Festivals of Resistance Planned As Communities Mobilize Against Attacks from Trump Oligarchy

In early December, a call was published, which called for community mobilizations and festivals of resistance in the wake of Trump’s recent electoral victory. From the call:

When Donald Trump enters office on January 20, he will order mass deportations, escalate the repression of protesters, dismantle the few judicial and legislative provisions that still protect ordinary people, and consolidate a propaganda ecosystem intended to stupefy us all into obedience. The Democratic Party is willingly handing power to an autocrat they say will bring democracy to an end; the Democrats show every intention of continuing to ratchet their own politics to the right. Authoritarian leftist groups are simply treating this as a recruitment opportunity.

But from Texas to the West Bank, millions of people’s lives are about to get even harder. We owe it to each other to meet the second Trump era side by side in solidarity.

The chaos that will accompany the return of the Trump administration represents an opportunity as well as a challenge. This is a chance to assert an autonomous pole of organizing, carrying forward the lessons of 2020 and the movement against Cop City while continuing the fight against patriarchal violence, white supremacy, and colonialism.

By organizing ahead of Trump’s inauguration, we can seize the initiative and set our own timeline rather than being caught flat-footed and forced to react. We need to welcome new participants into these struggles and foster a revolutionary perspective that can orient us through the challenges ahead. No amount of internet activity could substitute for gathering face to face. The most important battles ahead will not be fought online, but in the streets of our communities.

January 18 is observed as the Day of the Forest Defender. It will be the two-year anniversary of the murder of Tortuguita in Weelaunee Forest. It is an important date to gather, honor the memory of the fallen, and pledge ourselves to resistance and to one another.

Check out events that have been announced across the US listed below. This list will be updated as more gatherings and festivals are made public. Want your event listed here? Hit us up at info [at] itsgoingdown [dot] org.

Check out posters and promotional materials at CrimethInc. here. Check out a video from subMedia here.

January 11th

• Sacramento, California: “Call to Action” conference and gathering, featuring a “day of skillshares and trainings” along with workshops, panels, and a keynote presentation from anarchist author Dean Spade. You can find more information and a full schedule here.

• Chicago, Illinois: A training about fighting deportations, as part of the week-long “Regroup and Strategize” series. More info here.

January 18th

• Olympia, Washington: Community march and festival of resistance. More info here and here.

 

• Portland, Oregon: A gathering in a COVID-safer, sober space. Families with and without children are welcome to attend. Food will be provided. You can also find updates about event organizing in Portland here.

• Medford, Oregon: Festival of Resistance. Community gathering with workshops and skillshares from January 18th – 19th. More info here.

• Corvallis, Oregon: Liberation Assembly. More info here.

• Humboldt, CA: Festival of Resistance workshops and skillshares. More info here.

• Oakland, California: Festival of resistance. Call to “Regroup & Strategize: Community Assembly for the Day of the Forest Defender.” More info here.
• Vallejo, California: Day of the Forest Defender celebration. More info here.

• Phoenix, Arizona: Festival of Resistance featuring potluck, workshops, Really Really Free Market and more. More info here.

• Tucson, Arizona: ‘Parade of Resistance.’ More info here.

• Austin, Texas: Day of the Forest Defender celebration. More info here.

• Dayton, Ohio: Community gathering and festival of resistance. More info here.

• Cleveland, Ohio: Community gathering and festival of resistance. More info here.

• Gary, Indiana: Anti-Deportation Rally. More info here.

• Minneapolis, Minnesota: A screening of Fell in Love with Fire with letter writing to prisoners and a discussion about the next phase of struggle at the Seward Cafê at 6:30 pm.

• Milwaukee, WI: Festival of resistance featuring workshops and discussions. More info here.

• Carbondale, Illinois: A community event, currently in the planning stages. More info here.

• Urbana, IL: Festival of Resistance. Free food and workshops. More info here.

• Durham, North Carolina: The Triangle Festival of Resistance, a weekend-long festival focused on community defense, resilience, and liberation. For updates and information about how to contribute, consult Triangle Radical Events. Schedule of events here.

• Richmond, Virginia: A community assembly involving panel discussions, workshops, and food, followed by a benefit concert. Check schedule of events here.

• Atlanta, Georgia: A mass mobilization and day of resistance on the two-year anniversary of the murder of Tortuguita.
• Throop, Pennsylvania: Festival of Resistance. Community organizing fair with food and music. More info here.

• Brooklyn, New York: A community gathering including workshops. More info here.

• Providence, Rhode Island: Festival of resistance featuring skillshares and workshops. More info here.
• Montpelier, Vermont: Festival of resistance. Community discussions and workshops. More info here.

January 19th

• Chapel Hill, NC: The second day of the Triangle Festival of Resistance. Schedule of events here.

• Asheville, NC: Asheville Anarchist Rad Fair (AARF). Workshops and presentations. More info here.

January 20th

• Indianapolis, Indiana: A Mutual Aid Convergence at Ujamaa Community Bookstore. More info here.
• Kingston, NY: Community gathering and discussion. More info here.

January 21st

• Arcata, California: A march departing from Arcata Plaza at noon—against Donald Trump, in solidarity with Palestine, and in memory of Tortuguita.

January 25th

• Rio Grande Valley, Texas: Community organizing fair with local groups. More info here.

• Wichita, Kansas: A community organizing assembly at Safe Streets Wichita, 3-5 pm

• Tampa Bay, Florida: A community gathering and organizing fair for “politics beyond the ballot box. Organize with your community to fight for transformative change! Connect with a local project from anti-capitalist orgs, labor and tenant unions, mutual aid orgs, and more!”