New York, NY – A crowd of over 100 protesters gathered in front of the Philippine General Consulate in New York City on March 8, in honor of International Women’s Day. The action, titled “Women Rise Up, Resist, & Unite!”, put focus on ending violence against women and children in the Philippines. This included opposing President Duterte’s wars on drugs and the poor, as well as his remarks approving of sexual violence against women.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Joint Statement in Solidarity with the Venezuelan People. Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) is one of the many signers.

Minneapolis, MN – On March 9 Minnesotans rallied to celebrate International Women’s Day, in the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis, renewing their commitment to the struggle for women’s liberation and against exploitation. Roughly 60 people, union leaders, community members and students defied the threat of a blizzard to remember the sacrifices of women in the past that set an example for how to build a better world.

Chicago, IL – You know people are having fun at a political event when community activist Jeanette Taylor, a candidate for city council, gets the room to sing along to Chaka Khan’s I’m Every Woman! The feeling continued when Christel Williams, a candidate for a principal office in the Chicago Teachers Union, led the singing of Ella’s Song.

Minneapolis, MN – The following speech was given by Freedom Road Socialist Organization Twin Cites District Organizer Jess Sundin at a Minneapolis International Women’s Day rally, which was held on March 9.

Kapolei, HI – United Steelworkers (USW) members employed by Par Hawaii Refining, LLC, in Kapolei, a subsidiary of Houston-based Par Pacific Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:PARR), overwhelmingly rejected the company’s contract proposal.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following March 8 statement from MAKIBAKA (the Patriotic Movement of New Women), a revolutionary women’s group in the Philippines.

Enough is enough. Trump, his administration, and his backers are waging war on women, and millions of women are making it clear that we are not going to be pushed backwards. From the massive Women’s Marches, to the midterm elections, to the constant, everyday resistance, women are standing up against Trump’s reactionary agenda.

Milwaukee, WI – Workers at Milwaukee's Stone Creek Coffee unveiled a petition drive, March 4, to support a several months’ long organizing drive at retail shops and production facilities. These young cafe baristas, cooks, bakers, warehouse workers and truck drivers have signed up in ever-growing numbers to be represented by Teamsters Local 344, the Sales and Service Industry union that represents UPS workers as well as Coke, Pepsi and bakery and linen companies in southeastern Wisconsin.

Tampa, FL – Over 30 teachers, staff, parents and community members rallied outside the Pasco County School District Office, March 5, to build support for United School Employees of Pasco (USEP) and challenge dismal salaries for school district employees, along with the lack of funding for public education. The rally occurred only minutes before a Pasco County school board meeting inside.

Tampa, FL – On February 28, the Tampa Bay chapter of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a Black Lives Matter rally at the University of South Florida for the seventh anniversary of Trayvon Martin’s death. In 2012, Trayvon Martin, 17, was shot and killed by George Zimmerman in Sanford, Florida, after returning from a nearby gas station. The trial of Zimmerman became a national phenomenon with him walking free due to Florida’s ‘stand your ground’ law. The shooting is still fresh on Florida’s mind, with many questioning the judicial system that let a man off with murder.

Tampa, FL – United Parcel Service released their fourth quarter earnings last month, beating Wall Street’s expectations with almost $5 billion in profit for 2018. Through a combination of opening new automated sorting facilities, purchasing more air cargo planes, and exploiting employees with low pay and long hours, UPS had an extremely profitable holiday season. The company is optimistic for profits in 2019 and moving into the future. For workers, however, the future does not look so bright.

The following statement was published today, March 5, by the Communist Party of Venezuela and was written by Freddy Subdiaga, a Party leader in the state of Anzoátegui. The statement was written in Spanish and translated by Fight Back! staff.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the World Federation of Trade Unions.

Chicago, IL – This week, Chicago saw elections for mayor and city council in which almost all the candidates ran on platforms opposing outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Progressive victories were won in a number of wards across the city, including by Maria Hadden, a young, Black, queer woman who unseated Joe Moore in the far Northside Rogers Park neighborhood. Moore had been a progressive 25 years ago but is now a staunch ally of the mayor and a defender of big money developers. Hadden was recently a board member of Black Youth Project 100, and hers was a major win for progressives in the first round of elections.

Massive community outpouring fills hearing and packs two overflow rooms

Saint Paul, MN – Hundreds of immigrants and supporters filled the Minnesota State Capitol on February 28 for the first committee hearing of House File 1500, the ‘drivers license for all’ bill. The hearing room quickly filled to capacity, as did two overflow rooms. After more than two hours of public testimony and debate, the House Transportation Finance and Policy Committee voted to pass the bill and refer it to the House Ways and Means Committee for the next step in the process.

Jacksonville, FL – On February 19 the University of North Florida Students for a Democratic Society (UNF SDS) held a rally speaking out against Trump’s Declaration of a National Emergency to fund his racist, xenophobic border wall. About 30 students attended despite the chilly rain. Several speakers addressed the protesters about the importance of organizing on campus and opposing Trump's backwards policies.

Grand Rapids, MI – Excitement is building among trade unionists and community activists in Grand Rapids, about an upcoming event where labor negotiator and author Joe Burns will speak. Michigan is a so-called ‘right to work’ state, where labor unions are struggling to maintain their membership and power.

Outrage that cop called ex-Marine ‘loco’

Grand Rapids, MI – The Grand Rapids Police Department was caught lying and covering up for Captain Curt VanderKooi this week. VanderKooi racially profiled an ex-Marine and contacted ICE to detain him in November 2018. The recent Grand Rapids police investigation claims VanderKooi contacted ICE out of concern for possible ‘terrorism.’

Los Angeles, CA – The evening of February 22, a group of fiery protestors gathered at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights, protesting Trump’s deceleration of a National Emergency for his wall. The Boyle Heights action was organized by Centro CSO and was one of the protests in response to a call to action made by the Legalization for All Network.