NYC BA Everywhere “Bring in the New” Party
January 27, 2014 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us
On January 11, the New York City BA Everywhere Committee hosted a “Bring in the New” Party/New Year’s Celebration in Harlem. It was a great party, with real community coming together around raising money to get Bob Avakian and his leadership known all over the world.
About 50 people came, all ages and nationalities, including people who have known about BA for a while and some who were learning about BA and the movement for revolution for the first time. A murmur of anticipation rippled through the room when it was announced that the audio message that the leader of the revolution had released at 12:01 am on January 1, Bob Avakian's 2014 New Year's message, would kick off the evening.
January 11, 2014, "Bring in the New" Party/New Year's Celebration in Harlem, coming together around raising massive funds to get Bob Avakian and the revolutionary understanding he has developed known all over the world.
The Harlem-Bronx BA Everywhere team had set out in the weeks before the party to raise $1,000 from a community bake sale; and by the night of the party, they had raised $900. During the evening, it was announced that the donations went over the $1,000 goal. The room was full of pride and appreciation, recognizing what people had come together and accomplished so far—and feeling through the evening the potential for this campaign to take root and take off, raising major funds nationwide so people can know about BA and a whole other liberating way society can be, with revolution.
One woman artist remarked to a Revolution correspondent after she heard BA's audio New Year's message: “Every time BA speaks, my spirit tells me, ‘that’s the truth.’ I bought BAsics for my 94-year-old grandmother, and she came back the next day and said ‘I love that book.’ That book is the truth. But it’s one thing to talk, and it’s another thing to actually build a movement, and to have a map, a course as to what we can actually do to have our children’s future be brighter. So I really respect him for that, because he did the homework, he’s the valedictorian of the class when it comes to it. So I have to support him with everything that I have, my body, my spirit, my mind.”
A 13-year-old told our correspondent: “Bob Avakian is a hero. It just shows that you don’t have to be a certain skin color to want to fight for other people’s rights, to stand up for others.” She shared the book BAsics with her teacher: “I told her it’s the future, I’m giving her a sneak peek on the future. I’m still reading it myself, because every time I read a quote I stop and think about it and write a reflection, and then I go on, so I’m only on page 49. It’s like when you chew a piece of gum and you want to get all the flavor out of it you can...”
There were testimonials, ceremony, music—and great food. And dancing! BA's message resonated all night long, as people from the projects, artists, and revolutionary communists talked together, connecting with “like-minded” people who weren't “like” themselves at all, about the way the world is and how it could be, and how to step up to the challenge of contributing to make it happen. One older woman came to check out what it was all about. She asked to meet the person who had been texting and sending her emails since she gave her name to a street team months ago. Before the end of the evening, she had given a significant contribution.
Noche of the New York Revolution Club MC'ed the short program. Sunsara Taylor, writer for Revolution newspaper/revcom.us and initiator of the movement to End Pornography and Patriarchy: The Enslavement and Degradation of Women, gave a closing toast and in her remarks brought home how BA Everywhere plays such a key role in the whole process of preparing minds and organizing forces for revolution. She said, “The world does not have to be the way it is today, but to change it means revolution. And in the world today, communism means Bob Avakian’s new synthesis of communism.... But the world needs to know him, and that’s why we’re here....”
A woman from the Harlem-Bronx BA Everywhere Team gave a powerful testimonial about the importance of getting BA known in the world in a big way, and later told Revolution: “I want to challenge people to think about the conditions here, because we really live in a hellhole. And think about what options do we have. I would like you to open your hearts as well as your pockets and join us, because we need all the people in the revolution.”
The NYC BA Everywhere Committee presented certificates of appreciation to the team for the success of their pie and cookie bake sale. A message of love was conveyed from the head baker, who couldn't be there, and a message was read out from a donor who had pledged $700 to match the amount the team had raised when he heard about the Harlem-Bronx challenge to match what they raised. (This $700 pledge is above the $1000-plus raised through the bake sale itself.)
People performed music that aimed to uplift, up against the degrading, dehumanizing pop culture everywhere in this society. Jamel of the Revolution Club showcased a couple of defiant rap pieces standing with those who catch the worst hell in this system, including “JAMNOFLO: We Are a Future People.” Sophia, an artist and singer from Harlem, did a spoken word piece jumping off from “This Little Light of Mine” into the hell of life today: “...there’s a war for my dreams, a war for my life...” Then, closing out the formal program, Sophia did a powerful rendition of the song made famous by Nina Simone, “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free,” drawing in the audience and calling it the “theme song of the revolution.”
Then Leo of the revolutionary band Outernational came on to DJ, and the dancing commenced! Children jumped up first and then all ages and all kinds of combinations of people snaked through the whole room, sharing and teaching moves, laughing and clapping for each other. The music was a fine mix from different styles and cultures, all of it driving people to want to get on their feet and move together.
Creative ideas and plans for raising funds to make BA known everywhere circulated through the evening. People came away feeling there is work to do, and the potential for great things ahead.
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