September 5th, 2013 Thursday
From: Brother Tracy Gibson
Activist / Uncle / Educator / Lecturer / Writer / Fund Raiser / Philanthropist /
Worker
Founder, President and CEO OF:
The Black Millionaire’s Network
Post Office Box 42878
Philadelphia, Pa 19101-2878
1.215.471.64.94.
Important Letter From The What Must Be Done Series # 1.
To: Mr. Michael Jeffrey Jordan
333 East Trade Str.
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Dear Mr. Jordan:
I hope this letter finds you and
your family well. I am writing you with
some economic concerns I have centering on some of your business practices and
some suggestions for improvements. First,
I want to commend you on reaching such a high point in business. This is no small feat for a Black man, even
for a major athlete such as yourself. Congratulations!!! Second of ALL I refuse
to believe that a man, such as yourself, who supported the making of the highly
important historical and cultural document called ``Malcolm X,’’ a vital, courageous and exciting film made by Mr.
Spike Lee back in the 1980’s can be all bad.
I know that you and other supporters of the making of that film such as Ms. Janet Jackson and Mr. William Cosby, had to think that decision
over because of the political volatility inherent in Mr. Malcolm X’s life and
how that volatility would certainly HAVE to spill over into the film about
Malcolm. I know this was not an easy decision
and you had to think about the economic hit you three might take as a result of
the film being released with your names associated with it. It took guts, courage and fortitude to give
that film the go-ahead and to shell out the money for Mr. Lee’s project. I never formally thanked you or the other two
investors, so I want to take the time now and to that. Thank you so much for supporting the Malcolm
X Film. I recently watched it once again
and continue to find it not only important, but a dramatic, Well-made, Well-thought-out,
Well-directed, Well-acted and entertaining film. Denzel Washington, I know, should have received the Academy Award
for his portrayal of the Black Nationalist leader for the Malcolm X film along
with the other awards He received.
But, as my very much alive and Well
Sister, MRs. Claudia Aziza Gibson Hunter,
an artist and activist in Her own right, has pointed out, the missing equation
in the Malcolm X film was the economic component that The Nation of Islam
brought to the table for the Black community.
The NOI was very instrumental in bringing fresh fish, baked goods and
such items as the famous bean pie to many, many Black families in North America
and other parts of the world during the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s. This FACT was never mentioned in the film or
ever even shown in any Way. The NOI
played and still continues to play an important economic role in our
communities.
In Philadelphia, along 52nd
Str, from Baltimore Avenue in the South and from Lancaster Avenue in the North
I have proposed this district be called Africa
Town and that many, many BLACK stores and businesses be given all due
possibilities to flourish and grow there.
I am by no means the first person or the only person to work on and or
promote the Pro-Africa Town issue in Philadelphia or in other areas of the
country…. There are probably a good 2000 people who have worked on or are
working on this issue besides me in Philadelphia and in other cities.
There is a thriving China Town in Philadelphia and an
historically established Italian Market. The
Pennsylvania Dutch are also allowed to work in various sections of the city
and sell their fresh fruits, vegetables and baked goods, most notable at 30th
Street Station. Other ethnic groups are
also allowed and encouraged to sell their items in certain parts of town. However, there is no such section set up for
people of African descent to sell their items in an on-going, consistent and
successful manner that is fully supported in any multitude of Ways by the City
of Philadelphia, the Visitor’s Bureau, The Mayor’s Office, The State of Pa, The
Federal Government and the City Council of Philadelphia. There is certainly
a level of anger and resentment among
Blacks in Philadelphia at being left as consumers only, and not being allotted
a specifically designated space or spaces to flourish along business lines so our
community can become viable, stable and so money can have a chance to breath
needed economic life back into our community.
The city of Detroit’s City
Council denied that Michigan town’s Black community the right to forge ahead
with the development and formation of their own Africa Town. The result 10
years later has been the default of that city economically. We can only imagine what Detroit would have
been like – [a City with less crime, a thriving city economically, a HUB in the
Upper Mid-West, a place where Black people could have gone to successfully find
employment and economic opportunities]—had their Africa Town been given the go-ahead to develop and thrive. We know what trouble Detroit is in now due in
large part to the aborted efforts of Her people to develop Africa Town. We don’t want
that to happen here in Philadelphia. So,
I’m asking you and your wealthy friends such as LeBron James, William Cosby, Janet Jackson, Aretha Franklyn, Jay-Z and
Beyonce, John Legend, Angela Bassett, Danny Glover, Oprah Winfree and
whoever else who might want to get involved in the project to come to
Philadelphia and take part in a meeting with, some select Black Churches such
as: The Church of the Advocate, Zion Baptist Church, Enon Baptist Church, The
Unity Fellowship Christ Church of Philadelphia, Arch Street United Methodist
Church and New Vision Church at Broad and Westminster Avenue, OIC and the Urban
League and some more Grass Roots concerns here to talk about and help convince
our City Council that what we need is a diverse, thriving and developing
section designated as Africa Town so Black People can feel, once again, safe
and proud to shop among our own People right here in the City of Brotherly
LOVe…
Some of the Benefits of an Africa Town Will Provide include:
·
The Creation of a source of consistent economic
support for the Black Community in Philadelphia which will help stabilize said
community.
·
A Place from which pride and a feeling of
inclusiveness can spring for the Black community here.
·
A viable place for the City of Philadelphia to
collect taxes from.
·
A place where Black youthful business people
Will gather grass-roots experience in the Business community that will
translate into very useful business experience in general..
·
A Place where we can generate and support positive
Black cultural events [such as dance, poetry readings, traditional studio art
and photography, film, theater, and music] that will be a HUB for many other
events in the City.
·
A help in cutting back on the local unemployment
rate [especially for Black males.].
I am afraid that because of the
history of the country we live in, Africa
Town Will have to be protected and I mean Well-protected. Just look at the events that occurred in
Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1920 when The Black Wall Street was torn down and burned
and over 300 Black people were killed in a race riot sparked by an incident
involving White Supremists -- and you know what I’m talking about. We have to
be sure that this does NOT happen again.
We have to be realistic and ever vigilant in protecting our rights as
Well as our property and people. I would
be more than willing to help set up such a meeting for late October of this
year [2013] because this matter is timely and crucial for our development as a
City. Please contact me in as many Ways
as you can concerning this matter and as soon as possible...
On another matter, I know full
Well of your economic involvement with the Nike Company. I am sure it has been a lucrative and
rewarding relationship for you that has resulted in the sale of hundreds of
pairs of sneakers for Nike Company.
However, as I am sure has been pointed out to you in the past, Nike
Company has been consistently criticized for their continued use of slave
wages; sweat shops; and questionable and often illegal practices in the
treatment and wage levels of their employees in place like New York City, South Korea, Kenya
and Mozambique. While I applaud
your economic advancement as a Black man, I am very critical of and concerned
about your acceptance of Nike Company policies that have a real tendency to be
exploitative, unconcerned about human
rights, and generally non-compliant with the suggestions and policy
improvements that progressive political groups concerned with economic
exploitation at the Nike Company have suggested for Nike. Such Progressive
Political groups, if they have a track record and have been working on this
issue for some time, MUST be considered seriously and their demands and
suggestions MUST be incorporated into Nike policy. Otherwise, I am asking that
Your company sever ties with Nike. It is
my deepest hope and wish that you step up to the plate and hit a home run on
this one the Way Jackie Robinson Did for the Brooklyn Dodgers back in the Ole DAYS and say no to such disappointing
corporate policies that allow such exploitation and economic degradation to
exist. Every time I see Black and poor people wearing Nike sneakers I think how
they are actually supporting their own oppression and are unaware of the
negative track record of Nike Company in regards to human rights and worker’s
rights. There are even homeless people who I talk to and relate with everyday
who wear Nike Company sneakers and they continue to be unaware of how they are
supporting policies, through Nike, that are keeping them down, poor,
disenfranchised and homeless. I very much wish to hear from you on this matter
as Well. It is gravely important.
I look forward to hearing from
you very soon. There are thousands of
business people in Philadelphia who need to hear from you and who want to meet
you—a true SuperStar!!!!.
Peace and Blessings,
Brother Tracy Gibson…
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