Baltimore I-83 Hashtag Protest – BPD Open Letter
August 8, 2016
AFROMATION
c/o Contraflow Inc.
2764 Pleasant Road
Suite 10930
Fort Mill, South Carolina 29708
Baltimore Police
Media Relations Dept.
242 W. 29th St.
Baltimore, Maryland 21211
Re: July 16th I-83 Protest – OPEN LETTER RESPONSE
Greetings T.J. Smith,
In the wee hours of the morning in suburban Charlotte on July 17, 2016, my smart phone received a Google Alert on a name I coined and have been continuously using in commerce and in meaning for over twenty two years, “Afromation.” The alert stated:
Baltimore (WJZ) – Police say over 20 people were arrested at the Afromation protest in Mt. Royal Saturday evening.
One could only imagine the look on my face to see a civil disobedient act in headlines with its leaders reportedly hiding behind my educational movement’s long established name.
Some three weeks later, I am much wiser of the current 21st Century second-decade digital social trends, such as online civil rights organizations and hashtag movements. For example, I now realize that Black Lives Matter began as a hastag. The major difference here is that their three words merged together as one thought were never anyone else’s established product or organizational name.
Mr. Smith, the purpose of my letter to you today is merely to say that those protesters may have identified themselves as “Afromation” and “Afromation Movement,” but I assure you they are neither. Well…at least not prior to 7.16.16.
I launched Afromation {definition: Afrocentric information} in Seattle on March 26, 1994, after flunking an impromptu Black History Quiz. I traveled across America for two decades on a peaceful journey to integrate American History through educational means. I was even received and treated with much love by the people of Prince George’s County and Baltimore City in pre-digital 2000.
As an American with a lot to say, I’m a true believer in First Amendment rights and inspiring young people. I lost a close unarmed friend to two Omaha Police officers’ bullets back in the late 1980s. There was no uproar. The only person seeking justice was his widow, another classmate of mine. Today…I applaud all those who speak up and out, which includes Makayla Gilliam-Price; as I also lift up those who protect and serve.
Having said all this, in the early 1990s I had to go to the library and do due diligent digging to learn if an organizational and/or trade name was already in use. Today, all a person has to do is say the word or letters A-F-R-O-M-A-T-I-O-N into their smart phone, and voila! I am highly disconcerted over this blatant act of what I call digital identity theft, and I do not support nor condone whoever is behind this misuse.
My website {www.afromation.org} highlights the real Afromation Journey. Please consider this open letter and my nonprofit organization’s website home page as background FYI if these social media protesters pop up again as real world pedestrians on a highway near you. Now of course it is not your job to defend and protect my trade name Mr. Smith. That is my job. I’m just trying to assist the Baltimore media as you all accurately inform the people. I thank you Sir for your time and service to the people of Baltimore.
Blessings & Peace,
M.D. Woods, Founder
THE AFROMATION (Educational) MOVEMENT (to Integrate American History)
afromation@aol.com
CC: Baltimore Sun ~ City Paper ~ WBAL-TV ~ WEAA-FM ~ WJZ-TV
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