30 Nov 2023

PODCAST REFLECTION: UNVEILING THE STRUGGLE

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The Critical Social Worker is a podcast hosted by our very own professor Christian A. Stettler, with Co-Host David Shelton and guest Haki K. Shakur. David Shelton

EPISODE 34: UNVEILING THE STRUGGLE

Episode 34 of the Critical Social Worker podcast featured Haki Kweli Shakur who is a Conscious New Afrikan citizen of the Republic of New Afrika he is also a New Afrikan Revolutionary Nationalist and a Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Provisional Government Republic of New Afrika. Haki Shakur is an active advocate of Political/Prisoners of war, he works with several organizations such as the Malcom X Grassroots Movements, George Jackson University, Richmond Jericho Movement, and an organizer of the Nat Turner-Gabriel Prosser district.

LINKS TO THE PODCAST

REFLECTION

Haki mentioned how politics plays a part in colonization, he used the incident that happened in Hawaii as an example. How the U.S Government provided most of its resources to Ukraine while the state of Hawaii was suffering from a wildfire without any help. When Hawaii became a state, their culture right now seems to be fading, there’s very little people who are practicing their traditions and culture, the same goes for where I’m from. I’m from American Samoa and our culture there seems to be slowing fading because most of our resources comes from the island, the trees being replaced by buildings, harbors built on our ocean. When Haki mentioned how the countries benefit land from genocide and colonization, it got me thinking, maybe our island is being colonized.

Haki described the conflict between Palestine and Isarel as genocide rather than a conflict, the fact that he said that it’s all about obtaining the land really changed the way I viewed this incident. During the podcast Haki mentioned Malcom X who played a big part in Human Civil Rights and one of his closest associates Saladin Hajj Shakur. Saladin Hajj Shakur was the father of Lumumuba Shakur and Zayd Malik Shakur one the founding members of the Black Panther Party 21.

The Black Panther Party 21

MALCOM X

 African American leader and prominent figure in the Nation of Islam who articulated concepts of race pride and Black nationalism in the early 1960s.

SALADIN HAJJ SHAKUR

• RAM ( Revolutionary Action Movement )

• Follower & Associate of El Hajj Malik Shabazz ( Malcolm X )

• OAAU ( Organization of African American Unity )

• Muslim Mosque INC

• Muslim Pan Africanist

During the podcast there was a mention of Assata Shakur who was the FBI’s most wanted which I found ridiculous, there are countless criminals out there who needs to be on that list. She didn’t deserve the injustice that she faced.

Host Christian Stettler mentioned how one of the greatest rappers of all time “Tupac Shakur” changed his world. I can relate to that Tupac was one the realest people, he was always facts about life and about people. There was a poem by Tupac that changed the way I view things and problems in life, it’s called “THE POWER OF A SMILE.”

The power of a gun can kill And the power of fire can burn

The power of wind can chill And the power of the mind can learn

The power of anger can rage inside Until it tears you apart

But the power of a smile, Especially yours, can heal a frozen Heart

  1. Kay Howse
    |

    Hi Kenese

    I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to read your reflection of unveiling the struggle, this made me actually intrigued to watch the episode 34 in depth and to understand it from everyone’s perspective, including yours. I mostly enjoyed the fact about the government providing most of their resources to Ukraine, while the state of Hawaii is probably still suffering to this day from wild fires without any help or means to rescue them or to send resources to them to assist, and every aspect that they possibly could or sending any type of protest their way, in my personal opinion, I feel the government is still advertising Hawaii as a state for tourist to visit, and to use of the little resources that they have in this needy time instead of capitalizing what they actually need and to listen to the people of Hawaii. I cannot even express with the greatest relief to see that not only do I think Tupac Shakur is one of the greatest rappers of all times, and I can actually relate because at my high school graduation instead of us walking to the traditional graduation song coming in the auditorium. We walk to an instrumental of Tupac Shakur, I barely remember that day but I definitely remember that moment of feeling liberated with one of Tupac Shakur songs so I definitely can express with the upmost gratitude that moment changed my view on the next chapter of my life.

    I mostly enjoyed how you mentioned the countries benefit land from genocide and colonization from that part in the podcast and the fact that your emphasis this concept ensures a strong point about this part which secured my frame of mind here as well. I must say overall you did an amazing job incorporating all the details that you have listed, which made me very intrigued to do my own research.