Report Back on the First National Dialogue with Black Left Unity Network (BLUN) and USHRN

US Human Rights Network Podcast

Report Back on the First National Dialogue with the Black Left Unity Network (BLUN) and USHRN November 3, 2011 The need for a national call was rooted in the following assumption: With the emergence of the Occupy Wall Street movement with developing organizational expressions in various cities across the country, members of BLUN have taken the position that it is important to develop a process for addressing the questions that have quickly surfaced related to the political character of this movement and the role and participation of Black, Latino and Native forces. BLUN along with the Labor working group of the US Human Rights Network, hosted a first national dialogue call on Thursday, October 20, at 3pm EST. The call was organized around a series of questions addressed through a conceptual frame and a series of local reports. Framing perspectives were offered by Saladin Muhammad (BLUN) and Christine Williams, Local 100 TWU) highlighting the anti-capitalist and movement building potential of OWS. The role progressive labor and social movement forces are playing in the movement was discussed. Through a series of local reports from San Francisco/Oakland (Clarence Thomas, ILWU, Local 10), New York (Christine Williams, Local 100 TWU), New Orleans (organizer, Endesha) and Raleigh-Durham (Ashaki Binta, BLUN, Black Workers for Justice). Two of the five call questions were highlighted in the reports-- 1) How can the Black left align with the anti-capitalist sentiment and energy of the OWS forces to increase the existing fight-backs in the labor movement and the Black communities? And, 2) Since labor is an important social force in the capitalist system, how might OWS influence and help to mobilize the character and content of labor’s involvement in the Occupy movement? The following core themes emerged: 1. There is an uneven, even missing presence of Black folk in the Occupy movement. Those issues most impacting Black and Brown communities need greater visibility and presence. 2. There is a need to go into Black communities where struggles around Occupy issues have been going on for years. How to “go into” is a key question. What connections need to be made? How? 3. Related to number two is the need to work simultaneously: connect to struggles of the Black masses while linking with progressive OWS forces –white, often male and young. This is not going to be simple while working to specifically deal with the pressing issues confronting the Black masses. 4. A key question is how we can connect multiple energies from multiple sites and forces to build an overall strategy of social transformation? 5. Successes seem to come from specific targets such as marches on the banks. Banks are the local Wall Street presence in many communities. How will this fight connect with broader anti-capitalist energies? 6. Need to find out more about Occupy the Hood and Occupy Hip Hop movements and the recently emergent Hip Hop decolonize movement and work through engagement with these emerging forces. Comments/Analysis: History has demonstrated that the particular relationship of social forces that can lead to a vast improvement in the ability of a resistance movement to advance its interests cannot be pre-determined. Yet, certain events can emerge that can suggest new possibilities for developing and implementing strategies that can strengthen progressive forces while simultaneously taking advantage of the weaknesses of the ruling elements. In penetrating the the pervasive ideological mystification of Capitalism imposed on the people of this country by the collusion of the State, the corporate media and the financial and corporate rulers, the OWS movement provided a moment, however temporary, and a framework for building a deeper understanding of capitalism’s inherent contradictions. But with all of its progressive potential, the discussion from our national dialogue clearly surfaced the uneven and contradictory nature of this movement. It became clear from our conversation that if OWS can serve as a catalytic force for a new convergence of progressive forces, the interests and perspectives of the Black Left, including labor, community-based movements, Latino, Native and all progressive forces have to be reflected in the movement’s demands and organizational forms. The recent developments in Oakland and San Francisco where Black left forces and labor asserted their leadership suggests that spaces for more effective and principled participation of Black and “people of color” is indeed possible and must be paramount. Finally, comments from the call suggested that in addition to asserting an agenda that reflects our analysis and demands, progressive and revolutionary forces must help sharpen the analysis of the structural contradictions of capitalism. This is seen as necessary to avoid the ideological trap of liberal reformism that continues to undermine radical politics in this country along with the false “universalism” that papers over white supremacy, privilege and class contradictions.