Category: Community
Supporting Victims and Reinvestigating Police Crimes: Communities United Against Police Brutality
Since its founding, CUAPB has acted as a clearinghouse for scrutiny of Minnesota law enforcement. The nonprofit has organized police oversight pushes, streets copwatch programs, a 24-hour hotline, and an online database of police officer complaints, among dozens of other projects. And their efforts are ever-expanding – the group recently formed the Stolen Lives Justice Fund, a new Reinvestigations Workgroup and a Data Practices Workgroup.
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Street Veteran Lee Coleman Faces 3 Years in Jail, Activists say ‘Police are Disarming the Movement’
Scott County, MN – “Whenever Lee shows up, I feel so much safer,” says Toshira Garraway, the founder of Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence, which closely works alongside those most impacted by police murders. In 2009, Garraway’s fiancé, Justin Teigen, was found dead after…
Queer Colorado Community Responds to Club Q Shooting
Colorado Springs, CO – In the days since the Nov. 19 shooting at Club Q that left five dead and 25 more injured, the local queer community and their allies have been commemorating the lives lost and comforting those affected. Billed as an all-inclusive nightclub,…
Nicholas Kraus Gets 20 Years for Ramming Protest, Killing Deona Marie
Minneapolis, MN – Nicholas Kraus was given a 20 year prison sentence after pleading guilty to second degree murder for killing Deona Marie Erickson, who also went by Knajdek, and injuring others during a protest for Winston Smith in 2021. Driving a Jeep, Kraus purposely…
Protesters Call Attention to Development and Gentrification in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, PA – A number of groups are rallying and marching on Saturday afternoon around concerns regarding how space and development in the city are controlled, the day’s call is about “democratizing development.” The group is gathering at FDR Park in South Philly.
Follow our…
Dorian Murrell’s Family Call Lesser Conviction of His Killer ‘Concrete Proof of Systemic Racism’
"The life of Dorian Murrell was stolen and is worth more than a maximum of six-years."
“Do not give up fighting” – Emmett Till’s Family Finds Unserved Warrant, Has Statue Erected & Movie Released 67 Years Later
After 67 years, the family of Emmett Till have shown what it means to not give up fighting. The year of 2022 has been a really important year for the family and the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation. Investigating on their own, they discovered an unserved…
Another Summer of Protests, Gathering and Healing for Impacted Families
Saint Paul, MN – As police killings continue to increase in numbers while decreasing in attention, impacted families in the Twin Cities held numerous events during the summer of 2022, keeping the movement alive against what many families call “police terror.” From weekends of intentional…
‘Running Down the Walls’ Marathon Benefit for Prisoners in Philly
Philadelphia, PA – An annual 5K run/walk/roll benefit called “Running Down the Walls” aims to amplify the voices of political prisoners and provide material support, according to Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross, the host of today’s event in South Philly’s FDR Park. Organizers say this year’s…
Ribeirão Favel’Arte, Festival of Arts and Culture in Brazilian Favelas
Ribeirão Preto, Brazil – While social inequality and police violence in Brazil continue to thrive, community activists embark on their quest to retake the commons for the arts. Ribeirão Favel’Arte, a non-profit artistic and cultural festival organized by Coletivo CriAtiva, in partnership with members of…
South Philly FDR Park Meadows Face “Blitzkrieg” of Quick Destruction
South Philadelphia, PA – During the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic, local residents sought refuge and reconnection in an unlikely place – a series of fields, wetlands and woods that swiftly grew into the “South Philly Meadows” in an unplanned, untilled emergence on the…
Sand Sculpture on Shore of Gaza Sea Tributes Children Killed by Israeli Forces
Gaza City, Gaza, Palestine – A large sculpture extending 100 meters on the shore of the Gaza Sea featured the names of the 17 children killed during the most recent three-day war in Gaza. From August 5-7, Israeli forces targeted the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement…
Ricky Balsimo Remembered a Year After Being Found Dismembered at the Bottom of Lake Superior
Minneapolis, MN – On a hot summer day, June 20, 2022, marked the one year anniversary of Richard “Ricky” Anthony Balsimo’s death as friends and family came together for his memorial.
Ricky Balsimo was a 34-year-old father of three and member of the Turtle Mountain…
Clowns Visit Children in Gaza Amidst Rubble of Destroyed Houses
Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestine – After suffering through three days of Israeli airstrikes and assassinations, children in the Gaza Strip enjoyed the presence of clowns and puppets. Two days after a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, dozens of neighborhood children participated in…
Self-Managed Abortion Workshops Build Reproductive Autonomy
Tucson, Arizona – In the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision ending federal protection for abortion access, some people across the country are scrambling to find solutions to the crisis of forced pregnancy and the end of nationwide legal reproductive freedom. This crisis…
Indigenous Fear Desecration of Burial Sites at Thacker Pass Lithium Mine
Thacker Pass, Nevada – When Ky NoHeartInWar got a call telling them to get over near to a new digging site at Thacker Pass, or Peehee Mu’huh (Rotten Moon), they knew it was a “pretty intense” situation. NoHeartInWar got to the site, put their drone…
Richmond Abortion Rights Rally Highlights Intersections of SCOTUS Ruling
Richmond, VA – On July 8, hundreds gathered in Monroe Park of Richmond, Virginia for an abortion rights protest organized by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, ACLU Virginia, and Progress Virginia.
Lucy Hartman, organizing director for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said that plans for…
The Mothers Podcast Episode 10
Kimberly Handy-Jones, affectionately known as “Mama Handy,” is a pillar in the fight for justice among mothers whose children have been killed by police. For five years she has held an annual banquet summoning mothers from all across the country to gather and honor their…
Huntington Place Residents Organize and Demand Repairs
Brooklyn Park, MN – For many years, the second largest apartment complex in Minnesota has been plagued by dysfunctional management, leaving hundreds of apartments needing repairs while buildings fall apart. Residents at Huntington Place Apartments have, for years, been complaining about mold, insects, rodents, water…
July 4th Abortion Protests in Washington, D.C.
Washington, DC — In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court rulings against the right to abortion and the environment, Unicorn Riot is streaming demonstrations in America’s capitol city.
Local officials in the District are preparing for a surge in demand for abortions following the…
The Mothers Podcast Episode 9
During episode nine of The Mothers Podcast we hear from Lisa Simpson whose 18-year-old son, Richard Risher, was killed in 2016 by Los Angeles Police Officer Francisco Zaragoza in the Nickerson Gardens Housing Development. Police fired over 70 shots at Risher, 35 hitting his body.
Simpson…