Friends and allies

By Maggie Barr
Photo By Matt Schinske

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held the evening of March 5, 2008 at the site of the Holy Ground Baptist Church in the Lower 9th Ward. In attendance were Reverend Adams, congregation members, Common Ground Volunteers and 9th Ward residents. Also present were members of Global Hope, a Chicago-based non-profit organization and representatives of Deltec Homes of Asheville, NC, the company that initiated the rebuilding of the church. Deltec brought a busload of builders from around the country to the ceremony. Building is to commence shortly and is a sign of hope for many in the L9 community and throughout the country.

Marina Drummer, dedicated advocate of Common Ground Relief and the Angola 3, passed a pleasant visit with friend and ally Robert King (of the Angola 3) at New Orleans' House of Excellence before they proceeded on to Baton Rouge.

Recently, Common Ground Relief was excited to welcome a very special friend as she visited Common Ground sites with co-founder Malik Rahim.

Common Ground is different from many organizations in that it was not begun in an office building, with a budget laid out and a board in place. Common Ground began with friends reaching out to each other in a time of deep need, in the spirit of mutual aid. Marina was just such a friend who answered the call for help even before Katrina's waters had left the city, and right beside Common Ground is where she has stayed, giving assistance and guidance in countless forms.

As 500,000 people are displaced from their homes due to wildfires that rage through southern California, Common Ground Collective is sending a delegation of volunteers to assist with local relief efforts. Common Ground is a community-initiated volunteer organization that offers assistance, mutual aid and support to the New Orleans area. This delegation consists of eight people, including Malik Rahim, a co-founder of Common Ground Collective.

The Common Ground Collective was established in the first week after Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans. It was the first organization to open up a medical clinic in Algiers, and provide immediate assistance (food, water, supplies) to the thousands of low-income residents unable to evacuate.

Volunteers from Common Ground Relief joined tens of thousands of protesters in Jena, Louisiana to stand in solidarity with the families who have suffered a great injustice. Camping out in the backyard of one of the families the night before, volunteers marched from the starting point nearly three miles to the LaSalle parish courthouse, then back again to the park for a benefit concert. Working as a "relief" organization in New Orleans, it may not seem immediately apparent why Common Ground has been involved with the Jena 6 since mid July, long before it became an case of national significance. As the saying goes, "a threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere." As Common Ground Relief works with the people of New Orleans to rebuild a just and sustainable city, we believe that the institutions and mindsets of racism that made the storm so catastrophic for poor, black people here, are the same structures at work in Jena: a criminal justice system that is disproportionately punitive to black men.

Hello,

I want to thank everyone for your support and the great help that our new friends in New Orleans have provided with benefit fundraisers.

I have attached two important documents. The first is our media advisory on our benefit concert on Sept. 20th in Jena. Please circulate this media advisory to your contacts in the media. Please make plans to participate in all the events on the 20th in Jena.

The second attachment is a document that lists our demands for justice. Anything that you can do to help in achieving these demands is greatly appreciated. Banners and placards with these demands printed on them are welcomed at the rally on the 20th and future rallies.

Common Ground Relief stands in solidarity with historically neglected commmunities, and stands firmly against racism in all forms. We must stand together with people in Jena, Louisiana. Please check out their website at freethejena6.org and get involved.

Together, we can unravel institutional racism that plagues Louisiana and our world.