THE CORNUCOPIA : CULTURE SPEAKS

                                

      

           

Spending one weekend in Delaware, among my rounds I visited a Nanticoke Indian  heritage Museum. Humble in appearance, bordered by two large rooms divided by a deluxe sign in book, and lobby, filled with this Native American tribe’s relics, and elements of lineage.  On business with Family, I learned of business, land history and demographic, and the politics of the reservations thereof.  In my native American studies, I understand, fundamentally that all native Americans, as African Americans originate from the eastern hemisphere.  The east, where culture is the defining principle, the cream of society.  In one cubicle of the museum I stopped and saw a model scene, as to where, it was a fairly 19^th  or 18^th century depiction of an Indian village. Chief, elders, Brave’s engaged in rites of passage, squaw’s in development of womanhood, beauty and traditional practice.  I saw streams circle the village’s borders, and the village’s meat; host of cattle, spiritual ceremonies. The village’s bread, wheat, and husked corn. Standing there in admiration  I summed up, this scene, of this moment in time as a standard fundamental maintenance, of society, community, culture, a people.  Though this  societal standard I socially, politically, and culturally rally for, I am realistic. I acknowledge realities of history, economy, criminology and sociology.  I speak of our urban America. Our urban America is and was no utopia.  I ask for a call to struggling Families, Religious institutions, the grassroots, scholars, community advocates, urban studies departments,  schools and other resources to re iterate the cornucopia; the breadbasket.  A rally for our communities to refute the bread that exploits us, stereotypes us, degrades us, leaves us in lack, and profits off of us via industrial method.  This cornucopia, this bread, this harvest must come from within, to feed, nurture, and educate the community.  Fundamental enrichment is, cultivation.  A drill, past our current social ills to apprehend deeper roots.  I’m   willing to drill past our cemented communities, as phrased by Artist Sylvester Johnson, our “Concrete reservations” to find fortune; to cultivate a cornucopia to feed, us.  Systems, Industries, institutions, have only provided, to leave us, to perpetuate lack.   I state a clarion call for you, to re invest in your future, dig for the cornucopia for the next generation.  The cornucopia will feed. Urban America...eat to live.

Consciously yours,

Z.A

A NIGHT IN DELAWARE (PDF)

 

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NEGUSWORLD: A CROWN AMONG THE AFRICAN DIASPORA

By fundamental, and ethical standard, and in spiritual dynamics, there is so much more, in a name. We bear name's, our children, our cultures, communities, societies,industries and the breadwidth of our governments. The general perspective is within a name given, it holds its purpose, and characteristics. Among homogeneous groups, culture is carried over, passed for its simple preservation. Culture, and sub cultures are birthed within urban settings. Mind, there are learned cultures(way of life)that is birthed out of what is condusive to economic survival, and urbanization. There are cultures, movements birthed out of social degradation. Presented is one of which. The mind, movement, the clothing line, and prescence of Negusworld. A word with direct origins from the east(east Africa)from the Amharic tounge, Monarchaic in its social address;Negus, the title of an ethiopian king, and Nigist(Queen), the title of his equal. Printed, designed and marketed, this profile of any face under a crown made of up elements of the struggles of our societies, and ethinic peoples, from a coin of the us mint, to the the slave chain that held captive an indigenous people, and their pshcological profile. As the late Poet, Educator, Melvin B. Tolson stated, Negusworld is the example of the "rightoeus mind". Progressive, Co founder and executive Johwell Baptiste states its not in what you wear. It is a state of being. Within Negus,this state of being is subsequent; the seat of a monarch, holding self worth, and purpose. To live with this mindset is to live with a consciousness, and this consciousness in a collective, is a movement. This is the understanding of Negus, and those who manifest it. To all advocates, participants and pupils..Negus/Nigist up.

　

www.negusworld.com

THE URBAN CRY LLC

CHAIRMAN/FOUNDER ZION ANTONI

www.zionantonispeaks.com

THESIS/EBOOK RELEASE

4 PAGE EBOOK/THESIS BY ZION ANTONI RELEASED 8/12. FREE COPY AND DOWNLOAD.

STREET TRADITIONALS: RITES OF PASSAGE AND URBAN AMERICA

                                      “I GUESS I DIDN’T KNOW THE LEDGE”-

                                        RA KIM ALLAH (Hip Hop Artist)

This article is written in the spirit of the generational caveat: “Save the Babies”.  In ultimate acknowledgement of Urban America, Black America, I freelance this article praising the efforts and character of Mr. Yumy Odom and affiliates, educator, champion among the grassroots.  I speak in high regard, as an eyewitness to the function of R.O.P, orchestrating fundamental redemptive values toward youth, toward community. Inner city.  Primarily within the Philadelphia community, I viewed the history and experience of the R.O.P, a blessing to the African Diaspora; a fundamental application to a community in the balances: the African-American experience.   At the wake of R.O.P.’S anniversary, I would like to re iterate social constructive effort, opposed to common, deconstructive factors.  Within our inner cities, our communities,  the choices we make, reflect on our posterities,  that coming generation will be products of that, environment.  Every man/woman of color, that stand under the term African Americans are generally entitled unto their own destiny.  With that being stated, we observe the glory of the American dream; wrapped in a bundle of currency. This American dream can also be interpreted as a burden, or Criminology among the middle, or below the poverty line numbers.   Among the generations in the wilderness of north America, we learn the “ Roleplay”.
Our ghettos produce stick up kids, car thieves, drug enterprise foot soldiers, corner crack peddlers, Heroin runners, drug kingpins, Hitmen, Extortioners, number runners, Pimps….the love of the American dream, brings to risk death, or incarceration.  Deconstructive yes, but a perpetuated reality in urban America. Also Considering elements of the economy, from bench pressing middle class weight to the social effects of welfare, R.O.P  provides a sprout. A sprout to raise a host of Black youth, Black men under the banner of the fundamentalism, an impartation, rites of passage of manhood,  and constructive decisions.  Education manifests itself in academia, street corners of urban America, and the R.O.P.  Praise the R.O.P, because it allows education to manifest under systems, and social structures that has seemed to cripple the African-American male.  Heart to heart. Examine the generations, and examine the efforts of R.O.P. `All praises due.  Happy 26th anniversary Rites of passage. Via grassroots entities like the Frator Heru Institute,  within every generation, it is certain, we can make a difference. 

Consciously Yours

Z.A

The Urban Cry LLC
Chairman Zion Antoni
www.zionantonispeaks.com

"THUGZ MANSION"(TUPAC COMMENTARY)

"AINT NO REST FOR THE WEARY"



An old aphorism. Driving through camden NJ one day on an errand i seen one of the many pictures/elements of america's struggling class system.Passing through one of camden's many drug sets i caught a glimpse of a handfull of youth, barely in their teens exchanging work hand to hand in a scramble, weathering the cold air. Couple days later i listened to Thug's mansion(acoustic original) in my home, and as that recent scene and the scenes of the harsh realities many share came to mind i thought of its relation to Pac's vision. That most in these situations and environments feel trapped by circumstance.


"A place where death doesn't reside"-
Nasir bin olu dara jones


A quote from Thug's mansion(NY) featuring Nas, probally states one of the main issues in our american inner cities.Thug's mansion conceptualizes heaven as a reflection our own culture. It houses amenities from flowing liquor, to visions of our ancestors and loved ones at rest. The only difference is Pac's vision paints it with two elements we lack: a perpetual state of peace and peace of mind. In the face of any harsh reality escapism, or the need to escape is normal. At least we have a gem to resort to for everlasting peace feels like. Thug's mansion. Good looks' Pac.

THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP LLC 2010

GENTRIFICATION: URBAN MIGRATION(ESSAY)

" Gentrification and urban gentrification denote the socio-cultural changes in an area resulting from wealthier people buying housing property in a less prosperous community.[1] Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size decreases in the community, which may result in the informal economic eviction of the lower-income residents, because of increased rents, house prices, and property taxes. This type of population change reduces industrial land use when it is redeveloped for commerce and housing. In addition, new businesses, catering to a more affluent base of consumers, tend to move into formerly blighted areas, further increasing the appeal to more affluent migrants and decreasing the accessibility to less wealthy natives."-


Wikipedia



"Ill never turn my back..ill give the slums a 'try"-


The Honorable Robert Nesta Marley O.M

Its no wonder to see inner city communities, from Chi-town, to Maryland, New York to the slums of camden and philly undergo serious transformation. Execptionally minorities have witnessed the elements of their communities change. From seeing the social conditioning of corrupt public schools, drug corners, speak easy's, number houses and community centers slowly become major million dollar food, clothing, and industrial chains. The slow burning process of gentrification didn't really hit me until i seen the shutting down and evacuation of some of the most corrupted housing projects in philadelphia, and the changes on some of the old blocks i spent time on as a child in washington heights, NY. The most recent i seen was the building of new complexes, and garages in Camden NJ, on and close to some of the more poorer surrounding neighborhoods, where some of the residents are in the process of slowly populating neighborhoods like Cherry hill NJ. The process of gentrification is always the same: prepared or not, the current residents eventually have to leave. In america, the saying is still true; among the powers that be" the richer get richer, and the poorer get poorer". From a bird's eye view of the culture, from talent, and business moves i couldn't see blacks, latino's, and other nationalities limited to section 8, housing projects etc. But putting their minds together, to secure their communities, and pursue entrepenuarship.

In american inner cities the "paper chase" is still real: and relevent to political monopoly. In most cities, through gentrification some poor regions are bought by the government, proprietors, and major businesses; while some of the poor sections stay the same, for years. These sections usually benefit corrupt law enforcement and politicians that make profits off the destruction of these communities through drugs. In my years of living in and understanding philadelphia's ghetto's, and studying the urban plight, Gentrification is one issue in the lineup that's relevent to minorities. I hope this essay encourages awareness to the American class system, the good, the bad and the ugly. Peace.

Consciously Yours,

Z.A

THEE URBANPRIESTHOOD GROUP LLC 2010