Delilah Pierre
Delilah Pierre is vice president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee and a Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! member.[1]
Abortion protest
On June 24 2022, Florida State University Students for a Democratic Society issued a call to action in response to the SCOTUS decision overturning Roe v. Wade. “We have been preparing to take action on this decision for weeks. We have to be organized to stand up and fight back,” proclaimed a member of SDS. They joined more than 300 protesters at the Florida Historic Capitol to defend women’s and reproductive rights.
“This decision revokes a 50-year-long protection of the right to privacy and abortion, but also empower conservatives to continue their attacks,” asserted Zeke Greenwood, President of FSU SDS.
Valentina Beron, member of Tallahassee Community Action Committee , questioned how the government can “expect us to give birth to children if we can barely keep a roof over our heads.”
In the words of Delilah Pierre, district organizer of Tallahassee Freedom Road Socialist Organization and president of TCAC, “voting is not going to solve every one of our problems.”
Groups like the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, Planned Parenthood, FAMU and FSU Generation Action, Tallahassee Freedom Road Socialist Organization , and the Tallahassee Industrial Workers of the World all joined the June 24 protest.[2]
Iran protest
Armed with a megaphone and signs, the Tallahassee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) marched along the Integration Statue on Tuesday, Jan. 14. In an effort to raise awareness about the Trump administration’s recent armed conflicts in Iran, members passed out fliers that specified the National SDS’s statement on the US’s actions in the middle east.
“Right now, it's most likely not going to lead to war, and that is what we're hoping for, at least on our part,” SDS member Valentina Beron said. “I think that it was strategic, I think it was possibly for Trump getting reelected, [and] to build another big nationalist rally around the flag movement.”
“I think we've seen stuff like this happen before and places like Afghanistan and Iraq, and other countries that just so happened to have large quantities of raw materials that the US is interested in,” SDS Vice President Isabela Casanova said.
“There was no reason for us to engage in a military conflict that is just going to end up hurting every one of us,” member Delilah Pierre said. “I think that Trump also is doing this because he knows that a country under war is more beneficial for him. It'll give him more votes, give him more attention, give him more media. I think very much that Trump is using this war for his own personal ascendance.”[3]
Stop anti-Asian hate rally
Tallahassee, FL - On March 27, around 100 activists from across the Tallahassee community gathered in front of the State Capitol building to commemorate the eight victims from the recent Atlanta shooting, and to speak out against Asian American oppression.
The Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC), along with various local organizations such as Asian Coalition of Tallahassee, FSU’s Filipino Student Association, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Dream Defenders and other community members took a stand for the victims of the shooting in grief and healing.
The event started off with Daisy Sim, a Korean American member of TCAC, stating that she hopes the big takeaway for today is how U.S. imperialism functions with the use of the military, ICE and the police. Sim stated, “I hope to call out the true enemy of our community, which is white supremacy and encourage people to further educate, organize and mobilize.”
Regina Joseph, president of TCAC and one of the Tally19, spoke in solidarity with the Asian community.
Sharry Solis, president of FSU’s Filipino Student Association, continued this theme, noting, “My home country in Philippines is the largest recipient of U.S. military aid in Asia - aid that led to widespread human rights violations.” She also states that “bombings against environmental activists and indigenous people has contributed to them being displaced all over the country.”
Dr. Portia Campos of the Asian Coalition of Tallahassee wanted to share her earliest experience of racism when she was six years old. She ended her speech by chanting “Raise your voice and scream. Raise your voice and shout. Say no to Asian hate.”
Delilah Pierre, vice president of TCAC and member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, pointed out “We have to talk about the extreme devastation the U.S. has brought onto Asian people all around the world.
Activist Roman Le, the communication lead with Dream Defenders, touched on the emotional weight of the loss of the eight victims.
Isabel Ruano, a member for the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, sang a song dedicated to the Asian community out of a place of solidarity as a Latina.
Aurora Hansen, founder of Asian Coalition of Tallahassee also spoke.
Speaking next, Dawn Orocio, TCAC Communication Director and FRSO member, wondered about the costs of assimilation for the American Dream.
The event closed with Trish Brown, co-founder of TCAC, singing ``If I don’t lift them up, I’ll fall down! and shouting “We have nothing to lose but our chains!”[4]
FRSO ML School
FRSO ML School public FB group, September 12 2020:
Admins and Moderators
- Delilah Pierre Florida State University. Created group on June 23, 2020.
- Zachary Schultz Sorter at UPS- Jefferson Hub
Remembering Mychael Johnson
On March 20 2021 , activists from across the Tallahassee community gathered in front of City Hall to remember and to honor the life of Mychael Johnson, a Black man murdered by the Tallahassee Police Department one year ago.
The Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) and other community members stood alongside the family of Mychael Johnson in grief and healing.
“Somebody’s hurting my people, and it’s gone on far too long,” sang Trish Brown, outreach coordinator for the Tallahassee Community Action Committee at the angelversary that evening.
Regina Joseph, president of TCAC, and a member of the #Tally19 - a group of activists arrested on September 5, 2020 protesting the non-indictment of police who killed Mychael Johnson, Wilbon Woodard and Tony McDade.
Delilah Pierre, vice president of TCAC, pointed to how Johnson’s death was not the result of one officer’s decision, but a product of the larger, corrupt system of white supremacy.
Tesia Lisbon, an activist with More Than a Name and a member of the #Tally19, continued this theme, noting, “Not a single city official has properly addressed the family of Mychael Johnson since his death
Timothy White, an activist with TCAC a member of the #Tally19 , told the crowd, “We cannot win if we do not get to heal."
Pierre closed out the vigil by reminding everyone that “We will not lose.” She said, “What pushes us forward is the love we have shown for each other. And I want you to know that’s not something they can ever steal or take away from us.”[5]
Protesting Charlie Kirk
March 10 2020 FSU was the first stop for Charlie Kirk’s “Culture War Tour” sponsored by Turning Point USA (TPUSA). “FSUnite Against Kirk” was born in response to this event, a self-described student coalition dedicated to spreading a message of love and acceptance in the wake of Kirk’s purposefully divisive rhetoric.
A group of students of all walks of life attended, including six speakers representing different student organizations; Ellie Cooper, president of JStreet U; Alyssa Ackbar, State Director for Florida March for Our Lives; Sadie Cosgrove, member of College Democrats and Gender Odyssey; Delilah Pierre, graduate and organizer with the Tallahassee Community Action Committee and Students for a Democratic Society; and Isabela Casanova, vice president of Students for a Democratic Society.
Students engaged in chants such as “The students united can never be defeated!” and “Say yes to love! Say no to hate!” and waved signs with similar messages.
Organizer Chloe Ilcus also helped draft a petition that was distributed at the event urging FSU’s President John Thrasher and administration to release a statement addressing Kirk’s visit to campus.
Attendees also signed a petition by SDS aimed at bringing a more concrete accountability process for sexual abusers and rapists on FSU campus. SDS will lead a coalition of students, campus groups, area residents and community organizations in a march from campus to the state capitol on Saturday, April 11.[6]
International Women’s Day, Tallahassee
Satya Stark-Bejnar March 11, 2020 Tallahassee, FL - In honor of International Women’s Day, Tallahassee residents attended a panel discussion on the origins and impacts of the socialist holiday.
Regina Joseph of the FRSO and president of the Tallahassee Community Action Committee (TCAC) shared a short video on the history of the day and facilitated a panel of five leaders representing over ten active local organizations.
The panelists were all people of color, ranging in age from 20 to 55: Valentina Beron, FSU student and organizer with Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Veg FSU; Delilah Pierre, FSU graduate, member of Gender Odyssey, TCAC’s Outreach Coordinator, and Poet leading the Tallahassee Writers Collective; Marie Rattigan, FAMU graduate, Students for Bernie organizer, and Dream Defenders Coordinator; Katherine Draken, FSU graduate, UPS Teamster, and member of TCAC; and Paula Hill, local Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) Chapter Leader, Returning Citizen, New Black Panther, and great-grandmother.
Each panelist shared their personal and organizational history of organized resistance - local, statewide, and national, and spoke on a range of questions and ideas, including how to combat racism, sexism and other bigotries within activist spaces.
“You gotta check those homophobic and transphobic comments [that you hear] in your spaces... and study! You gotta read!” Delilah Pierre asserted.
Survivors told their stories of being assaulted on campus and SDS not only took them seriously but made it their campaign for the whole year. As Beron listed the organizations co-sponsoring to organize a march in April on the topic, Dream Defenders’ Marie Rattigan spoke up to add Dream Defenders to the list. That was the first of a burst of support, cooperation and solidarity to result from the International Women’s Day event. Campus organizers for Bernie Sanders’ campaign from FSU and FAMU enjoyed first contact with one another and pledged mutual support and cooperation; FRRC Chapter Leader Paula Hill assured everyone in the room, “If you’re a woman, gay, transgender, whoever you are, however you present, if you’re out with me, you’ve got protection!”; and all in attendance were invited to an upcoming public hearing on a locally researched and LGBTQIA+ composed Ordinance to Ban Conversion Therapy in Tallahassee.[7]