For the Long Haul: Care, Intention, and Steadiness in Radical Organizing with Chris Dixon

  • March 23, 2015 3:05 pm

from facebook

Chris Dixon, author of Another Politics, will be leading the workshop For the Long Haul: Care, Intention, and Steadiness in Radical OrganizingRadical activists and organizers across North America face many similar challenges as we work to build movements capable of transforming the world: How can we most productively manifest our values through our organizing? How can we move beyond self-selected activist circles? How can we avoid getting stuck in dead-end ways of doing things? How can we build structures that foster, rather than fracture, movements? And how can we link our day-to-day fights with longer-term visions? Drawing on interviews with experienced organizers across North America, this workshop will distill lessons for developing effective, visionary movements. It will also open a space to discuss the challenges we face and what we are learning together as we grapple with them.

[March 30 at 7pm to 10pm at A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]

Another Politics: Talking Across Today’s Transformative Movements

  • March 22, 2015 4:37 am

from facebook

With author Chris Dixon

Recent decades have seen the exciting convergence of anti-authoritarian radicalism and broader-based movements in the U.S. and Canada. From this convergence, a growing set of activists – from anti-poverty organizers in Toronto to prison abolitionists in Oakland, from occupy activists in New York to migrant justice organizers in Vancouver – are developing shared politics and practices. They are building “another politics,” to use a Zapatista expression. These efforts combine anti-authoritarian, anti-capitalist, anti-oppression politics with grassroots organizing among ordinary, non-activist people. Drawing on interviews with organizers across North America, this presentation will explore another politics and distill lessons for building effective, visionary movements.

More info about the book: http://writingwithmovements.com/another-politics.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Dixon, originally from Alaska, is a longtime anarchist organizer, writer, and educator with a PhD from the University of California at Santa Cruz. His writing has appeared in numerous book collections as well as periodicals such as Anarchist Studies, Clamor, Left Turn, and Social Movement Studies. He serves on the board of the Institute for Anarchist Studies and the advisory board for the activist journal Upping the Anti. Dixon lives in Ottawa, Canada, on unceded Algonquin Territory, where he is involved in anti-poverty organizing. Find him at: http://writingwithmovements.com/

[March 29 from 7-9pm at Wooden Shoe Books 704 South St]

Becoming Rebels

  • March 19, 2015 9:47 pm

From FTW/WTF

On February 28th, we participated in a “Day of Outrage” march in Bridgeton, New Jersey in response to the execution of Jerame Reid by Bridgeton police on December 30th, 2014 at a traffic stop. Police claimed he had a gun despite both his hands being visible to officers in the video (more details can be found here). This march gave us a snapshot of our movement’s strengths and weaknesses, as well a lesson in our enemies’ strategy. In the interest of advancing the struggle for a free society we offer this assessment of our actions, and some points on how to move forward.

Compañeras: Zapatista Women’s Stories

  • March 5, 2015 3:49 am

from facebook

with author Hilary Klein

Compañeras is the untold story of women’s involvement in the Zapatista movement, the indigenous rebellion that has inspired grassroots activists around the world for over two decades. Gathered here are the stories of grandmothers, mothers, and daughters who became guerrilla insurgents and political leaders, educators and healers—who worked collectively to construct a new society of dignity and justice. Compañeras shows us how, after centuries of oppression, a few voices of dissent became a force of thousands, how a woman once confined to her kitchen rose to conduct peace negotiations with the Mexican government, and how hundreds of women overcame engrained hardships to strengthen their communities from within.

[March 12 at 7-9pm at Wooden Shoe Books 704 South St]

What is white supremacy? A Teach-in, Q&A, and Discussion

  • February 16, 2015 2:44 pm

from facebook

White supremacy is one of those things we think we might know all about, but do we really? Over the past 500 years white supremacy has been a force that has shaped countless lives, yet it is a topic rarely discussed by the general population. How can a topic that is rarely talked about be well understood?

The recent uproar over Arizona State’s The Problem With Whiteness course shows us that in depth discussions and study of white supremacy as a social force are taking place in the academy. These sort of discussions should be available to everyone.

We will hear two presentations; one from Daryle Lamont Jenkins of One People’s Project, and another from Philly Antifa followed by a Q&A and a facilitated discussion. Both One People’s Project and Philly Antifa are actively working to expose and thwart the agenda of white supremacist organizations both here in the tri-state area and beyond.

Daryle will go into detail about how the white supremacist agenda fits into recent events, including the non-indictments of killer cops and the phenomenon of pro-police rallies. Philly Antifa will give an overview of their work and will show us how to recognize white supremacist symbols and code words.

We will also explore the subtle differences between crude white supremacy (KKK, neo-Nazi’s, etc) and the more invisible white supremacy that functions on the every day systemic level.

One other thing to keep in mind going into this event, and something that should be of unique concern, is the fact that white supremacists hold high positions in the federal government. This past December it was revealed that Congressman and majority whip Steve Scalise gave a speech to the European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO), a notorious white supremacist group founded by former KKK leader David Duke. After this scandal broke, David Duke threatened to expose other high ranking government officials with white supremacist ties if investigations against Scalise proceeded. The story has since disappeared from the headlines.

February 21st, 6pm
4722 Baltimore Avenue
Light refreshments will be provided

Please email starspray21@hotmail.com with any questions or concerns

Sponsored by One People’s Project, Philly Antifa, and Deep Green Philly

Phil Africa Passed Away Under Suspicious Circumstances

  • January 14, 2015 3:44 pm

from On A Move

On Saturday, January 10th 2015 Phil Africa, revolutionary, John Africa’s First Minister of Defense, and beloved brother, husband and father, passed away under suspicious circumstances at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, PA. On Sunday, January 4th Phil Africa wasn’t feeling well and went to the prison infirmary. Though he wasn’t feeling well, other inmates saw Phil Africa walking, stretching and doing jumping jacks. Hearing that Phil was in the infirmary MOVE members drove up to visit him and were denied a visit by the prison. While they were visiting with Delbert Africa, Phil was secretly transported to Wilkes Barre General Hospital where he was held in total isolation, incommunicado for five days.

Naomi Murakawa presents The First Civil Right: How Liberals Built Prison America

  • January 6, 2015 2:21 am

Sun, January 11, 7pm – 8pm Wooden Shoe Books 704 South Street

The explosive rise in the U.S. incarceration rate in the second half of the twentieth century, and the racial transformation of the prison population from mostly white at mid-century to sixty-five percent black and Latino in the present day, is a trend that cannot easily be ignored. Many believe that this shift began with the “tough on crime” policies advocated by Republicans and southern Democrats beginning in the late 1960s, which sought longer prison sentences, more frequent use of the death penalty, and the explicit or implicit targeting of politically marginalized people. In The First Civil Right, Naomi Murakawa inverts the conventional wisdom by arguing that the expansion of the federal carceral state-a system that disproportionately imprisons blacks and Latinos-was, in fact, rooted in the civil-rights liberalism of the 1940s and early 1960s, not in the period after.

Alert: White Power Show Booked in North Philly for January 10th

  • January 4, 2015 6:56 pm

from philly antifa

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Note: thanks to Wobbly Dash for the concise list of Aggravated Assault and Micetrap Distribution’s releases.

According to a flyer circulating on social media, Atlantic City “Skinheads” (ACS) band Aggravated Assault is scheduled to play a show at the Outlaws Biker Gang clubhouse at 2103 E. Somerset Street in Philly on January 10th.

A Nuanced Anti-civ Stance

  • December 31, 2014 2:10 pm

from Deep Green Philly

Regarding some of the contradictions of being anti-civ or critical of industrial society (or, how to negotiate certain “facts on the ground”):

There’s an Upworthy video making the rounds on facebook entitled ‘5 Years’ Worth Of Photos Show How Testosterone Affected One Person’s Life’. This heartwarming video shows a FTM trans person’s journey of self-realization. Of course a medical marvel like this would not have been possible 40 years ago, and yet here’s the thing – it’s not clear if it will be possible 40 years into the future if climate disruption, global warming, and resource wars take the huge toll that many are predicting.

Grounded in Resistance Winter Speaking Tour: Grassroots Mobilizing for Animal Liberation

  • December 28, 2014 12:00 pm

reposted from Grounded in ResistanceAnimals in captivity or whose habitats are being destroyed live in a constant state of resistance. When their lives are threatened, they kick and bite and scream. When their homes are taken, they attempt to rebuild and regroup. When they are confined, they desperately grasp for an existence beyond captivity. Animals fight to live, to be wild, and to be free, and their fight is always urgent. If we are fighting in solidarity with animals, where is our urgency? What are we missing in our movement for animal liberation?

An effective movement for animal liberation must challenge the systems in which animal use is rooted — capitalism, colonialism, imperialism, and patriarchy. Our organizing must be informed by solidarity and inspired by the passion with which animals fight. We need a path forward that is forged through on-the-ground actions, movement building, strategic campaigning, a diversity of tactics, and coalition organizing. We need a movement that is grounded in the urgency of the animals’ own resistance.

Join us for a presentation and discussion about effectively resisting the use of animals and embracing the urgency of the fight for animal liberation. We will explore the recent history of animal advocacy and share our experiences of organizing within the context of the current state of the movement, and discuss ideas about how we can work together for a stronger animal liberation movement — a movement that is driven by grassroots activism, resistance against all of the systems that support animal exploitation, and solidarity with the animals and others who fight for liberation and self-determination. We will also share our plans for next summer and invite you to take part. We are working to create a summer of regional campaign development and nationwide mobilization of grassroots activists, and we look forward to talking with you about how your community wants to be involved.

Tour Schedule:

Dec 13: Bay Area
Dec 14: Southern California
Dec 16: Phoenix, AZ
Dec 18: Denver, CO
Dec 20: Salt Lake City, UT
Dec 22: Reno, NV
Dec 31: Florence, MA
Jan 2: Philadelphia, PA & Washington, DC
Jan 4: Charleston, SC
Jan 5: Gainesville, FL
Jan 7: South Florida
Jan 9: Dallas, TX
Jan 11: Seattle, WA

Contact us:

TheBunnyAlliance.com
thebunnyalliance@riseup.net

ResistanceEcology.org
info@resistanceecology.org

[January 2nd, 12pm to 2pm at Wooden Shoe Books 704 South Street]

Statement on Philadelphia Police Department Intimidation and Surveillance of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement

  • December 16, 2014 1:41 am

From Up Against The Law

Recently several actions by the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) have targeted local organizers in the movement against police terror. It is clear to us that they are intentionally trying to cultivate an atmosphere of paranoia and create a chilling effect on this growing movement. We have several comments on the matter and intend to take dead aim at these tactics that seek to instill fear and distrust – two elements that are like kryptonite to peoples’ movements.

To All Those Who Cant Breathe

  • December 6, 2014 5:51 pm

A call by comrades in New York City

 

Locked Down, Locked Out with author Maya Schenwar

  • December 1, 2014 12:01 pm

From Decarcerate PA

Decarcerate PA and Wooden Shoe Books presents…

Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn’t Work and How We Can Do Better looks at how prison tears families and communities apart, creating a rippling effect that touches every corner of our society. Through the stories of prisoners and their families, as well as her own family’s experience of her sister’s incarceration, Schenwar shows how the institution that locks up 2.3 million Americans—and decimates poor communities of color—is shredding the ties that, if nurtured, could foster real collective safety.

The destruction does not end upon exiting the prison walls: the 95 percent of prisoners who are released emerge with even fewer economic opportunities and fewer human connections on the outside than before. Locked Down, Locked Out shows how incarceration takes away the very things that might enable people to build better lives.

Looking toward a future beyond imprisonment, Schenwar profiles community-based initiatives that foster antiracist, anticlassist, prohumanity approaches to justice. These programs successfully deal with problems—both individual harm and larger social wrongs—through connection rather than isolation, moving toward a safer, freer future for all of us.

“This book has the power to transform hearts and minds, opening us to new ways of imagining what justice can mean for individuals, families, communities and our nation as a whole.” -Michelle Alexander, Author of The New Jim Crow: Mass incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness

—

Maya Schenwar is Editor-in-Chief of Truthout, an independent social justice news website. She has written about the prison-industrial complex for Truthout, The New York Times, The Guardian, The New Jersey Star-Ledger, Ms. Magazine, Prison Legal News, and others. She is the recipient of a Society of Professional Journalists Sigma Chi Award and a Lannan Residency Fellowship, both for her writing on prisons. Previous to her work at Truthout, Maya was Contributing Editor at Punk Planet magazine and served as media coordinator for Voices for Creative Nonviolence.

Sunday December 7th
7pm
Wooden Shoe Books
704 South St

Poster

Open letter to masked comrades

  • November 29, 2014 7:31 pm

submitted to Philly Anticap

As solidarity with Ferguson demonstrations have taken place in Philly we’ve noticed more and more people attending demonstrations wearing masks (some in all black, some not). This always makes us smile; the more of us wear masks the stronger our anonymity, and the more normalized anonymous attendance to demonstrations in Philly becomes. As we already know, there’s no point in having a face at these events. Maybe we’re wrong, but, part of why seeing more masks in the street is exciting to us is because we see it as building a more combative street presence.

Even though it seems that more people are wearing masks at demonstrations, we’re scattered throughout the demo. As we continue to attend demonstrations masked it can be useful to congregate and march together as a masked bloc. There are a lot of potential benefits to this. A bloc allows for people to more safely change into their disguises in a complicit and non-hostile crowd, away from cameras. A bloc acts as an opaque place where we can coordinate action, share relevant information, generally communicate quickly, and act together. By coming together we can collectively push demonstrations we take part in in more radical directions; chanting revolutionary slogans, antagonize the police, and creating space for people to take other action from within a sympathetic crowd. Within a bloc we can create a culture of autonomy, resistance and direct communication within larger demonstrations and during our own events.

See you in the streets,
masked comrades

Undercover Police at Ferguson Verdict Demo

  • November 27, 2014 3:25 am

Submitted to Philly Anticap, attached photos are below the cut
Last night [November 25th] during the Ferguson protests in Philly there were at least two
dozen people in full bloc mixed throughout the march. In addition there
were dozens of people with bandannas, or scarves covering their faces. A
friend pointed out two undercover cops early on. I hadn’t even noticed them
yet, but I am positive that I would have known they were cops immediately.