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The post Cleveland, OH: Banner Drop in Solidarity with Portland appeared first on It's Going Down.
The following report was submitted anonymously to It’s Going Down which we re-post here. It reads: Fuck all Feds and all cops. We declare our solidarity with our fellow fighters in Portland with the clear mind of those who know not to pursue dialogue with their enemies. Rather, we act to extend our love and... Read Full Article
The post Hamilton, ON: Hunger Strike Wins Concessions at Barton Facility appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report on recent hunger strike in Hamilton, Ontario. From the Barton Prisoner Solidarity Project and originally posted to North Shore Counter-Info. Today at noon, we learned that four ranges on the Barton Jail’s fourth floor had resumed a hunger strike, with at least 60 prisoners confirmed to be participating. One prisoner presented the action like... Read Full Article
The post Denver, CO: Far-Right ‘Back the Blue’ Rally Featuring Racist “Groyper” Leader Shut Down appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report back from recent mobilization against far-Right ‘Back the Blue’ rally featuring racist “Groyper” leader, Michelle Malkin. July 19th, 2020 in Denver, Colorado, Michelle Malkin, a leader within the white nationalist “Groyper” movement, along with tag alongs, and other bootlicker organizers decided a “Back the Blue” event would be the tactful thing to do while... Read Full Article
The post Final Straw: Pipeline Updates from Yellow Finch Tree Sit appeared first on It's Going Down.
Long-running anarchist radio and podcast show The Final Straw talks with people involved in the Yellow Finch Treesit, which is fighting the Mountain Valley Pipeline MVP). Listen and Download HERE 690 days. That is how long the tree sit on Yellow Finch lane has been standing to block the progress of the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s... Read Full Article
The post Alabama Prisoners Start Hunger Strike in Response to Covid-19 Neglect, Ask for Support appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report on recently launched hunger strike from anarchist prison Michael Kimble and others in Alabama who are fighting mishandling by prison management of the COVID-19 crisis. On July 29th, anarchist prisoner Michael Kimble, fellow prisoner, Brandon Oden, and several others began a hunger strike from all foods other than water, in protest of the inept... Read Full Article
The post #J25 in the Context of an Uprising Against White Supremacy appeared first on It's Going Down.
Announcing a new zine marking the July 25th International Day of Solidarity with Anti-Fascist Prisoners. Includes essays, background information on various prisoners, and information about how to write them on the inside. Download and Print HERE As these words are written and this zine is formatted, the so-called United States has been embroiled in 9... Read Full Article
The post Solidarity with Portland from Wet’suwet’en Territory appeared first on It's Going Down.
The following photos and action report was anonymously submitted to It’s Going Down, which we re-post below. It reads: On July 25, at approximately 6 am, some comrades dropped a banner and lit a fire in the middle of a bridge that leads to the Morice Forest Service Road, just outside Houston in Wet’suwet’en territory.... Read Full Article
The post Knoxville, TN: Confederate Marker Vandalized in Solidarity with Black Uprising appeared first on It's Going Down.
The following video and message was sent anonymously to It’s Going Down which we re-post below. It reads: From the hills and hollers of Appalachia, until every prison burns and ALL BLACK LIVES MATTER, we stand as accomplices!
The post Seattle, WA: Youth Led Anti-ICE Action Report Back appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report back from militant youth led anti-ICE march in so-called Seattle, WA. This report was originally posted to Puget Sound Anarchists. July 19th’s anti-ICE protest began with a call to gather at Westlake at 11am, with speeches at 1pm. Speeches were given on the importance of solidarity in the face of police violence, highlighting the... Read Full Article
The post Resisting: A New Legal Zine appeared first on It's Going Down.
A new legal resource guide for those in so-called Canada and originally posted to North Shore Counter-Info. If you are in the so-called US, you may want to check out this collection of resources from the Titled Scales Collective. RESISTING is a brand new legal resource for those fighting for collective liberation, and against systemic injustice... Read Full Article
The post From Wildcat to Union Reform: The West Virginia Teacher Struggle Continues appeared first on It's Going Down.
A look at the self-organized struggle of West Virginia teachers following the 2018 wildcat strikes with a look towards the COVID-19 era. Originally published by the Black Rose Anarchist Federation. In the aftermath of the 2018 wildcat teachers strike in West Virginia that kicked off the #Red4Ed movement networks of militant teachers formed the rank-and-file... Read Full Article
Washington, D.C. – The NAACP will kick off its 111th Annual Convention on Monday, August 3, 2020, with the Arts, Culture & Entertainment (ACE) Festival, powered by the NAACP’s Hollywood Bureau. Along with showcasing exclusive digital events and rising Black talent, the festival will feature a diverse set of speakers, artists, and actors that will touch on social and racial justice through the lens of television, film, music, and more. The festival will also feature presentations and an award ceremony for NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) program.
Scheduled to speak:
LaMorne Morris, actor; Ethan Hawke, actor, writer, producer, director; Maria Taylor, College Sports Host & Reporter, NBA Countdown host, ESPN; Grant Hill, executive producer, Daveed Diggs, actor, writer, producer, activist; Derrick Johnson, president and CEO, NAACP.
“The Hollywood Bureau is excited to start this year’s annual convention with our virtual Arts, Culture & Entertainment Festival,” said Robin Harrison, director, NAACP Hollywood Bureau. “The Black community has always been exceptional in using our skills to uplift, celebrate, and bring attention to our plight in a meaningful way. This year’s ACE Festival will be no different and is sure to be timely, engaging, and insightful.”
The ACE Festival will kick off several weeks of programming for the NAACP’s National Convention. The following week, August 12 through August 14, ACT-SO, a yearlong achievement program for African-American high school students, will host a virtual competition with an awards ceremony on the 15th.
Media interested in covering this year’s conference can visit NAACP.org to register and learn more information. Press inquiries regarding the festival should be emailed to communications@naacpnet.org.
The schedule of events is as follows:
Monday, August 3
Black Boy Joy (Short Film)
3:45 – 4:00 PM EST
Crip Camp Screening with Q&A (Live)
4:00 – 6:25 PM EST
John Lewis: Good Trouble (Limited to 200 people)
6:30-8:00 PM EST
Tuesday, August 4
SWIM (Short Film)
3:00 – 3:15 PM EST
ESPN’s Undefeated- Time for Change: We Won’t be Defeated
3:00 – 4:00 PM EST
A Most Beautiful Thing Documentary Screening
4:30-6:30 PM EST
Wednesday, August 5
Woke (Pilot Episode- Hulu)
4:30-5:30 PM EST
It’s Not All Black and White/Black Lives Matter (Short Film)
5:00 – 5:35 PM EST
The Good Lord Bird (Clips & Conversations)
5:30 – 6:30 PM EST
Thursday, August 6
The “Proud Family” Reunion
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST
The Mud (Short Film)
4:00 – 4:10 PM EST
Disney/Pixar’s SOUL (Clips & Conversations)
4:00 – 4:45 PM
Counter (Short Film)
4:45- 4:56 PM EST
Behind the Story of Musical
Genius – Aretha Franklin (Clips & Conversation)
6:00 – 7:00 PM EST
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About NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
The NAACP is a c4 organization (contributions are not tax-deductible), and we have a partner c3 organization known as NAACP Empowerment Programs (contributions are fully tax-deductible as allowed by the IRS).
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and shares our commitment to equal rights.
The post NAACP Kicks Off 111th Annual Convention with Arts, Culture & Entertainment Festival appeared first on NAACP.
Philadelphia NAACP President, Rodney Muhammad, made the following statement regarding a previous Facebook Post:
“Earlier this week, I shared a post on social media in an attempt to start a dialogue around criticism and understanding.
I later learned that not only was the quote I used misattributed to the philosopher Francois Voltaire, but in fact, the quote and image had been used previously by white supremacists. I immediately removed both the quote and the offensive images. It was never my intention to offend anyone or cause any hurt.
The NAACP strongly condemns any offensive language or imagery and stands against all forms of hate speech and anti-Semitism.
I stand with all members of the Jewish faith in the fight for social justice, and I intend to use this opportunity for thoughtful conversations with both the Black and Jewish communities.”
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The post Statement from Philadelphia NAACP President Rodney Muhammad Regarding Facebook Post appeared first on NAACP.
The post Pie Hole Workers Call for Solidarity: Review Blast and Strike Fund appeared first on It's Going Down.
Call for solidarity with workers on strike in Boise, Idaho at the pizza chain, Pie Hole. Workers at Pie Hole, a pizza chain based in Boise, Idaho, have been on strike since July 3rd, after being fired for organizing for a living wage and input into safety measures at their shop. As local media reports,... Read Full Article
The post Thousands Take to Streets in Solidarity With Portland; Youth Jail Set on Fire in Seattle; Garrett Foster Killed in Austin appeared first on It's Going Down.
Thousands took to the streets across the so-called United States in solidarity with the ongoing rebellion that began following the police murder of George Floyd and in support of those in Portland, Oregon who for the past two months have been resisting a brutal occupation by local and federal law enforcement. Actions took place both... Read Full Article
The post Assembly of Oaxaca Denounces AMLO’s Visit to the State appeared first on It's Going Down.
Statement from the Oaxacan Assembly in Defense of Land and Territory denouncing AMLO’s visit to the state To those with ears who want to listen and act. From the valleys, mountains and jungles, from the sea and wind of the Isthmus, as the organizations, communities, peoples, unions, and Indigenous nations in resistance and struggle... Read Full Article
The post This Is America #122: Report from DC; Mapping the Strategy of the DHS appeared first on It's Going Down.
Welcome, to This Is America, July 25th, 2020. On this episode, we sat down with an anarchist of color out of Washington DC, who speaks about what happened in the streets in the initial weeks of the rebellion following the police murder of George Floyd. We discuss the nightly rounds of clashes outside the White... Read Full Article
The post The Other White Vigilante appeared first on It's Going Down.
Peter Gelderloos looks at the harmful role of “progressive” white vigilantes in resistance movements. White vigilantes play a vital paramilitary role in the functioning of any settler state. The violence of such vigilantes was the driving force in the US’s westward expansion, and at the same time the paramilitary culture they developed became central to... Read Full Article
Washington D.C. (July 23, 2020) – NAACP will host a Virtual Town Hall featuring Senator Mitt Romney and NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson on Wednesday, July 29 at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT.
They will discuss the global public health crisis and social justice uprisings which have brought awareness to the ongoing disparities and systemic racism present throughout our nation. The conversation will be moderated by Journalist April Ryan and will provide an opportunity for audience questions.
All can participate in the hour-long program via interactive toll-free conference call or watch the livestream on the NAACP’s website at https://naacp.org/call-to-action-program/. To join via phone, dial (866) 757-0756 and to join the conversation on social media follow @NAACP.
Participants will have the opportunity to hear remarks from Senator Mitt Romney and Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP.
Media interested in covering this event can register by visiting, RSVP NOW. Please direct any media inquires to commmunications@naacpnet.org.
WHAT: Virtual Town Hall
WHERE: Participant Dial-in: (866) 757 0756 / naacp.org
WHEN: Wednesday, July 29 at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT.
WHO:
Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP
Mitt Romney, Senator (R-UT)
April Ryan, Journalist
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Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and shares our commitment to equal rights.
The post NAACP to Host Virtual Town Hall Featuring Senator Mitt Romney appeared first on NAACP.
The NAACP joins forces with outspoken merchandise platform to raise funds for the voting engagement efforts among youth and college-aged members
NEW YORK — The NAACP Youth & College Division exclusively partners with This T-Shirt // @buythistshirt, an outspoken merchandise initiative supporting in-need businesses, marginalized communities, and philanthropic organizations, on the Power To The Youth Collection. One hundred percent of the profits will be dedicated to galvanizing the NAACP Youth & College Division’s 25,000 members for increased voter education, voter registration programming, and civic engagement efforts for the 2020 election. The Collection drops on Thursday, July 23 at 2PM EST.
For over 80 years, the NAACP Youth and College Division has been one of the largest organized groups of young people in any secular organization in the country. Today there are more than 25,000 young people, under the age of 25, representing 550 Junior Youth Councils, Youth Councils, High School Chapters and College Chapters actively involved in the fight for civil rights. The vision of the NAACP Youth and College Division is to ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race by developing a New Generation of Civil Rights and Community Leaders. The Division focuses on three areas of work: training, advocacy, and leadership.
“There are other great organizations that do work with young Black people,” says Tiffany Dena Loftin, the NAACP National Director of Youth and College Division, “but there is no other vehicle in the country right now that is as institutional and robust as the Youth and College Division at the NAACP—an infrastructure that has stood the test of time, and that folks should continue to invest in so that we repopulate young Black leadership in the progressive movement.”
The Power The Youth Collection is a limited time release and will be available through the end of July. The public can purchase the Bucket Hats ($30) and T-Shirts ($40) on the This T-Shirt website, and directly on Instagram via @buythistshirt, starting at 2PM EST on Thursday, July 23.
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About This T-Shirt
This T-Shirt is a relief platform dedicated to helping those in need through leveraging creativity and strategic partnerships. What started as a response to the toll the COVID-19 global health pandemic took on the hospitality industry, has rapidly evolved into an ongoing initiative to support in-need business, marginalized people and communities, and philanthropic organizations seeking outspoken advocates and additional channels to raise funds.
About NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
The NAACP is a c4 organization (contributions are not tax-deductible), and we have a partner c3 organization known as NAACP Empowerment Programs (contributions are fully tax-deductible as allowed by the IRS).
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and shares our commitment to equal rights.
The post NAACP Partners with This T-Shirt on the ‘Power to the Youth’ Collection Benefitting the NAACP Youth & College Division appeared first on NAACP.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2020
Contacts:
Marc Banks / dbanks@naacpnet.org
Ashley Levett, (334) 296-0084 / ashley.levett@splcenter.org
Sharon Krengel, (973) 624-1815, x24 / skrengel@edlawcenter.org
NATIONAL – A rule issued by the U.S. Department of Education this month coerces school districts to use an illegal process to inflate the amount of federal COVID-19 aid they must share with private schools. The rule will drastically diminish the resources available to support public school children and historically underserved student populations during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a lawsuit filed today by public school parents, districts, and the NAACP. The lawsuit seeks to block the rule.
The lawsuit, NAACP v. DeVos, explains that the rule imposes illegal and harmful requirements on the emergency relief funds allocated to public school districts under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Under the rule, school districts must divert more funding for “equitable services” to private school students than the law requires or face onerous restrictions on the use of those funds in their public schools. Both options violate the clear language and intent of the CARES Act and will undermine district efforts to adequately serve students who desperately need services and supports due to the impacts of the pandemic.
The CARES Act directs public school districts to calculate the amount they must set aside for private schools based on the number of low-income students enrolled in private schools. However, DeVos’ rule forces school districts to comply with one of two illegal options, either: (1) allocate CARES Act funds for private schools based on all students enrolled in private school, which includes students from affluent families, or (2) allocate these funds based on the number of low-income students at private schools, but face severe restrictions on how the rest of the district’s CARES Act funds can be used, including a prohibition on their use to serve any students who do not attend Title I schools.
The rule was first introduced in April as non-binding guidance from Secretary DeVos and received widespread criticism from education leaders and lawmakers that the guidance violated the CARES Act and would leave districts without resources essential to address the impacts of COVID-19. Several state attorneys general have also filed suit to challenge these new rules.
“Amid a national health crisis, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is robbing public school children of desperately needed relief and diverting it to private schools,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO, NAACP. “This is a new low, even for an administration intent on promoting inequality in education. Children and families across the nation are facing unprecedented risks to their safety and educational opportunities. COVID-19 has magnified the hardships for children from low-income households and diminished access to quality instruction, digital technology, nutrition, social development, and other vital resources. These are consequences that will last a lifetime.”
“Forcing districts to spend even more funding on private schools exacerbates existing inequities in Arizona,” said Beth Lewis, Title I school parent and teacher in the Tempe Elementary School District and cofounder of grassroots advocacy group Save Our Schools Arizona. “Our public schools have been defunded for decades and already lose hundreds of millions of dollars to private schools via vouchers every single year. Secretary DeVos’s binding rule forces our neighborhood schools to give desperately needed federal aid to private schools that have already accepted small business bailouts. Meanwhile, Title I public schools like mine have to rely on local charities and donors to help us feed students and stock classrooms. This rule will harm the students and families who need resources the most.”
The coronavirus pandemic has focused the nation’s attention on the essential role public schools play in the lives of families and communities. Since closing buildings in March, public schools across the country have worked tirelessly to maintain instruction and provide students with meals, access to technology, health services, and social and emotional supports. Public schools now need more – not fewer – resources. Yet, Secretary DeVos continues to exploit the pandemic to promote her political agenda of funneling taxpayer dollars to private schools.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are represented pro bono by the law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP, as well as Education Law Center (ELC) and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). The organizations collaborate on Public Funds Public Schools (PFPS), a national campaign to ensure public funds are used exclusively to maintain, support, and strengthen the nation’s public schools.
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About NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
The NAACP is a c4 organization (contributions are not tax-deductible), and we have a partner c3 organization known as NAACP Empowerment Programs (contributions are fully tax-deductible as allowed by the IRS).
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and shares our commitment to equal rights.
About PFPS
Public Funds Public Schools (PFPS) is a national campaign that works to ensure public funds for education are used exclusively to maintain, support and strengthen our nation’s public schools. The campaign is supported by the Southern Poverty Law Center, SPLC Action Fund, Education Law Center, and Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP. For more information, visit www.pfps.org.
The post DeVos Sued by Public School Parents, NAACP, and School Districts to Block Illegal Rule That Diverts Critical COVID-19 Aid from Public Schools to Private Schools appeared first on NAACP.
The post Communique from Indigenous Prisoners in Struggle in Chiapas appeared first on It's Going Down.
Indigenous prisoners in struggle in CERSS No. 5 in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, announce a change of strategy in their political struggle after agreements reached with the director of the prison To the Public To the Networks of Resistance and Rebellion To the National Indigenous Congress To the National and International Sixth... Read Full Article
The post Nothing is as Deceptive as the Situation… Because Nothing is so Changeable appeared first on It's Going Down.
This conversation started between two comrades (a first generation non-black POC based in the States and an Iranian translator and militant living in exile for political reasons) and took place over the course of two weeks. Its main purpose is to update comrades living outside of the United States on the current developments of the... Read Full Article
The post From Portland to the World: A Call for Solidarity with the Struggle against the Federal Occupation appeared first on It's Going Down.
Call for and list of upcoming solidarity demonstrations with people in the streets of Portland. Since the end of May, demonstrators opposing police violence and white supremacy have thronged the streets of Portland, Oregon, clashing with law enforcement officers. Last week, aspiring autocrat Donald Trump escalated the situation by announcing that he would be sending... Read Full Article
The post A Response to “Gifts to the State Against the Fire of Revolt” appeared first on It's Going Down.
The following is a response to Gifts to the State Against the Fire of Revolt, which was posted on June 15, 2020 to It’s Going Down. We are a group of anarchists doing political work in New York City. We choose to remain anonymous due to security and safety concerns. We agree that struggle is... Read Full Article
The post Lane County Jail Hunger Strike Enters Week 5: Minor Concessions Won As Second Case of Covid-19 Confirmed appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report on ongoing hunger strike in Lane County which is entering its fifth week. Includes interviews with inmates and how you can support their struggle. Eugene, OR – The Lane County Jail Hunger Strike enters into its 29th day and fifth week as at least five pre-trial detainees continue to strike (with reports of five others... Read Full Article
The post This Is America #121: Portland in Revolt, Trump in Crisis appeared first on It's Going Down.
Welcome, to This Is America, July 22nd, 2020. On this episode, we speak with two people about the ongoing upheaval in Portland, Oregon, where for over 54 days and nights, people have faced off against both the police and federal troops from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). We speak with someone from the Youth... Read Full Article
The post Announcing New Anarchist Publication from So-Called Vancouver, ‘No More City’ appeared first on It's Going Down.
Announcing the new anarchist publication, No More City, from so-called Vancouver. Read and Download HERE No More City is an anarchist publication based out of so-called Vancouver. We are settler cats who live in the city because that’s where pals and projects are at. Meanwhile, we plug our ears through the constant car traffic and... Read Full Article
The post Portland Awakens: A Report From the Front Lines appeared first on It's Going Down.
A report from the front lines of Portland from Defend PDX. In the beginning, we were many. We were thousands. Exploding into the street after watching a video of horror both strange and all-too-familiar: a video of a nine-minute murder, of a killer indifferent to the pleas of the bound man he choked and crushed... Read Full Article
The post Accounts from the Battle of Grant Park: How Chicago Demonstrators Pushed Back the Police and Nearly Toppled a Statue appeared first on It's Going Down.
A report from CrimethInc. on the recent mass mobilization in Chicago that nearly brought down the Christopher Columbus statue. On July 17, 2020, following a rally in Grant Park—the site of horrific police violence during the Democratic National Convention of 1968—demonstrators outwitted and outfought police officers, winning an opportunity to try to topple a hated... Read Full Article
The post Announcing New Issue of Philadelphia Anarchist Publication Anathema appeared first on It's Going Down.
Long-running insurrectionary anarchist publication Anathema from so-called Philadelphia returns with a new issue. Volume 6 Issue 5 (PDF for reading 8.5×11) Volume 6 Issue 5 (PDF for printing 11×17) In this issue: Keeping The Embers Hot What Went Down Lore Blumenthal’s Case Abolish The Police? Mass Motives (End Notes Review) Touch The Sky Review Greek... Read Full Article
The post Lake County, MI: New Hunger Strike at North Lake appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report on ongoing hunger strike at the North Lake Correctional Facility in Lake County Michigan. On Tuesday, July 21st, one day after people around the country participated in a historic #StrikeForBlackLives, a group of nine predominantly Black men held in the Special Housing Unit (or SHU) at the North Lake Correctional Facility in Baldwin are... Read Full Article
The post COVID-19 and Uprisings for Black Liberation Used as a Pretext for Advancing Mass Surveillance appeared first on It's Going Down.
Kris Hermes discusses the explosion of corporate and State surveillance that has grown in recent months. Originally posted to Agency. On the night of June 1, amidst mass uprisings against police violence and structural racism, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) deployed it’s most advanced spy plane, equipped with sophisticated long-range video cameras that can... Read Full Article
Virtual programming on 57th anniversary of March on Washington will advance a bold Black agenda; honor the legacy of John Lewis
BALTIMORE — Today, the NAACP announced that it will lead a “2020 Virtual March on Washington” alongside civil rights leaders, activists, and families of those who died at the hands of law enforcement, to call for police accountability reform and mobilize voters ahead of the November elections.
The virtual march — which will bring forward a bold National Black agenda — will take place on August 28th, 2020, the 57th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Accompanying virtual events with music performances and keynote speakers will also take place on the nights of August 27th and 28th.
“To meet both the urgency and unique circumstances of this political moment, we are driving this movement from protest to policy to power with all the innovative tools at our disposal, including and especially through virtual organizing,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of NAACP. “Our 2020 Virtual March on Washington is about asking everyone — from protesters in the streets to elected officials at all levels of government — to commit to pursuing a new agenda that prioritizes equity, justice, and equal opportunity for all. As we approach the November elections, we must mobilize to vote like we’ve never done before.”
This inclusive day of action seeks to channel the soaring energy from this national moment of reckoning and will call for reforms of the systems, structures, policies, and attitudes that enable police brutality, racial discrimination, and interpersonal racism. The NAACP will also execute a robust civic engagement effort with multiple levers of change, including registering participants to vote and encouraging them to participate in the Census.
“With the heartbreaking passing of civil rights titan John Lewis, good-willed people all across this country can participate in this march to honor his life and legacy and commit to pursuing a bold Black agenda that advances the unfulfilled promise of our democracy,” President Johnson continued. “We must consider the lives we are attempting to forge for our families and communities. We must act in our best interest to knock down the walls of injustice and grant future generations access to higher social, economic, and political power. This is what the 2020 Virtual March on Washington is all about.”
A series of virtual and in-person programming will take place on the following dates:
Coming days after both the Democratic National Convention and the Republican National Convention, the 2020 Virtual March on Washington will set forth a bold new Black agenda — advocating for comprehensive police accountability reform, economic empowerment, and equitable access to health care, education, and the voting booths. For more information, visit 2020march.com.
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ABOUT THE NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons. The NAACP is a c4 organization (contributions are not tax-deductible), and we have a partner c3 organization known as the NAACP Empowerment Programs (contributions are fully tax-deductible as allowed by the IRS).
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund — also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and shares our commitment to equal rights.
The post NAACP Announces Virtual March on Washington to Channel Momentum for Police Accountability and Voter Mobilization appeared first on NAACP.
The post Portland Is Coming Together Against the State: Some Notes appeared first on It's Going Down.
This short report on the current situation in Portland was originally published by Black Powder Press. cover image from Robert Evans Last night saw one of the largest, most rowdy, and well prepared crowds at the justice center in PDX in over a month. Protesters came out with helmets, shields, goggles, gas masks, medical supplies, laser... Read Full Article
The post Providence, RI: Abolitionists Rally Outside of Mayor’s Home appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report back from recent abolitionist action in Providence, Rhode Island. Around 9:30 PM on Friday July 17, Making Abolition Through Collective Humanity (MATCH) and other autonomous affinity groups surprised the Mayor with a spectacle of noise, fireworks, small barricades, smoke grenades and chants – completely undisrupted – until the police arrived approximately ten minutes into... Read Full Article
The post Authenticity and Abolition appeared first on It's Going Down.
A critical look at abolitionist currents and organizations in New York. New York City is seeing the most intense street uprising since the 1960s. It has attracted thousands of newcomers who proudly call themselves revolutionaries and abolitionists. The concepts of “defunding” and even abolishing the police have moved from the Leftist margins to evening news... Read Full Article
The post July 25th: Call for a Day of Action in Solidarity With Portland & Against the Federal Invasion appeared first on It's Going Down.
The Youth Liberation Front (YLF) makes the following call for a day of action in solidarity with the ongoing resistance in Portland. On July 25th, youth abolitionists are calling for a national and global march against the institution of policing. We are demanding justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Stephon Clark, Philando Castille, Eric Garner,... Read Full Article
The post Durham, NC: Firms Working with Sheriff’s Office Sabotaged appeared first on It's Going Down.
The following communique was anonymously sent to It’s Going Down which we publish below. It reads: Since the recent uprising against the police, sparked by the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and also centuries of systemic anti-blackness and state violence, we have witnessed a historic outpouring of grief and rage. We have found... Read Full Article
The post Phone Zap for JaaMall Oglesby: Prisoner At Polk CI in North Carolina appeared first on It's Going Down.
Call for phone-zap campaign in support of James Oackley in North Carolina, who is in need of medical attention. In April of this year, JaaMall Oglesby, aka James Oackley was stabbed in the left eye during a knife fight, an injury from which he is still recovering. When he was seen by doctors at Duke... Read Full Article
The post White Supremacists and Far-Right Militias Rallying at Stone Mountain, August 15th appeared first on It's Going Down.
Alert that white supremacists and far-Right militias will rally at Stone Mountain in Georgia on August 15th. On August 15, 2020, far-Right demonstrators will rally at Stone Mountain Park outside Atlanta. The August 15 rally, held at the birthplace of the modern Ku Klux Klan, is being promoted and partially organized by figures tied to... Read Full Article
The NAACP mourns the passing of Congressman John Lewis, a resounding civil rights giant. He fought harder and longer than anyone in our nation’s continuing battle for civil rights and equal justice.
Often called “one of the most courageous persons the Civil Rights Movement ever produced,” John Lewis dedicated his life to protecting human rights, securing civil liberties, and building what he calls “The Beloved Community” in America. By 1963, Lewis was dubbed one of the Big Six leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. At the age of 23, he was an architect and a keynote speaker at the historic March on Washington in August 1963.
Along with Hosea Williams, John Lewis led over 600 peaceful, orderly protestors across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, on March 7, 1965. They intended to march from Selma to Montgomery to demonstrate the need for voting rights in the state. Despite more than 40 arrests, physical attacks, and serious injuries, John Lewis remained a devoted advocate of nonviolent philosophy.
John Lewis went on to become a United States Congressman and has served as U.S. Representative of Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District since 1986. Lewis was a member of the influential House Budget Committee and House Ways and Means Committee, where he served on the Subcommittee on Health until his death. Congressman Lewis served as Senior Chief Deputy Democratic Whip and sat in a direct line of succession to the number two Democratic leadership position in the House. John Lewis is the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Martin Luther King, Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize. He received the NAACP Spingarn Medal in 2002 and the NAACP Chairman’s Award in 2020.
If we know anything about our dear friend John Lewis, he wanted us to continue the battle for full participation in a democracy that he began long ago with other civil rights icons. On November 3, we can and must honor our beloved John Lewis by casting our ballot and ensuring that our vote is counted, up and down the ballot.
John Lewis was a national treasure and a civil rights hero for the ages. We are deeply saddened by his passing but profoundly grateful for his immense contributions to justice. He used every waking moment of his 80 years to push this country toward more representative democracy and left behind a remarkable model. It is up to us to pick up his mantle and carry on, and we urge the entire nation to join us. As people of all colors are in the streets seeking racial justice, we urge all that can to speak louder and stay a little longer to honor the best warrior for democracy our nation has ever known.
The NAACP extends our sincerest condolences to the family of Congressman Lewis and sends prayers of comfort and strength now and always.
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Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons. The NAACP is a c4 organization (contributions are not tax-deductible), and we have a partner c3 organizations known as NAACP Empowerment Programs (contributions are fully tax-deductible as allowed by the IRS). NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund — also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and shares our commitment to equal rights.
The post NAACP Mourns the Death of Civil Rights Icon, Congressman John Lewis appeared first on NAACP.
The post Female Keep Separate: Prisons, Gender, and the Violence of Inclusion appeared first on It's Going Down.
The following essay was originally published on North Shore Counter-Info. To view a PDF version of the text, go here. First, a warning: This text is written by and for queers and their friends. It is meant as part of a conversation around inclusion and identity where the validity of queer people isn’t in question.... Read Full Article
The post Uprising at County Jail in Farmington, New Mexico appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report on recent uprising at San Juan County Adult Detention Center in Farmington, New Mexico. Originally posted to Abolition Media Worldwide. An uprising broke out at San Juan County Adult Detention Center on July 13 in response to a reduction in hot meals and a lack of COVID-19 testing. Over a third of the prisoners at... Read Full Article
The post Solidarity with the People in the Streets of Portland: Against the Federal Occupation appeared first on It's Going Down.
The following statement, written along with our comrades at CrimethInc., discusses the ongoing police and DHS actions in Portland, Oregon. On Thursday, both Donald Trump and his white nationalist and nativist advisor Stephen Miller announced that they will begin deploying armed officers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the streets of cities that have... Read Full Article
The post Tank on Me: Lessons from the Uprising in Hong Kong in the Face of Rising Authoritarianism appeared first on It's Going Down.
On this episode of the It’s Going Down podcast, we speak with Wilfred Chan, a contributing editor in The Nation and a participant in the anti-colonial and anti-capitalist project, Lausan, about the recent uprising in Hong Kong which kicked off in the summer of 2019. The revolt was centered around defeating the proposed (and now... Read Full Article
PITTSBURGH, Penn. — Voters are fighting back against the Trump campaign’s illegal attempt to make it difficult for Pennsylvanians to vote by mail and to have those ballots counted during the pandemic.
The American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Pennsylvania, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Public Interest Law Center, and WilmerHale took legal action today on behalf of the NAACP Pennsylvania State Conference, Common Cause Pennsylvania, the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, and several individual voters.
They moved to intervene as defendants in a recent lawsuit brought by the Trump presidential campaign and the Republican Party. The Trump campaign lawsuit, filed June 29, is attempting, among other things, to block voters in Pennsylvania from depositing their mail ballots in drop boxes instead of mailboxes, a secure and streamlined process often used by states that conduct all-mail elections.
“The only reason the Trump campaign is trying to limit the use of mail voting is to make it more difficult for Pennsylvanians to vote. Drop boxes are a safe and efficient option for people who want to participate in our democracy, particularly in the midst of a highly contagious and deadly pandemic,” said Sarah Brannon, managing director of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project.
The campaign is attempting to limit “Pennsylvanians’ constitutionally protected right to vote by preventing the use of ballot drop-off locations,” the filing charges. “A limit on the use of mail-in ballots would place unlawful and unwarranted restrictions on the time, place, and manner of voting in the November 3 elections.”
Further, it would “primarily affect people of color and medically vulnerable individuals, who experience disproportionately higher rates of infection, illness, and death due to the pandemic and face grave risks to their health and the health of their communities if they vote in person.”
“Our democracy works when all voters can exercise their fundamental right and cast a ballot that counts,” said Kenneth Huston, president of the NAACP Pennsylvania State Conference. “Accessing the ballot box is particularly challenging for many Pennsylvanians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reducing access to the vote-by-mail process risks disenfranchising eligible voters. The NAACP has stood with Pennsylvania voters who seek to vote safely and will continue to do so here.”
“Election officials in some counties have tried to make it easier for people to vote in the middle of a pandemic, and the Trump campaign is cynically trying to undercut that effort,” said Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania.“No matter who people want to vote for, there should be as few hurdles as possible to exercise that right.”
“The opportunity for all Pennsylvanians to vote by mail proved to be a literal lifeline in this primary. Over 1.5 million Pennsylvanians were able to cast their ballot from home, and drop boxes were a critical part of the vote-by-mail process. Voters cannot be forced to choose between their ability to vote and their health. We will continue to fight so they are never forced to make that choice and to make sure vote by mail is not turned into a partisan football,” said Suzanne Almeida, interim executive director of Common Cause Pennsylvania.
“Due to the ongoing global pandemic, voters must have reliable access to vote-by-mail options. As our leaders consider changes to the voting process in Pennsylvania, the League is asking to step in to ensure that the voices and needs of Pennsylvania voters are represented,” said Terrie Griffin, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania.
“We will not allow this partisan lawsuit to block Pennsylvania citizens’ access to the ballot box. Elections should be about maximizing voter participation, not about forcing voters to choose between their health and their suffrage,” said Ben Geffen, staff attorney at the Philadelphia-based Public Interest Law Center.
“At a time of a public health crisis, when every reasonable step should be taken to make voting more accessible, the Trump campaign has filed this suit to make it less accessible,” said John Powers, counsel at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. “Voting is not a plaything for politicians. It is a fundamental right. It is the voters’ interests that are paramount. The organizations we represent in this motion to intervene will represent those interests, and only those interests, in this case.”
The case was filed in U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania.
Filing: https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/filing-penn-voting-case
CONTACT:
Inga Sarda-Sorensen, ACLU National, 347-514-3984, isarda-sorensen@aclu.org
Andrew Hoover, ACLU of Pennsylvania, 717-514-2747, ahoover@aclupa.org
Marc Banks, NAACP, 404-849-3189, dbanks@naacpnet.org
Jonathan McJunkin, Public Interest Law Center, 570-337-1969, jmcjunkin@pubintlaw.org
Don Owens, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, 202-934-1880, dowens@lawyerscommittee.org
Liz Iacobucci, Common Cause, 978-807-8294, liacobucci@commoncause.org
Kayla Vix, League of Women Voters of the United States, 202-809-9668, kvix@lwv.org
Eileen Olmsted, League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, 412-877-9296, communications@palwv.org
The post Voters and Civil Rights Organizations Take Legal Action Challenging Trump Campaign’s Voter Suppression Efforts in Pennsylvania appeared first on NAACP.
The post Providence, RI: Abolitionists Rally Outside Governor’s Mansion appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report back from recent abolitionist demonstration in Providence outside the home of the Governor of Rhode Island. On Sunday July 12th, Making Abolition Though Collective Humanity (MATCH), an informal collective of prison and police abolitionists, and about 25 other activists took police by surprise with a disruption at the mansion of Rhode Island Governor, Gina... Read Full Article
The post Martinez, CA: Thousands Rally Following Racist Vandalism and Threats Against Black Lives Matter appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report back from mass Black Lives Matter rally in Martinez, California, where far-Right vigilantes, Trump supporters, and white nationalists have engaged in acts of vandalism and intimidation against local community members. “Nonviolence refuses to recognize that it can only work for privileged people, who have a status protected by violence, as the perpetrators and beneficiaries... Read Full Article
The post Gifts to the State Against the Fire of Revolt: On Identity Reductionism and Weaponization in NYC appeared first on It's Going Down.
A critical look at the role of Left activist groups and reactionary identity politics within the recent rebellion that broke out across New York after the police murder of George Floyd. We start this communique with an acknowledgment that struggle is messy and things don’t come about into a perfect formation right away without some... Read Full Article
The post Burning Tiki Torches Placed in Yards of Anti-Racist Organizers in Charlottesville As ‘Unite the Right’ Anniversary Looms appeared first on It's Going Down.
The following statement comes from local anti-racist organizers in Charlottesville and was originally posted to Medium. In the early hours of July 13, 2020, two Charlottesville community organizers found tiki torches ablaze in the yards of their homes. Another torch was discovered, unlit and discarded, in the vicinity of a third organizer’s house. It is... Read Full Article
The post There Was a Time Before Police, There Will Be a Time After: Reportback on Anti-Canada Day Demo in Guelph appeared first on It's Going Down.
Reportback on recent anti-Canada Day demonstration in Guelph. Originally posted to North Shore Counter-Info. On July 1st, 2020, the day called “Canada Day,” several hundred people gathered in Lions’ Park in Guelph for a march called Black and Indigenous Solidarity Against Police Brutality. Led by Black and Indigenous youth, this march was very exciting and... Read Full Article
The post Fighting Smarter: Strategy & Analysis in Olympia appeared first on It's Going Down.
Report and analysis from so-called Olympia on the ongoing rebellion in the streets following the police murder of George Floyd. Originally published on Puget Sound Anarchists. So much has been happening in so-called Olympia and so fast that it feels impossible to catch a breather. The consistent level of energy and action has out paced any... Read Full Article
The post This Week in Fascism #68: Caught With Your Hand in the White Supremacy Jar appeared first on It's Going Down.
Welcome fellow antifascists! We’ve got another jam-packed column for you this week! First up “National Conservative” Tucker Carlson’s head writer turns out to be – gasp! – a flaming racist and sexist! Plus, we bring you the tale of a former American Guard member who now sits on a local School Board. We then map... Read Full Article
