Chicago, IL – After a day of protests and walkouts on the campuses of DePaul, Loyola and the University of Illinois at Chicago, 5000 people rallied and marched back and forth across Chicago’s Loop, Jan. 20, in opposition to the racist agenda of President Trump.

Black Students for Revolution (BSFR) led a student walkout from classes at the University of Illinois Urbana – Champaign (UIUC) in late October. They demanded an end to tuition hikes, increased retention and scholarships for Black, Latino and Indigenous students, and other progressive changes. They demanded the UIUC administration schedule a public town hall style meeting to discuss their demands, which Chancellor Robert Jones rejects.

Chicago, IL – On Black Friday, Nov. 25, the busiest shopping day of the year, 500 people marched on the Magnificent Mile, Chicago’s upscale retail district, calling for a boycott.

“Trump is the way backward. We are the way forward”

We are circulating the text of Frank Chapman’s Nov. 19 speech at Chicago’s 25th annual People’s Thanksgiving event, hosted Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Frank Chapman is a veteran of the Black Liberation Movement. He was a victim of wrongful imprisonment as a young man, and then, like Malcolm X, George Jackson and others, became politicized in prison. His release was won through a political struggle led Angela Davis. From 1981 through 1989, Frank was the executive director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. In the past five years, he’s returned to that work, leading the campaign of the Chicago Alliance to win an elected, civilian police accountability council.

Chicago, IL – 130 activists from all the people’s movements gathered for the annual People’s Thanksgiving awards dinner, Nov. 19, hosted by Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO). The event is a fundraiser for Fight Back News and for Rasmea Odeh.

Chicago, IL – The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is sharpening its knives, ready to come after mechanics, bus and train operators in Amalgamated Transit Union Locals 241 and 308. According to 308 President and Business Agent Kenneth Franklin, there has been no contract since Dec. 31, 2015. CTA has been pushing for takebacks in every area in negotiations, and according to Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 241, the CTA “has evidenced no intention of reaching a fair agreement voluntarily.”

Chicago, IL – 500 people marched on the Magnificent Mile the night of Oct. 22, to send a message to the 1% that backs Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Two years ago, racist cop Jason Van Dyke murdered 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. The protest was held to mark that anniversary. The marchers demanded “Justice for Laquan” and community control of the police through an elected, civilian police accountability council (CPAC).

Chicago, IL – “Right to Exist, Right to Resist” was the theme of the national political conference called by the International League of People’s Struggles (ILPS) – U.S. Chapter, held in Chicago, Oct. 22. ILPS is an anti-imperialist and democratic formation, which promotes anti-imperialist and democratic struggles of the peoples of the world. “We mobilized over 160 people from around the U.S. and Canada to discuss how to build the struggle against U.S. wars abroad and war on the workers and oppressed people at home,” said Bernadette Ellorin, national chairperson of BAYAN USA, an alliance of progressive Filipino organizations.

Chicago, IL – On Monday night, Oct. 10, just before the midnight deadline, the bargaining committee of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) tentatively accepted a new contract offer from management.