Manitowoc, September 7, 2019: Mexican Celebration in the Park
Reply
Racine, September 19, 2019: Fiesta Patria
2119 Rapids Dr., Racine, WI, 4:30-9 P.M. / @ William Horlick High School
Fiesta Patria is the celebration of Democratic Revolutions of Central and South America. Join us for food, fun, and meaningful dialog on how we move forward as a community against the anti immigrant policies of the administration in Washington.
Kenosha, September 23, 2019: The Unafraid
The CUSH & RIC Immigration Task Forces will be holding a screening and discussion on the video “THE UNAFRAID.”
THE UNAFRAID is a feature length documentary that follows the personal lives of three DACAmented students in Georgia, a state that has banned undocumented and DACA students from attending their top five public universities and disqualifies them from receiving in-state tuition at any other public college. Shot over a period of four years, this film takes an intimate look at the lives of Alejandro, Silvia and Aldo and the obstacles they face in their home state when trying to go to college. This is also a story about family and the systemic challenges faced by the working poor and undocumented in the Deep South.
#theunafraidfilm #daca #immigration
WI Bail Out The People Movement Literature for Global Climate Strike Activities: ‘Save Mother Earth: Shut Down Big Oil & the Pentagon!’
Puerto Rico: Adjunct Faculty in an Adjunct Country
https://nacla.org/news/2019/08/29/adjunct-faculty-Puerto-Rico-colonialism-university
Haz clic aquí para leer la versión en español.
The summer 2019 rebellion in Puerto Rico that forced former governor Ricardo Rosselló to resign and reconfigured the country’s political will and imagination also put the archipelago in the uncommon position of being relevant to the U.S. and international press. This coverage has frequently discussed—with good reason—the horizontal collective, creative, and diverse nature of the popular organization and execution of the protests. But these discussions have not delved sufficiently into the historical school of political dissidence, artistic protest, and democratic organization located in the interior of the archipelago, at the University of Puerto Rico (UPR).
In the recent political context, the 2016 approval of the PROMESA law enabled a new form of U.S. imperialism: the imposition of the Fiscal Oversight and Management Board (FOMB), known locally as “the Junta.” The board’s central goals are to hand Puerto Rico over to markets and to pay off bondholders without even brokering an audit of the debt. In other words, the body aims to more clearly adapt the country to neoliberal capitalism. Since 2016, the leading voices in the resistance against PROMESA and the Junta have been those within UPR—above all, the student movement—as well as activist collectives that formed at UPR or otherwise connect their development to the institution. For that reason, the summer rebellion was in part a result of this trajectory of struggle from UPR.
That’s also why, for those of us who carry traces of UPR in our lives or who continue to be involved in its operation, it never has come as a surprise that the colonial powers of the Puerto Rican government, its accomplices in the university administration, and the unfettered interests of the dominant economic regime have reacted with particular cruelty. Recurring student mobilizations at UPR—most recently in the strikes of 2010, 211, and 2017—managed to create local and, to a certain extent, international awareness of how various administrative and government measures and decisions have threatened accessible public education. However, the scenario is radically different for teaching staff. Despite the work of certain organizations such as the Association of UPR Professors (APPU) and PROTESTAmos, there is no tradition of a “teachers’ movement” at the institution. Therefore, the real condition of adjunct teachers—“fixed term,” “temporary,” or “on contract”—at UPR is unknown to many, and the measures that make their lives precarious could be promoted more vigorously in a political environment with scant opposition….
Contract instructors demonstrate at UPR-RUM in an action called Cartera Pelá in 2017. (Photo by Christopher Powers)
Stevens Point, September 28, 2019: Supporters of Incarcerated People (SIP) First Ever Gathering
Wisdom Supporters of Incarcerated People (SIP) Meeting
Saturday, September 28
10:00 am to 2:30 pm
Redeemer Lutheran Church, 900 Brilowski Rd., Stevens Point, WI
There will be a first-ever gathering of “Supporters of Incarcerated People” (SIP). SIP has grown out of the ROC Campaign. Family members and loved ones of people in jail or prison have felt like they should have their own group. SIP exists to provide mutual support and information among people who are working to cope with the challenges of providing loving support to an incarcerated person. SIP will also bring their voices together for advocacy, to have a real impact on the criminal justice system.
The invitation is to anybody who cares about somebody in prison. The day, inlcuding lunch, is free. All that is asked is for people to register ahead, either by calling 414-831-2070, or e-mailing wisdomforjustice@gmail.com. You just need to provide your name, contact information, and city where you live (so we can arrange carpooling). Childcare can be provided, but you need to request it when you register.
September 20, 2019: Global Climate Strike: Wisconsin
BREAKING : Former President Mugabe dies at 95
https://www.herald.co.zw/breaking-news-former-president-mugabe-dies-at-95/
Former President of Zimbabwe, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe has died.
Commenting on his official Twitter Platform, President Emmerson Mnangagwa confirmed the sad news
“It is with utmost sadness that I announce the passing of Zimbabwe’s founding father and former President Cde Robert Mugabe”.
President Mnangagwa said the nation has lost an icon of liberation and Pan Africanist
“Cde Mugabe was an icon of liberation ,a pan Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people .His contribution to the history of our nation and continent will never be forgotten .May his soul rest in eternal peace,” President Mnangagwa wrote on his twitter handle
Kudakwashe Mugari Deputy News Editor and Daniel Chigunwe Online Reporter
More detail to follow...
While the Amazon Burns, Cuba Increases its Forested Area
The Sierra Maestra, imporant site of the Cuban revolution. | Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The socialist island is a rare example of large scale reforestation, whereas the rest of the world moves in the opposite direction.
As fires rage across the Amazon in South America, a result of exploitation by agro-capitalists, Cuba has actually increased the percentage of its country covered by forest in the past year. A report published on Wednesday by Cuban media outlet Granma, reports the increase in forested area and examines how state environmental policies achieved it. The report also illustrates how today, Cuba’s forested area has almost tripled in the socialist period since 1959, despite mass deforestation in every other part of the world.
The report by Granma points to figures from the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture which show an increase of over 22,000 hectares of forested area in the last year, a small increase of 0.26 percent, meaning that forest now makes up almost a third of the entire country’s surface area, just over 31%. This is in stark contrast to 1959, prior to the revolution, when just 13% of Cuba was covered by forest.
State intervention to reforest large areas and strengthen existing trees has been key. Accorrding to the report, these policies include planting new trees and supporting natural regeneration where it happens, and setting aside 69% of the increase purely for conservation purposes.
Other policies include enriching existing forests that are at risk of degradation. This is done by measures such as pruning trees and cutting away dead ones to make way for new growth.
The Ministry of Agriculture has stressed that protecting forests doesn’t have to come at the expense of economic growth. Mining is one of Cuba’s largest industries, the country has one of largest Nickel reserves in the world. In recent years theres been a growth in foreign investment, as partnership alongside nationalized Cuban mining companies.
Under Cuban law, mining companies are allowed to clear forests, but are also under obligation to replant the same number of trees that they cut down, and this must be completed within two years.
Cuba is nevertheless still affected by forest fires, figures from the Ministry says that around 3000 hectares are affected by fires annually, the government say that 90% of these are caused by human activity such as irresponsible farming and accidents. A further 3000 are cleared annually for mining operations. However, the figures also show that Cuba has an average reforestation rate of 16,000 hectares per year, therefore outstripping what is lost.
However, around the world, 7.3 million hectares of land is land deforested each year. Brazil is among the worst, between 2017 and 2018 alone, 7,900 square kilometers were cut down. Roughly equivalent to 987,000 football pitches. A rate which has significantly increased since the recent Amazon fires, but which far-right President Bolsonaro has turned a blind eye to, sacking the head of the government’s space agency for pointing out increases in deforestation.
In June, the President of Cuba’s Central Bank, Irma Martinez, spoke at a conference in Switzerland highlighting the gains in reforestation, but argued that reforestation could accelerate even further if the U.S. blockade on the island were to be lifted, because Cuba would be able to import more modern technology at the service government reforestation operations.
Willy Street Co-op Workers in Madison Vote UE Union in Landslide
https://www.ueunion.org/ue-news/2019/willy-street-co-op-workers-vote-ue-in-landslide
MADISON, WI, SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 — In an election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on September 3 and 4, workers at the Willy Street Co-op in Madison, Wisconsin voted by 249-40 to join UE.
“We won by a landslide, because we united and worked hard! This is proof that, together, we can affect real positive change, and we will continue to do so,” said Willy Street Co-op worker and organizing committee member Mourning Dove Wochos.
“You don’t get that level of approval and that level of turnout just talking about wages alone,” said organizing committee member David Droster. “We believe that democracy belongs in the workplace, that we deserve a voice in the place that we work, and we showed up in huge numbers for that idea.”
The large organizing committee was able to sign up two-thirds of their co-workers before management was even aware of the union drive. Although management made an attempt to dissuade workers from voting for the union, it was largely ineffective. “No one took any of the anti-union strategies seriously because we were already a union, we were already organized,” explained organizing committee member Ben Lavalle.
Willy Street Co-op was, until this week’s election, one of the largest non-union cooperative grocery stores in the country. The workers received support and encouragement from UE members at other UE-represented co-ops: City Market in Burlington, VT (Local 203), Hunger Mountain Co-op in Montpelier, VT (Local 255) and East End Co-op in Pittsburgh (Local 667).
UE’s Mexican allies the FAT sent several videos and pictures of their members expressing solidarity with the co-op workers, and got several other Mexican unions to also send solidarity messages. Local Teamsters and members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) also organized solidarity photos to let the workers know they had support in their community.
“We have a real voice now,” said Wochos. “There’s a lot to do moving forward, but with this amazing group of people, we will accomplish great things. I’m proud and humbled to stand alongside my coworkers. I’m proud to be UE. We are strong, and we’re even stronger together!”
The organizing campaign was led by UE Field Organizers John Ocampo and Lyndsey O’Day. International Representative Mark Meinster and Field Organizer Maria Alfaro also made significant contributions to the victory. ###
ISTHMUS COVERAGE: https://bit.ly/2lGMFkw
