International Women’s Day in U.S.: ‘We will organize & mobilize’

On March 8—the 100th anniversary of the day militant working women took to the streets of New York City—women throughout the U.S. honored International Women’s Day and vowed to continue the struggle for liberation.

New York City WW photo: John Catalinotto

NEW YORK

An initial downpour of rain didn’t stop several hundred women and their allies from continuing the legacy of IWD. With militant chants, participants marched to the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory memorial, where 146 women workers were killed in a fire on March 25, 1911, after the bosses locked them in. They then continued to the Solidarity Center for an indoor rally and celebration.

Placards featured pictures of women leaders and inspirational words, alongside others demanding women’s rights, including reproductive justice and an end to war, racism, LGBT oppression and poverty.

Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE) Chair Valerie Francisco stated, “We will organize and mobilize until our demands are met and our collective voices are heard!”

Detroit WW photo: Cheryl LaBash

DETROIT

Workers World Party friends and members gathered in Detroit to celebrate “100 Years of Struggle.” Debbie Johnson discussed how conditions that sparked the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire still exist in sweatshops around the world. Sue Paquin gave a presentation on “Feminism and Marxism”—based on the book of that name. Written by WWP founding member Dorothy Ballan, it explains how women’s oppression arose with the division of society into oppressor and oppressed classes. Andrea Egypt talked about African-American women who have led the fight for a better life.

The featured guest speaker, Sue Davis from the New York City WWP branch, examined the Party’s historical relation to women’s fight for equality and reproductive rights, and showed how revolutionary women influenced those struggles. A lively discussion followed on how socialism will provide true liberation for women.

A delicious meal was prepared by male comrades.

Boston WW photo: Liz Green

BOSTON

The Women’s Fightback Network—Boston organized a car caravan of women activists and supporters. A sound truck played music while young women leaders led chants and rapped. Passersby gave thumbs up and raised fists.

In driving rain, the caravan passed Boston Police Headquarters, where activists demanded an end to Criminal Offender Record Information laws, and Boston City Hospital, where chants echoed: “Our bodies, our lives, our right to decide.”

A Countrywide Financial Co. office, across the street from a homeless shelter, became the target of a militant action when women plastered a banner demanding an end to ALL foreclosures. Countrywide is a major predatory lender.

With music blaring and chants of “Jobs Not Jails,” the cavalcade pulled up to the Suffolk County Community Corrections Center—where 150 to 200 women are incarcerated, unfurled banners and formed a picket line. Prisoners put their hands on the windows and pumped their fists.

Buffalo, N.Y. WW photo

BUFFALO, N.Y.

Code Pink and the International Action Center of Buffalo/Western New York braved the mounds left from a weekend snowstorm to bring an anti-war demonstration commemorating International Women’s Day to a busy intersection. The contingent carried empty boots, representing the women soldiers who have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and occupations.

The groups are building for a car caravan and rally on March 22 to protest the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War.

PHILADELPHIA

Many women’s and labor groups formed a coalition for a spirited march through downtown on March 8, followed by an afternoon of plenaries, speakouts and cultural performances in the hall of the union UNITE-HERE. They discussed the need for women to unite and struggle for housing, health care, education and an end to the war. Speakers included a survivor of the Katrina disaster in New Orleans and Pam Africa from MOVE.

Kris Hamel from Detroit, Berta Joubert from Philadelphia, the WW Boston Bureau and the WW Buffalo Bureau contributed to this report.

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