Three Years In: A Call to Support IGD

Over three years ago we set out to create a platform that was both of use to the wider public as well as the growing anarchist and autonomous social movements across so-called North America.

A collection node for disaster relief supplies.

In that time, our platform has grown, as well as many of the others that have fed into it. Despite mistakes we’ve made and lessons learned along the way, we are ultimately very proud of the platform that IGD has grown into. But it hasn’t been easy, both in terms of the massive amount of work that this project requires, as well as the constant barrage of attacks that comes along with maintaining it.

Hundreds converge in Portland to confront Patriot Prayer and the Proud Boys. Thanks to coverage from Unicorn Riot, It’s Going Down, Puget Sound Anarchists, and other grassroots media projects, the public was exposed to counter-narratives that attacked the State’s attempts to justify the brutal repression of the demonstration.

But what makes IGD more than a labor of love, is the constant feedback we get that what we are doing is important, that it is valued, and that our work helps social movements and struggles on the ground.

Some of the things we’re most proud of:

• Helping to publish some of the very first in-depth analysis, critique, and reporting on the Alt-Right, its growth as an auxiliary force to the Trumpian State, and the need for a broad, autonomous movement, based around solidarity and community self-defense, to combat its racist violence.
• Years of publishing translations of actions, communiques, prisoner updates and reports from Mexico. This has included two columns, Insumision and currently Revuelta Comunitaria. This work has helped bridge gaps in communication on social movements and revolt across language barriers, and has also helped to raise money and awareness for Mexican anarchist prisoners.

A conference in Michigan that took part in our call to ‘Build the Base’ at the start of 2018.

• Provided a space for updates on political prisoners, prisoner rebellions, and prisoner voices through Bloc Party, prisoners interviews, and republishing a variety of support organizations.
• Continuous roundups of large scale mobilizations, clashes, and strikes.

Thousands gather at Chicano Park in San Diego to defend it against squads of Alt-Right goons. IGD helped to promote the demonstration and exposed the cross over between white nationalists and ‘Trump supporters.’

• A new column, Resistance is Life, which reports directly from the heart of the Rojavan revolution, and written by comrades in the Internationalist Commune.
• Through roundups, interviews, and publishing report backs, covered and helped amplify news and the demands behind the national prison strikes in 2016 and 2018.

Graffiti marks the start of the National Prison Strike in 2018.

• Provided a space for the amplification of news on autonomous mutual aid disaster relief projects.
• Recorded and produced a series of podcasts and audio documentaries on the unfolding struggle at Standing Rock and the growth of anti-pipeline battles across the US.

A mass mobilization in Downtown Oakland after Trump’s election shows a growing affinity of proletarian youth with anarchist and antifascist ideas.

• Organized a series of media collaborations with our comrades in CrimethInc. and Sub.Media. Also helped grow the Channel Zero Anarchist Podcast Network.
• Helped grow a podcast platform that now has thousands of listeners, that in turn has given a microphone to striking teachers in West Virginia, Mexican political prisoners, rent strikers, antifascist organizers, people mobilizing against ICE, and those reporting on the ground during riots, student occupations, and large scale mobilizations. This is not to mention the wide range of guests we have had on the program, from journalists at Newsweek covering the far-Right, to former UN diplomats turned anarchists.

Wheatpaste art from anarchist street artist Zola, who we interviewed this year.

• Edited and produced a podcast series written and recorded by J20 defendants that covered the ins and outs of the trial as it unfolded.
• Published a huge variety of columns, interviews, and original essays on the major crises of our epoch, touching on everything from climate change, automation and the gig economy, the failures of Centrism and social democracy, to Trump and the State itself.

Screenshot from Phillip Defranco YouTube episode on the Prison Strike where host reads from IGD. Episode has been viewed over 840K times.

• Maintained a platform that has been used by organizers on the ground for a variety of successful call-in campaigns and mass mobilizations. As a project, we have personally been thanked by prisoners for spreading the word about their case that has resulted in better conditions.
• As a website, we have broken and pushed a variety of stories that have then been picked up on by a variety of more mainstream outlets. Also given interviews with a variety of outlets, from the New York Times, to The Independent, to Mel Magazine.

The Path Ahead

Over the past year, we’ve tried to keep our nose to the grindstone and focus on the work of keeping this site up and running. But now we’re at a place that we need to again start asking for money to keep the lights on. We also want to:

• Roll out a new shirt design by the holidays.
• Create new full-color sticker packs.
• Publish by the end of the year an analysis of our current situation, the crisis we face, and some thoughts on a path forward for the growth of a revolutionary autonomous material force.
• Go back to publishing a weekly e-newsletter sent out to supporters that includes links to our original content, popular articles, and new podcasts.

Winter Fundraiser

Our goal is to raise $10,000 by the end of the year. This will help us keep the project running and also print new shirts, stickers, and booklets which will in turn, continue to fund the project. In the past, our supporters have helped us fundraise between $2,500 to $3K a month, so we know that with the help of our readers and listeners, we can make our goal.

Help IGD Continue Into 2019:

There are several ways to donate to IGD.

• Make a one time donation here.
• Make a monthly donation here.
• Buy an item from our store.
• Have access to making shirts and stickers or printing zines? Get at us if you can help!
• Participate in our antifa sticker pack design contest by submitting your art and ideas.

Winter Sale

As a thank you for all our supporters and as a way to get ready for new shirt and sticker designs, we are slashing the cost of our shirts in half! We are also offering for $20, a shirt of either design, and the Weekend Warrior sticker pack – combined!

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to the path ahead!