Damani and Ife Keene joined us to discuss their new book project, a pan-African liberation book of historical fiction, one that tells the story of Damani’s real-life ancestor Mariah Otey Reddick. We discussed the importance of this approach to telling history, the story itself and the African diasporic story that includes West Africa, Jamaica, Panama, and the United States.
Many, many thanks, Brother Jared!
We enjoyed sharing with you and your audience one of the many stories that illustrates the lives and struggles of so many of our People. Our Ancestors’ consistent and courageous struggles for dignity, family cohesion and liberation are an inspiration to us all and… remind us of our sacred obligation to do our part.
As Dr. Frantz Fanon challenged us so many decades ago, “Out of relative obscurity, each generation must discover its mission, then fulfill it or betray it,” We choose to fufill it!
In CLANDESTINE, my great grandmother Mariah stepped up big time to fulfill her generation’s mission by resisting in many ways – large and small – and by SPYING for the Union during the US Civil War.
Jared, we invite others to HONOR THY ANCESTOR by submitting the name of an Ancestror – as you said you will – to be considered as the name of a fictional character in CLANDESTINE. Details here: http://clandestine-life.com/book-activities/
Always for the People!
Damani & Ife