Cynthia McKinney Presents Hip-Hop Forum at Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference
By Chris Richburg
Date: 8/29/2006



Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) will host a Hip-Hop forum at this year's Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference.

The Hip-Hop Powershop, scheduled for Sept. 7, will feature a panel that will discuss gang summits and industry manipulation of the true message and meaning of Hip-Hop artists.

Panelists include DC Hip-Hop artists Asheru and Head-Roc as well as Rev. Yearwood (Hip-Hop Caucus), Jared Ball (University of Maryland, Hip-Hop historian, Blackademics on WPFW), Lisa Frager (Industry Ears, Hip-Hop media expert) and former Crips and Gangster Disciple gangmembers.

The event is one of a series "braintrust forums" McKinney will host that will examine critical current issues facing African-Americans and the entire country.

Other forums will address past victims of COINTELPRO abuses, and their renewal in many forms since 9/11 as well as discuss the award-winning films American Blackout and Sir! No Sir!

American Blackout documents Black voter disenfranchisement and voter fraud in national and local elections, while Sir! No Sir! Looks at the hidden history of GI and veteran resistance that ended the war in Vietnam.

An outspoken critic of the Bush Administration, McKinney spearheaded a national investigation into the 2000 election voting irregularities.

Last year, she introduced House Resolution 4210, a new bill that calls for the United States government to release all documents it has collected on slain rapper Tupac Shakur.

HR 4210 calls for "the creation of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Records Collection at the National Archives; and a second repository at the Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Stone Mountain, Georgia."

The Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference will be Sept. 6 through 9 at the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt Vernon Pl., NW.

The following is a schedule of events and list of participating panelists:

The New COINTELPRO
Sept. 7, 1 p.m. - 2:50 p.m., Room 143 C
Panelists: Lillie Coney, Electronic Privacy Information Center, Eddie
Conway, COINTELPRO victim, Bill Goodman, Center for Constitutional
Rights, Dick Gregory, COINTELPRO victim, activist, author of Callus on
My Soul, Tom Devine, Government Accountability Office, Kate Martin,
Center on National Security Studies, J.E. McNeil, Center on Conscience and War, Chuck Michaels, ACLU Baltimore, MD, author of No Greater Threat, Patrick Radden Keefe, author of Chatter

Hip-Hop Powershop
Sept. 7, 4:00 p.m. - 5:50 p.m., Room 144 BC
Panelists: Rev. Yearwood, Hip Hop Caucus, Jared Ball, University of
Maryland, Hip Hop historian, Blackademics on WPFW, Crown, a Y.G. from Harlem Crips, Lisa Frager, Industry Ears, Hip Hop media expert, Asheru, DC Hip Hop artist, educator, G$, formerly Gangster Disciple Nation, Head-Roc, Mayor of DC Hip Hop - performing

American Blackout
September 9, 11 a.m. - 12:50 p.m., Room 144 A
Moderator: Cedric Muhammad, BlackElectorate.com
Panelists: Rep. Cynthia McKinney, Ian Inaba, director, Steven Freeman and Joel Bleifuss, co-authors of Was the 2004 Presidential Election Stolen?

Sir! No Sir!
Sept. 9, 2006, 2 p.m. - 3:50 p.m., 144 A
Moderator: Cedric Muhammad, BlackElectorate.com
Panelists: Sgt. Kevin Benderman, Gulf War veteran, Iraq war objector,
Monica Benderman, military family member, David Cline, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, in the film, Greg Payton, Vietnam Veteran, in the film, Demond Mullins, Iraq veteran, The Ground Truth film and Garrett Reppenhagen, Iraq Veterans Against the War.

END OF SUMMER JAM

“IT’S JUST A FETE”

in support of the

CARIBBEAN STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP FUND

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2006

9:00 PM —2:00 AM

THE CLUB at Andrews Air Force Base

(Main Entrance off Allentown Road)

Music by Bobby’s Music Machine & DJ Brian  

Donation: $20 in advance / $25 @ the door - ID REQUIRED - Cash Bar - Hors d’oeuvres

For Information contact:

Winfield St. Hill: 301-523-1787; Deanne Samuels: 301-499-3158; Ryan Bascombe: 301-221-7788; St Clair Wyre: 301-873-4011 ; Annette Achille: 301-879-8449                             

Hosted by T&T Working Women’s Committee & West Indian American Military Members Association

Saturday, September 16, 2006 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM

REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE IN DC

ROOT INC AND WASHINGTON , DC CHAPTER OF NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF BLACK LAW ENFORCEMENT EXECUTIVES (NOBLE), SUPPORT EFFORTS OF METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT – FIRST, SIXTH, AND SEVENTH DISTRICT GUN BUY BACK INIATIVE

Who:           ROOT, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, and Metropolitan Police Department – First, Sixth, and Seventh District.

What:         2006 Gun Buy Back Imitative

Where:       First District, 415 4^th St, SW; Sixth District 100 42^nd St, SE; Seventh District, 2455 Alabama Ave., SE

Why:           Washington , DC , has been declared a state of emergency due to increased incidents of violence and homicide.  ROOT, with the support of the office of the Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families, and Elders, is doing a series of activities designed to be proactive in reducing incidents of violence by and among our youth.  ROOT outreach workers are distributing flyers throughout communities most affected by gun violence in Washington , DC .

On September 16 anyone with a firearm can turn it in at the First, Sixth, or Seventh Police District stations and receive cash on the spot. 

   $100 for assault-style rifles and automatic/semi-automatic pistols

$50 for revolvers, Derringers, rifles, and shotguns

$10 for air, BB, and pellet guns

Sunday, September 17, 2006

The 8th Annual National Black L.U.V. Festival in association with Words, Beats & Live

Taking place @ 4th and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., WDC

This is the most recognized cultural arts and community awareness outdoor event for FREE, which features artists, poets and community leaders gracing the main stage, there will be food, crafts and community organizations vendors.

Performances by Duke Ellington Jazz Ensemble, Grammy Award Nominee: Marc Dorsey, Soul Singer Afi, Folk Hip Hop group: PS24, Jazz Grope: Keith Eiler & Soulacoustix and Special Guest Chuck Brown with many more.

For more details and to vend log on to www.blackluvfest.info

SEPTEMBER 21-23, 2006

THE INTERNATIONAL DIVERSITY FILM MARKET

SUPPORTS INDIE FILMS AS IT CELEBRATES ITS 5th ANNIVERSARY 

Washington D.C. and Hollywood, CA, September 5, 2006 – In celebration of their 5^th Anniversary, the International Diversity Film Market, a leading film and television conduit between the independent filmmaking community, and the entertainment industry buyers, acquisitions and distribution executives worldwide, will be offering a variety of free opportunities for registered filmmakers at the 2006 International Diversity Film Market.   

The 2006 International Diversity Film Market will be held in Washington, DC between September 21 – 23, 2006 at the E Street Cinema Landmark Theatre located at 555 11^th Street NW.  Attendees can take advantage of a number of free opportunities including Free Film Submissions, Free Film Screenings and Free Online Movie Trailer postings by logging onto www.onevibe.biz.

The Market will also offer a variety of entertainment industry seminars with topics ranging from scriptwriting and production to distribution, management, and representation. Additionally, there will be a very special video presentation of TAKE 3 with Q&A –  TAKE 3 is an entertainment series that showcases the “first-run” works of independent filmmakers including feature films, documentaries, film shorts, and student films, from women and filmmakers of color.  TAKE 3 offers year-round exposure to only the best in independent filmmaking as it extends the reach of the International Diversity Film Market.

The Market also offers our registered attendees FREE access to over 20 Exhibitors and Distributors.  The Market was created to provide the independent filmmaker who is seeking distribution for their film, increased awareness and additional exposure.

To register and purchase tickets for these seminars and the TAKE 3 video presentation, go to www.onevibe.biz .  Tickets are $25.00 each.

The International Film Market is the brainstorm of Georgette Hayden, Executive Director/Executive Producer and Chris Beal, Deputy Director/Associate Producer, both with extensive background in the film and television industries.  To Learn More about the International Film Market please click here!!! 

For media credentials to attend the Market’s official Press/Media Event on opening day, September 21^st, contact the Market’s publicist, Lana Torres at lana210@verizon.net or call 202-203-8031.

www.ariousentertainment.us/IDFMFestivalWDC05.htm 

Synopsis Johnny (Vinnie Jones), trying to escape a violent past in Ireland, hides out in Brixton, London, in the world’s least-safe safe house, sandwiched between a drug den run by a Jamaican gangster (Eriq La Salle) and a pirate radio station belonging to a Rasta DJ (Lennox Lewis) .When Johnny’s former comrade (Patrick Bergin) escapes from Brixton Prison determined to derail the Irish peace process, Johnny faces being dragged back into violence and away from his new love (Samantha Mumba). Johnny’s actions ignite a simmering war on two fronts with his drug-dealing neighbor and his former boss Jimmy (Roger Daltrey). Johnny faces questions of race, morality, loyalty – and ultimately survival - played out against a great reggae sound track from legendary DJ-producer Adrian Sherwood