The past several days, I have had the honor of being back in Ferguson, MO; with all those I first connected with in August of 2014… Shortly after the brutal execution of Michael Brown Jr. I have been in & out of Ferguson over the last two years to stand with the people, and to support their efforts against the corruption of the system, in any ways that I could actualize. The people I have been connected to since my first descent into the area; they are the people who either knew Mike Brown, or who’ve been long term residents of Ferguson, or folks who have strong ties to the Canfield Community in which Mike Mike lived.
There were so many beautiful moments during this trip; connecting with the community as we all mourned Mike Brown, a healing event that occurred on the 8th that really did do just that… Just a lot of moments of reflection, and the beginning workings of healing coming to the forefront. Myself and many local poets shared offerings & there were also remembrances for those we have lost during these last two years. A young woman of the area also put together a dope video collage of the last two years of protests, that certainly should be entered as a short film in somebodies film festival if she chooses; it was that good… Just really great vibes all around.
On the 9th, we had a very solemn assembly for Mike Mike… Very heartfelt & painful; especially for the family & the community who have been fighting every single day for justice; that is yet to be realized. Mike Brown literally changed all of our lives, whether near or far… Whether you have ever been to Ferguson or not…If you care about BLACK People, and have been putting in work in your lifetime toward BLACK Liberation; his brutal execution has furthered your militancy and awakened your urgency in some way, shape, form.The family of Mike Brown has been through so much, please continually keep them in your prayers & good intentions.
The evening of the 9th, we took to the streets in protest, because Mike Brown must be remembered FOREVER, and protest is what initially brought us all together... It's what sparked this wave of our continued struggle. As we were doing so, the Ferguson cops come to harass us in riot gear.; which we expected because that is their normal We started to get on the sidewalk, and the people of the area were deciding what we should do next. Police just stood in the street with riot gear on filming us. One of our young men was standing by the curb & a woman came through and hit him so hard with her car, that he went flying in the air. It was the worst thing to witness…I thought he was dead at first…We all began to cry & scream & cops just stood there… I was just so angry, enraged, hurt…We all were & then the police started firing shots at us…YES LIVE ROUNDS!!! I had to literally run for it & dive under a car… I was trying to get in this random persons car... And under his car…My phone went flying & it got ran over by another car & it still works(thanks screen protector)… In the process of all this, I got hurt pretty bad(from diving to safety), but I didn’t notice until much later.
So many rounds were shot at us, I have no idea how to give a count of how many… Way too many is all I can definitively say. All that military gear cops have, but shouldn’t; being put to use against citizens for no damn good reason… And the bullets sounded like air whizzing past; not like fire crackers… Shots in immediate succession; sounding like a machine gun, but lighter( I don’t know what they were using though.) It was crazy… I was in it, so I can only tell you how it sounded from my perspective… Bullets whizzing by is no joke!
So none of us were hit by the bullets…The CREATOR, Angels, Ancestors had us protected and surrounded… BUT STILL, like WTF? The young man who was hit by the hit & run driver is seriously injured, but I'm so glad he is still living as well… Cops never went after the driver, which leads me to believe it was a set up by cops… All of it! They are very venomous when it’s the anniversary of Mike Brown’s execution; by their disgusting colleague… They did similar horrible things to people last year around this time… We get no justice from this system…Cops lie & deceive… We must protect one another!
SO as a person who only comes in & out to support & stand with the community; I know that I don’t have to live with the terror of Ferguson & St.Louis PD everyday, like my loved ones do…This makes me furious & sad for them… At the very least, Ferguson PD should have been disbanded a long time ago… Still & despite it all, the people of Ferguson are standing tall & strong… Learning, growing, amending, resolving… Never giving up, and this is why they deserve our support, love, prayers; without co-opting/exploiting the work they do daily. If you want to see some of the pictures, please visit my twitter page
I will end this blog by sharing two of the poems that I offered at the Healing event on 8/8/2016…
#MIKEBROWNFOREVER
Canfield Cantata
(Written a year & a half ago… Dedicated to Lost Voices & the People of Ferguson, who have ignited the world with freedom fires)
Blue and red bandanna’s colliding in unity and fire, a holy solemnity is kept.
Not knowing the way, not knowing the “appropriate tone”… G-D has called, they have answered! Young mothers, barely of age— Strong-Attitude High- Love Sick-Warrioresses wildin’…Crying out as they lead: “Watch my baby for me, while I take these streets, so BLACK People can be free—FUCK THE POLICE!
Mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters raw love showing; voices trampled by respectable knee-grows— This one and that one and he and she— Respect they’ve added a QIA to that LGBT… Intersectional but some whoring to be seen, the greedy and unashamed… False freedom promises and purposeful publicity arrests… Secret feds wearing blue vests; unauthentic, the people deceived.
The people rising, the people crying, the people shedding blood, the people at the most risk at their home… Drowned out by those who want to turn the energy into acceptable sound in the ear of white privilege. Silencing, demeaning, ignoring, conceding… Taking advantage of plight, no humility to not shine solely…
BLACK Women leading the charge, front line in all ways feeling unsafe by the misogyny from bothers undone— Desperate and ugly the sick hearts of coons who try to capitalize on an opportunity to be oppressor through new BLACKNESS— Misogynoir recipients,non-cis hetro-realities, being told to shut the fuck up, because who you gut is, is more important than our collective freedom… Playing into oppressors hands, COINTELPRO like demands, pushing money in the populars hands; folks keep missing it!
The real, the true, the A-1 from days ones, all around… Working their asses off, never seen by many. Forgotten sometimes as new faces arise and fall, sacrifices disregarded and unappreciated— The same fire that stated it all is bubbling again, no more selfish delusions, the righteous fight continues. Fake ones, mean spirited ones, wannabe famous ones, and “new BLACK” ones, step aside fast— ‘Cause I hear the real and true ones catching their breaths…
I hear the heartbeats becoming stronger, I see the eyes becoming bright, the limbs becoming strong again… I see the maturity of righteous struggle beautifully begin to palette the faces, the glow basking. The voices are no longer cracking, they have become strong, they are becoming stronger… I hear a new song of the aware, resolute, freedom fighting kind—And I hum along, keeping rhythm and time while adding my line… And it is so.
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39.
Mike & Marshawn
I
Prophesying your own death, yet didn't realize those bloody sheets you saw were for you... This haunts me in a way that is sad, enlightening... Meant to be. To a young man, everyone knew as Mike Mike... This prose is just for you.
Since August 09, 2014, your name, your life, your potential has filled my soul with fire. A righteous fire, that caused me to up my own ante... Radicalize and stand up to the systematic lies... For you and all of us... The Sons and Daughters of G-D, direct reflection of the image... Blackness, we are!
I dunno if you can see from where you are and travel, that your words have come true... Everyone does know you, just like you said we would. You are a breath of eternal flame that ignited us, challenged us, to fight for justice, in your wrongly executed name!
We will never forget you, no we'll never forget... Your pain, your dishonor, by disgusting pig slopping. No we'll never be the same, never be the same... And it's our honor!
So rest well young Ancestor, learn and glean from the great company your in. Know you have taught us so much, we know you are in the the winds blowing about us incessantly...
In rain, in hail, in sleet, in snow, in heat... The people gathered, the people disrupted, the people united...Your winds energizing us totally and holy... We can never forget.
I just want you to know, soul to soul, that you and I are connected, and I'm thankful.... May your winds continually blow... For change, for justice, for revolutionary love in action...
II
… And that it does... Yes it does! Over so many, especially the young... Like freedom Warrior Marshawn McCarrel, who just made purposeful journey to the Ancestral realm. Have y'all gotten acquainted yet? It's only been 3 days now since he took flight, to of the unknown path, we on earth have yet to go. So, Let me tell you a little about who he is, it's important you know, it's important you know.
Just a few years older than you, when you laid on that ground for four hours and thirty minutes... He was one of the first to come from out of town... To come see that you got the justice you were do. Oh, he had already been dedicated to community for years... Cried many tears... Love of a thousand oceans deep.
In rain, in hail, in snow, in heat he cried out your name & the names of so many who had been slain... Doing the work, disrupting the status quo... His agony of soul, because of our collective woe. He loved so big, so wide and all knew... He was sincere.
But Mike Mike, let me tell ya', it's been so hard since you been gone... They hate us, they continue their slaughter and it's been killing us so deeply inside, though we try to stay strong. Wondering how we can make it, continue to breathe in this agony... So Marshawn, who journeyed where you are, a few days ago, decided that he had to indict the system by allowing his blood to flow...
He let go of his breaths and unsteadily steady heartbeat sounding... To arise more fight in us... More grit in us... To tell the system, to stop fucking with us! My heart is heavy, but I know y'all got so much to talk about and do... Where you are, sending gentle whispers of destiny to us... If we are still enough, we will hear... Your heartbeats in sync, forever in the other realm where peace can be reality.
But right now I cry... Been crying for 3 days now... Thinking about the oppression and trauma that took you both out... For the way that you both left this life... I hope you both know how loved you are... I know Marshawn will let you know all about everything we have been doing, to keep your name resounding...
So, rest powerfully you two... No more struggle, no more pain, no more wondering... We'll see you both at the first of the new dawns light... I can't wait... Til' then, we gonna be alright.
From: Nigiste Nigiste: Ancestral, Present & Forever Entangled
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