The Summer of Solidarity coalition offers an alternative way for community members to spend their Fourth of July weekend.
Three panels will take place over the holiday weekend, each aiming to highlight the history of organizing in Champaign-Urbana.
Local artists kick off the weekend with a “‘Art is the great democrat’: Local artists visioning community” panel. This event takes place on July 4 at the Rose Bowl Tavern and will feature artists who utilize their skills to organize and create unique spaces around the C-U.
July 5 brings founders of local organizations to the Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center. This panel aims to give the leaders a platform to discuss their knowledge of organizing and participating in solidarity efforts. Among the panelists are the president of The King’s Guard, the founder of the Champaign-Urbana Reparations Coalition, the academic director of the Education Justice Project at the University and others.
Later that same day, the founding and current organizers of the University’s Graduate Employee Organization will discuss the origins of labor unions and ways community members can get involved.
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The weekend’s website encourages community members to “join in to honor (our) own rich history of powerful anti-authoritarian collective organizing as we reflect upon who we are and who we want to be over our nation’s birthday weekend.”
All three panels are free and open to the public. Details regarding the times and locations of each panel are available on Summer of Solidarity’s website.
