By Gloria DULAN-Wilson
Now that I have your attention, let be clear, there is no time for cutesy headlines. WE MUST BE AT THE NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK CONVENTION next week - our very lives, our future and our well being depends on it. This is no time to sit on the sidelines and hope that Rev. Al will take care of it; or that you can just wait it out until T-rump and his ilk get tired of screwing over our rights. As Reverend Sharpton has announced on several occasions, the Convention is free to attend. But I'm going to add that you should bring your courage, insight, unity, and ideas.
As you can see, the theme of the convention is BEING A LIGHT IN DARK TIMES. It's not new to Black people - we've always been the ones who have had to stand in the breach when the rest of society - politically, mentally, racially, legally, socially, emotionally, have gone to the brink of disaster. In the midst of their megalomaniacal insanity - we've had to pull them back from the edge, so that we don't end up at the bottom of the chasm with them. You'd think they'd be grateful, vow to never do it again, and make sure that we have all the rights, freedoms, rewards (reparations) due us. But NO! We get a lull and then the ultra reich-wingnuts (who have secretly been plotting in the background for another hostile take over) start their madness all over again.
And this, sadly, is where we are now. From voter suppression, dismantling of education, social security, Medicare and Medicaid, mass firing of people, hijacking people to mass incarceration; there are so many things that have transpired - all done in what could only be called a "blitzkreig" so fast that you have no time to respond or deal with it before they come up with another atrocity.
We must now come together with our disciplined minds and undo the damage, while simultaneously returning to or inculcating the qualities and methods of our ancestors to rise above and develop our own priorities. Bring your best minds and best ideas, and be prepared to sit down and collaborate.
Highlights of the NAN Convention include:
Rev. Sharpton's list of luminaries is a veritable whose who in Black intelligentsia and civil rights:
NY District Attorney Alvin Bragg, NY State Attorney General Letitia "Tish" James, Great Civil Rights Lawyer Benjamin Crump, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Diva Patti LaBelle, Joy Reid, congressman/Hero Al Green (D.Tx) are among the special guests and presenters that will attend this year's convention. But don't come to gawk, or for the autographs - come to learn, come to share, come to interact.
One of many special forums will feature issues surrounding organ transplantation, organ donors, and follow up as it affects Black people. The issues are so crucial that Al B. Sure, Rachel Noerdlinger, Jennifer Jones Austin, and Rev. Al Sharpton founded the Health Equity in Transplantation Coalition (HEiTC).
Leaders of HEiTC will convene on the first day of the National Action Network Annual Convention in New York City, on Wednesday, April 2nd, to discuss how the nation can lift historic barriers to healthcare in general but especially on issues of transplantation. The panel – which will focus on the state of healthcare as well as its impacts on Black America – will feature HEiTC Executive Chairman Al B. Sure!, Co-Founder Rachel Noerdlinger, Senior Advisors Rev. Al Sharpton, Jennifer Jones Austin, and NYC Council Member Justin Brannan, as well as hip hop artist and advocate Freeway. The conversation is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Sheraton New York Times Square, where Rev. Sharpton will gather thousands of NAN members to hear from leaders in Civil Rights, business, government, academia and other fields on the most pressing issues in Black America.
BOYCOTT VS BUYCOTT: Rev. Al has put together the tops in research and economics to determine which of the T-rump affiliate corporations will be boycotted by Black and other consumers. He will announce the plan of action to transform this into a national boycott sending signals to those who disregard our rights. Make sure you're on hand for this momentous strategy.
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| Rev. Al Sharpton Sharing Words of Wisdom |
Did I say this is a crucial period and that we are under attack by some pretty demented characters - including the ersatz president, Secretary General, and many other incompetents who have been deliberately given these positions so they would fail, cause confusion, and detract us from what's really going on? Well, if I didn't, let me reiterate - this is what you're dealing with.
We are under assault - but we are not beaten. We are not going to National Action Network to comisserate or complain; but to organize, strategize, unify, and defeat the efforts of authoritarian mendicants to destroy and deprive us of our rights. It is incumbent on us to put together our collective, considerable intelligence, creative, instinctual imaginations to flip the script - as our ancestors did - to save ourselves, each other, our children and perhaps even the world.
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| Rev. Al addressed Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Saturday, March 22, 2025 - center is DST International President Elsie Cooke-Holmes, Rev. Al Sharpton, right. |
As Rev. Sharpton has emphasized consistently, this is not the first time Black people have had to deal with such challenges as these. While the entire nation is currently under assault, we have learned from our forebarers to lean on our faith, resilience, and unity. This has seen us through so much despite the seeming power of the aggressors. Black people in particular, and people of color have faced down aggressors of every stripe. Even from ersatz presidents.
But through all that, we didn't lose sight of our everyday concerns: health, education, home ownership, employment, equality, civility, and so many other issues that are essential to a happy balanced life. Essentials that are now being sabotaged by reich-wing maga - but essentials we must protect despite their efforts. NAN will be covering these issues during the convention.
If you've not already registered for NAN'S CONVENTION PLEASE DO SO NOW BY LOGGING ON TO: www.nanconvention2025.net
or call: 877.626.4651
There is an old saying: IF NO ONE ELSE WILL SAVE YOU, SAVE YOURSELF!
THIS IS THE VERY PRINCIPLE UPON WHICH NAN IS FOUNDED
WE HAVE TO BE OUR OWN HEROES - OUR OWN SALVATION
EVIL DOESN'T DISAPPEAR IN IT'S OWN
SO MAKE IT YOUR BUSINESS TO BE THERE: ON POINT, ON PURPOSE
NOW THAT YOU KNOW
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
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| Gloria DULAN-Wilson |
