Freedom is a Constant Struggle w/ Glen Ford of Black Agenda Report

April 21, 2016 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle with guest Glen Ford of Black Agenda Report.

[this bio is from 2014] Glen Ford, a veteran of more than 40 years in broadcast, print and Internet journalism, is a former Washington Bureau Chief and White House, Capitol Hill, and State Department correspondent.  He co-founded and hosted “America’s Black Forum,” the first nationally syndicated Black news interview program on commercial television; launched and owned the radio syndications “Black World Report,” “Black Agenda Reports,” and “Rap It Up,” the first national hip hop music show. He has worked as a radio newsman in Washington, Baltimore, and Georgia, and produced over 1,000 radio and TV commercials.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Pierre Labossiere and Robert Roth on Haiti and a Month of Martyrs

April 7, 2016 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle with guests Pierre Labossiere and Robert Roth, who are the co-founders of Haiti Action Committee, HaitiSolidarity.net

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Glen Ford of Black Agenda Report

This is a 2014 episode with Glen Ford of the Black Agenda Report, uploaded for the first time, that was rebroadcast for the March 17, 2016 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle.

[this bio is from 2014] Glen Ford, a veteran of more than 40 years in broadcast, print and Internet journalism, is a former Washington Bureau Chief and White House, Capitol Hill, and State Department correspondent.  He co-founded and hosted “America’s Black Forum,” the first nationally syndicated Black news interview program on commercial television; launched and owned the radio syndications “Black World Report,” “Black Agenda Reports,” and “Rap It Up,” the first national hip hop music show. He has worked as a radio newsman in Washington, Baltimore, and Georgia, and produced over 1,000 radio and TV commercials.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ida McCray, Keith Wattley and Terry Collins talk about Hugo Pinell

March 3, 2016 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, with guests, Ida McCray, Keith Wattley and Terry Collins discussing the life of Hugo "Yogi Bear" Pinell.

Locked Far Too Long Behind the Walls (reprinted from 2010)

RELATED:  Kiilu Nyasha and Terry Collins remember Hugo ‘Yogi’ Pinell (August 2015)

(Artwork by Kevin “Rashid” Johnson, 1859887, Clements Unit, 9601 Spur 591, Amarillo TX 79107; Featured at HugoPinell.com)



Locked Far Too Long Behind the Walls


by Kiilu Nyasha

(First published on September 26, 2010)

Trust no one in whom the desire to punish is strong. (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

I’ve been corresponding with prisoners since 1970, shortly after joining the Black Panther Party in 1969.  At that stage of the struggle, the Seventies, I was writing so many prisoners I had to keep files and carbon copies so as not to get mixed up with who said what.  There were fierce arguments being waged re individual leaders, strategies and tactics, and ideology.  I was also able to keep various political prisoners in touch with one another when they were transferred to different t gulags in separation. 

Recently, after a picture of “Pat” with Huey Newton and Charles Garry surfaced, one of the brothers I wrote and visited during the 70s saw it in another prisoner’s Bay View newspaper and sent me a kite via the SFBV.  His name is Arthur Anderson, aka, Andy or Frelimo. He was in the San Quentin AC on August 21, 1971 when George Jackson was killed.  It grieved me to learn he’s been down 47 years, and was just denied 3 more.  Here’s some of what he said:

And well for the last (30) some years I have been in war zones and I had to keep the oppressors knives out my back and to help protect some of these ndugos up in there who didn’t have the heart to protect themselves.  And so I got caught up…and when I was at Folsom and the Mex M. came to serve me… his ass got served. And that’s what I got the other 9 years to life for, they stretched me out on that one….To defend ones self when you’re being attacked and you’re given 9 years to life for assault… How do you justify keeping a human being locked up and away from society for 47 years?...And now for the past 17 years I have been involved with a program here and in another prison called convicts reaching out to people, CROP. (a mentoring program for youth)

When I told Yogi, (Hugo Pinell) that I heard from Frelimo, he said, “Of course I remember him and love him a lot…I’m so glad you’re in touch….I hope he is in good health and holding on strongly.  My best to him and his family and all other true loved ones.”

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Charlie Hinton & Freddie Johnson discuss and perform SOLITARY MAN

February 18, 2016 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring Charlie Hinton & Freddie Johnson who both discuss and perform SOLITARY MAN.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Archival Footage of Phavia Kujichagulia, Yuri Kochiyama and Hugo 'Yogi Bear' Pinell

February 4, 2016 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, honoring Black History Month by featuring archival footage of African Griot Phavia Kujichagulia, the late great Yuri Kochiyama and our beloved martyr Hugo Pinell, also known as 'Yogi Bear.'

KPOO interview: Kiilu Nyasha and Terry Collins remember Hugo ‘Yogi’ Pinell

(Hugo 'Yogi' Pinell, artwork by Kiilu Nyasha, 2015)

(Transcription of KPOO interview from SF Bay View Newspaper)

This interview was broadcast live on Aug. 18, 2015, on Terry Collins’ show, The Spirit of Joe Rudolph. Listen to it in full here; these are highlights. Read more about Hugo Pinell here.

Terry Collins:  A lot of people around here are definitely in deep mourning for the murder of Hugo Pinell on the 12th of August, this month. From my correspondence with him over the past three or four years, I know he was a person full of love.

I loved Hugo or Yogi Bear, as he was called, and he really helped me sustain myself through some of the problems I thought I had with growing old and still trying to keep the struggle going on. I know you love Hugo also, so tell me some of the things you want to talk about.

Kiilu Nyasha:  If there was one word that could describe Yogi Bear, it would be love. His love energies are what sustained him for 45 years in solitary confinement beginning December 1970.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Pierre Labossiere from the Haiti Action Committee

January 21, 2016 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring Pierre Labossiere from the Haiti Action Committee, HaitiSolidarity.net

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Dr. James G. Kahn, UCSF Global Health Economics Consortium

January 7, 2016 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle: James G. Kahn, MD MPH, who is the Founder and Director of the UCSF Global Health Economics Consortium.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Jennifer Friedenbach from the Coalition on Homelessness

December 17, 2015 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring Jennifer Friedenbach, who is the Executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Gerald Smith, Patricia & Richard Perez on Police Brutality and Murder

December 3, 2015 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Gerald Smith, Patricia & Richard Perez on Police Brutality, Murder and the Assassination of Chicago BPP leader Fred Hampton.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Pierre Labossiere & Charlie Hinton on Haiti

November 19, 2015 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring Pierre Labossiere and Charlie Hinton discussing Haiti.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Sharif Zackout & Yahya Mustafa

October 15, 2015 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring Sharif Zackout & Yahya Mustafa.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Ida McCray

October 1, 2015 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring Ida McCray, Director of Families With a Future.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Raj Patel

September 17, 2015 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring author and activist Raj Patel.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Pierre Labossiere and Emiliano Echeverria

September 3, 2015 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring Pierre Labossiere and Emiliano Echeverria.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Black August (parts one and two)

August 6, 2015 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring an interview with host Kiilu Nyasha.




August 20, 2015 episode of Freedom is a Constant Struggle, featuring Willie "Sundiata" Tate and David Johnson of the San Quentin Six.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Dylcia Pagan on Puerto Rico and Pierre Labossiere on Haiti

July 2, 2015 episode of the Freedom is a Constant Struggle TV show, with guest Dylcia Pagan.

See also a 2011 interview with Dylcia Pagan, alongside Francisco Torres of the SF8, entitled Dylcia and Cisco on Panthers and Independistas.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Terry Collins and Avotcja

June 18, 2015 episode of the Freedom is a Constant Struggle TV show.

Speech for May 19 2015 Political Science Graduation at San Francisco State University

NOTE:  This beautiful plaque was presented to me on stage at McKinney Auditorium right after my speech.  I was stunned.  The whole experience was surreal -- a completely unexpected honor.

First I want to thank you and my neighbor, Candice Bell, for this honor and opportunity to speak to your graduating class in political science.

I think of myself as a political social scientist and a revolutionary journalist.

I was active in the Black Panther Party from 1969 to 1971, where I was introduced to Marx, Mao, Che, and Fanon – and committed my life to serving the people and fighting their enemies.

As Frantz Fanon noted in The Wretched of the Earth,

“Each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it...”

That’s the question to ask your selves individually and collectively.

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Michelle Cordova

June 4, 2015 episode of the Freedom is a Constant Struggle TV Show

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Phavia Kujichagulia and Call-in with Pam Africa

May 24, 2015 episode of the Freedom is a Constant Struggle TV Show

Freedom is a Constant Struggle: Jeffrey Blankfort

May 7, 2015 episode of the Freedom is a Constant Struggle TV Show

Commentary re Youth Uprising for 12/18/14 Freedom Is A Constant Struggle, by Kiilu Nyasha

For the first time in nearly 45 years, I’m really excited about young people rising up all over the country in the wake of police murders of Black and Brown people, esp. the blatant killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. In those cases, neither of the rogue cops was indicted or had any charges filed against them.  As a former Panther, police brutality and murder is nothing new.


From Ferguson, Mi. where Michael Brown was left to bleed to death for 41/2 hours to NYC where Eric Garner was choked to death – Black youth have been in the forefront of a mass movement taking to the streets.

In solidarity with Blacks, who’ve been the most targeted by racist police, people of all backgrounds and ages are collectively protesting this open season on Black people,.