A note to Millennial leftists in America

Political consciousness tends to kind of “skip” generations sometimes, for a variety of reasons. For those of you out there who are young, and just coming into revolutionary/leftist politics, you probably feel like all of the political infrastructure constructed by the partisans and movements that came before you have been broken down or defeated or are otherwise lost to you. 

They aren’t- but they’re being carried on by people who are now in their sixties. Like, I’m twenty-five, and the movement spaces I frequent are dominated by people around my age, and people a generation above my parents’. Gen X just got skipped. 

This is important, because it means that a lot of the organizations you’re looking for, the ones that are run by the older segment of the American left, likely do not have a developed web presence. Often, what they do have is an old listserv or a Yahoo group. This can make them hard to find, but it doesn’t mean they’re not out there anymore, and if you get familiar enough with your area’s political landscape, you will eventually find them. 

Black Lives Matter Youth Forum and Open Mic

Tomorrow, Friday July 22nd 2016, from 4-8pm, at Atlas (114 West Marshall Street, Richmond VA), ART 180 is hosting two events for teens to discuss police brutality, racism, violence, and recent events. The first event is a poetry workshop, and the second is the Black Lives Matter Youth Forum and Open Mic.

4-6pm, Poetry Workshop with John Blake: Teens will write poems to express their hopes, fears, dreams and frustrations surrounding issues of police brutality, institutional racism, and social justice. John Blake, an experienced poetry teacher and National Poetry Slam finalist, will lead the session.

6-8pm, Black Lives Matter Youth Forum and Open Mic: This month’s open mic at Atlas will include a forum for teens in the community to openly discuss their concerns and feelings behind the recent events around the country. There are are a number of events around the community for adults to express themselves, but this one is just for teens. ART 180 teen leader Sydney Vick and community leader and ART 180 friend Robert Dortch will facilitate the conversation, which will include a chance for teens to perform poetry, music and stories in an open mic format.

For more information or to RSVP, see the link. This event is for teens.

Support Striking McDonald's Workers in Richmond, VA- EMERGENCY Call to Action

Tomorrow, Thursday July 21st 2016, from 12-2pm, at the Chamberlayne Avenue McDonald’s (2011 Chamberlayne Avenue, Richmond VA), the employees of this McDonald’s location are going on strike, and are calling for public support. Since coming under new management, workers at this location have been disrespected, had their pay withheld, been denied basic safety equipment like oven mitts, had their hours drastically cut, and been subjected to changes in the pay schedule without warning.

Several workers at this location have already been evicted from their homes due to wage theft and pay schedule changes by management. Employees are suffering daily burns and constant disrespect. This is intolerable.

For more information, contact Anna Scholl at anna@prosgressva.org or 540-460-1269. To RSVP, see the link.

McDonald's can afford to pay a living wage; they just don't want to!

From the Fight for $15: “We NEED living wages and they CAN afford it.”

McDonald’s workers generate that $20 billion in profit; how is it fair that they don’t even make enough to eat while some shareholder, who didn’t lift a finger, gets to reap the reward?