BPP's 43rd Reunion, Doc Fest

The Black Panther Party Reunion at Laney College yesterday was phenomenal from meeting Huey P. Newton's godmother, Ruth Villa Jones, a centenarian, to seeing Yuri Kochiyama, whom I'd heard wasn't doing well, as spry as ever walking into the Forum Building to soaking up the great first hand accounts of chapters throughout the country, New Orleans, Baltimore, Seattle, Sacramento, Oakland and San Francisco. It was also great seeing the legacy continuing in the work of JR and the Block Report, the POCC, Chairman Fred Hampton Jr., and film projects like Operation Small Ax, directed by Adimu Madyun, director of photography Angela N. Carroll, who is completing a masters in film at UC Santa Cruz.

The weather was wonderful inside and out. It was great seeing the vendors especially Refa 1 whose clocks with Panther images were awesome. The Bobby Hutton Literacy and The Commemoration team were present. The Lumpin played music and then for a fitting finale, co-Chairman Bobby Seale, whose birthday was October 22, shared stories of the Party's founding and reflections on Huey P. Newton. Afterwards we sang Happy Birthday and cut the cake, which was delicious from all accounts.

There was an after party at East Side Cultural Center, I wasn't able to make, which I heard was great. There is a book fair today in Sacramento at Stacey's, I believe. Check www.itsabouttimebpp.com

I saw many of the people at the conference whom I'd met at the Women in the Black
Panther Party forum I hosted a week earlier.

I connected with a friend after Laney to head over to the SF Doc Festival at the Roxie Theatre on 16th Street in San Francisco. We saw two films, Marina of the Zabbaleen, Christian Egyptians whose work is recycling. They recycle over 85 percent of the solid waste. The story focused on one family and their daughter Marina. It was a lovely film.

It was Proceed and Be Bold which was the main calling card. We'd seen Amos, the subject of the film, and Stacey, editor, before heading into Marina. The film is awesome, but even more awesome is Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. whose life is reflected in the title: Proceed and Be Bold. It doesn't matter how much time one has vested in something, if it's not making one happy then like Amos, perhaps one should shake it off, loose, step away and proceed bolding into the new...even if one hasn't the slightest idea where the path is taking one.

One has to step into this newness whatever it is named or unnamed fearlessly or at least with such a convincing persona (smile).

Amos said he prints because he is good at it. But last night he said he is free and freedom while difficult, has been the best decision he has ever made.

I could see in his eyes, the unspoken personal sacrifice freedom has cost him. He left a lot behind --what he couldn't carry or wouldn't carry --things (read people, ideas, circumstances like wealth and means)to do this.

Not everyone can proceed boldly. Not everyone can hang with a man who had done this, but for Amos there were enough people who loved him enough to believe in him, belief, something which is often in short supply...even though it doesn't cost anything to give.

I loved watching him talk about his journey, his movement--like choreography between the seriousness and playfulness. I loved listening to Laura and Stacey talk about the film, their first feature length film and how 17 months after the decision to make the film about Amos and not really knowing what they know now, have this wonderful film and even more wonderful resource in Amos and what he is connected to...LIFE and what's important like love and happiness and how sometimes one has to throw it all away...and start over again.

Amos says he was living the American Nightmare and now as a letter press printer, he is free at last--thank God Almighty!

The film screens again, Monday, October 26 at the Roxie, 9:15 PM. Other films I recommend are "Mine" and "Marina" of the Zabbaleen, at 9:15 slot, Tuesday, October 27. Visit www.sfindie.com

Visit www.brownfinchfilms.com

I am headed now for the Sister's of Fire Awards Banquet, then I am headed for the Alonzo King LINES Ballet concert at 5 PM at YBCA Theatre on 3rd and Howard in San Francisco. I'll round up my evening at Slims to see Rakim Allah, a full weekend.