Video Press Release:
https://www.youtube.com/v/81zFZDGDLTA?version=3&hl=en_US
On Tuesday, December 6, 2011 Occupy Museums and Occupy477 will share in a teach-in, rally for financial justice, and then donate an original work of art modeling the predatory lending in Harlem to the Museum of American Finance on Wall Street.
More than 150 people walked from Liberty Park, to the New York Stock Exchange, to the African Burial Ground, to Folley square demanding REPARATION, REPARATION, REPARATION NOW. Even with the growing presence of police inforcement, the march was peaceful and incredibly strong and received national attention!
Thank you for showing up!
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Queen Mother Dr. Delois Blakely, Occupy the Hood, Occupy Wall
Street and Occupy 477 Sugar Hill–Harlem March for Reparations,
Educate about Wall Street’s Slave Trade History
WHAT?
A march demanding reparations for the descendents of slavery, as
people from Africa brought to the United States by Slave Traders
were the first commodities sold on Wall Street.
WHERE?
Liberty Square, Occupy Wall Street march to Wall Street and Foley
Square African Burial Grounds
WHEN?
Friday, November 25 th at 2pm
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Queen Mother Dr. Delois Blakely, representing 55 million African
descendents of the trans-Atlantic slave trade via the middle passage,
and Queen Mother of the African burial ground marched with many
others for November 5’s “Move Your Money” day and on Veterans’ Day
11/11/11, both were held at Foley Square, which is the African Burial
ground. Reminding the crowds that the first commodities sold on Wall
Street were her ancestors, she made a clear connection between the
wrongs of Wall Street, past and present.
Recognizing struggles against the banking and finance system didn’t
start with the crisis of 2008, let us understand slavery and its living
history in the lives of millions living today.
On Friday November 25 join us as we march from Liberty Square to
Wall Street to demand reparations for the descendents of the
African slave trade, who’s ancestors were sold as commodities on
Wall Street, and then to Foley Square and the African Burial
Grounds as we honor the ancestors and prepare to fight for the
living.
While the boiler has been installed and is functional, the situation must be monitored. As the courts and city departments are starting to pay due attention to our struggle, the interests of the predatory lenders are increasingly threatened.
Although the boiler has been operational since November 10, heat and hot water were intentionally although inexplicably shut off for over 24 hours. In this time, preparations were made for the Occupy the Block gathering on November 13.
On Friday, November 11 the Occupy 477 met at Foley Square with other OWS participants at a gathering that included Michael Moore and Joan Baez. Queen Mother Dr. Blakely was granted the stage and she spoke about Occupy 477 and the struggle she has carried for over thirty years that was passed on to her by Queen Mother Moore. Flyers were distributed to promote Occupy the Block.
On Sunday, November 13 dozens of community members, church-goers, and members of Occupy Harlem, Occupy Wall Street, Occupy the Hood, Occupy East Harlem, and Occupy the Bronx attended the teach-in and community gathering. Food was provided by Occupy the Block, and media was present to document the ensuing discussion.
Afterward, a delegation of Occupy 477 members attended the38th Annual Universal Zulu Nation Meeting of the Minds.. Members spoke in support of the occupation and asserted that the movement is the essence of hip-hop.
On Monday, November 12, the occupiers walked to the Charlie Rangel Career Fair. Charlie Rangel has stated his support for OWS, although his vote in favor of the Korea and Panama Free Trade Agreement is in clear conflict with the Declaration of the Occupation and Principals of Solidarity. Mr. Rangel’s waffling was opposed by Harlem Tenants Council, Harlem Fight Back, Rev. Earl Copercamp, and OWS Trade Justice.
The Career Fair at City College of New York was charactarized by a powerful image; a line of jobless or under-employed well-dressed Harlem community members wrapped around the block.
At the event, Occupy 477 spoke with the press and asked tough questions to event organizers and presenters. Occupy 477 asked for-profit universities to explain their position on predatory lending, asked Federal agencies to explain their use of credit and criminal records checks in hiring, asked recruiters for Microsoft and JP Morgan to explain the replacement of full-time permanent work to temp work, and asked about opportunities that exist for job-seekers who don’t have what is considered “professional attire.”
The for-profit college Long Island Business Institute was misleadingly given a table amidst non-profit, privately-funded, and government agencies at a “Career Counciling” area.
Absent from the career fair was a conversation about why, in spite the trillions of dollars in tax breaks and bailouts, the so-called “job creators” of the 1% are not making new jobs and yet continue to demand tax breaks. A more appropriate “career fair” might have these so-called “job creators” line up around the block to find ways to employ the talent and energy of job seekers, rather than meeting with others of the 1% to learn how to undermine and outsource labor.
Occupy 477, located in an historic apartment building at 477 West 142 street between Amsterdam and Convent avenues in the Sugar Hill neighborhood of Harlem was founded by New York City’s Community Mayor, Queen Mother Dr. Blakely. Queen Mother has been involved with the Occupy Wall Street movement since its second day on September 18, when she spoke on behalf of the fifty-five million black people of the world to pledge solidarity with what was then largely a gathering of white young people.
Queen Mother’s struggle at her current residence has been a thirty-year effort, since participating in the purchase and government of the building in order to provide an empowering space for oppressed people including people of color, the elderly, and young people of the hip-hop generation.
The location has been under distress in recent years, since law firms Madison Park Investors LLC and E.R. Holdings LLC have used shady predatory tactics to subvert the co-owners association in what appears to be an attempt to flip the building and gentrify the neighborhood. As a result, The building has been without heat or hot water since October, 2010 and city inspectors and workers have repeatedly been locked out of the boiler room. Shortly after the lid was blown off Nathaniel McLeon, the unacceptible legal council of those trying to flip the building, Queen Mother and her numerous supporters were locked out of the courtroom at their appointed time without explanation or re-scheduling.
On Sunday, November 6 unlicensed workers claiming to be electricians gained access to the basement with suspicious intensions using keys obtained from 477 shareholder Shirley Pitts. These individuals were escorted from the building by NYPD, as working as an unlicensed electrician is a serious offense. A mysterious figure known as Ken Bey has emerged as not only a close acquaintance of shareholders Pitts and Margaret Callender, but as the contact for the now-indicted attorney as well as Madison Park Investors LLC and E.R. Holdings LLC. It is unknown how formal his relationship to the investors is.
That same night of November 6, in an emergency proposal the Occupy Wall Street General Assembly consensed to endorse Occupy 477 with the provision of a budget of $3,000 for cleaning supplies, food, and heating. This was passed thanks in part to an acceleration of involvement from the People of Color Caucus, Occupy the Hood, Direct Action, and other OWS Working groups and working group members. That night a dozen people occupied the building to non-violently defend against any last-ditch attempts to sabotage of the new boiler, scheduled for delivery the next day. The night was filled with exchanges about OWS and the history of the neighborhood.
On the morning of Monday, November 7 at 8:00 a.m. workers arrived with the new boiler. Workers removed the old boiler and loaded in a new one without incident. Also on November 7, Occupy 477 received support and recognition from District 9 City Council member Inez Dickens. The members of Occupy 477 stood in solidarity with End-to-End for the 99% which marched eleven miles from Washington Heights to Liberty Square and passed just one block away. There was also substantial media attention from the Huffington Post and other news outlets including the New York Times and Uptown News. The occupiers then held their first general assembly to introduce themselves and share their vision for the occupation.
However, the boiler will not be up and running for several days and the occupation must continue. Queen Mother is calling for pro bono legal aid from practicing attorneys with experience dealing with “hard money loans.” Monetary donations for Queen Mother’s commitment and dedication to others are also welcome.
Queen Mother can be contacted at queenmothernews@gmail.com
Solidarity with Harlem: For Immediate Emergency Action Release!
Facing a cold New York winter, predatroy lenders attempting to gentrify the historic neighborhood of Sugar Hill in Harlem and police, Queen Mother Dr. Blakely is calling fo all to occupy the basement in her complex for heat and hot water. Located at 477 W 142nd Street is a history site, and forces gentrifying Harlem want to freeze out the residents, including elderly and disabled by sabotaging the boiler and denying access to the basement – where the boiler is located. For months now the residents have suffered without hot water and heat, and now that winter is approaching this is becoming a life and death situation. Activisit Michael Booth has already been arrested for standing in solidarity!
come down and show your support we need masses!
Engaging in the multi-‐centuries struggle for social, cultural and economic justice, the Occupy Wall Street movement, which has the vast support of the world, has hereby convened to support the preservation of a historical landmark and low-income residential building in Harlem. The site is located at 477 W. 142nd in the Sugar Hill neighborhood is a living history weaving the many hybrid narratives epitomizes the sacred, revolutionary and innovative neighborhood in Harlem.
In an attempt to increase the ongoing, violent gentrification of Harlem, Madison Park Investors LLC and E.R. Holding LLC are attempting to boot the current residents, some of whom have lived here since the late 1970s. Some of these tactics involve sabotaging the boiler, effectively ending heat and hot water for the building’s population as wintery weather approach.
Queen Mother Dr. Delois Blakely is in dire need of pro bono attorneys, laws students, investigative reporters, and financial contributions to sustain her efforts to preserve and protect this 30 year legacy of low-income housing. She has done most of this work pro se since 2007 and has exhausted her resources.
We come together in solidarity, as people from all races, genders, sexual orientations and cultures to say that will no longer be divided, not prohibited from proper quality of life. We are united. We are the 99%.
Please join us at 11am Novermber 1st 2011, 477 W 142nd as we the communities and residents gain our rightful access to the boiler-room to make much need repairs. Launching Occupy 477 Sugar Hill-Harlem that same day we will stand with Harlem, the people of 477 and Occupy this space until justice is done.
occupy477 