Million Woman March
Midwest Regional Archival Record
Hosted by Midwest Regional Co-chairs
Mama Qumar and Mama Khandi
Photo Caption: Qamar Mateen, of Chicago, leans out of a window of a trailer behind the stage to get a picture of South African activist Winnie Mandela as she gets into her car after speaking at the Million Women March.
The Midwest Region includes seventeen states plus Canada. Mama Qumar is/was also the offline Chicago, Il coordinator and Mama Khandi is/was the online Ohio website coordinator and website designer for over 90% of the websites of coordinators nationwide for the MWM. Mama Qumar did attend the MWM. Mama Khandi was unable to attend and did document the following Online Million Woman March Commentary:
MWM, My Observations, October 25, 32ADM, (97)
For those of us in Olentangy/Washitaw (columbus), Ohio, the send-off began at 4:30pm, October 24th at the Urban League building, 788 Mount Vernon Ave., Olentangy/Washitaw (cols.) OH. The press conference was well attended by many members of the press of all the major local networks. The TAKE OFF RALLY was hosted of all the major local networks. THE TAKE OFF RALLY was hosted by the local bus organizers & co-sponsors Motivational Institute, Inc. and APDS Africentric Personal Developement Shop. The entire community was invited to join in the spirit of unity as We celebrate, rally and TAKE OFF for the Million Woman March. The festive SEND OFF was in preparation of joining hundreds of thousands (and indeed millions) of women from across the world unifed in the spirit of Afrikan community empowerment! The 5-7 buses that departed from the Urban League, left approximately 9pm. There were many speakers at this rally/send off. The spiritual energy was high, chill bumps and smiles. The Million Woman March OUR SONG Theme Song was played over the loud speaker, folk were able to view the MWM National, state and local websites.
Later the same evening (Oct. 24), at 8pm, the doors to APDS opened so that others could meet, eat, gather, rally, board the bus and depart for the Million Woman March. There are many speakers, libations, food and spiritual energy and yes, more chill bumps as everyone prepared for the journey. Again, folk were able to listen to the Million Woman March theme song and view the website for the National and local MWM (created by Mama Khandi).
This writer, who attended the send offs, but did not go to Richard Allen City (filthydelphia), searched some 91 cable networks, to find no total coverage of the Million Woman March. During the Million Man March, CNN did an entired days coverage of blurbs of the March. The Million Woman March was merely covered in half-hour headline updates of some 1-3 minute blurbs. BET did NOT cover the March. OSU Public Broadcast station did have some mention in one of its early morning programs.
When the sistas from Olentangy/Washitaw (cols) Ohio arrived in Richard Allen City, they came into an energy of brainstorming, problem solving, and solution orientation that filled the streets mentally and spiritually as well as the obvious: physically. All week, since Monday, October 20, 32ADM (97), MWM seminars have taken place in Richard Allen City. The seminars are referred to as Strategies Toward Solutions. These sessions occurred in various parts of the city and included such themes as
Monday, October 20, 32ADM
Education of Our Youth in Crisis... A Mandate for Active Solution,
Tuesday, October 21, 32ADM (97)
Know Thyself, to Heal Thyself... Living and Loving it
Afrikan Women in the Diaspora and the penal system, are We prepared to them home?
Reparations... for admitted atrocities against a Nation of People... will amerikkka com-
pensate Afrikans born in amerikkka?
Wednesday, October 22, 32ADM (97)
Afrikan women born in amerikkka as business and professionals equals... a Seat at
the Table
Women in Crisis
Our Youth Generation X... A Product of our Failure of Focus?
Knowledge is Power... Yamogochi... the Ninth Crown of Wisdom
Thursday, October 23, 32ADM (97)
Domestic Abuse... Male/Female Conflicts: What are We Going to do about it?
Friday, October 24, 32ADM (97)
Life after the Million Woman March... What's Next
Sistas from OSU who attended the Million Woman March
OBSERVATIONS:
The 2 mile march, from the
"liberty bell" to the Art Museum, began with the gathering of drummers
in Richard Allen City at approximately 5 AM in the rain, dark and cold. Spirits
were high and sistas marched into the daylight strong and full of energy. This
writer has been watching and scanning cable stations since 5 AM, October 25 and
coverage of the MWM was/is scarce at best. CNN has continued to provide the
minimum of coverage that has occurred, approximately 1-3 minutes of coverage
every half hour. CNN's white female correspondent Cynthia Tornquist and a white
male correspondent Skip Loescher were the reporters chosen for coverage of the Million
Woman March. Skip kept stating that the
objects of the March included investigation of the cia's involvement in drugs in
the Afrikan community and independent Afrikan schools. They kept playing the
same clip from the MWM founder and 
co-chair,
Phile Chionesu's speech, as if she never said anything else! Tornquist alludes
that the tone of the March didn't become "more serious" until early
afternoon. The unfortunate part of such commentary is the perspective. There
are/were no Afrikan centered perspectives to their reporting. Tornquist never
mentioned the seminars that took place all week, nor spiritual rituals that
occurred in the wee hours of the morning, nor the Official Program of Speakers
that does include various "celebrities". She stated that there
was not much publicity and that the MWM was organized and publicized by
"flyers, word of mouth and the internet." CNN stated that MWM methods
of publicizing the March was "unconventional promotions". As an
Afrikan, in reflection, when has Afrikan promotions ever been
"conventional?" When have We ever controlled media/seized the means of
production? Rather absurd comment, actually.
Tornquist's
emphasis seemed to be about participation of celebrities
or the lack thereof. Also,
Tornquist mentioned that Winnie Mandela is the link that internationalizes the
struggle of Afrikan women globally. At 3:00 pm a different in-studio white
female reporter began reporting. Thus, was the first mention of the 12 point
platform of issues that included mentoring programs for teenage girls and
independent Afrikan schools. Prior to her, the other two or three commentators
never mentioned the MWM Platform Issues.
CNN
reporters stated that filthydelphia government "officials" insist that
only 300,000-500,00 Afrikan women attended the March. CNN reporter, Cynthia
Tornquist, stated that she couldn't say for sure how many women are in
attendance, but that she knows that she sees a sea of Black faces "as far
as the eye can see." A report about 3 generations attending the march
was made about an elder's family. The elder was 100 years old.
A portion of Mama Winnie Mandela's speech was shown on CNN. Throughout the day and evening, there were bits and pieces of the March not previously broadcasted. 12:30AM October 26, 32ADM, CNN presented more of Mama Winnie Mandela's speech. Winnie spoke of Afrikan women having "overcome the spiral of oppression, empowering ourselves.... unity, solidarity manifests our power." Until now, the same sound bites were played. Also, more of Maxine Waters speech about the cia bringing drugs into the Afrikan community and Winnie Mandela's political woes in Azania were mentioned by the CNN commentator.
3:30AM ...
Commentator now says 300,000 to one million women were in attendance at the
March and another Platform Issue, of Human Rights Abuses Against Afrikans, was
mentioned. Reparations and POW's/political prisoners have yet to be mentioned.
9:14AM ... CNN reports that the Richard Allen City (filthydelphia) poLICE have stated that there were approximately 1.5 million people in attendance at the Million Woman March.
10:00AM... CNN reports its final comments showing the same footage that they had been showing. No further reporting after that, that this writer saw. And i watched for another 3 hours before finally cutting of the tv.
October 26, 5:30PM... Sista Marpessa - Delaware MWM Co-coordinator emailed this: "just flicked onto CSPAN and Julia Wright with Pam Afrika beside her are indicting the u.s. government and the [filthydelphia] city and p.a. state government for attempted murder of Mumia Abu-Jamal and the MOVE organization and demanding freedom for PP/POW's on behalf of revolutionary women around the world. This is from the MWM yesterday, don't know if they are showing the whole thing or not".
This writer, Mama Khandi has also composed another commentary, titled, MWM, the Question of Why Only Afrikan Women?
Sista Marpessa, Delaware Co-coordinator, hosted a MWM Survey Questionaire site.
MWM National hosted a Call for Video, Photos, Journal Entries for an International Record.
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INDEX OF
MILLION WOMAN MARCH SITES
MILLION
WOMAN MARCH DATA CENTRAL MWM must give serious PROPS to Sista Chinyere (Lilbitz), the original Midwest Regional Chairperson, for her 10 years of commitment in maintaining the MWM Data Central website. We thank you sis for keeping the flame lit!
Million Woman March 2.5 sistas turn out!
Million Woman March
Midwest Regional Websites
MIDWEST REGIONAL MWM CHAT ROOM
MWM MIDWEST REGION C0-CHAIRS SITE, MIDWEST REGIONAL CONTACTS Midwest Photo Library Ohio State Coordinators and Events Olentangy/Washitaw (Columbus) Ohio Local Organizing Committee Khandi Pages Why a March only for Black Women?
CHICAGO MWM Local Organizing Committee MWM Illinois - Chicago site
Michigan Local Organizing Committee MWM Michigan - Jay's Home Page
MWM Missouri Local Organizing Committee MWM Missouri - Kaya's Homepage
Missouri Coordinator Saji Kaya forces media to send Afrikan woman correspondent
MWM Wisconsin Local Organizing Committee site hosted by Milwaukee Coordinator Ifama Jackson
MWM TRIBUTE TO HONOR MWM by sista IFAMA JACKSON
MWM EXPERIENCE site hosted by Ifama Jackson
MWM Indiana - Kathy Muhammad's Page
MWM Our Canadian Connection - Nicole James's Homepage
MWM Tennesee - Gwen Baines page
REGIONAL WEB SITES
New Jersey WebSite with UPDATED Driving Information
MWM Washington Metro Region Local Organizing Committee
REGIONAL Coordinators Contacts
MWM RESOURCES
Waters, Maxine- 35 th District, California
BLACK MEN IN SUPPORT OF THE MILLION WOMAN MARCH
African American Women on Tour
God Made Me Beauty-full: Building Self Esteem in African American Women
African American Web Connection
PRESS RELEASES-NEWS STORIES
The State News-' Million Woman March' plans move forward
WHY WE HAVE COCAINE IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES Rep. Maxine Waters( D-CA)
SELECT COMMITTEE NEEDED TO INVESTIGATE CIA/ CRACK CONNECTIONS
Representative Maxine Waters Elected Congressional Black Caucus Chair
Official State Rep MWM Statement: Maxine Waters
Katja Kinder a Black german shares her commentary
Funmi Okunbolade's MWM Commentary
Black Voices did an online publication of MWM coverage.
Revolutionary Workers News Commentary
CNN did MWM newscast links w/Quicktime .mov video clips
article on Million Woman March
Karen Roberts: MWM Personal Experience Commentary
Million Woman March Reunion Committee Begins Organizing
Democracy Now MWM News Article
Socialist Action MWM News Article
Digital Collegian MWM News Article
Official Million Woman March My Space site.
Capitalism Magazine MWM Article (and We have to say that We think this euro-senior journalist is insane, but We post it here anyway for you to decide).
Quest Day to Remember News Article
National Public Radio (NPR)'s All Things Considered - MWM Radio coverage
Various reporters, universities and other attendees presented website coverage of the MWM experience. An internet search will reveal thousands of websites about the MWM.
 Click
on the MWM image on the left to view the video (.mov) clip of the
Million Woman March in 32ADM (1997). This clip is compliments of CNN and
after 10 years, the clip still exits on their site. Sista Phile Chionesu
is speaking and an aireal view of the 2.5 million sistas in attendance
can be seen. Enjoy! and Remember! |
Blue Nile Radio supports the efforts of Afrikan Women and the Million Woman March
site created by Khandi Website Design, email at khandipages@yahoo.com and the
