Who we areThe Harambee Afrikan Cultural Organization is an organization of African people committed to the return of persons of African ancestry to a traditional African way of viewing ourselves, each other, and the world of which we are a part. This traditional African view places the family and community at the heart of human experience, with the individual person gaining meaning from his or her contributions to the well-being of family and community. It is a wholistic view, in which both the material and non-material components and aspects of our life on earth are seen as integral and interconnected parts of a single whole. And it is a view which values cooperation and harmony over competitiveness and individualism.Our AgendaThe Harambee Afrikan Cultural Organization attempts to bring about this return to the traditional African view through the study of the history of African people on the outside of the African continent and the traditional values and cultures of our people. Secondly, we seek to internalize these values. Thirdly, we study current events and developments and endeavor to see and assess them through an Africentric frame of reference. And, lastly, we attempt to develop a sense of identity by which we see all people of African ancestry as forming one family of which we are an integral part and by which we are motivated to act only in ways that will benefit our family.The prison chapter of the Harambee Afrikan Cultural Organization, which is located at the Nebraska State Pen and is the founding chapter, has a particular focus, owing to the circumstances that this institution is a facility for males. This focus is tranformation from "black" malehood to African manhood. By this, we mean change from a condition of mere recognition of our darkness of skin and physical maleness to recognition and understanding of our common African ancestry, commitment to acting in the interests of African people, and realization and assumption of the emotional and psychological maturity and sense of responsibility which define a man in an Africentric sense. Transformation to African manhood also marks a recognition of the idea that the natural relationship between male and female is a complementary one. The prison chapter is guided by our Constitution and By-laws, by our "Code of Mutual Respect," and the Nguzo Saba" (Seven Principles, as introduced to African people in the U.S. by Maulana Karenga). We are also guided by our organization creed. Our creed and the Nguzo Saba: "Together we seek to know that which is us, to expand our collective consciousness of who we are and whence we come. We exalt in the fact that Afrikans are beautiful in our own right, rather than at the expense of any other group of people. And in the true spirit of the Swahili word, 'harambee', we promote the idea that cultural awareness is germane to human growth." Umoja (Unity) Kujichagulia (Self-determination) Ujima (Collective work & responsibility) Ujamaa (Coorperative economics) Nia (Purpose) Kuumba (Creativity) Imani (Faith) Leadership StructureWe are led by our central committee, which is comprised of the following officers:Alaga (Chairman) Eso/Alakoso Asha (Sgt.-at-Arms/Chairman of Cultural Affairs Committee) Eleto (Administrative Chairman) Olotu Eko (Education Chairman) Akowe (Secretary) Akapo (Treasurer) Akewi (Librarian) MeetingsOur Meetings are held approximately four times per month, on alternating Saturdays and Tuesdays. The Saturday meetings run from 1-3 p.m. and the Tuesday meetings are from 6-7:45 p.m. The format for our meetings consists of:Pouring of libation in honor of our ancestors Recitation of organization creed and Nguzo Saba Officer's reports Old and new business General discussion Educational program Tue. May 2 6-7:45 p.m. Sat. May 13 1-3:00 p.m. Tue. May 16 6-7:45 p.m. Sat. May 27 1-3:00 p.m. Tue. May 30 6-7:45 p.m. Sat. June 10 1-3:00 p.m. Tue. June 13 6-7:45 p.m. Sat. June 24 1-3:00 p.m. Tue. June 27 6-7:45 p.m. Sat. July 8 1-3:00 p.m. Tue. July 11 6-7:45 p.m. Sat. July 22 1-3:00 p.m. Tue. July 25 6-7:45 p.m. Getting the message outThe Harambee Afrikan Cultural Organization prison chapter puts out a monthly newsletter, the HARAMBEE FLAME. Through this organ, we share with our readers commentaries on events and developments occuring in African communites and/or having impacts on African people; present news on our chapter and on our people elsewhere throughout the U.S., the African continent, and wherever else African people live; run poetry and other creative writing; and feature other forms of information and insight.What you can doWe seek partnership with African people on the outside. If you have knowledge and insights on history, current events, African traditions, and/or other topics you believe might be enlightening; if you have talents in music, dance, painting, or other art forms in the African/pan-African traditions and would like to share these with us; or if you simply want to check us out, we invite you to contact us. Write to:Harambee Afrikan Cultural Organization PO Box 2500 Lincoln NE 68542-2500 Or call (402)471-3161 and ask for ext. 3379, Monday through Friday. It is best to call between 1 and 2:45 p.m. Also, if you have books, tapes, etc. you'd be interested in contributing, please notify us so we can inform you of the procedures that have to be followed. In Addition:Ed Poindexter #110403Minnesota Correctional Facility 7525 4th Avenue Lino Lakes,MN 55014-1099 |
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To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. 2) KUJICHAGULIA (Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named, created for, and spoken for by others. 3) UJIMA (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our sister's and brother's problems our problems, and to solve them together. 4) UJAMAA (Cooperative Economic) To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together. 5) NIA (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. 6) KUUMBA (Creativity) To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than when we inherited it. 7) IMANI (Faith) To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. |