In August  we held our annual Progressive Labor Party (PLP) BBQ! Even though it was muggy and hot - it was upbeat and well attended! Long time supporters and friend—along with those who we have recently met—enjoyed the delicious grilled food along with potluck items generously contributed! Workers of all ages, races and nationalities shared in friendly political discussion! Children played and enjoyed the play structure and bouncy house!  

Sharing stories of struggle

Four comrades involved in organizing the BBQ spoke to the group.
The first comrade welcomed everyone - He explained that we are a party for communist revolution. We don’t vote, we organize! We fight to unite workers of all races and nationalities in one party that believes in an egalitarian society in which the wealth is shared! He welcomed the speakers! 

The second comrade spoke about his experience coming to the U.S. as a teen with his family and meeting the PLP. Then when his family faced a harrowing racist attack, PLP helped them fight back. He spoke about the need to support and welcome refugees and immigrants who are enduring great adversity. He went on to describe the role of the U.S. and other imperialist powers in creating the conditions that lead to global migration. 

Another speaker, a school nurse, spoke about the struggle of fighting for safe staffing in the health office and classroom as a union member. And the difficult struggle of organizing for reforms while at the same time fighting for a communist society.

Finally we bring you the inspiring speech of a comrade who recently joined the Progressive Labor Party:

“Four years ago, I began questioning why we had two options for the next President of the United States and I had to make a choice based on which of these candidates was less evil. Not even "good enough", not even "ok", but literally LESS EVIL. That question led me on a whole journey of discovery of both learning and unlearning our history, the forces that drive change, and what my role as a working class person can be.
Capitalism is evil and it's infected us globally. Where there is profit, there is exploitation. Where there is exploitation there is suffering.

My grandfather worked his whole life in a factory making minimum wage, as a gas station attendant, and as a Sears salesman. He worked these three jobs at times simultaneously. The people who say you just have to work hard enough to be "blessed" by wealth are lying - this reminds me of the George Carlin line: "we call it the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it." My grandfather worked incredibly hard. At the end of his life my grandfather said "I wish I had never been born" in regards to how hard his life was. And it was hard for what? So the factory owners, the top few people at Sears could live a life of leisure and luxury?

Join PLP, organize, and fight for communism

Right now capitalism is the air we breathe and the water we swim in. It's hard to see it for how common it is. But people created capitalism and we can destroy it. I’m not going to vote - I am going to organize. My vote means nothing to capitalists who throw millions of dollars to the person who best represents their interests – not ours.  No liberals have ever just given the working class something. It was only after massive rebellions and strikes and civil unrest that they tried to pacify us with reform. And they do this because they are scared of us. And they should be.

That is why I joined the Progressive Labor Party – an international party. A party that is uniting workers all over the world. We want to see a world that is not run by the capitalists, that is not driven by profits at the expense of the lives of the rest of us - the working class. As a mom with young children I want to see a world where we are all surviving, we are all equal, we are all able to enjoy the one life we have to live.
I’m going to help organize a movement where workers can unite and resist. I’m going to help educate others just like me through discussion and study groups (starting one too!). I will fight sexism, nationalism, and racism – the tools of oppression. I will resist the cynicism instilled by the capitalist class that we aren’t strong enough or capable or “good” enough to mobilize and fight back. And I hope to be a part of the largest global revolution in history. I hope you will consider joining me.

Thank you friends and comrades, for being here on our day of organizing and friendship!”