George Westerman Center opens
with tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.
by Eric Jackson
On January 14 the George Westerman Center drew an overflow crowd
of some 300 people to its first public event, a tribute to the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The center occupies two floors
on the south end of Building 95, the former US Army South headquarters.
The audience, almost all-black, mostly middle aged and predominantly
middle class, heard speeches, blessings and lots of good music,
and became acquainted with an institution that’s likely to play
an important role in the community for years to come.
"Racism in Panama is institutionalized," noted Melvin Brown, publicity director for Repuesta Afro-Panameña
and the event’s master of ceremonies, citing the relative rarity
of blacks in positions of economic or political power. He outlined
the George Westerman Center’s five component groups and some of
their plans.
Repuesta Afro-Panameña is dedicated to community organizing, particularly
by promoting economic development plans that involve and serve
the interests of people who don’t have a lot of money. Their ultimate
aim is summarized in their motto, "We will determine our own destiny."
The Centro de Investigacion y Desarrollo de la Diaspora del Sur
(Southern Diaspora Research and Development Center) is a planning,
training and consulting institution that promotes sustainable
development and management with a social consciousness. They were
the first to promote the idea of a nature-oriented tourist resort
in Gamboa, though it was developer Herman Bern who eventually
got the concession from ARI and turned that dream into a reality.
Now they are promoting a plan to replace Colon’s La Playita shantytown
into a cruise ship-oriented tourism project, and the verdicts
on whether the plan will be implemented and whether the center
will have a role if it does become a reality are pending.
The Diggers Museum is oriented toward developing archives, databases
and museums that document the Afro-Panamanian experience. At the
moment the group is acquiring and assembling an archive of writings
by and about the late George Westerman, the center’s namesake.
Westerman, who died in 1983 at the age of 73, was for many years
the editor and publisher of the English-language Panama Tribune,
and also national tennis champion, historian, sociologist, West
community activist and Panama’s ambassador to the United Nations.
The Instituto Internacional de Intercambio Tecnologico y Capacitacion
is an educational institution that’s oriented to university-level
seminars in the community and among the various professions. It’s
developing a series of relationships with Panamanian and international
universities.
The Taller de Mujeres en las Americas is a network of women’s
organizations, one that’s particularly concerned with promoting
female-owned businesses and women’s cooperatives in the world
market.
The center and its component groups have a close relationship
with the Cristobal Credit Union, whose managers attended the tribute
to Martin Luther King.
The afternoon’s invocation and benediction were given by Bishop
Julio Murray, the Anglican bishop for Panama. The Catholics, Rastafarians
and at least a half-dozen other Protestant denominations were
represented at the event by their clergy or leaders.
And then there were the performances. Calypsonian Leslie George,
backed by Bernardo Murray on the keyboard and Noel Foster on the
drums, began with a gospel number, proving that his talent goes
way beyond calypso. George explained that "calypso, in its various forms, is one of the expressions of our
people. We are known, not just through our calypsos and stories,
to project our sense of justice and common sense."
Davis Watts followed with English-language show tunes and Spanish
ballads. The microphone was troublesome, so he set it aside and
projected his voice in the room. The improvisation worked very
well.
The keynote speech was by Professor Jilma L. Francis, who teaches
English at the University of Panama. Noting how Dr. King was influenced
by India’s Mohandas K. Gandhi, she outlined the civil rights leader’s
outstanding qualities and the meaning of his sacrifices. "We can compare him to the Good Samaritan," she said, especially in light of King’s "upward reach for God."
Francis also spoke about the Panamanian experience. "My parents spoke to me about the notorious Gold and Silver roll," she recalled. "Our people, who paved the way for us, had to settle for what
they could get, but we don’t have to settle." Noting the weakening of old neighborhood ties, she called upon
Panama’s Antillean community to show more solidarity and less
hesitancy to demand justice, and upon parents and educators to
"bring out the talent that’s in each and every one of our children."
Then came the Friendly Quartet, gospel-oriented barbershop singers,
with "If Ever We Needed the Lord Before" and "This Road of Glory." They used the occasion to announce that they will perform only
once more as a group, on January 28 at the St. Christopher’s Gym.
Next were Alfred Cox and his senior citizens’ Quadrille Group.
You can catch more polished performances by some of the youngsters
who are keeping quadrille dancing alive on the isthmus, but you
won’t find eight people who have been doing it for longer or who
love the art form more. The audience cheered many of their moves.
Lord Panama followed with single bilingual calypso number. His
verse about how "They say the canal is ours, but when I look there I don’t see
many of us’ brought the house down."
More speeches and introductions followed as the Nazarene Evangelical
Choir and its backup bassist, drummer and keyboard player set
up. Most notable were a few words from a black woman from different
cultural roots. Speaking in Spanish, legislator Haydee Milanés
de Lay, the descendant and representative of Darien’s black communities.
"I’m elated that black Panamanians are holding events like this," she said. She also announced that there will soon be a black
face on one of Panama’s coins, that of Sara Sotillo, who will
be on the next batch of nickels.
The Nazarenes, as they are known to do, put some enthusiasm into
their religious expression. This choir should travel the gospel
circuit in the United States, because they’re good enough to rise
to the top of that scene in short order.
After more speeches and introductions, and the reading of Dr.
King’s "I Have a Dream" speech in Spanish, Bishop Murray gave his benediction and the
afternoon’s proceedings concluded with the singing of "Lift Every Voice and Sing" and Panama’s national anthem, the "Himno Istmeño."
