, while bringing some Brooklyn flava!  :D

La Marqueta Stories Literary & Arts Festival
Saturday, August 16, 2014
12pm to 3pm
1640 Park Avenue (between E. 116th and E. 117th Streets)

FREE and open to the public!! Accessible by public transportation.

BE THERE!!!!!!

Proyectos Futuros (Future Projects)

The one question the writers/authors get frequently asked, especially either during an interview or a book signing, is this....

So, what are you working on now...?

What's my response to this question....?  What am I not working on?

Currently, I'm still writing several screenplay projects.  Film and television has always been my first love, so I continue to write my cinematic stories.  I'm working on several new projects, as well as trying to finish a few others that I've temporarily put on hold.  I still have several TV series projects that I have yet to write the pilot out, and only have in treatment form.  There are others that I want to continue to write out additional episodes, and at least complete a first season. At the same time, I'm considering getting together a writing team to do those projects...

On the literary front...I'm working on three fiction novels.  One is an Afrocentric sci-fi space opera, in which I've actually posted an excerpt of it here on this blog.  Another novel is an action/adventure project about a community activist-turned-crime fighter; also excerpted as an entry in this blog.  The third project is another sci-fi action/adventure project that deals with the Earth defending itself from an oncoming alien invasion, using the aliens' own technology against them (a la Robotech).  That one I plan to turn into a series....   

Lastly....I am currently writing PART THREE of the "Raise Your Brown Black Fist" book series.  I have finally figured out the direction that I wanted to go in with this particular book.  Now that I am back in New York, I have access to the materials and information that I need to complete the book.  This book will be the most ambitious of the three, and I hope to complete it and have it published by the end of next year (2015).  I was kinda hoping to stick to the schedule that I gave to myself to have published at least four books in five years.

Meanwhile....I'm still trying to get my grind on by getting my books stocked in bookstores, and doing more book signings, festivals, and speaking engagements.

Stay tuned for more!  :)

32nd Annual Festival Santiago Apostol de Loiza a El Barrio

Carribean Cultural Center and Africa Diaspora Institute 
presents...

32nd Annual Festival Santiago Apostol de Loiza a El Barrio
3-day celebration of Afro Puerto Rican culture
Music, food, vendors, FUN!!!!
July 25-27, 2014
105th Street (between Lexington and Park Avenues)

FREE!!!!!!

SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!

Social Media presence

Other than this blog, there are other ways to find me in the webiverse...

I have profiles on G+, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Black Author Showcase (Ning.com site).  I don't do Twitter, though....haven't really been drawn to it (nor Instagram or Pinterest for that matter).

I actually have two Fan Pages on Facebook.  The main one that I use is named after this blog, "Chronicles of the Brown Black Fist". Here is the link for it:

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chronicles-of-the-Brown-Black-Fist/472444836156619?ref_type=bookmark

This Fan page deals not only with the blogs that I post from here that I share, but also a lot of my activism.  I share a lot of different information on that page pertaining to issues that I feel strongly about, and my cultural interests.


My other Fan Page I just recently started.  It's really dedicated to highlighting my skills as a writer, and promote me as a published author.  It's called "Author, Kevin Alberto Sabio"  Here is the link to it:

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKevinSabio

This one was set up as a suggestion from a friend, thinking that I should differentiate between my activism, and my literary work.  This particular page can highlight and focus mainly on my books, and upcoming literary projects.  I'll still post about my upcoming events on both pages on FB, but I think that this will actually work.

SO.....

Feel free to hit me up and 'friend' me on any of these different social networks, if you haven't already.  It's just another way for you to feel connected to me in this interconnected cyber world we now live in.

Keep the fist raised!!

Musings: The Ujamaa Effect (or lack thereof)

Since my return, I've been to at least three different festivals so far; two that I participated in as a vendor, and one that I just attended (and illegally vended).  With the first two, I helped to (imho) heavily promote those events because I was actively participating in them as a vendor.  The third was one that I was just hoping to attend, and be able to enjoy as an attendee.  With the activism that I do in/for the literary arts, I don't get the opportunity to attend and enjoy these events as I would like to.

What really disturbed me was the lack of commerce and support being given by the attendees with the vendors present.  The attitude that you sensed from the crowd was really a superficial one; they just came to show up, and show off.  They wanted to give the appearance of being so damn deep and cultural, but didn't really support the vendors that were there, myself included.  Certain attendees acted like they couldn't give you the time of day; as if you were beneath them.

#1-  If you're a female, I AM NOT trying to get with you!  I'm trying to make a sale.  This is how some of us make our livelihood(s).  We can't step up our game if you don't financially support us.  Our products cost money to make/purchase, vending fees have to be covered, travel expenses need to be addressed, etc.

#2-  If you don't support the vendors, they won't be able to participate in events like this.  If they don't participate in events like these, the organizers can't organize these events.  If the organizers can't put together these types of events, THEY WON'T EXIST ANYMORE!!!  Do you see a pattern forming here...?

#3-  You're NOT that deep or cultural.  You come to these events 'playing' African, wearing your 'African' costume.  You come to these events frontin' like you so damn deep and cultural, when after the event is over, you go back to being your ignorant, ratchet-ass self.  You're more willing to come out of pocket to buy some $1000 smartphone, or $250 pair of shoes/sneakers, but wanna bitch at a vendor to pay $10 for a fucking book, DVD, or CD?!

#4-  Not saying that there should be a dress code, but HTF you gonna come to a 'cultural' event dressed like anything?!?!  Your booty cheeks are hanging out of your shorts, you're wearing the tightest dress(es) known to man, or you're wearing little to nothing in way of clothing attire.  C'mon...really?!  But you so damn deep and African...

#5-  If you have NO intention of buying anything, YTF you bother coming out?!?!?!  That's a waste of everyone's time.  Cultural events like these are not about you being seen; it's about supporting the cause/purpose of the event, and supporting the businesses/entrepreneurs participating in the event.

We can't complain about not having such-and-such business(es) in our neighborhoods if we don't support our own businesses/entrepreneurs.  We can't complain about having 'alien' businesses in our communities if we don't support our businesses first and foremost.  The power of economics and spending habits speaks volumes to your priorities, and economic power and political influence.

If you have a nickle-and-dime mentality, you're gonna get nickel-and-dime results.

Think about that.... 

Reflections: Musings of a Prodigal Son

So...I've moved back to my hometown of Brooklyn.  I've been back for almost two months now.  I've seen a lot of the changes that have been happening here since I've been gone for the last 7-8 years...

And I DON'T like what I see.

None of these changes were made to benefit the people who were originally here; they were made to benefit the Manhattanites who can no longer afford to live in Manhattan, and the newly arrived transplants who disrespectfully carry themselves as if they are originally FROM here.

You're NOT!!!  Stop fakin' the funk!!!!

A lot of this is what I was fighting against before I moved out of the state.  I saw the handwriting on the wall, so to speak, and saw that people just weren't prepared for what was coming, nor were they interested or inclined in trying to fend it off.  It frustrated me beyond belief, and totally burned me out, among other personal issues that I was dealing with at the time.  It got worse almost immediately after I left.

I've only been gone a short time.  I would understand if I'd been gone a good 10+ years; progress and change is inevitable.  BUT...I've only been gone a short amount of time.  I walk around the neighborhood I grew up in, and don't even recognize it.  The borough that I love has lost it's flavor; it's become so stagnant.  All you see around the way are these mainstream big box stores. The local mom-and-pop shops are falling/have fallen to the wayside. You have interloping transplants boguarding and regulating as if they're actually from here, and putting a kibosh on any and all cultural activities that have been going on in our communities for decades before their arrival.

I DO see people keeping up the fight.  Brothers and sisters are out there trying to maintain our cultural and artistic spaces, or are trying to create new ones for us.  The supreme need is the support of the community so that these traditions and institutions can never be lost to us ever again.  They can try to push us out; I think that it's about time that we started to push back.

When our neighborhoods were defunct and crime ridden, they didn't want to have anything to do with us.  Now that we've brought our communities back, they want to leech onto our space, claim them for their own, and push us out.  They abandoned us with 'white flight' back in the day, and left us to our own recourse, suffering with our lack of capital and resources.  Once we brought our communities back, through grit and determination, investing in our own ethnic arts and businesses, now they want a piece of the action, and take over by pricing us out.  I've recently been to Downtown Brooklyn; it looks like a little Manhattan.  That disgusted me beyond belief.  Brooklyn has IT'S OWN identity; we DON'T NEED nor WANT to be another Manhattan.  Take that bullshit back where you came from!

Now that I'm back, I must help to do my part to keep that original part of us alive.  This cookie cutter persona that permeates throughout this city of great originality must be discarded!  WE are the trendsetters.  WE are the originators.  WE are the ones that set the standards for others to follow across the country, and the world.  WE are the innovators of fashion, music, arts, and style.  We were NEVER followers; we are leaders!

To our youth...step it up, and think outside the box!!  To our elders...provide that proper guidance that our youth need.  This mockery of who we are cannot stand for much longer.  Let's be the trendsetters and innovators that we truly are.  Fuck chasing the almighty dollar; your due compensation will surly come in due time.  Besides, having a lot of money doesn't make you right, nor make you the best.

Reclaim that Brooklyn steelo.

Holla at ya boy!!!!