Give Peace a Chance! Venezuela

The full title of Dr. Akinyele’s talk, at the First Existentialist’s Sunday Celebration of Life, is “Give Peace a Chance! Venezuela and the Continuation of the Monroe Doctrine in the 21st Century”.

 

Akinyele Umoja is a Professor and the Chair of the Department of African-American Studies at Georgia State University. Umoja is the author of We Will Shoot Back: Armed Resistance and the Mississippi Freedom Movement, named the 2014 Anna Julia Cooper/ C.L.R. James Award for the best book in Africana Studies by the National Council of Black Studies. We Will Shoot Back also earned the 2014 PEN Oakland-Josephine Miles Award for Excellence in Literature. He is the co-editor of the Black Power Encyclopedia, released (June 30 2018) and editor of a special issue of the journal The Black Scholar on the legacy of his comrade; revolutionary activist, attorney, and elected official, the Honorable Chokwe Lumumba. Umoja’s research has also been featured in several journals and anthologies.

Professor Umoja is also very engaged in social justice advocacy. Umoja is a co-founder of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. He received acknowledgement from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists (1998) and the National Council of Black Studies (2008) for his grassroots activism. Due to his civic engagement and scholar-activism, Umoja was inducted into Selma, Alabama’s Hall of Resistance in the Enslavement and Civil War Museum during the annual Bridge Crossing and Jubilee Celebration. Other inductees into the Hall of Resistance include author Sonia Sanchez, and scholar-activists Asa Hilliard, Maulana Karenga, Ray Winbush, and legendary Hip Hop artist Tupac Shakur.
Facilitator: Charlene Ball

Musician: Aviva Vuvuzela (http://www.avivaandtheflyingpenguins.com/)

Social Period before and after the service – come have Pastries & Coffee with Friends.