Continuing the Legacy of Environmental Justice in North Carolina

 

Did you know that North Carolina is considered the birthplace of the environmental justice movement when Black community members fought against cancer-causing PCB dumping in Warren County (also the birthplace of Ella Baker) in the late 70s and early 80s? The words "environmental racism" and "environmental justice" became part of the global social justice vocabulary as a result of this movement. Black working-class community members are at the forefront of many environmental justice struggles in North Carolina (and beyond) since then, including winning a multi-million dollar lawsuit against swine industry pollution that is causing sickness and deaths in Black, Brown, working-class people living around those areas. It is not surprising that polluting industries, trash landfills, and major highways causing particulate pollution are often located close to where Black and people of color communities live. Black-led movements have also shut down the Atlantic Coast gas Pipeline by Duke and Dominion Energy in Eastern NC to stop climate change, rejecting false claims of "economic benefits" for the community. Recently, a wood pellet industry was shut down in Robeson County, NC, due to a campaign by the Black, brown, and working-class people's coalition who challenged the wood-pellet industry's fake claims of addressing climate change. None of these victories can be claimed by a single organization; they were won by a coalition of forces where the Black working class played a major role. Also, there is a backlash from the polluting industries and racist forces to reverse these victories or launch other polluting projects, so the struggle is far from over. Still, the power of the environmental justice movement, led by the majority Black and working-class community, is well established in North Carolina and many states in the USA.

 

One prominent leader in the environmental justice movement in NC is Naeema Muhammad who co-founded North Carolina Environmental Justice Network in the late 90s to challenge environmental racism. A native of Rocky Mount, NC, Sister Naeema is dedicated to fighting racism and inequality, ranging from worker exploitation by Kmart in the 80s, fighting for justice in the wake of Hamlet Poultry Plant Fire in the 90s, the largest industrial disaster in NC, killing 25 people, mostly Black workers locked inside the plant by the management. Sister Naeema's late husband, Saladin Muhammad, was one of the biggest Black and Muslim social justice organizers in North Carolina, organizing tens of thousands of people in his lifetime, and co-founding incredible organizations, ranging from Black Workers for Justice, Southern Workers Assembly, and Muslims for Social Justice. 

 

 

Panelists of "The Power Under 30: The Power of Intersectionality" Session at the NCEJN's 2024 Summit. Panelists included Anthony Diaz, Hwa Huang, Jalind Lampa, and Samuel Scarborough. The session was moderated by Ajamu Amiri Dillahunt.

 

"Worker Power: Rural to Urban" workshop at the NCEJN's 2024 Summit. Workers representatives from El Futuro Es Nuestro (It's Our Future), UE Local 150 (North Carolina Public Workers Union), and SEIU (Service Employees International Union) joined the conversation.

 

A network of environmental justice, anti-racism, worker rights, and other social justice organizations, NCEJN recently organized the 25th Annual Summit to celebrate achievements and strategize for future struggles. The summit was organized at the historic Black-liberation site, Franklinton Center at Bricks in Eastern NC. This site is historic since it was turned from a slave plantation into an educational institution for freed slaves during the Reconstruction Era. NCEJN has rooted their struggle in the historic anti-slavery movement, and they have also made connections to the global liberation movements, including Palestine Freedom. In fact, a session, led by Palestinian activist Vivien Sansour, was devoted to preserving Palestinian seeds and resistance during this year's NCEJ Summit. One of the co-directors of NCEJN, Rania Masri, has emphasized the connection between environmental justice movement in the USA and anti-imperialism movement, including the Palestine Freedom Movement.

 

 

This year's summit highlighted the oppression against migrant workers who are sprayed with chemicals causing loss of hair and even dying in heat in the fields, to organizing by youth at university campuses against racism, Zionism, and inequality (moderated by Ajamu Amiri Dillahunt), and other topics. The summit also included a community speak-out and government listening session, where state candidates for the upcoming election were held accountable by attendees. Participants celebrated many victories by the movement, including successful environmental policies at the federal level due to movement building. Yet, participants also recognized the long way to struggle against ongoing genocide in Palestine, environmental racism in the USA, attacks on workers, and other struggles. On the environmental justice front, Black community members still face extreme injustice. For example, according to a CDC study, 12.5% of Black youth suffer from asthma as compared with 5% of white youth, because many Black community members live near polluting plants, or in rental homes with mold and other harmful environments. Similarly, Black youth have the highest level of lead in blood compared with children of all ethnicities. Black community members are 75 percent more likely than whites to live next to commercial facilities causing noise, odor, traffic, or emissions pollution. These and many other challenges have reduced the Black life expectancy by 5 years compared with white life expectancy.

The summit concluded with an emphasis on continuing to unite our struggles to build our collective power and change the balance of power. In her 80s and overcoming a fight with cancer, Sister Naeema participated in the summit with an attached oxygen cylinder, inspiring young and old with her lifelong dedication for social justice. Whether working for Palestine Liberation or local social justice issues, we need to join local movements by Black and working-class people who are demanding an end to Israel's genocidal war on Palestine, as well as, fighting to end the war on Black, brown, working people in the USA.

Reflections from Southern Summit in Durham, NC (June 26 - 29) by Arif Sharif*

Background of the Event

The Southern Vision Alliance organized the conference to gather organizations and people from the U.S. South to work collectively for identifying the ever increasing fascism in different forms and devise a collective strategy to defeat this immense threat from engulfing the future of coming generations of less privileged and deprived masses not only in the USA but across the globe. There were activists, advocates, leaders and organizers who enlightened each other through their participation in different discourses organized during the summit.

The Venue was Durham Convention Centre where various conference rooms were arranged to allow an opportunity for the conduct of different sessions at the same time. 

 

It was my first ever experience to attend any activity related to social justice or progressive democratic movements. It was a great experience and heartening to know that there are people who are working selflessly to defeat exponential fascism taking different forms and shapes. 

 

Black, Brown, Muslim Organizing session at the Southern Summit

Attending Plenary on the Landscape of the South:

In this session speakers shed light on the significance the south has in the course of movement for democracy, social justice and economic equality. The speakers were leaders, activists and organizers who shed light on the hidden claws of fascism and emphasized on the need to devise a counter strategy for saving the democracy preceding into darkness. Speakers highlighted the contributions people have made in the South to keep the movement alive and kindled. The speakers reiterate the importance of the South as the center of every progressive movement. The South has always taken the lead in steering progressive movements due to its inherent landscape and resilient nature. Speakers also urged audience to realize the gravity of the situation where fascist forces are active in dehumanizing the humanity and the dire need to figure out the collective strategy to expose the evils of fascism and counter the rise of modern fascism in the form of corporate culture crippling economy where common man is being exploited by these modern forces of imperialism. There was also a Q & A session in which participants asked questions to further make their concepts and ideas clear and coherent.

Session on Alternative to Policing:

The sessions were conducted to enlighten the participant about alternatives to policing as the police is used by the state to coerce the people and terrify the people which is a tangible tactic of fascism. Speakers narrated various events where the community played a better role than police in handling and tackling the situation. Speakers emphasize the role of community as an alternative to policing. The alternative of community is more human and pragmatic than the option of policing. The alternative of community is far more helpful in improving the conduct of people by treating them with affection and tenderness. The community also works as a better deterrence for human rights violations as they know that transgression will be dealt with by the community.  The policing is a stop gap arrangement but community services are the real and permanent answer to the rise in crimes and offenses.  One of the speakers also shed light how the positioning of police officers at the district schools leave an indelible impression on the young minds as they start taking policing as a necessity by seeing them around, when the are not around they start feeling insecure this is a how young minds are being indoctrinated about the necessity of policing. The session for me was the opening of a new window in the horizon of imagination thus thinking of the society taking care of people through community services rather than by having a concept of policing. I have also started thinking that the need for police is related to inequality. The greater the inequality the greater the need to have police to secure interests of the privileged class or help them in exploiting the under privileged class. The other lesson I have understood is that while deliberating on alternatives of policing makes you understand the true causes of crimes and gives you better understanding of the people thus making you more humane. I learnt a lesson that policing is not a solution but a tool of fascist forces to continue with oppression and exploitation.

 

Participants of the plenary titled "Landscape of the South"

 

Muslims for Social Justice:

The other session I attended on that day was about the Black and Brown Muslims for social justice. Speaker enlightened the participant about the plight of refugee Muslims who are the most deprived strata of Muslim community in the USA. Speakers also discussed the challenges being faced by the Muslims in the USA. One speaker highlighted that there is a great need to mobilize and educate Muslims to become a political force in local and state level elections through their active participation and making the right choice in electing the candidate as due to their non-participation conservatives make their way to public office and continue their policies of oppression and exploitation. One speaker told the house about the training of law enforcement agencies by Israeli forces which is an evil in the bud as this is how fascist forces operate hiddenly because the records are not available about the details of this program called G.I.L.E.E Georgia International. Law Enforcement Exchange. Speakers also discussed in detail how in history Muslims have been victimized as being minority and children of a lesser god. The Israel’s genocide of Palestinians has been one of the greatest sufferings of the Muslims as every protest or movement falls on deaf ears and there has been no pause in support for Israel. However, speakers told the house how some city council members and public office holders have been persuaded to write letters and support a resolution calling for a cease fire. Therefore, there is a need to gather Muslims under one platform and become a united political force for better advancement of their agenda for the welfare and protection of their rights. I realized the sacrifices few Muslims have made during this movement for the rights of the Muslims. Especially the contribution of Muslim Black women is highly commendable. The attendees also agreed to form an Assembly for the Muslims of the South to forge a better and united strategy in future. Speakers also urged to help refugee Muslims as they are very low income and do not have skills to earn. Speakers also highlighted the importance of capacity building of Muslims in terms of skills and communications which is the main cause of their deprivations. I have learnt  alot and realized that Muslims especially from Pakistan are totally oblivious of the political situation that exists in the USA and do not know the role they can play in their local politics which is highly essential for becoming a political force to exert their influence being a community.

Plenary on the Fight Against Fascism and Democracy (Globally):

Speakers exposed the tantrums of fascism in modern day democracy ridden with money invested by fascist forces and the need to formulate a joint strategy to counter this menace. The representative of Beloved Community  Rev.  Nelson Johnson, the survivor of “Greensboro  Massacre” having first hand experience told participants about the fascist forces and he urged the house that a united strategy is the need of the hour as he said again and again “ walk together”. Rania Masri spoke about the atrocities being committed by the fascist forces which is evident from genocide in Gaza. She told the house that a two party system is like choosing between the lesser evil as both are puppets in the hands of fascist forces. Manzoor Cheema from Southern Vision Alliance highlighted that how different economic, humans services and other policies are creating genocide-like conditions for Black and working class community members, as also exclaimed by the former Black revolutionary Paul Robeson. One speaker also spoke how even the Supreme Court is supporting these fascist forces through false interpretation of the constitution and laws. The supreme court is also penalizing “children of the lesser gods'' in tandem with state agencies which are furthering the interests of fascist forces. Speakers also answered different questions asked by the participant. Speakers agreed on the need to formulate a long term strategy to defeat fascist forces and unity will be a linchpin in this course of struggle. Rev.  Nesonl Johnson again and again said”walk together”.

 

Participants of the session titled "Power: What Does it Mean for Liberation?"

Shared Strategy Sessions:

It was the tail-piece session in which questionnaire was distributed amongst to single out the greatest threats, hopes and strategies in the aftermath of this fascism flexing its muscle not only in the political system of the USA  but also in the world. One questionnaire was given to each table occupied by different participants. The answers were read aloud so that each participant came to know the vision of others which was a great learning experience for every participant. There were different expressions based on their experiences and unique understanding of the concepts. The diversity of thought was the ultimate beauty of the summit inspiring all to reach to one goal of defeating fascism by devising shared strategies in their spheres of struggles.

Conclusion:

Attending the summit was a great learning experience especially for a novice like me. The interaction with seasoned and experienced participants enlightened me about the struggle for real democracy. The summit provided an opportunity for participants to realize the need of the hour to forge a united strategy for taking the movement a step ahead. Participants while recognizing the need of the hour agreed to benefit from each other and develop more coherence for betterment of the “children of the lesser god”. Participants agreed on the concept of “walk together”.

 

*Arif Sharif is a social justice organizer based in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. 

Press release: Rally for Palestine and Yemen in downtown Raleigh. January 14, 3pm.

 

For Immediate Release:

Press Contact:

· Noor Abualhawa, 919-800-1378, noorthawa@gmail.com, Palestinian community member

· Victor Urquiza, 404-662-7614, urquiza.victor09@gmail.com, Party for Socialism and Liberation

· Manzoor Cheema, 919-412-7008, manzooracheema@gmail.com,  Muslims for Social Justice, People’s Power Lab

 

Rally for Palestine! Rally for Yemen!

U.S. Out of the Middle East!

Sunday, January 14, 3 pm

Moore Square, Raleigh, NC

Over ten organizations and community members will gather in Moore Square for an emergency rally to raise their voice against the U.S. backed act of aggression on Yemen  aimed at helping Israel continue its assault on Gaza.

“The U.S. war machine wants to punish Yemen for refusing to allow the waters off their coast to be used to sustain the genocide against Palestinians”, said Noor Abualhawa, a Palestinian community member. “The U.S. and western imperial powers bombing Yemen is a direct violation of Yemen’s sovereignty and an extremely dangerous escalation.” It is clear that the Biden administration’s actions have raised the prospect of a devastating regional war. The Biden administration is threatening to escalate a regional war with this retaliation against Yemen’s principled solidarity with Palestine. 

“56 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. challenged the US war in Vietnam in his famous Beyond Vietnam speech. On this MLK Day weekend, we should follow his legacy and build a stronger anti-imperialism and anti-racism movement”, explains Manzoor Cheema from Muslims for Social Justice and People's Power Lab. “Palestinians, Arabs, Muslims, Jews, Christians, African Americans, workers, and people from other backgrounds in Raleigh demand a permanent ceasefire now. We demand the Biden administration and Israel to listen to the people of the world. We will continue to come out until the genocide stops, until Palestine is free!"

International solidarity is key to ending the genocide, to freeing all Palestinian prisoners, to ending the occupation and ultimately winning a free Palestine. "At this critical moment for the Palestinian struggle, the need is urgent for continued mobilizations and direct actions to confront Israeli Zionism in all its forms", said Victor Urquiza from the Party for Socialism and Liberation. "As Israel continues its devastating assault on Gaza and the Palestinian people, we call on all conscience people to fill the streets, disrupt business as usual, and not stop until Palestine is free! Our efforts will only continue and grow stronger until all our demands are met: a permanent ceasefire, lifting the siege on Gaza, and ending U.S. aid to Israel!"

The people of Raleigh will gather to say, “HANDS OFF YEMEN” and  “U.S. OUT OF YEMEN!” We will continue to flood the streets of Raleigh with our unwavering support for the Palestinian people and their ongoing struggle for liberation!

 

End Israel's Racist Siege and Genocidal Bombing of Gaza

All out for Palestine! End Israel’s Racist Siege & Genocidal Bombing of Gaza! Demand a ceasefire, an end to the occupation, an end to the apartheid!

Press Contacts:

• Manzoor Cheema

• Rania Masri   

Sunday, October 15, 4-6 pm; Moore Square Park, Raleigh, NC

Palestinian community members, friends, and allies will gather in Moore Square Park to demand an end to the Israeli apartheid regime’s illegal and brutal bombardment of Gaza, an end to the continued colonization and occupation of Palestine, and an end to billions of US taxpayer dollars funding horrific war crimes against the Palestinian people. 

“We are seeing a genocide unfold before our eyes – with the open support of the US President and Congress! The Israeli military proudly boasted that it has dropped 6,000 bombs on the Gaza Strip in just a few days – nearly matching the number of bombs the US dropped on Afghanistan in one year! Need we remember: Afghanistan is 1,800 times larger than the besieged Gaza strip!  More than 2,300 Palestinians, including more than 700 children, have been slaughtered and 700,000 have been displaced,” said Rania Masri. “A children’s hospital had to be evacuated because the Israeli military bombed it with white phosphorus (an illegal chemical weapon). Other hospitals are threatened.  Hospitals - threatened. Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary called progressive congress members who have called for a ceasefire “disgraceful” and “repugnant.” It is genocide that is repugnant!”

Israel’s siege against Gaza did not begin last week—Palestinians have been murdered, brutalized, and displaced since the 1948 Nakba, a catastrophic ethnic cleansing that concretized Israel as a colonial project. Despite facing over 75 years of egregious human rights violations at the hands of Israel and the United States, Palestinians have remained steadfast in their fight for freedom.

The Israeli war on Gaza, and Palestine as a whole, is entirely connected to our struggle for social justice here in the US. “In addition to billions of dollars in military equipment sent to Israel every year, the U.S. also engages in police exchanges where US law enforcement work with Israeli occupation forces to train in tactics of brutalization and oppression. Raleigh’s own police chief, Cassandra Deck-Brown, went on a training program to Israel in 2017, and it is no surprise that Raleigh PD has since murdered Black and brown young people and engaged in extreme racial profiling and brutality," said Manzoor Cheema, a member of Muslims for Social Justice. "We are building a grassroots movement to end oppression against not only Palestinians but also Black, Brown, working class, and all impacted people in the USA since all of our struggles are interconnected. We demand an end to the blockade of Gaza, the Israeli policies of apartheid, and the US using our tax-payer dollars to finance a genocide.” 

The Raleigh-area community will stand unwavering in support of the Palestinian people on Sunday, October 15 and onward. We will mobilize our communities to lock arms with each other and demand an end to the siege on Gaza and all oppressed people all over the world!

Co-Sponsors of Rally:

Party for Socialism and Liberation

Muslims for Social Justice

Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network

Voices for Justice in Palestine

Refund Raleigh

Migrant Roots Media

Workers World Party

Triangle Democratic Socialists of America

People's Power Lab 

North Carolina Green Party 

 

 

Helping Refugees in North Carolina

Helping Refugees in North Carolina

by James (Munir) Perry, Muslims for Social Justice organizer

Suleiman Alzoubu, 35, and Tawfeek  Alzoubi, 37, not related but both are from the Syrian City of Daraa. Sitting and talking with them about how they came to be refugees from Syria living in Raleigh NC, I realized they’re no different from any other family from any part of the world except for the fact that they have lived through the trauma of Civil War and becoming refugees.

Tawfeek says prior to the civil war they were normal people living normal lives in the city of Daraa, Syria. The town had a lot of shops, restaurants, and activity. In 2012 things took a sudden turn that changed the course of their lives.

 I purposely did not use the terms; rebels or terrorist, I wanted to hear from them what they thought was the cause of the violence. They never once brought up politics, ethnic conflicts, or religion. They shared, the only force protecting them from the Syrian Army attacks were the Syrian Free Army.

Suleiman was living and working in Dubai when he received news that civil war had broken out in his homeland and the government soldiers were causing residents of other villages close to Daraa to flee for their lives. So, he bravely returned to Syria from Dubai to be with his family.

One by one the shops began to close as the situation became more and more dangerous, until there were no more shops open in the village. Tawfeek shares how the people had developed a civilian network from village to village that allowed people of his, and neighboring villages to get supplies to each other. Daily life had become a struggle to survive. Their village was fired on by bombs, rockets, and sniper fire. Tawfeek shares too many of his neighbors and friends died due to short range gunfire, too many to comprehend.

Suleiman Alzoubu

Photography by James Perry

Things deteriorated to the point that Suleiman and Tawfeek had to flee to other villages with their families to survive. While fleeing their village on a crowded bus full of men, women, and children, the bus was attacked by the Syrian Military. 

Suleiman was shot in his arm and leg during the attack, and his wife Demah was shot in her leg and has suffered some hearing loss from the bombs and rockets blast, others on the fleeing bus were also injured or killed. (From Allah we come...)

Suleiman had to leave his family in a Daraa village so he could travel to Jordan for 4 months to receive medical attention for his injuries, which he is still recovering from.

Their story is the horrifying reality of civil war that most people have never seen, these unarmed citizens trying to flee for the safety of themselves and their families were like sitting ducks fired upon with rockets, bombs and sniper rounds by their own army, which should’ve protected them instead. “I’m trying to understand what would drive Muslim Syrian soldiers to kill children?

Tawfeek relates that it was a very hard on the children particularly in the tent camps, fleeing violence and living in makeshift camps along the way to Jordan, and getting refugee status. He says it was very negative and rough living in refugee camps. A bright spot; The people of Jordan including the soldiers treated them kindly.

Tawfeek Alzoubi

Photography by James Perry

Tawfeek's brothers were captured by Syrian soldiers and tortured but later released. His cousin wasn’t as fortunate, he was killed. (From Allah we come...) Suliman and Tawfeek along their families lived in refugee camps eventually making renting an apartment in Jordan in 2012 until June 2016.

Moving to Jordan and eventually the US was difficult for the children because of the cultural differences It has taken the children time to adjust. While in Jordan they made contact with the UN and eventually received refugee status which allowed them to get services from organizations that work with refugees, in their case the International Organization for Immigration. They accepted immigration to the United States, Raleigh NC arriving in June 2016, less than two months ago.

Since arriving in Raleigh the brothers and their families have received relocation support services from Lutheran Services Carolina and U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants – NC, Muslim Net, North Raleigh Masjid, and many others generous local Muslims and businesses. Suliman and Tawfeek biggest surprise was how welcoming and supportive the Raleigh Muslim Community has been to them.  As you can imagine moving to a new country and new culture, were you are forced to start life over is not an easy transition. These two families and many others like them here in Raleigh need our continued support and prayers while adjusting to their new life in America.

I interviewed Nasser Shahin, Director of Al-Muslim Net. He shared with many the wonderful comprehensive support they offer to new immigrant families to the Triangle.  Muslim Net is notified by Lutheran Services or USCRI that a new family is coming to Raleigh or Durham NC. Muslim Net is a 100% volunteer and donation driven organization, however, the work they do is amazing. When a new immigrant family is arriving Muslim Net gets right to work preparing for their arrival. Social Service agencies could learn a lot from this volunteer organization. They setup transportation and “meet and greet” from the airport; they provide completely furnish apartments for the arriving families with just about everything they need:

Stocked refrigerators; pots and pans; washer and dryers; hot food; transportation to appointments; translation services; orientation to their new city; cell phones; job searches; children’s school registration; school supplies; toothpaste and just about anything else they may need to make their transition from refugee to new immigrant as comfortable and worry free as possible. 

For all of the great work that Nasser and his organization is doing coordinating donations and services they are not in search of praise Alhumdulilah! They say if it wasn’t for the great response and generosity from the Triangle Muslim Community, they wouldn’t be able to provide for the needs of our new immigrant families.

During the month of Ramadan Muslim Net provided all of the services and donations listed above to 1 new family every 4.5 days.  Nasser says providing all of the support services to a new family every 4 days is very intense and demanding. Muslim Net is in need of volunteers and continued donations so they can continue to provide these amazing services to new immigrant Muslim families.

If you like to volunteer or donate to Muslim Net contact them at http://almuslimnet.org/,

info@almuslimnet.org, and request to be added to their email list. Nasser says no donation or volunteer effort is too small. This is the real Islam the media tries to hide, but the light of Islam will continue to shine on.

Thank you to Tawfeek, Suleiman and their families for sharing their life-changing events with us.

Thank you to Tareq Ali for facilitating and translating for the interview. Thank you to all of you who have assisted our brothers and sister in any way at all. May Allah reward you and bless you.