Minister Farrakhan keynotes WISOMMM fundraiser

By Doshon Farad
Newark, N.J.-On Saturday May 5^th, Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan delivered the keynote address at a fundraiser hosted by Women in Support of the Million Man March (WISOMMM) at the African-American Cultural Center on15 James Street.

His lecture was part of a three day weekend event that launched on May 3^rd. It featured a Nation of Islam historic exhibit as well as a private reception, with Min. Farrakhan, prior to his Saturday lecture. Initially the public was being charged $100 per ticket for admission but it was later decided to lower the price to make it more accessible to the community.

The organization’s executive director Ms. Frederica Bey and De Lacy Davis, principal of the Adelaide Sanford Charter School, which is owned and operated by the group, recently came under fire for allegedly mishandling more than $200,000 in federal grants.

Bey and Davis have also been accused of concealing where the misspent money went, according to a law suit filed by the U.S. Attorney’s office.

The law suit filed on Jan.24^th stated that the U.S. Department of Justice granted the money several years ago to support WISOMMM’s “Boycott Crime Campaign”.  The complaint alleged that Ms. Bey and Mr.Davis, along with several of the group’s associates, used the grant to pay off “debts, operating costs or expenditures” of the organization instead of for the “Boycott Crime Campaign”.

According to an April Patch.com report, “Back in February, WISOMMM had repaid $77,000 of the grant, but $197,447 was still outstanding, which the federal government was seeking to recover.”

Min.Farrakhan’s participation specifically served to raise money for WISOMMM’s Legal Defense Fund.

During his lengthy address, the Minister encouraged unity among people of African descent. He encouraged us to practice love and unity among each other. He cautioned African-Americans about the realities of racism and oppression. “We are black people in America deprived of justice before we are born”. He also stressed that love among people of African descent was essential. “Love has brought us here today”, Farrakhan asserted.

After the night’s program concluded, Ms. Bey told the Am News, “I couldn’t thank God enough for the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan. I am so light hearted and so elated. The weekend could not have been scripted better.”

Bey, overcome with gratitude, further expressed her appreciation for Min. Farrakhan’s help by saying, “He is so full of love for his people”.

Bey also said that when first asked to keynote WISOMMM’s event, the Minister would not allow them to pay for his trip and that instead he paid his own way to travel to Newark. “It costs a tremendous amount of money for him and his security and staff to travel. He paid his own way and wouldn’t take one nickel from us. I am so forever thankful to him for coming with the truth and such love which is what his whole subject was about.” De Lacy Davis was not in attendance at Saturday’s program and could not be reached for a comment.