Charlotte Hill O'neal: Panther in Rural Tanzania
Charlotte Hill O'neal aka Mama C, gave a lecture at Cosumnes River College today. She is an amazing poet who takes her audience through the rich terrain of her poetry as he speaks; then she transports you to East Africa with her visually-enhanced presentation, which is about her life as an American who left Kansas City and moved to Africa with Pete O'neal, her husband. The family has lived in Tanzania,where they direct the United African Alliance Community Center (UAACC),for over 37 years. Mama C and her husband are also former members of the Kansas City Chapter of the Black Panther Party of which Pete was the chairman.
The UAACC has done much work at the grassroots level to train Arusha villagers to become skilled in different careers. This growing institution, which depends on its founder's resources and donations, has made a big difference in the village, training students in areas like art, music, fashion and others. The center has a studio that has produced some of East Africa's oustanding Hip-Hop music, which Mama C described as "Hip-Hop with a conscious message".
On Saturday, April 12, Charlotte O'neal will be showing a movie about the East African Hip-Hop culture at Sierra II Community Center in Sacramento, 2791 24th Street.
The PBS movie Panther in Africa features Mama C and her husband.
Key Points from the Lecture
Mama C considers herself to be a member of the global community, a 60s revolutionary who learned to treat everyone either as a brother of a sister: "You are my brother or sister unless you tell me otherwise."
Identity of self is important. Mama C recounts how she arrived in Arusha village ready to be African, did all it took but realized that it was best to always be herself. This is expressed in the poem "I Almost Lost My SELF", which she performed.
The United States of Africa: Mama C shared the perspective that approaching African problems from the grassroots level, showing an interest in the ordinary people, serving a community, is the best way to move toward a United States of Africa, an Africa of social and economic sustainability. UAANC is an example of a grassroots community that has made a difference in the lives of ordinary people. Charlotte and Pete O'neal worked hard to make sure that electricity was brought to their village in Arusha, and they launched a water project which has enabled villagers to have an accessible water source. Currently, the UAANC is in the processing of installing solar panels in the village and have so far supplied eight-five homes. With more donations, they hope to cover more than 2000 families more.
The UAANC also runs a global exchange and volunteer program that has drawn participants from the United States, Japan and other places. As a global institution, it has also sent its students to the United States, and some graduates have come back to volunteer as teachers and role models.
Ordinary people, doing extraordinary things, or, simply, panthers in Africa, doing what they know best:community service.
"We saw a need and addressed it the best way we could," said Sistah Charlotte Hill O'neal, who, in response to questions about safety in Africa, portrayed Tanzania as one of the most peaceful countries in Africa.
The UAACC has done much work at the grassroots level to train Arusha villagers to become skilled in different careers. This growing institution, which depends on its founder's resources and donations, has made a big difference in the village, training students in areas like art, music, fashion and others. The center has a studio that has produced some of East Africa's oustanding Hip-Hop music, which Mama C described as "Hip-Hop with a conscious message".
On Saturday, April 12, Charlotte O'neal will be showing a movie about the East African Hip-Hop culture at Sierra II Community Center in Sacramento, 2791 24th Street.
The PBS movie Panther in Africa features Mama C and her husband.
Key Points from the Lecture
Mama C considers herself to be a member of the global community, a 60s revolutionary who learned to treat everyone either as a brother of a sister: "You are my brother or sister unless you tell me otherwise."
Identity of self is important. Mama C recounts how she arrived in Arusha village ready to be African, did all it took but realized that it was best to always be herself. This is expressed in the poem "I Almost Lost My SELF", which she performed.
The United States of Africa: Mama C shared the perspective that approaching African problems from the grassroots level, showing an interest in the ordinary people, serving a community, is the best way to move toward a United States of Africa, an Africa of social and economic sustainability. UAANC is an example of a grassroots community that has made a difference in the lives of ordinary people. Charlotte and Pete O'neal worked hard to make sure that electricity was brought to their village in Arusha, and they launched a water project which has enabled villagers to have an accessible water source. Currently, the UAANC is in the processing of installing solar panels in the village and have so far supplied eight-five homes. With more donations, they hope to cover more than 2000 families more.
The UAANC also runs a global exchange and volunteer program that has drawn participants from the United States, Japan and other places. As a global institution, it has also sent its students to the United States, and some graduates have come back to volunteer as teachers and role models.
Ordinary people, doing extraordinary things, or, simply, panthers in Africa, doing what they know best:community service.
"We saw a need and addressed it the best way we could," said Sistah Charlotte Hill O'neal, who, in response to questions about safety in Africa, portrayed Tanzania as one of the most peaceful countries in Africa.
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