San Jose, CA – On August 29, the San Jose Freedom Road Socialist Organization and other groups held a commemoration for the 53rd anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium, with veteran activist Carlos Montes as a guest speaker.

Chicago, IL – Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. has spent his entire life fighting to carry forward the revolutionary legacy of the Black Panther Party. Chairman Fred Hampton Sr. was assassinated in hail of bullets from a combined Chicago Police Department, FBI, Illinois States Attorney’s Office death squad on December 4, 1969. The 4:30 a.m. raid was part of a nationwide counterintelligence program (COINTELPRO) against the Black Panther Party and other revolutionary organizations.

East Los Angeles, CA – On Saturday, August 26, over 300 people, mostly Chicano, gathered at Salazar Park in East Los Angeles for the 53rd Chicano Moratorium. Led by Centro CSO and other allied organizations, speakers both commemorated the 53rd anniversary of the protest that took place at the same location on August 29, 1970 and highlighted the ongoing struggle for Chicano self-determination. Demands included legalization for all of the undocumented, community control of the sheriffs, no U.S./NATO wars, and protection of public education.

Jacksonville, FL – On Monday, August 28, over 1000 community members and organizers hit the streets of Jacksonville to fight back against white supremacy and racially motivated hate crimes in the city. This emergency call to action arose after the murder of three Black Jacksonville residents – Angela Michelle Carr, Jerrald De’Shaun Gallion, and Anolt Joseph Laguerre Jr. – at the hands of a 21-year-old white supremacist on Saturday, August 26 at a Dollar General store.

Denver, CO – Family, friends and community supporters of Stephan Long rallied at the office of Denver District Attorney Beth McCann on Thursday, August 24 to demand his immediate release. This action follows a week of calls and emails to McCann’s office and a day before Long was scheduled to appear in court.

Orlando, FL – On Saturday, August 19, a panel of progressive organizations organized by Las Semillas was held at the Orange County Public Library. The purpose of this panel was for progressive organizations to network, present the work they are doing in their communities, and have a discussion about pressing political issues. All of these activities contribute to the goal of building a united front against the DeSantis administration and the deterioration of material conditions, especially for the working class of Central Florida. “Florida’s on fire in more ways than one, so we’re glad to be in concert with anyone trying to put the pieces together,” stated the social media post promoting the event.

Los Angeles , CA – Organizers of the event commemorating the 53rd anniversary of the 1970 Chicano Moratorium will be holding a cultural, political teatro and music, free event for the public. This year’s event will take place Saturday, August 26 at Ruben Salazar Park in East Los Angeles. It will begin at 4 p.m. and end at about 6 p.m. All participants are encouraged to bring their own lawn chair or blankets to enjoy the program.

Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) is proud to announce that longtime Chicano revolutionary Carlos Montes was elected to co-chair the Chicano Latino and Other Oppressed Nationalities Commission, newly formed this July 2023. This followed his re-election to the Central Committee at our Congress held in May 2022. The Chicano, Latino, and Other Oppressed Nationalities Commission will help build Chicano power and develop theory. It will also work to forge alliances with Native American people in the Southwest. Carlos self-recruited to FRSO in the mid-1990s, when he saw the importance of building revolutionary organizations to fight for Chicano liberation and socialism.

Tallahassee, FL – On Saturday, August 5, several racist white patrons fucked around found out when they attempted to publicly lynch an African American dock worker who asked the groups of whites to move their tugboat. The tugboat was in the way of a riverboat, the Harriott II, trying to dock. The thugs began raining down blows on the African American dock worker, who fought back but was outnumbered. Then, over a dozen African Americans rushed towards the pier and handed down one of the most viral asswhoppings of all time. The event, now dubbed by many on social media as Alabama Sweet Tea Party, Augustteenth, and Bloody Saturday (reminiscent of Blood Sunday), is inspiring hope, laughs and memes.

San Jose, CA – On August 4, around 70 people gathered to celebrate the removal of the Thomas Fallon statue that had stood at the corner of West Julian Street and Notre Dame Avenue in San Jose for over 20 years. Fallon was a captain of the U.S. military during the Mexican-American War and captured San Jose in 1846. In the 1850s, he returned to the area and began a political career, culminating in a one-year term as mayor of San Jose in 1859. His time in public office took place during a period of genocide against the indigenous peoples of California, as well as the oppression and disenfranchisement of Mexican people in California.