Thought Leadership
Our role as organizers and disruptors is often to hold contrary truths at the same time. We are in Pride month, a time to celebrate the legacy of LGBTQ people, especially the ones who pushed back against societal norms and institutional violence just for the right to be. We also draw close to Juneteenth, a time to celebrate the wins and sacrifices of our ancestors, who survived centuries of horror.
At the same time as we have cause to celebrate, we are watching the formal structures of democracy continue to erode. The gutting of the Voting Rights Act is not an isolated policy shift; it is part of a broader pattern of power-grabbing, exclusion, particularly targeting Black folks and other marginalized voters. Alongside non-stop money for war, big tech, and local attacks on migrant communities.
The direction is clear: rights will continue to be rolled back unless they are actively defended and expanded through organizing. We cannot assume institutional correction. This moment makes plain what many communities already know: there will be no automatic course correction toward justice. No single election cycle, no procedural safeguard, no appeal to democratic norms will do this work on its own.
It’s important to remember that Pride was a riot and slavery was abolished in the United States, not because of some moral awakening among white Americans. Instead, economic pressures stemming from centuries of collective rebellions, uprisings, and riots by Black and queer people and their comrades ultimately brought about change.
That’s why we at the BlackOUT Collective are working on action. So we can remain rooted in the legacy of our ancestors and continue the fight towards freedom.
Notes From the Field
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, community members and organizers in Washington, DC, are preparing for the “Summer Surge” of increased law enforcement agents and policing.
As we saw nearly 10 months ago with the initial National Guard presence in DC and LA, this is a testing ground for what an occupation of a city would look like. What we saw was increased fear, youth detainments, an increase in deportation numbers, and unwarranted holds.
This Summer Surge brings a new level of surveillance, deploying helicopters and drones, and prosecuting Black kids and their parents through curfew laws. Organizations like Harriet’s Wildest Dreams, Free DC, and DC Liberation Center are on the ground protecting DC locals through trainings, organizing, and activations. We are continuing to monitor the national implications of this surge.
Center for Third World Organizing
1714 Franklin St #100-245
Oakland, CA 94612
United States
