BSU hosts Malcolm X Summit

The Laney Black Student Union (Laney BSU) hosted the Malcolm X: Beyond Militancy Summit on May 11-13 at Laney College. The three-day event was filled with music, dancing, speakers and films.

Tuesday began with a jazz band, along with Haitian dancers from the Laney College Dance Department. That evening, the BSU screened a video by journalist JR Valrey, who traveled to Haiti with a media-medic team in February.

The film focused on conditions of the country 30 days after the January earthquake that ravaged the island nation.

Minister Keith Muhammad of the Nation of Islam spoke Wednesday afternoon. That evening, the documentary "Aoki" was screened. The film chronicles the life of Black Panther Richard Aoki. Although he was Japanese, Aoki was a crucial member of the party. The film's directors Mike Cheng and Ben Wang were present for a Q & A.

After a Thursday talent showcase, the BSU held a screening of Valrey's "Operation Small Axe." The film follows the shooting of Oscar Grant by a BART police officer, and local residents' response to the March 21 Oakland police shoot-out with Lovelle Mixon.

A discussion took place after the film, featuring Valrey, Jack Bryson, father of two young men who were on the platform with Grant when he was shot; Dr. Carole Ward-Allen, a professor of African American Studies who also serves on the BART board of directors.

BSU members Killings and Shaw came across old flyers in their club's office for the 2005 Malcolm X Consciousness Conference, organized by Club Knowledge.