Taylor Cook
Taylor Cook is a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack!.[1] Partner of William Blake. https://fightbacknews.org/articles/tampa-5-speaking-tour-comes-to-atlanta
Tampa 5 protest
According to Taylor Cook on August 9, the Tampa 5’s third court date, Atlanta community members gathered to protest in demand that charges be dropped on the Tampa 5.
The Tampa 5, members of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), were brutalized and arrested on March 6 for protesting against Florida governor Ron DeSantis and his cuts to diversity, equity and inclusion programs at Florida public universities. The activists were standing up for their rights, and now face up to ten years in prison for doing so.
The protest was hosted by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization - Atlanta as part of the SDS and National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR) day of action
In his speech for NAARPR, Laith Abdel Hader stated, “The law they were protesting, which is now in effect, cuts funding to diversity programs in universities with already declining Black enrollment and bans Black history and gender studies from classes.”
Speakers also highlighted the struggle in Atlanta against Cop City and the political repression against anti-Cop City activists. Cop City is a $90 million training facility for police that will be built over the Welaunee Forest in the southside of Atlanta.
Abdel Hader stated, “The struggle to drop the charges on the Tampa 5 is important for all social movements in the U.S. We are already seeing numerous attacks, especially in the South, against free speech and social movements.”[2]
“Abortion ban bill” protest
Isabela Casanova and Jacob Muldoon - On January 27 2022, members of New Students for a Democratic Society from across Florida gathered at the State Capitol to protest HB5, which is widely known as the “abortion ban bill.” 70 activists gathered on the steps of the building where the Florida House meets, including dozens who traveled from Tampa and Jacksonville to join Tallahassee activists in opposing this bill.
The abortion ban bill is officially titled “HB5: Reducing Fetal and Infant Mortality.” Opposers, both within the legislature and without, have pointed out the misleading nature of the title. Members of the Florida legislature such as Representative Anna Eskamani attended the event, making clear that they united with the people’s demands to kill the bill. Gia Davila, a member of USF SDS, demanded students and community members “let these legislators know that the passing of this bill does not represent the wishes of the people.”
“Right now, there is no question that Black and brown people are disadvantaged by policies set and enforced by this government right now,” stated Laura of Tampa Bay SDS. “They cause and they uphold ideals of white supremacy. Then they blame Black and brown people for the inequalities that they cause.”
Along with SDS, other organizations such as FAMU Generation Action, Planned Parenthood, Dream Defenders, Florida Student Power Network and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization were also present at the event.
Noelle Williams of FAMU GenAction stated, “Attacks on abortion aren’t the end, but they are a symptom of a system that continually creates inequity. States like Florida that attack access to abortion tend to be the same states that fail to prioritize citizens’ well-being in a multitude of other ways.”
Monica Martinez of UNF SDS brought attention to racism in the medical community. “We’ve seen the ways that the medical system has disadvantaged these communities in forcing them to have hysterectomies or not granting immediate health care,” she said. “This bill will become another way to force these already oppressed communities to continue their unwanted pregnancies.”
“I can’t imagine anything more terrifying to a conservative legislative body than a group of young people demanding that the needs of the working-class people, women, Black and brown Floridians, and queer and trans folks be addressed in not only abortion access, but the entire policy arm of Florida,” stated Lauren Brenzel, representing Florida Planned Parenthood. “It’s unsurprising that these same individuals tried to silence these voices after only 30 minutes of public testimony - the record shows people are against abortion bans and looking for solutions to Florida’s poor wages, lack of healthcare, and affordable housing crisis.” Brenzel and at least 50 others were forcibly removed from the committee meeting after chanting “Let us speak!” when public comment was brought to a premature end.
“We truly showed the power of the people,” said Taylor Cook, who has been a member of Tampa Bay SDS since 2018. “They tried to shut us down but we continued to fight after being kicked out of the meeting and we will continue to fight back until our rights are protected and this bill is killed!”[3]
Defend Progressive Free Speech
February 2021 five current and former students, including members from Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Students for Justice in Palestine and the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee, were arrested Tuesday afternoon for trespassing on campus property after hosting an in-person protest and violating USF’s policy about on-campus assemblies, according to a University Police (UP) press release.
The Defend Progressive Free Speech progress took place in front of the Marshall Student Center (MSC) at noon. The MSC Events Response Team, alongside UP, was at the scene and asked the group to disperse. In the end, Taylor Cook, James Kramer, Hailey Ostwalt, Elizabeth Rowe and Jordana Cummings were arrested for trespassing and were issued a notice to appear in court, according to the press release. All individuals were released “on their own recognizance,” according to the press release.
Of the five arrests, Cook and Rowe are currently enrolled students while Kramer, Ostwalt and Cummings are not, according to Dean of Students Danielle McDonald.
The event was first publicized in an email sent out Feb. 8 by Cook, a junior and SDS officer, stating that SDS members would protest in front of the MSC on Feb. 9 against “the university’s intolerance for progressive free speech” after the organization was suspended for hosting in-person protests on and off campus.[4]
"Defend Progressive Free Speech" protest
According to Enya Silva on February 9 2020 students and community organizations gathered on the University of South Florida (USF) campus to protest recent acts by the university and the government to limit the free speech of progressive voices. Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) attended to demand that the university lift their suspension and drop their charges. USF placed a suspension on Tampa Bay SDS for protesting against the university’s budget cuts.
“Administration has been constantly getting in the way of protest and then suspended SDS until the fall semester on hypocritical charges,” says Laura Rodriguez, a member of Tampa Bay SDS, “I think it is so incredibly irresponsible for USF administration to try and disband an organization that has had such a vital role in the Tampa Bay area.”
Of the many speeches prepared for the event only one was given before USF administration told the police to arrest the protesters for trespassing. Five people, most of whom are students, were detained and held in police vehicles for over half an hour. Many of the police officers were not wearing masks when in the cars with the detained protesters.
“This was about intimidation and suppression,” Simon Rowe, a member of Tampa Bay SDS who was arrested, says of the actions. “The police walked me past the same place on campus where they escorted Kaitlyn Bennett's security away from her event in October. Bennett's team was given water, I and four other people were put in handcuffs.” Rowe was referencing last semester in which notorious right-wing internet personality Kaitlin Bennett filmed a video on campus at USF. Despite drawing a large crowd, she was allowed to leave of her own accord.
“USF and the police demonstrated another act against the voices of students,” stated Laith Hader of the USF chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). “I was there to give a speech about USF's record of suppressing voices of pro-Palestine activists. Many of those who speak out against the Israeli system of apartheid and genocide are being doxed, fired from their jobs, investigated or interrogated by the state, and are falsely framed as anti-Semitic, all while neo-Nazis and white supremacists are given their ‘free speech’ without any repercussions from the state or its institutions.”
Members from Tampa Bay Community Action Committee (TBCAC), Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), and Tampa People’s Protest were also in attendance to stand in solidarity with progressive students and raise awareness about HB1/SB484, a bill proposed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to severely limit the right to protest in the state. Members of TBCAC and PSL were among those arrested.
Tampa Bay SDS stated they would continue fighting the charges against the protesters, the charges and suspension against their organization, and will continue fighting USF’s budget cuts.
“SDS has always brought issues to the table which USF admin have tried to keep hidden under the rug,” said Rodriguez.[5]
The Defend Progressive Free Speech protest took place in front of the Marshall Student Center (MSC) at noon. The MSC Events Response Team, alongside UP, was at the scene and asked the group to disperse. In the end, Taylor Cook, James Kramer, Hailey Ostwalt, Elizabeth Rowe and Jordana Cummings were arrested for trespassing and were issued a notice to appear in court, according to the press release. All individuals were released “on their own recognizance,” according to the press release.
Of the five arrests, Cook and Rowe are currently enrolled students while Kramer, Ostwalt and Cummings are not, according to Dean of Students Danielle McDonald. Many of the groups in attendance will join a statewide mobilization to Tallahassee, Florida’s state capital, on March 2 to protest against the bill.[6]
Founding
Youth Against Empire held its first public event on Oct. 17 2020 called "End the Wars at Home and Abroad."
Moderators were Win-Mon Kyi Resist US-Led War Movement, International League of Peoples' Stuggles, Calvin Deutschbein Workers World Party and International Action Center Participants included Vichina Austin Kyndelle Johnson, Black Alliance for Peace, and Kala Craddock McIntosh Pan-African Community Action, Jordan Faralan Anakbayan USA, Autumn Lake Minnesota Anti-War Committee, Taylor Cook Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Jae Yates Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, Nicholas Brannan Socialist Action, Carlos Naranjo of POWIR and Colombian Progressives.[7]
Rally against U.S.-Mexico border wall
The Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally April 3 2019 to stand against the U.S.-Mexico border wall and demand protections for immigrant students at the University of South Florida (USF). One of these protections is non-deputization of campus police to enforce immigration policy. The event featured a mock border wall, symbolizing the recent attacks on immigrants by the U.S. government.
“USF needs to stand by its undocumented and immigrant students to make its claims of diversity true. USF has to become noncompliant with federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and that, in part, means having a policy of non-deputization of USFPD,” said Tampa Bay SDS member Taylor Cook.
“As we see attacks on immigrants around the country, USF is silent and continues to provide students’ personal information to federal agencies such as the DHS and FBI. They still do not put protective measures in place to help these students,” said Tampa Bay SDS member William Blake.[8]