[Editor’s Note: A personalized perspective on Najee Ali’s booksigning.]
Social justice advocate Najee Ali opened the holiday shopping season last night at the Operation Hope Cyber Cafe, launching a round of booksignings for Mr. Ali’s “Raising Hell.”
A personal tribute to Michael Jackson, a fellow native of Gary, IN, opens Mr. Ali’s easy-to-read, riveting, passionate 18 chapters of recent history through the eyes of a new generation, literally on the front lines of the ongoing social justice struggle in Los Angeles.
Another chapter titled “Rodney King” recounts the events and the man who sparked civil unrest 20 years ago, on April 29, 1992. That changed Los Angeles and the world, forever.
Among the people it affected was John Hope Bryant. Shortly afterward, he founded the Operation Hope Cyber Cafe where, just weeks ago, Najee and others celebrated its 20th anniversary.
Rev. K.W. Tulloss, pastor of the historical Weller Street Missionary Baptist Church, introduced Najee. Rev. Tuloss delivered heartfelt, eyewitness recollections of how L.A.’s version of the Three Musketeers, Najee, Melvin Snell and the pastor, made the rounds of midnight prayer vigils with distraught friends and families, door-to-door searches through gang-infested neighborhoods to find truths that the police could never discover. Ultimately, there was vindication of speaking truth to power on behalf of those already dead and those too powerless to protect themselves… when the “old guard” was nowhere to be found.
Judge Joe Brown was there last night to lend the weight of his popularity and presence to the occasion.
Najee went on to introduce many of his supporters and friends in the audience. You will find in photos here taken by P.A. Edmead and by noted photojournalists like Malcolm Ali, Ian Foxx and Donna Dymally.
Mollie Bell, community activist “Straight Outta Compton,” was there to remind the audience that “truth will out.” She urged all the well-wishers to read the book and put it to the test.
To paraphrase Najee’s response to the question of healing and reconciliation between the new and older generation of activists, eventually the people themselves can determine who really walks the talk of forging unity in the community by fighting with peace and not for it. Ditto.
Google Docs
https://docs.google.com/open?id=1ZPyuU5DEH6DtwBce6b_jAut_qc8w095odlmsTt5XjxPnw-wMZTo6qBFWPnT8
Photos (Credit P.A. Edmead)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.393189877428477.94100.356053387808793&type=3
Mr. Williams soon will be hosting “Conversations with Andrew Williams Jr.,” the TRN International News program on http://trn.tv
See http://facebook.com/parxtc
