INTRODUCTION:

Revolutionary greetings! By requesting this information you have made the first step to become involved in the NPVM, the next step is to read this information carefully and give it serious thought. Included in this package is the  most recent issue of our quarterly publication the Black Panther International News Service (unless you have already received it). For the clearest understanding of what and who we are,  please pay special attention to our Platform and Program and Code of Conduct which appear in each issue of the newspaper. 

COMMUNITY SUPPORTER:
Membership in the Panther Vanguard is a very serious commitment and is offered only to those individuals who display a genuine dedication over a prolonged period of time. Becoming a Panther Vanguard member is not automatic for anyone and can only happen at the invitation of the Leadership Council. We are building an organization in which every “member” is considered a “developing leader.” Membership in the Panther Vanguard is not for everyone! For this reason and as a step towards possible membership we urge you to become a Community Supporter of the NPVM.

As a Community Supporter you will be expected to become familiar with and support the NPVM Platform and Program and Code of Conduct, participate in and support our events and activities, read and sell our newspaper, and contribute financially whenever possible. Anyone demonstrating a desire to adhere to these basic requirements may fill out the Community Supporter application. You should understand that many individuals will not possess the level of commitment and dedication necessary to become a “member,” but we welcome and value your contribution to the movement as a Community Supporter. 

BECOMING A MEMBER:
As a general rule you must function as a Community Supporter for at least a year before you can expect even to be invited to become a member. This period of time will allow you to function within the NPVM and will also provide the leadership an opportunity to decide whether you are really prepared to take on leadership responsibilities. Whether you are ultimately invited into membership or not, will depend on the level of dedication and seriousness you display as a Community Supporter. 

Specifically this means; regular and ongoing involvement in our various programs and activities, and engaging in a program of self-education, beginning with an in-depth study of the history of the Black Panther Party. In the Panther Vanguard we believe that revolution starts from within: as products of this racist Capitalist society we have all been effected in some way by the backward, ignorant ideology which permeates every aspect of our existence; as a serious candidate for membership you must be willing to engage in an ongoing process of individual change and development. 

PRISON MEMBERSHIP:
This Capitalist system and its representatives in government have set out to consciously and callously criminalize and imprison people of color in this society. As a result a large percentage of our youth are languishing in the prisons of America. The unprecedented level of imprisonment of African Americans and people of Indigenous (Mexican and "Central American") descent is in part an attempt to curb and derail the enormous revolutionary potential which exists among the youth in our communities. There are also those individual “political prisoners” and “prisoners of war” who have been imprisoned for their acts of resistance or politically-motivated actions against the State. Since its very beginning in 1994, the NPVM has received the support of brothers and sisters locked up in prisons around the country. The NPVM’s platform and program addresses many of the issues relating to the condition and causes of imprisonment of people of color. Therefore, the NPVM has developed a special category of membership for these Prisoners. Given the restrictive environment in the prisons, individual prisoners may apply for membership in the Vanguard by agreeing to  the following: filling out a membership application,  committing to a program of individual political education, dedicating yourself to the principle of “each one teach one” within the prison setting, and submitting monthly progress reports to the NPVM leadership. As a general rule, upon release from prison, prison members will be automatically considered for full membership into the NPVM. 

FINANCIAL SUSTAINER:
For those individual who cannot commit any time to actively building and participating in this New Panther Vanguard Movement, but do want to help and support our efforts, we strongly urge you to become a financial Sustainer [a form of Community Supporter]. Financial Sustainers make monthly financial donations to the organization in stead of contributions of time. All financial contributions are made payable to our non-profit arm, Community Services Unlimited Inc. (CSU, Inc.) and are tax- deductible. Any contribution however small or great will be appreciated and put to good use. One-time donations are very useful; however more important are the monthly  contributions from our Financial Sustainers. All checks or money orders should be made payable to CSU, P. O. Box 3161, Compton, CA. 90223.