Tucson, AZ – On day 77 of the Asarco strike of 2000 workers from eight different unions, Teamster International President Jimmy Hoffa Jr. came by to voice his solidarity. “We are with you!” shouted Hoffa in front of the long tables where dozens of strikers and their families ate together on Sunday, December 29.

Tucson, AZ – On December 4, a coalition of union educators, immigrant rights, police crimes, and climate change activists confronted the agenda of corporations like UPS and energy industry giants and billionaires like Charles Koch and Sheldon Achelson. At its height the crowd numbered around 200 with signs reading: “ALEC: Oligarchy in progress” and “Privatization, criminalization, incarceration, climate change, imperialism: #ALECisBehindIt.”

Tucson, AZ – It has become tradition in Arizona to wear red and take selfies on Wednesdays to support the #RedForEd movement to demand that the legislature fully fund schools. However, since there are currently 2000 workers on strike at the Asarco mines, educators took selfies with Steelworkers and Teamsters on their picket line on Wednesday, October 16.

Tucson, AZ – Nearly a dozen anti-war activists answered the call for an emergency rally Friday afternoon, October 11, to make the demand that the U.S. and NATO member Turkey leave Syria. Amid rush hour traffic moving through downtown, there were several honks of solidarity with the message on posters saying: “U.S.-NATO out of Syria” and “U.S. hands off Syria.”

Tucson, AZ – Over 100 people braved the intense desert sun Tuesday morning, July 2, to demonstrate their anger at Trump’s threat for ICE raids aimed at thousands of undocumented families. Many demonstrators also expressed their demand to reunite families and to close the concentration camps operating as detention centers.

Tucson, AZ – On June 6, nearly 150 people gathered outside the Federal Courthouse in downtown Tucson to demonstrate solidarity with humanitarian activist Scott Warren. Warren, an Arizona State University geography professor from the border town of Ajo, is facing 20 years in federal prison for providing humanitarian aid to crossing immigrants.

Tucson, AZ - At the Annual Tucson Peace Fair, February 23, the Tucson Anti War Committee organized a short march through the event to draw attention to maneuvers of Trump and U.S. imperialism against Venezuela. On the international day of action calling for “No War on Venezuela,” to celebrate one month of successful resistance to the coup attempt against President Maduro, the solidarity activists shouted, “Hands off Venezuela” and drew supporters to the march from the crowd and the groups tabling.

Tucson, AZ – Just one day after President Trump announced official recognition for the illegally self-inaugurated interim president of Venezuela, Juan Guaido, a dozen activists rallied outside the downtown federal building, January 24. The rally took a stand in solidarity with the democratically-elected president, and former union bus driver, Nicolas Maduro.

Tucson, AZ – Around 40 people chanting “No wall, never,” joined a protest here January 10 in response to President Trump’s bid to finance his racist border wall. Protesters’ signs reading “Refugees welcome here!” drew many honks of solidarity from traffic in front the federal building.

Tucson, AZ – Over 100 people chanted, “Troops off the border! Defy Trump’s order!” at the Davis-Monthan Air Force base on December 1. Signs reading “Refugees welcome here!” drew many honks of solidarity from traffic passing by the base entrance where demonstrators stood outside.

Prepares for large rally Saturday at Air Force base

Tucson, AZ – On November 27, in response to the U.S. government’s brutal use of rubber bullets and tear gas on demonstrators in Tijuana, three actions of solidarity took place in Tucson. One was at an elementary school where a class of children chanted “Solidarity now!” in a video shared on social media. Another was coordinated by a handful of “Ragin’ Grannies” outside Tucson High holding signs that read “Refugees welcome here!” A third action took place at the University of Arizona and had a turnout of over two dozen people. Their two huge banners read “No hate, no fear! Refugees welcome here!”

Tucson, AZ – On November 13 around 50 people gathered in front of the Federal Building in downtown Tucson to demand that President Trump remove over 5000 troops deployed to the border. With chants of “Say it loud, say it clear! Refugees are welcome here!” the crowd generated many honks of solidarity from passing cars, tractor trailers, school buses and city buses.

Tucson, AZ – Outraged educators took to the streets in both Phoenix and Tucson Sept. 5 to protest the removal of Proposition 207 from the November ballot. The actions took place at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce in Phoenix and at Chamber members Tucson Electrical Power (TEP) and Wells Fargo in Tucson. These places were targets because it was the Chamber of Commerce that funded and filed the lawsuit against the InvestInEd ballot initiative that would have raised income taxes on the top 0.07% of Arizonans, some 15,000 people, and generated an estimated $690 million. This amount would provide a significant boost to missing $1.1 billion from public schools over the ten years.

Tucson, AZ – Una vez, alguien dijo que, no hay más que dos perspectivas que existen: el lado del capitalismo y el lado del socialismo. Esas palabras profundas reverberan cuando uno vea los titulares sobre de la situación en Nicaragua. En los días siguiendo el aniversario de la Revolución Sandinista en 19 de Julio, la mayoría de la prensa controlado por las corporaciones están enfocados todavía alrededor las metas del golpe suave. Esa es la perspectiva que apoya el lado del capitalismo, de imperialismo. La prensa en los EEUU están tratando a resucitar algo muerto: los planes a sacar el gobierno del Presidente Daniel Ortega. Pero, no lo han permitido a ocurrir las masas leales Sandinistas. A decir que el golpe suave intentado por los EEUU y los compradores Nicaragüense no ha logrado es a apoyar el lado de socialismo.

Tucson, AZ – On July 16, Colombian paramilitaries with possible connections to the government murdered six social movement leaders. Two of those murdered were union leaders affiliated with the country’s largest union, FENSUAGRO, which organizes agricultural workers. They were brutally beaten to death with rocks. One of them was nearly decapitated and barely recognizable to family. These murders mark an escalation of violence against the left in Colombia since the election of Ivan Duque on June 17, as the political killings have averaged more than one a day. Ivan Duque is the protege of ex-Colombian President Uribe, who oversaw some of the worst state human rights abuses in the war against the FARC.

Tucson, AZ – This past weekend, July 7 and 8, hundreds of thousands of Nicaraguans marched and rallied to celebrate the 39th anniversary of the Sandinista Revolution that liberated the country from the 43-year reign of the brutal, U.S.-backed Somoza dictatorship.

Tucson, AZ – Nearly 100 Tucsonans lined up at the Federal Court House, June 27, to demonstrate their anger at the Supreme Court ruling upholding Trump’s Muslim ban. Many brought signs saying “No ban, no wall!” and “Muslims are welcome here!”

Tucson, AZ – In November of 2016, president of Nicaragua Daniel Ortega was elected for a third term with 72% approval. Despite what the U.S. government says about Nicaraguan elections, the Carter Center’s election observer teams routinely praise Nicaragua’s fair and free elections. It is clear the U.S. government is unhappy with the results, so U.S. interference with deadly consequences is the order of the day.

Tucson, AZ – The nation’s largest labor action came to a close Thursday, May 3 when Arizona’s #RedForEd movement ended its six-day walkout. A week after some 75,000 educators and allies flooded the capitol in Phoenix, the decision to return to schools came as Republican Governor Doug Ducey signed the education portion of the state budget. In that budget is a proposed 10% raise for teachers this coming school year. As local and national news outlets circulate the story that Governor Ducey gave Arizona educators a 20% raise, we must take a closer look at the deal and seek truth from the facts.

Tucson, AZ – As the historic statewide strike of Arizona educators concluded its unprecedented fourth day on May 1, Tucson rallied under the banner #RedForEd. Speakers shared stories connecting economic policies that have destroyed state budgets, foreign countries and working people’s livelihoods and illustrating the bonds between education, immigration and labor.