Fight Back! photographer Kim DeFranco was inside Rosemary Williams' home during the Sept. 11 police raid. This is her account and photos of what took place.

Minneapolis, MN – After a months long fight against her foreclosure, police came to evict Rosemary Williams from her home, Sept. 11. Dozens of police cordoned off the street, sidewalks and alley all around the home, police with rifles and tear gas were at the ready at windows inside the house, as a private security company used metal grating to board up windows and doors. The police showed up as preparations were being made for a birthday party for Rosemary Williams’s grandson, Talib, who turned two that day.

Minneapolis, MN – Anti-war activists from across the Twin Cities gathered at Rosemary Williams’s house, Aug. 27, to say “Foreclose the wars! Not people’s homes!”

“Foreclose the war, not people's homes”

Minneapolis, MN – The Twin Cites peace movement organized a rally under the call of “Foreclose the war, not people’s homes, ” Aug. 27 to show support for Minneapolis homeowner Rosemary Williams and her fight against foreclosure and eviction. More than 50 people demanded a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions and for the billions being spent on U.S. wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan to be used instead to keep people in their homes.

Estimados lectores,

Minneapolis, MN – More than 40 family, friends, neighbors and other community supporters gathered at the home of Rosemary Williams Aug. 24 to show support for the continued fight against foreclosure and eviction.

Vows to fight to keep it

Minneapolis, MN – About 40 supporters and neighbors of Rosemary Williams gathered at her home here, Aug. 18 to hear an update on the latest developments in the negotiations with her mortgage holder GMAC and plans for future actions.

The struggle continues

Minneapolis, MN – At a press conference on Thursday, August 13, Rosemary Williams and supporters announced a milestone in the struggle to stop Rosemary's eviction. They announced that after Rosemary's eviction last Friday, and then a week of activists and community members occupying her home to resist the eviction, mortgage holder GMAC has agreed to return to talks about Rosemary staying in her home.

Minneapolis, MN – On the evening of August 10, 2009, a prayer and candlelight vigil was held in the front yard of Rosemary Williams home. Williams and supporters' round-the-clock sit-in continued into its fourth day. The prayer vigil expressed support from various Twin Cities religious communities for Rosemary Williams struggle against eviction and the broader struggle to end foreclosures and evictions.

Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, August 8, the second day of a round-the-clock sit-in at her house, Rosemary Williams and supporters held a press conference on her front porch. Rosemary was officially evicted from her home on Friday. But within one hour of the eviction supporters from the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout, Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign, neighbors and many others from the South Minneapolis community gathered at Rosemary’s home. They retook the house and are resisting the eviction.

Demand that GMAC Come to the Table!

Minneapolis, MN – Rosemary Williams, a 55 year resident of Central Neighborhood, who has stood at the forefront of the fight against foreclosures, was evicted from her home on Friday August 7th.

Peoples' occupation to resist the eviction taking place

Minneapolis, MN – Fight Back! News is reporting from the home of Rosemary Williams on the 3100 block of Clinton Ave S. in Minneapolis, MN.  Early this afternoon, Hennepin County Sheriff Deputies came to Rosemary’s home and evicted Rosemary, her daughter in law and two of her grandchildren.  The deputies carried out the wishes of GMAC mortgage with calculated precision.  They allowed the Williams family to collect a few personal items, then changed the locks on the home and padlocked the garage.  A family locked away from their life so the GMAC can be the proud owners of another vacant home on a block with 7 other vacant homes.

Chicago, IL – Huvo otra ronda en la batalla para desplazar a la gente trabajador del barrio mejicano Pilsen de Chicago. La batalla esta vez fue sobre la junta en City Hall para proponer la implementación de una zona TIF en Pilsen. Los activistas locales habian demandado que los testimonios se realizan con la ayuda de interpretes, que las juntas se anuncien con más tiempo de anticipación y que halla suficiente tiempo para aue todos hablen. Con estas demandas la comunidad va aganar puesto. Los auspiciadores de los TIFs dicen que el TIF sirve para mejorar las casas y aumentar la cantidad de trabajos bien pagados.

Chicago, IL – “¡No debemos tener que vivir así!” fue el grito en la reunión pública del 29 de Noviember en donde la Asociación de Inquilinos de Kimbark presionó al Departamento de Alojamiento y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD) a que respondiera a sus demandas. Un año de mucha lucha por los inquilinos de unos edificios subvencionados en el barrio Woodlawn en el lado sur de Chicago precede el evento. Hace un año la gerencia atentó forzarles a ser desplazados para una conversión a condominios. Ahora los inquilinos están forzando a la gerencia a mejorar su conducta y respetar sus derechos.

Chicago, IL – “La seguridad nacional nos arresta porque estamos luchando para quedarnos en nuestros hogares. Les dijimos que ‘¡La vivienda es un derecho humano y no nos vamos, seguiremos luchando!’” dijo el inquilino de Grove Parc y organizador de Lado Sureño Organizando por el Poder (STOP) Lonnie Richardson entre gritos de inquilinos y otros congregados en apoyo en un día heladísimo de noviembre fuera de las oficinas del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos (HUD) en el centro de Chicago.

Los norteamericanos están celebrando la derrota del hombre rico y bélico John McCain. Votaron por un cambio – un fin a la guerra, las mentiras y la corrupción. Muchos vieron que McCain era la continuación de las políticas fracasadas de Bush, y lo castigaron con el voto. Es seguro que la respuesta insuficiente de McCain a la crisis económica y su apoyo para los ricos aseguró su derrota. Los votantes de la clase trabajadora y la clase media están preocupados por la economía, se oponen al “rescate” de $700 mil millones y buscan un líder que “compartiría la riqueza”.

Americans are celebrating the defeat of warmonger and angry rich guy John McCain. The voters wanted change – an end to war, lies and corruption. Many correctly saw McCain as the continuation of Bush’s failed policies, so they punished him in the voting booths. To be sure, McCain’s pathetic response to the economic crisis and defense of tax breaks for the rich sealed his defeat. Working and middle class voters are angry about the economy, opposed to the $700 billion bailout and looking for a leader who will “spread the wealth.”

Analysis of Bush reelection and second term prospects

Over the past year, a powerful movement to drive George Bush from office was born and developed. Many of us built demonstrations at his campaign appearances, passed out anti-Bush leaflets, marched against the war at the Republican National Convention and urged our friends, neighbors and co-workers to get out and vote against him. In the face of real obstacles, on Nov. 2 a vast outpouring of working people and those for oppressed nationality communities – African-Americans, Chicano-Latinos, Asian and Native Americans – rejected him and his policies. This was not enough to get Bush out of office, but because so many did so much, we’re in a better position to fight the attacks that are sure to come over the next four years.

You wouldn’t know it from reading your daily paper or watching FOX news, but on May 1, something really extraordinary will take place. Hundreds of millions of working people across the globe will take to the streets to celebrate a day that is ours and ours alone – International Workers’ Day.

On May 1, working people in the hundreds of millions will celebrate a holiday that is truly our own – International Workers Day. On every continent, workers will fill the streets of cities and villages. In the jungles of the Philippines and Colombia, poor peasants will gather. In the countries where the rule of the rich has come to an end, such as Cuba and Democratic Korea, May Day is recognized as a national holiday. From Moscow to Manila to Minneapolis, working women and men will gather and say, “Enough is enough; we don't have to live this way. We do not have to put up with exploitation, discrimination, and national oppression.”