Africa: “… unity of the people”
WOODSTOCK – Over 100 neighbors gathered at Mescal Hornbeck Community Center in Woodstock Sunday afternoon, for speeches and music, for the 27th annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.
The message of this holiday regularly involves honoring the life work of MLK by continuing the struggle against institutionalized racism in its many forms, including the school to prison pipeline, New Jim Crow, police policy, war, indigenous rights, and partisan politics.
Pastor G. Modele Clarke, New Progressive Baptist Church and Pam Africa, International Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, both delivered lively addresses on subjects of non-violence, Hepatitis C, prisoner rights, and other social justice issues.
“We are the voices – us – who will go after Giliad,” Africa told the enthusiastic crowd, referring to the pharmaceutical manufacturer of Sovaldi, used to fight Hepatitis C. “They took a $62 treatment and sold it for $1,000 a pill,” she said, indicating the 90-day course costs $90,000.
“They never told people how much it costs,” Africa said. They never told people who enrolled, that a majority of health care providers don’t cover Hepatitis C.”
Mumia Abu Jamal, considered by some as a political prisoner, who escaped the death penalty but remains incarcerated for life, suffers from the disease in jail.
The 27th annual event drew over 100
“And you know that fool get in there next week, I pray for lightning. This man is getting ready to take out how many of us?” Africa was referring to president-elect Donald Trump, and his plan to revoke Obamacare.
As Inauguration Day grows closer, concern is mounting that many poor people will die of disease before lawmakers replace universal coverage with new legislation.
“Talking about our victories, Mumia is alive because of the work we’ve done,” Africa said. “And if you don’t know about Mumia, Google Mumia. We brought this brother from the bowels of death row, into general population. Not with guns and bullets and bombing things together, but the unity of the people – all the people.”
“Ain’t no power like the power of the people, you know it,” she said to applause.
Abu-Jamal appeared on the ballot for New Paltz mayor in 1999, despite being on death row in Pennsylvania for murder. He received 29 votes.
Musical guests at the MLK event included Journey Blue Heaven & Abbe Sue Graber.
