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EMPRESS INK: "Our Women & What They Think"
New York Lady President Responds to Expulsions 
TO: President General Redman Battles
FROM: Tiffany Newton/ Lady President UNIA-ACL #404 DATE: July 25, 2005 RE: Letter of Expulsion dated: 7/5/05 I took up the mantle of the UNIA only to bring freedom and liberation to my race. Garveyism is the gospel I have preached as a rallying cry to all of our people, without apology! I have never received any acknowledgement from your office as to the work that my Division has successful carried out here in New York. You are my elder and I have sought guidance from all my elders as those who have been gracious to allow me to spend time with them can attest to. Recently we lost the oldest Garveyite in the world at 103 years old, she was my inspiration and I sat at her feet in my post as Lady President of the New York UNIA-ACL. Mother Mabel Richardson joined the Black Cross UNIA Auxiliary in Cuba in 1919, she passed away on Monday July 18th, four days after her birthday and two days after I received a letter of expulsion signed in your name by the Secretary-General of the Association & League. 
Mr. President perhaps you can find it in your heart to actually sign yourself, a letter of condolence and commendation for Mother Richardson and send it to our division which has served this organization so well. We have grown numb to the attacks on us by your administration in recent months, but are determined to do that which we are called upon. However can you please offer me some guidance for I am truly perplexed? Can someone really be expelled for such a reason as disappointing you or the members of the high executive council? If so were you not disappointed when our website was attacked and hijacked by that very council? Were you not disappointed when pictures of unconstitutionally expelled members were published in our official organ without your permission or consent? Were you not disappointed when the elected 1st Assistant President General in requesting consultation with you was harassed and disrespected by appointed (not elected) members of your cabinet? Are such actions not worthy of expulsion when measured by you, a President-General that has expelled members for less offensive albeit progressive acts? How can our members not see the obvious favoritism and bias being practiced by your administration?
During our counseling session I was asked not to allow anyone to wrongly influence me against this Association. I never expected that this lesson would have to ring true for me against the actions of my own President-General. Our division has been doing more work than ever to spread the word of Garveyism and the aims and objects of the UNIA-ACL to the New York community. Our recent disagreement with the Parent Body over the expulsion of one of our strongest members has not deterred us from continuing to do this work. As the Lady President of a division I am obligated by the constitution and to my constituents. I have taken no action nor committed no act unless instructed by my President and sanctioned by my division. If we are to be expelled for defending the constitutional rights of our members then perhaps it is time for the membership of this great association to reassess the direction in which our leaders are steering us. Since when has the UNIA become a dictatorship? This is not the legacy that Garvey left to our posterity. My Honorable President-General, I am instructed to inform you that I can not accept the letter of expulsion issued in your name but signed by your Secretary-General since it was done unconstitutionally. No hearing or deliberation has taken place at the high executive level and no notification and consultation of the 1st APG and President of the Division occurred. Sir I am disappointed in you and the continuous harassment of myself and my division by members of the High Executive Council who are seeking to tear us apart from within and without. Please Sir I ask you again with as much humility that I can muster; do not allow all the work that has been done to build this organization in this historic city to go down the drain. Please stop allowing individuals to destroy the work that we are doing here in New York and using your name to advance their own selfish aims. I remain a well respected leader in this city who desires only to do the work of Marcus Garvey and the UNIA. Please do not find offense in my words as I assure you they are by no means meant as an attack on your person in the least. However, the President-General must be made aware of the dangers that threaten to tear this great Association apart. Though our division has received no word from you after numerous letters to your office asking for our concerns to be addressed; I pray that we will at least receive word back from you in response to this letter and the death of one of our Elders. Fraternally, Tiffany Newton Lady President A.L. Crawford Memorial Division #404 New York, U.S.A EMPRESS INK Vol.1  
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