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Protests Brace for Four More Years

by Laura Glesby, Jan, 20, New Haven Independent

Protesters declare support for trans, immigrant, Palestinian rights and more on the Green…

A Statue of Liberty drawn on fire, free toiletries for any who needed, and collective shouts of immigrant, transgender, and Palestinian resistance rang through the frigid cold at two parallel protests downtown.

Protesters declare support for trans, immigrant, Palestinian rights and more on the Green. Photo: Laura Glesby

Their message resounded on Monday afternoon as Donald Trump once again took an oath of office — with a flurry of executive orders cracking down on immigration and cementing anti-trans policies awaiting his signature.

About 75 people clustered at the center of the New Haven Green at a rally organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and a host of other organizations, from Trans Haven to the Semilla Collective to Unhoused Activist Community Team (U ACT).

Meanwhile, another 40 people affiliated with Unidad Latina en Acción (ULA) convened across the street on the steps of City Hall.

While the former protest shined a particular spotlight on Palestinian self-determination and the latter focused especially on the rights of undocumented immigrants, activists at both gatherings stressed a need to collaborate and stand against injustices they view as all interconnected.

“We need to step out of our silos,” said Sun Queen, a poet and activist with Black Lives Matter New Haven and U ACT, on the Green.

Sun Queen quoted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in honor of the national holiday also on Monday designated for remembering King’s legacy: “There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we have the resources to get rid of it.”

At that rally, protesters made clear that while they were gathered to oppose Trump, they were not there to mourn the status quo under Joe Biden — especially when it came to the United States’ relationship to Israel.

[Article can be read in its entirety at https://tinyurl.com/5n6kbd3r]

Author Talk — Radical Connecticut: People’s History In The Constitution State

Author Andy Piascik joins us for a discussion about his and Steve Thornton’s new book: “Radical Connecticut: People’s History In The Constitution State.”

Version 1.0.0

“Radical Connecticut” tells the stories of everyday people and well-known figures whose work has often been obscured, denigrated, or dismissed. There are narratives of movements, strikes, popular organizations and people in Connecticut who changed the state and the country for the better.

Bridgeport native Andy Piascik is a long-time activist and award-winning writer whose work has appeared in many publications and on many websites. He is the author of the novel “In Motion.”
“Radical Connecticut: People’s History in the Constitution State” is his fourth book.

Thursday, Jan. 23, 6-7:30 p.m.
Phillip Marrett Room
Ives Main Library
133 Elm St.
New Haven

Martin Luther King Love on March Wed. Jan. 15

WYBC Radio, 94.3 FM

Join 94.3 WYBC and Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Love March on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in New Haven.

The MLK Love March in New Haven has been going strong for over 50 years and it celebrates the life and work of the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Love March will begin at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church located at 100 Lawrence St. and continue to Whitney Ave. to Edwards St. to State St. to Lawrence St. We will march on this day rain or shine to commemorate the dreams and aspirations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Love March, which was started by Shiloh’s late Founder and Pastor, Rev. George W. Hampton, Sr., has been a positive force in the community of New Haven for more than 50 years. The Love March was created to preserve the notion of nonviolence.

Come out and lend your voice of support to the community in making New Haven a better place to live. Scheduled to attend will be some of our political leaders from New Haven and the State of Connecticut.

For more information, please call (203) 776-8262, by email at secretarysmbc100@gmail.com, or visit www.smbcnh.org.

Dr. King’s ‘Beyond Vietnam’ Speech

Henry Lowendorf, GNH Peace Council

The annual public reading of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s revolutionary Beyond Vietnam speech will take place Wednesday, Jan. 15, at noon in New Haven City Hall, 165 Church St. It is being organized by the Greater New Haven Peace Council, City of New Haven Peace Commission, and Veterans for Peace.

This speech shook the establishment into denouncing King because, among other things, he connected the movements for peace, civil rights and economic justice.

If you are interested in receiving a pdf of the speech and/or reading a page of the speech on Jan. 15, please email grnhpeacecouncil@gmail.com.

Annual Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy of Social and Environmental Justice

by Peabody Museum

Every January, we gather at the Peabody Museum, 170 Whitney Ave., to honor Dr. King’s legacy and uplift Black leadership in the social and environmental justice movements. Our special celebration evolves annually as we co-create programming with our community partners from across New Haven and Connecticut.

Co-founded and co-presented with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, each year’s celebration includes:

  • Two days of music and dance performances on the World Stage;
  • A youth art contest and youth-led summit co-presented with Students for Educational Justice;
  • A poetry open mic and professional poetry slam;
  • Storytelling at the New Haven Museum at 114 Whitney Ave.;
  • Special access to Peabody experts and collections;
  • Activities designed and presented by environmental and social justice organizations from across the state.

This important event draws visitors from all over the region. We can’t wait for you to join us!

We are currently planning our 29th celebration, to take place the weekend of Jan. 19–20, 2025. Please visit https://peabody.yale.edu/events/calendar for updates on this year’s event. Hope to see you there!

Want to Get Involved in Climate Action Before the Legislative Session?

by Julianna Larue, Chapter Organizer with Sierra Club CT

There’s no time to wait—let your legislators know that climate action matters to you before the session begins!

Do you want to learn more about climate change in Connecticut? There are opportunities to get involved with the Sierra Club in the next couple of months before the legislative session starts on Jan. 8, 2025. If you’re ready to take action on climate change, we hope you’ll join us for events happening across the state in the coming weeks.

These educational events will give you a broad overview of how Connecticut is being impacted by climate change, including flooding, sea level rise, wildfires, and rising temperatures. We’ll also spend time with local legislators discussing our priorities ahead of the legislative session. And they want to hear from you about what concerns you the most.

At these events, you’ll have the opportunity to take action by signing a petition that demands bold climate action in the 2025 legislative session! Go to connecticut.sierraclub.org to sign the petition and receive our updates.

I want to thank everyone who participated and joined us for the Wilton, Fairfield, New Haven and West Hartford events.

Go to connecticut.sierraclub.org for information on our virtual webinar from noon to 1 p.m. Jan. 6, 2025.

These events are a perfect opportunity to make your voice heard, learn more about climate change, and find out how you can get more involved. We hope to see you at upcoming events.

NHCM Release Youth State of the Climate Report; Unveils Climate Justice Art

by Chris Schweitzer, New Haven Climate Movement

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2025, at 4 p.m. by the Amistad statue in front of City Hall, the New Haven Climate Movement project marked International Human Rights Day by unveiling three new climate justice banners and releasing the new Youth State of the Climate Report for New Haven.

The banners were painted by Yale student-led Project Bright Spaces, and show the impacts of climate injustice on Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, and Argentina.

The Youth State of the Climate Report for New Haven presents the climate dangers New Haven faces and the urgent need to act now to avoid creating climate chaos for future generations. See the Report and Banners at instagram.com/newhavenclimatemovemnent.

Reminder: New Haven Green Fund Grant Applications Due Jan. 31, 2025

Apply for funding for community projects in New Haven, Hamden, Woodbridge and East Haven that will improve our quality of life through environmental and sustainability initiatives.

Visit www.gnhgreenfund.org for details, or email info@gnhgreenfund.org with any questions. Applications are due Jan. 31, 2025. Grant awards are for amounts up to $10,000. Microgrants and sponsorships throughout the year are available for up to $1,000.

Grants for Environmental Justice Projects

Environmental Justice for New England

Environmental Justice for New England will distribute $48 million of grant funds to be fully expended by the spring of 2027. The initiative will distribute grants among the federally-recognized and state-recognized Tribal Nations of EPA Region 1 and the six New England states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The funds will be distributed through three tiers and the Seed Fund to support capacity-constrained organizations. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, with quarterly reviews, till all the funding is awarded.

Seed Funds are available for up to $75,000 for activities and capacity-building efforts to support severely capacity-constrained community-based organizations. Capacity-constrained community-based organizations are defined as those having an equivalent of four or less paid full-time staff members at the time of application, amongst other criteria. A full eligibility definition can be found in the request for proposal (RFP). First deadline: Feb. 14, 2025.

For details, please go to the website https://environmentaljusticenewengland.org.

Our Bodies. Our Futures: People’s March, Jan. 18, 2025

The Women’s March

We are not done. With Trump set to return to the White House early next year, we’re facing a moment that calls us to act boldly. It’s time to march. Join us at the PEOPLE’S MARCH—Jan. 18, 2025—DC & Everywhere.

We will unite in a feminist-led day of action. We will demand and defend our freedoms against fascism. We will demonstrate our collective strength, sending a clear message: Our freedoms are inalienable, and we will not allow them to be threatened.

The mobilization is being organized by a coalition of organizations across the movement landscape through a broad committee structure. Amongst the coalition members are Abortion Action Now, Time to Act, SisterSong, Women’s March, Popular Democracy, Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, The Feminist Front, NOW, Planned Parenthood, National Women’s Law Center, and the Frontline. Women’s March is anchoring the logistics of the mobilization. The role of coordinated infrastructure and these convos have been moving since July 2024.

[Full text at womensmarch.com and peoplesmarch.com. Also see https://tinyurl.com/t22j9hvm.]

Civil Rights Town Hall: Implications of a 2nd Trump Administration

by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Connecticut

We want to hear from you. The Trump administration’s agenda promises a significant blow to civil rights and liberties in Connecticut and nationwide. The ACLU has a plan. We are prepared to meet this moment. Join us for a Town Hall event to hear from our team and to be heard.

The ACLU of Connecticut invites you to attend one of these free, public events we are hosting across the state. Hear from expert legal, policy, and communications staff who are ready to answer questions about the implications of a new administration for the civil liberties you care about most:

  • Free Speech & The Right to Assemble
  • Immigrants’ Rights
  • Reproductive Rights & Bodily Autonomy
  • LGBTQIA+ Rights
  • Criminal Legal System
  • Government Surveillance
  • Voting Rights

Join us from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at the Ives Main Library, 133 Elm St., New Haven to learn more about the ACLU’s plan to address threats and opportunities, ask questions, and learn about how you can help. RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/3aeasenz For other CT meetings, see https://www.acluct.org/en/townhalls or call 860-523-9146.

Dec. 18 Press Conference on International Day of Action to Defend Migrant Families

Unidad Latina en Acción

[PAR received the following press release. The Dec. 18, 2024, event happened as planned. ULA and its allies are organizing to protect CT’s immigrant residents.]

Mobilizations planned for Dec 18 as families prepare for what is to come

New Haven, CT – On Wednesday afternoon at 5:00 PM EST, immigrant-led organizations in CT will host a press conference and send a message to local officials, immigrant workers and families across the tri-state area. The activity is part of a grassroots day of action on December 18 when immigrants in multiple cities across the U.S. will participate in an “international day of action and solidarity with migrants.”

As the incoming Trump administration advances its threats of mass deportations, immigrant committees and worker centers are convening actions big and small to unify immigrant communities, local and national partners. In the face of the many attacks against indigenous migrant communities in NY and the threat of deportations by Donald Trump, Unidad Latina, Hamden Action NOW!, People’s Center, NDLON, NILC, Greater New Haven Peace Council, and CT Shortline Indivisible are anchoring the activity in New Haven, in collaboration with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON). For more information about the activity in CT, email john@ulanewhaven.org.

“Our adversaries wish and expect our immigrant communities to disappear in the silence of the night. That is because they know nothing of our courage. But we know of the courage in our communities,” said Pablo Alvarado, Co-Executive Director of NDLON. “They want to instill fear in us, with their extremist rhetoric and policies. But all they will do is fan the flames of our indignation. And we will turn this indignation into action.”

John Jairo Lugo
Community Organizing Director, Unidad Latina en Accion
ulanewhaven.org
37 Howe St, New Haven, CT 06511
phone 203-606-3484

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