I've raised £1200 to send Ex Black Panther Eddie Conway to climb Mount Kilimanjaro
Organised by Thomas Barlow
Story
I am going to ride nearly 300Km, over the course of one weekend, in the dead of winter, through the deep north of England to raise money for the amazing Eddie Conway to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Why would a flabby, computer bound, chunky monkey put themselves through this? Trust me, I am asking myself this question too!
Here's the story...
Last April I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting Eddie Conway. Being a daft and uninformed sod, I wasn't aware of his story, or who he was.
What I did know was that I was in the presence of a genuinely remarkable human being, and i'll treasure those few hours for the rest of my life. And I found out about a man who's life had been well lived, despite the US government trying to steal it from him.
Eddie Conway spent over 40 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.
He was targeted and arrested because he was a member of the Black Panthers and an effective community organiser in Baltimore in the 1960's. The US government had a program named COINTELPRO that lead to the false imprisonment of hundreds of civil rights organisers and anti war protestors - mostly African American.
Eddie was an ex US army veteran who became disillusioned with the treatment of African Americans in the army. He became a community organiser when he returned and joined the then vibrant Black Panther Party. Within a couple of years he was falsely charged and imprisoned like so many effective young organisers.
Please check the links at the bottom to find out more.
None of us can truly know what it is like to have 44 years of your life stolen, and what goes on in prison during all that time - but we know what injustice is, and I know we would all like to do something for a man who has given so much for the cause.
Since he as been out of jail (and now over 70 years old) he has wanted to climb Kilimajaro, and also visit an ex Black Panthers camp at the base of the mountain.
But he doesn't have the cash to get the flight.
Having had so much taken from him, I wanted to help out. He needs money to get there, and it seems the least that I could do.
So I came up with the stupidest plan I could and thought 'If we can't raise the money for him by doing this, I don't know what will'.
A friend suggested cycling coast to coast, over the Pennines in the dead of winter, and trying to do do a full 3 day ride in 2 days. I thought 'Yeah, that sounds completely moronic - let's do that'.
Having started training this weekend, I am regretting that choice.
So if you want to see fat knacker like myself grinding it out over The Way Of The Roses (see below also) - sweating and freezing in equal measure - on the first weekend of Feb 2018, then please help us reach the target, and help this good man take on the mountain!
P.S. If we manage to raise more than the target amount Eddie has asked it to be donated to anti racist funds in Rebel Cities and The Media Fund. All of your cash will be well spent fighting racism in the UK.
EDDIE'S STORY - https://www.democracynow.org/2014/3/6/44_years_a_prisoner_the_case
EDDIE'S YOUTUBE STORY - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdsJbMWoakDlSc__saFZs65PxYbL2Lv0n
THE WAY OF THE ROSES - http://wayoftheroses.info/route/terrain/
