Youth Voices Stress Collective Unity and Organizing at 52nd Black History Month Event

By Jahmal Henderson

The historic People’s Center was filled to capacity during the 52nd annual People’s World Black History Month event. Youth and community members gathered to honor the theme: “DEFEND CIVIL RIGHTS! Unity in the Fight for Our Future” 

As guests arrived, they were greeted by the recording of Paul Robeson's historic performance at Carnegie Hall in 1958.  Host Mary Thigpen said that during the Jim Crow era, when Black history was deliberately excluded from school curriculums, historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson founded Negro History Week in February 1926, later expanded into Black History Month.

In tribute to the late Rev. Jesse Jackson, she recalled the ten day “Rebuild America Keep Hope Alive” march across Connecticut in August 1991, beginning at Bridgeport East End’s “Mount Trashmore” and ending at the state capitol in Hartford with more than 2,000 people.

This year’s arts and writing competition for grades 8 through 12 showcased a wide range of impressive submissions of poetry, art, and essay which drew connections between the 65^th anniversary of the freedom rides and today’s fight against fascism and for civil rights along with honoring the brave legacy of Paul Robeson, acclaimed artist and activist who risked everything to advance racial justice, civil liberties and peace.. Every participant received a certificate and copy of Paul Robeson’s book  "Here I Stand".

First place artwork “Turn the Volume Up” by Emilia DiPippo from Wilbur Cross High School explores how the civil rights movement shaped her identity and the life she is able to lead today.

Jaylee Pimental of Wilbur Cross High School's first place essay titled “Freedom Was Earned, Not Given,” explained that the civil rights movement was about far more than changing laws. Ordinary people marched, protested, and risked everything because they were tired of being treated unfairly due to their skin color. She emphasized “Justice is not just for one group, its for everyone".

Diana Robles from High School in the Community delivered her poem “When We Fight We Win,” while Japhet Gonzalez performed “17,” a heartfelt dedication to the young freedom fighters of the 1960s whose sacrifices fuel his commitment to activism.

Sound School student Journey Rosa earned the first-place poetry award with her powerful piece “Inheritance is a Verb.” that concludes “progress is not permanent unless we make it so.”

An 8th grade student shared his essay about the terrifying story of a young family member that witnessed his parents being taken away by ICE. The story exposed the trauma that many immigrant families are facing. The story concluded, "It’s so unfair to see how families are torn apart, and especially by a leader that doesn’t even know about history. Most of America was built off of immigrants, and getting rid of those immigrants is like removing the legs of a chair.”

The ceremony then shifted to a youth panel discussion moderated by Arita Acharya, Secretary Treasurer of Unite Here Local 33 . The conversation brought together two high school students, Brandon Daley of Metropolitan Business Academy and the Citywide Youth Coalition, and Melody Yunga of Wilbur Cross High School and CT Students for a Dream. They reflected on their activism in today's fight for equality where youth activism is being attacked by MAGA.

Daley spoke of organizing students to testify before the education committee at the state capitol for an increase in public school funding. Yunga called for participation in a public hearing before the Judiciary Committee to expand protections for immigrant communities from the undemocratic terror being perpetrated by ICE around the country.

Acharya raised demands that Yale University, with its 40 billion endowment, give transformative funding to meet needs of public education, good jobs and housing in the largely Black and Latino City of New Haven.

Stephanie Deceus led the People’s World fund appeal, highlighting the daily news platform’s importance to the labor-led people’s movement and the need for continued support to keep it thriving. $2,000 was raised.

Eric Brooks, the evening’s special guest speaker was introduced by Connecticut CPUSA organizer Jahmal Henderson. Brooks addressed the current climate in the country, emphasizing the continued fight for democracy and freedom for Black communities. He referenced 1619 to draw attention to the nation’s origins in slavery and the lasting impact of racial inequality today.  

He also spoke about MAGAS rollback of key civil rights protections, stressing that recent executive orders, including the removal of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs across federal agencies.  

Throughout his remarks, he underscored the urgency of mobilizing against policies viewed as harmful to minority communities, civil rights, and democratic rights. Eric also stressed that the resistance will require grassroots organizing, collective unity, and  political engagement in order to achieve real, lasting change in this country.

As the festivities concluded, participants gathered in a drum circle, where both attendees and youth played powerful rhythms symbolizing unity and strength. 

Hundreds Demand Protections for Immigrant Communities

Hundreds of students, educators, advocates and clergy testified for 11 hours before the Judiciary Committee of the State Legislature in support of bills to establish protective areas including places of worship, medical facilities, schools and playgrounds, where law enforcement including ICE would be barred from carrying out arrests without a judicial warrant signed by a judge.

Examples of ICE terrorizing communities in Minnesota and other states were cited as the reason state protections are needed, in case such federal actions were unleashed in Connecticut.

The measures would enhance the existing Connecticut Trust Act and establish policy at the state level that was erased at the national level under the Trump Department of Homeland Security.

Many young people described how hard it is to live in constant fear of being kidnapped without reason. Teachers told of students afraid to come to school not knowing if they or their parents would be taken away. Experiences of missing important medical appointments were shared.

Along with Connecticut Students for a Dream (C4D) and Husky 4 Immigrants, the entire Connecticut for All coalition organized testimonies including SEIU, AFT, Make the Road and ACLU.

Judiciary Committee chair Sen. Gary Winfield conducted the hearing, inviting questions from his colleagues after each speaker. Republican lawmakers challenged the testimonies claiming these policies would protect criminals. Speakers emphasized that the bill is necessary to protect the constitutional rights of all residents in the current national climate.

Recalling her family's experience of being hounded and discriminated against during the 1950s McCarthyite repression, Joelle Fishman, representing the CT Communist Party USA, recounted working in the civil rights movement to end lynchings and terror against African American people. Asking “Are we going to defend and expand civil rights for all? Or are we going to go down the path of repression and fascism with all the harmful lived consequences for our communities, state and nation?” she called upon the Judiciary Committee to pass the bills and play its role.

Accountability language was urged so anyone wrongfully detained in protected locations could challenge that detention and seek relief.

Students Testify for Education Funding

Public school students and their teachers from eleven municipalities traveled to Hartford on Wednesday to testify before the Education Committee of the State Legislature about the dire need to increase the school funding formula.

Three busloads carrying 117 students from schools across New Haven were accompanied by Mayor Justin Elicker.

“It's a packed house of union members, educators, students, coalition partners, elected officials and faith leaders at the CT State Legislative Zoffice Building to protect our kids and fix the formula,” reported NHFT President Leslie Blatteau. “On this March 4, in partnership with the American federation of Teachers and AFT Connecticut locals across the state and country, we demand Fully and Fairly Funded Schools NOW.”

“The state per pupil ECS funding foundation amount has not increased since 2013. Want to know what has increased over the last 13 years? EVERYTHING ELSE,” said art teacher Melody Gallagher. “It is time for the state of CT to fix the ECS formula. As costs for services, supplies and everything else has gone up, this flat funding has translated into underfunding.”

In solidarity with the delegation testifying at the state capitol, classroom teachers in New Haven are wearing FIX THE FORMULA stickers.

Teachers and students were joined by organizations in the Connecticut for All coalition who testified in support of SB 7 for increased public school funding. to ensure the needs of students in the state are met. Speakers declared, “Now is the time to Fix the Formula - specifically the Foundation Aid amount of $11,525, which has remained the same since 2013.”

Had the formula’s foundation kept pace with inflation, it would be approximately $16,000 per student today. Legislators were urged to increase the foundation aid amount to $16,525 in Fiscal Year 2027 and then index it to inflation moving forward. 

Testimonies called for the ultra wealthy and corporations to pay their fair share to make it possible to deliver on the promise of public education for all of Connecticut's children.

Court Victory Protects Captive Audience Law

A major court victory for workers was won last week upholding Connecticut's “captive audience” law that protects workers against employer intimidation when organizing into unions. A federal district court judge dismissed the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) and U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s challenge to the law.

“This federal court decision is a major victory for working people across Connecticut” said Connecticut AFL-CIO president Ed Hawthorne.

“This law ensures that workers can make their own decisions about forming a union without fear of employer intimidation and harassment. Far too often, when workers attempt to form a union, management used to be able to force workers to attend closed-door captive audience meetings where they would frequently threaten business closures, wage cuts, layoffs, and more,” he said, adding “No employer should be able to force a worker to attend a meeting to coerce their opinions on religion, politics, or union organizing. And no worker should fear retaliation simply for exercising their right to join a union.

Hawthorne appreciated the work of Attorney General William Tong “for standing up to powerful business interests and defending workers from being forced into captive audience meetings. As worker protections are eroded at the federal level, it's critical to have a champion for working people.”

After years of organizing by the labor movement, in 2022 the State Legislature enacted the bill giving workers the right to leave employer mandated meetings and return to work when the subject is about an employer’s politics, religion or union organizing.

CBIA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a federal lawsuit challenging the statute.

U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley dismissed the case last week, finding that CBIA's First Amendment rights to speak to its employees are not impacted by the law.

“Workers should not be forced to listen to their employer’s religious or political views—including anti-union rhetoric. Connecticut’s captive audience statute is both lawful and necessary, and the Office of the Attorney General will continue to defend the state’s ability to protect workers’ rights,” said Tong, greeting the decision.

"A train wreck for public higher education”: Students and workers demand Connecticut fund its colleges

Students, faculty, and campus workers gathered at the state Capitol this week under the banner of Fund Our Dreams, calling on lawmakers to reject Gov. Ned Lamont’s proposed higher education budget and make real investments in Connecticut’s public colleges and universities.

In a press conference at the Legislative Office Building as lawmakers begin deliberations this session, speakers were flanked by supporters holding signs “Gov. Lamont Failing Our Students – Fund Higher Education.”

Speaker after speaker warned that years of underfunding have created a crisis across the state’s higher education system — from community colleges to state universities and UConn — harming students, workers, and the broader economy.

Lisa Calabrese. the campus enrollment supervisor at Connecticut State Naugatuck Valley, and leader in the 4Cs union, said “Governor Lamont is a train wreck for our public higher education institutions: Connecticut colleges, Charter Oak State College, our four state universities, UConn, and UConn Health.”

“There has been a ripple effect on our workforce, our economy, and our state,” she added. “Faculty, staff, and students oppose Governor Lamont’s proposed budget for CSCU, UConn, and UConn Health because it fails to make the necessary investments in our institutions, our students, and our state.”

Students described campuses pushed past capacity, where lack of funding is happening while enrollment is rising, harming educational quality and student well-being.

Heritha Subramanian. Student body vice president at the University of Connecticut, Storrs said. “It is no secret that education in Connecticut is overwhelmed and underfunded.”

As state and federal funding has declined, she explained, UConn has increased enrollment and recruitment to compensate. “Unfortunately, our school does not have the resources to meet the needs of our students.”

“I often hear from students who have never met with their advisor because it is difficult to get a hold of them,” she said. “At UConn, advisors have caseloads of up to 655 students per advisor, while the national average for four-year institutions is 286.”

The consequences affect classroom learning. “Higher enrollment levels have led tolarger class sizes, and it is clear this is burdensome for everyone involved,” Subramanian said. “Faculty are being asked to do too much with too little time and too little assistance, while students fade and disengage — becoming one of hundreds rather than being supported to succeed.”

Cynthia Stretch, a union leader and professor at Southern Connecticut State University, said "endless cuts" to part-time faculty have resulted in slashing the course options available to students.

Organizers testified that Connecticut’s higher education crisis is not inevitable, calling it the result of political decisions that prioritize tax breaks and austerity over public investment.

“Public higher education is a public good,” speakers said. “When we underfund it, we deepen inequality, weaken our workforce, and undermine democracy itself.”

"Connecticut has the resources to do better. What we need is the political will." said Valerie Duffy, a professor at UConn and president of Uconn-AAUP. "The strain on higher education is not a failure of our students or our faculty and staff. It is a result of policy choices,"

The Fund Our Dreams coalition is calling on legislators to: increase base funding for public higher education, stop tuition and fee hikes, restore faculty and staff positions and invest in advising, mental health, and student support services

As budget negotiations continue at the Capitol, organizers made clear they are not backing down.

“This is about our future,” one speaker said. “And we are here to demand that Connecticut fund our dreams — not dismantle them.”

The demand to “Fund Our Dream” is part of the Stand Up Connecticut legislative agenda of the Connecticut for All coalition. At a February 7 press conference, The 4 C's community college union president Seth Freeman said, “We are here to demand that Governor Lamont and every elected state legislator STAND-UP, meet the moment, and protect the residents and families of Connecticut. We are here to demand that elected leaders fight for working-class families and fight against the Trump billionaire agenda.”