Milwaukee, April 30: Dontre Day
We plan on having entertainment for the entire family along with other community organizations and supporters to help make REMEMBERING DONTRE BIG!
If you’re interested in helping to make this event BIG please email us at thecoalitionforjustice@gmail.com. We will need assistance with the following:
Social media
Volunteering the day of
Children’s Corner
Community Engagement
Voter Registration
Arts Line Up
Supplies
Etc
#DontreDAY

Appalachian Workers Alliance (AWA): Statement on Blankenship Sentencing
http://appalachianworkersalliance.weebly.com/blog
The Appalachian Workers Alliance joins the families of the 29 miners who lost their lives in the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster in their outrage over the short sentence of one year in prison received by Don Blankenship, the Massey Energy coal boss. Blankenship was convicted for his role in a “conspiracy to willfully violate mine health and safety standards,” a misdemeanor offense.
West Virginia’s coal barons have always put profit ahead of the well-being of the people. Despite this, the severity of Blankenship’s crimes led the federal prosecutors to recommend he be given the maximum possible sentence. This maximum possible sentence is a mere slap on the wrist. The lives of 29 miners are worth more than one year and a small fine of $250,000, pennies to Blankenship. Their murders are more than a misdemeanor.
Blankenship has shown no remorse for his crime. He even denies he committed one. The Upper Big Branch Mine disaster was not a senseless tragedy. It was the result of West Virginia’s coal elite caring more about their profit margin than human life. That Blankenship is able to walk away from this with his pockets only a little lighter is proof that the political establishment and their courts can’t deliver justice for West Virginia’s workers.
The Appalachian Workers Alliance fights to build a better, democratic future for our region. The Blankenships of this world shouldn’t control our destiny. We should. In this spirit, we are extending an invitation to all workers – Black, Brown, Native, White, women, LGBTQ, immigrants and the undocumented, and all others – to come join us in a show of working class power as we march on International Workers Day in Charleston. More information can be found at http://bit.ly/1NhBjFN.
Bruce Springsteen: Eyes On The Prize
Obama in Cuba: What Happened and Why?
Milwaukee, April 18: Picket of Anchor Properties
Voces de la Frontera: Fliers for May Day Available for Pick Up
Voces de la Frontera
Vengan a Voces (5 y Washington St. en Milwaukee) para apuntarse! Miembros de otras ciudades: el Lunes estarán disponibles los volantes en nuestro sitio de Internet.
–
Who can help distribute fliers? Come to Voces to sign up! Members from other cities: we will have prontable files on our website this Monday!
–
Who can help distribute fliers? Come to voces to sign up! Members from other cities: we will have printable files on our website this Monday! Voces de la Frontera

April 14: Fight For $15 Protests Worldwide
April 14 will be the largest mobilization of low-wage workers worldwide in the #FightFor15. RSVP TODAY: bit.ly/ff15april14

Solidarity Statement from Harvard Dining Hall Workers to Duke Students Sitting-in Protesting Racism and Abuse of Workers
From: Harvard Dining Hall workers Unite-Here local 26, Shop-steward committee
To: Duke student-worker occupiers
Your initiative in demanding an end to racist worker abuse and promoting workers’ justice at Duke has inspired the workers and student supporters here at Harvard. We at Harvard have been struggling to stop injustices on campus, from making healthcare unaffordable to respect on the job. Your struggle is felt on campuses throughout this country.
What you are doing is right. Your tactics in demanding justice for workers to be heard is the right thing to do. Your actions are defining who is the Duke community; the workers, students and faculty make everything happen at Duke. It is the effort of this entire community that makes the university what it is. It is also this community that strives to make it better. Your brilliant demand that workers be at the negotiating table reflects this reality and shows respect to the workers, particularly the Black workers.
With this demand, you have strengthened tremendously the Duke community’s side of the negotiating table; that is why the administration opposes workers coming to the table. The workers above all will not only bring in the harsh reality of all the indignities they and the community have endured, but they will bring everyone to understand how all this affects the children of the Duke community.
To us, your wonderful struggle has brought to light the wider struggle in North Carolina. Duke’s administration reflects the racist, anti-women, anti-LGBTI, anti-immigrant and anti-worker policies of the North Carolina’s state legislature, plus making it a vicious “right to work” state. Your struggle reflects the tremendous civil rights and workers’ struggles of North Carolina, from the tobacco workers’ union struggles to the civil rights lunch counter sit-ins to break the racist segregation strong hold.
A decade ago, we had an occupation of the President’s office at Harvard, which lasted for 3 weeks led by the students. We won the right for janitors, dining hall workers and clerical workers to be at the negotiating table with students and faculty. In the final agreement we hammered out was a living wage for all workers, educational benefits and policies that gave new respect to workers, students and faculty.
Today, Harvard law students are occupying a lounge in the Harvard Law School to end Harvard’s complicity in systemic racism. This movement has already forced Harvard Law School’s administration to take down the symbol of Harvard Law School, which was a coat of arms of slave owners who gave the profits extracted from slave labor to start Harvard Law School.
In their struggle, the Harvard Law students have been inspired by Belinda Sutton, an enslaved woman whose labor produced that money. They have re-named the hall they are occupying “Belinda Hall,” in honor of Belinda. Belinda sued the slave master, and with the help of the abolitionist movement won benefits for herself and her children. All our struggles are for the children who benefit or suffer from the outcome of our struggles.
Your coalition and our coalition are one and the same. We are fighting for justice, dignity and respect for our children and ourselves.
We praise your struggle and courage.

Milwaukee-Grafton, April 16: Red Bike Green 1st Ride of Season
APRIL 16th(National Record Store Day) We’re riding the INTERURBAN TRAIL to Grafton, WI. home of the Historical PARAMOUNT RECORDS* Pace: slow to moderate Distance: 30.4 mi
*Paramount Records produced music from legendary blues artists like Ma Rainey, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Charley Patton – who is often recognized as “the father of the Delta Blues.” At the time, this type of music was known commercially as “race records.” and was marketed mainly to African Americans.
