CALL TO ACTION!
TO ALL GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS on the campus of KU and in the city of Lawrence who express solidarity with the vulnerable and who stand against the rhetoric of hate in our current social and political climate, we call on you to join together to form a sustained community coalition to act in advocacy for these shared values.
The need for groups and individuals to come together and protect the rights and lives of everyone in our community and nation has never been more urgent. We need to send a strong and unified message to all that we will not back down or be silent in the face of misogyny, racism, and bigotry. We call for this coalition to be an inclusive and civil community of voices that can form a collective response based on multiple standpoints and perspectives. With these goals in mind, we need inter- and cross-coalitional support among organizations, on KU’s campus and in the wider Lawrence and Douglas County community. We acknowledge that the greatest strength, conviction, and character we possess is in hearing and celebrating the intersectionality of our identities and supporting each other via communal efforts directly informed by the lived experiences of those around us.
A major goal of this coalition is to create a lasting network of solidarity among student organizations and the community. As a labor union, GTAC recognizes the power of collective action, but it must come from and be supported by the full diversity of our community. With this in mind, we hope this coalition will aid Lawrence and the KU community by identifying and insisting upon actionable and implementable responses to injustice in our community and in larger society. We want to be a source of vigilant advocacy for the uncertain future many now face. In this spirit, we urge the city of Lawrence and the University of Kansas to declare a status of sanctuary for groups of people whose safety and civil rights are under threat by the current political climate. We are also encouraging participation in the Women’s March on Washington on January 21st, 2017, to connect with the national solidarity that’s building around our shared values and concerns over the rights and lives of all people. We are promoting organized bussing and working together to find housing for all who are interested in attending. We need your group’s experiences, concerns, and ideas for solutions in order to protect the most vulnerable in our communities. We hope you will join with us in working toward social justice.
This is an open invitation to community organizations and groups at KU and in Lawrence. If you are interested in attending this meeting, please get in touch with David Cooper at davydooks [at] gmail [dot] com.