People's World Amistad Awards Inspired Unity and Action

Despite a snow storm, a crowd from near and far filled First and Summerfield Church for the People's World Amistad Awards, "RESISTING Together So We Can Move FORWARD."

Nelson Pinos, who has taken sanctuary in the church, refusing to be deported and torn apart from his wife and children, and Marco Reyes, who was in sanctuary in the church for 105 days before receiving a reprieve from deportation the day before Thanksgiving, received a standing ovation along with Unidad Latina en Accion for their courage.

Solidarity was expressed to Local 33 Unite Here graduate teachers and their long battle with Yale administration to win a first contract.

The theme of solidarity flowed into the presentation of this year's Amistad Award to Camila and Carolina Bortolleto, founders of Connecticut Students for a Dream (C4D). They said the Dream Act was critical for them to attend college and demanded a clean Dream Act be passed by Congress this month to protect immigrant youth from deportation.

Senator Ed Gomes, an Awardee in 2013, presented this year's Award to State Rep. Robyn Porter, paying tribute to her role as his co-chair of the labor committee stopping100 anti-union, anti-worker bills. Decrying the "spirit of hate and fear" nationally and in Connecticut, Porter said to applause, "We have to come together to support each other." She called for women's leadership and a grassroots movement in 2018.

The final Award was presented to Peggy Buchanan, campaign manager of the CT AFL-CIO who drew lessons from decades of union struggles. "When we fight together we win together," she said to applause, calling for bold action. "Let's go all in for a clean Dream Act, TPS and a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented," she said, "and go all in on the 2018 elections and a working families agenda."

The Awards are presented by the People's World on the occasion of the 98th anniversary of the Communist Party. Chair Joelle Fishman and three young members invited others to join them to bring people together and win a better world.

The grand finale by the Patrick Osedebe Highlife Band with Mikata had people dancing in the aisles. The audience also enjoyed a performance by Ice the Beef youth.