One hundred and twenty-three years after his birth, Marcus Garvey remains unparalleled in his accomplishments as an empowered entrepreneur and visionary. Back in the nineties when I decided that ICS should participate actively in the Campaign to Exonerate the Right Excellent Marcus Mosiah Garvey, if you were to ask me why, I would have said it's a matter of principle. Garvey is a National Hero of Jamaica, a Legend and a Legacy. The Exoneration Campaign continues, unabated, by the stalwarts that study his philosophy as gospel. In the years since I joined arms with fellow Garveyites I have done and learnt a lot about the issue of racism and social and economic exclusion.
On this August 17th, I urge those who have not found a passion for economic empowerment to be a part of the movement to exonerate Marcus Garvey. The campaign is not just about clearing his name. It is about, we as a people, taking up the charge to continue the work he began. Garvey had a vision of a World Order that would no longer limit people of African descent and Africans everywhere to break free of the chains of "Les Miserables." Marcus Garvey had a vision that one day African peoples would arise from their slumber and repair the ravages wreaked by slavery and colonialism and be equal among all other peoples. He envisioned a world where our cities, our nations, and our peoples would occupy the same space as people of other races.
With Barack Obama in the White House, one might say we have achieved a measure of respect. To an extent, yes we have --- but as noted in the 2001 Durban Agenda of the United Nations World Conference against Racism, the world and people of African descent still suffer the ravages of an economic and political history and a system based on racism.
In seeking to exonerate Marcus Garvey, we are seeking to excavate truth from the debris of Hoover's demolition derby. We are seeking to exonerate the dream of Garvey because we know we must exorcise once and for all the dread of past failures and see them for what they are --- landmarks on our collective journey through time and space, not tombstones. We must excise the tumors of mistrust that have prevented the mass development of economic empowerment that keeps us disenfranchised. We seek to exonerate Marcus Garvey because we know we must exact a new opportunity to gather together a new community of dreamers that individually believe in the VISIONS of a Better World.
So Happy Birthday Mr. Garvey! Our gift to you is our pledge to continue to work together to exonerate our common good.
As part of this effort, ICS has launched LIFESEED, a development program for youth that encourages entrepreneurship and a spirit of self-achievement. Mr. Garvey long championed self-sustenance and this project honors that vision. We encourage you to join us in support of LIFESEED. Help our youth break the chains of corporatism and build bridges of innovation.
We also ask you to hold fast to our faith in ONE GOD. ONE I AM. ONE DESTINY.... ONE LOVE.
