Michela Martinazzi

Michela Martinazzi

Michela Martinazzi is a Brooklyn, New York activist. Marketing Manager at Visotsky Consulting Inc.. From Turin, Italy.

Education

Studied French at University of Florida.

Career

• Former Director of Media & Events at Axiom
• Former Event Planner/Photographer at Good Life Community Magazine
• Former UF Campus Coordinator at Florida AFL CIO
• Former Barrista at Pangea Cafe

Anti-NATO speech

At the invitation of the Comitati di Appoggio alla Resistenza per il Comunismo (CARC), Michela Martinazzi of the Central Committee of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization delivered speech to a national meeting against NATO, held in Italy, December 8 2024.

Anti-Trump protest

On the evening of November 6 224, over 100 people gathered in the heart of downtown Brooklyn at Cadman Plaza to protest the election of Donald Trump. Called by NYU Students for a Democratic Society with the slogan that “No matter who wins, the people lose,” the rally began with a consistent beat of chants. They ranged from “Racist, sexist, anti-gay! Donald Trump, go away!” “Not the church! Not the state! Women will decide their fate!” and “Say it loud! Say it clear! Refugees are welcome here!”

Eb Ahmed from NYU SDS helped lead the protest, stating, “Last night it was declared that our 47th president is going to be Donald Trump. We saw an election with two pro-genocide, pro-border wall, pro-fossil fuel candidates and the more reactionary one of them won.”

The protest continued with the Brooklyn War Memorial at their backs. Ahmed introduced the next speaker, Shivani Ishwar, the chair of the New York Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NYAARPR).

Ishwar stated, ”if we want real change, we have to band together and demand that the police, the government, the system itself answer to us. Our power isn’t in the ballot box, it’s in the streets. That’s how we show up in solidarity with Palestinian liberation! That’s how we demand justice in the face of police brutality! That’s how we make our voices heard!”

Michela Martinazzi, from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, told the crowd, “The ruling class dangles our rights and the lives of millions in front of our faces, making it our responsibility to choose. They’re setting us up against each other and the entire time they’re laughing on Capitol Hill. The people in Washington DC do not care about us – they only care about our vote. So what do we do? We can mourn, wallow, and despair until the next election. Or we can organize, fight and we can win for the people. We do not have to live under these conditions. We can live for a better future!”

Legacy of of MLK

In January 2023 around 60 people gathered in the historic Saint Mary's Episcopal Church in Harlem to honor the legacy of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. on what would have been his birthday weekend. Organized by Struggle-La Lucha, a panel of 11 speakers took part in the event that demanded: No war and sanctions, strop funding white supremacy in the Ukraine, shut down NATO, and stop racism, transphobia, union busting, and the attacks on women’s rights, LGBTQ+ and immigrants.

The speakers included Margaret Kimberley of Black Agenda Report, Melinda Butterfield of Struggle-La Lucha and Omowale Cla, December 12 Movement.

Jessica Schwartz gave a speech on behalf of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, where she said, “Too often, socialism and national liberation are seen as separate ideologies, when in fact they go hand in hand. It is revolutionaries like Harry Haywood and Claudia Jones who took the works of Stalin and other Marxist-Leninists and applied it to their own conditions, creating the theory of Black Belt South as part of their struggle for national liberation and self-determination. The Black Panther Party used scientific socialism to fight national oppression and were infiltrated and attacked because of this. Leaders like Thomas Sankara used social programs to liberate his people, only to be assassinated because of the threat he posed to U.S. and European imperialist powers. It is when Black people and other nationally oppressed people use socialism and take on the imperialist powers of the world that they are seen as especially dangerous and need to be taken down.”

Michela Martinazzi closed out the event and spoke on behalf of the steering committee of the International League of People's Struggle. In her speech she referenced Dr. King’s famous anti-war speech “Beyond Vietnam”, including the quote, “We were taking the Black young men who had been crippled by our society and sending them 8000 miles away to guarantee liberties in Southeast Asia which they had not found in southwest Georgia and East Harlem.”

Fight Back! supporter

Fight Back! / ¡Lucha y Resiste! is a Facebook group for readers and supporters of Fight Back! / ¡Lucha y Resiste! the newspaper of Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack!

As of July 5 2020 members included Michela Martinazzi.

Report from China

Report from China: Firsthand COVID-19 account May 16, 2020. Report from Robbey Hayes to Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! Central Committee member Michela Martinazzi.

Robbey Hayes has worked as an English teacher in Shenzen China since 2015. He was a room mate of Michela Martinazzi at UCF where both were members of the Students for a Democratic Society chapter.

While at UCF Robbey Hayes twice studied in China.

Iosbaker's network

Joe Iosbaker April 4 2020.

From A worker at Trader Joe’s:  Hey will you please share these things? We're trying to show our coworkers fearing retaliation that they have people on their side.

Sean Orr, Daniel Ginsberg-Jaeckle, Kristen Jefferson, Benjamin James, Dave Schneider, Cherrene Horazuk, Richard Berg, Sarah Justice, Michael Sampson II, Mike Kramer, Regina Russell, Cathleen Jensen, Gabriella Killpack, Frank Chapman, Aislinn Sol, Sol Mar, Bassem Kawar, Martha Iosbaker, Mary Iosbaker-Azzouzi, Kas Schwerdtfeger, Tracey Schwerdtfeger, Tomas de Bourgha, Michela Martinazzi.

Fronte Popolare

Alessio Arena, secretary general of the Italian communist group Fronte Popolare (Popular Front), spoke to a full house at the Solidarity Center in Manhattan on Sept. 5 2019 about the role of European imperialism in the world and the central role of German imperialism in controlling the direction of the European Union.

As Arena pointed out, the EU is the largest single economic market in the world. It plays a reactionary and oppressive role in Africa and Central Asia, sometimes allied to the U.S. and sometimes in competition with the U.S., but always against the interests of the working class and all oppressed nations.

One example Arena gave of the competition is the EU countries’ push to continue the pact reached with Iran regarding nuclear arms at a time when the current U.S. government has broken that pact. Another was his description of the complex relationship of German imperialism with capitalist Russia.

Workers World Party and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack!, both of which have fraternal relations with Fronte Popolare, sponsored the meeting. Arena thanked both organizations and expressed the wish to continue to share experiences. He expects that all the experiences of organizations with communist goals in this difficult post-Soviet period will be useful in building a new movement striving for socialism and communism worldwide.

FRSO member Michela Martinazzi introduced Arena, while Blair Bertaccini provided consecutive interpretation of Arena’s talk from Italian to English. Sara Flounders of WWP added an announcement about the many public demonstrations planned for late September at the United Nations, particularly those in mass response to the climate crisis. Richard Kossally chaired the meeting.

Palestine protest

Joe Catron April 29, 2017:

With Anne Pruden, Peter Feld, Walaa Al Ghussein, Nick Maniace, Christian Cobb, Sapphira Lurie and Michela Martinazzi.

Tampa activist

Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! hosted a discussion panel for International Women's Day, March 8, 2015 at the First United Church of Tampa.

Marisol Marquez and Alicia Gazga spoke on behalf of Raices en Tampa. They spoke of the Farah Strike in El Paso, Texas. Alicia Gazga said of the strike, “We chose this topic in celebration of International Women's Day; these were revolutionary women who stood up and said enough is enough. Their history led to better pay and they were able to unionize.”

Danya Zituni of The Committee to Stop FBI Repression-Tampa spoke of the fights of Arab and Muslim women for liberation, stating "Arab and Muslim women residing domestically and abroad bear the brunt of various forms of damage due to American imperialism. Palestinian women and native women everywhere have a righteous anger toward ending colonialism and imperialism, and this refutes the idea militancy is somehow masculine. As the primary targets we deserve to be on the front lines. There are many examples of strong resistance to capitalism, colonialism and imperialism by revolutionary Arab women such as Souha Bechara of the Lebanese Communist Party and Leila Khaled of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.” Zituni also spoke of the necessity to fight against the government's current attacks against Rasmea Odeh, who has been a tireless advocate for Arab and Muslim women.

Michela Martinazzi of Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! talked about the history of International Women's Day.

Disrupting pro-Israel event

A group of ten activists stood out in front of the University of South Florida (USF) Hillel building, April 12 2015, in protest of a vigil being held for Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The vigil was in remembrance of IDF soldiers who were killed by Palestinian ‘terrorists,’ meaning the people who defend their land against U.S.-backed Israeli settlers.

"When Hillel says 'fighting terrorism,' we understand what that truly means,” said Michela Martinazzi of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression-Tampa.

Danya Zituni, a leader in both of the organizations present, spoke about how the event fell close to the anniversary Deir Yassin massacre, which helped lead to the occupation of Palestine.

“Only a few days ago on April 9 was the anniversary of the Deir Yassin Massacre, when three Zionist militias attacked the Palestinian village of Deir Yassin, murdering over 100 women, men and children. This was one of many dozens of massacres that led to the ethnic cleansing of over 1 million Palestinians through which the state of ‘Israel’ was created.”

"The enemy is not so scary if the best they can do is call us names and park vans in front of us,” said Gage Lacharite of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society.

Freedom Road

In 2016 Michela Martinazzi, Dave Schneider and Michael Sampson III, were members of Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack!.

Greetings to WWP

November 19, 2016:

Michela Martinazzi gave solidarity greetings from Freedom Road Socialist Organization at the recent Workers World Party Conference in New York City. (Photo credit: Greg Butterfield)

"Socialism 101"

On March 4, 2017, Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! (FRSO) hosted a workshop titled “Socialism 101: Students, Socialism & The Revolution” at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. The workshop included an introduction to socialist theory, followed by discussion on applying socialist theory to the student movement.

“In the Trump era of declining capitalism and overt oppression, student organizing becomes more important than ever. Students are in the unique position where they have the ability and time to learn socialist theories while directly putting them into practice through a campus-based campaign. Plus, the world that Trump is creating is going to be left behind to the youth to fix. Students are perfectly positioned to affect expansive and rapid change, which we need now more than ever,” Michela Martinazzi of FRSO said about the students’ role in organizing for socialism and against Trump’s agenda.

“While they are in school, students and youth must become anti-imperialists, and take up the struggles of the multinational working class and oppressed nationalities and put those demands in the forefront, working to advance the interests of the people and land blows against the ruling class and their cronies.” said Ian Gallagher of FRSO, highlighting the importance of organizing in the student movement.

Atlanta May Day 2015

Dave Schneider, Estafania Galvis, Fern Figueroa, Amber Dulaney, Michael Quintero, Alekos Zambrano, Guled Abdirashid, Jonathan Ellis, Leila Ali, Adam Cardo, Angela Grace, Marisol Marquez, Camila Buitrago, Danelle Leigh, Violeta de la Luna, Cai Malia, Michela Martinazzi.

Tampa Bay SDS

Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society public Facebook group funtioned from circa 2010 to 2015. Members included Michela Martinazzi.

Gainesville SDS

In 2013 Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organizer Michela Martinazzi.

Florida Day School

Gainesville, FL – Two dozen students gathered in Gainesville, July 19, 2014 at a New Students for a Democratic Society day school. Students from the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of South Florida, and for the first time in SDS’s history, from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville attended. Months of planning the day school on SDS National Working Committee phone calls paid off nicely.

The purpose of the day school was two fold. First, the students honed their skills by attending workshops on a variety of topics central to organizing. Students learned how to make a flyer, how to host protests and demos and how to recruit new students to SDS. Second, the students geared themselves up for a new semester at their respective universities this fall by sharpening their political ideas and campaign plans.

Tampa Bay SDS organizer Jessica Schwartz said, “All the Florida chapters share similar concerns over transferal of leadership to younger organizers. The purpose of this is to help empower them to take leadership in SDS.”

UNF Students for a Democratic Society Organizer C.O. Scanlan said, “For someone just beginning his active involvement in an organization, the day school was incredibly encouraging. It put in clear, concrete terms the steps I need to take in providing the student struggle with another point of focus.”

Tallahassee SDS Organizer Zachary Schultz said, “The day school was an excellent opportunity to share our experiences organizing, and build unity around the methods which will lead the next generation of student activists to victory: militancy and organization.”

The main on- the-ground organizer of the day school, Michela Martinazzi from Students for a Democratic Society at UF, said, “As many of the veteran SDSers graduate and move on to other struggles, it’s important that that newer organizers keep the same militant line and methods of organizing. I think today proved that all generations of SDS are organizing on the same page.”

Beto Soto of Students for a Democratic Society at UF also participated.

IWD

By Chrisley Carpio Gainesville, FL - On March 18, University of Florida Students for Justice in Palestine, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! (FRSO) filled a room with about two dozen students and community members to celebrate International Women's Day. They hosted an educational panel titled, “Celebrating Women's Solidarity and Palestinian Activism," which addressed the history of the holiday, the Palestinian women’s movement, and the trumped-up immigration charges against Palestinian women's rights activist Rasmea Odeh.

Farah Khan of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) opened the panel with a summary of the history of International Women's Day. She traced back its roots to the socialist movements of the early 1900s and spoke of the huge 1917 strike in czarist Russia.

Another SJP member, Tesneem Shraiteh, then connected International Women's Day to the crucial role played by women's organizations in the Palestinian liberation movement. She pointed out the existence of feminists who deny the oppression of women in countries occupied by the U.S. or its imperialist agents, such as Israel, and characterized their feminism as limited and damaging: "You have some Israeli women who identify as feminists and want equal rights for women, but not if you're Palestinian. Some feminists don't understand the imperialist borders around the women's movement, dividing women against each other along lines of class and race. But there can be no equality for women without equality for all."

Michela Martinazzi, of University of Florida SDS, then presented the case of Rasmea Odeh, the Chicago Palestinian leader who is a long-time organizer for ending the occupation of Palestine. She was arrested last year and charged for immigration fraud, but she is only one of a long line of Arab, Muslim, or anti-war organizers facing political repression from the U.S. government.