Minneapolis, MN – On August 9, hundreds of activists and intellectuals gathered at Northrop mall on the University of Minnesota -Twin Cities campus for a memorial rally and march in honor of Jesús Estrada-Pérez, who passed away earlier that week.

Arlington, TX – On August 10, Mothers Against Police Brutality held a vigil for Christian Taylor outside the police department here. About 100 people attended.

Steff Yorek, the Political Secretary of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, responded to the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, June 26 stating, “Today the Supreme Court made marriage equality the law of the land. This is an important accomplishment in terms of LGBTQ equality and realization of a democratic demand.”

Tallahassee, FL – On April 28, the Florida House of Representatives adjourned the legislative session for this year. This marks an end to the hearings on House Bill 583, more commonly known as the ‘Bathroom Bill.’ This bill gained notoriety over the past few months for its attempt to criminalize transgender people. It would make using the bathroom that does not correspond to the sex one was assigned at birth a second-degree misdemeanor. Transgender people would face up to a year in prison and a fine of $1000 simply for using the bathroom.

Salt Lake City, UT – The detainment of Nicoll Hernández-Polanco is sparking protests across the country with Utah joining the fight. Nicoll Hernández-Polanco is a Guatemalan transwoman seeking asylum. However, she is currently being held in the Florence Service Processing Detention in Arizona. Hernandez-Polanco remains incarcerated in the men’s side of the detention center where she faces sexual harassment and assault.

Tallahassee, FL – On March 3, over 20 students gathered to speak out against the proposed Florida House Bill 583. Authored by Representative Frank Artiles from Miami, HB 583 proposes to force Transgender folk to use the bathrooms, locker rooms and fitting rooms that match their sex designated by the government. This bill seeks to charge Transgender people who use facilities that match their gender with first-degree misdemeanor charges, punishable by up to $1000 and one year in jail.

Tallahassee, FL – On Jan. 8, over 40 Florida State students and Tallahassee community members gathered to remember transgender people who were murdered or pushed to suicide. Transgender Europe reports that around the world, 226 transgender people were murdered in the year between October 2013 and October 2014. Some countries do not report this crime and others underreport, so figures are actually higher.

Holladay, UT – Students at Olympus High School, in suburban Salt Lake City, are demanding the school administration officially establish a Gay-Straight Alliance to provide a safe space for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students. To advance the struggle for gender and sexual equality, they formed the Students Cooperation Network, or SCN.

Tampa, FL – On Oct. 7, members of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) protested against Rosaria Butterfield, a self-described former “radical lesbian feminist turned pastor’s wife.” Butterfield now writes and gives lectures opposing homosexuality and advocating for evangelical Christianity. She believes that homosexuality is a sin and that her pride in being a lesbian was an even greater sin.

Minneapolis, MN – The anti-war movement sees Chelsea Manning as a hero for exposing the truth of the brutality of U.S. warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result of her bravery in releasing classified documents that exposed U.S. war crimes to WikiLeaks, on Aug. 21 Manning was sentenced to military prison for 35 years.

Minneapolis, MN – A peace contingent, made up of the Anti-War Committee, Women Against Military Madness, the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression, Free Bradley Manning-Minneapolis and others, had a strong showing at the annual Minneapolis LGBTQ Pride parade this year. The contingent participated in the annual parade down Hennepin Avenue to Loring Park on June 30.

Minneapolis, MN – The Anti-War Committee had a big presence at the Pride celebration held here, June 29.

San Francisco, CA – More than 1000 GLBTQ activists and allies rallied in the Castro District here to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on June 26 to strike down the anti-gay, homophobic Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Demonstrators also celebrated the Court’s decision to uphold a 2012 ruling by the California Supreme Court that found Proposition 8, a 2008 ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage in the state, unconstitutional.

Tampa, FL – Protesters gathered in front of Senator Marco Rubio’s Tampa office May 31 to criticize the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill currently being debated in the U.S. Senate and to demand, “Legalization for all!”

St. Paul, MN – 5000 people rallied throughout the Minnesota State Capitol here, May 13, to make their voices heard for the historic senate vote to legalize same-sex marriages in the state. The capitol overflowed with the equality campaign’s orange and blue color scheme. Supporters of marriage equality outnumbered the opponents by at least 20 to one. The chant “Vote yes!” could be heard throughout the building.

Saint Paul, MN – On Nov. 6, Minnesotans voted down two controversial constitutional amendments that conservatives put on the ballot. An amendment that would have made gay marriage unconstitutional was defeated 51.2% to 47.6%. An amendment that would have put restrictive voter ID requirements into the state constitution – an effort to suppress voter turnout – was also defeated, 52.2% to 46.3%.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people, mostly Latino, marched through the Latino community today to encourage people to vote no on the Voter ID amendment and the anti-gay marriage amendment. The two proposed amendments to the state constitution will be on the Minnesota ballot Nov. 6. They are proposed and promoted by the right wing. Polls are very close for both amendments, so mobilizing people to turn out to vote against them is at a fevered pitch.

Stand up for full equality; strike a blow against racist and anti-gay discrimination

On Nov. 6 Minnesotans will join with the rest of the country to vote on Election Day. But in Minnesota there won’t just be politicians on the ballot – there will also be two proposed constitutional amendments to vote on. If the majority of voters vote ‘yes’ on these amendments they will become part of the state constitution. These two referendums are very dangerous.

Minneapolis, MN – Members of the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression (MNCSFR) and the Anti-War Committee passed out leaflets and stickers at the Twin Cities Pride Festival here, June 23, to build opposition to FBI repression against anti-war and international solidarity activists.

Bail posted, still calling for everyone to “Support CeCe!”

Minneapolis, MN – On the evening of June 4, Leslie Feinberg, a renowned transgender activist and author of Stone Butch Blues and Trans Liberation, was arrested for showing solidarity with Chrishaun “CeCe” McDonald.