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EspañolLENNOX YEARWOOD
'Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr.' is an American minister, activist, and hip hop organizer. He has served as a White House intern under President Bill Clinton and currently serves as CEO of the Hip-Hop Caucus (H2C) in Washington, D.C.. In 2007, the U.S. Air Force decided to take disciplinary action against him.
Reverend Yearwood was the National Grassroots and Political Director for the Russell Simmons’ Hip Hop Summit Action Network, and was a Senior Consultant for P. Diddy’s Citizen Change, and Jay Z’s Voice Your Choice, where he provided a national template for engaging the Hip-Hop generation in community-building dialogues. He was also the founder of Hip Hop Voices, a subsidiary of Voices for Working Families (AFL-CIO), and the Hip Hop U.N., which is a coalition of all the Hip Hop Political organizations throughout the world.
During the 2004 Presidential election, Rev. Yearwood created, along with Russell Simmons and Jonathan Lewis, the first ever Hip Hop Team Vote Bus Tour, to ensure that young people were challenging the established political order in a most profound and substantive manner.
In addition, Yearwood is the Chairman of the Board for E.G.O.S (Education, Goals, Opportunities, and Sports) United Inc., and Helping the Homeless of the World Inc., as well as a member of the Board of Directors for the Progressive Democrats of America, ROOT Inc., Industry Ears, and is on the steering committee for UP (United Progressives) for Democracy, United for Peace and Justice and Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq, as well as serving on the board of Pace e Bene. He has an office in the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.
Rev. Yearwood is a graduate of the University of the District of Columbia, a predominately black and latino public university, and the Howard University Divinity School, part of the historically black university system. He was the Student Government President at both schools.
After Pat Robertson called for the assassination of the democratically elected leader of Venezuela, Rev. Yearwood, Christian Leaders and other members of the Faith Community held a vigil and press conference on August 27th, 2005. The group demanded an FCC investigation of the Christian Broadcasting Network and insisted that Robertson and CBN apologize directly to President Hugo Chavez and the Venezuelan people.
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, on September 19th, 2005 Hip Hop Artist, David Banner, joined forces with fellow artists and Rev. Yearwood for “Heal the Hood.” The event was held in New York City at B.B. King’s to raise money for survivors of Hurricane Katrina. [1]
On October 5th, 2005 Rev. Yearwood protested outside of the offices of William Bennett. The protest was in response to his statements wherein he said the theoretical abortion of all black children would prevent most violent crime.
On November 7th, 2005 Rev. Yearwood organized a March on Gretna. The March was formed to bring attention to the travesty that occurred in the wake of Hurricane Katrina where people of color were not permitted to cross the bridge into the city of Gretna. Congressional leaders, students, activist and others walked over the Crescent Bridge with police escorts and successfully demanded access to the city.[2]
Beginning on December 1st and running until December 10th, 2005 Rev. Yearwood helped to organize a “Save Tookie Williams” campaign to ask the California state governor and appropriate courts to save the life of the Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
Katrina Survivors testified before Congress on December 6th, 2005 under the organization of Rev. Yearwood and Cynthia McKinney. Rev. Yearwood also worked with various Republican members of Congress to facilitate the testimonies.
Along with the People’s Hurricane Relief Fund, Rev. Yearwood participated in a March in New Orleans on December 9th-10th, 2005 to demand a right to return for Hurricane Katrina survivors.
On December 14th, 2005 Rev. Yearwood organized a protest at the FEMA Office against the decision to evict Hurricane Katrina survivors from their temporary housing locations. More than 50 protesters rallied outside FEMA Headquarters followed by a symbolic march to Capitol Hill where a FEMA Hearing was being held.
On February 15th, 2006, he was escorted out of the Katrina Hearings in Congress after he vocalized his disgust about non-action.
On March 14th, 2006 Rev. Yearwood organized another protest and Press Conference at the US Capitol against the decision to evict Hurricane Katrina survivors from their temporary housing locations and to demand passing of H.R. 4197. More than 500 protesters rallied outside the US Capitol followed by a march to White House.[3]
Rev. Yearwood has spoken at many anti-war rallies, claiming that the invasion and continuing military occupation of Iraq is both illegal and immoral. He has served in the U.S. Air Force, and has often been seen at the side of Cindy Sheehan.[4]
On April 26th, 2007 when the U.S. Senate voted to approve approximately $95 billion more for the wars and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, Rev. Yearwood was arrested with 13 others inside the House Senate Office Building in a nonviolent protest. This protest featured reading letters from military families, dropping two large banners and a funeral for the next fallen soldier, which he performed with Iraq Veterans Against the War member Adam Kokesh. [5]
Speaking out loudly against torture and demanding Guantanamo Bay detainment camp be shut down, Yearwood organized a hip hop concert at in Washington, D.C. dubbed "Shut It Down." The concert featured Dead Prez and several other hip hop artists. Amnesty International and the ACLU helped with the event. [6]
Rev. Yearwood announces he has been summoned by the U.S. Air Force to appear at a hearing in Atlanta for discharge proceedings. He is an Air Force reservist, and the military now wants to discharge him with a less than honorable because it claims the reverend has displayed “behavior clearly inconsistent with the interest of national security.” [7] Yearwood has responded to this development in a widely circulated open letter.[8]
He writes about the first notice he received from the Air Force, "this letter arrived six days after I announced the launching of a national 'Make Hip Hop Not War' Tour at a press conference on Capitol Hill."
★ Rev. Lennox Yearwood's Myspace Account
1. Daily Hip-Hop News, Heal The Hood Recap: Banner Leads Charge Of 17 Acts For Historical Hip-Hop Relief Concert (Sept., 2005)
2. National Organization of Women,Marchers Cross New Orleans Bridge to Protest Racism (November, 2005)
3. ZMag,Hip Hop's Black Political Activism (June, 2006)
4. Foreign Policy In Focus,The Future of the Anti-War Movement (March, 2007)
5. Democracy Rising, While the Congress Approved Another Billion for War the Anti-War Movement Demonstrated (April, 2007)
6. Cities for Progress, Hip-hop Artists Urge Guantanamo Shutdown(June, 2007)
7. American Chronicle Air Force Claims Anti-war Minister is a National Security Threat! (July, 2007)
8. TruthOut, An Open Letter to America: "Now Is the Time for Us to Stand Up and Stand Together" (July, 2007)
Rev. Yearwood at a Katrina victims' rally, 2006
Early P. Diddy days
Reverend Yearwood was the National Grassroots and Political Director for the Russell Simmons’ Hip Hop Summit Action Network, and was a Senior Consultant for P. Diddy’s Citizen Change, and Jay Z’s Voice Your Choice, where he provided a national template for engaging the Hip-Hop generation in community-building dialogues. He was also the founder of Hip Hop Voices, a subsidiary of Voices for Working Families (AFL-CIO), and the Hip Hop U.N., which is a coalition of all the Hip Hop Political organizations throughout the world.
During the 2004 Presidential election, Rev. Yearwood created, along with Russell Simmons and Jonathan Lewis, the first ever Hip Hop Team Vote Bus Tour, to ensure that young people were challenging the established political order in a most profound and substantive manner.
Affiliations
In addition, Yearwood is the Chairman of the Board for E.G.O.S (Education, Goals, Opportunities, and Sports) United Inc., and Helping the Homeless of the World Inc., as well as a member of the Board of Directors for the Progressive Democrats of America, ROOT Inc., Industry Ears, and is on the steering committee for UP (United Progressives) for Democracy, United for Peace and Justice and Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq, as well as serving on the board of Pace e Bene. He has an office in the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C.
Rev. Yearwood is a graduate of the University of the District of Columbia, a predominately black and latino public university, and the Howard University Divinity School, part of the historically black university system. He was the Student Government President at both schools.
August 27, 2005
After Pat Robertson called for the assassination of the democratically elected leader of Venezuela, Rev. Yearwood, Christian Leaders and other members of the Faith Community held a vigil and press conference on August 27th, 2005. The group demanded an FCC investigation of the Christian Broadcasting Network and insisted that Robertson and CBN apologize directly to President Hugo Chavez and the Venezuelan people.
September 19, 2005
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, on September 19th, 2005 Hip Hop Artist, David Banner, joined forces with fellow artists and Rev. Yearwood for “Heal the Hood.” The event was held in New York City at B.B. King’s to raise money for survivors of Hurricane Katrina. [1]
October 5, 2005
On October 5th, 2005 Rev. Yearwood protested outside of the offices of William Bennett. The protest was in response to his statements wherein he said the theoretical abortion of all black children would prevent most violent crime.
November 7, 2005
On November 7th, 2005 Rev. Yearwood organized a March on Gretna. The March was formed to bring attention to the travesty that occurred in the wake of Hurricane Katrina where people of color were not permitted to cross the bridge into the city of Gretna. Congressional leaders, students, activist and others walked over the Crescent Bridge with police escorts and successfully demanded access to the city.[2]
December 1 - December 14, 2005
Beginning on December 1st and running until December 10th, 2005 Rev. Yearwood helped to organize a “Save Tookie Williams” campaign to ask the California state governor and appropriate courts to save the life of the Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
Katrina Survivors testified before Congress on December 6th, 2005 under the organization of Rev. Yearwood and Cynthia McKinney. Rev. Yearwood also worked with various Republican members of Congress to facilitate the testimonies.
Along with the People’s Hurricane Relief Fund, Rev. Yearwood participated in a March in New Orleans on December 9th-10th, 2005 to demand a right to return for Hurricane Katrina survivors.
On December 14th, 2005 Rev. Yearwood organized a protest at the FEMA Office against the decision to evict Hurricane Katrina survivors from their temporary housing locations. More than 50 protesters rallied outside FEMA Headquarters followed by a symbolic march to Capitol Hill where a FEMA Hearing was being held.
February 15, 2006
On February 15th, 2006, he was escorted out of the Katrina Hearings in Congress after he vocalized his disgust about non-action.
March 14, 2006
On March 14th, 2006 Rev. Yearwood organized another protest and Press Conference at the US Capitol against the decision to evict Hurricane Katrina survivors from their temporary housing locations and to demand passing of H.R. 4197. More than 500 protesters rallied outside the US Capitol followed by a march to White House.[3]
Anti-War days
Rev. Yearwood has spoken at many anti-war rallies, claiming that the invasion and continuing military occupation of Iraq is both illegal and immoral. He has served in the U.S. Air Force, and has often been seen at the side of Cindy Sheehan.[4]
April 26, 2007
On April 26th, 2007 when the U.S. Senate voted to approve approximately $95 billion more for the wars and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, Rev. Yearwood was arrested with 13 others inside the House Senate Office Building in a nonviolent protest. This protest featured reading letters from military families, dropping two large banners and a funeral for the next fallen soldier, which he performed with Iraq Veterans Against the War member Adam Kokesh. [5]
June 19, 2007
Speaking out loudly against torture and demanding Guantanamo Bay detainment camp be shut down, Yearwood organized a hip hop concert at in Washington, D.C. dubbed "Shut It Down." The concert featured Dead Prez and several other hip hop artists. Amnesty International and the ACLU helped with the event. [6]
July 2, 2007
Rev. Yearwood announces he has been summoned by the U.S. Air Force to appear at a hearing in Atlanta for discharge proceedings. He is an Air Force reservist, and the military now wants to discharge him with a less than honorable because it claims the reverend has displayed “behavior clearly inconsistent with the interest of national security.” [7] Yearwood has responded to this development in a widely circulated open letter.[8]
He writes about the first notice he received from the Air Force, "this letter arrived six days after I announced the launching of a national 'Make Hip Hop Not War' Tour at a press conference on Capitol Hill."
★ Rev. Lennox Yearwood's Myspace Account
References
1. Daily Hip-Hop News, Heal The Hood Recap: Banner Leads Charge Of 17 Acts For Historical Hip-Hop Relief Concert (Sept., 2005)
2. National Organization of Women,Marchers Cross New Orleans Bridge to Protest Racism (November, 2005)
3. ZMag,Hip Hop's Black Political Activism (June, 2006)
4. Foreign Policy In Focus,The Future of the Anti-War Movement (March, 2007)
5. Democracy Rising, While the Congress Approved Another Billion for War the Anti-War Movement Demonstrated (April, 2007)
6. Cities for Progress, Hip-hop Artists Urge Guantanamo Shutdown(June, 2007)
7. American Chronicle Air Force Claims Anti-war Minister is a National Security Threat! (July, 2007)
8. TruthOut, An Open Letter to America: "Now Is the Time for Us to Stand Up and Stand Together" (July, 2007)
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