Category Archives: Section

Foreign Relations, Domestic Security, and the Trump Era

Posted on 01/19/2017 by Janice Jayes

The foreign policy outlook for the near future is bleak, but not just because of the incoming Trump administration’s proposals. Trump’s public statements about rolling back U.S. investments in “soft” issues like human rights or economic development, abandoning multilateral obligations … Continue reading →

Posted in 2016 election, International, military, Trump | Comments Off on Foreign Relations, Domestic Security, and the Trump Era

Testimonies of Immigrants Who Have Traveled to CU

Posted on 01/19/2017 by Public i

These testimonies were provided by the C-U Immigration Forum, a local organization made up of immigrants, students, clergy, service providers, labor union representatives, residents and community organizations that are concerned with the plight of immigrants in Champaign County. Jesus It … Continue reading →

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The Recolonization of Standing Rock

Posted on 01/19/2017 by dezyp

By Desmond Powers After a thirty-five hour drive from New Orleans, I rolled into Standing Rock’s Oceti Sakowin camp in a VW hatchback plastered with Bernie stickers with two fellow New Orleanians and a trunk full of herbal medicine and … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Indigenous, Voices of Color | Comments Off on The Recolonization of Standing Rock

Keep Loving, Keep Fighting: Meditations from the Days after Trump Presidency Was Declared

Posted on 01/19/2017 by Brett Ashley Kaplan

I’d wager that for all of you November 9, 2016 was a day of shock, revulsion, horror, disbelief, tears, confusion and a huge amount of fury. Like most of you, I had a very hard time focusing on anything but … Continue reading →

Posted in 2016 election, Politics, Trump, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Voices | Comments Off on Keep Loving, Keep Fighting: Meditations from the Days after Trump Presidency Was Declared

Small Victories Matter

Posted on 01/19/2017 by Jacquelyn Potter

By Jacquelyn Potter Jacquelyn Potter is on the Executive Committee of the local Sierra Club, where she is involved in activism regarding DAPL and other pipeline issues. A celebration of joy erupted in the cold, snowy and wet camp at … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Indigenous, Voices of Color | Comments Off on Small Victories Matter

Disaster Waiting to Happen: Coal Ash Threatens Illinois’ Only National Scenic River

Posted on 11/18/2016 by Pam Richart

The Middle Fork of the Vermilion River is a swift-running stream that freely meanders from the north to the south through the Middle Fork State Fish and Wildlife Area, Kennewick County Park, and Kickapoo State Park in nearby Vermilion County. … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment | Comments Off on Disaster Waiting to Happen: Coal Ash Threatens Illinois’ Only National Scenic River

History Matters: A Look Back at the Champaign County Labor Movement of the 1920s

Posted on 11/18/2016 by Stephanie Seawell

For the past two years, newspaper headlines across Illinois have carried grim reports of budget impasse and inadequate funding for core state services and institutions, including for our flagship University in Urbana-Champaign.  Unfortunately, such dire reports are nothing new. “University’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Labor/Economics | Comments Off on History Matters: A Look Back at the Champaign County Labor Movement of the 1920s

Hip-Hop and the Black Radical Tradition in CU

Posted on 11/18/2016 by Sunny Ture

i must confess that waltzes do not move me. i have no sympathy for symphonies i guess i hummed the Blues too early, and spent too many midnights out wailing in the rain. Assata Shakur – Culture The tradition of … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Arts, Youth | Comments Off on Hip-Hop and the Black Radical Tradition in CU

“Anti-Refugeeism without Refugees” in Eastern Europe

Posted on 11/18/2016 by Richard Esbenshade

Analysts of post-World War II, post-Holocaust Eastern Europe coined the term “Anti-Semitism without Jews” to characterize the uncanny persistence of prejudice in countries mostly cleansed of any actual Jewish presence. The category of “Jew” took on a symbolic character, incorporating … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Politics, Refugees | Comments Off on “Anti-Refugeeism without Refugees” in Eastern Europe

What Makes Jimmy Run?

Posted on 11/18/2016 by David Prochaska

The News-Gazette has a long history of extreme right-wing editorial columnists. In the 1940s and 1950s it was Eddie Jaquin. From the late 1980s until his downfall in the late 1990s it was John Hirschfeld, who was also the paper’s … Continue reading →

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“Labor Hour” Now on WRFU, the Radio Station of the UCIMC

Posted on 11/18/2016 by David Johnson

After 21 years at radio station WEFT, the World Labor Hour radio program has moved its weekly 2-hour program to radio station WRFU (104.5 FM/wrfu.net) in the IMC/downtown Urbana Post Office building. The World Labor Hour radio program (originally called … Continue reading →

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Demands for a Transformed University

Posted on 10/16/2016 by Public i

On September 9, 2016, a “Rally for a Transformed University” was held at the alma mater on UIUC campus. It corresponded with the release of a list of demands. Led by Black Students For Revolution, the coalition of student organizations … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Labor/Economics, LGBTQA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Voices of Color, Women | Comments Off on Demands for a Transformed University

The Eugene McCarthy, George McGovern, and Bernie Sanders Campaigns

Posted on 10/16/2016 by Al Kagan

Bio-box: While a student, Al Kagan worked on the Eugene McCarthy campaign for president in New Hampshire, Indiana, Rhode Island, and Washington, DC., and experienced the 1968 Democratic Convention. He also did a bit of work on the Bernie Sanders … Continue reading →

Posted in National, Politics | Comments Off on The Eugene McCarthy, George McGovern, and Bernie Sanders Campaigns

Resolution Opposing The Dakota Access Pipeline

Posted on 10/16/2016 by Paul Mueth

Resolution Opposing The Dakota Access Pipeline WHEREAS, the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline would carry as many as 570,000 barrels of fracked crude oil per day for over 1,000 miles from the Bakken oil fields of North Dakota to Illinois, passing … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Indigenous, Land | Comments Off on Resolution Opposing The Dakota Access Pipeline

Champaign County Facing Million Dollar Lawsuit for Jail Death

Posted on 10/16/2016 by Brian Dolinar

On August 8, 2016, attorney Shayla Maatuka sent a letter to Champaign County Board Chair Pattsi Petrie requesting a million dollar settlement for the wrongful death of Toya Frazier, who died in the Champaign County jail. The letter is a … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, Politics | Comments Off on Champaign County Facing Million Dollar Lawsuit for Jail Death

Is WEFT a Sinking Ship

Posted on 10/16/2016 by Sandra Ahten

Is WEFT a Sinking Ship? By: Sandra Ahten Bio: Sandra Ahten is an artist and activist as well as a business owner and grandmother. Her primary community work is primarily around both prison issues and independent media. Disclaimer: Although I … Continue reading →

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Taking Applications for “Open Scene,” IMC’s Youth Media Project

Posted on 10/16/2016 by Public i

The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center (UCIMC) and the City of Urbana are happy to launch Open Scene, a project to reimagine downtown Urbana through arts-based dialogues led by youth. Open Scene will be anchored at the UCIMC, a media and … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, IMC, Latino/a, LGBTQA, Transgenders, Uncategorized, Women, Youth | Comments Off on Taking Applications for “Open Scene,” IMC’s Youth Media Project

Why Traditional School is a Dangerous Place for Black Boys

Posted on 09/02/2016 by Lori Patterson

My son is an A student in his junior year of college and a budding composer and performer with shining confidence. However, that was not always the case. In the 5th grade he came home and said, “Mom, the teacher … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Forum, Education, Women | Comments Off on Why Traditional School is a Dangerous Place for Black Boys

Myths of Unity

Posted on 09/02/2016 by Ricardo Pierre-Louis

An increasingly polarized climate has resulted in this beautiful revolution we call Black Lives Matter we are experiencing today. As both an observer and victim of this increasingly militarized society I’m proud to see us finally unite. However, I’m afraid. … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Forum, Policing, Voices of Color | Comments Off on Myths of Unity

CU Schools Need to Work Harder to Involve African American Parents

Posted on 09/02/2016 by Deloris Henry

During the month of August, thousands of children will head back to schools in Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana 116 school districts. Many African American families and students are probably anxious about the new school year because of issues they … Continue reading →

Posted in African Americans, Community Forum, Education, Uncategorized, Voices of Color | Comments Off on CU Schools Need to Work Harder to Involve African American Parents