Pan-African Community Action (PACA) is an activist organization that advocates for left-of-center political ideology that align with “African/Black people organizing for community-based power.” ¹

PACA holds that “fascism is ascendant in the imperial core” of the Western world and that the “foot soldiers in this war are the police.” It claims that law enforcement has been historically associated with white supremacy in the United States. ²

Background

Pan-African Community Action (PACA) claims to be an inheritor of the “global movement for Pan-Africanism” which aims at the liberation of African people “on the continent and in the diaspora” through the “economic system of scientific socialism.” ³

The group was launched in 2015 in response to the murder of 27-year-old Alonzo Smith around the same time as the protests over the police-custody death 25-year-old Freddy Gray. It was formed by five people in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area who were inspired by the political views of Malcolm X. ¹

Activities

On July 6 and 7, 2024, Pan-African Community Action joined the Resist NATO Coalition to demonstrate against that year’s NATO Summit in Washington, D.C. Among the participants were the U.S. chapter of the International League of Peoples’ Struggles (ILPS), the Palestinian Youth Movement, BAYAN-USA, the Resist US-Led War Movement, the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), Nodutdol for Korean Community Development, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL). The coalition describes itself as anti-war and anti-imperialist and accuses NATO for its “leading role in spreading militarism, imperialism, and genocide across the globe, diverting billions to war while people in the US and around the world struggle for their survival.” ²

In July 2024, PACA posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “fascism is ascendant in the imperial core” of the Western world and that the “foot soldiers in this war are the police.” It claims law enforcement has been historically associated with white supremacy in the United States. The statement served as an announcement for a “community town hall” at the RISE Demonstration Center opposing the “Secure DC Crime Bill.” ⁴

Its website was created by NIA Interactive, a tech firm that performs services for Black social justice groups. ^{5 6}

PACA has strategic partnerships with ONE DC/Black Workers and Wellness Center, Black Alliance for Peace (BAP), and the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR). ⁷

Funding

Pan-African Community Action solicits donations from its supporters, claiming its work “does not attract foundation dollars.” It warns that it is a “political organization” and not a “charitable organization” and therefore donations are not tax-deductible. ⁵

1. “About Us.” PACA. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://pacapower.org/about-us.
2. “Hundreds protest NATO Summit in Washington, DC.” Peoples Dispatch, July 8, 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/07/08/hundreds-protest-nato-summit-in-washington-dc/.
3. “PACA Constitution.” PACA Power. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://pacapower.org/about-us/paca-constitution.
4. Post. @PACAdmv. X – Twitter, July 10, 2024. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://x.com/PACAdmv/status/1811074294073393512/.
5. “Donate.” PACA. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://pacapower.org/donate.
6. “Nia Interactive.” NIA Interactive. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://niainteractive.com/.
7. Strategic Partners.” PACA. Accessed September 1, 2024. https://pacapower.org/about-us/strategic-partners.