Fight Back News Service is circulating following Oct. 24 statement from the Provisional Committee of International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) – Latin America and the Caribbean.

Minneapolis, MN – About 70 people gathered in south Minneapolis, October 26, to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese revolution. Each year Freedom Road Socialist Organization in the Twin Cities organizes an event to celebrate the “Two Octobers,” the victories of the Chinese and Russian revolutions.

Chicago, IL – Members of the Chicago Teachers Union members and SEIU Local 73 are in the seventh day of their joint striking. As of Friday, October 25, this strike under Mayor Lori Lightfoot is now equal in length to the strike under Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2012.

Tallahassee, FL – On October 22, a lively group rallied in the streets of the historic Florida capital city, chanting “Say her name,” “Black lives matter” and “Justice for Atatiana.” The action was a part of the National Day Against Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation.

Chicago, IL – Last year, Brazil emerged from its greatest political crisis since the dictatorship to find that Jair Bolsonaro, an extreme right winger, was now president. His victory marked the high point of the so-called ‘roll-back’ of the Pink Tide, a political phenomenon that saw left-wing governments elected across Latin America, on platforms of sovereignty and freedom from U.S. interference. Bolsonaro’s election was a moment openly celebrated in the halls of the White House, as many hoped that the few isolated governments left standing from the Pink Tide movement would soon be snuffed out.

Minneapolis, MN – On October 18, the five-starred flag of the People’s Republic of China fluttered in the wind, as a group of patriotic Chinese international students marched in opposition to a reactionary demonstration billed as the “Liberty for Hong Kong March.”

Chicago, IL – The joint strike by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and SEIU Local 73 continued October 18 and through the weekend as the office of Mayor Lori Lightfoot continued to refuse to meet the strikers' demands.

On October 18 a group of Korean students entered the U.S. ambassador’s residential compound in Seoul, Korea to protest the continuing presence of U.S. troops in their country. 20 people, who belong to a coalition of progressive students, scaled the wall of the diplomatic compound and began a demonstration against the U.S. occupation of their county. The students chanted “We don’t need U.S. troops,” and “Get out!” before being escorted out by police. 19 of the students were detained and questioned by south Korean police.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Oct. 19 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Chicago, IL – Picket lines went up at hundreds of schools across Chicago at 6:30 a.m., October 17. The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) walked out for their third strike since 2012. For the more than 7000 members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73, this is an historic first strike, and the first against the new mayor, Lori Lightfoot.

Tucson, AZ – It has become tradition in Arizona to wear red and take selfies on Wednesdays to support the #RedForEd movement to demand that the legislature fully fund schools. However, since there are currently 2000 workers on strike at the Asarco mines, educators took selfies with Steelworkers and Teamsters on their picket line on Wednesday, October 16.

Los Angeles, CA – A joyous parade, block party and festival were held October 12 in Boyle Heights to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the opening of Mendez High School. The parade down First Street with beautiful vintage lowriders, featured Chicano writer Luis Rodriguez, author of Always Running; the daughter of Felicitas Mendez; Eloisa Galindo of Eastside Padres Contra la Privatización; Carlos Montes of Centro CSO; Jose Huizar of Council District 14 and Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) board member Monica Garcia.

Milwaukee, WI – The first meeting for the Coalition to March on the DNC took place on the evening of October 11, concluding with a demonstration and rally. The coalition is comprised of many progressive activist groups united around nine demands – or points of unity – that serve as a basis and also a guide to action. Some of these points are “Legalization for all; no more deportations” and “Fight to expand union and worker rights.”

Today, I am proud to be Latin American. Today I will not complain about injustices. Today I will not cry. Today, in addition to celebrating our heritage, we must reflect and begin to love our America, just as José Martí, to really love her! It is time to be proud, to raise your forehead high and not be afraid. It is time to feel the pride of coming from a land where the cosmic race was born, where people from all over the world were merged into a clash where there was death, blood, conquest and colonialism. But from this brutal change, hope was born ... a new culture, with strong roots, mixed with earth, mud, stone and full of life. Today I want to tell all of you, old, young and children to discover your roots! This way you can have the pride of being who you are and want to fight for what is yours.

Tucson, AZ – The United Steelworkers (USW) said, October 11, that about 2000 hourly workers at five ASARCO LLC, locations in Arizona and Texas voted overwhelmingly to strike against unfair labor practices rather than to accept the Grupo México subsidiary’s so-called “last, best and final” offer.

Hoy, me siento orgulloso de ser latinoamericano. Hoy no me voy a quejar de las injusticias, hoy no voy a llorar. Hoy, además de celebrar en una Buena fiesta, es tiempo de reflexionar y empezar a querer a nuestra América, como lo hizo José Martí, ¡a quererla de verdad! Es tiempo de tener orgullo, de levantar la frente en alto y no tener miedo. Mejor sentir el orgullo de venir de una tierra donde nació la raza cósmica, donde se fundieron gente de todo el mundo en un choque donde hubo muerte, sangre, conquista y colonialismo. Pero de este cambio brutal nació la esperanza… una cultura nueva, con raíces fuertes, mezcladas con tierra, lodo, piedra y llenas de vida. ¡Hoy quiero decirle a todos ustedes, viejos, jóvenes y niños que descubran sus raíces! Y así podrán tener el orgullo de ser quienes son y querrán luchar por lo suyo.

Aurora, CO – Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) members from Denver, Colorado joined the UAW picket line, October 13, at the General Motors (GM) distribution facility in Aurora. That facility is part of the national strike of General Motors where workers are seeking to improved pay, to maintain high quality health care and to provide a path for temporary workers to become permanent workers.

Tampa, FL – On October 7 and 8, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) rallied against the lack of federal job protections for LGBT workers. On October 8, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) began discussions on three cases that relate to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which protects against job discrimination on the basis of “race, color, religion, sex, or national origin,” in order to decide whether sexual orientation and gender identity are also protected under Title VII. Tampa Bay SDS held two rallies in response to this, as a part of a National SDS call to action. SDS demanded that the Supreme Court rule in favor of federal job protections for LGBT workers.

Minneapolis, MN – 40 protesters braved the first snow of the season at the busy intersection of Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis on October 12 to say no to U.S. endless wars. The protest was called by the MN Peace Action Coalition in conjunction with the Rage Against the War Machine organized by the Women's March on the Pentagon the same weekend in Washington DC.

Tucson, AZ – Nearly a dozen anti-war activists answered the call for an emergency rally Friday afternoon, October 11, to make the demand that the U.S. and NATO member Turkey leave Syria. Amid rush hour traffic moving through downtown, there were several honks of solidarity with the message on posters saying: “U.S.-NATO out of Syria” and “U.S. hands off Syria.”