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#BlackFarmersEdition

Be #InvestedInUjima | #UjimaWednesdays | #BlackFarmersEdition | Opportunities to Listen | Alternative Currency | Ujima Time Bank | How to Invest in Ujima | Appreciations | Neighborhood Econ. Study Group | Ujima is Hiring | Membership Renewal | Jobs | Upcoming Meetings 

TO POSSESS FREEDOM ONCE AGAIN

MONDAY, JULY 20 - MONDAY, JULY 27

Join Boston Ujima Project and Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA) for a week of activities to identify and return to a tangible freedom* that our ancestors knew.

7.20 Business to Business Social Hour ❖ 7.21 Business to Business Assembly ❖ 7.23 Black on Black Investing Workshop ❖ 7.27. Black Trust w. Marie St. Fleur

SAVE THE DATE!

TONIGHT AT 6PM: #CO-Direct with Ujima 

Our next Ujima Open Meeting is TONIGHT on Zoom – Wednesday, July 1st, from 6:00pm-8:30pm.

  • 6:00-7:15pm #CoLearning: #CO-Direct
  • 7:15-8:30pm #CoCreation: Arts & Cultural Organizing and Podcast Member Teams

PLEASE RSVP. Thank you!

Time: Wednesday, July 1st, 6PM | Location: ZOOM

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#CoLearning Recap: Transformative Justice

Last Wednesday, Estaban Kelly of the US Federation of Worker Co-ops gave us an introduction to Transformative Justice.

View the full notes, presentation and watch the workshop recording here!

#BlackFarmersEdition

In 2010, John Boyd, a farmer, rode his tractor to Washington D.C. in protest of the Senate's failure to approve funds from a years-old settlement designated for farmers denied government farm loans and support from federal programs due to racism. Under the settlement, qualified farmers should have recieved $50,000 for generations of bias and systemic racism.

"Although the history of discrimination within the USDA has been well-documented by government-sponsored reports since 1968, real action to address the problem did not begin until 1997, when Timothy Pigford filed a class action lawsuit—Pigford v. Glickman—on behalf of black farmers, alleging that the USDA discriminated against black farmers from 1983 to 1997.

In April 1999, in what became the largest civil rights settlement in history, the federal government, through a consent decree known as Pigford I, provided approximately $1.06 billion in cash relief, estimated tax payments, and debt relief to prevailing claimants. Through this court case, tens of thousands of eligible black farmers had the right to submit a claim for monetary compensation. However, several issues involving communication and missed deadlines created concern that the settlement process was unfair. 

In February 2010, the Obama administration’s secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack, and Attorney General Eric Holder reached an agreement known as Pigford II. In it, the federal government agreed to $1.25 billion in additional relief for those who could not obtain a determination on the merits of their claims under Pigford I due to missing the original filing deadline. The Pigford II settlement was contingent on congressional appropriations under the farm bill. President Barack Obama signed the Claims Resolution Act of 2010, which provided the necessary appropriations, after it made its way through Congress. As of August 15, 2013, 17,670 claims had been approved under Pigford II, for a total of $1.1 billion in relief. In January 2018, a district judge ordered the remaining funds to be donated to different farming nonprofits throughout the country.” —Abril Castro and Zoe Willingham, Progressive Governance Can Turn the Tide for Black Farmers, 2019.

In a country that normalizes a culture of hoarding finite resources, who is accountable for reparations to Black farmers? 

This week The New York Times featured “What Is Owed” by Nikole Hannah-Jones: “If true justice and equality are ever to be achieved in the United States, the country must finally take seriously what it owes [B]lack Americans... For the gap to be closed, America must undergo a vast social transformation produced by the adoption of bold national policies.”

History has shown that there has been little to no accountability towards discrimination in law, policy, and governance when it comes to land ownership discrimination. These discrepancies were highlighted by Summer Sewell in 2019 in Where have America’s Black Farmers Disappeared 

Some issues in retaining or claiming owed land stem from questionable legal practices: and processes: Heirs Property, Partition Sales, the Torrens Act, and tax sales. For example, Heirs Property dictates that “Whether due to distrust of the legal system or lack of access to legal resources, freed slaves and their descendants often lacked a will transferring ownership of their property when they died. This means the property became “heirs property”—ownership is split equally among all known descendants; over time, the property is further split among the descendants of the descendants, creating over the course of generations a quagmire of ownership among hundreds, even thousands, of heirs. To use heirs property as collateral on a mortgage, to subdivide it, to develop it—and any number of other things of a legally binding nature—is difficult without first identifying and tracking down every heir, and gaining consent from each one.”

Some Responses:

“Some states have repealed Torrens legislation, but it is still a common means of dispossession within southern US. There is also a movement afoot to reform regulations governing partition sales, with a law called the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, which according to ProPublica has now been adopted in 14 states. Another small sign of progress is a measure in last year's Farm Bill that allows owners of heirs property to apply for various USDA programs, such as loans and crop insurance, for the first time.”

In the article Progressive Governance Can Turn the Tide for Black Farmers the Center for American Progress recommends the following “The Government Accountability Office (GAO) should regularly audit the USDA to ensure that it is processing and approving loans to black farmers at the same rate as white farmers. Additionally, the USDA should create an online civil rights complaint database that will be jointly monitored by the GAO and periodically publish statistics about the speed at which the complaints are processed, the number of complaints found to have merit, and the number of pending complaints. Finally, Congress must ensure that the USDA’s Office of Civil Rights is sufficiently staffed to process these complaints.”

I am the sugar at the bottom of the English cup of tea. I am the sweet tooth, the sugar plantations that rotted generations of English children‘s teeth. –Stuart Hall, 1994

Modern Black farmership is explored in the contemporary television drama, Queen Sugar, produced by Ava Duvernay. Based on a novel of the same name the show centers on the Bordelon family, three siblings fighting to retain their 800-acre sugarcane farm in rural Louisiana. The story of Queen Sugar reflects many of the lives of modern Black farmers. Today, fewer than two percent of American farmers are Black. Louisiana mirrors these statistics. In a 2018 Guardian article by Debbie Weingarten, farmer June Provost noted that there were “approximately 60 black sugarcane farmers in the area in 1983. [...] By 2000, that number had dwindled to 17.” That year, he could count four.

“As the number of [B]lack farmers shrunk, so did the size of their farms,” Nathan Rosenberg notes on the subject, “All told, [B]lack farmers lost 80 percent of their land from 1910 to 2007.” 

Sugarcane was brought to the U.S. in 1619. “In the United States, the expensive but highly profitable sugar industry shaped systems of labor and capital from the early days of slavery, though Reconstruction, and into the present,” remarks Calvin Schermerhorn in a 2017 article on the topic, “Sugar production migrated from the West Indies to southern Louisiana during the Haitian Revolution. Sugar was already the great engine of the trans-Atlantic slave trade when British and French enslavers forced African captives to grow, harvest, and process sugar. The British took over Barbados followed by St. Kitts, Nevis, Antigua, St. Vincent, Granada, and Jamaica. France colonized Guadeloupe and Martinique, and by the 1740s Saint Domingue–present-day Haiti–was the jewel in its colonial crown. Sugar’s impact on the British colonies in North America was enormous and widespread. Rhode Island thrived on its rum distilleries. Connecticut launched slave ships. And New England fishermen, mid-Atlantic horse breeders, and Carolina rice planters furnished provisions to West Indian sugar masters.” In Louisiana, in particular, the trade thrived. Schermerhorn continues, “Louisiana sugar estates more than tripled between 1824 and 1830. Slavery in sugar producing areas shot up 86 percent in the 1820s and 40 percent in the 1830s. By 1853, three in five of Louisiana’s enslaved people worked in sugar.” The sugar industry was difficult for newly freed Black Americans to become a part of, as it required so much upfront capital. As a result, a new labor system, farm tenancy, or sharecropping, a practice which included housing, food, and a share of the crops-- which was born. Still, some people did find a pathway to land ownership.

Last year, June and Angie Provost, a family whose story mirrors that of Queen Sugar, were featured in a two-part podcast produced by the New York Time's 1619 Project. The podcast tells the story of the family's (and many other Black farmers') ongoing struggle to retain land that had been in their lineage for generations. According to June Provost, there is "a pattern of racial discrimination and evidence of a “land grab happening across the South” to black farmers, representing a huge loss of generational wealth."

◦○◦

#BlackFarmersEdition Part 1: This is part one of a two-part story about the histories and futures of Black agriculture in America. We found ourselves fascinated by stories of sugar and reparations. Stay tuned for our next edition, which uplifts the new Black farmer movement happening across the U.S.

In A New Generation of Black Farmers Is Returning to the Land Leah Penniman proclaims “While cynics predict the extinction of the Black farmer, the farmers themselves are not giving up.”

Organizations and funds you can donate to:

Opportunities to Listen

UPDATE on Common Good

Our pilot with Common Good has ended with Dudley Cafe, and they are not currently accepting the card. We will be launching a new pilot with additional establishments later this year and will update this section with updates when we know more. Thank you to everyone who has participated and please reach out with thtoughts or feedback!

Join the Ujima Time Bank!

Speaking of alternative currency... The Ujima Time Bank is another way to save money and create community connections while creating a new economy in Boston!

What is a time bank?

A Timebank is a system of exchange where the unit of value is person-hours. When a member of a timebank performs one hour of service for another member, they are awarded one hour of credit in the Timebank, which can then be redeemed for one hour of service from another member. For example: Samantha can fix Jess’s blinds, and then Jess can teach Freddie Spanish, then Freddie later gives Samantha a ride, and the Timebank keeps track so it’s fair.

*Featured Offer: "Bike Courier Things for you during COVID" Expiries in 5 months

"I live in Somerville and have a bike with one large pannier and a backpack, both are waterproof. If you need something picked up or dropped off, I can do it for you: I used to bike commute around town but now have fewer reasons to get out on my bike because of COVID. I can help you by picking something up and dropping it off, and you can help me by giving me a reason to get out on my bike! Also - don't be shy if you live on the other side of the river, I can bike as far as Mattapan or Malden as long as I have time to plan it out. :)"

*Featured Request: "Fix leaking irrigation backflow system at Urban Farm in Dorchester" Expires in 5 months

“Hi! My friend is a farmer at Oasis on Ballou in Dorchester. I have been working there with him on the weekends sometimes. The irrigation backflow system leaks like crazy (it is above ground) to the point where we can only run the hose to water plants for about 2 minutes before we have to turn it off to pump water out of the two five gallon buckets that fill up in that time. If we could fix it the leak, then we could also use the drip irrigation system instead of watering by hand with a hose - which of course wastes water and time! Thanks so much... if you need more info, contact me, I have a video. This is the most inefficient way to water the farm and he has put in a work order request with the landlord over a year ago and it still has not been fixed. Thank you Timebankers! Let me know if you think you can fix the leaky irrigation system, and we will cover the cost of parts.“

Join the time bank to respond and see more! Anyone who lives in Boston can join the Time Bank at www.ujimaboston.com/timebank!

How to Become a Co-Investor in the Ujima Fund

Another Boston Is Happening. Now You Can Invest in It.

www.ujimaboston.com/invest

  1. Read Ujima's Offering Memorandum. This document describes the risks, regulations, and background of the fund. The Offering Memorandum should be read in it's entirety, with careful attention to the Risk Factors (page 11), Description of Notes (39), and Subordination Agreement (77).
  2. Consult the personal finance worksheet if you are unsure of how much to invest.
  3. Invest online (multiple payment options available):
    1. Choose the option next to the type of investment you are making.
    2. Complete and sign all forms via Docusign (Investment Agreement, W-9, and Demographic Information).
    3. After submitting, select your payment option. (You will see instructions on how to send a check if that is your preferred payment.)
  4. OR: Invest via mail:
    1. Choose the option next to the type of investment you are making.
    2. Select the print option on Docusign.
    3. Complete and sign all forms manually (Investment Agreement, W-9, and Demographic Information).
    4. Write a check, payable to the Fund, for the amount you wish to invest in the applicable Notes.
    5. Send the Investment Agreement and your check to the Fund [PO BOX 180310 Boston MA 02118].
  5. Email invest@ujimaboston.com or call 617-446-3863 with any questions

Please contact invest@ujimaboston.com with any questions or issues that arise!

#UjimAppreciations

Thank you to...

  • City Awake, for inviting Ujima to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the small business community and the importance of good business standards!
  • Ujima Artist Dee Diggs and Ujima Arts & Cultural Organizing Fellow and Part Time Communications Organizer Cierra Peters, for organizing a Juneteenth Freedom Fete fundraiser, on behalf of Ujima and National Bail Out Fund, at ICA!
  • Oakleak Cakes Bake Shop, for donating proceeds from their sales to Ujima, during #bakersagainstracism week!
  • Boston Art Review, for donating 15% of sales of their Issue 05 to Black led organizations including Ujima, Violence in Boston, Black and Pink Boston, and Families for Justice as Healing!
  • Ujima Team Members Cierra, Claudia, James, and Kalila, Union Capital Boston (UCB) Team Members Eric and Jalina, for forming a phenomenal dream team planning team and executing a wonderful event for and at Gala Virtuale: Love Overflowing!, Ujima and UCB's joint online gala!
  • Ujima and UCB members and supporters who purchased a ticket, donated online, or helped to spread the word about Gala Virtuale: Love Overflowing!
  • DiDi, Severity, and Melissa, for providing grounding, sarcasm, joy, and reflection during the evening at Gala Virtuale: Love Overflowing!
  • Alex, Segun, Shavonne, Brian, Diana, and Arnetta  for stopping by Gala Virtuale: Love Overflowing! to talk about their work!
  • DJ WhySham and Brandi Blaze, for giving us a Gala Virtuale: Love Overflowing! afterparty we'll never forget!
  • Nadav and the Resource Generation network, for organizing to support Gala Virtuale: Love Overflowing! before and during the event!
  • Mariama, for an inspiring reflection during Gala Virtuale: Love Overflowing!
  • Sheena, for her magnificant emceeing of Gala Virtuale: Love Overflowing!
  • World Social Forum, for Ujima to discuss "Building the Solidarity Economy in the Context of COVID & Black Lives Matter" with The Kola Nut Collaborative, Cooperation Jackson, and Philadelphia Area Cooperative Alliance!
  • All of our new members who have joined Ujima!
    • Cherilyn
    • Tonia
    • Grace
    • Justina
    • Emma
    • Alex
    • Nerissa
    • Skyla
    • Alison
    • Prsicilla
    • Beyazmin
    • Lala
    • Lydia
    • Jhona
    • Craig
    • Lara
    • Elizabeth
    • Julie
    • Kali
    • Anthony
    • Cristina
    • Candice
  • All of the members who have renewed their Ujima memberships!
    • Rachel
    • Jessica
    • Sadiq
    • Andru
    • Abigail
    • Rouguiatou
    • Laura
    • Jessica
    • Kristen
  • All of our recent investors!
    • Elizabeth
    • Mark
    • Laura
    • Yvette
    • Isabel
    • Kelly
    • Eve
    • Daniel
    • Andrew
    • Jonna
    • Justin
    • Alexander
    • Luz
  • To Peers, Partners, and Community Members who are doing their part to keep us informed, safe, and loved during this time. 

Ujima Neighborhood Economics Study Group

We are excited that the Ujima Neighborhood Economics Study Group is underway, continuing to explore the feasibility of projects that address our community-wide needs. The group meets the second Wednesday of the month, and the next meeting is next Wednesday, July 8th. This study group is co-coordinated by Ujima members and staff. Some participants will focus on a specific area of study and some writ-large. The group will build on the learnings from the exploration that Ujima members have already done, and will carry this research forward to get even closer to implementation and investment in projects that meet our needs.

The topics include:

  • Community Land Trust
  • Community Owned Internet
  • Community Owned Energy
  • Urban Farming
  • Creative Economic Placemaking (Black Market)
  • Community Space
  • Arts/Cultural Organizing Space
  • Childcare

There is also space for members to coordinate study groups on additional topics of interest. Please email lynchcasey2@gmail.com if you are interested in getting involved or want more information!

Internship Opportunities

We need your help to find great interns to grow our team. Ujima is offering these internship opportunities on an ongoing basis. Please share widely!

To apply, email nia@ujimaboston.com to express interest and get further information. 

Ujima Membership Renewal

Renew your Ujima Membership today. We need dedicated members to build a just future. Our goal is to reach 95% member renewals, while growing our overall membership to 650. Help spread the word about our network and activities!

Jobs in the Ujima Network

Upcoming Ujima Meetings

We hold Open Meetings every Wednesday at 6pm, on ZOOM! Check out our June Calendar below! #UjimaWednesdays are always held and recorded online via Zoom in addition to being held in person. We've always provided a Zoom option to accommodate community members who are not able to join us in person for any reason.

6:00-7:15 - Community Building + Financial and Political Education.
7:15-8:30 - Member Team Meetings (Based on rotating schedule; See calendar above)

www.ujimaboston.com

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