Milwaukee, WI – More than 50 students, faculty and community members held a rally at Marquette University, March 30, to call on the administration to establish a scholarship fund exclusively for undocumented students.
St. Petersburg, FL – Over 3000 farmworkers and supporters from around the country gathered at Bartlett Park, March 21, then marched to demand workers’ rights. Some chants heard during the march were, “Up, up with the fair food nation! Down, down, with the exploitation!”, “One, we are the people! Two, a little bit louder! Three, we want justice for farmworkers!” and “J-U-S, J-U-S-T-I-C-E is what we want, is justice for Immokalee!”
St. Paul, MN – On March 25, around 30 people braved cold winds to stand on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge over the Mississippi River to protest the escalation of hostilities by the U.S. towards Venezuela. Protesters held signs reading, “Let Venezuela live,” “Hands off Venezuela,” and “Defend the Bolivarian Revolution.”
St. Paul, MN – The Welfare Rights Committee’s bill to double the welfare grants for poor families in Minnesota cleared a key senate committee March 25. Senators entering the hearing room in the state capitol passed through a crowd of low-income people. Members of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) held signs reading, “The rich got bailed out, we got sold out. Raise the MFIP grants,” and “Past due, pass SF432! 29 years is too long to wait.”
Milwaukee, WI – The second day of an appeal by killer cop Christopher Manney to get his job back is underway here, March 20. Manney, who shot the unarmed Dontre Hamilton 14 times in a downtown Milwaukee park last April, was fired from the Milwaukee Police Department for not following procedure in how he approached Hamilton – not for the murder.
Saint Paul, MN – Around 500 people, mostly Latino immigrants, along with many supporters, filled the Minnesota State Capitol on March 19 for the first committee hearing of the drivers license bill, SF224/HF97. The hearing room quickly filled to capacity, with a large crowd of people still outside of the room while the Senate Transportation Committee voted to approve the bill. This committee vote is just the first of several steps for immigrants to win the right to a drivers license in Minnesota.
Chicago, IL – Last week, President Barack Obama issued a new Executive Order declaring a national emergency in response to the “extraordinary threat to the national security” posed to the U.S. by Venezuela. What did Venezuela do? They stopped a U.S.-backed plot to overthrow their government.
Chicago, IL – Rank and file union leaders at the University of Illinois at Chicago, members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, are supporting a call for an elected, Civilian Police Accountability Council in Chicago.
Chicago, IL – In response to new U.S. government moves against Venezuela, anti-war activists are speaking out against Washington’s actions and threats.
Minneapolis, MN – 20 people gathered, March 12, on May Day Plaza with signs, banners and Palestinian flags to show solidarity with Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh. Earlier in the day, Odeh faced her sentencing hearing in Detroit, Michigan, the conclusion of a political trial where she was unjustly convicted of a trumped-up immigration charge. At the March 12 sentencing hearing, Odeh faced up to 10 years in prison and deportation. 200 of her supporters mobilized in Detroit to attend the sentencing hearing alongside Odeh, including dozens who made the long trip from Minnesota.
Minneapolis, MN – Hundreds of Black Lives Matter Minneapolis supporters gathered at the Hennepin County Courts, March 10, to stand in solidarity with the 11 defendants who are being targeted for political prosecution by the City of Bloomington and the Mall of America (MOA).
Madison, WI – Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed into law a ‘right to work’ measure, March 9, that impacts workers in the private sector. The law is expected to harm trade unions and depress wages.
Glen Ellyn, IL- On March 31, 2016, Robert Breuder, president of the largest community college in Illinois, College of DuPage (CoD), will officially retire.
Milwaukee, WI – Dozens of students, faculty and union members gathered at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, March 4, to speak out against the Republican-sponsored 'Right to Work' bill. With the legislation set to be signed by Gov. Walker on March 9, members of Progressive Students of Milwaukee, many who had participated in the protests in Madison, gave another show of solidarity to Wisconsin's private-sector unions.
Madison, WI – Right to Work passed in the Wisconsin State Assembly along party lines, 62-35, after a 24-hour debate. The bill is on Governor Scott Walker's desk.