International Women’s Day in Dallas
Dallas, TX – On March 7, Freedom Road Socialist Organization hosted a rally for International Women’s Day at Civic Garden Park.
The demands for this year’s International Women’s Day included freedom for political prisoners Leqaa Kordia, Cilia Flores and Aafia Siddiqui; justice for women killed by ICE repression; keep families together; legalization for all; justice for Palestinian mothers and children orphaned by Zionism, and justice for mothers and their children killed by police repression.
A variety of organizations supported the action, including Planned Parenthood, Texas Equal Access Fund, National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, DFW Anti-War Coming, DFW Free Aafia Siddiqui, Indivisible Dallas, Palestinian Youth Movement, DSA North Texas, Texas Alliance for Retired Americans, Revolutionary Front, Shias 4 Justice, Communist Party USA DFW, Codepink and Workers World Party.
Jo Hargis from FRSO said, “It is a grave mistake to think that what happens to women in Iran and Palestine does not connect to women here in the United States, and to fight for liberation of women across the world means participation in the movements for international solidarity. We cannot stay in a bubble here. The liberation of women demands participation in the labor movement, in the movement for community control of the police, in the movement for international solidarity and in the student movement.”
AJ Rugambwa a member of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression Dallas connected the history of the Alliance since its formation through the efforts of women like Charlene Mitchell and Angela Davis and said, “ Mitchell and Davis made it clear that you cannot win without a movement, you cannot win without being connected to the people, and NAARAPR Dallas is doing exactly that in our programs to fight ICE repression and community control of the police.”
Yuliana Valdes with the DFW Anti War Committee, “Today, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, we the Anti War Committee demand an end to U.S. aggression and U.S. hands off everywhere. BLU109 bunker buster bombs, and MK82 missiles are manufactured right here at the Repkon factory in Garland, Texas. We are part of a campaign to end the manufacturing of these bombs.”
Despite bad weather 60 people attended the rally and chanted, “Keep families together,” “When immigrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” and “U.S. hands off Iran!”
After the rally, FRSO hosted a letter-writing session for political prisoners Aafia Siddiqui, Leqaa Kordia and Cilia Flores.