Milwaukee, WI – On April 20, after two years of fighting by the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and victimized families, a new policy that guarantees the public release of police camera footage after critical incidents was passed by the Fire and Police Commission (FPC). This policy requires the Milwaukee Police Department to release video footage of any critical incidents to the victim’s next of kin within 48 hours and to the public within 15 days.
Grand Rapids, MI – The Committee to Free Alex Saab is calling all anti-war and international solidarity activists, community and immigrant rights organizers, labor unionists and students to join in an international week of action to Free Alex Saab.
Milwaukee, WI – Teamsters across the country are beginning to schedule parking lot rallies ahead of the national contract negotiations, but Wisconsin Teamsters Local 344 are taking it one step further. Local 344 has created their own “Pay up” shirts for local members to wear every Friday in solidarity. The idea for these shirts came from a steward and rank-and-file member out of 344’s Oshkosh barn, Lori Jensen.
Minneapolis, MN – As part of their daily routine, religious Muslims pray five times a day. Since prayer times revolve around the lunar cycle, they change throughout the year. In many places around the world, a call to prayer is broadcast from mosques to announce those five Adhan prayer times so people who are Muslim know it’s time to pray.
Orange, CA – On April 15, Teamsters in southern California held a rally around ongoing contract negotiations between the Teamsters and UPS. The rally was attended by hundreds of Teamsters from Locals 396 and 952 and featured speeches from Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien, Local 396 Secretary Treasurer Victor Mineros as well as rank-and-file members.
Chicago, IL – The bell rang, and teachers, staff and students slowly rolled out the school doors. Today they were all wearing union red at the two Instituto del Progeso Latino (IDPL) schools in Chicago. They grabbed signs and started to chant and picket, “Who’s schools? Our schools!”
New Orleans, LA – On April 14, employees at the Starbucks on Poydras Street filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board. The store is located in a downtown hotel building, mainly serving tourists, professionals and workers in the area. Over 70% of staff support unionizing.
Los Angeles, CA – On April 5, the final day of the Legalization for All Network’s border delegation, activists spent the morning listening to testimonies from seven immigrant students from the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex. The students – all Guatemalan youth who’ve lived in the United States for less than a year – explained the conditions in Central America that pushed them to leave home, their experiences while detained by ICE, and the struggles of having to work to support their families.
Los Angeles, CA – The Legalization for All Network (L4A) concluded day four of the 2023 border delegation with a virtual panel that included speakers from different immigrant rights organizations. The panel was moderated by Jenny Bekenstein, a member of Centro Community Service Organization (CSO). Sol Márquez, member of Centro CSO and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) grounded the discussion in the broader purpose of the delegation – to deepen participants' knowledge of different immigrant rights struggles and to find unity across these struggles.
Dallas, TX – On Saturday, April 8, over 150 members of the Palestinian diaspora and allies gathered at The Grassy Knoll at Dealey Plaza to protest the recent Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and the attacks came during the height of Ramadan. Israeli forces have killed more than 90 Palestinians so far this year.
Minneapolis, MN – Union members at Planned Parenthood rallied on Tuesday evening, April 11, along with community supporters. The central demands of the action were that Planned Parenthood immediately reinstate a member of the bargaining committee who they fired recently, and to stop engaging in union-busting activity.
Interview with Frank Chapman, executive director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political RepressionFight Back!: The Democratic Party has announced that their convention will be held in Chicago, August 19 through 22, 2024. The National Alliance was part of the March on the Democratic National Convention Coalition in Milwaukee in 2020. Will you march again at the Chicago convention?
Milwaukee, WI – On April 4, activists with Reproductive Justice Action – Milwaukee (RJAM) celebrated the end of the Wisconsin spring election. Many organizations poured energy into the extremely important State Supreme Court election, which had reproductive rights, workers' rights, and fair electoral maps taking center stage. RJAM focused on getting voters to the polls by encouraging Milwaukee people to vote in favor of an advisory referendum, polling Milwaukee County’s opinion on overturning the state's 1849 abortion ban.
Milwaukee, WI – On April 11, organizers with the UW-Milwaukee chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) took to Spaights Plaza in the middle of campus to announce a new campaign focused on addressing the shockingly low percentage of Black students on campus, increasing Black representation in student resources like mental health services, and the graduation rate of existing Black students.
In the two weeks since the announcement of Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s $130,000 Spring Fundraising Drive, more than $25,000 has come in. More contributions are coming in every day.
New York, NY – Crowds gathered the evening of April 10 as progressive organizations denounced recent United States warmongering in the Asia-Pacific and demanded an end to U.S. military presence in the Philippines. Today marked the beginning of the largest-ever joint military exercises (“Balikatan”) between the U.S. military and the Armed Forces of the Philippines; war games that are a part of war preparations against China.
Seattle, WA – On Friday, April 7, members of the Progressive Student Union and others rallied to protest an event held by Turning Point USA that featured Autumn Higashi, a transphobic, anti-abortion speaker. The protest, led by PSU, disrupted the event by maintaining chants throughout its duration.
Tampa, FL – On April 6, students at the University of South Florida rallied around protecting diversity in the face of recent attacks on legislation on diversity, equality, inclusion (DEI) and multicultural programs. The event was hosted by Students for a Democratic Society.