National Women's Liberation News October-November 2017

Greetings! Over the past few months we've seen a push to further limit women's autonomy; from Health and Human Services pushing to change their mission to include protection of the unborn , to the Federal Government attempting to restrict a Texas teenager from an abortion because of her immigration status, to Trump permitting states to deny organizations federal money if they provide abortions. We've also seen a surge of women fighting back in the #MeToo campaign started by Tarana Burke , and the wave of women who are publicly outing men who have harassed and abused them at work, and as children and adults. Now, more than ever, strong grassroots organizations are needed to develop leaders who will bring radical political messages to our local communities and build the movement against sexism and racism. NWL is working hard to organize our own communities and reach women across the country. Our organizers are meeting in New York city this December to plan long term for our organization. Please support us to ensure that grassroots radical feminism grows and flourishes.   In solidarity,  National Women's Liberation

In this month's newsletter: 10 Week Class on Women's Liberation History in NYC Picket of Fake Women's Clinic in Gainesville, FL Women of Color Caucus Hosts Consciousness Raising on Campaign Proposals NWL Co-founder Awarded John A. Penrod Award for Peace & Justice Women of Color Caucus Hosts Consciousness Raising on Experience of Women of Color in the Workplace NWL Stands Up to White Supremacists in Gainesville Donations Needed for Upcoming Planning Conference

10 Week Class on Women's Liberation History Ended Nov 7, 2017 · People's History In New York City, NWL Project Coordinator, Jenny Brown taught a class developed by NWL and Redstockings, "Building Women's Liberation Now: Gems from the 1960s and Beyond for Radical Feminist Theory & Action Today", with class assistants Kate Gavriel and Fahmida Azad. The class drew much of its material from the Redstockings Women's Liberation Archives for Action and Redstockings' program of combining the study of women's freedom movement history with consciousness-raising for organizing and mobilizing today. As part of the class, participants are currently working on a feminist action.

Picket of Fake Women's Clinic in Gainesville, FL Nov 7, 2017 · Abortion & Birth Control NWL-Gainesville's Abortion & Birth Control Committee led a protest of Sira, one of Florida's crisis pregnancy centers (CPC). CPCs like Sira are fake health clinics: they do not have medical staff, and they cannot give medical advice. They use misleading tactics, like free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, to bring women into their facilities with the intent of steering them away from choosing abortion or birth control. CPCs in Florida receive funding from taxpayer dollars as well as proceeds from the “Choose Life” license plates. Learn more about the fight against CPCs here. NWL-Gainesville activists at the Sira picket, August 8, 2017. Photo by Regan Garner.

Women of Color Caucus Hosts Consciousness Raising to Review Campaign Proposals Nov 1 · CR The NWL Women of Color Caucus (WOCC) hosted a consciousness raising to review campaign proposals for the upcoming planning conference in December. Activists from around the country gave feedback on proposals that were developed by organizers in the NWL-NYC chapter, NWL-Gainesville chapter and Tallahassee Organizing committee.

NWL Co-founder Awarded John A. Penrod Award for Peace & Justice Oct 20, 2017 · People's History Candi Churchill was awarded the John A. Penrod Award for Peace and Justice. The award was established to honor local Gainesville, FL activists in memory of John A. Penrod; a people's hero who volunteered and fought with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade against fascism in the late 1930s Spanish Civil War, and went on to co-found the United Faculty of Florida (UFF) union. The award is coordinated jointly by the Alachua County Labor Coalition, Veterans for Peace, and the UFF union. Candi is a UFF union member and fighter, and she has been a committed organizer for social justice since the mid-1990s. She began organizing as a college student against racist policies that prevented Creole students from speaking their first language, and then later with Graduate Students United. She also has simultaneously organized as a feminist with National Organization for Women, and National Women's Liberation. NWL is thrilled that Candi was recognized for the incredible work she has led and organized. Image at Right, Candi Churchill and Dr. Paul Ortiz at the Award Ceremony. Oct 20, 2017. Photo by Diana Moreno.

Women of Color Caucus hosts Consciousness Raising on Experience of Women of Color in the Workplace Oct 19, 2017 · CR NWL WOCC hosted a consciousness raising in Brooklyn to testify on our with the interpersonal dynamics and politics in our workplaces. We answered the following questions: When has a co-worker or boss/supervisor presumed something about you based on your race, culture or ethnicity? What did they say? How did you feel? Have you ever heard a racist, sexist, comment/statements in the workplace? What was it in reference to? How did you feel? Are you the only woman of color in your workplace and/or department? Do you feel as though women of color employees in your workplace and/or department are treated differently in any way compared to your non-people of color workers or men of color? How so? Initially many of us felt that we didn’t have much to share. But after hearing one another's testimony, we realized that each of us had experienced numerous encounters overt and/or subtle forms of racism in the workplace over the course of our lives. It felt as though the volume of racially influenced incidents in our lives were so high, that many of us had turned these experiences into background noise, except for the exceptionally aggravating incidents stood out our minds. When we were pressed to really think about racially influenced encounters, it opened up a dam of experiences. Some similarities that we found were: Subtle or overtly racist incidents in the workplace are often dismissed by superiors, not taking into consideration the emotional well-being of the person affected by racist actions. White colleagues who perceive themselves to be very socially aware, and above racism which they think may give them a pass or a ‘right’ to say racist things without any repercussions. White colleagues expressing guilt and centering their guilt instead of centering real life experiences of women of color Many times we are asked random questions as if we should know the answers because of our racial backgrounds Expectations were different for women of color in terms of attitudes during work - several of us testified that they were told that they weren’t happy enough or outgoing enough at their jobs when there were white colleagues who were at the job and less outgoing in personality. Many of us expressed that there is no correct way to react to racism in the workplace because we were damned if we talked about how we felt (e.g. accused of making other feel bad) or if we kept our feelings to ourselves (e.g., time spent dealing with anger and frustration led to less productivity at work). Many of us left their jobs or could not stay in their jobs because of racist incidents, being held to a double standard, or because of the stress from racist incidents. Testimony felt especially rich because we were able to pull from women of color of a wide variety of backgrounds; as Black women, East-Asian American women, and South Asian American women; who faced explicit or subtle racism at work. Our testimony showed that women of color are often treated differently in the workplace, our work goes unrecognized, and extra demands are put on us to be ‘friendlier’ as though our default state of being is to be unfriendly or unapproachable.

NWL Stands Up to White Supremacists in Gainesville Oct 19, 2017 · Protest, Community Organizing When known white supremacist, Richard Spencer, announced that he was coming to the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, FL, NWL knew that it was critical for our community to stand against white supremacy and male supremacy. Within a month we worked with UF students and other community groups to encourage people to come out and take a stand. We wrote an editorial with Women's March Gainesville, organized a sign-making with Goddsville Dream Defenders, flyered for the protest, took part in on-campus organizing leading up to the talk, and on the day of the talk we organized a contingent of our community to protest. Protesters were pressured by law enforcement, UF administration, and city officials to stay home. The protest zone was heavily policed, parking was difficult, and protesters were not allowed to bring water, bags, bicycles or mega phones. Nonetheless over 2,000 people came out to stand against white supremacy and male supremacy. NWL's public push to stand up against racism and male supremacy was an important part of galvanizing the Gainesville community. (L-R) Image from Anti-Nazi Sign Making, photo by Mariana Wallig; NWL Organizers at protest against white supremacy; NWL and community activists at press release for protest against white supremacy; Anti-Nazi Sign Making, photo by Mariana Wallig.

Donations Needed for Upcoming Planning Conference Appeal This December, NWL organizers from Florida, New York, and Seattle are coming together for a planning conference to develop campaigns that will guide our political action moving forward. The conference will culminate in the selection of NWL's top picks for direct action campaigns from a dozen proposed campaigns, ranging from voters' rights to access to birth control and abortion.   We are asking our communities to help all of our national organizers participate in this conference.   With over twenty women traveling from Florida to New York City, the cost of flights and ground transportation is high. We don't want any of our up and coming activist leaders to skip the conference due to lack of funds. Please   donate   so we can host as many of these organizers as possible.   Whether you  donate $10, $20, or $100 , every dollar helps build the women's liberation movement. We greatly appreciate your support.

NWL-Tallahassee Organizing Committee at the Women's March on Tallahassee, January 21, 2017. Photo by Emily Calvin.

NWL Organizing Committee in Tallahassee, FL Announcement We're excited to announce that there is an NWL organizing committee in Tallahassee, FL! They have been organizing since the fall of 2016. Write us if you are in the Tallahassee area and want to get involved.

Solidarity Highlight

NWL-Gainesville and the Tallahassee Organizing Committee Support Felon Voter Rights Restoration Florida has the highest voter disenfranchisement rate in the country. Florida citizens are gathering signatures for a ballot initiative that would amend Florida’s constitution and restore voting rights to most people who have completed their sentences. We need 700,000 signatures to add the initiative to the ballot. If you're in Florida, add your name and consider collecting signatures.

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About NWL National Women's Liberation  is a feminist group for women who want to fight back against male supremacy and win more freedom for women.  Our priorities  are abortion/birth control, overthrowing the double day, and feminist consciousness raising. Our  Women of Color Caucus (WOCC)  meets separately from white women to better understand how racism intersects with sexism to oppress women of color.  

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