SOLIDARITY FEST
(A TRIBUTE TO THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BLACK PANTHER PARTY)
Rest in Power: Shareef Abdullah, Elder Freeman (aka Ronald Freeman), Waye Pharr and Roland Freeman

Featuring: SPEAKERS, POETS, ANARCHO PUNK /
RIOT GRRRL BANDS & REVOUTIONARY HIP HOP
Date: Sunday, June 28th, 2015
Time: 4pm-9pm
Admission: Free (no door charge)
Location: CIELO galleries/studios,3201 Maple Ave, Los Angeles, California  90011

FILM: Lost Grrrls: Riot Grrrl in Los Angeles with directors Q&A with Vega Darling and Ronnie from Lucid Nation  
An exploration of the culture of riot grrrl in Los Angeles from the early 90's to present.  Every book and
documentary about riot grrrl has left out the Los Angeles scene. Then and now riot grrrl in L.A. breaks many of
the racial and musical stereotypes that have been accepted about riot grrrl. For example riot grrrls in so cal
played shows sponsored by the Black Panthers. This documentary short sponsored by University of California
Irvine will introduce for the first time the riot grrrl bands, zine writers, and organizers of Los Angeles

MC by Mardhavi

Confirmed bands:
RESIST AND EXIST
ICONOCLAST
DREAMER BLACK AND ZAHKEE (from Vanguard Panther Power)
VIOLENT VICKIE
MOON BANDITS
CIHUATL-CE
TRAP GIRL
SUNNY WAR

Event hosted and sponsored by: Riot Grrrl Los Angeles, Los Angeles Anarchist Black Cross and North
American Animal Liberation Press Office

Speakers:















Vendors:
Anarchist Black Cross (L.A. Chapter), Cop Watch Los Angeles South Central, March Forward,
Revolutionary Autonomous Communities Los Angeles (RAC LA), Casa Solidaria/Solidarity House,
North American Animal Liberation Press, Southern California Library of Social Studies and Research, Vegan
Food by Skira
  B. Kwaku Duren                                       Kizzy Brown                                     Michael D McCarty
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The first Solidarity Festival was in the middle of the 90's.  That's when anarcho punks and Riot Girrls
worked together with Shareef Abdullah, who was in the original Black Panther Party and later on in The New
Panther Vanguard Movement.  Many groups worked together in solidarity to make this small fest happen. The
fest showcased punk rockers, feminists, animal rights activists, anarchists, and Black Panther Party members. It
was as if there was an intimate indoor political rally. The bands played, there were speakers, poetry reading,
workshops, vegan food, and an array of organizations at tables. Most people would leave having armfuls of zines
and leaflets.
  Most fests were in the Orange County and Los Angeles area. For some of the fests we worked with Shareef
Abdullah. Some of the events were Voices Against Oppression, All Power to the People at Koos Cafe,
International Women's Day at Panther Headquarters, etc. These event ideas were inspired by the original Black
Panther Party from the late 1960s, when they started the Rainbow Coalition and also the Women's Liberation
Movement of the 1970s who worked with the sisters from the Panthers.
 Besides working with Black Panther Party members at fests, a small number of punk rockers would attend
weekly meetings at the International Panther Headquarters in South-Central L.A. in the 90's. Friendships were
established and carpooling to street protests, attending weekly meetings together, and spending quality time with
one another had started.  
 Later on these punk rockers did a collective news print zine with Panthers and Riot Grrrl which was issue #9
of Beyond the Wall of Injustice (5,000 prints and it was free).  There were times when a  couple of Panthers
would come down to Orange County and they would be up early in the morning to distribute political fliers and
radical newspapers at Fullerton College in the 90's.  We did several political work projects together; which even
included supporting political prisoners.
 For nearly 20 years a handful of Anarcho Punks stayed in close ties with Black Panther Party members.
There is a continued respect and admiration for comrades like Shareef Abdullah, Elder Freeman (aka Ronald),
Wayne Pharr and Roland Freeman. Many had been on the panels at the Southern California Anarchist
Conference and at the 1st Los Angeles Anarchist Bookfair.
Unfortunately due to older age and cancer our most respected Panthers; Shareef, Elder Freeman, Wayne
Pharr, and Roland Freeman have passed away. This upcoming event is to commemorate them, a way to thank
them for their friendship and for inspiring future generations. This is a free event, join us in our solidarity.
All Power to the People!
Shareef Abdullah speaking at Voices Against Oppression event in 1996 at Koo's Cafe in O.C.
Nicole from Odd Grrrl Out zine / O.C. Riot Grrrl at Voices Against Oppression event in 1996
Shareef Abdullah speaking at All Power to the People event in 1997 -  local news video
We also had open mic for feminist group
Zhakee and Colleen front of the Internationa Panther Headquarters in South Central L.A.
Neelam speaking front of punk rockers and feminist crowd at the Panther Headquarters
Anti Police Brutality Rally front of Los Angeles
Police Station in downtown L.A. in 1996
Panthers came and did security at the O.C. International Women's day
CAPA is a group founded by Michael Zinzun (RIP) who was a
member of the L.A. Black Panther Party.  He passed away in 2006.
To read more about him on this journal blog:
click on this link
Elder Freeman (aka Ronald Freeman-RIP), Michael D
McCarty, and Wayne Pharr (RIP) doing a panel at the
Southern California Anarchist Conference in 2007
Workshop link:
click here

2008 Black Panther Party panel at the Los Angeles Anarchist
Bookfair.  Workshop and audio link
click here

2013 "Anarcho Punk Nite at Part Time Punks" - Punk Rockers
organize a cancer benefit show for Elder Freeman:
click here

In 2013 this was the last interview and film I did with Shareef,  
Wayne Pharr, Elder and Roland Freeman.  It was a benefit for
Elder Freeman organized by original Black Panther members,
and Shareef asked me to cater the vegan food. To watch the
video
click here
Rest in Peace Wayne Pharr

Check out his book called:
Nine Lives of a Black Panther
Resist in Power Roland Freeman
Rest in Paradise Elder Freeman
(aka Ronald Freeman)

Check out - 41st & Central: The
Untold Story Of The L.A. Black
Panthers. A documentary film by
Gregory Everett

http://ultrawav0.wix.com/41central

Facebook page
facebook.com/41central
Rest in Power
Shareef
Abdullah
Go all the way down on this web site
click here to go to the old web site
Check the Solidarity Fest facebook event page for updates
https://www.facebook.com/events/425494167628917/
Thank you all for coming out to this important event :
Click here to check out the photos from the Solidarity Fest