http://hiphopandpolitics.com/2011/03/23/remembering-3-little-girls-for-womens-history-month/
Mar 23rd, 2011
Jasiri X
Shout out to Pittsburgh artist Jasiri X who comes with a heartfelt thoughtful joint that focuses on the plight of 3 young girls who were brutally slain…
Here’s what Jasiri penned about the women
For Woman’s History Month we wanted to shed light on how violent this society is especially towards woman and girls. “Three Little Girls” tells the stories of the senseless murders of Christina Taylor Green who was killed during the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Brisenia Flores who was gunned down by anti-immigrant militia intent on starting a race war, and Aiyana Jones who shot to death while asleep in her home, by the Detroit Police Department, while they were filming a reality TV show.
Aiyana Stanley-Jones
I realize these are sad stories, but how can we not be moved to action by the cold-blooded killings of innocent little girls? We have to begin to take an unflinching look at a culture that continues to glorify guns, bombs, and war and sees violence and aggression as the only solutions to its problems.
Written by Jasiri X and featuring 10 year old Hadiyah Yates, “Three Little Girls” was produced by GM3 and directed by Paradise Gray.
Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgcVMvl-k7A&feature=player_embedded to hear Jasiri X on Three Little Girls.
Go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIE7efHPIvM to hear Conscious Plat “Aiyana Jones–I wrote this song for you.”
Go to http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_200589719953498 to join the Group “Justice for Aiyana Jones Committee.”
Also go to http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/27070653/index.html to view WDIV interview with Roland Lawrence, chair of the Justice for Aiyana Jones Committee, regarding plans for commemoration of first year anniversary of Aiyana’s death this May 16. Email Mr. Lawrence at rolandlawrence@msn.com to volunteer your efforts to help in this event.
“FOUR WOMEN” PHOTO EXHIBIT BY DALE RICH AT DETROIT PUBLIC LIBRARY DURING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
Photographer Dale Rich at his Four Women exhibit at Detroit Public Library
Detroiter Dale Rich has been photographing the people’s struggles for 40 years, from the days of the civil rights movement in the South, to the newspaper strike in 1995 (which he was part of). He says that strike galvanized him once again to participate in protests and record them for all time.
Nina Simone
He dedicated his “Four Women” exhibit at the main branch of the Detroit Public Library to his great-great-great grandmother, who according to historical documents was sold six times “because she would not be whipped.” He took the theme from Nina Simone’s song, “Four Women,” particularly the fourth stanza:
I’ll kill the first mother I see, my life has been rough
I’m awfully bitter these days, because my parents were slaves
What do they call me? My name is Peaches.”
Mary Shoemake in photo at bottom left
JUST GO! to former Mayor
Dozens of women from Detroit and around the world were featured in his exhibit. In keeping with the theme, Dale singled out four Detroit women for special honor: Agnes Hitchcock, leader of the well-known activist organization Call ’em Out, Maureen Taylor, President of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, Helen Moore of Keep the Vote No Takeover, and Dr. Gloria House, who first became active in the struggle, as did Dale, during the 1960’s, as a member of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee.
(Go to AGNES HITCHCOCK 2, MAUREEN D TAYLOR, HELEN MOORE, and Gloria House to read their biographies as they were displayed in the exhibit.)
More women warriors
Many of the photographs are of struggles organized by these women. Some of the participants featured in the photos were Mary Shoemake of Call ’em Out, Michigan Welfare Rights, UAW Local 6000, and virtually every activist group around, who recently passe on. Also seen were Gwendolyn Gaines, Marie Thornton, Gwen Mingo, Vanessa Fluker and many more. Dale said he is particularly proud of his portraits of Winnie Mandela, taken in South African, and U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama.
But perhaps the photo that summed up the exhibit was of an elder who took part in the original crossing of the Edmund Pettes Bridge in Selma, Alabama, during the famous civil rights march in 1964. Along with many others, she was attacked and beaten unconscious by police. Dale has traveled to Selma for many of the annual Edmund Pettes bridge crossing jubilees, and he photographed her crossing the bridge once again.
Dale plans to sponsor extended slide shows of his portraits of women warriors in the coming weeks
