From Henry Lee Wallace V, Chairman, San Diego Original Black Panther Party for Community Empowerment
Greetings, Readers,
It is with great joy and optimism that I greet you, as we lay 2023 to rest. My name is Henry Lee Wallace V aka “Captain Morgan Lee.” I am a man of action and activism. I’ve been invited to write a column once a month for this great newspaper. My column will focus on community empowerment and activism in San Diego County and the surrounding areas.
Last year (2023) was a year of many losses and joyful moments. As the chairman of the San Diego Original Black Panther Party for Community Empowerment, my board and I have struggled to keep our flagship program, the Evelyn and Frankie Germany free bulk food, open on a weekly basis. Because of the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic, we lost a few of our original Black Panthers. They were key players in keeping the organization in the fight of feeding those in need in San Diego. Because of the loss of these members, the work of feeding our community has fallen upon the shoulders of a couple of our remaining original members.
As for wins, the Original Black Panther Party always believed that the power to serve our community is within the people! Our slogan has and always will be: “All Power to the People!”
It’s true. Nothing will change until our people stand and take total control of their lives... I am proud to say that I have watched this phenomenon all my life. People power has been a catalyst of change to the politics in our city, county, state, country and the world at large, whether through the voting process or protest. I’ve even witnessed people power recently since the pandemic. The people have stepped up to keep the Evelyn and Frankie Germany free bulk food program from closing down. The people are on deck every Wednesday, too, to help set up and give out food to the people who are suffering from food insecurities. Also, the food program has been able to provide prepared food to the homeless population in the downtown area, east and south of San Diego County on Tuesdays.
In closing, I want to thank Indian Voices for allowing me the opportunity to share this information with the San Diego community at large. I hope that I will be able to continue updating and bringing to you all more information from the San Diego Original Black Panther Party for Community Empowerment in the coming months of 2024.
