Tag Archives: December 12th Movement

Community, Current

from 2020 to 2021

The Commitment March (August 28, 2020)

Peace Brothas & Sistas,

Last time I logged in we were trying to get a grip on reparations with the December 12th Movement,  I haven’t spoken with Roger directly as of late, but through his WhatApp posts I know that he is well, and still motivated to share the message of justice and equality in our neighborhoods throughout the universe.  First of all I would like to thank everyone who attended our Labor Day PSA/ Video Shoot/Rally.  Your attendance made a serious statement to the need for us to create more cooperative businesses in our communities.  My sincere belief that building awareness based on the process through sharing communal concepts remains the same.  Ultimately, I have come to the conclusion that this is one of the messages I would like to continue to share, as we work from a grassroots perspective for sustainable solutions in the hood.   

On another note, I released a new instrumental project with VOCAL-NY on Halloween last year.  This project is dedicated to the dismantling of mass incarceration.  Statistics show that millions continue to fall victim to injustice as they are imprisoned through a system that was created to promote economic inequality.  Through this initiative we plan to take a stand!  Head over to the website (https://collinsuttles.bandcamp.com/releases) and purchase a t-shirt (50% of the proceeds go to creating change in regards to mass incarceration), you will also get a free download to the music project which is entitled #Censored!  Please don’t delay, your support is essential to the movement, we can’t create change without the support of our communities.

Finally, I would like to send my condolences to MF DOOM’s family, and all the other giants we lost last year through Covid-19, homicide, suicide, natural causes, and uncontrollable trategies.  As a creative person, I am familiar with the work of MF DOOM, Kobe Bryant, Chadwick Boseman, Sean Connery, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Lewis, James Lipton, Fred ‘Curly’ Neal, Ken Osmond, Little Richard, Regis Philbin, Charley Pride, Carl Reiner, Ann Reinking, Kenny Rogers, Gayle Sayers, Don Shula, Tom Seaver, David Stern, Jerry Stiller, John Thompson, Alex Trebek, Eddie Van Halen, Bill Withers, and my own Aunt, Gail Suttles.  Although there are many names that are not included in this list, let’s remember that we are only here for a moment, let’s create lasting change, love each other, and build a better world for the next generation.

Until Next Time,

Jeff

This mix is dedicated to the giants we lost in 2020!

Community, Current

Producing Reparations?

Greetings Brothas & Sistas,

Last week I attended a reparations rally, which raised some serious questions about our society and the climate we currently live in.  Growing up in Massachusetts, going to a parochial school, playing little league sports, and attending a Pentecostal church, I was never introduced to the trauma that my forefathers had unfortunately encountered.  To be honest, if it had not been for Spike Lee films, I probably would never had been compelled to think about the history of people of color.  Which is really sad!

Moving forward, I have awakened. As we prepare for the Commitment March in Washington DC this week, we celebrate John Lewis’s labor.  We denounce the brutal beating of people of color in our urban communities. We stand together for justice and equality, which is what our tax dollars are, suppose to represent.  As of this day, 731 people have died at the hands of police (2020).   As of this day, many of the people in our urban communities (estimated 40 percent) fail to see the importance of casting their ballots.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why our conditions remain the same!  Let’s work to change the narrative people.

As mentioned earlier, I attended a rally last week in Columbus Circle organized by the December 12th Movement.  These Brothas and Sistas spoke about decolonizing our colonized societies, they played audio recording of slaves being auctioned off like cattle, and they simple exposed the hand of the oppressor, and the ideology they do business under which obviously favors their hidden agendas.  At this point, I am literally speechless.  I wish you all a blessed fall season, let’s put on our seat belts, and prepare for another cycle of deceit and shenanigans. 

Peace & Blessings,

Jeff

“Use Me” by Bill Withers