News and Views from the People's Struggle
Berkeley, CA – Wednesday, November 23, around 100 people came to support the academic workers’ strike at the University of California, Berkeley. University of California’s 48,000 academic workers have been on a statewide strike that is now heading into its fourth week.
Berkeley, CA – I just heard about the passing of Yuri Kochiyama from my father, another Nisei (second generation Japanese American) political activist, who lives in Berkeley about a mile from where Yuri was living. I didn’t know Yuri well, having only met her once when we were both attending the same program in the Asian American community. Nevertheless, she was the single most prominent individual Asian American activist of the 20th century and her life and politics pioneered the Asian American movement born in the late 1960s.
Berkeley, CA – Long time antiwar activist Iwao Lewis Suzuki was awarded the Clifford I. Uyeda Peace and Humanitarian award at the Day of Remembrance program in San Francisco, California on February 19, 2012. Dr. Clifford Uyeda was a long-time Japanese American community activist who championed redress and reparations for Japanese Americans incarcerated in U.S. concentration camps during World War II. He also publicized the almost 300 Japanese Americans who refused the military draft during World War II because their families were in concentration camps and spent on average two years in prison each for their courageous stand. Dr. Uyeda also worked to educate people about the atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army during their occupation of China, including the Rape of Nanking. Fight Back! interviewed Mr. Suzuki at his home in Berkeley after the Day of Remembrance program.
Berkeley, CA – On Aug. 14, artist Iwao Lewis Suzuki was inducted into the La Peña Cultural Center Community Hall of Fame, which recognizes cultural activism for social change. Previous inductees into the Community Hall of Fame include Dolores Huerta, Victor Jara, Linda Tillery and Angela Davis.
_“Make UC a Sanctuary!” _
Berkeley, CA – University of California (UC) students here took to the streets to protest the state law passed in Arizona that legalizes racial profiling of Latinos and Native Americans. Several hundred people, mainly Chicano and Latino, blockaded the historic Sproul Gate while Aztec dancers and drummers performed for the lunchtime crowds. Afterwards, the protesters marched to the intersection of Bancroft and Telegraph Avenues and sat down, blocking traffic to observe a minute of silence for immigrant communities being targeted by ICE raids and deportations. Then the march resumed down Bancroft, chanting, “Boycott Arizona!” and “Make UC a sanctuary!” Students vow further actions.
Berkeley, CA – While the University of California's Board of Regents were at UCLA voting to increase the cost of education by a whopping 32%, students, labor and faculty from across the state were fighting back.
Berkeley, CA – Over 600 activists gathered on Oct. 24, for a conference to organize against the statewide education budget cuts.
Berkeley, CA – Tuesday, November 4, 2008 was a bittersweet evening for me. The sweetness came first, as I was driving my daughter home from a play rehearsal when I heard that Barack Obama had won the election for President of the United States. Later that evening the feeling faded as I watched the news showing that California Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage, was heading towards a narrow victory.
Berkeley, CA – La segunda junta nacional del Foro Asiatico Izquierdista tomó lugar en Berkeley California en febrero. “Salimos motivados de la junta; hemos comenzando una nueva etapa en la política Asiatico Americana en este país,” expresó Shin Yi Tsai, una activista de Berkeley. “Hubo mucha diversidad de nuestra gente, espero que en unos dos años se consolide un movimiento social,” continuó Shin Yi Tsai.
Berkeley, CA – The second national meeting of the Asian Left Forum (ALF) was held here in late February at the University of California.