User:Askari4ever/sandbox/Germon Morinere-Bey

Germon Moriniere-Bey, PhD

Mama G, a pseudonym she received in 1978 by the youth she served, is an icon in the struggle against youth violence and she is known throughout the country and overseas in juvenile services as a cultural storyteller and a crisis math educator. She has written many programs for agencies nationwide especially to help dissolve the ever growing epidemic of gun and gang violence among youth through critical thinking and problem solving strategy methods. Uniquely her combat systems are from ancient Afrika. She is the only recognized Woman referred to an “Askari” (Torch Bearer) by her male colleagues & she is the first female in modern history to have been recognized as an Elder in the Afrikan Martial Sciences. Since 1980, Dr. Germon “Askari Mwalimu” Moriniere-Bey has appeared on many television/radio shows, been featured in newspapers/ periodicals, lectured at academic institutions and demonstrated/ taught monthly seminars at schools around the world. And here in Columbia, SC – her documentary – “A Journey Of Self-Preservation” was featured at the Nickelodeon Theatre in 2015.

Early life

Germon Moriniere-Bey was born on June 28, 1956 overseas. Her grandmother took care of her when she was three days old and raised her between New Orleans and Philadelphia.

Hailing from a multi-cultural lineage, Germon, reaped vast knowledge from her West Indian and Jewish Elders who historically are prominent community servants & civil activist. It would be this blended background that would prove to be the main catalyst in the shaping of her life’s destiny to survive.

Personal life

After graduation at 20, her life took a drastic turn when she married a male 15 years her senior only to have the relationship end in a near fatal domestic attack. Even after recovering from the massive injuries inflicted upon her by her estranged spouse, (which included a 6 week stay in intensive care), she still had to flee for her life with two infant sons. The murder of her women’s shelter roommate, hiding in basements and sleeping on the subway for 5 months, motivated Germon to begin a quest to find someone – anyone who could teach her how to defend her family. Her prayers were answered when she took the advice of a Moorish Brother and visited a small building in North Philadelphia called the Temple of The Black Messiah. Inside she met the Vita Saana Afrikan Brotherhood who would introduce her to “Afrikan Warriorship” and give her the tools for self-preservation.

She is the proud parent of her two beloved adult sons, Adrian & Anthony and the 775 warriors (adults & children) who have generously completed her many educational programs. Through them she feels that many generations to come will find pride and empowerment in the Akeru Afrikan Discipline Sciences& the RICH Legacy Series.

Dr. Moriniere-Bey credits her strength to her faith in the Creator and pays daily homage to her Ancestors, especially her Grandmother, Marie Moriniere, for giving her the opportunities to enhance her life and now the lives of others. She feels that through knowledge humanity has the chance to give our future generations the success they need to write their own positive history.

Martial Sciences Training

She was personally trained by the founder of the Vita Saana Afrikan Fighting Arts system, Mwanzo Mwalimu Umeme Mpingo. She made her “home” there for the next decade until she founded her own system in 1980 — The Akeru Legacy Council Self-Preservation Society. Specializing in every aspect of the Afrikan fighting arts, Mwalimu Jamala was the first and only female to complete the rigorous 4 day black belt test. She also ranks 3rd - in the VS system among 37 instructors promoted in 50 years. Uniquely also is that her skill in urban hand to hand combat has had her provide “cloaked” security for many historical, political & entertainment individuals at public events such as the 1st Million Man March in Washington, DC & the Women Million March in Philadelphia, PA.

Her competition journey began with being awarded a “superior excellence” certificate by Grand Patriarch Peter Urban the founder of American Goju Ryu in 1980. Since then she has captured over 3900 trophies in forms, weapons, self defense & fighting which includes 4 world titles & 2 international gold medals at the 1988 World Games in Austria. During her residence in Germany, she coached an all male military martial arts team that achieved a record of 47 & 0! In April, 2000, she was inducted into the World Martial Arts League Hall Of Fame in Frankfurt, Germany. The first female to receive Grand Master status since the association formed in 1953, & promoted to Board Member by Grand Master Klaus Schumacher, President of the WMAL.

Dr. Moriniere-Bey has apprenticed in Capoeira with Mestre Dennis Newsome/Sao Bento Grande – the choreographer for the “Lethal Weapon” movies plus received recognition letters from Afrikan Master Kilindi Iyi founder of Ta Merrian Martial Arts for being an instructor at his World Afrikan Martial Arts Conference for five years! In June, 2013 she was selected the International Grandmaster Of The Year by Grandmaster Frank Sanchez of the World Sokeship Council in Florida. She has also been featured several times in the International Martial Arts Magazine and serves as an exclusive reporter by special invitation of the editor/publisher/dear warrior brother, Grand Master Dr. Zulfiqar Ali.

She thanks her Akeru and martial sciences colleagues: Mwalimu Nathaniel Seymour, Mwalimu Katoria Jones, Mwalimu Willy Bennett, Mwalimu Preeti Kaur, Mwalimu Jake Williams, Mwalimu Neil Graham, Kyoshi Bill Sanford, Mwalimu Chris Davis, Mwalimu John Bates, Mwalimu Cat Jones, Charles Battle, Mel Roberts, as well as her Akeru life allies: Sarabjit Singh.

Academic career

Dr. Moriniere-Bey’s upbringing included 12 years of academic education at the Cecilian Catholic College Preparatory Academy, (the alma mater of many Philadelphia elite such as the relatives of Princess Grace (Kelly) Of Monaco) where she excelled in piano, served as the Perfect of the Children of Mary and was a proof technician for her school yearbook using a typewriter! Smile. Her major passion was classical ballet (studying every summer at The Pennsylvania Ballet Company), modern dance and theatre arts. Her dedication to quality culminated with a full scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania. With a major in biology, she even participated in an internship with Dr. C. Everett Koop who became the Surgeon General of The United States. Yet she never lost sight of her cultural drive by being a member of campus political & community organizations to elevate the human & civil rights of all people. In her hometown of Philadelphia, she established a community ballet team, The Chameleon Connection and a Black heritage theatre arts group at the YMCA of Germantown to encourage self-pride.

Dr. Moriniere-Bey’s dedication to excellence includes academic achievements with her primary & secondary education at the prestigious Cecilian Catholic Academy in Philadelphia, a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania for her undergraduate degree, a Master’s Degree from Antioch University in Human Services then concluding with her Doctorate in Urban Anthropology/Behavioral Sciences and Moorish Law Mastery while residing overseas.

Career

Dr. Moriniere-Bey has served as an adjunct professor at Howard University in the Anthropology Department with department professor, Dr. Arvilla Payne-Jackson, PhD. & American University summer youth program. She is a published author with publications on Amazon.com: “A Handbook For Women Mentors –Transcending Barriers of Stereotype, Race, and Ethnicity.” - 2010 “The Sovereign Knights – An Illustrated Action Bio-Mythography - 2012 “Service Learning – An Agent For Social Change” - University Textbook - 2015

Amazingly she never lost sight of her love of the theatre arts. Between 1981 to 1987 she served as the Youth Director for the YWCA Of Germantown where over 200 youth attended after school/summer camp programs that hosted monthly events to decrease community violence through cultural arts. She introduced Kwanzaa and Black Heritage productions - the conception of the RICH Young Adult program. (In June 2017, her first student, Alia Sutton-Bey recently received a national grant in recognition of her life’s work in serving youth through dance. She gave Dr. Moriniere-Bey a heartfelt salute in the media for introducing her to her cultural destiny.)

Dr. Moriniere-Bey served overseas in Germany as a Department of Defense Dependent School Educator, where she coached the All Army Martial Arts Team at the Baumholder Military Post & collaborated with many German/American Goodwill Community Events. She also received a special acknowledgement from the General for her contribution in assisting Baumholder in being awarded the “Community Excellence” Award. It was in Germany she completed her doctoral studies in Behavioral Sciences/Urban Anthropology.

On returning to the States in 1991, she was transferred to Texas where once more a life situation in 1993 challenged her and the safety of a community student. Yet this time she diffused the encounter using her knowledge of combat restraint. Because the aggressor was law enforcement – she found herself now in the identical life “state of affairs” of young adults who were returning from “behind the wall”. Her legal ordeal took her from incarceration at the county to the federal level. Yet during that 18-month tribulation – she continued her service to others by establishing the 1st Black Heritage Cultural Awareness Program in the women’s federal prison facility. Even as #477-89-066, she received accolades from the Warden, Guards and inmates alike.

After her appeal and release in 1995, she returned to Philadelphia where she served as the Director of Youth Services for the Restoration Unitarian-Universalist Congregation.   Her blessings continued to appear when she relocated to Richmond, VA where she worked for the City Of Richmond once more serving teens and young adults who were incarcerated or in gangs.  

But as always, she maintained her training and competed every other weekend winning 1st place in forms, weapons, self-defense and fighting. Her story even won the attention of a Richmond journalist, Ric Young, who produced a media series on her life. In April, 2000, she was inducted into the World Martial Arts League Hall Of Fame in Frankfurt, Germany. The entire city of Richmond donated to her travel to Frankfurt, Germany which included a special passport release from the government. She was the first female to receive Grand Master status since the association formed in 1953, which also happens to be her birth year! For the next decade, Dr. Moriniere-Bey, kept the Afrikan Martial Sciences in the public view through competition and education thousands of men, women and children. On request from several schools in South Carolina, Dr. Moriniere-Bey, relocated in 2001 to serve the City of Columbia, SC as a crisis educator. And as always, she established another chapter of The Akeru Legacy Council Self-Preservation Society, her own system she founded in 1980. The team of over 62 students from 4 years of age to adults systemically introduced the Afrikan Martial Sciences throughout the Southern Regions. In 2004 and 2005, Dr. Germon Moriniere-Bey, captured the Grand Champion Weapons Division at the prestigious Carolina Karate Open under direction Master Brian Pena - founder of the Karate Dojo. Dr. Moriniere organized and hosted 8 national events including the 1st Youth Anti-violence Break Dancing Extravaganza with special guest Mr. Christopher “Play” Martin in South Carolina.

A certified cultural historian & crisis math educator, she founded the AKERU Afrikan Arts Youth National Leadership System while teaching at the Baumholder High School in Germany. The mission of AKERU is to correct those presentations of the Afrikan Cultural Arts and Combative Sciences that depict Nubian warriors as mindless hordes charging into battle waving spears in the air and screaming for Tarzan to “swing” to their aid. In 2000, she established the RICH Program (Rebuilding Individual Character Habits) stateside in Richmond, VA. Presently the RICH Legacy Series is a well-known re-entry program for community members between the ages of 18 to 30 which she brought to the City of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation as a staff member in 2002. During the past 15 years as a resident of Columbia, SC – Dr. Moriniere-Bey has recruited over 78 young adults (many with court mandated community service requirements) as volunteer interns who share an average of 15 hours per week even after a full work schedule. The R.I.C.H. “village” has just completed their 1st anniversary serving incarcerated youth at the Department of Juvenile Justice on Tuesday evenings.

She was christened “Mama OG” by her students while serving as a youth/young adult crisis intervention specialist over the last 4 decades. Gradually her pseudonym became politically correct which was even on the ballot when she campaigned for the Richland District One School Board. She uses her personal knowledge especially about having to rise from the ashes from the life altering experience of being a member of the Black Panther Party which lead to incarceration. Truly a torchbearer who motivates youth to make positive choices no matter how difficult their life situation.

The R.I.C.H. Legacy Council (Rebuilding Individual Character Habits) has to its credit, a total of 35 outreach interns/mentors between the ages of 18-30 who serve community service youth as volunteers for the past 7 years. The RICH Mentors have several first for community service which include: 2 peace performances in the lobby & 3 rallies at the South Carolina State House, a letter of recognition from the South Carolina Black Caucus and 3 Proclamations from the City of Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin and the City Council. The RICH Program has expanded their efforts for the past 2 years to include on-site mentoring at the SC Juvenile Justice Department for incarcerated youth under the direction of Chaplin Sherri Highbaugh.

She humbly recognizes her RICH “inner circle” young adults: Jahmal “Historian” Anthony, Evon “Scribe” Hoskins, Hansa Bajaj, Leah McClerkin, Indigo Burroughs, Gerard Washington, Donovan Washington, Jason Belton, Toure Ali, Jarrett Jenkins, Douglas Cox, Alia Sutton-Bey, JB Boykin, Christina Baird, Michael Yuppy Jackson (Ancestor), Supreme Page, Bryant Hall, Yolanda Carson, Bleu Crittenden, Atun Ray, Bee Will, Domere Taylor, Shelton Betterson, Darius Patterson, Timia Trower, Chris Sullivan, and Michael Murray. She salutes sincerely her family members and life “allies” who have generously provided her with great wisdom and support: Kim Mitchell, Chris Davis, Reverend S. Allison Baker, Professor Amrita Kaur, Dr. Deidre Hudson, Frances Ashe, Dr. Abd’ Allah Adesanya, Dennis Newsome, Mwanzo Umeme, Estelle Franklin, Danny Dixon, Norman S. Jackson Jr., Wayne Pankey, Alan Goldberg, Liz Krejci, Mayor Benjamin, Ahati Kilindi Iyi, Tasha Watson, Wanda Saidahmed, Jendayi Iyi (Ancestor), Brian Pena, Richard Hopkins, Yvette Yant, Sha’Mara Henderson, Serwah Armah-Koranteng, Pam Austin, Ozzie Right, Mercedes Franklin, Dexaviera Dukes, Carey Rich, Magda Maria Chiappone, Reverend S. Allison Baker, James “Ace” Daniels, Dennis Brown, Tish Walker, Phoenix Murphey, Frances Ashe-Goins, Chanique Belton, Arvilla Jackson, Stacey Livingston, Shirley X. Lewis, Colonel Lucas, Jenn Bealer, Joan Sorenson and Carey Rich.

Outreach Community Service

The true success is due to the many young adults who have completed the RICH Program have become interns and volunteer throughout the City Of Columbia in those neighborhoods deemed criminally infested and in conjunction with returning youth through the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office here in Columbia, SC. And most important, she continues in service to eliminate domestic violence, and has taught over 500 free urban safety seminars plus produces training videos since 2006 on You Tube.

Between 2013- 2015, Dr. Moriniere-Bey canvassed Columbia, South Carolina walking low economic neighborhoods & public transit to accumulate anti-violence research methods which was the basis for her 2nd publication - a textbook entitled, “Service Learning – An Agent Of Social Change” published in 2016 – that she co-authored with her most important dearest sister – Dr. Arvilla Payne-Jackson of Howard University. This book has been distributed internationally & has been the catalyst to encourage 3 of the RICH Mentors to also become published authors. For her dedicated efforts, a screening of her documentary was shown at the Nickelodeon Theatre in Columbia, SC to a standing ovation. Regaining her sovereignty and being blessed to reach 2017 – Dr. Moriniere-Bey will officially hang up her “martial science competition hat” to totally dedicate her time to the distribution of her auto-biography entitled “You Can’t Pound The Nail – If You Can’t Swing The Hammer!” and the public release of her documentary “A Sovereign Journey Of Self Preservation”!

Awards and Achievements

She was honored by Grand Master Carlo Dias in 2004 from Puerto Rico and at the 2008 Grandmaster London International Hall of Fame was unanimously selected as the first female in history to receive this celebrated international decoration. She then returned to defend her 2007 title and captured the 2008 Weapons Grand Champion on her birthday on June 28, 2008 at the Head of Family Third Annual Memorial Tournament. In front of an all-male panel of Grandmasters, Dr. Moriniere-Bey decisively won against the field of Black Belt Male competitors.

At age 53, she captured the Grand Championship Diamond Ring at the 2006 Battle of Baltimore founded by Master John Burdyk against men half her age. She was honored by & promoted to Board Member by Grand Master Klaus Schumacher, President of the WMAL Grandmaster Schumacher also submitted her most recent inductions for Lifetime Achievement as a Grandmaster into the Action Magazine World Hall of Fame and the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame 10th Annual International Black Belt Martial Arts Elite Awards for 2007. Her 2007 - 2008 Invitational Lecture Tour included New York, Philadelphia, Delaware, California, Canada & England. She was inducted by Grandmaster Carlos Diaz into his prestigious association. In 2008, she was Grandmaster of the Year at the London International Hall of Fame being unanimously selected as the first female once more to receive a celebrated international decoration. She then returned to defend her 2007 title and captured the 2008 Weapons Grand Champion on her birthday on June 28, 2008 at the Head of Family Third Annual Memorial Tournament. In front of an all-male panel of Grandmasters, Dr. Moriniere-Bey decisively won against the field of Black Belt Male competitors.

In June 2013, Dr. Moriniere-Bey, was awarded the International Grandmaster Of The Year by Grandmaster Frank Sanchez of the World Sokeship Council in Florida. She has also been featured several times in the International Martial Arts Magazine and serves as an exclusive reporter by special invitation of the editor/publisher, Grand Master Dr. Zulfiqar Ali.

The creed of Dr. Moriniere-Bey is that through education, social anger can be minimized. Her campaign demonstrates the discipline of the combative arts rather than the violence. Dr. Moriniere-Bey feels that the Afrikan Arts are a holistic approach to achieving total personal success. She lives her mission as “Mama G” & continues to share her skills as a competitor at international tournaments winning 1st Places and Grand Champion in the Black Belt Division Coed Division as recently as May, 2016 at the Carolina Martial Arts Championships hosted by the Karate Dojo. Master Brian Pena founder of the Karate Dojo in West Columbia has selected Mama G to be included in his “Hall of Fame” in May, 2017 plus selected as a member of his first Carolina Legends Class 2017.