Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Against Trump’s Coup & Fascist Boogaloo: Towards a General Strike

The post Against Trump’s Coup & Fascist Boogaloo: Towards a General Strike appeared first on It's Going Down.

The first debate between the ruling corporate parties has now come and gone, with even the mainstream media agreeing that the entire event was a raging dumpster fire. Trump, who has for months said that he will not except any other outcome in the upcoming election other than a victory, has been prepping his base... Read Full Article


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New video by Unicorn Riot on YouTube - go check it out ;-)


Watch on YouTube here: Former NBA Players Protest Police Violence in Minneapolis [June 11, 2020]
Via Christian Gasper

Chehalis Territory: Forest Defenders Launch Blockade to Stop Logging of the ‘Chameleon’ Timber Sale

The post Chehalis Territory: Forest Defenders Launch Blockade to Stop Logging of the ‘Chameleon’ Timber Sale appeared first on It's Going Down.

Report on ongoing clear-cut logging blockade of old-growth forest west of so-called Olympia, Washington on Chehalis territory. Follow the campaign here. Donate HERE Forest defenders today have launched a blockade to prevent the clear-cut logging of a 100-year-old forest west of Olympia on the traditional territory of the Chehalis people. The forest, part of the... Read Full Article


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Call for Solidarity with the Birmingham Free Store Following Sponsorship Cuts

The post Call for Solidarity with the Birmingham Free Store Following Sponsorship Cuts appeared first on It's Going Down.

The Birmingham Free Store is seeking new sources of funds and supplies after losing a major sponsor. The Free Store is an absolutely incredible anarchist mutual aid project in Birmingham, Alabama. It’s just what it sounds like – a store where everything is free – but it’s also so much more. It’s a much needed... Read Full Article


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Mutual Aid In Tijuana: Help El Comedor Make Rent

The post Mutual Aid In Tijuana: Help El Comedor Make Rent appeared first on It's Going Down.

Call to support El Comedor keep their doors open and continue to provide mutual and community infrastructure in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Donate HERE Were reaching out to let you know Contra Viento Y Marea’s migrant/refugee run and oriented community kitchen and resource hub, El Comedor, is still providing hot meals and vital... Read Full Article


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Tuesday, September 29, 2020

New video by Unicorn Riot on YouTube - go check it out ;-)


Watch on YouTube here: Complaints Document Medical Malpractice in Death of Hardel Sherrell
Via Christian Gasper

Final Straw: Lorax B. Horne on BlueLeaks

The post Final Straw: Lorax B. Horne on BlueLeaks appeared first on It's Going Down.

Long running anarchist radio and podcast show The Final Straw speaks with Lorax B. Horne about the recent BlueLeaks. Listen and Download HERE This week on The Final Straw, we present a conversation that I had with Lorax B. Horne, a non-binary writer and journalist from Canada, Ecuador and the United Kingdom who is currently... Read Full Article


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Indigenous Kumiai Land and Water Defender Assassinated in Baja California

The post Indigenous Kumiai Land and Water Defender Assassinated in Baja California appeared first on It's Going Down.

Communique from the National Indigenous Congress denouncing the assassination of Óscar Eyraud Adams, Indigenous Kumiai land and water defender from Baja California   To the Indigenous Governing Council To the National Indigenous Congress On September 24th, a commando of more than a dozen hired assassins killed Óscar Eyraud Adams, an Indigenous Kumiai defender of water,... Read Full Article


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New post from the NAACP: NAACP Appalled at Hostile Characterization of Peaceful Protest as “Race and Violence” in Upcoming Presidential Debate by Marc Banks

Washington, D.C. — The NAACP released the following statement regarding the hostile characterization of the protests–Race and Violence in Our Cities–in the upcoming presidential debate.

The mischaracterization of what transpired in this country over the last several months creates a false and dangerous narrative around what democracy looks like in America. The current framing steers people away from the relevant conversation we should have about police brutality, systemic oppression, racial injustice, and police officer’s role in our society. Instead, we are setting the stage for the vilification of non-violent political and social movements, such as Black Lives Matter (BLM), that seek accountability for the injustices Black Americans have suffered at the hands of our justice system.

During this debate, we hope to hear our urgent concerns about Black people’s lives and their treatment in this country addressed. The poorly veiled attempt to shift the public discourse and scrutiny away from the cause of the peaceful protest is a tactic to deceive people about the origin of the violence and where it is directed.

We must meet this moment with collective power that sends a message about our real concerns. From a viable COVID-19 response to economic insecurities to racial injustice, the issues and conversations that need to be addressed are missing from the public dialogue.

###

 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 Appalled at Hostile Characterization of Peaceful Protest as “Race and Violence” in Upcoming Presidential Debate appeared first on NAACP.



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This Week in Fascism #76: Authorities Facilitate Armed Drunken Proud Boys Attacking Journalists; More Chat Leaks

The post This Week in Fascism #76: Authorities Facilitate Armed Drunken Proud Boys Attacking Journalists; More Chat Leaks appeared first on It's Going Down.

Welcome, fellow antifascists! This week, we’ve got multiple leaked chats from the far-Right, planning violent rallies; the Portland police collaborating with the Proud Boys and making an end run around the DA’s office; “Crying Nazi” Christopher Cantwell convicted of sending interstate threats; plus, the usual round of doxxes. Without further ado, let’s begin! News Eugene... Read Full Article


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Monday, September 28, 2020

Autonomous Blockade Against Logging Launched on So-Called Vancouver Island

The post Autonomous Blockade Against Logging Launched on So-Called Vancouver Island appeared first on It's Going Down.

Resistance to industrial logging is heating up on Vancouver Island in so-called British Columbia. For a quick look at the ongoing fight, check out this article. The following action report about another blockade was anonymously submitted to It’s Going Down which we re-post below. It reads: On a coast choked in smoke from fires burning... Read Full Article


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Resisting Trump’s Coup

The post Resisting Trump’s Coup appeared first on It's Going Down.

New analysis on Trump’s move to steal the upcoming 202o election from Three Way Fight. People across the political spectrum—from anarchists to social democrats to neoconservatives—have been warning that Trump may try to sabotage the election to stay in office. This is a realistic and serious danger. A Trump coup would have disastrous consequences and... Read Full Article


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New Outreach Materials and the Importance of Spreading Ideas

The post New Outreach Materials and the Importance of Spreading Ideas appeared first on It's Going Down.

Editorial argues for the importance of sharing anarchist and autonomist ideas via print especially during times of struggle and crisis. Includes two PDFs for distribution. We anarchists are a minority. We punch above our size, and our numbers seem to be growing lately, but to many of us the experience of being isolated because of... Read Full Article


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The Role of Black Counter-Insurgency In Containing Black Rebellion: Notes from Rochester

The post The Role of Black Counter-Insurgency In Containing Black Rebellion: Notes from Rochester appeared first on It's Going Down.

A critical analysis of counter-insurgency efforts in Rochester, New York inside the recent Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the wake of the murder of Daniel Prude. On March 23rd, 2020, Daniel Prude was murdered by Rochester Police. We would not know his name today if it wasn’t for his family’s persistence to have the video... Read Full Article


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Sunday, September 27, 2020

New video by Unicorn Riot on YouTube - go check it out ;-)


Watch on YouTube here: Hundreds March in North American Grand Rally Oromo Protest
Via Christian Gasper

New post from the NAACP: NAACP Condemns Trump Nomination to Supreme Court as Illegitimate and a Fundamental Abuse of Power by Marc Banks

 

BALTIMORE (September 26, 2020)—Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, issued the following statement regarding Donald Trump’s nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court:

“The NAACP condemns Donald Trump’s nomination to the Supreme Court as illegitimate and contrary to the best interests of the country. Coming in the midst of an election, Trump’s nomination—and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s vow to confirm any Trump nominee—represent a corrupt overreach by a president and Senators who place power and party over the needs of the American people.

The NAACP deeply mourns the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She was a passionate defender of equal justice—on and off the Court, and her powerful opinions and dissents on voting rights, racial justice, gender equality, and the rights of people with disabilities will be remembered forever. Her place in history as the second civil rights lawyer to serve on the Court, after Thurgood Marshall, is hugely significant to us.

Justice Ginsburg’s successor must be nominated by the next president and confirmed by the next Senate. As we noted in our joint statement by civil rights leaders, the American people are already casting votes for their next president and senators. Their voices must be heard. It is the voters who should decide who sits on the Supreme Court. Anything less represents an attack on our democracy.

When Barack Obama had a Supreme Court vacancy nine months before the 2016 election, Senate Republican leadership blocked his nominee and held the seat open for 14 months. For the same Senators to now rush a Trump nominee through confirmation would damage the legitimacy of the Senate and the Court.

The Senate should focus on the dueling national crises that are devastating the Black community. The pandemic has killed more than 200,000 Americans, with African Americans three times more likely to die. Black employees have lost jobs, Black businesses have shuttered, and Black families have been evicted. At the same time, police violence against the Black community has reached an epidemic level. What we need from the Senate is comprehensive coronavirus relief and criminal justice reform, and we need it now. The Supreme Court vacancy can wait.

The stakes around this vacancy could not be higher. The rights of African Americans to fully participate in democracy and in every facet of social and economic life, on an equal basis, lie in the balance. The next Supreme Court justice will play an outsized role in determining whether African Americans move forward in our journey toward achieving full equality, whether we simply tread water for the next decades, or whether we slide backward toward our former status as second-class citizens.

We have opposed many of Trump’s 215 judicial appointments and know exactly the type of justice he wants on the Supreme Court. Amy Coney Barrett fits the profile. Through her legal writings and three years as a judge on the Seventh Circuit, she has demonstrated she is against civil rights, workers’ rights, consumer rights, women’s rights, and accessible health care for all. For example, she upheld racial segregation in the workplace and significantly narrowed a longstanding civil rights enforcement tool. Coming after Trump’s two appointments to the Supreme Court, it is unfathomable that Trump considers himself entitled to a third nomination like Amy Barrett and that Senate leadership would blindly confirm this nomination, despite overwhelming opposition from the American people.

The NAACP has fought to protect the Supreme Court since 1930, when we helped to defeat a Herbert Hoover nominee to the Supreme Court. We will fight this illegitimate Trump nomination with everything we have because of the dangerous threat it poses to our civil rights and to the future of our democracy. At the same time, we emphatically encourage all Americans to vote. As the Supreme Court battle demonstrates, the consequences of this election could be not be greater. Our voices must be heard and honored in our democracy.”

###

 About NAACPFounded 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 Condemns Trump Nomination to Supreme Court as Illegitimate and a Fundamental Abuse of Power appeared first on NAACP.



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New post from the NAACP: Addressing the Black Student Debt Crisis by Austyn Ross

Baltimore, MD (September 21, 2020) – The NAACP will host a Virtual press conference on Monday, September 28 at 2 pm ET / 11 am PT. The student debt crisis has had a disproportionate impact on Black borrowers and their families. Across all racial groups, Black borrowers hold the most student loan debt despite also being consistently underserved by postsecondary institutions. Many Black students enter college with considerably fewer financial resources for equitable student experiences in addition to navigating various forms of racial and educational violence on campus followed by navigating an unequal labor market. Participants will discuss the serious interventions needed including the cancelation of current student debt as well as providing pathways to significantly reduce if not also eliminate potential debt traps for Black students in the future.

Participants will have the opportunity to hear remarks from Tiffany Dena Loftin, National Director at NAACP Youth and College Division ; Dr. Katherine Wheatle, Strategy Officer for Federal Policy and Equity at Lumina Foundation; Dr. Charles H.F Davis III, Assistant Professor of Higher Education at University of Michigan; Dr. Jalil Mustaffa Bishop, Vice Provost Postdoctoral Scholar and Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education; Keron Blair, Executive Director at Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools; Russell Boyd II, National Field Organizer at NAACP Youth and College Division; Josh Thompson, President, Alabama Youth & College State Conference

Media interested in covering this event can contact NAACP Public Relations Specialist Austyn Ross at aross@naacpnet.org. RSVP NOW.

WHAT: Virtual Press Conference: Addressing the Black Student Debt Crisis

WHERE: Zoom

WHEN: Monday, September 28 at 2 pm ET / 11 am PT.

WHO:

  • Tiffany Dena Loftin, NAACP Youth and College Director
  • Katherine Wheatle, Strategy Officer for Federal Policy and Equity at Lumina Foundation
  • Charles H.F Davis III, Assistant Professor of Higher Education at University of Michigan
  • Jalil Mustaffa Bishop, Vice Provost Postdoctoral Scholar and Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
  • Keron Blair, Executive Director at Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools
  • Russell Boyd II, National Field Organizer at NAACP Youth and College Division
  • Josh Thompson, Alabama Youth & College State Conference President

 ###

 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 Addressing the Black Student Debt Crisis appeared first on NAACP.



Read more here.

Saturday, September 26, 2020

New video by Unicorn Riot on YouTube - go check it out ;-)


Watch on YouTube here: Philly Police Escort Proud Boys' Surprise Rally
Via Christian Gasper

Thousands Face Down Militias, Vigilante Attacks & National Guard to Take the Streets in Wake of Breonna Taylor Verdict

The post Thousands Face Down Militias, Vigilante Attacks & National Guard to Take the Streets in Wake of Breonna Taylor Verdict appeared first on It's Going Down.

In the face of far-Right militias, curfews enforced by riot police and National Guard, and vehicular attacks from vigilantes, over the past three nights, thousands of people from across the US and the world have taken to the streets in solidarity with Breonna Taylor, after a grand jury refused to bring charges against the police... Read Full Article


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Friday, September 25, 2020

Summer Chill Take Two

New video by Unicorn Riot on YouTube - go check it out ;-)


Watch on YouTube here: [LIVE]Minneapolis, MN: #OromoProtests Continue After Ethiopian Govt Targets Opposition
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New post from the NAACP: Judge Rules That Census Must Not be Rushed; Victory for Civil Rights Groups, Civic Organizations, and Local Governments by Marc Banks

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ordered the Trump administration to halt its rush to end the 2020 Census, extending deadline for counting to October 31.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 25, 2020

 

Contact

Abraham Paulos, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, abraham@baji.org, 773-425-6944

Mireya Navarro, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, mireya.navarro@nyu.edu, 646-925-8760

Kathleen Fieweger, the City of Chicago, Illinois, Kathleen.Fieweger@cityofchicago.org

Donald R. Pongrace, Gila River Indian Community- dpongrace@akingump.com

Melody Patelis, (Commissioner Pct 1), Harris County, Texas, Melody.Patelis@cp1.hctx.net

Chase Gallagher, King County, Washington, Chase.Gallagher@kingcounty.gov

Jamie Zuieback, Latham & Watkins LLP, Jamie.Zuieback@lw.com, 202-701-4038

Don Owens, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, dowens@lawyerscommittee.org, 202-934-1880

Kayla Vix, League of Women Voters of the United States, KVix@lwv.org, 202-809-9668

Rob Wilcox, Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney, rob.wilcox@lacity.org, 916-396-0400

Marc Banks, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, dbanks@naacpnet.org

Teresa Candori, National Urban League, tcandori@nul.org, 212-558-5362

Marquita Garnenez, Navajo Nation, mgarnenez@nndoj.org; and Jason Searle jasearle@nndoj.org

Michael Mutalipassi, Office of the Salinas City Attorney, michaelmu@ci.salinas.ca.us, 831-758-7073

Rachel Davis, Office of the Mayor of San Jose, rachel.davis@sanjoseca.gov, 408-535-4857

 

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California last night issued an order blocking the Trump administration’s attempts to rush the 2020 Census to a close while a legal challenge to that plan plays out in the courts. The court’s order preliminarily enjoins the Census Bureau and Secretary of Commerce from using a September 30, 2020 deadline for the completion of data collection and a December 31, 2020 deadline for processing and then reporting the census count to the President.  Under the Court’s Order, the census count will continue through October 31, as the Census Bureau had earlier planned, and its data processing will continue under a timeline that allows for a full, fair and accurate overall tabulation and reporting of the total population to the President.

District Judge Lucy H. Koh issued her ruling after a hearing Tuesday afternoon in National Urban League et al. v. Wilbur L. Ross Jr. et al., the lawsuit filed by civil rights groups, civil organizations, and tribal and local governments on August 18 to block the administration’s attempt to rush census operations to a close-by September 30 and send population numbers for apportionment to the President by December 31. The plaintiffs sought to stop the Trump administration’s plan to force the Census Bureau to shorten the 2020 count against the judgment of the bureau’s own expert staff and in the middle of a pandemic.

The court had already issued a temporary restraining order to prevent the administration from shutting down its census operations while the court prepared the ruling it issued today.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are membership and advocacy organizations, counties, cities, federally-recognized Indian tribes, and individuals whose communities will be underrepresented in the final census count if the administration succeeds in ending the 2020 Census data collection and processing prematurely. The plaintiffs are the National Urban League, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, the League of Women Voters, the Navajo Nation, Gila River Indian Community, Harris County in Texas, Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia of the Harris County Commissioners Court, King County in Washington, the city and county of Los Angeles, the cities of San Jose and Salinas (California) and the City of Chicago, Illinois.

The plaintiffs are represented by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Latham & Watkins, LLP, Public Counsel, Navajo Nation Department of Justice, the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney, the Office of the Salinas City Attorney, Edelson P.C., the Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, and Holland & Knight LLP.

The Covid-19 pandemic posed new challenges to the decennial census, including massive displacements of people, just as the count was getting underway. It upended all census field operations and undermined outreach to populations that the bureau has long struggled to count, including racial and ethnic minorities, non-English speakers, and undocumented persons.

Bureau officials requested an extension of census data collection, processing, and reporting deadlines to accommodate a Covid-19 plan that President Trump publicly supported, and spent multiple months acting on that plan. But on August 3, Commerce Secretary Wilbur L. Ross and Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham abruptly announced that the data-collection would stop on September 30, a full month short of the time census officials had previously said was necessary to complete the count.

The lawsuit argues that the Trump administration’s new, accelerated census timeline cuts a crucial four weeks from the actual count and four months from the time for processing and reporting the data used to apportion the U.S. House of Representatives. The abrupt change disregards the bureau’s own plans for dealing with the hardships imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. It will also undermine the quality and accuracy of the census as well as produce a massive undercount of communities of color.

The lawsuit argues that the administration’s attempts to rush the census to a close pose a grave threat to the vital functions that rely on census data, from reapportioning the House of Representatives and redrawing state and local electoral districts to equitably distributing over $1.5 trillion annually in federal funds that support basic needs like education, food, and health care.

The lawsuit seeks to have the court declare the decision to scuttle the census Covid-19 plan unlawful because it violates the Administrative Procedure Act as well as the Enumeration Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution.

The suit asks the court to keep the 2020 Census on the schedule proposed by census officials in April in response to Covid-19. Under that plan, the bureau would complete the census, including door-knocking, by October 31, 2020, and deliver apportionment numbers to the president by April 30, 2021. Redistricting data would be reported to the states by July 31, 2021.

For the ruling, please click here.

The following comments are from:

Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League

“The court’s decision affirms our contention that changes to the census schedule will irreparably harm the integrity of the 2020 Census and result in a devastating undercount of vulnerable communities.  Career officials at the Census Bureau opposed the shortened schedule precisely for these reasons, and to avoid the perception of political manipulation, and we are confident that integrity and equity will win out over the partisan vandalism that threatens our democracy.”

Jonathan Nez, President, Navajo Nation

“We have a strong and diverse coalition of plaintiffs who are demanding that the U.S. Census Bureau uphold their original plan to allow the census count to continue through the month of October. The coronavirus pandemic has set all of us back and created many challenges to get people counted, especially for rural areas such as the Navajo Nation. Today’s ruling should be respected to allow the census count to continue without disruption.”

Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP

“In the face of a global pandemic, the last thing we should consider is cutting short the decennial census that has long-lasting repercussions on the well-being, health, and livelihood of so many Americans. The decision to continue the census will ensure proper attention is given to overlooked and unreported areas that need to be counted the most.”

Nana Gyamfi, Executive Director, Black Alliance for Just Immigration

“We are pleased with the court’s ruling, affirming what we already know – every person counts and must be counted in this 2020 census. For the Black community, this decision means we have extra time to claim the governmental resources and representation that we’ve been denied. We look forward to continuing the important work of making sure our community members are counted by the census deadline.”

Stephen Roe Lewis, Governor, Gila River Indian Community

“The decision by the Commerce Department to abruptly cut off counting would have dramatically compounded the historic issue of undercounting in Indian Country. I couldn’t be more pleased that the court has put things back on track for a fairer and more accurate count, both for our tribe and for all tribes across the country.”

Virginia Kase, CEO, League of Women Voters of the United States

“Today’s decision is a victory for democracy. Census officials outlined an extended counting period in order to achieve the full enumeration of all people living in the United States. The effort to rush the timeline set by our trusted census experts was a blatant attempt to force an undercount, deprive American communities of critical funding, and undermine the accuracy of our representative districts. The League now urges the American public to fill out the census and ask their friends and family to do the same. Our democracy depends on it.”

Rodney Ellis, Harris County Precinct One Commissioner, Texas

“Today’s decision helps ensure a fair and accurate Census count for Harris County, Texas. An undercount within Harris County’s multi-racial and multi-ethnic communities, which have not yet responded to the Census, will perpetuate the inequities already faced by these communities.”

Sam Liccardo, Mayor, City of San Jose

“Today, against powerful forces of exclusion and elitism, the court has vindicated a fundamental American principle: everyone counts.  We are proud to join forces with our partners to hold the Trump Administration accountable to our nation’s constitutional commitments.”

Mike Feuer, Los Angeles City Attorney

“Today’s injunction is a major victory in our fight for an accurate census count—which is crucial to fair political representation and the proper allocation of essential federal resources. The court saw through the Trump administration’s efforts to camouflage its political interference in what is supposed to be the neutral, nonpartisan process of counting every American. Now, with little time to lose and so much at stake, I urge everyone to take the few moments necessary to be included in the census.”

Dow Constantine, Executive, King County, Washington 

“Today’s ruling reaffirms that in America, everyone counts and everyone deserves to be counted. At every turn, the 2020 census has been politicized and many residents have felt alienated and targeted by these senseless actions. Today’s ruling allows the full window of enumeration to occur so that our communities are counted fairly and accurately.”

Mark Flessner, Corporation Counsel, City of Chicago 

“The Trump administration once again showed its blatant political agenda in trying to halt census operations early. The ruling today is a significant win to make sure all are counted.”

Christopher A. Callihan, Salinas City Attorney

“Democracy depends on giving a voice to even those people who are hard to count.  Today is a victory for Salinas’s hard to count population and for everyone who believes in a free and fair representative democracy.”

Melissa Arbus Sherry, Partner, Latham & Watkins 

“We are gratified by the Court’s well-reasoned and swift ruling on this important, time-sensitive case.  As the Court recognized, the Census Bureau has itself repeatedly recognized that a full, fair, and accurate count takes time, especially when faced with a historic pandemic. Every day that the 2020 Census count continues, and Census operations appropriately continue, will help ensure the accuracy and completeness of this once-in-a-decade tally.”

Thomas Wolf, Senior Counsel and Spitzer Fellow, Brennan Center for Justice

“Today’s ruling is a significant victory in the ongoing fight to save the 2020 Census from a critical undercount of our country’s communities of color. The census must count everyone, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or citizenship status. To do that in the face of Covid-19, hurricanes, and wildfires, the Census Bureau needs all the time it asked and planned for in the spring. The court’s order will give that time back to the Bureau by blocking the Trump administration’s illegal decision to shut down the census early.”

Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director, Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

“The court’s decision ensures that our underrepresented and most vulnerable communities will not be disadvantaged by an unfair and incomplete census count. With this directive, the Trump administration was attempting to fan the flames of racial division, further divide our country and exclude communities of color from the final enumeration. The court’s decision repudiates the 11th hour actions of the Trump administration and makes clear that our democracy turns on achieving a full and fair count of all people across our nation.”

###

The post Judge Rules That Census Must Not be Rushed; Victory for Civil Rights Groups, Civic Organizations, and Local Governments appeared first on NAACP.



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September 25-26-27, 2020 14th NYC Virtual Anarchist Book Fair

The post September 25-26-27, 2020 14th NYC Virtual Anarchist Book Fair appeared first on It's Going Down.

Announcing the (virtual) kicking off of the 14th annual NYC anarchist bookfair. The 14th annual NYC Anarchist Book Fair will be held virtually this year on September 25, 26, and 27, 2020 from 10am to 10pm EST. With 30+ publishers and 40+ streamed live events mediated by a wide spectrum of anarchist activists, artists, scholars,... Read Full Article


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Police Everywhere, Justice Nowhere: On the Killing of Breonna Taylor

The post Police Everywhere, Justice Nowhere: On the Killing of Breonna Taylor appeared first on It's Going Down.

A critical look at the nature of policing and courts in our society in the context of the Breonna Taylor case. Breonna Taylor’s killers are walking free. None of us are surprised. Only one was charged — not with murder, but with “endangerment”— and not because of Ms. Taylor’s death, but because of the risk... Read Full Article


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Thursday, September 24, 2020

New video by Unicorn Riot on YouTube - go check it out ;-)


Watch on YouTube here: [LIVE] Minneapolis, MN: Peavey Sanctuary Camp Evicted
Via Christian Gasper

Final Straw: The Struggle for Likhtsamisyu Liberation Continues

The post Final Straw: The Struggle for Likhtsamisyu Liberation Continues appeared first on It's Going Down.

Long time anarchist radio and podcast show The Final Straw presents an interview with Delee Nikal of the Wet’su’weten about the ongoing struggle at the Gidimt’en Camp and the fight against the Coastal GasLink pipeline. This week we had the opportunity to connect with Delee Nikal, who is a Wet’su’weten community member, about updates from... Read Full Article


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This Is America #126: PNW Prisoners in the Crosshairs, Symbiosis on Mutual Aid Fire Relief

The post This Is America #126: PNW Prisoners in the Crosshairs, Symbiosis on Mutual Aid Fire Relief appeared first on It's Going Down.

Welcome, to This Is America, September 24th, 2020. On this episode, we have a special report from Perilous Chronicle, about how prisoners are directly impacted by the climate change fueled wildfires in the Pacific Northwest. This audio report is based on an article on the unfolding situation, which can be read here. Next up, we... Read Full Article


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New video by Unicorn Riot on YouTube - go check it out ;-)


Watch on YouTube here: Final Breonna Taylor
Via Christian Gasper

New post from the NAACP: NAACP to Host Conversation with Vice Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris by Marc Banks

On Friday, September 25, the NAACP will host a conversation with Vice Presidential Candidate Senator Kamala Harris. Moderated by CNN Commentator Angela Rye, the event will include Leon W. Russell, Chairman of the NAACP National Board of Directors, and Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, and other leaders.  Senator Harris will discuss the national reckoning on racism, the global pandemic and her vision for the future of America. The conversation is a premier event of the NAACP’s 111th national convention and will take place starting at 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT.

“We are excited to have a real conversation with Vice Presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris about the current climate and where we need to go,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO, NAACP. “In the closing of our national convention, we are eager to discuss her plans for the safety and well-being of our communities in America.”

Join us for this critical conversation on naacpconvention.org.

“The NAACP recognizes the overwhelming significance of having the first black woman as a vice-presidential candidate of a major political party,” said NAACP Board of Directors Chairman, Leon W. Russell. “We know that this pivotal moment sets the stage for our continued work to achieve equal justice and now is the time to engage in these conversations as the world faces unprecedented times and new realities during this global pandemic.”

WHAT: Conversation with Vice Presidential Candidate Senator Kamala Harris
WHERE: naacpconvention.org
WHEN: Friday, September 25, 2020, @ 2 pm ET / 11 am PT
WHO:

  • Senator Kamala Harris, Vice Presidential Candidate
  • Angela Rye, CNN Commentator
  • Leon W. Russell, Chairman, NAACP National Board of Directors
  • Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP

 

###

 

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.

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 Conversation with Vice Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris appeared first on NAACP.



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New post from the NAACP: Civil Rights Leaders Issue Statement on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy and the Supreme Court’s Critical Role in Protecting Civil Rights by Marc Banks

For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 24, 2020

                                   

Contacts

Phoebe Plagens, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., 212.965.2235, pplagens@naacpldf.org
Don Owens, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law,

202.934-1880, dowens@lawyerscommittee.org

Marc Banks, NAACP, 443.608.4073, dbanks@naacpnet.org

Rachel Noerdlinger, National Action Network,

212.681.1380, rnoerdlinger@mercuryllc.com
Lon Walls, The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, 301.996.1669, lwalls@wallscomm.com
Teresa Candori, National Urban League,

212.558.5362, tcandori@nul.org

Rafael Medina, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, 202.869.0398, medina@civilrights.org
 

Today, as the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is lying in repose at the nation’s highest court, leading national racial justice organizational leaders issued a joint statement on her legacy and the critical role of the Supreme Court in protecting civil rights. These leaders are:

 

  • Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
  • Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law
  • Derrick Johnson, President and CEO, NAACP
  • Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League
  • Al Sharpton, Founder and President, National Action Network
  • Melanie L. Campbell, President and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation
  • Vanita Gupta, President and CEO, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

 

Their statement follows:

 

“Today, the country mourns and honors the legacy of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a passionate and trailblazing civil rights lawyer and brilliant jurist whose dedication to the principle of equality breathed life and meaning into the words etched on the frontage of the Supreme Court building ‘equal justice under law.’ From her years successfully litigating sex discrimination cases before the Supreme Court to her abiding commitment to ensuring equality under the law as the second woman to ever sit on the bench of the nation’s highest court, Justice Ginsburg has left an indelible mark on American jurisprudence and our collective democracy — and we are forever grateful for her unwavering commitment to fairness, justice, and equality.

 

“As leaders of civil rights organizations, we are keenly aware of the critical role that the Supreme Court has played in protecting the civil rights of racial minorities. It has only been 66 years since the Court ended legal apartheid in this country by striking down the constitutionality of state-sanctioned segregation laws. The Court has affirmed countless hard-won civil rights protections, barring racial segregation in schools, upholding laws against housing and employment discrimination, affirming the right to marriage equality, and reaffirming the constitutionality of affirmative action. Although the Court has, over decades, consistently upheld the provisions of the Voting Rights Act, its 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder, and the ensuing wave of voter suppression schemes that have proliferated in the country, demonstrates how easily the Court’s decisions can unravel core civil rights protections. Justice Ginsburg’s dissent in Shelby County v. Holder, which accurately diagnosed the consequences of the Court’s determination to supersede Congress’ judgment about the ongoing need for a key provision of the Act, is itself a testament to the power and prescience of her constitutional vision.

 

“We regard the selection and confirmation of justices to the Court as among the most consequential acts affecting civil rights. In fact, the upcoming Court session will once again include a docket of cases that address racism in the criminal justice system. Selecting a new Supreme Court justice requires careful consideration by a president, and rigorous vetting by the members of the Senate, who are constitutionally-empowered to provide ‘advice and consent’ to nominations. Under no circumstances should this process take place during the conduct of a presidential general election.

 

“We oppose any attempt by the president and the Senate to fill Justice Ginsburg’s seat prior to the commencement of Congress’ new session and the presidential inauguration in January 2021. Any such effort is an affront to democratic principles and a violation of the trust of the American people who, at this very moment are voting in states all over this country to select their next president and senators, and it is only fitting that these newly-elected officials determine who will receive a lifetime seat on the most powerful and consequential court in the country.

 

“That the Senate Majority Leader, who blocked consideration of a nominee to the Supreme Court in 2016, nine months before the presidential general election, now seeks to press ahead with a rushed confirmation of a presidential nominee this year, even as the general election is underway and 40 days before Election Day, is an act of brazen hypocrisy, and is an exercise of raw political power that damages the legitimacy of both the Senate and the Court.

 

“It is more critical than ever that Americans vote in the general election — whether through participating in early voting, submitting an absentee ballot, or heading to the polls on Election Day. Every voter should have a voting plan and should familiarize themselves with election laws in their locality — and ensure that their friends, family, and fellow community members do the same. The consequences of this election could not be greater, and voters must ensure that their voices are heard, and their interests are represented. The future of American democracy depends on it.”
###

 

Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute (TMI) is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Follow LDF and TMI on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 57th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest to “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.

 

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 220 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

 

Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s largest and foremost grassroots civil rights organization. The mission of the NAACP 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. Members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights and social justice in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work by visiting naacp.org. 

 

National Action Network is one of the leading civil rights organizations in the Nation with chapters throughout the entire United States. Founded in 1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality or gender. For more information go to www.nationalactionnetwork.net

 

The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), founded in 1976, is one of the most active civil rights and social justice organizations in the nation “dedicated to increasing civic engagement, economic and voter empowerment in Black America.” The Black Women’s Roundtable (BWR) is the women and girls empowerment arm of the NCBCP. At the forefront of championing just and equitable public policy on behalf of Black women, BWR promotes their health and wellness, economic security & prosperity, education and global empowerment as key elements for success. Visit www.ncbcp.org and follow us on Twitter @ncbcp and Instagram @thenationalcoalition.

 

The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities. The National Urban League spearheads the efforts of its 90 local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research and advocacy, providing direct services that impact and improve the lives of more than 2 million people annually nationwide. Visit www.nul.org and follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @NatUrbanLeague.

 

The post Civil Rights Leaders Issue Statement on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Legacy and the Supreme Court’s Critical Role in Protecting Civil Rights appeared first on NAACP.



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New post from the NAACP: NAACP Denounces Decision to Indict One Police Officer in Connection to the Murder of Breonna Taylor by Marc Banks

Washington, D.C. — The NAACP released the following statement regarding Louisville city official’s decision to indict one police officer in connection with the murder of Breonna Taylor:

The injustice we’re witnessing at this moment can be sensed throughout the nation. Kentucky’s Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s failure to bring substantial charges against the officers who murdered Breonna Taylor causes angst and pain for far too many Americans still reeling from a pandemic. The charges of wanton endangerment in connection with the murder of Breonna Taylor does not go far enough and is a miscarriage of justice for her family and the people of Louisville. Atrocities committed against the people of this country by the authorities cannot and should not go unanswered when miscalculations are made. The continuous and blatant failure of a system sworn to protect the very citizens it endangers is all too telling of its efficiency and viability.

The justice system failed Breonna Taylor and, as such, failed us. From the officers’ ill-informed conduct to the city official’s delayed response, their actions have discredited their pledge and responsibility to the greater community. It is unacceptable that, once again, culpability has eluded those guilty of state-sanctioned murder.

In this case, and countless others, we must ask ourselves and those elected to serve, “Who is responsible for this system and its outcomes?” We must demand that our system of justice holds people working within it accountable. Black lives cannot continue to be considered collateral damage in these instances. The recent announcement of one indictment against the police officer Brett Hankison proves city officials believe otherwise.

This devastating blow to the community of Louisville and the nation is heart-wrenching. Our efforts to realize justice for Breonna Taylor should be redirected to bring attention to the faulty and burdensome justice system that compromises our society’s moral and humane fabric. Our course of action is to vote and make it abundantly clear that we will not tolerate the injustice we’re observing. Far too many Black lives have been lost due to the egregious malpractice of police officers, elected officials, and the justice system as a whole. We must press forward in our pursuit of dismantling oppressive ideologies that plague our country so we can reach parity and equity on all fronts.

 

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.

In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.

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 Denounces Decision to Indict One Police Officer in Connection to the Murder of Breonna Taylor appeared first on NAACP.



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Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Statement of Solidarity with Zapatista Communities from Indigenous Prisoner in Struggle Marcelino Ruiz Gómez

The post Statement of Solidarity with Zapatista Communities from Indigenous Prisoner in Struggle Marcelino Ruiz Gómez appeared first on It's Going Down.

Statement of solidarity from Indigenous prisoner in struggle, Marcelino Ruiz Gómez, following recent paramilitary attacks against Zapatista communities in Chiapas   To the Zapatista Army of National Liberation To the National and International Civil Society To the National and International Sixth To the National Indigenous Congress To the Indigenous Governing Council To the Media To... Read Full Article


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New post from the NAACP: Justice Ginsburg’s seat by Adam Lee

Given the importance of the United States Supreme Court on America as well as the world, we should not rush through any confirmation process because of elections or campaigning.  Nor should we confirm an individual simply because he or she has met certain ideological criteria.  We need to nominate, and confirm, somebody based on their judicial temperament as well as the content of their character.   We must wait until after the winner of the 2020 election is sworn in to nominate and confirm a justice to fill the seat left vacant with the recent passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Please read the attached Action Alert to see how you can effectively advocate to your Senators and take Fast Action.

The post Justice Ginsburg’s seat appeared first on NAACP.



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New post from the NAACP: Oprah Winfrey, NAACP and National Voting Rights Leaders Join Together for National Town Hall: “OWN Your Vote: Our Lives Depend on It” by Marc Banks

Winfrey To Discuss Her New Initiative “OWN Your Vote” with NAACP President and CEO and Other Key Leaders in the Fight for Voting Rights, Focused Specifically on Mobilizing Black Women to Vote 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 22, 2020) – Oprah Winfrey and OWN have joined together with the NAACP and national voting rights leaders to host “OWN Your Vote: Our Lives Depend On it,” a virtual conversation aimed to inspire and equip thousands of voters and community leaders with specific steps they can take to register to vote, request their absentee ballots, and mobilize voters throughout their community. Slated to take place on September 24, 2020, at 8:00 PM EST, the hour-long conversation will include remarks from leaders in the fight for voting rights, including Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Stacey Abrams (Fair Fight), Minyon Moore (Power Rising), Tiffany Dena Loftin (NAACP Youth and College), Judith Browne Dianis, and other key leaders. Join this conversation by visiting bit.ly/OprahZoom and registering today!

“We are excited to work with OWN, Ms. Winfrey and other key voting rights leaders as we engage our members, activists, and community leaders around the country about the importance of this election and their vote,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO, NAACP. “Her voice during this critical time when communities not only need reassurance in their ability to affect change but encouragement and enlightenment on how to do so with clear impact cannot be overstated.”

As the nation reels from the effects of COVID-19, racial injustice, and voter suppression, OWN Your Vote seeks to shed light on the solution through a bipartisan registration and a get-out-the-vote campaign aimed at providing OWN’s audience of Black women with tools and resources to overcome voter suppression in the November election. The pro-social campaign connects people to urgent political actions and gives their concerns a powerful microphone by placing a spotlight on crucial community issues.

“OWN is proud to partner with the NAACP and prominent voting rights leaders to hold this important conversation to energize and engage our community to vote this November,” said Tina Perry, president of OWN. “This is a critical time in our history to come together and raise our voices.”

Along with shedding light on why this moment is paramount for Black women to use their voice, Ms. Winfrey will also moderate a panel discussion that will bring attention to barriers to voting, what everyone should know about this election, and how they can overcome voter suppression in their community.

The OWN Your Vote campaign has been informed by a study OWN conducted with over 700 Black women of voting age to identify critical issues affecting them. The political impact tracking study determined that affordable health care and racism/discrimination are the two most relevant issues to Black women this election season.

OWN Your Vote Partner Organizations include:

Advancement Project National Office

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated

AME Church Social Action Commission

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated

Fair Fight Action

Higher Heights Leadership Fund

Joseph and Evelyn Lowery Institute for Justice and Human Rights

The Kapor Center

The King Center (Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc.)

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

The Links, Incorporated

NAACP

NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF)

National Council of Negro Women

National Urban League

Power Rising

Power to the Polls

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated

Sistahs in Business Expo

Vote Run Lead

Vote.org

VoteAsIf.org

When We All Vote

Woke Vote

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated

Link to OWN YOUR VOTE Website: 

OWNYourVote.TV

Social Media Handles:

FB: @OWNTV // http:// facebook.com/owntv

IG: @OWNYourVote //https://www.instagram.com/ownyourvote/

TW: @OWNYourVote //https://twitter.com/OWNYourVote

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.

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 OWN Your Vote

The OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network OWN YOUR VOTE initiative is a bipartisan registration and get-out-the-vote campaign partnering with national and local grassroots and voting rights organizations to provide tools and resources that will empower Black women to vote this November. Black women powerfully influence election outcomes, and OWN YOUR VOTE will support this group of voters to show up to the polls and help friends, family, and their community to do the same.

OWN Your Vote is designed to help Black women make a voting plan for this critical 2020 election cycle, by recognizing obstacles to voting including challenges around COVID-19, mail-in ballots, voter suppression, transportation, and changing protocols and poll locations; connecting the everyday issues critical to Black women to the issues appearing on the ballot;  empowering this key voting block to own their voting story, and make a plan to ensure success at the polls; encouraging local community activism and leveraging personal networks; and collaborating with the voting rights partnership community to support mail-in voting, voter registration, volunteerism, transportation, and safety procedures.  

About OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network is the first and only network named for, and inspired by, a single iconic leader. Oprah Winfrey’s heart and creative instincts inform the brand and the magnetism of the channel. OWN is a leading destination for a premium scripted and unscripted programming from today’s most innovative storytellers. The network’s robust lineup features original scripted cable series for African American women including popular dramas “Queen Sugar,” “Greenleaf,” “The Haves and the Have Nots,” “David Makes Man” and “Cherish the Day.” OWN is also #1 on Saturday nights for unscripted programming including “Iyanla: Fix My Life,” “Ready to Love,” “Love & Marriage: Huntsville,” “Family or Fiancé,” “Black Women OWN the Conversation,” “Girlfriends Check In” and “Black Love.” OWN connects with its audience wherever they are, inspiring conversation among a global community of like-minded viewers on social media and beyond. Launched on January 1, 2011, OWN is a joint venture between Harpo, Inc. and Discovery, Inc. The venture also includes award-winning digital platform Oprah.com. Access OWN anytime on WatchOWN.tv or across mobile devices and connected TVs.

##

 

The post Oprah Winfrey, NAACP and National Voting Rights Leaders Join Together for National Town Hall: “OWN Your Vote: Our Lives Depend on It” appeared first on NAACP.



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In the Eye of the Storm: A Report from Kenosha

The post In the Eye of the Storm: A Report from Kenosha appeared first on It's Going Down.

Report from Hard Crackers on the Kenosha uprising over the first several days of the uprising following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Originally posted to Hard Crackers.  What’s so simple in the moonlight by the morning never is. -Bright Eyes The night of the shooting, bands of armed white men dotted the landscape before... Read Full Article


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Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Gainesville, FL: Neighbors of the Blueberry Farm Respond to Unpermitted Land Clearing

The post Gainesville, FL: Neighbors of the Blueberry Farm Respond to Unpermitted Land Clearing appeared first on It's Going Down.

Report on campaign resisting land clearing of Blueberry Farm in Gainesville, Florida. Gainesville, FL — On Sunday September 20th, residents who live and work in the Calf Pond Creek watershed walked the 107 acres of forest on what is known locally as the Blueberry Farm flagging buffer areas around waterways, as indicated in an initial... Read Full Article


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Philly Proud Boys Refused to Show Up to Their Own Rally

The post Philly Proud Boys Refused to Show Up to Their Own Rally appeared first on It's Going Down.

After weeks of promoting their event on social media, the Proud Boys in Philadelphia are no shows to their own rally while hundreds of anti-racists and antifascists mobilize against them. PHILADELPHIA – No one who came out to Clark Park Saturday could be sure that the neo-fascist Proud Boys would actually come out for the... Read Full Article


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This Week in Fascism #75: How Qanon is Creating a Culture that Justifies Mass Violence

The post This Week in Fascism #75: How Qanon is Creating a Culture that Justifies Mass Violence appeared first on It's Going Down.

photo via Left Coast Right Watch and Sierra Foothills Stump Welcome, fellow antifascists! This week, we’ve got an explainer on Qanon and its obsession with pedophilia, the Department of Justice declaring three cities to be “anarchist jurisdictions,” Portland police accusing the District Attorney of being “antifa,” plus doxxes of Operation Werewolf, the Proud Boys, and... Read Full Article


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Monday, September 21, 2020

Sacramento, CA: Antifascists Stand Ground Against Multiple Vehicle Attacks

The post Sacramento, CA: Antifascists Stand Ground Against Multiple Vehicle Attacks appeared first on It's Going Down.

This past Monday, September 14th, comrades from across the greater Northern California area gathered to counter-protest Donald Trump’s visit to occupied Nisenan land, otherwise known as the California state capitol of Sacramento. This report documents police and fascist vehicular attacks that occurred, as well as how anti-fascist protesters fought back; seizing property, claiming the streets,... Read Full Article


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Saturday, September 19, 2020

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Podcasting the Apocalypse LIVE
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September 19, 2020 at 06:47AM
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Feminist Collectives Mobilize “Anti-Grita” Against Patriarchal Violence Across Mexico

The post Feminist Collectives Mobilize “Anti-Grita” Against Patriarchal Violence Across Mexico appeared first on It's Going Down.

On Tuesday September 15th, women across Mexico mobilized an “anti-grita,” a shout out against patriarchal violence on the eve of Mexican Independence Day. The call for a feminist “anti-grita” was a critical intervention into the nationalist discourse which surrounds September 15th. last night was particularly important because it marked the beginning of "el grito", which... Read Full Article


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#Wetsuweten Territory: Coastal Gaslink Preparing to Drill Beneath Wedzin Kwa River

The post #Wetsuweten Territory: Coastal Gaslink Preparing to Drill Beneath Wedzin Kwa River appeared first on It's Going Down.

Report from Wet’suwet’en territory in so-called British Columbia that Coastal Gaslink is preparing to drill beneath the Wedzin Kwa river. Coastal Gaslink is preparing to drill beneath the Wedzin Kwa river, forcing a four foot wide pipeline beneath the headwaters of Wet’suwet’en territory.The river nourishes all of our territories and flows into the ocean. 1-... Read Full Article


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New post from the NAACP: NAACP Devastated by Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Austyn Ross

September 18, 2020

Washington, DC — Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP issued the following statement tonight on the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

The NAACP family is devastated by the passing tonight of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Justice Ginsburg was an incredibly accomplished civil rights lawyer who devoted her entire legal career to the pursuit of equal justice and eliminating discrimination of all types. When President Bill Clinton nominated her to the Supreme Court, he called her the “Thurgood Marshall of gender equality law.”

Justice Ginsburg’s 27-year tenure on the Supreme Court was marked by a passion for justice and the rule of the law. Her long, remarkable record includes her legendary opinions involving disability rights in Olmstead v. LC, and gender equality in the military, United States v. Virginia. She was also known for her powerful dissents, many of which she delivered from the bench. These include dissents in the voting rights decision of Shelby County v. Holder, the gender equity case of Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire Company Co., and the affirmative action case of Ricci v. Stefano.

Our nation has lost its north star for justice tonight. As we move forward in the weeks and months ahead, we must honor Justice Ginsburg’s memory and extraordinary contributions and remember that the Supreme Court is the ultimate guardian of all of our civil rights and liberties.

###

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 in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.

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 Devastated by Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg appeared first on NAACP.



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New post from the NAACP: NAACP Launches “Power of 5 – Community Voter Outreach Program” For National Black Voter Day and National Voter Registration Day by Marc Banks

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 17, 2020

Media Contact:

Grace Gill Qayoumi

gqayoumi@skdknick.com

510-853-9034

No-contact canvassing and literature drop program aims to raise awareness of key dates and share information on voting

 

CITY, STATE On Friday, the NAACP, the nation’s largest and most highly recognized civil rights organization, will launch the Power of 5 – Community Voter Outreach Program – a new information-sharing initiative on voting that is part of the first-ever National Black Voter Day on September 18, 2020, and National Voter Registration Day on September 22, 2020.

 

The program will launch on Friday and run for five days (the Power of 5) through Tuesday across 15 cities in 13 states and the Nation’s Capital. Through the 5-day field program, NAACP volunteers will distribute informational literature on voting in public areas such as shopping centers and neighborhoods that have high concentrations of Black residents. The literature will feature important information on voter registration, key dates, the 2020 census deadline, and the volunteer program for the NAACP’s Black Voices Change Lives campaign.

 

“With just seven weeks away from what will be a historic election, getting the word out to the Black community and mobilizing voters has never been more important or necessary,” said NAACP President Derrick Johnson. “The Power of 5 program aims to inform, engage and empower Black voters and make sure they have the tools and resources they need to make their voices heard at the ballot – because quite simply, our lives depend on it.”

 

The program will run in the following cities:

  • Birmingham, Alabama
  • Washington, DC
  • Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Orlando, Florida
  • Statesboro, Georgia
  • Baltimore, Maryland
  • Detroit, Michigan
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Cleveland, Ohio
  • Monroeville, Pennsylvania
  • Columbia, South Carolina
  • Houston, Texas
  • Hampton, Virginia
  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

The program will be a “no-contact canvassing” initiative. All volunteers will follow recommended health and safety guidelines by wearing face masks, washing hands or using hand sanitizer frequently, and practicing social distancing. Volunteers will only distribute printed materials on cars and to individuals who are also wearing appropriate face masks.

Black Voices Change Lives is an unprecedented initiative by the NAACP to recruit high-propensity Black voters to mobilize low-frequency Black voters to vote in the November election. The campaign aims to increase the Black voter turnout by at least five percent compared to the 2016 Black voter turnout.

For more information on the “Black Voices Change Lives” campaign, visit the website.

 

 

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 in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

 

In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.

 

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.

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