CHAUNCEY BAILEY KILLED - A REAL TALK REPORT IN HIS HONOR

The Real Talk video report below was conducted at a special memorial service held at the Oakland Museum in honor of journalist Chancey Bailey.

For those of you who don't know, Chauncey Bailey was an Oakland based journalist and community leader who was senselessly gunned down on the streets of Oakland in broad day light in early August of this year. His gunman was pretty quickly apprehended and the murder was apparently committed in retaliation.

Chauncey was killed while working on an expose about a black muslim sect in Oakland. I then began to think about how I am treated when I speak up about how fucked up AIDS services targeting black men who have sex with men are in our county and how people from one agency in particular have attempted to retaliate against me for speaking up about what I know to be true.

I was heartbroken upon hearing the news. I then began to make plans to leave Oakland, the city that I love. I WAS OUT!

Living in Oakland, I have seen so many examples of this type of black on black organizational retaliation against people who tell what's really going on, that I am totally disgusted and was ready to get out of town after receiving the news of Chauncey's death.

I first met Chancey Bailey about 14 years ago when I was publishing the now defunct "Bruthas Magazine." He was always giving me great advice on stories and ideas on how to maintain editorial focus and integrity. Just this year, my show Director Ron and I talked with Chauncey about collaborating on future projects.

It was not to be.

Chauncey was called the hardest working man in journalism. I say that he was the bravest man in journalism. Thanks Chauncey for helping me to see the importance of telling stories that others don't want you to tell and how we can all be fearless when we feel the need to speak truth to problems in our community.

You are missed and like you always would say..Tell It..Tell It...Tell It!

Joe