Hate Crimes

(Spanish translation below)

Cosecha GR needs people, especially allies who can be trained as marshals for actions that Cosecha GR organizes. The role of marshals is to keep people safe from violence, the violence of racist individuals, hate groups and police.

The trainings last 2 hours and include a lot of role playing, so that people can be better prepared to deal with a number of circumstances we may face.

*Since space for his event is limited, please RSVP here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sOxMjw3416qREHkuhBudk7xz2_X23S41oW3lRpRA2FU/. We are requesting donations to help pay for the training but no one will be turned away for lack of funds!*

Over the past year, we have seen an alarming increase in hate crimes and attacks against immigrant, Muslim, LGBTQ+, and other vulnerable populations in our communities, as well as across the country. Have you asked yourself, “What could I have done if I were there?” Have you witnessed someone being harassed, but were stifled or frozen by fear and didn’t know what to do?

Over the past year, we have seen an alarming increase in hate crimes and attacks against immigrant, Muslim, LGBTQ+, and other vulnerable populations in our communities, as well as across the country. Have you asked yourself, “What could I have done if I were there?” Have you witnessed someone being harassed, but were stifled or frozen by fear and didn’t know what to do?

All across the country people are fighting back. In the wake of Trump’s election, we have seen a surge of resistance, both within the u.s. borders and across the entire globe.

In the spirit of furthering these various anti-authoritarian movements and to build our collective capacity for community self-defense, Solidarity & Defense is hosting a conference in Lansing, Michigan on January 19-21, 2018.

(Note: No taking pictures or filming at this event)

Join us for this history lesson that has political and strategic relevancy for today. Two founding organizers of Anti-Racist Action (ARA) will discuss the fight against fascism beginning with Nazi skinheads in the 1980s' counterculture scene to organizing the militant antiracist movement that became known as ARA, which confronted the klan and white supremacy at the end of the twentieth century.

ARA's original "Four Points of Unity" from 1995:

Over the past year, we have seen an alarming increase in hate crimes and attacks against immigrant, Muslim, LGBTQ+, and other vulnerable populations in our communities, as well as across the country. Have you asked yourself, “What could I have done if I were there?” Have you witnessed someone being harassed, but were stifled or frozen by fear and didn't know what to do?

Come to our next general planning meeting, where we will be planning an event on the one-year anniversary of the counter-inauguration of Donald Trump - a year of heightened struggle and defense groups founded in response to the rise in hate crimes, as well as police and legal repression. Meet with some of the people who were in Washington D.C. on #J20 earlier this year. Help those who are still dealing with legal battles that have been ongoing since that day.

As we see an increase in hate crimes and attacks against immigrants, Muslims, and other vulnerable populations in our communities, have you asked yourself, “What would I do if I were there?” The good news is that there are skills and techniques that you can learn and practice to keep others safe.

We, in Livingston County, believe in love. We believe in the power of love to create strong beautiful communities, deepen human connection across differences, and conquer the forces of fear and hatred. This week has seen fear and hatred exemplified in the actions of those who marched with symbols and words that proclaimed that one race was superior to another, that some human lives did not have as much worth as others. We’ve seen this before in Livingston County.