Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

LosÁngelesCA

By staff

LA protests human rights abuses and demands the U.S. get out of the Philippines.

Los Angeles, CA – On July 23, hundreds of protesters marched down Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles for the People’s State of the Nation Address. The PSONA is an annual protest to counter the Filipino president’s state of the nation address and expose the real struggles of the Filipino people. This year it highlighted the issues under the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. presidency, including record high inflation and miserable wages, intense political repression with prosecution and killings, and increased U.S. military presence.

Read more...

By Diana Terreros

Los Angeles, CA – Chants of “Who are we? Teamsters!” and “Union power!” filled the street on July 19 at the UPS Olympic hub during a strike solidarity rally.

Read more...

By Hannah Keith

Hotel workers on strike in downtown Los Angeles.

Los Angeles, CA – 14,000 hotel workers in Southern California went on strike at 19 hotels in Long Beach, Santa Monica, downtown Los Angeles and North Hollywood on July 2. The strike was planned to last three days covering the July 4 holiday. Union members say if their demands are not met, more strikes will happen.

Read more...

By staff

East LA vigil honors Paul Rea for his 4-Year angelversary.

Los Angeles, CA – On June 27, the family and friends of Paul Rea, the loved ones of other victims of police brutality, and community supporters like Centro CSO gathered for his 4th angelversary at the site where he was killed by East LA sheriff's deputies in 2019. Beginning in the early evening, Rea’s family set up candles and posters before releasing balloons to remember his passing.

Read more...

By Carlos Montes

Local residents and Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council Board members.

Los Angeles, CA – On June 30, the Boyle Heights community turned out in mass at a Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council’s (BHNC) special meeting to protest and demand the neighborhood council vote no on a big market rate housing development project by Tiao LLC. Proposed in the heart of Boyle Heights on the Cesar Chavez Avenue and Chicago Street block, the six-story 50-unit housing complex would evict and displace many local tenants and businesses, one of whom is a family of four generations who have been living there for 30 years.

Read more...

By staff

LA Teamsters hold practice picket at UPS.

Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday, June 29, the Teamsters at UPS Olympic hub in downtown LA held coordinated pickets including both UPS drivers and part-time workers. The pickets occurred between 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., allowing both the drivers and the part-time workers to participate before and after their shifts.

Read more...

By Alejandro Orellana

Enter a descriptive sentence about the photo here.

Los Angeles, CA – Workers at a local McDonald's went on strike June 9, as part of a weeklong struggle by employees to bring to light the heinous working conditions they have been forced to endure. The strikers called for an end to harassment from management, for union representation, and justice for Berta Montes, a McDonald's employee whose death many coworkers attribute to management's negligence and overall lack of interest in their worker's health and safety.

Read more...

By Sol Márquez

James Lotter in the blue hoodie (center) at Centro CSO meeting.

Los Angeles, CA – Students from East LA Performing Arts Magnet (ELAPA) at Esteban E. Torres High School walked out April 27, to demand the removal of Principal John Edward Estoesta. The students were initiated into action when one of their beloved teachers, James Lotter, who teaches AP literature, was fired in front of his students with zero explanation.

Read more...

By staff

SEIU Local 1000 rallies in LA for a decent contract.

Los Angeles, CA – The largest union in the state of California, representing more than 96,000 state workers, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1000 held a spirited rally in downtown this morning, June 22. Rank and filers, union representatives, and supporters numbered 100 people. A large sound truck adjacent to Spring Street and in front of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Los Angeles office, provided a stage for speakers.

Read more...

By staff

LA protest against attacks on immigrants in Florida.

Los Angeles, CA – On June 17, Centro CSO and allied organizations held a march and rally at La Placita in Los Angeles as part of the Legalization 4 All Network’s Week of Action to protest Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ Senate Bill 1718. The L4A Network called for nationwide protests as SB 1718 is an attack on undocumented immigrants as well as anyone who employs or aids them. For example, hospitals in Florida will be required to ask a patient’s immigration status, while out-of-state driver’s licenses for undocumented people will be outlawed.

Read more...

By David Pulido

May Day march in LA.

Los Angeles, CA – For the eighth year in a row, Centro Community Service Organization (CSO) held their May Day march and rally in Boyle Heights. Over 50 people gathered to commemorate International Workers Day and to uplift the demands of legalization for all the undocumented, protecting public education, and community control of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The event was emceed by David Pulido of Orange County CSO and Juliana Castellón of Centro CSO.

Read more...

By staff

Students holding up the poster "De Centroamérica a Westlake Con Amor" by Dichos

Los Angeles, CA – On April 5, the final day of the Legalization for All Network’s border delegation, activists spent the morning listening to testimonies from seven immigrant students from the Miguel Contreras Learning Complex. The students – all Guatemalan youth who’ve lived in the United States for less than a year – explained the conditions in Central America that pushed them to leave home, their experiences while detained by ICE, and the struggles of having to work to support their families.

Read more...

By staff

Enter a descriptive sentence about the photo here.

Los Angeles, CA – The Legalization for All Network (L4A) concluded day four of the 2023 border delegation with a virtual panel that included speakers from different immigrant rights organizations. The panel was moderated by Jenny Bekenstein, a member of Centro Community Service Organization (CSO). Sol Márquez, member of Centro CSO and Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) grounded the discussion in the broader purpose of the delegation – to deepen participants' knowledge of different immigrant rights struggles and to find unity across these struggles.

Read more...

By Sol Márquez

“The Wall that Speaks, Sings, and Shouts” Mural by Paul Botello at Salazar Park.

Los Ángeles, CA – Day one of the Legalization for All (L4A) Network border delegation began today, April 1. Delegates of the trip included Drusie Cassanova from the Bay Area of California and Angel Naranjo from Chicago. Unfortunately, 12 delegates with MIRAC  traveling from Minnesota were unable to join the first day due to flight delays but will unite with the delegation on day two in San Diego.

Read more...

By staff

Strikers rally in LA.

Los Angeles, CA – With chants of, “We are the union, the mighty, mighty union – fighting for justice, respect and fair wages,” 30,000 SEIU and UTLA teachers and service workers in Los Angeles went on strike from March 21 to March 23. Los Angeles Unified School District and SEIU’s contract expired in 2020, and, after three years of negotiations hitting dead ends, they decided to strike, and they are determined to win better wages, healthcare and staffing.

Read more...

By staff

LA school worker on the picket line

Los Angeles, CA – At 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday March 21, over 30,000 school workers in the Los Angeles Unified School (LAUSD) including food service workers, custodians, special education assistants and many more job titles will walk off the job on a strike. The workers are members of SEIU Local 99, also known as Education Workers United.

Read more...

By staff

LA public school workers are ready to strike.

Los Angeles, CA – On March 15, the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) and SEIU Local 99, which represents cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, teacher assistants and other education workers, held a massive rally at Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles. The action culminated with the announcement that UTLA and SEIU Local 99 would go on a joint three-day strike, the first in the two unions’ history, from March 21-23.

Read more...

By Luis Sifuentes

Grandchildren of Miguel Lopez chanting at deputy recognized to be responsible fo

Los Angeles, CA – On March 11, about 30 people gathered in front of the East LA Sheriff’s Station to protest the recent murder of Miguel Angel Lopez, a 70-year-old Chicano man, during an early morning raid in his Maywood home while his wife, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were present.

Read more...

By staff

International Women's Day celebration in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles, CA – On March 12, more than 50 people gathered at Salazar Park in East Los Angeles to rally with Centro CSO for its 6th annual International Women’s Day commemoration. Speakers included leaders from CSO’s different committees – education, police accountability and immigration – who explained the importance of women’s liberation to their work.

Read more...

By staff

Garfield High School mariachi performs at the anniversary of walkouts.

Los Angeles, CA – On March 8, Garfield High School held the 55th anniversary of the East Los Angeles Walkouts. In early March 1968, thousands of students walked out of East-area high schools to demand equality in public education and protested inferior conditions. This was the first urban youth-led protest of the growing Chicano movement and received national attention.

Read more...