In the days leading up to the election, THE REVCOM CORPS For The Emancipation Of Humanity came together to discuss the simple clarity of Bob Avakian's social media message REVOLUTION #101. Then, we decided to raise $700 towards the $2,000 national goal set by THE REVCOM CORPS For The Emancipation Of Humanity. Over the next week, we exceeded our goal by raising $922.00. Most of these funds came from people in the neighborhoods of South Central Los Angeles. 

We made a plan for an international plate sale and everyone agreed to cook food from their different countries or cultures. Friends of the REVCOM CORPS and family members were recruited to cook as well and food was also provided by store owners who have been following and supporting BA's social media. Starting from this small group committed to raising funds for the National Campaign to get Bob Avakian's leadership and social media @BobAvakianOfficial known by millions, we went out very broadly to expand the participation of people in engaging with the social media and raising funds for its expansion.

We went outside the grocery stores in neighborhoods in South Central where we have set up tables promoting Bob Avakian's social media in the past. This time we took lists of the ingredients we needed to make the dishes people had agreed to cook. Quite a few shoppers donated cash, and then also came back after their shopping to donate food for the plate sale. We learned that many people, especially many older Black women who have been solidly behind Kamala, were getting very concerned and afraid about how the election was going to turn out. One person went home and, after reading @BobAvakianOfficial message REVOLUTION #101 came back to donate boxes of food from a program they work with and they invited us to come talk to their people. 

Our REVCOM CORPS teams had been summing up that we really had to set terms that were different than where people spontaneously wanted to go in these discussions which were more confined to the specifics of the “candidates.” We took a lead from BA and challenged people: “When these are the 'choices' offered by a system [a fascist white supremacist like Trump and a war criminal like Harris], it is time to recognize that this system is a thoroughly rotten, monstrously criminal, massively destructive, thoroughly outmoded system (long past the time when it can represent anything positive).” And we challenged people, as BA does in his message #101, “It is time to look seriously for solutions outside and beyond this system.”

We told people from the start that we are raising funds to put Bob Avakian's leadership and the real revolutionary alternative he is offering in front of millions. This is a real alternative to the way we are living that millions of people don't know—and need to know about. We told people how their contributions would make possible a social media campaign to change this. 

Throughout the week, people also donated cash when we canvassed door-to-door, in courtyard announcements in apartment buildings and when we set up face-painting stations at two Halloween celebrations. One of these celebrations was on a campus and one was at a neighborhood park where people donated to have their or their kids’ faces painted. People had quite a lot to say but also questions they wanted to raise after having seen us in the neighborhood. Why are you recruiting so boldly? Is it age-appropriate to be agitating about what is happening to LGBTQ people? What's the difference between this and what others are doing? Could you really end all this oppression? How would you do it? People have lots of experience arguing with family and co-workers who are going for Trump and they wanted to talk about this and understand why this is happening. 

We also went to a Dia de Los Muertos festival which drew people from all over LA with BA's social media message REVOLUTION #97, “What is wrong with those Latinos—and, yes, there are more than a few—who are supporting Trump, and his racist attack on immigrants?” People who are very upset about this phenomena came up to donate for a popular refreshment we were offering called champurrado and other food prepared from the donations—and to talk about why this is happening. One woman from El Salvador told us about how she had initially supported Bukele but now felt what he was doing to people, including innocent people, was unconscionable and she was very excited to get BA's social media message REVOLUTION #96, titled “Fascism Can Be In The Interests of An Oppressive Ruling Class—But Never in the Interests of The Oppressed.” She wanted copies to get to her friends and family who are still confused about this. Younger groups of multinational friends and Black people from South Central who attended the festival were also among those who donated and took materials for their friends. Many of the Latino people told us that they were working two jobs or working seven days a week but that donating was something they could do to support the revolution. 

Finally, on the day of the actual plate sale, people drove all over the sprawling LA region to drop off food but also to pick up plates that supporters, co-workers, and family members had ordered. We raised more than 400 dollars in this way. All this was made possible by a diverse group of people who were inspired by @BobAvakianOfficial's messages. In different ways, they all made contributions that worked together. Through all this, we got an even deeper appreciation for the role fundraising plays in building both a broad sea of support for Bob Avakian and this revolution and the role fundraising plays in forging the organization. THE REVCOM CORPS For The Emancipation Of Humanity worked together with diverse supporters and friends to accomplish this initial goal. Now we must build on all this to make even greater advances for the National Campaign to succeed.