Dallas, TX – About 20 people came to Pan-African Connection in Oak Cliff, Dallas, May 9, to show solidarity with Cuba and Venezuela, and brainstorm ways to organize against imperialist threats against them from the U.S. government. Akwete Tyehimba of Pan-African Connection hosted the forum. Many of the participants were from local socialist groups but others said they were unaffiliated.

Chicago, IL – Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) members at charter schools are reforming the industry one charter operator at a time and that campaign won better working conditions for educators and better learning conditions for students at two charter schools run by Instituto del Progresso Latino. Teachers and support staff from two schools, Instituto Health Sciences Career Academy and Instituto Justice Leadership Academy, had been on strike against the charter operator since the end of the day on May 1. The tentative agreement was finalized just before 11 p.m. on May 6.

Jacksonville, FL – About 35 people gathered on May 1 to celebrate International Workers’ Day in Jacksonville. The rally was held in front of the Duval County Courthouse. Members of several local trade unions were present, including Letter Carriers, Teamsters, SEIU, Teachers, and IATSE. Other local activist groups included the Community Action Committee, Students for a Democratic Society, Progressive Coalition, Palestine Solidarity Network, the Northside Coalition, and the local Democratic Black Caucus.

San José, CA – On Tuesday, May 7, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) fell almost 500 points, or close to 2%. This came following President Trump’s tweets on Sunday threatening to escalate the trade war with China on Friday if he couldn’t get a trade agreement done. While the U.S. stock market largely shrugged off this news on Monday, statements by his economic advisors convinced investors that his threats are for real.

Minneapolis, MN – About 90 people came together in south Minneapolis, May 3, to celebrate International Workers’ Day. The event was organized by Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO).

Resisting the U.S.-backed Venezuelan coup attempt in belly of the beast

Washington, DC – On May 4, over 100 people came out to support the Embassy Protection Collective that has been inside the Venezuelan embassy, defending it for the past several weeks.

Tampa, FL – Over 30 young workers, trade unionists and community members rallied May 3 to demand an end to attacks on public school employees in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida. The rally was organized by West Central Florida Future Labor Leaders.

Caracas, Venezuela – The delegation from Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) met with Jacobo Torres, May 6, the international relations coordinator for the Central of Bolivarian Socialist Workers (CBST) and a member of the international relations commission of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). He also is a delegate for the working class in the Constituent National Assembly (ANC).

Caracas, Venezuela – En el primero de mayo, día del trabajador, en el centro de la ciudad, 400,000 trabajadores acudieron a las calles por dos razones: para honrar su día, el Día Internacional de los Trabajadores; y para celebrar la derrota del intento de golpe de Estado contra su presidente electo Nicolás Maduro.

Richardson, TX – About 60 people came together at Faith United Methodist Church here, May 3, for a community forum on the trafficking of Filipino teachers in the nearby suburb of Garland. The forum was hosted by Migrante USA, Malaya Movement Texas, United Federation of Fil-Am Educators Texas, National Alliance for Filipino Concerns, North Texas Dream Team, Pilipino American Unity for Progress, and RAICES.

To mark the May 5, 1818 birthday of Karl Marx, Fight Back News Service is circulating a work he authored in 1864, a statement of congratulations to President Lincoln upon his reelection.

Families unite to demand: Legalization for all, no Trump wall, no deportations!

Los Angeles, CA – On the afternoon of May 1, International Workers Day, Boyle Heights families, workers and students protested the Trump anti-immigrant attacks and raised the demand “Legalization for all” and “No Wall on the Mexico border!”

Caracas, Venezuela – La delegación de la Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad (FRSO) en Venezuela participó en una manifestación masiva para el Dia Internacional de los Trabajadores en Caracas, en el primero de Mayo. Centenares de miles de gente obrera participó. El presidente Maduro se dirigió a la demostración.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR)

Caracas, Venezuela – The delegation from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) had the honor May 2 of meeting with Blanca Eekhout, Minister of Communes and Social Movements and a member of the National Directorate of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV).

Caracas, Venezuela – The delegation from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) attended a ceremony in the 23 de Enero neighborhood in Caracas for the 90th anniversary of the “Plan to Realize the Great Dream of Bolivar.” The Plan was written by Nicaraguan revolutionary Augusto Sandino during his armed struggle against the U.S. occupation of his country. Among the event's attendees was Yaosca Calderon Martin, the Nicaraguan ambassador to Venezuela, along with veterans of the Sandinista struggle in the 1970s and 1980s.

New York, NY – On May 1, hundreds of people in New York City celebrated on International Workers’ Day. The day was kicked off in Harlem, where a rally for the laundry workers was held as they demanded better working conditions. The day continued at a Trump Tower on Wall Street. Hundreds gathered near the Stock Exchange under the banner “No walls in the workers struggle.”

Madison WI – Thousands gathered on, May 1 in celebration of May Day in Wisconsin’s capital. Voces de la Frontera hosted the event and were able to bring in more than 17 different cities to attend.

Saint Paul, MN – Hundreds of immigrants, union members and activists marched to the Minnesota State Capitol on May 1, International Workers Day. They demanded that the state legislature pass a bill to give immigrants access to drivers licenses, without adding amendments to further criminalize immigrants. They also raised other demands for immigrant and workers’ rights while commemorating the workers who lost their lives in 1886 in the struggle for an eight-hour workday.