Nick Godfrey
Template:TOCnestleft Nick Godfrey is is Utah member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack!.
Married to Jade Arter.
May Day 2021
Matt Romrell May 6, 2021 Salt Lake City, UT - On May 1, around 50 people gathered in Sugarhouse Park in Salt Lake City to celebrate International Workers Day with a barbecue and fundraiser hosted by the local chapter of The Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Members are raising money in conjunction with organizers across the country for the establishment of a FRSO national office.
Between tending the grill and serving up food, member Nick Godfrey took to the microphone for a speech. “Let’s remember the reasons we gather for May Day and celebrate those labor heroes who made this holiday possible. Let’s be sure to celebrate in remembrance of the Haymarket Square martyrs and their struggle which we share today!”
After taking a look at the history of May Day and its beginnings with the labor movement, Godfrey passed the microphone to Utah Against Police Brutality member Adrian Romero who stated, “We still need to fight every day as the capitalist system is creating a crisis right here, right now in Utah. We’ve got to put an end to the housing crisis and camp abatements our unsheltered community are dealing with every day.”
Under the pavilion there were books for sale and May Day themed artwork including posters and t-shirts designed by local FRSO member Derek Ballard. Money donated for the books and art was collected along with some donations for a gift basket raffle which was held as the speeches and barbecue wound down.
“I’m happy we were able to finally do a barbecue and celebrate such an important day for all of us,” said Salt Lake City organizer Jade Arter.[1]
People's Agenda
100 people protested against the outgoing Trump administration and rallied for a People's Agenda at the Wallace Federal Building in Salt Lake City on January 18 2020. The protest started with chants by emcee and FRSO member Adrian Romero: “Hey hey, ho ho! These killer cops have got to go! Hey hey, ho ho! The whole damn systems got to go!” The event was hosted by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! and Utah Against Police Brutality.
Jacarri Kelley-Brown, Black Lives Matter North speaker started with a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., “Those who love peace must learn to organize as effectively as those who love war.”
Nick Godfrey from the FRSO spoke on the relationship between the labor movement and the Black Liberation struggle, stating, “When they attempt to bury the history of Martin Luther King as ‘the socialist,’ ‘the anti-imperialist,’ ‘the labor leader,’ they tell us which aspects are most important to uphold today. When they smear King as a communist, we learn there is no greater threat to their wealth and power.”
Godfrey continued “I believe King’s vision of an alliance between the labor movement and the movements for oppressed nations is crucial for us today. That’s why I’m a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack!.”[2]
FRSO ML School
Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! ML School public FB group, October 2 2020 members included Nick Godfrey.
Frank Chapman connection
Nick Godfrey, Jade Arter and Frank Chapman.
FRSO International Women's Day
Freedom Road Socialist Organization Presentation: International Women's Day 210 E 400 S,Salt Lake City Sunday 8 March 2015. Organized by Alyssa Faith.
Those indicating attendance on the Wherevent website included Gabriella Anderson, Samah Safiullah, Alyssa Ferris, Agneta Erlandsson, Elizabeth Rosales, Lex Scott, Megan Davies, Jessica Diane Arter, Elika Fanaeian, Marisol Marquez, Alicia Cervantes, Lorena Christina Chavez, Victoria Sethunya, Muna Omar, Gregory Lucero, Cannon Atkinson, Travis Gray, Chris Manor, Greg Murray, Daniel Chavez, Emurio Pretorius, Ian Decker, Jacob Victor Jensen , Jordan Ruga, Ian De Oliveira, William Ranta, Nick Godfrey.[3]
FRSO May Day
451 S State St, Salt Lake City, Sunday 1 May 2016, 12:00. Organized by Gregory Lucero.
Salt Lake City has seen the people wage a lot of struggles this year. The people of Salt Lake have fought against the racist Donald Trump, war, police brutality, racism, sexism, and for students rights. We celebrate those struggles on May 1st, International Workers Day. We have a lot to celebrate.
We have speakers from the labor, immigrant, anti-war, anti-police brutality, and socialist movements. We also will have live music and informational tables. Join us for May Day not only to celebrate our victories, but learn what you can do to help build the strugge in the future.
This event is hosted by the FRSO and cohosted by Workers World Party, Socialist Alternative, Students for a Democratic Society, Utah Anti-war Committee, Utah Against Police Brutality, and the United Workers Organization.
Those indicating attendance on Wherevent included Bianca Paulino, Gabriella Anderson, Alyssa Faith, Doris Chatterton, Sasha Olsen, Jade Arter, Taylor Cowan, Theresa Nielson, Andrea Sofia Canedo, Wendi Guerrero, Amy Jones, Emily Lacock, Juliet Stinson, Joanna Straughn, Danielle Warnick, Carly Kay Haldeman, Jeannette Villalta, Summer Autumn, Dennis Potter, Marco Munoz, Jason Cronin, William VanWagenen, Nick Godfrey, Noah Potts, Travis Gray, Ian Decker, Shane Richman, Connor Richards, Dalek Pretorius, Adrian Romero, Brett Barrett, Ian Cox, Joey Brandin, Eoin O Gallachoir, Stephen Andrew Cox, Jamison Potter, Eric James Allred Porter, Olivier Jimenez, Sam Beutler, Johnny Dean Chucho Warren, Greg Murray, Steven Emerman, Sean Taylor, Ian De Oliveira, Gregory Lucero, Kody Coats, John Pacific, Tino Uvdt, Cannon Atkinson, Adam Koritz.[4]
Defending North Korea
Demonstrators gathered in downtown Salt Lake City to protest Trump’s threats of war on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, August 19 2017. They chanted, “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation!”.
“We want people to know that the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] isn’t the aggressor here,” said Nick Godfrey, an activist with the Utah Anti-War Committee (UAWC). “We were never taught the real history of this conflict. The U.S. has been unjustly threatening this nation for decades.”
The Saturday protest, organized by UAWC and held in front of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, drew about two dozen people with signs that read “Hands off the DPRK!” and “I won’t fight the rich man’s war!” The protest was in response to Trump’s recent provocations, wherein he threatened to bring “fire and fury” down on north Korea, later adding that U.S. military options were "locked and loaded." U.S. provocations are likely to produce a defensive response from north Korea.
“The U.S. needs to keep manufacturing the supposed north Korean threat so it can control the region, said UAWC organizer Dave Newlin. “If North Korea didn’t exist, the U.S. would have to invent it in order to maintain dominance.”
Activist and former congressional candidate Ben Frank pointed to the immense economic forces at play around north Korea that go unacknowledged in the mainstream media.
“Basically, there are many incentives for the U.S to be aggressive towards north Korea outside of the pretenses given on corporate news,” Frank said. “Such as the fact that scientists estimate that north Korea is sitting on about $6 trillion worth of mineral resources.”
Cristobal Villegas, secretary for the Utah Democratic Party, spoke on how deeply the war mentality has penetrated U.S. society, and how getting involved with local politics can help break down the military-industrial system.
"War is not only an action by a nation, but rather it is a mindset. War has penetrated many sociological barriers. An example is how Salt Lake City and Utah treat people experiencing homelessness,” he said.[5]