Amadou Diallo, we will not forget!!
Aissatou Diallo, the courageous mother of A. D
1 of the few pictures where I've seen her lose her composure!
Aissatou Diallo w/scholarship recipients..giving hope to African students
It's hard 2 believe that it's been 8 years already that we've lost our Guinean brotha Amadou Diallo ....times really flies by!!!
For those of you who were in NY at the time , or the States as a whole, I'm sure you'll remenber easily the "justified propaganda" that followed his senseless killing by
4 NYPD former -(thank God) officers.
But let me rewind for 1 second to refresh everyone's memory..... Mamadou who hails from the now "politically troubled Guinea" came to see "Uncle Tom" just like most of us
....you know the deal to be given a chance to be successful.
His original plan was to get a degree in computer sciences but he faced the same issue that a lot of us did or still do : the lack of financial funds.
Finding himself in that unfortunate situation , he did what a true New Yorker would do,
"he got his hussle on" as they would say in the streets; selling what he could do, gloves, video-tapes ect...
"he got his hussle on" as they would say in the streets; selling what he could do, gloves, video-tapes ect...
One evening, while he wasminding his business he was stopped by 4 NYPD officers who were part of the Street Crime Unite (anti-crime unit which was disbanded after the Diallo incident)
According to them, thinking that he fit the portrait of a rapist they proceded to try to arrest him..
Amadou who didn't understand what was going on , tried to escape ..and that's when all
hell went loose..the result , you know the stats: 41 shots...41 shots..I'll say it again 41 shots..MADNESS!!
Of course such act drew a lot of attention to the African community and prominent local leaders such as the Former mayor M.Dinkins , and the always outspoken Al Sharpton made sure that it got the attention that it deserved. But the 1 person that trully stand out during that unfortunate ordeal , was Mrs KADIATOU DIALLO , the mother of Amadou Diallo who blew the minds of people with her "sweet composure", her faith, "courageous dignity" -if I may during this abs' difficult time in her life .
But destiny has 1 weird way of fulfilling wishes, 1 of Amadou's wish as he was leaving Africa was to 1 day be able 2 provide for his mother who gave up everything for him (aren't our mamas special) ...well in a bitter sweet kind of way he did just that.....
Bien au contraire, today the AMADOU DIALLO FOUNDATION provides 3 types of scholarships for African, A.American, and people hailing from the Islands.
1-Nullards plizz s'abstenir (just kidding) but you do have 2 hold a 3.0 gpa to qualify. This scholarship is of $1,000 for 5 students going to Cuny Colleges of African, Caraib' and A.American descants.
2-The Amadou Diallo Schollars is an academic research program in sciences & humanities . 5 students from either Africa or the USA will be chosen upon submission of proposals describing the research that they would undertake.
3- Last but not least the Mentorship Program, if i may see it follows the "Big Brotha , Big Sista" theme where professionals would mentor the Amadou Diallo scholarship winners in their growth academically & professionally...
See...Amadou who would be 32 years old this year when heleft this world he thought that he only had a mother and 3 younger sibblings but today he has a bunch of people who are given a chance to education because of him, an African community whose problems are not "totally ignored"....
HIS DEATH WAS NOT IN VAIN....!!
For those of you in NY, next week,in honor of the 8th anniversary Of the fatal NYPD shooting of Amadou Diallo, Madame Kadiatou Diallo and The Honorable David Dinkins will host a special screening of the award-winning documentary film "Death of Two Sons", on
Friday, February 2, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at The Riverside Church, Assembly Hall and Room 9T, 91 Claremont Ave. (bet. 120th & 122nd St.), Morningside Heights.
For more info:
IF YOU CAN , PASS IT ALONG.
WE WILL HONOR YOUR LIFE AMADOU DIALLO!!
RIP!!
Eyee Wayee:)
3 comments:
"365 DAYS OF MARCHING" a New Amadou Diallo Documentary
For a sneak preview log onto:
http://www.365daysofmarchingmovie.com
It's important that the community know that the legacy of Amadou Diallo and the organizing efforts of all those who participated, was not in vain. Although New York City may have tried to sweep this one under the rug, Sean Bell and 50 SHOTS reminds us that Police Brutality & Police Community Relations are systemic and we must never forget. To do so...
"365 DAYS OF MARCHING"
Seven years ago when an unarmed African immigrant by the name of Amadou Diallo was shot at 41 times (hit 19 times) by 4 New York City Police Officers, the people took to the streets charging the NYPD with police brutality. Over the next two years that followed, a series of marches and protests was set into motion that would forever change the lives of New Yorkers.
At its conceptual root—spearheaded by Rev Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, was the march for justice for Diallo. However, in the midst of the struggles a new breed of protestor began to emerge. Along the side of the activist stood politicians, students & professors, unions, and laborers. The shout of “No Justice No Peace!—What do we want? JUSTICE!” Now became “What do we want?—BOOKS! HOUSING! JOBS! Diallo’s death became a symbol for justice on all fronts.
360 Media recounts this bitter and yet compelling part of New York City history in the upcoming documentary entitled “365 Days of Marching—AMADOU”
DIRECTED, WRITTEN & PRODUCED by Veronica Keitt
CO-PRODUCED by Michael Drake, Ozzie Thompson, Nat Wood,
Darryl Stith
with SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY
Rev. Al Sharpton, Seiko & Kadiatou Diallo, the parents of
Amadou Diallo, David N. Dinkins, former NYC Mayor,
Charles Rangel, US Congressmen, Rev. Jessie Jackson,
Charles Barron, Councilman, Norman Siegel, ACLU,
Community Activists, Leaders and others . . .
Scheduled to be released early Spring/2007
For a sneak preview log onto:
http://www.365daysofmarchingmovie.com
"365 DAYS OF MARCHING" a New Amadou Diallo Documentary
For a sneak preview log onto:
http://www.365daysofmarchingmovie.com
It's important that the community know that the legacy of Amadou Diallo and the organizing efforts of all those who participated, was not in vain. Although New York City may have tried to sweep this one under the rug, Sean Bell and 50 SHOTS reminds us that Police Brutality & Police Community Relations are systemic and we must never forget. To do so...
"365 DAYS OF MARCHING"
Seven years ago when an unarmed African immigrant by the name of Amadou Diallo was shot at 41 times (hit 19 times) by 4 New York City Police Officers, the people took to the streets charging the NYPD with police brutality. Over the next two years that followed, a series of marches and protests was set into motion that would forever change the lives of New Yorkers.
At its conceptual root—spearheaded by Rev Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, was the march for justice for Diallo. However, in the midst of the struggles a new breed of protestor began to emerge. Along the side of the activist stood politicians, students & professors, unions, and laborers. The shout of “No Justice No Peace!—What do we want? JUSTICE!” Now became “What do we want?—BOOKS! HOUSING! JOBS! Diallo’s death became a symbol for justice on all fronts.
360 Media recounts this bitter and yet compelling part of New York City history in the upcoming documentary entitled “365 Days of Marching—AMADOU”
DIRECTED, WRITTEN & PRODUCED by Veronica Keitt
CO-PRODUCED by Michael Drake, Ozzie Thompson, Nat Wood,
Darryl Stith
with SPECIAL APPEARANCES BY
Rev. Al Sharpton, Seiko & Kadiatou Diallo, the parents of
Amadou Diallo, David N. Dinkins, former NYC Mayor,
Charles Rangel, US Congressmen, Rev. Jessie Jackson,
Charles Barron, Councilman, Norman Siegel, ACLU,
Community Activists, Leaders and others . . .
Scheduled to be released early Spring/2007
For a sneak preview log onto:
http://www.365daysofmarchingmovie.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU184BYpijE
The streets of New York City have certainly witnessed its share of acts of civil disobedience, violence and rebellion. Dating back as far as the Draft Riots of 1863, very often, the disenfranchised would take to the streets when opposing the government’s unfair policies and practices. Eight years ago when an unarmed African immigrant by the name of Amadou Diallo was shot at 41 times (hit 19 times) by 4 New York City Police Officers, the people took to the streets charging the NYPD with police brutality. Over the next two years that followed, a series of marches and protests was set into motion that would forever change the lives of New Yorkers. At its conceptual root, spearheaded by Rev Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, was the march for justice for Diallo. However, in the midst of the struggles a new breed of protestor began to emerge. Along the side of the activist stood politicians, students and professors, unions and laborers. The shout of “No Justice - No Peace!” What do we want? JUSTICE!” Now became “What do we want??BOOKS! HOUSING! JOBS! Diallo’s death became a symbol for justice on all fronts. 360 Media recounts this bitter and yet compelling part of New York City history in the upcoming documentary entitled “365 Days of Marching” The Amadou Diallo Story DIRECTED, WRITTEN & PRODUCED by Veronica Keitt CO-PRODUCED BY Michael Drake, Ozzie Thompson, Nat Woods, Darryl Stith SPECIAL APPEARANCES by Rev Al Sharpton, Seiko & Kadiatou Diallo, the parents of Amadou Diallo, David N. Dinkins, former NYC Mayor, Charles Rangel, US Congressmen, Rev. Jessie Jackson, Charles Barron, Councilman, Norman Siegel, ACLU Community Leaders, Activists and others ...
http://www.365daysofmarchingmovie.com
http://365daysofmarching.wordpress.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU184BYpijE
http://www.myspace.com/365daysofmarching
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