A New Role with F.O.R.
Dear Friends,
This last year has brought great challenges to our community. We have addressed adversity in ways that shape new possibilities for our world. Today, I am writing to tell you about new possibilities in my own life that will further develop me and increase the scope and impact of my work.
I am honored to share that I’ve been invited by the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR) based in New York—the world’s oldest multi-faith peace-building organization—to serve as the Interim National Organizing Director. My responsibilities will include:
Coordinating national organizing and training, and growing FOR’s grassroots network.
Working with and supporting key Black Lives Matters Activists, including Rev. Osagyefo Sekou, to develop national events, protests, and actions.
Developing and implementing key cross-network communication to connect the movement.
The timing of this opportunity is significant. It’s been over a year since the murder of Mike Brown in Ferguson on August 9th, 2014, and so many more before and after him. These tragedies have inspired the powerful #BlackLivesMatter movement. #BlackLivesMatter kick-started a long overdue national outcry about racial politics in America. A conversation and outcry I remain proud to be a part of, as we work toward collective freedom.
It was in this context that I founded the Denver Freedom Riders (DFR) — an activist organization working toward liberation for oppressed people — by leading freedom rides from Denver to Ferguson. These rides eventually led to the training of thousands of people and statewide legislative reform in Colorado.
Reflecting on all that’s happened in the recent past is a very spiritually rich exercise. I find myself inspired by progress, especially our progress in Denver; despite the ongoing crisis of the continual loss of black lives throughout our nation. As we forge our way forward, I’m struck, like many in the movement, by how incredibly massive the issues facing the black community are and how urgently we need to come up with tangible, creative solutions.
This time of expanding the focus and scope of my work with some of the leading activists in our country will allow me to do just that.
My brief time in New York marks a necessary shift in my activism to allow for me to concentrate. During this hiatus, Denver Freedom Riders will continue to be housed under its fiscal sponsor FOR. This ensures that we stay viable for future projects. I’m excited about what the future holds and ready to fight more boldly and creatively than ever before.
My first step as National Organizing Consultant was to participate as one of only 20 guests in the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference (SDPC) Brain Trust in Washington DC (October 6-7). We strategized for a United Nations General Assembly Special Session on global drug policy and harm reduction. For the next months ahead, I will be working with SDPC to put on this special session.
I look forward to updating you all soon.
With you in struggle,
Anthony