Appleton, WI – On May 14, Fox Valley Food Not Bombs, a coalition of progressive Appleton residents, and Appleton Students for Democratic Society (SDS) organized a rally to safeguard the reproductive rights of women and others capable of giving birth across the country. This event was held in response to a leaked Supreme Court majority draft, which concedes that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The event was attended by more than 20 people and it was directed by various speakers, all of whom are directly affected by the ongoing crisis.
Appleton, WI – On Saturday, May 21, the family of Jimmie Sanders – a man murdered by Appleton police in May 2017 – alongside Fox Valley Food Not Bombs, Appleton SDS, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and United Action Oshkosh organized a rally and march to bring attention to the case, and to crowdfund for the Jimmie Sanders legal team.
Appleton, WI – On April 13, the Appleton Students for a Democratic Society and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization held a rally that expressed solidarity with the Palestinian national liberation struggle and demanded an end to the Israeli occupation. These two organizations believe that the Western media continually fails to spread awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Palestine. Both organizations hoped the rally would help rectify that issue locally.
Appleton, WI – On April 8, Starbucks workers in Appleton, Wisconsin filed officially for union representation. They will be joining workers from more than 100 Starbucks locations across the country that are taking up the fight against corporate tyranny by exercising their right to collective bargaining, including three in Wisconsin.
Appleton, WI – Minutes after the verdict was reached by the jury on the afternoon of November 19, Appleton Students for a Democratic Society called an emergency action in response to the vigilante murderer Kyle Rittenhouse being wrongfully acquitted of all charges. Appleton SDS was joined by Sunrise Fox Valley, students, members of the community, along with comrades from FRSO, United Action Oshkosh, and Food Not Bombs in the rally against the Rittenhouse verdict. Many members of these groups were present during Kenosha’s uprising last year following Jacob Blake’s attempted murder by a white policeman, Rusten Sheskey. Nearly 40 people showed up for the emergency action.
Appleton, WI – The Appleton Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Sunrise Fox Valley are continuing the “Fight for $15'' at Lawrence University. This campaign seeks to increase the on-campus student worker minimum wage to $15 per hour. At the moment, the average student worker is undercompensated with a meagre $7.25 wage, which is unable to meet the rising costs of tuition and other exorbitant living expenses.
Appleton, WI – On May 29, nearly 30 people gathered at Houdini Plaza in downtown Appleton to demand that the Canadian energy company Enbridge be forced to cease production on their Line 3 and Line 5 projects. These pipelines transport tar sands – some of the dirtiest fossil fuel out there – across hundreds of miles of Canada, into northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and through Michigan.
Appleton, WI – On May 21, over 50 people from across eastern Wisconsin gathered to remember the life of Jimmie Sanders, who was shot and killed by Appleton Police Officer Jay Steinke four years ago. Jimmie Sanders was an innocent bystander who witnessed a bar fight where a single gunshot was fired. The firearm discharge drew Appleton police to the scene. Officer Steinke was one of the first to respond, barging onto the scene and shooting recklessly into Jack Apples Pub.
Appleton, WI – On May 1, over 40 people gathered in downtown Appleton at Houdini Plaza to commemorate International Workers' Day, or May Day. There were speeches from multiple local organizations. The Appleton Students for a Democratic Society, Wisconsin Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Sunrise Appleton, Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, AFT Local 6511, Wisconsin Bail Out People Movement, and United Action Oshkosh joined together for this important holiday.
