AYA Educational Institute

This post is inspired by a post by my brother - Eric Caver.  He said: "I think that think the things we have lost the most through [captivity] and Jim Crow and in life, have been our self worth. . Self love. . Self esteem..  He asked for responses .. Sister Brunson responded: "I know part of the problem but I don't know the solution. We have gone through an identity crisis. We have lost our culture.... WE ARE GREAT AND CAPABLE OF GREAT THINGS!" I agree with both of them. Sister Brunson and Eric, AYA has been working on a healing solution, and have some great tools to help us recover and live out the greatness that you so accurately and eloquently claim.  We actually, haven't lost all of our culture - not by a long shot. Severely damaged, yes. On life support, yes. As Stevie Wonder says: "love is in need of love today."   We need to reclaim the remnants that we have - dusting them off, treasuring them, placing them on the mantel pieces ...

AYA Parents, Family and Friends, I've been wanting to get this to you all day. We're celebrating MLK's Bday. Although our school will be closed, we hope that for you it's not a day off, but a day on! Not a day for shopping, unless you're shopping at a Black business - like he asked us to do. Please do something uplifting with and for our people. Choose Warriors-Healer-Builder, or maybe do some of all three. Brother Sundiata Aya called me this afternoon with a request about some Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes and speeches. As I talked to him, I realized that I needed to make available my favorite MLK words. I've just finished, and the video is ready. I wanted to be short. We'll just over 30 minutes is the best that I could do:  This is a King that others won't likely show. Hopefully, they'll stimulate discussion for you, your children, maybe your peers even. Here are 20 short topics, questions a...

I love AYA. Malcolm X said:  “Of all our  studies ,  history  is best qualified to reward our research."  Arturo Schomburg told Baba John Henrik Clarke to "study the [oppressor's] history..."  Today, WEB Dubois helped AYA students of the Following Araminta class do both. Just as Araminta ( Harriet Tubman ) is entering the war between the states (Civil War) that she helped to ferment, we took a break to go beyond the  moral analysis, to understand some of the economic and social forces at play before, during and after this "Civil War."  From his Black Reconstruction in America 1860-1880 the students read as DuBois cast the Civil War as the greatest labor revolution in history, but they were most riveted by his class analysis of the 7% elite vs. the white laborer North and South:   "While revolt against the domination of the (Southern) planters over the poor whites was voiced by men like Helper, who called for a class struggle t...

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/12/12/upshot/the-rise-of-men-who-dont-work-and-what-they-do-instead.html

The Babemba tribe of Africa believes that each human being comes into the world as good. Each one of us only desiring safety, love, peace, and happiness. But sometimes, in the pursuit of these things, people make mistakes. When a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he/she is placed in the center of the village, alone, unfettered. All work ceases. All gather around the accused individual. Then each person of every age begins to talk out loud to the accused. One at a time, each person tells all the good things the one in the center ever did in his/her lifetime. Every incident, every experience that can be recalled with any detail and accuracy, is recounted. All positive attributes, good deeds, strengths, and kindnesses are recited carefully and at length without exaggeration. The tribal ceremony often lasts several days, not ceasing until everyone is drained of every positive comment that can be mustered. At the end, the tribal circle is broken, a joyous celebration takes p...

Fanta Harriston I love AYA. The day after yet another grand jury refused to indict a NY police officer, Daniel Pantaleo, for the killing of Eric Garner, our students and our community is up in arms, and tears, and fears. Instead of asking students to leave that at the door, Mama Fanta, instructor for our Black Body BioKhemestry, directed students to research the difference between a  choke hold  and a  vascular or sleeper hold. The former kills, or damages the wind pipe. The latter puts the person to sleep by temporarily cutting off blood to the brain. Noting that some people in dominant and social media were debating about the officer's choke hold, Mama Fanta decided that she would equip her students with facts and perspectives to better prepare them for the debates and conversations. Check it out, and please help me in appreciating Mama Fanta. Email her your thoughts. fanta.hairston@gmail.com https://madmimi.com/s/7453a5

The Ferguson Masterpost: How To Argue Eloquently & Back Yourself Up With Facts NOVEMBER 28, 2014  ~  AIDA MANDULEY We encourage you to share the link to this rather than reblogging the entire post (since this is frequently updated and we want to minimize the spread of outdated info!): bit.ly/FergusonAEM. Also, comment volume is high enough that personal replies are not always possible anymore; browse through the comments & see if your issues/ideas have been addressed there.   More...   http://neuronbomb.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/the-ferguson-masterpost-how-to-argue-eloquently-back-yourself-up-with-facts/