Notes on The John D/Marvin X University House
We propose to establish the John D/Marvin X University House, a space for free thinkers, an educational and social action center wherein intergenerational learning can transpire in an atmosphere of love and healing. Such a center would entertain, discuss and debate all ideas, philosophies and ideologies. It would be an environment to consider the past and plan for the future. The focus or target would be youth and adults with an interest in learning to improve their skills to survive and thrive in the Information Age and the era of spiritual consciousness, beyond religiosity and dogmatism. Such a space would be interdenominational and ecumenical. We would study past mistakes in education and liberation to insure future generations do not make critical mistakes and thus avoid historical discontinuity by ignoring lessons of the past.
The University House would hold sessions on healing from the addiction to white supremacy, manhood and womanhood training, including sexual identity problems and male/female relations, parenting and respect for senior citizens. Political education and economic self-sufficiency would be of primary concern.
We will be a think tank for resolving lingering social issues and problems that are the result of existing in a hostile environment, such as health disparities and parity in economic matters.
The wisdom of elders will be considered in a respectful manner and the ideas of youth will be of equal importance. We will not discount the input of youth since they are coming into a world elders shall never see, thus the focus is on youth, especially at-risk youth, although we want to support the “good children” as well.
While we want to entertain the knowledge of professional educators, we shall also entertain the ideas of community scholars, especially the non-academic variety that possesses common sense sometimes lacking in persons from academia.
Mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress and unresolved grief shall be of prime importance. Criminal justice matters shall be considered, including black on black homicide, murder under the color of law and domestic violence will be high on the agenda. Anger management must be addressed along with psycholinguistics or resolving communication problems resulting from misuse of the alien English language, the residue of colonialism.
The arts, literature, theatre, dance and music must be an essential component of University House, along with martial arts for self defense.
University House shall publish and disseminate through film, video and audio the proceedings for community consumption.
The John D/Marvin X University House shall be maintained collectively through donations of students,teachers, patrons and sponsors. It must be an independent institution so the free expression of radical ideas shall not be inhibited. We welcome community input and suggestions. Projected life of this institution should be fifty to one hundred years.
Sincerely,
Marvin X,
Director
Invited board of directors:
Dr. Nathan Hare
Dr. Julia Hare
Terry Collins
Ronald Bentley
Ramal Lamar
Ptah Allah-El
Eugene Allen
Rashid Easley
Tarika Lewis
Pat Brown
Alona Clifton
Paul Cobb
Will Ussery
Charlie Walker
Walter Riley
Boots Riley
Jerry Vernado
Amira Jackmon
Davey D
Ayodele Nzingha
Geoffrey Grier
Earl Davis
Wadada
Constance Carter
Norman Brown
Emory Douglas
Bobby Seale
Paris
Suzzette Celeste
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Marvin X's forthcoming book is UP from Ignut or Pull Yo Pants Up fa da Black President--the Soulful Musings of a North American African, Black Bird Press, Berkeley, 2009
www.marvinxwrites.blogspot.com. jmarvinx@yahoo.com.
1 comment:
we are conducting a Pan Afrikan Mental Health Peer Group on How to Recover from the Addiction to White Supremacy, under the auspices of the Mens Workshop I teach.
We are qualified to facilitate these peer groups due to our participation (call in an intensive internship) in the Peer Groups when they were held either at the Black Rep or the Mariam M. Jackmon Foundation. While participating in the peer group sessions, we noticed how Dr. M conducted the sessions , how the general process took place. There was and underlying reality that connected the classical Afrikan myth-ritual with the contemporary.
Having said that, we are in our fourth session, our sessions include 11 young Afrikan males, and three adults. even though we didn't know each other from ADAM, what all connected us is Dr. M's book, "How to Recover..."
So Far the young brothers have made some progress in understanding (to a degree) addiction. Our clear goals of the group include (1)positive group processing, (2)developing techniques and strategies to deal with obstacles as they come up and (3) practically working at materializing our 5 year goals. Even though Dr. M has not been able to physically participate in the group so far, it is because of the training that Dr. M has provided us that makes the peer group so successful. (Dr. M told us that we were now ready to lead our own mental health peer groups, so Bam, here it is!) In fact I don't believe that we are successful, but I do know that we are on our way. Now i can see on the horizon the vultures appearing along with the snakes in the grass. They want to control and limit the natural power that the youth harness, I write this communique partly as a check in with the greater good of humanity through the support of Dr. M and his work; but I also write this communique as a plea for help, for we are engaged in psychological warfare. And there are forces out here in the periphery of our field of battle attempting to manipulate, pollute and pervert these young brothers into being neo- negroes in a post industrial society.
Pretty soon the brothers will be ready to dialogue with you all themselves....stay tuned...
Ramal Lamar
Ph.D Candidate in Negrology, with a concentration in North American Afrikan Mythology
Thesis Advisor: Dr. M
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