JUNETEENTH

JUNETEENTH...an Amer-Afrikan Liberation Celebration...festivities are held on the 19th of JUNE...but for these past few years...celebrations are held throughout the month, if not through the year...This HOLY DAY commerates GENERAL GORDON GRANGER'S announcement of AFRIKAN SLAVERY's official end in these UNITED STATES...Supported in this dangerous task (assigned by A. Lincoln) by regiments of YANKEE SOLDIERS of COLOR...they went 'way down south in Dixie'...up to the very gates of plantations and concentration camps often very, very far off the main thoroughfares...their assignment was to  read the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION to the illiterate captives...in the presence of the captors who generally regarded any one of Afrikan descent as PROPERTY... often at gun point...The declaration was made in Texas more than two years after the President delivered the speech (1 January 1863) inwhich he enforced legislation which freed ALL captive and enslaved people in the United States and all rebellious territories...

It is well documented...on New Year's Eve...31 January1862...Large numbers of free and runaway Amer*Afrikans in the Northern United States gathered...Those 1st Emancipation Parties were held usually in churches...and we now celebrate Juneteenth in a time honored tradition which connects us to those who anxiously, though patiently awaited Lincoln's reading of the PROCLAMATION...it was 1st transmitted over the then state of art communication system...the telegraph...print media, being non-electronic took a second though very viable seat...enabling General Granger to formally and literally introduce freedom to many captives in Dixie..."You are free!"

That is to say, hundreds of thousands of the captive's ears were privileged to finally hear the freedom framing words of the EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. Oral Histories document, many hundreds held in bondage were never made aware of THE JUBILEE. Many resistant captors simply refused to set the captives free...many plantations were inaccessible to the troups or were never visited.

IGNORANCE NOT BEING BLISS...it is documented, hundreds were never told of their new legal status, many lived long lives in forced captivity. Many died being isolated, remaining illiterate, being forcibly bound by  economic and legal systems which justified systematic oppression by virtue of  rancid terrorism and Jim Crow Laws.

...and so we count down the years of "FREEDOM"...and we celebrate JUNETEENTH as the victory of REVELATION...the blessing of TENACITY...the joy of LOVE SUPREME!

This year...it will be excellent for us all to consider giving concerted thanks, praise and honor to those bold free beings who rode with Granger...The Free and Captive Freedom Fighters of Color...THOSE AMER*AFRIKAN SOLDIERS...those future BUFFALO SOLDIERS...those ANCESTORS whose courage, strength and valor caused the UNITED STATES to finally know victory in the bloodiest war possibly of all time...the CIVIL WAR.

On 1 January 1980, JUNETEENTH became an official state holiday in Texas...due to the legislative persistence of State Representative, Al Edwards...Consequently, people of Afrikan descent...and others...celebrate globally the 1st state recognized FREEDOM CELEBRATION...We strive by process and example to follow the suit of Representative Al Edwards...to cause JUNETEENTH to be fully sanctioned as a UNITED STATES of AMERICA NATIONAL (HOLY) HOLIDAY.

We are so very blessed, as JUNETEENTH increases in it's recognition as a historically viable GLOBAL FREEDOM CELEBRATION...We commit to celebrate not only during the month of June...The ULTRA YOUth! INTERGENERATIONAL Agri CULTURAL Arts COOPERATIVE COMMUNIVERSITY dedicatedly commits to respectfully celebrate ALL FREEDOMS for ALL COMMUNITIES...ALL WAYS!

IT IS IN EXACTING WELLORDER...We must give respectful HONOR to the dedicatedly courageous CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH made by GENERAL GRANGER and his COMRADES in ARMS...THOSE AMER*AFRIKAN SOLDIERS OF GLORY...THE UNEQUIVOCAL FREEDOM FIGHTERS...that unsung battalion of JUSTICE SEEKERS / MAKERS whose heroic trek ended only when THE RECONSTRUCTION ACT was rescended by PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN's successor...Vice President Johnson ...WE must celebrate JUNETEENTH...no matter our race, color or creed...as we have open opportunity to be the NEW DAY FREEDOM FIGHTERS...MARCHING on to even GREATER HEIGHTS of much deserved LIBERATION!

Asante' sana...thank YOU very much!

Sharing OURstory...An Oral History Continuum

"LISTENING IS AN ACT OF LOVE!"

* an oral history audio / visual / narrative record which preserves & perpetuates personal, and family stories as well as cultural similarities & diversities *

* recording is done in homes, schools, libraries, churches, at festivals and in AV studios at the Memphis Black Arts Alliance's Fire House Academy *

* Emailed initiating digital responses are respectfully welcomed *

* any and all who care are welcome to participate *

* Participants younger than 18 years will require documented parental consent *

* all interviews are scheduled per the peace of groups & individuals *

* select stories will be qualitatively aired via community access & archived with your permission in the Library of Congress, the University of Memphis' Special Collections Department, the Memphis Public Library History Department and / or the National Museum of African American History for genealogical and cultural research in regional, national and international repositories *

Memphis Black Arts Alliance's Sharing*OURstory...an affiliate initiative with StoryCorps Griot

...365 Days...
ALL WAYS!

...in honor of...
MATRIARCHS, SISTERS, MOTHERS...
PATRIARCHS, FATHERS, BROTHERS...

ART as EVOLUTION!
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...please answer these 7 initiating questions...


* Who are you?
* What are you?
* When were you born?
* Why is being a part of this oral history continuum important to you?
* Where have you traveled to?
* Will you describe experiences which have enabled you to balance spiritually?
* How does your life compare to / differ from the experiences of your Mother / Father?

ADDITIONAL QUERY CATEGORIES:
(...7 questions per category...)

* School Days * Maturation Tales * War & Peace * Social Rituals * Mourning Tales * Dollars & Cents * eARTh Tales * Global Garnens *

*************************************************************************************
RELEASE of INFORMATION
I fully understand that the Sharing*OURstory oral history project is a not for profit, educational, voluntary preservationist initiative.

I agree to allow my image, voice and words to be used in the production of community access television

PLEASE CONTACT US AT:

mbaa.isha@gmail.com
memphisblackartsalliance.org
storycorpsgriot.net

...Amazing ASSuMErs...

15 December 07 ...amazingly...we are so often given to ask ourselves... ...WHY? ...why are we yet and still so deeply affected...painfully wounded ~ all because of some much less than stellar choices we make ~ or have sometimes made in our past? Everyone has made unwise choices at some point in life ~ some of us have made poor choices many times more than a time or two... Often, we are grossly submerged in fear and doubt...there are all types of loveless lack which leave us unable to think clearly about choices and consequences... Everyone wishes and hopes...perhaps everyone can recall having planned haphazardly, TRUSTING IN SOME SHABBY COURSE OF ACTION or someone ~ centered in nothingness... ...and so, we are again & again wounded by & IN the seemingly ever reverberating, debilitating, scathing abuses and trials... You may readily recall being victimized by some repeated attack, being subject to some disrespectful violent NOISE ~ often we are mere witness to the abuse which others are receiving...the witnessing is wounding as we care... Some of us choose not to be incessantly affected by violence ~ no one should desire to be in earshot of words or acts of war... Peace IS possible...even the desire for peace has healing power... Perhaps if we are given opportunity to lay rest on some platform of comfort, even some borrowed bed ~ even temporary comfort supersedes none... COMFORT hold a valuable place ~ even within melancholy... Praying for GRACE invariably affords us that welcoming peace inducing space...that proverbial eye within the oftentimes raging storm...that halcyon spot of prosperity... That warm and fuzzy ocean of love!

...as you slither by...WE see you bound in your haphazard assumption...focus sharply~ the muddled & cracking lens of your petty & self centered mad mind's eye...

...am representative of the ALL in ALL...

that smooth sailing passerby whose loving heART would pledge compassion & would much rather walk the tenacious path of PEACE...Please do not awaken the wanting rest war guarantor...better that WE are unchallenged...best as we exist in the above...so much more wholistic than submission to the much of entrapment which slimevily consumes and drags ALL love beneath...

I do not apologize for being borne in the strength...as I am but 1ONE with the unwilling walkers of terresta's winding, binding & ultimately uplifting labyrinth!

Should 1one whose lips drip lies ever be compelled to seek audience with IMEMINE...and lay forth some nappy naped carpet upon which in their supposed play power seek to find me on ANY day...better that they prepare for US in this concerted way...be certain that the path that WE choose to walk upon... be of straight and upright tread bordered by gold in vermillion! ...and if upon any road WE choose to tread...buttress it well for WE walk not in dread...and be of right order and fastlystead...as IMEMINE slow drag renounce ALL drama...OUR crown cocked on the mountaintop of this here natty*dread heart*head... Come full circle now...as we do not walk on eggs...unless of course WE choose to give exercise to the thick as a brick stiff timbers of OUR legs...and it is OUR's to decide the result of the request ASSuMEr's complainingly spanks...for holler back 1one's of ass kissing doubt...WE most definitely & simply ain't! So - when you come...do not forget to pad...the pus filled fragments of your carrion reptilian bodiless parts - not to mention the gangrenous spot which houses your empty heart! ...the FINISHER!

We are in well & correct order...being amazed by or with beings who are audacious ASSuMErs is indeed proper ...I refer to those beings who take self propagating ASSuming liberties with disrespect to the personal space and / or time of others...ALTHOUGH THESE BEINGS EXAMPLE THE UTMOST DISrespect as relates to their delusional desire of power and serious issues of contrived control, BE NOT ANGRY WITH THEM...they either know NOT what they do...OR...they do not have an inherent sence of wellness and SELF CONTROL.

Their's is angry madness aplenty!

Bear witness to their tone and their timing...aren't they usually very actively centered in the negative, controlling maelstrom of self?

They arrive unexpectedly...& if expected, they generally arrive late...IF they arrive AT ALL! They require too much unwarranted attention...they call, or come or write incessantly, compulsively...usually talking long on issues of little relevance to whatever is REALLY the real deal...They make statements via Email, fax and phone...the messages they leave tend to be very needy (indication of lack) and SELF centered...focusing with huge profundity in the ME...seldom (if ever) in the WE...They presume w/out trepidation...

They truly deserve NO dedicated attention

@

ALL!

IF 1one riskily considers the much less than credible agendas of the AMAZING ASSuMErs, the risk taker submits head & heart 1st to beings who operate from an overweening spirit of FEAR & DIS* EAZE...the risk takers are guaranteed only CUPS NOT FULL or NURTURING but PERPETUALLY EMPTY & DEBILITATING...though brimming w/ the ever depressing & lingering residue of malice, distain and often contempt...Real folk just call them

HATERZ!

...

ONCE CHOSEN...OBTAINED!

...NOW...

...

WHO

DO

YOU

LOVE?

ULTRA YOUth! OVERSTANDS...

Because we fully comit to being a unified body...we strive not ceasingly to be ever diligent in our quest for GLOBAL PEACE & JUSTICE! We are the ULTRA YOUth! INTERGENERATIONAL Agri CULTURAL Arts Cooperative COMMUNIVERSITY!

HISTORY
For more than two decades we have existed as an Intergenerational Agri CULTURAL Arts Cooperative, providing educational as well as entreprenural options for member youth, their families and the community at large. ULTRA YOUth! has grown to be a globally affiliated, multi-tasking activism continuum.

PURPOSE
This community service body has remained committed to assisting in the preparation of youth...ALL people for satisfying, productive and rewarding lives. Our cooperative sees the all encompassing benefits associated with intergenerational, ecological / environmental investment and networking.
Sharing initiatives involving worldwide extended family members are instrumental in the reinforcement of age old concepts TRUE COMMUNITY!

GOALS
We strive diligently to structure an ever present, strong MENTORING SUPPORT SYSTEM. We are active in obtaining and maintaining facilities which foster safe and life enhancing economic,educational and recreational opportunities! We are focused in all our efforts to create entrepreneurial and educational opportunities for all.

ULTRA YOUth! teaches both practical and philosophical lessons in socio-economic arenas as artists and Peace Advocates for global tolerance and community empowerment!

The ULTRA YOUth! credo speaks to it's predominate mission...INTERGENERATIONAL ACTIVISM, COMMUNITY, SERVICE, VOLUNTEERISM and LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT!

As we have learned from many schools of order and consciousness...We rely on SELF centered in the omnipotence of HIGHER POWER...THE GODWILL FLOURISHES! We have actualized the sheer power of UNITY...from our very beginnings...it IS the power of that self same unifying energy which has caused and empowered us to align with andn and respond to the Power of Right Order in ALL which is rooted in PEACE & JUSTICE!

We are 1st...We are last...We are honored...We are scorned...We are FREE...We are enslaved...We are liberal...We are liberators...We are men...We are women...We are boys & girls...We are educated...We are illiterate...though not ignorant...We are the poor and the rich...as our standards for wealth are not based upon the dictates of the world's gold standards...We are the weak and the strong...WE are YOU...YOU are WE and WE are 1!

We embrace and nuture environmental concerns...this planet is our starship...we must enjoy and be well in the journey which it provides!

The ULTRA INTERGENERATIONAL Agri CULTURAL Arts COOPERATIVE COMMUNIVERSITY is undeniably dedicated in the areas of: THE 7 PRINCIPLES of KWANZAA (Nguzo Saba)...Peaceful & Just Mediation...Fair & Equitable Sharing & Referral of Information...Community Gardening & Beautification...Environmental Activism...Artist Advocacy...Cooperative Economics...Creativity...Harmonious UNITY...Collective Work & Responsibility...Agri CULTURAL Arts...