Long live the spirit of Comrade W.L. Nolen

by Chairman Kijana Tashiri Askari, W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program
Published in the SF Bayview, November 28, 2016

W.L. Nolen and his brother, Cornell, grew up street fighting in Oakland and were both prison boxing champions.

For those who are not familiar with W.L. Nolen, this beautiful New Afrikan brotha was one of the founders of the Black Liberation Movement in the California Prison System, along with Comrade George Jackson. Comrade W.L. Nolen was instrumental in shaping and molding the exemplary model of undaunting resistance that many of us New Afrikans now find ourselves emulating today.

W.L. Nolen grew up in the hard-knock streets of Oakland, California, and was the younger brother to Cornell Nolen, who, like his big brother, was a phenomenal prison boxing champion. Many considered W.L. the next Marvin Hagler in the making, as the comrade was that good with his hands.

In the era of the 1960s and 1970s, the California Prison System was and remains mired in a cesspool of injustice fomented by a culture of institutional racism. Adding to this contradiction, was and is the multitude of Amerikkkanized offshoots (prisoners) who aided racist prison guards with terrorizing and attacking New Afrikan Black Prisoners – often gaining extremely favorable advantages, such as three or more racist lackeys (prisoners), given access to store-bought knives by prison guards, being let out on the tier for their recreational exercise period, where they would be allowed to attack the sole New Afrikan, also out on the tier for his recreational exercise time.

Comrades W.L. Nolen, George Jackson, William Christmas, Howard Tole, Alvin “Sweet Jugs” Miller, Khatari Gaulden, Cleveland Edwards and countless others not only successfully resisted these attacks militarily, but W.L. Nolen had the foresight to politicize these contradictions by filing a petition in the court, where the comrade asserted:

“Prison guards are complicit in fomenting racial strife by aiding white inmate confederates in ways not actionable in court, i.e., leaving cell doors open to endanger the lives of New Afrikans; placing fecal matter or broken glass in the food served to New Afrikans etc., as these material factors would be difficult to prove.” See W.L. Nolen, et. al. v. Cletus Fitzharris, et. al.

W.L. Nolen was one of the founders of the Black Liberation Movement in the California Prison System, along with Comrade George Jackson.

Four months later, on Jan. 13, 1970, Comrade W.L. Nolen was assassinated, shot at point-blank range by white racist prison guard Opie G. Miller. This murder was ruled a justifiable homicide, in spite of concrete evidence that the comrade was defending himself and his fellow New Afrikans from a staged racist attack on their lives, while on Soledad’s O-Wing exercise yard.

I urge the people to read “The Melancholy History of Soledad Prison” by Min Sun Yee and “The Road To Hell” by Paul Libertore in order to grasp the true historical origins of our legacy of resistance under the leadership of Comrade W.L. Nolen. CAN’T STOP! WON’T STOP!

Comrade W.L. Nolen was instrumental in shaping and molding the exemplary model of undaunting resistance that many of us New Afrikans now find ourselves emulating today.

The W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program has been constructed as a dedication towards carrying forward the legacy of Comrade W.L. Nolen.

LONG LIVE THE MEMORY OF OUR BELOVED COMRADE!

Like George Jackson and his comrades, the mentors in the W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program have much to teach. Intellectually and politically astute, they can provide, in addition to their copious knowledge of culture and history, including what they’ve lived, they have developed uncommon self-discipline in order to withstand and resist the daily torture of solitary confinement.
Like George Jackson and his comrades, the mentors in the W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program have much to teach. Intellectually and politically astute, they can provide, in addition to their copious knowledge of culture and history, including what they’ve lived, they have developed uncommon self-discipline in order to withstand and resist the daily torture of solitary confinement.
W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program

As some may recall, the W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program was announced to the public in 2013. We apologize for the delay. However, we’ve now become operational, thanks to the staunch, unrelenting and committed support of Comrade Twitch. A clenched fist salute goes out to the comrade!

Those seeking to enlist in the program as a student or mentor are to write W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program, c/o John S. Dolley, Jr., P.O. Box 7907, Austin, Texas 78713.

We provide mentorship on a full scope of issues, such as developing critical thinking skills, providing alternatives to joining gangs and gang violence etc. Our Mission Statement is posted at http://sfbayview.com/2013/03/the-w-l-nolen-mentorship-program/.

For more information about the program, contact me at W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program, c/o Chairman KTA, P.O. Box 7907, Austin, Texas 78713.

Send our brother some love and light: Kijana Tashiri Askari (Marcus Harrison), H-54077, SATF C3-117L, P.O. Box 5246, Corcoran CA 93212.

The W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program

Published in: SF Bayview, March 26, 2013
by Kíjana Tashiri Askari, Baridi Yero and Yafeu Iyapo

“To enable the people of the community to have an intelligent or informed opinion about matters of importance, the principal role of leaders is to study and to institute studies upon the basis of which plans are developed.” – from “The Destruction of Black Civilization,” Page 357, by Chancellor Williams

Mission Statement

The W.L. Nolen Mentorship Program (WLNMP) is a community-based pen pal service that has been constructed in order to provide the people of our communities with an opportunity to connect with and engage the current class and generation of New Afrikan Black Revolutionaries on several fronts. There are many within our communities who have unfortunately succumbed to an incorrect level of understanding, that the New Afrikan Black Liberation Movement, as it once was constructed under the tutelage and guidance of such beautiful and courageous New Afrikan Black brothas as W.L. Nolen, William Christmas, James McClain, Cleveland Edwards, Alvin “Sweet Jugs” Miller, Jeffrey “Khatari” Gaulden, Comrade George Jackson and countless others was somehow ended when these brothas were murdered by the fascist goons of this police state!

There is an urgent need for this level of false consciousness to be corrected to accurately reflect the New Afrikan Black Liberation movement as it existed in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It is still being propagated by today’s class of New Afrikan Black Revolutionaries, as predicated upon the continuum of the same ideological struggle of New Afrikan Revolutionary Nationalism (NARN). That struggle entails resisting the litany of human rights abuses, such as genocide, that are based upon systemic cultural deprivation and social isolation; torture by way of indefinite solitary confinement; institutional racism; police brutality; arbitrary parole board denials; inadequate food and nutrition; inadequate medical and mental health care; being deprived of our First Amendment freedoms of speech, expression and association; and falsely labeling prisoners as gang members.
Objectives

The W.L. Nolan Mentorship Program will serve as a medium to negate the level of false consciousness amongst the people by providing the people with a correct understanding of the New Afrikan Black Liberation Movement via the social principles of “Each One Teach One,” which is our communal, cooperative work, where the people will have the opportunity to educate themselves on various issues by corresponding with New Afrikan Black Revolutionaries.

For those individuals who are not familiar with the social concept of “Each One Teach One,” it essentially entails replacing “individualism” with “collectivism,” where the problems of the individual become the problems of the community. By speaking with one voice via our collective struggles of unified activity that is geared towards finding and developing community-based solutions, we will protect the health of our communities.

“Each One Teach One” essentially entails replacing “individualism” with “collectivism,” where the problems of the individual become the problems of the community.

Hence, participants of the WLNMP are encouraged to discuss and write about any personal issue that they may need mentorship with, as we New Afrikan Black Revolutionaries can provide tutelage and guidance in the following areas:
1) violence prevention and intervention;
2) developing critical thinking skills;
3) cultural tolerance and sensitivity;
4) alternatives to joining gangs;
5) support for single mothas;
6) economic empowerment;
7) how to overcome alcohol and drug addiction;
8) domestic violence conflict resolution;
9) avoiding negative peer pressure; and
10) providing tools to help develop community responsibility and awareness.

A study guide will be provided to the people as a part of the WLNMP so the people will have the opportunity to raise their level of understanding of the New Afrikan Black Liberation movement as it is presently constructed in today’s slave kamps (prisons) to thus uproot the materialism of false consciousness amongst the people. The issue of being right or wrong, as it pertains to the material in the study guide, is of no real significance, as freedom is a constant struggle!
But, my people, it is imperative to understand, that the WLNMP can only be sustained by each correspondent being willing to donate and contribute stamps and writing paper as a part of their participation and correspondence, as this is the only way that communication can be maintained. We’re only allowed to have up to 40 stamps or embossed envelopes and a total of 500 sheets of writing paper sent to us per each mailing. However, any amount – e.g., 5 to 10 stamps or embossed envelopes and 50 sheets of writing paper – that is sent will be definitely appreciated, as it will go a long way towards achieving the objectives herein.

Participants will be required to fill out the WLNMP application so that your progress and completion of the program can be properly documented with a certificate of achievement and extra credits if you’re a person in school.

And on that note, all power to the people who do not fear real freedom!

Educate to Liberate!

Kijana Tashiri Askari, s/n M. Harrison, H-54077
Yafeu Iyapo, s/n L. Alexander, B-72288
Baridi Yero, s/n J. Williamson, D-34288