I recently had the pleasure of attending Ella Baker children's Defense Fund Freedom School Training and becoming a Servant Leader Intern. The experience was like nothing I've ever encountered. The energy was on a level one could only attain in route to a jazzy concert, yet literacy was on stage, education was underlying theme, and our children were on the 1's and 2's. I fell in love instantly.  The first two days left me speechless.  Literally, I was hoarse from all the "CHEERS And CHANTS."  I guess the universe wanted me to listen a little more during this experience…..I understood.  I met some real interesting people on this journey. I was very inspired by the youth and their accomplishments at this point in their lives, it said a lot about the passion of today’s youth.



For me, this opportunity came at a time of great transition in my life. I have been experiencing many changes in my personal life, so you could only imagine the energy I had inside and the feelings that were all jumbled in my stomach already.  I felt the need to join in and let it be known that I also shared the same enthusiasm for our youth.  This warm feeling of belonging let me know that I am truly at home at The Freedom Schools.


    

I had the pleasure of meeting one of my heros (or Herus shall eye say), Anthony T. Browder. I was in the cafeteria's veggie line about to make my hummus sandwich, and out of the corner of my eye I think I see Mr Browder. I converse with some peers but no one shares my enthusiasm in the fact of meeting Mr Browder.  Then to my surprise, I was told I would be going to hear him speak as part of our training.

At this point, I thought to myself “Who could have put this together?  Who is this Ella Baker, and what inspiration was needed to create this most excellent event?”

Here is a little background information I found while doing some homework on Ms. Baker

Born in 1903 in Norfolk, Virginia, Ella Baker became involved in political activism in the 1930s. She organized the Young Negroes Cooperative League in New York City, and later became a national director for the NAACP. In 1957, Baker joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, whose first president was Martin Luther King, Jr. She also worked with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee to support civil rights activism on college campuses. Baker died in New York City in 1986.

Who would've thought years down the line, what Ms Ella created would be the best fit for me in all my endeavors, to help raise the consciousness of the planet as well as myself..

As I continued my journey of this eventful weekend, I got the channce to me C.T. Vivian...Locked arms with Anthony T. Browder..

And even spoke to comrades from my city of Nashville, doing the good work.

I even got the chance to meet The Rev. Janet Wolf is the Director of Children’s Defense Fund Haley Farm and Nonviolent Organizing. She previously served as faculty chair and professor at American Baptist College in Nashville, a Historically Black college and home to many of the national civil rights leaders. For the United Methodist Church, the Rev. Wolf served as pastor of rural and urban congregations for 12 years. As director of public policy and community outreach with Religious Leaders for a More Just and Compassionate Drug Policy, she worked with a national interfaith coalition on harm reduction, alternatives to incarceration and restorative justice. She is the author of “To See and To Be Seen,” co-author of  I Was in Prison: United Methodist Perspectives on Prison Ministry. For 12 years she also served as a community organizer around poverty rights. Wolf graduated from Vanderbilt Divinity School.

Freedom School is truly a great experience. Never have I been so excited about literacy.  My training class was great, and I had an awesome time learning about  the freedom school way.

Let me leave you with this, I always hope to one day fight for and with the same intensity as those who unknowingly fought for me. I think I found that in Freedom School, and for that I am grateful.

Hotep love and light.

for more info on freedom schools visit: http://www.nashvillefreedomschools.org/

June 9, 2015


Martavius Love

-Counselor for YOURBROTHERSKEEPERS.ORG

-Community Activist

-Intern for Nashville Freedom Schools

Freedom of Literacy for Our Youth

Let's band together to better our world!