Chicago, IL – “La seguridad nacional nos arresta porque estamos luchando para quedarnos en nuestros hogares. Les dijimos que ‘¡La vivienda es un derecho humano y no nos vamos, seguiremos luchando!’” dijo el inquilino de Grove Parc y organizador de Lado Sureño Organizando por el Poder (STOP) Lonnie Richardson entre gritos de inquilinos y otros congregados en apoyo en un día heladísimo de noviembre fuera de las oficinas del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos (HUD) en el centro de Chicago.
Chicago, IL – Cuando a Phillip Cline, Superintendente actual de la Policía de Chicago le preguntaron sobre el plan policial del Alcalde Daley para el área africana-americana del Distrito de Harrison, este dijo: “Hace más fácil nuestro trabajo, es como dispararle a peces en un barril.”
Chicago, IL – Aaron Patterson es una de las cuatro personas que el Gobernador Ryan perdonó el 10 de Enero del 2003. El fue torturado y sentenciado a la pena de muerte en 1989 por asesinatos que el no cometió. El es una de las muchas personas que fue torturado por el Comandante Jon Burge del Departamento de Policia de Chicago, Area 2. Los Comités por la Defensa de Aaron Patterson y Liberen a Mumia han sido de los mas fuertes en el área de Chicago por muchos años. Aaron fue puesto en libertad un Viernes por la tarde. El próximo día, sabado al mediodia, el habló en una manifestación en contra de la Guerra donde explicó que los verdaderos terroristas son el Alcalde Richard Daley y Dick Devine, porque estan atacando a las comunidades negras y latinas. El se dió prisa para ir al norte a escuchar al Governador Ryan quien estaba anunciando el perdon de las penas de muerte. Aunque el evento del Gobernador ya habia empezado, Aaron exigió hablar directamente con el para hablar acerca de los que han sido sentenciados por error. El Gobernador concedió hablar con el ese día. El día domingo, Aaron habló en un evento auspiciado por el Comité Exigimos Justicia para pedir justicia por los latinos que son sentenciados erroneamente, a la vez, apoyó la petición de limpiar la estación de policia del Area 5.
Chicago, IL – Un año de lucha ha traído el éxito para los empleados que pertenecen al Local 73 del Sindicato Internacional de Trabajadores de Servicio en la Universidad de Illinois-Chicago. El 17 y 18 de Septiembre. casí 400 empleados salieron a votar, la abrumadora mayoría a favor de un contrato nuevo.
In February of 1999, four New York City cops murdered an innocent, unarmed man, named Amadou Diallo. The cops shot him with 41 bullets in the entryway of his Bronx apartment building. One year later a jury in upstate New York acquitted those same cops of his murder.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson recently put Decatur, Illinois, back on the front line of struggle. In the early 1990s, Jesse rallied to support the heroic fight of locked-out Staley workers. Decatur had been war zone headquarters for the working class with big strikes by Caterpillar and Firestone workers. This time racism in education was the issue.
Minneapolis, MN – Más de 50 personas protestaron aquí, frente al edificio del gobierno federal, el 15 de septiembre, para exigir justicia para las victimas del huracán Katrina. La protesta fue organizada por el Comité para el Derecho de Asistencia Pública.
Chicago, IL – El 5 de Junio, 400 trabajadores, miembros del local 73 del Sindicato Internacional de Trabajadores de Servicios (SEIU), protestaron en el lado oeste de Chicago. Han estado luchando para conseguir un contrato nuevo con la Universidad de Illinois dsde el primer de Octubre.
New Orleans, LA – Instead of the usual Independence Day celebrations, over 350 New Orleans residents and activists gathered at the St. Bernard Housing Project in the Ninth Ward district to demand the right to return to their homes and to voice their opposition to the Iraq war.
Houston, TX – Requests for American Red Cross assistance surged beyond its capacity to deliver Sunday afternoon at the new St. Agnes Baptist Church for the second day in a row. The make-shift Red Cross center was opened Saturday in the heart of Houston’s African American community, eight miles away from the Astrodome and nearly an hour’s bus ride from downtown. As a red, black, and green Black Liberation flag waved overhead, aid volunteers passed out water and registration forms to those waiting outside.
Houston , TX – Today was one of the hottest, stickiest days in Houston since the evacuees arrived last week. Despite that, thousands converged on a Red Cross Center set up at Saint Agnes Baptist church, in far southeast Houston. Many exhausted families came in cars, the parking lot was filled up early, and vehicles with Louisiana plates were parked on the streets as far as the eye could see in all directions around the church. Cars were lined up in rows on the grass in the power line right-of-way and along Sims Bayou. The one city bus that runs to the area, the 52, was standing-room only with shell shocked individuals and families.
Brunswick, GA – Forty people rallied here, Oct. 29 to demand that the people of Brunswick, Georgia be given the right to vote for Elaine Brown. Brown, the Green Party candidate was removed from the ballot and barred from voting following a residency challenge. The calculated attack came after six months of campaigning and after the period for Brown to be allowed as a write-in candidate. Beyond all reason, the Glynn County Board of Elections disqualified Brown. The decision was upheld without explanation by Senior Superior Court Judge Tom Pope.
Brunswick, GA – In a dramatic turnaround, Elaine Brown is back in the mayor’s race here. Brown’s re-entry as a write-in candidate was announced on the eve of election day, following a judge’s court ruling in her favor. Brown, a former leader of the Black Panther Party, is running a campaign to see the development of Brunswick’s port to benefit all the residents. Brunswick is a majority Black town where there has never been a Black mayor. Candidate Brown was kicked off the ballot in an election fraught with dirty tricks, reminiscent of the Old South. Rich white developers and Republican Party hacks are working overtime to keep Brown from being the people’s choice.
Brunswick, GA – Mayoral candidate Elaine Brown vowed to continue the fight for a fair and free election and to empower black people. Republicans and rich white developers stole this election here. Elaine Brown, a former Black Panther Party leader, now running with the Green Party, faced a calculated campaign of electoral intimidation and personal disenfranchisement.
Brunswick, GA – On Dec. 1, the Glynn County Superior Court heard the Contest of Election filed by mayoral candidate Elaine Brown and granted Brown’s motion to continue. The hearing is now scheduled for Dec.19 at 9:30 a.m.
Selma, AL – Over 1000 people gathered here, Sunday, March 4, to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the 1965 civil rights demonstration known as Bloody Sunday – during which over 600 men, women and children crossed over the Edmund Pettus bridge and were attacked with tear gas, clubs and violence from police. The event gained notoriety around the world, making obvious the hypocrisy of the U.S. government and pushing forward the Voting Rights Act that was passed five months later.
In the wake of the controversy over the racist remarks by radio personality Don Imus, Fight Back! did the following interviews with grassroots leaders of the Black community in Newark, New Jersey.
Selma, AL – Over 100 activists, youth and community organizers met at the 21st Century Youth Leadership Center outside Selma, Alabama, July 14 to witness the aftermath of a recent attack on the center. The 21st Century Youth Leadership Movement is an organization that helps train African-American youth for future leadership roles in their communities.
Newark, NJ – The Aug. 4 killings of three college students in the Vailsburg section of Newark, New Jersey has become national news. Terrance Aeriel, 18, Dashon Harvey, 20, and Iofemi Hightower, 20, were forced to kneel and were shot in the head. A fourth victim, Natasha Hightower, 19, was also shot but survives.
