Washington, D.C. – On Aug. 24, thousands of people from across the country gathered together here at the National Mall to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington. Crowd estimates are in the hundreds of thousands.

Grand Rapids, MI – Tom Burke, a spokesperson for the Committee to Stop FBI Repression,condemned the 35-year sentence that was handed down against whistleblower Bradley Manning.

Minneapolis, MN – Community members marched through downtown here, Aug. 19, demanding JPMorgan Chase Bank negotiate with the Ceballos and Kelly families, both of whom face imminent eviction after foreclosure.

Chicago, IL – 60 youth from the Arab American Action Network (AAAN), along with their supporters, held a rally and march here, Aug.15, to demand an end to racial profiling of Arabs and Muslims and and end to the criminalization of all communities of color. The youth who organized and led the protest reminded onlookers that harassment, surveillance and infiltration by the FBI and its local counterparts doesn't just happen in New York City and California, but is widespread in Chicago.

Durham, NC – On Aug. 28, 1963, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom galvanized hundreds of thousands in the streets of the nation’s capital. On Aug. 25, 1925, A. Philip Randolph helped to establish the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in Harlem, New York. It was in August 1791 that the Haitian Revolution first broke the chains of French colonialism. August marks the Nat Turner Rebellion of 1831 and Watts Uprising of 1965. It was on Aug. 8, 1978 that the Philadelphia Police Department first raided the MOVE Organization, giving way to the MOVE 9. August also bears the births of Fred Hampton, Marcus Garvey and Mutulu Shakur. Ironically, August has always been a month of African American struggle and radical resistance.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 40 members and supporters of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) gathered here, Aug. 10, to celebrate past victories and look ahead to future battles.

Asheville, NC – On Aug. 8, protesters gathered in downtown here, to rally for an end to the attacks against women and against abortion restrictions in North Carolina. The event was organized by WORD (Women Organized to Resist and Defend).

Asheville, NC – 10,000 people gathered in front of the Buncombe County Courthouse, overflowing into the streets in Downtown Asheville for Mountain Moral Monday, Aug. 5.

Saint Paul, MN – More than 240 members of Workers United Local 150 walked off the job from Health Systems Cooperative Laundries, August 5, forming picket lines at the plant entrances in a strike over unfair labor practices, which include the company’s unilateral discontinuation of sick-day benefits.

Minneapolis, MN – About 250 community members gathered in the front yard of the Ceballos home, July 29, for a concert and rally to show support for the Ceballos family. The family, with the help of community supporters, fended off an eviction attempt by 30 sheriff deputies sent by JPMorgan Chase July 24. They expect another eviction attempt at any time.

Winston-Salem, NC – On July 27, more than a dozen people, including political officials and members of several organizations, gathered here to call for unity in the low-income communities of East Winston-Salem and to join forces against racist injustice. The event was organized by Delinzia Upson, who’s a foreclosure prevention coordinator and writer for BE Winston Salem, and Marva Reid, president of the East/Northeast Winston Neighborhood Association.

Organizing the Winston-Salem Young People Coalition for Justice

Winston-Salem, NC – On July 25, people gathered here at the First Calvary Baptist Church to discuss the formation of a Young People Coalition for Justice. The meeting was organized to first bring people of the community together and talk on the issues currently going on and how they, as a community, should begin addressing them.

Minneapolis, MN – 75 community members turned back 30 sheriffs who were trying to evict people from the Ceballos home, July 24. Two home defenders were arrested in acts of civil disobedience.

Clarksville, TN – In six cities across the state of Tennessee on July 20, people held pickets and delivered letters to Publix managers urging the Publix grocery store chain to join the Fair Food Program that would improve wages and working conditions for tomato pickers in Florida.

Irvington, NJ – A municipal hearing on foreclosure was held here, July 10. The main emphasis was placed where it belongs: on the testimony of distressed homeowners themselves. The council chambers were packed.

On July 13, an almost all-white jury ruled that George Zimmerman was not guilty on all charges for the murder of Trayvon Martin. While saddened and angered by this verdict, we were not surprised that the U.S. so-called ‘justice system’ has again said that racist cops and vigilantes like Zimmerman have a green light to shoot and kill African Americans.

Protesters tell Dayton to quit giving money to billionaires

St Paul, MN – Members and supporters of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) protested July 10 in front of Governor Dayton’s mansion to demand that he act now to raise the welfare grants in Minnesota. As things stand, about 70,000 Minnesota children are living in extreme poverty.

Grand Rapids, MI – Giving new meaning to ‘soldiers of solidarity,’ U.S. veterans joined fired health care workers to rally in front of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans on the afternoon of July 1. The action, involving nearly 100 people, exposed Michigan Governor Rick Snyder’s privatization schemes, in this case leading to neglect and abuse of veterans. Longtime resident care aides employed by the state of Michigan were fired, and their jobs privatized by the non-union J2S Group, a for-profit company that refuses to speak on the matter.

Harrisburg, PA – A rally here, June 25, protested school layoffs and closings in Philadelphia. Teachers, safety workers, librarians and others are affected. Arts instruction is especially targeted. Layoffs have reached 3783 and counting. A contingent of school employees has gone on a water-only fast in the capitol rotunda.

Raleigh, NC – “Whose house? Our house!” That was the chant voiced by over 5000 North Carolinians who came to Raleigh June 24 to protest the right-wing agenda and unjust laws being passed by the Republican-controlled North Carolina legislature.