Amid recent government crackdowns on campus activism throughout the country, City College hosted an education and social justice discussion with formerly incarcerated Black Panther Jalil Muntaquim in room MS-140 on Tuesday, March 25.
“After they murdered George Jackson in Aug. 21, 1971, the following week me and my comrades went out to retaliate,” Muntaquim said. “Our machine gun jammed, technical difficulties resulting in a car chase shootout.”
Muntaquim was 16 when he joined the Black Panthers. He was only 19 when that shootout occurred and went to jail for 49 years.
Before Muntaquim took the stage, City College President Ricky Shabazz welcomed students and spoke briefly about education concerns and campus safety, and highlighted the cultural diversity and inclusion at City.
“We’re at a college that opened the first LGBTQ center in our district,” Shabazz said.
“You’re at a college that opened the first contemplation room because our Somali students and other Muslim students were praying underneath trees and underneath staircases. You are at a college that has 111 years of history supporting students who look like you.”
Shabazz concluded his speech by welcoming the first San Diego Community College District Native American Studies professor, Dr. John Batki and the Kumeyaay bird singers, who shared some songs.
Black Studies professor Darius Spearman echoed Shabazz’s sentiment about the importance of having safe places where students can express themselves and what they believe on campus.
“A student at Cornell is being deported for attending an event like this,” Spearman said. “Cornell was complicit in reporting that student and having their H-1 student visa revoked.”
Spearman welcomed the students to enter the space by saying “Ago,” and the students ready to join the space replied “Ame.”
To say “Ago” is to ask a person if they are ready to enter the space and “Ame” is what you say when you are ready to enter. After the entire room responded, he spoke about Muntaquim before handing off the microphone.
“We are honored to welcome brother Jalil Muntaqui, an influential and powerful voice of justice,” Spearman said. “Jalil’s experience as a former political prisoner and his lifelong dedication to human rights bring urgent clarity to our conversations about social justice.”
Muntaquim broke down the history of the oppression of Africans, covering the laws made post-Civil War and dissecting the system created over a century ago that is still effective today.
“If you’re nullifying the vote, you’re nullifying black power,” Muntaquim said. “If you’re nullifying black power, then you’re nullifying black people, understand what I’m saying. This is what we’re confronting today.”
Muntaquim asked, “Did you know slaves still existed in the United States?” Students in the room replied yes, he followed up with “What are you doing about it?” The room was silent.
Muntaquim’s coverage of black history from Emancipation to the current day was to highlight that people should be aware of the system they live in and ask, does this system work for them or against them?
Muntaquim also encouraged the younger generation to tell one another about the system that impedes them.
“49 years I went in 19 didn’t come out till I was 68, I didn’t come out till 2020,” Muntaquim said. “All you young brothers out here, go tell guys in the streets it’s a slave system they put you into that you’re allowing them to put you into.”
To end the discussion, Muntaquim answered questions from students and offered out his book “We Are Our Own Liberators” to those who wanted to purchase.
Muntaquim advised students to check out 13thforward and Spirit of Mandela for those who want to support the cause.
