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Rep. Barbara Lee Speaks at U.N. Commemoration of Abolition of Slavery, Transatlantic Slave Trade

Lee is one of few members of Congress to have delivered remarks on behalf of the United States at the General Assembly.

Published

3 years ago

April 4, 2022

Oakland Post

Rep. Barbara Lee at the U.N. general assembly on Tuesday morning.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations and Congressional Representative to the United Nations, delivered remarks Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly Plenary Meeting on the Commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Lee is one of few members of Congress to have delivered remarks on behalf of the United States at the General Assembly. A full video and transcript of her remarks can be found below.

Full remarks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5_jHrzj7Ec

“Good morning. Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Mr. Secretary General.

“Mr. President, I have the unique honor of addressing you on this important occasion as both a Member of Congress and one of this year’s United States Congressional Delegates to the United Nations General Assembly.

As we commemorate the abolition of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade, let us reflect on the profound words of self-emancipated enslaved person, abolitionist, orator, global luminary, and diplomat, Frederick Douglass.

“Abolition of slavery,” he said, “had been the deepest desire and great labor of my life.” These words prompt our remembrance of the victims and descendants of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.

“The transatlantic slave trade forced millions of people from their homes, families, societies, and countries, and subjected them to exploitation and dehumanization, creating a global enterprise of unparalleled wealth for Western nations and fueling the global economy. Chattel slavery remains an immoral and indelible stain on the history of the United States, the Western hemisphere, and the collective chronicle of our inhumanity.

“We acknowledge the myriad atrocities of slavery, and continue to grapple with the racial, ethnic, gender, economic, social, and political hierarchies it created. And yes, we must honor the victims of slavery by dismantling its institutional remnants, such as racism, discrimination, economic inequity, marginalization, and systematic underdevelopment.

“The United States must address the multidimensional legacies of slavery through an unprecedented commitment to racial equity, justice, and inclusion within our borders and throughout our global affairs.

“We have demonstrated our commitment nationally through a government-wide approach to addressing systemic inequity. Today, the President of the United States, Joseph R. Biden, will sign the Emmett Till Antilynching Act of 2022, recently passed by the United States Congress.

“It has been over 120 years since Congress’ first attempt to criminalize the horrendous act of lynching and yes, today, it will be finally made a federal hate crime.

“Members of both House and Senate have supported legislation that acknowledges and address the remnants of our racialized past stemming from the institution of chattel slavery.

“Legislation like H. Con. Res. 19, urging the establishment of a United States Commission on Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation; H.R. 40, a Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans; and H.R. 1280, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act are all examples of how Congress is grappling with the need for systemic change and redress.

“And last year, President Biden signed into law, making Juneteenth – that’s June 19th – a national holiday. It was on this day in 1865, that Union soldiers arrived in Texas to announce that Black people were free. Now, this was two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This announcement was made in Galveston, Texas, which is the home of my grandfather and my great-grandmother.

“Now on the global stage, we championed the establishment of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and supported the International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement.

“And I, personally, fought for our participation in the movement to establish the beautiful Permanent Memorial Honoring the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade right here in a prominent spot at the United Nations. And I was honored to witness the establishment of the International Decade for People of African Descent.

“Despite these promising efforts, there is still so much work to do to achieve full equity in the United States and globally. And so, we must embrace this momentous occasion as a clarion and dynamic call to engage and to move forward.

“Thank you very much.”

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Oakland Post: Week of May 14 – 20, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of May 14 – 20, 2025

Published

2 hours ago

May 16, 2025

Oakland Post

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The Best Advice for Raising Children: Discipline That Makes Sense

In his book Developing Positive Self Images and Discipline in Black Children, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu suggests that primary aims for socializing Black children should be: establishing goals related to God and the church; familiarizing children with religious texts like the Bible or Quran; educating them of Black culture like Khemetic (Egyptian) Civilization; enlightening them about Black leaders like Malcolm X and Sojourner Truth; and teaching them to strive to be employers, not employees.

Published

3 days ago

May 13, 2025

Oakland Post

Headshot of Dr. William A. Thomas. Photo courtesy of Dr. William A. Thomas.

By William A. Thomas, Ph.D.

In many African societies, the primary aim of socialization is to raise children to be socially responsible and eventually provide economic support to their parents and extended families. Ghanaian philosopher Kwame Gyekye taught that children are raised to be respectful of the wishes of their parents and extended adult family members.

In his book Developing Positive Self Images and Discipline in Black Children, Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu suggests that primary aims for socializing Black children should be: establishing goals related to God and the church; familiarizing children with religious texts like the Bible or Quran; educating them of Black culture like Khemetic (Egyptian) Civilization; enlightening them about Black leaders like Malcolm X and Sojourner Truth; and teaching them to strive to be employers, not employees.

Effective disciplinary strategies appropriate to a child’s age and development teach them to regulate their behavior; keep them from harm; enhance their cognitive, social, and emotional executive functioning skills; and reinforce the behavioral patterns taught by their parents and caregivers.

Below are some specific guidelines for disciplining children.

Listen to what children are talking about with interest and show them you understand their feelings. Remember, children mirror and learn about their emotional selves by hearing their feelings reflected back to them. Staying on target also means avoiding labels. When children fail to do what is expected, discussing it is helpful rather than saying how stubborn, lazy, dumb, or bad they are. By the same token, more positive labels can be helpful.

Dependability is another essential component of the discipline process. When parents are dependable, their children learn what to expect and are helped to feel secure. When parents are consistent, children learn to trust, that is, predict their parents’ behaviors with certainty. A child thinks, “When I spill something, I will always be asked to wipe it up.” A child thinks, “If I use foul language, I will always be corrected.” A child thinks, “If I take something that doesn’t belong to me, I will always have to give it back.” The ability to predict with certainty leads children to rely on their parents and the village/community in which they live. Children feel safe when they know what to expect.

Conclusions

It takes a village/community to raise the divine gift that is the Black child. Parents look to therapists for guidance concerning a variety of parenting issues, including discipline. Keep in mind that evidence suggests that corporal punishment is both ineffective in the long term and associated with cognitive and mental health disorders. When parents want guidance about the use of spanking, a child therapist can explore parental feelings, help them better define the goals of discipline, and offer specific behavior management strategies. In addition to providing appropriate education to families, the Bay Area Association of Black Psychologists (Bay ABPsi) can refer them to community resources, like parenting groups and classes.

About the Author

Dr. Thomas is a licensed clinical psychologist with a private practice in the SF/Oakland Bay Area and Beaumont. He is a member of Bay ABPsi, a healing resource committed to providing the Post Newspaper readership with monthly discussions about critical issues in Black Mental Health. Readers are welcome to join us at our monthly chapter meetings every 3^rd Saturday via Zoom and contact us at bayareaabpsi@gmail.com.