- A group of national and local African American leaders gathered at the Ashe Cultural Center Thursday, August 21, to announce plans to hold the State of the Black World Conference (SOBWC) November 19-23 in New Orleans.
The conference, anchored by the New York-based Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW), is centered on the theme Return to the Source, Restoring Family, Rebuilding Community, Renewing the Struggle. A major goal of the conference is to focus national and international attention on the continuing struggle for fair and equitable recovery in New Orleans and the Gulf.
“We come to New Orleans with a mission: to help rebuild New Orleans; to express our resolve in helping in any way we can,” said veteran activist and IBW President Dr. Ron Daniels. “We understand that rebuilding New Orleans is an important part of what we must do to rebuild our cities and to rebuild America.”
SOBWC will be the first major gathering in Black America after this historic presidential election. As a result, the conference is organized as a kind of post-election political convention where a policy agenda for revitalizing Black communities in the U.S., the Caribbean and Africa will be developed to present to the new Administration.
“Because it is after the election, we recognize it is not a time to relax but a time to go to work,” said Dr. Daniels. “We will be leaving here with specific proposals and specific models for action because we are about solutions. We will learn from each other and gain ideas and specific tools to take back to our local communities to make a difference.”
IBW has already begun its policy effort with an innovative anti-violence initiative, Community in Action Neighborhood Defense and Opportunity (CAN DO) designed by Kenneth E. Barnes, founder and President of ROOTS, Inc. (Reaching Out to Others Together) of Washington D.C.
Barnes, whose son was murdered, described the legislation as “a comprehensive approach to saving lives – not the band-aid approach.” The effort has gained the support of US Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Chicago), who will be introducing the CAN DO legislation in the next session of Congress.
SOBWC will also feature a “who’s who” of Black America ranging from elected officials to hip hop. Sess 4-5, New Orleanian hip hop activist and CEO of Nothing but Fire Records, was on hand to express his support for the gathering and welcomed the focus on New Orleans.
“Hip Hop is an integral part of the State of the Black World Conference. It is an integral part of Black politics and revolution,” said Dr. Daniels. “Malcolm came through this kind of ‘realness’ to become one of the most important revolutionaries that ever lived. There are many, many hip hop artists that come out of that tradition of commitment and uplifting our people.”
Other confirmed participants include actor and humanitarian Danny Glover; syndicated talk show host Bev Smith; Rev. Al Sharpton, President, National Action Network; Dr. Julianne Malveaux, President of Bennett College; Marc Morial, President/CEO, National Urban League; Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, President, National Rainbow/Push Coalition; Dr. Elsie Scott, President/CEO, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation; Atty. Faya Rose Sanders, Founder of the Voting Rights Museum in Selma, Alabama; Susan Taylor, former Editorial Director, Essence Magazine; Dr. Iva Carruthers, General Secretary, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference; Dr. Maulana Karenga, Creator of Kwanzaa and Professor of Africana Studies and Chairman of Black Studies at California State University at Long Beach; Dr. Haki Madhubuti, author, poet and Distinguished Professor, Chicago State University; Sonia Sanchez, internationally acclaimed author and poet; and Dr. Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law Professor.
