Category Archives: Human Rights

Celebrating St. Helena De Gullah/Geechee Epicenter

Interestingly enough, I never drew the connection between helping write and establish the Cultural Protection Overlay District law and the fact that it took place the same year that I made world history by taking the human rights of my people before the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland until I just typed out the year. I did reflect on the fact that on my UN anniversary this year (April 1st), I was leading the “Coastal Cultures Conference” and sitting amongst national leaders focused on assisting with protecting the rich environment of St. Helena Island and helping the island to be even more resilient. The Gullah/Geechee Nation Sustainability Plan calls for us to ensure that the mission of the Gullah/Geechee Nation is adhered to and that we protect our people by enhancing their quality of life. We can only do this by protecting and improving the land and water quality and lessening the stress of them having to fight to keep protecting themselves and their homeland. Yet, as our ancestors did, we find ourselves on a battlefield once again protecting our rights as was done during the US Civil War, the Jim Crow Era and the Civil Rights Movement. I am proud to be in the number leading the human rights movement!

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Protecting St. Helena Island’s Gullah/Geechee Serenity by Queen Quet

With the coming of this destructionment there is not only environmental degradation, but higher land taxes and cultural degradation and erasure. I went before the world in 1999 to sound the alarm about this attempted genocide of native Gullah/Geechees and I have not stopped going to the world to keep them aware of our on-going need for their support to protect our cultural heritage and continue our cultural traditions in our homeland. I knew that my living was not in vain and that people had heard and continue to hear us when I saw the outpouring of the crowd that were Gullah/Geechee and non-Gullah/Geechee that showed up at at the Protect St. Helena Rally to help us fight to keep the St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay District zoning law in place and to strengthen it so that it will continue to exist for centuries to come as will Gullah/Geechee culture.

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Gullah/Geechee Mobilization and Celebration for Gullah/Geechee Volunteer Month 2023

Gullah/Geechee Volunteer Month 2023 affords the opportunity for people to stand up with the Gullah/Geechee in protecting their land and continuing their culture.

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I’m Not Your Entertainment: Black and Indigenous Relevance and Relegation in Climate Action

I am now clear on why James Baldwin articulated clearly, “I’m not your Negro.” I could hear him speaking to my soul as I came to this space to make clear that “I’m not your entertainment.” We will no longer have what is relevant relegated to the side.

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Celebrate Black History Month 2023 with de Gullah/Geechee Famlee

Jayn de Gullah/Geechee Famlee een celebration of Black History and living legacy pun de islandt and virtually!

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The Fight for Black and Gullah/Geechee Freedom

I heard myself with throngs of ancestors singing “Fight on just a little while longer! Pray on just a little while longer! Hold on just a little while longer!” I rested in that moment knowing that the ancestors were tapping their children’s children’s children on the shoulders (and some in the head) awakening them to join in the fight. To take a stand for Gullah/Geechee land! WE BINYA and ain’t gwine nowhey!

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Protect the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Protection Overlay for St. Helena Island

We are calling on you to stand with the Gullah/Geechees of St. Helena Island to protect our cultural heritage and the sustainability of our island!  Tell Beaufort County to keep the St. Helena Island Cultural Protection Overlay District in tact as it is!  DO NOT provided any text changes to the CPO!  DO NOT allow any map amendments to the CPO District!  DO NOT allow any building on Pine Island!  Stop the destructionment of historic St. Helena and Pine Islands in the Gullah/Geechee Nation and continue to protect the human and environmental rights of native Gullah/Geechees!

Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/GullahGeecheeCulturalProtectionOverlay

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Queen’s Chronicle: Journey to the Land of Queens and Pharaohs Part 1

I found myself overlooking the pyramids feeling this power emanating to and through me. The word “empowerment” took on an entirely new meaning when watching the sunrise and set in this land of queens and pharaohs. Many solely see a pyramid as a place of death whereas others see it as I do, as a place of healing energy and the apex as a location of higher consciousness. In the midst of the power of the sun above the apex of the pyramid, your energy is centered and balanced and your spiritual power is renewed. Renewal is what is going to take to transmit this power and these ideals to the world because we must each seek transformation-“…be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:2b). It may just take coming to a land like this to be with others of like mind to find that renewal or it may simply take a moment of prayer and meditation as the sun sets not only over the pyramids or the Red Sea in Sinai, but over a sincere person that at the end of every day simply seeks to continue purposefully walking in all lands seeking order, balance, truth, reciprocity, harmony, righteousness, morality and justice. Wherever, the next steps take me, I pray as I do in our Gullah/Geechee Spiritual, “Walk with Me Lord!”

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Queen Quet of the Gullah/Geechee Nation Amongst the World Leaders at UN COP 27 in Egypt

Queen Quet, Chieftess of the Gullah/Geechee Nation (www.QueenQuet.com) and the Founder of the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition has presented at several United Nations Council of Parties (UN COP) events since the first one that she attended in Marrakesh, Morocco. She made it back to Africa again this year to be one of the world leaders focused on climate action and will present several times in Sharm El Sheik, Egypt.

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Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Awareness Month 2022

For those that are intrigued by the traditions of native Gullah/Geechees, there are two major times of year that folks should engage in the events and postings of the Gullah/Geechee Nation. “Gullah/Geechee Nation Appreciation Week” takes place from the final Saturday in July until the first Sunday in August annually and “Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Awareness Month” which is October. A series of events hosted by native Gullah/Geechees takes place throughout the Gullah/Geechee Nation from Jacksonville, NC to Jacksonville, FL are held annually. The celebrations combines online posting via http://www.Facebook.com/GullahGeecheeWEBE, @GullahGeechee on IG and Twitter, @GullahGeecheeNation on TikTok and releases of new programming on http://www.GullahGeechee.tv and Gullah/Geechee Riddim Radio with live in person events.

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