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Jan 11, 19

The State Shutdowns, the Commune Rises: #J20 Events Across US

In December of 2018, It’s Going Down along with CrimethInc., Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, and the Final Straw all made a call for a week of action and experimentation around mutual aid, community resilience and self-defense, and the creation of survival programs.

As we write this, the government has now entered the third week of a “shut down,” and while some workers have launched sick-outs and protests, many other people are at risk of losing their food stamps, housing vouchers, disaster relief funds, and access to a variety of programs – from women’s shelters to children’s programs.

This reality is compounded by the ever growing crisis that was already outside our door; one that sees the growth of economic refugees displaced by everything from rising rents to climate change driven fires, the onslaught of automation, AI technology, and the growth of the gig economy that is removing, surveilling, and automating us out of our own lives and jobs, the further entrenchment of this racialized colonial nightmare, that sees mass incarceration and prison slavery, coupled with troops at the border and concentration camps for kids as a “solution,” and an explosion of drug overdoses, the ratcheting up of debt, and the lowering of life expectancy among the working-class and poor.

In the last two years, the Trump administration has only accelerated these realities, from slashing billions in taxes for the wealthy and corporations, and cutting everything from environmental standards to banking regulations. In each and every example of just how this civilization is starting to collapse in on itself, the Democrats are not a force which pushes back, but instead of one that only seeks to better manage a ship which is so clearly sinking.

With all this in mind, we hope that this #J20, anarchists, autonomists, and anti-authoritarians can come together to begin to experiment in forms of mutual aid and survival programs which can begin to build resilience and autonomy where we live in the face of a crisis that is expanding all around us.

Mutual Aid Mondays: Olympia, Washington

January 21st: Every Monday at Billy Frank Lot. Franklin Street & State Ave, 7pm. More info here.

Event Description:

Every Monday for the past two months, members of  Just Housing, Olympia Assembly, Oly Sol, Olympia Community Medics, Olympia Industrial Workers of the World and residents of the downtown houseless community have been coming together to share hot food, coffee, winter clothing, medicine, hygiene and other survival supplies for the cold and wet months ahead.

A hot meal, dry clothing and conversation can be the difference between life and death for someone living without adequate shelter, in poverty, burdened with illness or depression. We are not here to do charity work, but to build community and organize around our shared struggles as neighbors, comrades and friends.

Anyone is welcome to join. We meet downtown at Franklin and State, 7pm every Monday. Fight the Power, Serve the People!

Mutual Aid Laundry Day and Community Meal: Tacoma, Washington

Sunday, January 20th: Tacoma Mutual Aid Collective planning day of action. Connect with them here.

Event description:

On J20, Tacoma Mutual Aid Collective will be responding to a direct need within our community. Many of our houseless and struggling neighbors have expressed a need for assistance with laundry. We will be working with a local laundry mat to offer the payment and supplies needed for each individual to do two or more loads of laundry. It is crucial for our neighbors to have clean and dry clothes during the rainy and freezing season and we are thrilled to have the funds to support our community. We will also offer a meal during this time and hope to reach more neighbors. Additionally, we will be supporting Hilltop Urban Gardens (HUG)on January 21st for their MLK day event. Founded in late 2010, by long-time organizer Dean Jackson, Hilltop Urban Gardens is a community-based urban agriculture, justice, and equity organization in Tacoma, WA.

Community Range Day: Los Angeles, California

January 20th: Community firearms and safety training. Contact Los Angeles Redneck Revolt for more info.

Description:

All Los Angeles John Brown Gun Club trainings are free of charge. However, you are responsible for your own range fees, which range from $15 – $20. If you bring your own firearm, you will be responsible for providing your own ammunition. If you will be practicing with one of our member’s firearms, we provide 20 rounds per firearm, per participant. Please consider a small donation for ammunition, we’d appreciate it.

In order to ensure everyone is getting the best instruction, and to provide a safe environment for those who are participating, we limit the number of participants at our community range days.

Fundraiser for Unsheltered Relatives: Flagstaff, Arizona

Saturday, January 12th: Join Taala Hooghan Flagstaff info shop in gathering supplies and funds for the unsheltered community in so-called Flagstaff, Arizona. Come to the benefit at Firecreek Coffee Company, at 8pm, on Saturday, January 12th, or donate here.

Description:

‘Fundraiser for Relatives’ will be our benefit show to gather food, sleeping bags, warm clothing and monetary donations for the unsheltered in our community. This time of year is cold and harsh, and we’d like to share the abundance with all.

Back the Wolf Pack: Somi Se’k Solidarity Fundraiser: Austin, Texas

Sunday, Janurary 20th: Come out to support indigenous resistance along the border and raise funds for the Somi Se’k Village Base Camp. Event at the Third Place in Austin, Texas, 8 PM. More info here.

Event description:

We invite you to third place to celebrate & support one such hub of survival, autonomy, & resistance relevant to our local context. The recently established Somi Se’k Village Base Camp, near so-called Floresville, has been building infrastructure to enable and support resistance. Under the leadership of the Esto’k Gna (Carrizo/Comecrudo Tribe of Texas), the Base Camp aims to build and proliferate a network of Front Line Encampments to provide aid to migrants, resist the Border Wall, protect sacred sites, combat extractive industries & pipelines, and more while restoring Esto’k villages. The first such village they will support will be an encampment at the National Butterfly Center, which will be divided by the border wall.

The Camp needs your help & support. Come out to this event to help raise funds, which will go towards supplying the Base Camp & Front Line teams with supplies and infrastructure. Join us and learn more how to materially support the struggles of our comrades and how you yourself can get involved. We’ll be playing a short film, giving out information about the Camp, and wil end with music & dancing. Full schedule & lineup TBA

https://twitter.com/ASN_ATX/status/1082428194832171010

Potluck, Film, & Community Gathering: Cleveland, Ohio

Sunday, January 20th: Come out to enjoy a potluck, a discussion, and film showing of “Conspiracy to Riot,” from subMedia. Event begins at 5 PM. More info here.

Description:

Join us on January 20th for a vegan potluck, film showing, and community gathering where we will be fostering conversions around solidarity and mutual aid in Cleveland.

Launch of Community Radio Station: St. Cloud, Minnesota

Sunday, January 20: Celebrate the launching of a community pirate radio station, starting at 9 PM.

Description:

We are taking over the airwaves with Radio Free Cloud, a pirate radio station broadcasting a mix of comedy, music and political education live in St. Cloud, MN on 93.9 FM. Listen starting every Sunday at 9 PM, and connect to us on Mastodon at https://RadioFree.Cloud.

Free Meal, Film Showing, and Community Gathering: Kansas City, Missouri

Sunday, January 20th: Gathering at Bluford Library, 1 PM. Event info here.

Description:

Come out to fellowship on January 20th 1-5pm at Bluford Library for a free film screening of Black Snake Killaz, a documentary on the actions of #noDAPL. There will also be food, clothing, and clothes mending available for all! We hope to see you.

Mobile Soup Kitchen: Columbia, Missouri

Throughout the week, members of the Mid-Missouri John Brown Gun Club take to the streets with the mobile soup kitchen. Contact them for ways to support.

Free Store and Community Meal: Colorado Springs, Colorado

Sunday, January 20th: Come out to Antler’s Park at 1 PM for a free store and community meal. Event info here.

Description:

Jan 20th we’ll be holding our next Free Store and Community Meal. As many of you know one of the largest encampments in the city was destroyed on Dec 11th followed by the 2nd largest one on Dec 17th. The cops and other city entities went into these people’s community, took and or destroyed all of their belongings left them to start over for the millionth time. These distros are helping these folks rebuild their lives and your participation is absolutely crucial.

We’re doing “brunch” this month, the plan for the main dish is French toast, pancakes, and sausage all cooked on site to ensure a hot meal. Please bring sides, snacks, treats, water, clothing, shoes, blankets, and anything else you think folks will be in need of. We’ve recently gone through the Amazon wish list and added/removed things. This list is merely a guide, buy the supplies from where ever. Thank you all for your continued support, it’s the life blood of this monthly community event!

Movie Night Outside Prison Work Camp: Gainesville, Florida

Wednesday, January 23rd: Join Gainesville IWOC for a movie night outside of the Gainesville prison work camp. Starts at 7 PM. Event info here.

Description:

Join us every 4th Wednesday at sunset for movies outside Gainesville Work Camp! Folks inside: tell us what you want to see! Folks outside: bring blankets and snacks, invite your friends and family!

Dance Party to Benefit Migrant Caravan: Boone, North Carolina

Friday, January 18th: Come out to benefit migrant caravan. Espresso News, 10 PM.

Community Building Through Mutual Aid: Shelby, North Carolina 

Sunday, January 20th: Come out for a series of events in Shelby, North Carolina. Event info here.

Description:

Join CWC as we kick off the new year in conjunction with organizations across the country as we honor the 2nd anniversary of the J20 inauguration protests with a Day of Action in Uptown Shelby. We will have a winter Workers Feeding Workers potluck from 1:00-3:00 followed by a screening of the film “Sorry to Bother You” at 117-B W. Warren St, Shelby, the home of our Totally Free Clothes Store.** We will have copies of our zine as well. This is a great opportunity to come meet some of us and see what we do in our community. Help us grow our mutual aid projects in 2019. Hope to see you there.

**the potluck will be on the courtsquare which is easily accessible, but unfortunately the movie showing afterwards is in a space nearby that is not handicap accessible. it’s the only free venue available to us, we are constantly searching for a better spot to host us. if you know of one in Shelby or Gastonia, please hit us up. no one has to attend both events to be welcome, please just drop in whenever works best for you!

Really Really Free Market: Washington DC

Saturday, January 19th: Come out to the St Stephen & the Incarnation Episcopal starting at 4pm. More info here.

Description:

A free store is a “store” where all goods are free. Whether it is a book, furniture, a shirt, or a haircut, it is all freely given away. It’s a place where anyone can participate by leaving stuff they don’t want or taking stuff they do. No strings attached.

Mutual aid is the voluntary exchange of resources and services. Instead of looking to corporations or the state, we can look to one another for what we need. This practice has existed for thousands of years in many societies. Capitalism creates a false sense of scarcity by placing a monetary value on everything from the environment to human life, in order to build wealth. Mutual aid focuses on building community wealth, and not only in terms of material gain. Mutual aid places value on a large spectrum, not just on monetary or material goods. Mutual aid creates cooperation instead of competition.

Westside Free Food Distro: Chicago, Illinois

Come out to the Breakaway Community Center in Chicago with a bag to participate in the Westside Free Food Distro, every Wednesday from 7:30 – 9 :30 PM. Contact the space for more info. More info here.

Community Food Program: Atlanta, Georgia

Come to the South Bend Commons Space in Atlanta, Georgia on every Friday at  12 NOON in order to get healthy food. To get more info, contact the space here.

Really Really Free Market & Potluck: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sunday, January 20th: Liberation Project is hosting a Really Really Free Market and potluck on J20 in Philadelphia, starting at 12 PM. Event info here.

Description:

Spend J20 in solidarity with your comrades while browsing through stuff and eating food! There will be an donation bucket at the space to contribute towards Liberation Project’s Emergency Fund for comrades facing state repression after events. If you feel inclined to throw a couple of bucks their way that would be great!

Health Autonomy Study Group: Central Vermont

Sunday, January 20th: A winter series of discussion and skill share based on topics related to autonomous and anti-capitalist health care. Discussion on January 20th is about sexual health autonomy. For a list of lit and resources or to get more info, email: [email protected].

Email your event info at: info [at] itsgoingdown [dot] org

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In search of new forms of life. It's Going Down is a digital community center and media platform featuring news, opinion, podcasts, and reporting on autonomous social movements and revolt across so-called North America from an anarchist perspective.

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