|
African and Caribbean Progressive Study
Group
|
|
The African and Caribbean Progressive Study Group (ACPSG) was founded in 1994. ACPSG's main activity currently is to maintain and develop the acprogress.org website. ACPSG, Progress (the monthly journal of ACPSG 1996-2002) and acprogress.org take up the question of the rights that belong to national minorities, what they are, how they can be upheld and defended from the perspective of encouraging members of national minority communities to participate in the national politics of the country as equals. Empowerment and enlightenment. Such words find there way into the pages of Progress on a regular basis. As a starting point to be empowered means to be able to decide on all the issues, which affect ones, own life. Again as a starting point enlightenment refers to the human capability of knowing, understanding and interpreting the world and all it's phenomenon, placing people at the centre of things and as opposed to irrationalism and obscurantism and the idea that human beings have no control over their destiny. To achieve human empowerment and enlightenment is an aspiration to which Progress contributes. Our coverage of issues of concern to our readership and of national and international affairs are part of the process of generating discussion and creating that momentum where people address their concerns. Such discussion can be formal or informal. It is taking place in different forums and has emphasis on different topics. We see our work both in ACPSG and with Progress as part of the movement for empowerment and enlightenment. Progress provides in depth analysis and coverage of national and world affairs as they relate to people of African and Caribbean descent. We focus on subjects usually treated either superficially or not at all in the mainstream media. Our journalism intends to provide enlightenment, to comment on, to analyse and to explain, as well as to describe the history, evolution of and development of issues which concern the African and Caribbean communities in particular and all those with an interest in Africa and the Caribbean in general. Achieving such an ambition will break the barrier of disinformation that obscures understanding; the ability of people to address issues of concern, that is being political, will also improve. Our objective reality is that we are of African and Caribbean descent. Our history, our traditions and our culture is informed by a long and tenacious battle in the fight against oppression and exploitation and in defence of our humanity. Our demand for equality and against all forms of racism and discrimination also ensures that we stand for the rights of all members of the society to be upheld. Ensuring the rights of all are upheld is the hallmark of a modern society and an indicator of social progress. In a society such as Britain in which people of different national origins make up a significant part of the polity; all citizens should participate in the political life on an equal basis. Too often people of African, Caribbean and Asian decent especially are reduced to participating on the basis of their colour or national origins alone. Such a situation must be changed. In fact it is a political question to be addressed that people of African and Caribbean descent must play a political role as second to none and on no other basis than that we are citizens of the country. |