Sam Martinez
Template:TOCnestleft Sam Martinez
Support of women’s and reproductive rights
According to Siobhan Moore more than 70 protesters gathered outside the University of Minnesota’s Donhowe building for a demonstration in support of women’s and reproductive rights on Friday, May 20 2022. The action was initiated by the Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota, and raised demands for university administration’s action on women’s and reproductive rights.
Robyn Harbison and Haizela Wu spoke for SDS, detailing both the state of the current attacks on abortion rights and the specific demands being raised by them for the university to act on They demanded President Gabel issue a statement affirming support for women’s and reproductive rights, including: a module on reproductive health in freshman orientation; the creation of a Reproductive Health Advocacy and Education Center; and the boycott of states with “heartbeat” bills.
Mira Altobell-Resendez, from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, explained the deep connection between capitalism and these attacks on women and reproductive rights. They made clear that these attacks are “capitalism’s way of keeping itself alive by exploiting women, queer and gender non-conforming people, oppressed nationality people, and the working class. To the ruling class, the safety of these people is expendable as long as their bodies fuel their economy.”
Other speakers included members of the Climate Justice Committee; Meredith Aby-Keirstead, of the Anti-war Committee, and Sam Martinez from the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar.[1]
Protests on 1-year anniversary of Trump’s inauguration
Several hundred protesters marched through the streets of Minneapolis chanting “Refugees are welcome here,” on Jan. 20th 2018, the one-year anniversary of Trump taking office. The protest was organized by the Minnesota Anti-War Committee.
Meredith Aby-Keirstead, a member of the Anti-War Committee, kicked off the rally stating, “It is important to not let the fact that these countries [north Korea and Venezuela] are not predominantly Muslim to confuse us. North Korea and Venezuela are on the ban as window dressing in order to attempt to make Trump’s policy appear as less racist than before. This is very much indeed a Muslim ban and these countries were targeted because they are in the cross hairs of the U.S. military like Syria, Somalia and Iran. Iran, north Korea and Venezuela are all on the travel ban list in an effort to punish them for resisting U.S. imperialism.”
Leilah Abdennabi, a member of the Palestinian Youth Movement, spoke next about the role Trump has had in increasing tension in Palestine, saying “One thing we can do here in the U.S. is show solidarity with Palestinian political prisoners, such as Ahed Tamimi.
Rhea Smykalski, also of the Anti-War Committee, spoke about U.S. war threats against Korea, stating, “In the last few months, Trump has been ramping up the attacks on Korea. very turn the U.S. has increased hostility and tension on the peninsula.”
William Martinez of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee spoke in Spanish and defended his home nation of El Salvador, which the president referred to as a “shithole” the week before.
With US Bank Stadium looming in the background, Sam Martinez, from the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar and the Super Bowl Anti-racist and Anti-corporate Coalition, was the last rally speaker. He encouraged everyone to turn out to protest racism and police brutality on Feb. 4 at the Super Bowl.[2]