Members in Action

Monthly Interview by Rebecca Woestman

Miah O'Malley-Thompson was voted USM Member of the Month for April 2010! Fellow USM Member Rebecca Woestman caught up with Miah to ask her a few questions.

1. How did you get involved with the USM?

I went into Uhuru Furniture store during a visit to Philly. I remember there being a sign that said something about African self-determination. It sounded political to me, and I was curious. So I went in to shop, and I met Ali Hoehne. She asked me about participating in the AVSI holiday auction, which I wanted to do and she invited me to an event to hear the Chairman Omali Yeshitela speak. I united right away with what I heard. At that time I was on a committee with the NYC Socialist Party to revise their platform. I started to struggle with them to put reparations in, and they refused. They said flat-out that they were against it and that they were against the Marcus Garvey Movement. After that, I decided I'd rather be involved with the Uhuru Movement even though I didn't know much about them yet. I knew that they made more sense than what I was already doing.

2. What initially drew you to the USM?

I heard Chairman Omali Yeshitela speak, and it was like he was articulating all these things that I had vague ideas about. He spoke about a great deal of African history that I did not know, and it really struck me that my knowledge of history was coming from the viewpoint of the oppressor and that there were huge gaps. He mentioned the Black Panther Party, which I had read a little about, and I was very interested. I took about five or six pages of notes in my notebook. The way the Chairman spoke made me feel that I wasn't just crazy, that the suspicions and observations I'd felt about the system we live in were real. Instead of just having suspicions and observations though, he outlined a scientific method of examining these things that made them easy to identify and understand. Most importantly, he detailed a way in which we can stop being part of this system and effect real change. I wanted to be a part of that right away.

3. What other work are you involved in? How did you find time for the USM?

I always have a lot of personal projects happening. During the last year I've started a small business, I belong to an art collective where I show work and project with a friend, for example. And of course I have regular obligations with friends and family like everyone has. I find time for USM because I make it a priority. I think that if something is important to you, you just make it a priority and that makes it a lot easier in terms of how much time you can give to it. Obviously I have a little less time for those other things like doing art now, but that is because I've decided that while those things are enjoyable, they are not as rewarding in a big picture sense as the job I've taken on as organizer in NYC.

4. What have you taken/learned from your volunteer experience so far?

One thing I have learned is the efficiency that comes with collectivizing work. This is something that is foreign to the "me" culture that we live in, where one focuses on the individual almost all the time. Also, my political education has grown immensely in a very short time and continues to do so. One thing I enjoy about the movement is that reading, thinking, and intellectual growth are valued. This is different from the culture of the oppressor, in which people are encouraged to watch television, follow celebrities, and things of that nature. Other things like a healthy lifestyle are valued as well, which again is different from this society where you're told to abuse your body in various ways.

5. Has the experience helped you in other areas of your life? Say, at work or in your personal relationships?

So far, all the experiences that I've had in organizing for USM have really spilled over into other interactions I've had. For example, when I do outreach, I'm learning to be patient and think of the long-term instead of the short-term, and to be optimistic. What this means is that if people do not unite, or they don't unite right now anyway, that it's not productive to get frustrated or demoralized. I've also learned to adjust the way I speak with people and to be factual, patient, and to understand where people are in their worldview and not to get offended when differences arise, but to try and address those differences productively. It's an ongoing process.

6. What challenges have you faced in working with the USM?

I guess that my main challenge right now is learning to be an effective organizer. I've never really taken on anything like this before, and I'm learning a lot very quickly. Everyone in the movement is really supportive and helpful with any challenges I have, so I'm never facing anything by myself. Everyone is so enthusiastic and determined that it's hard to feel like there are any challenges that can't be handled.

Do you know a "Member in Action"? Submit your suggestions to info@apscuhuru.org.