by Torrence BRANNON-Reese, MSW @ USC
Founder & CEO, FA-MLI, Inc., and the Malcolm X Legacy project
May 9, 2023
Greetings, on behalf of thousands of members of the Los Angeles
community, our board of directors, students, parents, and the family of Minister Malcolm X, we sincerely thank Councilmembers Heather Hutt (D-Los Angeles, 10 th District) and Marqueece L. Harris-Dawson, (D-Los Angeles, 8 th District) for their stellar, exemplary work and monumental efforts, to make this dream of a street honoring of the great Human Rights Leader Malcolm X, a reality, thank you so much!
The vision to honor Minister Malcolm X with a street named, (or as has now been done,) co-named after him, was first shared in November of 1992. Our organization, Fighters for Afrikan Mental Liberation International, now known as, the Foundation for Arts, Mentoring, Leadership and Innovation, (FA-MLI, Inc.) had just recently launched, and we quickly became intimately involved in the gang truce movement of the early 19909’s.
The early 90’s, much like the 1960’s, was a time of extreme societal/political change, and racial turmoil. During these days, we saw a keen reemergence of Black cultural consciousness manifest in the music of Rap groups such as Public Enemy, KRS 1, X-clan and Paris out of Oakland, California, birthplace of venerable 60’s Revolutionary group, the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. In the early 1990’s, Los Angeles was on fire, and FA-MLI, Inc., was intimately involved in this bold new movement to change conditions, not only in Los Angeles, but around this nation, and the world.
As we (FA-MLI) contemplated the cultural/political landscape, we wanted to do something big that would at once capture the imagination of the masses, and cultivate a sense of unity among all races of people, living in marginalized communities, and suffering from the stench of institutionalized racism and white supremacy.
Thus, while collaborating with folks like ex-Football Legend, Jim Brown, Rev. Cecil Chip Murray, Danny Bakewell of the Brotherhood Crusade, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Rev. Jesse Jackson, John Mack of the Los Angeles Urban League, gang interventionists, youth educators and community activists to name a few; I was blessed with the idea to produce a Malcolm X Festival, a Unity Festival, and additionally, wrote a dynamic, life affirming curriculum (Da Root Curriculum) that would provide real-world educational experiences for vulnerable Black youth.
I thought that Malcolm X’s example of human growth and transformation was perfect for that generation to learn about and embrace. The fact that Malcolm Little (1925 – 1965) had experienced early childhood trauma, was something that youth could readily identify with. Further, his ascending to the top of the Nation of Islam, after having served seven years in Prison, spoke to a need for self-efficacy, self-education, cultural awareness, and spiritual/political clarity and purpose. Moreover, Malcolm’s courage to eventually move beyond the narrow Ideological confines of the Nation of Islam and seek to broaden his spiritual/political/social views, spoke volumes for young people, in search of some kind of vision and standards for Black leadership and for their own edification.
Malcolm’s sincerity of purpose, coupled with his otherworldly intellectual/oratorical gifts and abilities, was a rare combination that had not been seen in a Black man since Paul Robeson.
Malcolm’s intellectual battles, fought with an Apartheid era America, were emotionally healthy for those among us whose voices were unheard. The brave, fiery young Muslim Minister spoke for the huddled masses, and defended us on the airwaves, saying all of the things we wished we could say.
Importantly, during the final months of his life, Malcolm traveled abroad extensively, with the specific intent to internationalize our struggle for dignity and human rights. Malcolm’s work at exposing the fallacies in society were irresistible ideas for a young, budding Revolutionary such as myself.
In May of 1993, at Rancho Cienega Park over on what is now Obama Blvd, (Rodeo Road) we produced the 1st annual Malcolm X Celebration. Many of our initial organizing meetings were held in the offices of Congresswoman Maxine Waters, a great and bold leader who took a liking to us, nurtured and supported us by helping to get us designated as a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit agency.
I must thank Dr. Earnestine Thomas-Robertson, my Political Science teacher at LA Southwest College, and since then, (1987) my life long mother figure and evergreen mentor/role model, alongside Mr. Darryl Mayo, Mr. Dwight Trible, both who were on that first FA-MLI/Malcolm X organizing committee, joined by ancestors Nzingha Ratabisha, President of ASCAC, (the Association of Classical Afrikan Civilizations) and Rev. Richard “Meri Ka Ra” Byrd, (KRST Center for Afrikan Spiritual Science) both were around in those early days to help mentor and guide our young crew of intellectuals. I must also send a special thanks to my former Black History Professor at Cal State University Dominguez Hills, Kwaku Person-Lynn, from whose program I found inspiration to craft the name of my organization. Back in those days, Professor Person-Lynn produced a mind-altering radio program on 90.7 FM (KPFK) entitled, Afrikan Mental Liberation weekend, which featured interviews and lectures by a plethora of Black scholars, educators and intellectuals such as Dr. John Henrik-Clarke, Dr. Josef Ben Jochannan, Dr. Francis Cress Welsing, Dr. Bobby Wright, Professor Ivan Van Sertima, Dr. Haki Madhubuti, Minister Malcolm X, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan, Marcus Garvey, Kwame Touré`, and countless others; his program altered the cultural/political landscape in Los Angeles, helping to birth what was then known as the LA “Conscious Community,” and because of radio, his reach was national in scope!
Around the year 2000, I met a dynamic young activist named Shaka Satori (Founder & CEO of The African American Legacy Network), introduced to me by a colleague and college buddy, now an ancestor, Mr. Aqebi Hill. Put plainly, Mr. Satori is a true blessing in my life, and has stood beside me, as we’ve both fought to ensure that this great man, Malcolm X is remembered, respected, celebrated, and honored, in harmony with his spiritual brother, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This dream would not have come true without Mr. Shaka Satori by my side. I must now give thanks to a brilliant, tactical genius, Mr. Andre Parvenu/Msonga Mbele, whose understanding of procedure and whose inhuman like work ethic has propelled us across the finish line, and has ensured that this historic effort manifests in a respectful timely manner, after 30 years!
Special shout out to our 4000 plus petition signers, the five major neighborhood councils, numerous business and civic organizations that supported us. Last but not least, many thanks to the FA-MLI committee and board members, Executive Director-Dr. Kimberly Grigsby, Rev. Mercia Meredith, Professor Susan Turner-Jones, Dr. Juanita Booker-Vaughns, Mr. Tony Wafford, FA-MLI‘s VP of Operations Anthony Mauzy, Ms. Ashley “Perky” Perkins, Mr. Henry Vincent, Mr. Mr. Dennis Myers, Ms. Tara Perry, Ms. Carmelitta Mobley, Ms. Rita Crook, Ms. LaDonna Hightower, Ms. Nzingha Ejukwa, Mr. Rudy Barbee, Mr. Kohmee Parrett, and Dr. Johnnie Raines III, my partner in education for more than 20 years and Project Director for our dynamic See a Man Be a Man Life Mastery/Mentoring program. Most of all, thanks to my children (Kellie, Kandis, Faleisha and Jazzmyne) my grandchildren, and to my mother, Gwendolyn Elmorita Minor-Pettis, who cultivated in me a love of books, education and culture; and it was mother who gave me a book at the age of twelve entitled, the Autobiography of Malcolm X! It all started with mom.
Prayers, Power and Soul to all..
Bro. Torre`
