Diamond protesting George Floyd’s murder by police.
Our chapter has been meeting via zoom every Sunday in response to the urgent and fast-moving events of the pandemic.
Each week we have been inviting a member to share their work. We were delighted by Paul-Newall Reaves’ presentation on long poetry, and an excerpt from author Charlotte Malerich’s soon-to-be-released fantasy novel. We also enjoyed talks by Edie Smith on blogging, and Kate Conradt of the Solidarity Center on global attacks on journalists.
We are also pursuing an “echo chamber” project aimed at utilizing our talents and networks to initiate big messages that can resonate. The notion is that the right wing does a better job of transmitting their messages than the left, which tends to be reactive and responsive to every thing that Trump says or does. We need proactive messages that offer a path to bold transformational change for the working class. Colin Flanagan and Susan Smith are testing the concept in South Carolina.
NWU president Larry Goldbetter joined our meeting this Sunday to provide an overview of the reasons leading to the separation from the UAW and a glimpse into potential new affiliations. Larry also encouraged our participation in the protests of the murder of George Floyd.
NWU is the sole provider of IFJ Press Passes to freelance journalists in the U.S.