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Okay, hello. So it is November 11th, 2019. And this is an interview of commissioner Salim Adolfo by a Sierra Solomon. For the Meridian Hill Malcolm X parkour, history project recorded at American University, the manatees truck office of first, thank you for taking time to speak with me. I wanted to just ask if I have permission to record this interview. Permission has been granted, awesome. So just to get started, what is your connection with Washington d.c.? I've been a resident of Washington DC for the last eight years, exactly. I've been in the DC Metro Area last 10 years. Currently an advisory neighborhood. Commissioner single-member District 8007. That is Ward. 8 commission, see district 7. I'm grown to have a deep appreciation. For my experience here in Washington. D.c. I've been here 25 percent of my life now and my relationship to the city has been solidified has grown has become more intense. And it has shaped and molded me really into the person. I am today, a lot of the life experiences that I have gained that have helped me become more mature have happened throughout my tenure here in Washington DC. It's a really good

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relationship, okay, some so, where were you prior to d.c.? Well, when I first got to the DMV, I was in Reston Virginia. But before I moved here, I was where I grew up at in Jersey City. Eating New Jersey, okay? Do you mind if I ask? Well, what brought you to d.c.? Was it just a change of pace or so? I was, I got out the Army. Okay. I was stationed in Hawaii. Got a job with Homeland, Security. We're getting Coast Guard, and then, I got promoted. A

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cool. Nice. So, what capacities are the capacities? I know you mentioned a and C but what other hats I guess I could say have you served the community since you've been in DC I just got elected to the second vice president of the word eight Democrats congratulation, thank you. I'm the chair of the District of Columbia chapter of the national black united front. I'm a criminal justice chair of the National Association for the advancement of colored people DC branch in ACP Short the professional development chair, for the National Society of black Engineers professionals chapter here in d.c. I've also served as the parliamentarian for the organization as well as the publication's pr chair. I've also served as the pi chair, for the National Association between national black MBA Association, DC chapter member of the universal negro Improvement Association African communities League. He also served as de facto secretary. I would say for the black August planning organization, okay? As well as a member of the Leadership Council will Pan African nationalism next Monday. I'm scheduled to get appointed to the mayor's Commission on African-American Affairs, as well. Awesome. So although, this is in Northern Virginia served as the historian for the northern Virginia Urban League, jump professionals Network as well. Laz, the professional development chair for the moment. Virginia over me young

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professionals. Awesome, that is awesome. So have I and I was community service chair for blacks and government Coast Guard chapter. Awesome. Remember, DC television?

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That is amazing. So how with all of your community service? Has any of your roles LED you to Meridian Hill and Malcolm X Park in any way? Yes, unfortunately I was led there in summer 2013 after the death of Trayvon Martin. I believe the George Zimmerman was acquitted on all charges. And I was in Dallas, Texas at the time. Got back Sunday morning on a flight and talk to somehow our students. And they were going to organize a rally on campus, and then there was something that was supposed to happen at Malcolm X Park. So went down there, it was Not organized very well at all. So the organization I work with the national black united front. We had a decent infrastructure. So we came. We had no members that were their shirts. We had a banner, you had a bullhorn. So, we looked like we were in charge and we all gonna asked ourselves. Yeah. And then we got out there, hundreds of people, for sure crowd probably became. Ends at some point. It was a about midday so it was probably around 4:00 5:00 at that time. Delta Sigma Theta had their National Convention this time and so there's a lot of people there in the park. Had a few speakers and then we decided to take the crowd that was there to Howard's campus. The students at Howard NAACP was organizing a vigil on campus and just so happened that the Deltas were there having their centennial celebration at the time. So it's a lot of people in the District of Columbia at the time. So once we took by the time we got to the A we went out to park down 16th Street down. You should left on U Street up Georgia Avenue and then got to the campus and The students at Howard didn't have it all together yet they were getting there. By the time we got there. Stage was facing One Direction but the people were coming in a different direction. So the person who's running the stage at the times of how our student. She asked me, could be removed the audience around to another part of the stage where they had the microphone setup. So somehow, we was able to move the people around and then they access to leave. Yeah, it was like it was really interesting. They had access to leave as if we didn't have any role in, bringing them to crowd because they wouldn't have really had a large crowd at all, it's so I kept that in the back of my mind, but that experience, though, was Interesting in several different ways being at the park, didn't really think about it in any historic context, we were just in the moment. There's a lot of people, a lot of energy, people were crying, some people in tears. Some folks, not knowing what to do, folks. As frustrated, some people just wanted to be there because everybody else was there. So that was the beginning of some of the more significant things that I have been a part of their, some of the things that I've done prior to that, the black is back Coalition had a rally. I'm thinking 2010. Maybe 11 time frame do not 2010. So, around 2011, 2012. I was a DJ. So I DJ down a couple of times there for them and it was definitely a lot smaller, maybe 100 to 150 people were there. So that was the first time I actually remember being part of something around social justice there. But thing that set at least me on a different trajectory Curry was around the time of Trayvon Martin. So fast forward next year. Okay, August. 2014. I want to say maybe August 10th. 12, it was two days after my ground had been killed. There was a prayer, vigil, that was going to take place there. and, I knew what we were not going to do, and I was go back to Howard, so I remember that very vividly. We're not going back to Howard. One reason though is where Howard sits from? Florida you Street. There is just like it was at the time it was built up now. They were just some warehouses, so it's like nobody there, but we just weren't going to go back there because the experience last time he had tried to exercise

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out, right? So we knew we would go to Chinatown. Okay, well we didn't know at first but I do like, okay we're going to do something different. We're going to tie this said capitalist system. So when we got there to the park on that day, I think it was a Thursday. Now, I know it was a Thursday Wasn't in charge of anything then didn't call for it but our peoples and came out and similar to what happened a year before we were a little bit more organized than some of the other groups. And I saw somebody that I knew from being a different rallies and stuff that we gave each other that I like. Okay. We're going to we're going to Take control of this. And I think, historically from what I know, African Liberation day started there in the park. I think. Angela Davis dubbed, it Malcolm X Park. I'm not mistaken. And so that seemed like a good place for a lot of people to gather the situations like this. Most recently. I know that Nipsey Hussle, Provisions there. So I'll do when you got there, 2014. That said, at least those organizations that I work, great for sure on a completely different trajectory and sent us into growth exponentially. Because this time with Mike Brown, it was a lot more intense because you already had Trayvon Martin happen, right? I had really died down that much then they'll cost like before then it was the Genesis

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6, you had a lot of different situations of police. Brutality and murders just happening with Mike Brown happened. It was like wow, okay, this is it right here. This is going to spark something and we LED protests every week for at least a month for the protest. Always end the park. No. So we chose different commercial corridors to have the protest but they started there in the park. Okay? we would go to Chinatown twice, we would go to Georgetown, H Street, we would go to What's the place right on 18th Street, I can't even slips my head, just this quick Adams Morgan. Ah dear G Street Corridor actually to Georgetown twice. So put the Malcolm X Park. One after Mike Brown was killed, was the catalyst.

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So do you know why for the process of 2013, which are what Martin do, you know why? The park was selected at that moment? Was it for? I I think that the park is selected one is because there's a crowd and his kind of already there for a circle. Yes, on a Sunday. So that place was chosen that day by people that I don't know. So I don't know why they chose that particular location. But what I do know is that they just were not Not as organized as. We were at the time not that we were this great big, you know organization. It was just like somebody said, you know, I want to do something kind of a thing. That's what it looked like from a distance and so then people just started gather and then when they got their learning opportunity is there for you to bring some structure to something sees the time, right? Because nobody else has stepped up, right? If people were coming to us like asking are you in charge? Because you know, we were there, we all had on the shirts, I have on now, you had a banners, we had a ball. We look like we were running things, even though you aren't right by the time it was over. We were in front giving direction telling people where to go? I kind of think. Okay? So when you were, when you were there and you mentioned the drum circle, Malcolm X Park, Definitely, it's a lot of different audiences. A lot of different patrons there. So I was, were there any other activities that were happening there aside from the protest at the time? They were, I'm just not aware of what they were because they are people that generally, when I go to the park, and I've been here on Sunday, there is the spot where the drum circle takes place, right? Some people are on the field playing with their children, so we're just sitting there, just doing yoga, right. Taking pictures. So there's a lot of different things going on. The space is big enough to accommodate all those and the different elements can never enter try. Okay. But this particular day, by the time that we got there, the crowd has started to assemble. So if you were there for something else by default you already swept in what was going on in this part of those numbers

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anyway, got it. So Was there much of a side from people? They're doing their own thing. Was there much of a police presence at all during the protests in 2013 and 2014 and definitely was police presence for sure, please press yes. Was it as heavy but the police, to be honest, did not cause a problem. They did more to help maintain safety in terms of the traffic, make sure nobody was getting run over black and traffic, folks, that's not to say that there probably wasn't an element waiting in the wings for somebody to get out of line. I'm sure that that was there. However, what we we saw was not necessarily officer friendly. That is same time. They were not in our way to whirring obstructing us from having a peaceful

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assembly. Okay. So they're more so doing their civic duty doing monitoring. Yeah, basically. Okay. So, um, I'm just curious as to why they were. There were certain areas selected. I know you mentioned commercial areas and the parks I started there. But, you know, there's a lot of other places in DC. So I'm just wondering Instead of picking sure you pick Chinatown instead of picking like why certain areas for the protest. So that has a lot to do with the Dynamics of how people View. The black community in d.c. A lot of people just aren't coming to Southeast DC. So the choices thing become narrower more narrow I should say. So then, that's why I places Northwest are chosen places that are easily accessible by Metro are chosen. Those can be also done in southeast. However, there are large commercial corridors Southeast. So will you say no justice? No, peace. What ways the no Peach part, right? So the nosepiece part was us being able to disrupt the status quo, and not let things just operate as normal and to use that to bring attention to the issues that we're trying to highlight in that issue as police misconduct police terrorism, police murders. Enjoyed Zimmerman case, somebody acting as a vigilante, that wants to be a police officer. So those places where one easily accessible via Metro and high commercial

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areas, okay, can you speak a little bit more into what the follow-up was like after the protest. So this is where real organizing work then comes in it. So in a perfect situation you want to have you? A team of people that's ready to sign people up for your organization. You can pass out flyers and handouts about your upcoming events. She need to raise money, you got a large group of people right here, you know, you can collect from. And so then what the follow-up look like for us was not much just, to be honest in 2013, but we had learned from that experience. So by the time, 2014 and happen, We were much better. So we were able to recruit people into the organization, he had an event around side of Shakur that Wednesday, excuse me. That Tuesday, as a matter of fact and place was packed because we had been able to give out flyers and do things like that and talk about it at the event that Sunday, this time around, with my ground. So how follow-up was pretty good? I think other organizations that had stronger infrastructures than us, we're able to benefit from it as well. We might have been the more vocal ones because we were were tied to donations from White philanthropist as other organizations were so we can say the more radical things but not I want to say radical things but we can say things that can challenge the status quo in some other organizations may have not because they don't want to compromise their funding. So with that being said, some of those organizations that have a stronger infrastructure and they were able to grow exponentially better than we were because they just had a stronger infrastructure and everybody that I wanted to Involve a didn't want to take the positions that we took, which is a harder line. Could then join some of these more moderate organizations. So the follow-up for them with their reaping, the benefits of it now more so than they did then because you bring in more talent and that time I could bring in more Talent, right? It's what in, you can continue to grow. So for us, we've grown tremendously in the national black united front, for sure, can't even deny it me. we have our feed the hood project which he did earlier today with utc's homecoming, we used to go To the corner of Malcolm and Martin in southeast, and we were trying to feed some of the homeless people did. We do 25 to 35 people? Awesome. Now, we would do hundreds because of us, one being consistent. Yeah. But During that time, you were growing organization, I will Brown was growing. We had already been consistent then at that point and so then continue on from that sort of follow up, the immediately was still continues to have programs. We still continue to have the rallies and marches produced a documentary on it. It's called DC Ferguson Under Fire DC Ferguson on fire. Excuse me. Okay. So have you ever used the park for saw that? You did like a feed feed the hood with Howard at one point. Yes, we did our HBCU Edition HP. Serious, the hood. Howard was so gracious enough to include that to be part of their homecoming Day of Service activities. Okay? So that's they said the Louisiana Club. Yeah. Over and it has some other students who just came as well and you put together 300 care packages, that was the largest you've ever done and a good experience for us. So, this upcoming January, we'll be doing 1,000.

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Awesome. Yes. So have you ever like used the park for more locally centered activities like that? Now when I go to the park I'm going to just go to the park. So we've had some folks organization going to help clean the park, got it. I go to the park because I want to go to the park now. Relax and sit down. Not that I'm not willing to do some of the same things. We've done around social justice issues in terms of having marches Visions, things of that nature just hasn't happened yet. Right hasn't happened, since it's, so sometimes we choose other places. I prefer a place that is definitely going better accessible to park is at Metro accessible. So sets, then things that I've done similar, you probably want to use Street African-Americans to War Memorial as a location as you come out to train right there. But I do think that some folks just don't want to come over to other places in the black community coupled with the history of the park. Not sure many people who are activists currently know the history of the park but some just do it out of repetition. And it's all case been here before. I just do it again. And so that mean when it's a large space, the way it's structured is A way to move an audience to look at you like a stage for say, so, it's a good space. Okay? So can you tell me a little bit more about what history that, you know, about the park, with your relation to Black? And I frightened you mentioned a little bit earlier about Angela Davis. Can you kind of flush out a little bit on the history that you know? Yes this is a lot of surface information that I'm still learning today. So I walk through the park and I started reading some of the placards about the history of the park to be honest. What I do know is that think the African Liberation Day program rally. Took place 1972. Yeah, belief 50,000 people came from all across the country thinks. I might have come from some foreign countries and that set of many of our organizations on a good trajectory and making sure that the concept of pan-africanism, right? It's still being pushed Tony Browder does what he calls field trips. And they go to the park. And from there, you can see how the city is laid out in relationship to some other landmarks throughout the city. I have not gone on that field trip as of yet. I plan to go on it. And so, I think that the park though, the way that it's structured, I can't confirm it for sure, but it's definitely unique the way that the city is built. So I would have to definitely go more in the tour before, when I understand we've Benjamin, Laid out the city. It's aligned Masonic. Ali is so you can see how certain things like the diamonds form. So I'm ready to do a little bit more research on that in

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myself, it's Tony Ryder. He gives a tour is a kind of talk about the Egyptian symbolism and it okay, committed to us. Yes, some people call it good and colleges. Yeah, yeah. Have you gone? So,

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I have not, I have received several several people. Good people have told me to go, that's what I'm gonna get. Yeah, definitely need me to make that happen. So can you kind of go a little bit more into the history of the national black united front. We've seen a lot in our own research, the black and I are from shows up a lot when it comes to community activism and the use of you are just filled up being involved in Liberation days and cleanups and just mobilizing folks for various DC problems though, right? So the history of the national black united front, As entire organization started in Brooklyn, New York, four men came together. Reverend Herbert Daughtry and Alvin are the two ones that are still alive. Alvin was assemblyman at the time, two brothers that have passed our doctor saying, pan and Baba. Cassis eg2, where you see, they actually formed. Concerned citizens to Save Our Youth and they were four brothers that met once a week for a year and they discussed the various issues as it pertained to our community. But they all came from for Unique backgrounds, our vans a politician. So he had that apparatus, Reverend Daughtry, its irreverent, he had to church Saint pain was with Brooklyn core Congress. Really quality. So you had folks in that area and Babaji to was an educator, who's Sasha shul a member of co-founder of the council independent black institutions African Street Festival. So he was in the pan-african. Excuse me. When so when they had a killing you around Randolph evidence, they started to do some more protests and boycotts of businesses in downtown Brooklyn and they formed Time to Metropolitan, you know, black united front and then they had a large level of success and he went on to form the national black united front here in d.c., there was a chapter in the 80s, you know, like a lot of organizations and kind of faded out. So myself. John did Matlock, who is now the vice mayor of District? Heights, sister named Russia greens. Just alkmaar brother. Laundry Thomas, we rebuilt the chapter. After the death of Geronimo jagan. Commonly known as Geronimo Pratt. He had died and he would turn back to the essence in June of 2011, okay? So you begin to do some work. Around that. And then the death of Trayvon. Martin in 2012, we began to really pick up steam that we were already doing our feed. The whole project we have started a stem Saturday school that summer and the momentum that we got from the marshes that we had around Trayvon Martin helped, bring us some resources. He's into that resources human. Publicity, you know, just some folks that just wanted to donate to the cause. So that's kind of the history of how we got started with the feed, the whole project, we actually started calling it, The regime of food and clothing drive but that just wasn't that wasn't catching about feed the hood. It's easy to hashtag. Yeah, it's quick folks know what that means. I'm trying to explain what we Jima means the people in those the principle of Kwanzaa is wasn't working well and then we did it at the intersection of Good Hope and Minnesota Avenue wasn't really a lot of traffic. There wasn't working that well so that we move to the intersection of Malcolm and Martin and I mean it was a match made in heaven. We adopted the block. Then in the section are responsible for, keeping it clean. When Mike Brown was murdered. We developed a community action plan, one of those points on the action plan was to hold voter registration and education forms to learn how to select elect Finance politicians. That would be in support of radical police reform. That was Teen, so in 2018 supported a candidate for office, and that person one to become a commissioner, okay? District, that person happens to be me. So we talked about some of the follow-up, that was one of the things that we followed up with. It, didn't happen right away, but it happened four years later. Okay. So this shows the status of protracted

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struggle, got to keep working and working and working. so okay, so it seems like there is a A lot of movement started in 2013, seems like with the murder of Trayvon Martin and the acquittal of George Zimmerman. Do you how do you feel aside from the growth of the national black united front? How do you feel like that summer has Has moved or changed the way that we all mobilize and we mobilize whether it be in the park or in southeast or in Chinatown. Well, I think for me at this point, what I ever go back to the park, right? So let's start there. I would lean more towards other spaces than the park mainly because Logistically, it's just not a good space, right? Terms of trying to get there too. This is upstairs Northwest. I want to be in other spaces, other than just their right. Three bringing like if you're trying to Rally March, partially is to bring attention to an issue, right? So let's go where people are at and bring attention to the issue. And if we like I said earlier, if we're talking about no justice, no peace within where are we, how are we going to have to know piece, right? So if we were rallying in the park, there's pretty much peace. But if we're on 7th Street in Chinatown traffic is backed up. Stores are going to lose money. Nobody's trying to go down there. So then we're disrupting the status quo and that's necessary at times in order to get your demands met. So in terms of what activism looks like around that, it's a gift and a curse. You got folks that want the attention. You got folks that just want to be there, you got folks that have their own personal agenda that may not be aligned with the organizers of the event. And I think that's a given you just To know how to manage it. I think the gift of it is with large demonstrations, is you get a chance to get attention it and steer people towards the good cause. And so it's it's not an easy answer, it's not one thing or the other, it's all the above. But I think, when we see social justice activism, in terms of mass demonstrations, a small number of us think that this is It. So we've had rally. Now we can go home. The work is done, and there's a lot of work that it takes to bring a large number of people together, but that's not it. There's other work that has to be done. And so, unfortunately, some people think that that's it and because some people think that that's it, others are turned off by the people that think that's just it because they're going to all y'all gonna do is March. Yeah, well, these other things that we can do in addition to marching and so then some people don't want to March. We would not have some of these conversations right now, especially if those marches have never happened to begin with. So, we can't give up on one. And think that one is better than the other. And so, I think, sometimes living in the world, in which we live in is dominated by European culture. And thought often times things are binary. It's either this or that, it's one of the other and that's just not the case. It's all of the above, a lot of times, it's a lot of gray area. So looking at it from an African centered perspective, a pan-african worldview This has this place. This has his place and the Two Worlds don't necessarily need to fight, so I was social justice movements have been impacted by folks. Not being able to have a more holistic approach to trying to bring freedom justice and equality to trying to get legislation passed to maybe trying to just be the, you do need some folks that are going to be willing to not let the status quo be maintained. So I think today, it's me. Being able to see the connection of all of those things, but more so than anything else. Having a plan, you have a plan. You just an anarchist. And there's a role for people who are anarchists like I'm not looking to go to jail, right? That's not. I don't get up in the morning like you know what? Sierra, I'm gonna go get arrested today. No, that's not the goal, but some people want to do that. And if you want to do that, I can find a role for you doing that. It's just not going to be me. And now the seat that I sit in, I have an opportunity to do some things that other people can't. I have access to some resources that other people don't. I got it because of the work I've done and now people look to me to represent them and some spaces. And so I have to think about how can I represent those folks and represent the well and not get caught up in being in the system but remembering that it's because of opposition to the status quote and I'm in this seat so sometimes that can be a struggle as well. But the guy our activism now has to be more Holistic and

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well-rounded. Okay. Okay, so where do you see, you know, if the park it's not logistically, good spot just it's not good for transportation, public transportation. It doesn't grab grab a lot of diverse audiences. So, Do you see the park maintaining its space for protest and social contestation, you know, in the future if it's not accessible? Especially now that the neighborhoods are changing Not at the same capacity. Okay, I think things come and go. At one time, this was the spot that it doesn't time. This was the spot that's trying to think that at least for me in this day and time. But think I can say that this pot has not gone completely away with his hat as moment in time and so because of those reasons that have been outlined, I see folks just choosing different options as a way to exercise their means of protest and social justice. But there is still some value in it. I do see people that do come from other spaces that want to use the park for those things. I think on a Sunday, if you wanted to have just a prayer visual, the park is a good space. You already got drummers dead, you got a built-in audience if you want to have more than a visual. Yeah, and it's definitely on a weekday or today where folks are going to be out You can go to the park. But plan to leave the park, right? The think about it. You got to come down all these steps, people gotta find parking. There's a lot of other stuff you have to consider so it's not I wouldn't completely write it off. It just depends on what and then something that's not often looked at as social justice is. What else can you do there? And apart, you can go there, you can take some pictures, right? You can. Have programs there in the park and I think that the park can accommodate some of those things that can be centered around study group doing different rituals. And all of those are parts of the movement, we're at the sexy parts that NBC's going to come out and cover. But if you got some elders, and you got some children, and I want to sit down and a nice day, enjoy the satellite, and just have a conversation about the history of things that happened in that part, right? You can do that. And that's just as equally as important as bringing 600 people together to protest against police brutality, right? So like you mentioned it's not the, you know, most sexy part. So how do you get a news mentioned? Previously that it takes a lot more side. From the protests far as getting stuff accomplished. How do you Gravitate or get people's attention so that they can get the whole thing. They know that it's a holistic approach, get them to do all these different that's where being responsibilities comes in at, right? So there is mobilization then there is organization so immobilizer can get people out right then the organizer has to take those people that are out and then give them for lack of a better term. Oh no, this is the right time. Institutionalized, so to speak, but institutionalized meaning. Okay, if you have an organization, you got a thousand people out here that want to get involved with this. For the moment of wear this for a lifetime, have you developed an infrastructure? To get them involved, you have a membership form, do you have an orientation, you have a program that you have documentation to shed your legitimate organization. So, it's doing all of that work and the national black united front, the beauty of being in the organization, the elders that formed it, they met for a year so they planned and strategize and organize. And so, when Randolph Evans return back to the essence, when he was murdered, Word. They set the infrastructure in place. So we started the chapter here. I had that knowledge, that institutional knowledge of the organization and knowing how to build organization, but it was difficult to implement. So we had a lot of trial and error. So let's say if that opportunity presented almost opportunity, but if that situation presented itself again we would be a whole lot better equipped. So Used sees that time and then move people forward in a different direction better than we were when it happened then, because our infrastructure is just got better. So the organizing has gotten better. So, when these things happened, You it's they're going to continue to happen. It's not going to stop police officer killed in a shooting. Police did not kill police officers. Shot two people this Monday Friday night in d.c. Southeast DC. So these things are going to continuously happen to us and we just got to be better equipped at how we handle it and we don't want to always be responding to the traumatic situations. We want to be out front. So when in traumatic situations happened You can already have people in line with what to

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do. Okay. Can you speak a little bit more into the role of the elders, especially organizing in DC, as someone who's not a DC? Native, did they play a major part in integrating you into? Yes, yes, yes. And yes, I think for me, they are local, DC elders and then there are Elders that are across the country but when you in the movement you and the movement and whether they're local or there's other parts of the country, they yelled. He's is so some of the elders who are here locally have been across the country. So now it's just we just all happened to reside here in the same city. So I say that to say is that the movement is the same as your in Baltimore Or DC Houston. Brooklyn Jersey City, Compton, La Oakland it's the same movement and so them having that level of diversity in different locations they would have bring wisdom from some of those different spaces and they have embraced me and showing me a lot of love. There's the DC Council of Elders, and I'm really appreciative for it. We've had some internal incidents in the organization where we had Over for the elders. You know, seek their counsel and seek their wisdom and move accordingly. And I think that that's the way our community should be, we moved away from that as a whole in our community but it's just like being in your family. When something happens. Okay you know Big Momma Grandpa gonna sit and they gonna hear it out and they going to make the decision you know what direction it fans going to go and that's how it is and I will Lodge a community can be that way but we got to all be willing to submit to the process. Yes. So have they shared a lot of the history of DC to you as far as the part we already talked about what, you know. But for example, you mentioned. Angela Davis are the elders, the one to share it with you that was independent research. So when I'm talking to some of the elders about things we talking more so about how do you build organizations bring in a personal relationship? In terms of anything specific to the park. Now they haven't we that just hasn't been part of our conversation yet.

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Okay. Okay, so kind of relieving back to the park. Angela Davis, one of the big things about this project is that it does commemorate the 50 50 years since Angela Davis is credited for coining, the the, the named Malcolm X. As far as finding recordings of that or more. First accounts of that have not been that lucky but it is also still kind of accepted amongst all washingtonians that Angela Davis going to in 1969, so I can definitely put you in contact with some others who were there and at least 72, I'll be awesome. So they're not coming here that be interviewed. Oh, yeah, other parts of the country. Hey, that's fine. Or the definitely would not mind. I can call, I can see if I can A Megabus, something, I'll make it, I'll find a way to talk to. There's some that probably were here during that time when that comes several people, that come to mind is dr. Chi chi tight for she's an attorney. Baba lumumba. He is here. He leads United black community and was location code. Moja house. Definitely check that out. Another person is he's in Chicago, but his name is dr. Conrad where? Well, he's National chairman emeritus of the national black united front. Okay. Okay. I'll definitely a check those names out. So since you already had this this network before you moved here, did you ever call it Meridian Hill or whatever? Never. Okay. I want to people refer to it as Meridian here. I know what they're talking

00:47:20.300 - 00:48:07.000

about. Yeah, but most of the people, I know call it Malcolm X part, some people that are not involved in social justice work, often refer to it as Meridian Hill. Okay, so I know there was some process, I guess for the name to be officially called Malcolm X part, but there's been some pushback do you? I've heard about that a little bit, but not too familiar with it. There is a park actually is a federal reservation Federal reservation for what I'm told in southeast d.c. that is on Malcolm X Avenue where we adopted the block. Why? So some people over in southeast call that Malcolm X

00:48:07.000 - 00:48:45.000

Park, not a lot of people but some some people call the shepherd Park. But it's a federal reservation. Biggest Federal reservation 51. But the National Park Service definitely is in charge of that location so that Park is on Malcolm X Avenue. So some people call that Malcolm X part 2. Okay, Can you? So is there any history behind Malcolm X Avenue in itself that you're not that I know of. It's actually a very short Street, okay? I dunno it goes right into bowling

00:48:45.300 - 00:50:24.300

but nothing like MLK and they intersect. Okay, unfortunately, it's One of the places in the city that has a lot of challenges is a liquor store. Check cashing place. And fried chicken place. So you can imagine what that's like somebody go cashed. A check, doesn't go in the bank. They go get some liquor and some chicken. And they commit acts of violence to themselves. Let alone, other things, that going, you got some neighborhood pharmacist that are there that sell narcotics, independently of the narcotic system out their cars. And so there's a lot of carry outs and things that I need you to As in that area. And it's just not one of the best places but But I don't know if there's any history behind it. That is commonly known. I'm going to safely assume that somebody started a petition because usually a lot of these streets get their names to start it but you giving me some something to research. So has the, have you noticed a difference in that area since national black united front has kind of picked up more couple of the differences is one. I walk through the neighborhood. People know me they asked a you got some food, we keep it, we try to keep it clean. We got to do a much better

00:50:24.300 - 00:52:59.900

job. We've elected people into office and so we're going to see some changes. Has that definitely take place but they're not going to be something immediately. I would say maybe another four or five years, you'll start to see some stuff and it just takes that amount of time. We're not in the world by ourselves. So you got to persuade people to do some things. Yeah, you know. So okay. So this is around the time where I usually ask if you have any, if There's anything that you wanted to touch base on more that you felt that I didn't think about economy about two in the morning thinking about it. I will have to send you a message and say, yeah, I forgot about this, but one of the things that I think that Is important to note for the historical record and I don't know if you've covered this in some of your other research is that the park is able to bring people from a variety of different backgrounds together to participate in African drum circles. and that's a something to note in and of itself. Yeah. And when people think of pan-africanism of black power people, some people who are uninformed think that it means you hate right people, and this is only for black people, some instances things are going to have to be only for people of that culture. That is just not one of them. I don't think that there's anything that black people can do to make another black person. Hate white people that think that Europeans have done enough on your own that we don't even have to do anything to make somebody do that. And so that opportunity there at that park though allows people from different backgrounds to come together around the drum. Yeah well something that you know African people have been doing since they probably been here and there's a lot of value in that. So I would think that folks that want to Look at what is black power? Black Traditions traditional African spirituality. Drumming is a major part of traditional African spirituality and it gives people from different backgrounds, a chance to participate. Yeah. And African rituals And that's what that is,

00:53:00.000 - 00:53:26.600

right. And there's Harmony in that for everybody, so that's something to studying something to strongly consider. And that's doing something that not a lot of people have been able to do So, have you ever participated in the drum circle? I've got a watch. I Don't drum, okay. I DJ okay, A different kind of draw, but I'm just gonna

00:53:26.600 - 00:54:41.500

watch. Okay, have you, you mentioned a group of diverse people? Go to the drum circle. We've noticed that the drum circle. The demographic changes throughout the evening on Sundays, do you see that as a positive thing that diversity in the drum circle? I think so, but thanks for the health of humanity, having a variety of different folks come through. Okay, it's good. Well, I guess the last thing that I'll ask you because you do so you go to the park now more. So for recreation, what do you go to the park that do just go there to just sit and watch or are you part of the yoga Community or do yoga I just go walk through the park. Okay. Okay. Just take a walk through the park. I like to people watch so I'll go. No, look at folks do things I think are strange and my friend like this person over there.

00:54:43.900 - 00:54:57.000

Okay. Thank you so much. Yes, ma'am for meeting with me and I truly appreciate this and I appreciate you providing these names and everything that you do for the community. Thank you for thank you for stopping by. Yes, ma'am.