Conversations with Daii Dreamiin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daii Dreamiin

Hi Daii, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always been an advocate for change. From an early age, music introduced me to what we often call “revolutionary consciousness.” Artists like Gregory Isaacs, Dead Prez, The Last Poets, and Gil Scott-Heron opened my mind to questioning the conditions within my community. Their words and music planted the seeds of awareness, inspiring me to think critically about the world around me.

By high school, my 10th grade teacher encouraged me to join the NAACP Youth Committee, which became my first step into organized activism. However, in my late teens and early adulthood, I struggled to turn my developing theory into meaningful action. In many ways, I felt lost. Like many in my immediate circle, I had unconsciously accepted the imbalances and stereotypes imposed on our community. Despite this, music remained a grounding force in my life. Writing and recording songs kept me busy and, for the most part, out of trouble.

In 2019, I faced a major setback when I received a misdemeanor that prevented me from working most jobs. Though this was a challenging period, it also gave me time to reflect and engage in deep soul searching. With my back against the wall, I turned to books and began reading the works of Malcolm X and other revolutionary thinkers. Their words resonated deeply, reigniting my desire for change and urging me to see the systemic roots of the struggles in my community.

In 2020, I attended protests and realized something profound, I wasn’t alone, and I wasn’t crazy. The conditions within my community weren’t coincidences, they were deliberate, designed to keep people trapped. The anger and pain I felt drove me to seek out more knowledge, more answers, and more opportunities to contribute.

By 2021-2022, I became an active supporter of like minded comrades in Moneyless Society. Their vision and commitment inspired me to become more involved. In 2023, while participating in their Discord community, I saw a message about organizing a general strike. Without hesitation, I jumped in, offering whatever help I could. This movement became a turning point for me, allowing me to develop and sharpen the skills I had been cultivating over the years. I realized my purpose, to amplify my community’s voice within this larger movement.

During this journey, I also connected with and ultimately joined The Black Panther Party. The knowledge and training I’ve gained through the Party have profoundly shaped my ideology, awareness, and activism. These lessons, combined with my work in the General Strike movement, have strengthened my resolve to fight for liberation and equity.

Today, I serve as the General Strike Detroit/Downriver chapter facilitator. The General Strike U.S. continues to grow, with more chapters forming across the country and volunteers like myself dedicating time and skills to ensure the movement’s success. I am proud to be part of this collective effort a movement that seeks to empower the people and advance the struggle for justice, equity, and liberation.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the biggest obstacles I encountered was learning to read between the lines of what my teachers were presenting. As I’ve come to understand, much of what we’re taught in school is filled with distortions or outright lies. The propaganda imposed by America starts early, shaping our perspectives from childhood. For example, history lessons often gloss over events like the Civil War, failing to truly expose the hardships endured by the descendants of Africans who were stolen from their homeland. Similarly, the brutality of Thanksgiving is watered down, ignoring the mass killings of Indigenous people that paved the way for colonial expansion. These omissions reflect a mischievous and calculated educational system designed to keep people disconnected from the truth of their own history. Recognizing these lies and unlearning them was one of my earliest and most difficult challenges.

Another significant challenge came from my immediate circle of family and friends. Many of them, like myself at the time, operated under what I now understand to be a colonial mentality. As discussed before, this mentality is no accident it’s a result of centuries of systemic oppression designed to pacify marginalized communities. Many in the Black community have forgotten or have been conditioned to forget the struggle. They’ve accepted crumbs, clutching onto the illusion of freedom rather than confronting the root causes of our oppression. Living within this echo chamber of complacency delayed my rise in consciousness. It was difficult to challenge the norms of my environment without feeling isolated or misunderstood.

Finally, a challenge that many organizers like myself face is the constant struggle to achieve meaningful results with extremely limited resources and time. Unlike our opposition, who have access to abundant tools and funding, we are often left to make something happen with little more than sheer determination, creativity, and resilience. Despite these challenges, I remain hopeful. Our resilience as a community continues to inspire me. Moving forward, I believe it’s vital that people recognize the importance of supporting grassroots efforts. This means not only taking bold actions to improve our material conditions but also actively contributing whether through crowdfunding, volunteering, or amplifying the voices of organizers and groups with the courage and capacity to create change.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
One of our chapter’s most eventful and impactful nights was organizing a successful screening of the powerful film Reimagining Safety by Matthew Solomon. The film explores alternatives to policing, promotes people-led community intervention and de-escalation, and highlights examples from other cities actively organizing to defund the police.

The event took place on September 21, 2024, in Detroit’s Palmer Park. We felt this location would be especially meaningful, as we were working in collaboration with the Sherman Lee Butler Coalition. Sherman Lee Butler, a community member from the area, had been tragically murdered by a bailiff during an eviction, first being tased by a DPD officer. Hosting the event in Palmer Park not only honored his memory but also served as a rallying point for collective action.

The screening itself became a source of inspiration for all of us, motivating us to dream bigger and work harder in the coming year. Planning for the event began in early 2024 and extended right up until the day of the screening. We were determined to make it as accessible and impactful as possible.

The event was completely free to the community, like most of our initiatives. We grilled and served over 150 hot dogs/vegan dogs and provided snacks entirely free of charge to attendees. In addition, we collected canned goods and non-perishable items from the community to donate, ensuring the event gave back in multiple ways.

We also set up a tabling area to spread awareness about the work of General Strike U.S., introducing attendees to our mission and encouraging them to get involved. Several representatives from local organizations joined us in solidarity, including:
– 360 Collective
– BLM Detroit
– Detroit Tenants Association
– Coalition for Police Transparency and Accountability

Their support helped amplify the event’s reach and reinforced the power of collaboration in building a united front for justice.

This event marked a pivotal moment for our chapter. It embodied the values we stand for, community care, education, and action. It energized us to continue building stronger relationships within the community and to pursue even more ambitious projects in the future. The overwhelming support and engagement we received that night reminded us of the power of coming together to create change.

What makes you happy?
There’s no doubt that community brings me happiness. No matter what we’re doing, whether it’s engaging in political education discussions, sharing meals, preparing for mutual aid efforts, or creating art together, these moments of connection are deeply fulfilling. Community care, I believe, is an essential part of self care. It reminds us of a fundamental truth, the individual has a responsibility to the collective, and the collective has a responsibility to the individual.

Under capitalism, however, this sense of connection is often disrupted by design. It thrives on isolating us, making us feel alone and powerless. The alienation we experience while working within this system can leave us drained and disconnected from one another. In my opinion, the remedy to this is simple yet profound, strengthening our communities and reconnecting with one another.

For me, being part of a community is life affirming. The love I have for the people and the joy I feel in being of service to them is indescribable. It’s a powerful, transformative experience that I wish everyone could feel. By fostering strong, caring communities, we can rediscover our shared humanity and begin to heal from the harm caused by systems designed to divide us.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://generalstrikeus.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generalstrikeus.detroit?igsh=dDQ4dG4wcWJlNXR6
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralStrikeUS
• Other: https://linktr.ee/generalstrikeus_michigan