Category: Community
Winnemucca Indian Colony Defends Against Bulldozing of their Homes
Humboldt County, NV – In early November, Elisa Dick got an unexpected call at work. Her housemate told her to get home quickly—there were men with front end loaders preparing to level her home.
“When I got here, they were here with the machines and…
Family of Elisa Gomez Calls for New Investigation of Her Suspicious Death
Minneapolis, MN – Five years after the mysterious death of Elisa Gomez, her family has lost faith in the Minneapolis Police (MPD) and are calling for a new investigation. Gomez was 47 years old when she was found dead just hours after being married to…
🦄 Arts & Culture, Community, Police
Community Members Craft Messages of Love for Daunte Wright’s Family Outside the Courthouse
Minneapolis, MN – When the Kim Potter trial for killing 20-year-old Daunte Wright began in late November, two activist-archivists made it their duty to make sure the Wright family felt solidarity from the community. Jeanelle Austin and Sharolyn Hagen spent the day outside the Hennepin…
Protest After First Day of Kim Potter Trial Attacked by Car Driver
Minneapolis, MN – A person drove his car through a crowd of protesters outside the courthouse after the first day of the Kim Potter trial ended, injuring several people. A half hour before the car attack on November 30, a fourth juror was empaneled by…
Families of Loved Ones Killed by Police Demand Justice on Eve of Kim Potter Trial
Minneapolis, MN – Grieving family members impacted by law enforcement killings demanded accountability for police violence on the day before the Kim Potter trial began. A press conference was held Monday morning just blocks away from the Hennepin County Government Center and featured a dozen…
🦄 Community, Racism & Far-Right
Tyler Newby Trial for Killing Unarmed Teen Ends in Hung Jury
Indianapolis, IN – A jury couldn’t agree on convicting Tyler Newby of killing Dorian Murrell, ending Newby’s murder trial in a hung jury with a 6-6 split decision on October 7, 2021. A new jury trial date is set for January 4, 2022. [UPDATE –…
Senator Amy Klobuchar’s Speech Disrupted by Water Protectors
Minneapolis, MN – Water protectors opposing the recently completed Line 3 oil pipeline disrupted Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar’s speech during a political fundraising event and demanded to meet with her before she abruptly left the stage.
During the evening of November 11, 2021, water protectors…
🦄 Community, Police, Racism & Far-Right
Daunte Wright’s 21st Birthday Brings Healing and Reflection
Brooklyn Center, MN – A celebration for what would have been Daunte Wright’s twenty-first birthday took place on Wednesday, October 27, 2021, at the Brooklyn Center Community Center not far from where he was killed by police six months earlier.
Friends and family, including Daunte’s…
Durban Warehouse Fire Leads to Chemical Leak and Criminal Investigation
On July 12, 2021, a warehouse owned by India-based agricultural chemical giant UPL Limited was set on fire near Durban, South Africa. The fire was allegedly started by arsonists, as part of a week-long insurrection which left hundreds of people dead, thousands arrested and billions…
🦄 Community, Racism & Far-Right
20th Annual Four Directions March Honors Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Denver, CO – This Monday marks the 20th anniversary of Denver’s Four Directions All Nations March, which celebrates and honors Indigenous people and calls for Columbus Day to be repealed. This year’s event is the first since the repeal of Columbus Day in Colorado, an…
Dozens March Against Sexual Violence from Frat Houses
Minneapolis, MN – Dozens participated in a nighttime march down University of Minnesota’s ‘Frat Row’ protesting sexual assaults on September 10, 2021. The march happened on a Friday night around 10 p.m. during ‘Rush Week’, when students are choosing which fraternity to join and fraternities…
🦄 Arts & Culture, Community
Celebrating Black Joy Virtually as Black Storytellers Festival Hits 31 Years
Continuing their legacy of carrying on Black culture and traditions through storytelling, elders Nothando and Vusumuzi Zulu and the Black Storytellers Alliance are holding their 31st annual storytelling festival. This year’s ‘Signifyin & Testifyin’ festival is titled “Black Joy: Stories Celebrating Hope, Resilience and Love.”…
Open Carry March for Teenager Killed in Downtown Indy
Indianapolis, IN – Led by the family of Dorian Murrell, a teenager who was killed during George Floyd protests, an open carry march snaked through downtown Indianapolis demanding justice for Murrell and calling for Black unity. Murrell was 18 years old and unarmed when he…
From Pain to Power: Twelve Years After Justin Teigen
St. Paul, MN – Toshira Garraway’s life was turned upside down following the death of her fiancé, Justin Teigen, twelve years ago. Teigen is the father of Garraway’s child and was 24 when he was found dead in a recycling center after an encounter with…
Midwest Connections: A Regional Fight For Abolition
A wave of prison abolition actions and demands have swept the United States every August since 1979 from inside the walls to outside. New groups in the Midwest such as Abolition Is a Practice and Community Not Cages (CNC) are carrying on the Black August…
Surviving Sexual Assault and Seeking Accountability
St. Paul, MN – Around the world there are millions of survivors of sexual assault and sexual violence, and for many of them, their stories go unheard and are rarely believed. In the U.S., nearly 1 in 5 women have been raped or have gone…
Origins of the PKK and the ‘Rojava’ Revolution: Part One
The Arab Spring movement of 2011 – 2012 initiated one of the largest and most impactful international waves of protest in recent world history. This movement began in the small North African country of Tunisia, which soon toppled its longtime dictator, Zine El Abidine Ben…
🦄 Community, Racism & Far-Right
Celebrating the Life of Calvin Horton, Killed During George Floyd Uprising
Minneapolis, MN – Family and community gathered on what would’ve been Calvin Horton Jr.’s 45th birthday to celebrate his life and renew their calls for accountability for his killer. Horton Jr. was unarmed when he was fatally shot in Minneapolis outside of Cadillac Pawn by…
A “Different Perspective” on COVID-19
Minneapolis, MN – COVID-19 is one of the most destructive pandemics in human history. By now, most every person on earth has been negatively impacted by the coronavirus, with many losing family members and friends while enduring harm to their finances and mental health.
As…
Charge Added to Dorian Murrell’s Alleged Killer as Family Speaks Out
Indianapolis, IN – Less than three weeks before the murder trial of Tyler Newby is slated to begin, the family of Dorian Murrell, who Newby is believed to have shot and killed, held a press conference in front of the City-County building in downtown Indianapolis.…
Minneapolis Pushes Activists to Their Limits
Minneapolis has been ground zero for international outrage and seen nearly nonstop protests since Minneapolis police (MPD) murdered George Floyd over a year ago. Also since the murder of Floyd, the city of Minneapolis and the powers that be have shown contempt for protesters, with…
Car Attacker Who Killed Deona Marie Charged With Murder
Nicholas Kraus, the driver who attacked a Winston Smith protest, killing Deona Marie and injuring others was charged with second degree intentional murder and two counts of second degree assault with a dangerous weapon.
Woman Killed After Driver Slams into Winston Smith Protest
A driver rammed his Jeep Cherokee at a high speed into a car protecting a crowd of Winston Smith protesters on Sunday night, killing the parked car's owner and injuring two others. A mainstay at the near-daily Winston Smith protests, 31-year-old Deona Marie was pronounced dead from her injuries after arriving to the hospital.
🦄 Community
Community Gathers at George Floyd Square After City Removes Concrete Barriers
Minneapolis, MN – Community members are gathering in response to early morning actions by authorities to eradicate the space around George Floyd Square, considered by some an ‘autonomous zone’.
Working in coordination with a community group called Agape which is a contractor with the city…
Greece: New Education Bill Brings a New Students Movement
Thessaloniki, Greece – A new generation of students is rising to fight a proposed education bill and raise their voice against the Greek government for what they call criminal mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Universities in Greece have been closed since March 2020. In this…
‘Locks for Love’ 5-Day Occupation Sought Police Accountability
Minneapolis, MN – A five-day occupation demanding police accountability started the night of opening statements in the Derek Chauvin trial. Held outside and based on actions named ‘locks for love’, the occupation was led by Kaia Hirt, a high school teacher who chained herself to…
🦄 Arts & Culture, Community
Marcus Kar’s ‘Strange Things’ – Exclusive Music Video Release
“I really just want to engage people in the conversation around how we feel.” Musician, activist, and urban farmer Marcus Kar is hoping his new ‘Strange Things’ music video will help spark dialogue that can lead to healing and change. Searching for ways to cope…