Neenah, WI – On Sunday March 30, Hate Free Outagamie hosted an event celebrating Trans Day of Visibility. Nearly 200 community members of all ages gathered at a local park shelter to celebrate the struggles of the trans community. Attendees created art and photos, listened to speeches and workshops, and networked with other community organizations.

In their opening speech, Green Bay Anti War co-chair Lana Ksionek spoke about the importance of calling upon the strength of our trans elders such as Sylvia Rivera, and to take inspiration from them in our fight for trans liberation today.

Ksionek told the crowd, “I will not cower before men who are terrified that their place at the top of society is being challenged, I sleep well at night because I’m taking an active role in what happens to me, and you should too.” She concluded her speech, “if they try to outlaw our public existence, we will hit the streets and loudly defy them!”

Members of Hate Free Outagamie promoted their campaign to establish Outagamie County as a Trans Sanctuary County. Members also gave speeches focused on maintaining revolutionary optimism during the era of heightened attacks and reactionary politics of the Trump presidency.

In his speech, Hate Free Outagamie member Mitch Erickson encouraged community members to not despair in the face of oppression, but rather, to come together and organize to support and uplift our community. This speech also highlighted how all struggles of working class people are innately tied to the struggle for trans liberation. Erickson cited civil rights activist James Baldwin’s optimism to join the civil rights struggle, telling the crowd “if one of the greatest minds of his generation could believe this about a bleak situation, we queers could and should too.”

Diverse and Resilient, a co-sponsor of the event, led a workshop creating safety plans and pod maps for queer and trans people. Appleton Area Now gave an impassioned speech on domestic violence, women’s oppression and the need to stand up and fight back in an era of heightened reactionary attacks. Green Bay Anti-War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Appleton Area NOW, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, and Free Mom Hugs were also co-sponsors of the event.

The event ended with an inspiring discussion, led by a HFO member, who spoke about finding joy in his own trans experience and led a group share, where other trans and queer community members were able to share about their own experiences.

While queer and trans people are in the crosshairs of the Trump administration, we continue to see the community grow, and the struggle for liberation along with it. This event showed no executive order or bill passed by Congress can erase trans existence. Trans people have always existed and will continue to not only exist, and from this event we are sure we will see the struggle grow here in the Fox Valley.

#NeenahWI #WI #LGBTQ #HFO #GBAWC #NOW #TransDayofVisibility

Appleton, WI – In the biting cold of a Wisconsin evening, over 100 community members gathered on November 20 at Houdini Plaza with cider and a shared revolutionary spirit to keep them warm. As trans and gender fluid voices rang out, their message echoed through Outagamie county with unmistakable clarity: “Trans sanctuary now! We won’t back down!”

This year's rally and vigil commemorated the 25th anniversary of the first Trans Day of Remembrance. It also marked a pivotal moment in the fight against transphobia. Organized by Hate Free Outagamie, the event launched a bold campaign to designate Outagamie County as a trans sanctuary.

Following in the footsteps of Milwaukee and Dane Counties, where protections against healthcare discrimination and directives to deprioritize enforcement of anti-trans laws were already enacted, this grassroots effort aims to make Outagamie a beacon of safety and resilience for the trans community.

Lana Ksionek, co-chair of Green Bay Anti War Committee spoke to the crowd, “We need to accept that the current society and government is not meant for us.” She declared, “We need to learn how to organize so we can build an alternative that includes us.”

Across the country, reactionary lawmakers, particularly in Republican-ruled states are pushing legislation designed to isolate the trans community, sow fear and erode people’s fundamental right to exist. While neighboring states Minnesota and Illinois passed protective laws for their trans residents, Wisconsin remains behind. Wisconsin is a potential testing ground for future anti-trans laws in the Midwest.

Speaking in front of a banner reading, “Trans sanctuary now! Defend your neighbors!” Danielle Bruce, of Appleton Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), said, “Our power is in numbers and the more of us that know the true history and continue to fight for collective liberation, the less they can oppress, repress, and suppress us all.” They reminded the crowd, “This is a vigil, so let’s honor those who have come before us and look forward to a better world for us all.”

The fight for a trans sanctuary will lay the foundation for a broader movement against reactionary attacks in the Fox Valley. By addressing urgent needs like protections against discrimination in healthcare, housing, employment and other key areas of struggle for survival, the people of Outagamie County can create a model of solidarity and resilience. It demonstrates that when a community comes together, it can challenge systemic injustice and begin to build a future where oppression has no place, and everybody is safe and supported.

Hate Free Outagamie called on every member of the community to act. As support grows around their petition, much more will come from this struggle in Outagamie county.

#AppletonWI #LGBTQ #HateFreeOutagamie #GBAWC #SDS

Green Bay, WI – On March 22, the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) interrupted a College Democrats speaking event on campus that had U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin as a guest speaker. The event was promoted in secret on campus to prevent SDS from organizing and was supposed to teach students how to get people to vote for her. SDS found out and decided to mobilize.

The students started by entering the room with signs reading things such as “Liberal silence is violence” and “Bombing kids is not self-defense.”

After their entrance, SDS co-chair Jacob Aker-Law read a statement drafted by the students. “Tammy Baldwin calls for a ceasefire because it is politically convenient, while she still receives thousands of dollars from defense companies,” he said.

The statement drew a response from those in attendance at the Baldwin event, who then asked the protesters to leave. Once outside, the SDS members began chanting.

The students proceeded to chant for 20 minutes straight, as onlookers from throughout the University Union started recording and joining in the chants. The chanting even garnered the attention of three campus police officers, who tried to intimidate the students, to no avail. Ultimately Baldwin exited the room through the back door cutting her one hour event short by 30 minutes.

This is the second time Tammy Baldwin has come to Green Bay and has been met with protests. The first occurring in March at the Brown County Democrats gala in which members of SDS joined members of the Green Bay Anti-War Committee outside of the event. This protest against Baldwin marks the first indoor protest that SDS has engaged in since their inception this fall and has inspired many of the members to participate in further actions of this kind.

#GreenBayWI #WI #StudentMovement #SDS #AntiWarMovement #International #Palestine #GBAWC

Green Bay, WI – On February 10, four months into the Zionist occupation’s genocidal assault on Gaza, dedicated activists braved the wintry cold and wind to demand an end to U.S. aggression in the Middle East.

The mood was energetic yet somber as people shared their personal stories about how Israeli-trained forces and American weapons have destroyed families and lives around the world, from occupied Palestine to Guatemala to here in the US.

Aodhan Bowman spoke for Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and called attention to the fact that Israel’s ability to wage war on Palestinians is entirely dependent on U.S. support. “Israel has zero legitimacy – all they have is American weapons. But the rest of the world is coming together against this genocide. It is only a matter of time before the resistance is victorious.”

Younis Zaiden, a Palestinian community member and Muslim leader, expressed gratitude at the gathering and gave a speech about his experience living as a Palestinian Muslim in the Fox Valley.

Zaiden stated, “A coworker asked me recently what I thought about Palestine and Israel and October 7. I had to ask him back: ‘How much time do you have?’ Because you can’t explain October 7 without understanding the rest of the 75 years.” He finished his speech with, “I know Palestine will be free!” and the crowd chanted “From the river to the sea!” before marching through downtown Green Bay.

The action was a part of a national week of action being put on by the US Palestinian Community Action Network, the National Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, and Students for a Democratic Society.

#GreenBayWI #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #FRSO #GBAWC #USPCN #NAARPR #SDS #WeekOfAction4Palestine

Appleton, WI – On January 5, the Green Bay joined the week of action for Palestine, by staging a banner drop over Interstate 41 during rush-hour traffic. Their banners displayed messages like “Victory to the popular Palestinian resistance” and “End U.S. aid to Israel” alongside many Palestinian flags flying proudly.

The Green Bay Anti-War Committee and Appleton Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), alongside members of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization and the broader community put on the action.

“’Victory to the popular Palestinian resistance’ has been a statement of solidarity across the U.S. for years,” said Patrick Sweeney of Appleton SDS. “The Palestinian people support the resistance and have been insistent to remain on the land the resistance is bravely defending, even amidst continued U.S./Israeli bombing. We can’t forget this as we work to support Palestinian liberation.”

This action took place as the number of Palestinians killed by the U.S./Israel war machine passes 30,000. Unprecedented mass protests and demonstrations in support of Palestine have continued throughout the world, and a new year means a new resolve among those who continue to fight back. There has been increasing pro-Palestinian presence across Wisconsin’s Fox Valley following the brave Palestinian offensive of Al-Aqsa flood, and they will continue to fight until Palestine is free, from the river to the sea.

#AppletonWI #International #Palestine #SDS #GBAWC #FRSO

The vigil was the second on-campus event put together by the students and comes after the organization hosted a letter writing event on December 19, targeting Wisconsin representatives and the “Campus Elite” to acknowledge the atrocities being committed, and call for a ceasefire. The action garnered a lot of campus support and students wrote around 45 letters.

Organizations involved included members of the Green Bay Anti-War Committee, Appleton SDS, the Oshkosh Socialist Students Association and representatives from the FRSO, which co-hosted the event and helped provide the students with the supplies needed.

Attendees lit candles were lit and members of the UWGB WSP-SDS spoke. The event finished with a call to action from executive member Alkimie Andrews whose poem, We Are Gardeners is motivated by the ongoing genocide, “Our gardening would be an easier task if we all could pull the roots of this weed, But for some, that is too much to ask, For they choose to ignore those, who bleed / In this vast forest, we must converge, we must merge, to pull all the roots of this weed, together we may be freed.”

The UWGB WSP-SDS plans to hold more events on campus next year and are planning on working with the Green Bay Anti-War Committee and other SDS chapters in the future, to further advocacy in Green Bay.

#GreenBayWI #International #Palestine #SDS #GBAWC #AntiWar

Appleton, WI – On the evening of Friday, December 15, the community held a vigil for the Palestinian martyrs of the ongoing genocide. The event came in the wake of the grim milestone of over 19,000 Palestinians murdered by the U.S.-funded and armed Israeli regime since October 7.

Local organizers and faith leaders gave speeches, led prayers, and read poems to over 50 community members in Appleton’s City Park. The speakers stood in front of an elegant banner that proclaimed “Honor the martyrs. Victory to Palestine.”

The Green Bay Anti-War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Oshkosh Student Socialist Association organized the vigil.

FRSO’s Mary Blackburn began by calling on everyone to take motivation from the valiant resistance of the Palestinian liberation movement, as well as from the people all over the world mobilizing for a free Palestine.

Green Bay activist and Palestinian American Reema Abusalma held a moment of silence before asking those present to take extra time to appreciate their loved ones and relative security, but also to use their position to continue public advocacy for Palestine and to participate in the boycott, divest and sanction movement. A member of the nearby mosque led the crowd in prayer, first in Arabic, then English, before a Palestinian community member read a moving poem.

The somber occasion began with a police officer confronting the organizers, who stood firm, and the officer left the scene. Attendees lit their candles and carried on with no further interruptions.

#AppletonWI #International #Palestine #AntiWar #GBAWC #FRSO