Revolutionary May 1, 2023: The revcoms took to the streets in cities across the country to declare:
WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS SYSTEM’S FUTURE!
A Better World Without Oppression and Exploitation Is Possible
No U.S./NATO War With Russia!
Stop U.S. Threats Against China!
No World War 3!It’s This System, Not Humanity, That Needs To Become Extinct!
NOW IS THE TIME
TO GET ORGANIZED FOR A REAL REVOLUTION
Acting with determination and vision, speaking for the interests of humanity, the revcoms reached people with a powerful new proclamation: “We Are the Revcoms (revolutionary communists). We are working for a real revolution and a whole new, emancipating way to live.”
Revolution for a Whole New Emancipating Way to Live IS Possible!
from Episode 146 of The RNL—Revolution, Nothing Less!—Show
For complete text and video of the May 1st speech by Andy Zee—
International Revolutionary May Day 2023
WE REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS SYSTEM’S FUTURE!
A Better World Without Oppression and Exploitation Is Possible
Los Angeles
The revcoms lead a powerful revolutionary march through downtown LA. Photo: revcom.us
The revcoms led a powerful, revolutionary May 1st in Los Angeles – taking to the streets, with 50-60 people in downtown LA. We announced the publication of “We are the Revcoms, revolutionary communists” – proclaiming to the world that there is a force working for a real revolution and a whole new emancipating way of life. This was the heart of our march and rally, bringing out the content of it through the day and getting it in people’s hands through the march. Different people from different walks of life, from students, to people from South Central LA, people who had seen the posters on their campuses and neighborhood gathered together. The Revolution Club came together to represent, from the core of the club, to those checking it out, running with it, contributing in different ways, coming through a process together, planning May 1st together and carrying it out.
The centerpiece of the rally was a speech by Andy Zee (watch/read), bringing alive the declaration “We are the revcoms” and calling on people to join the revolution.
A former political prisoner from Iran, who was incarcerated by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the notorious Evin prison, gave a moving internationalist statement, and talked about the beautiful uprising in Iran and the importance of leadership to have this go where it needs to, real revolution.
We displayed a flag that the Revolution Club painted together over the weekend that a member of the Club designed: an American flag with the words "Genocide, Slavery, Imperialism, Invasions, Police Brutality, Subjugation of Women" painted on it.
Shredding the American flag. Los Angeles, May First Photo: revcom.us
Los Angeles, May First Photo: revcom.us
The revcoms marched through Downtown LA, making a few stops along the way. Members of the Revolution Club took to the stage to talk about the oppression of women, the destruction of the environment, the persecution of immigrants, and the oppression of Black and other oppressed people. They agitated at the horror that this system brings down on people and brought alive how the Constitution for the New Socialist Republic in North America would do differently. At one stop, Atlas Winfrey with the National Revolution Tour, gave a moving speech about the number of times the U.S. had invaded countries like Mexico, Nicaragua and Guatemala. He also drew from the Constitution for the New Socialist Republic which states that we would welcome people fleeing from different parts of the world who want to contribute to rebuilding a new society.
Volunteers getting out to the crowd were on a mission putting the new statement “We Are the Revcoms” in people’s hands to get into themselves and be part of spreading. Off of hearing the different agitation done throughout the march, people stepped forward and took materials and were interested in coming to the next meeting to learn more about the revolution. People who just happened to be walking by joined us on the spot, telling us they had been thinking about revolution but didn’t think it was possible—but that seeing a force like us out there inspired them, and they changed their plan for the day to march with us.
Los Angeles, May First, Sunsara Taylor Photo: revcom.us
Atlas Winfrey with the National Revolution Tour, gave a moving speech about the number of times the U.S. had invaded countries like Mexico, Nicaragua and Guatemala. Photo: @apechair
We concluded the march in downtown with a supporter of the Revolution Club getting on the stage to hold up a beautiful painting he made of the rain forest. Michelle Xai, a leader of the Revolution Club, shared with the crowd that she and the artist had gotten together to discuss the section of the Constitution for the New Socialist Republic in North America on the environment. What the artist got out of it was that humanity would be enabled and unleashed to learn about the planet and work together to be fit caretakers of the earth. So he was inspired to paint the rainforest, because he wanted to show the beauty we need to preserve.
Noche Diaz, spokesperson for the Revolution Club, closed the rally by speaking to the horrror of police murder and how we are getting organized now to fight the power, and transform the people, for revolution. He challenged people to get with the revolution, while a new volunteer shredded the American flag.
We ended the day over tacos, discussing music and the Constitution for the New Socialist Republic in North America, taking on the woke bullshit, and why now is the time for people to get with this revolution.
The march ended in downtown LA with a new member of the Revolution Club getting on the stage with Michelle Xai to hold up a beautiful painting he made of the rain forest. Photo: revcom.us
Los Angeles, May First Photo: revcom.us
New York City
New York City, May First Photo: revcom.us
May 1st 2023, the streets of central Harlem rang out with WE ARE THE REVCOMS, and we are working for a real revolution and a whole new emancipating way to live! And everyone who can’t stand this world the way it is, should join us now.
Gathering outside Revolution Books on a bright Monday afternoon, the hustle along 125th was punctured by the sound, and the specter of a revolutionary force, small yes, but attractive and polarizing with the heart and the science and leadership to grasp and work now for the actual revolution urgently needed, settling for nothing less. The new broadsheet, WE ARE THE REVCOMS, was mass distributed and you could see clusters of people with the broadsheets in their hands in the wake of the march,
A determined and spirited group of about 45 people set out from Revolution Books with agitation and chants from the march echoing through the blocks of Harlem. Along the way, the march stopped in front of a U.S. military recruitment center, in the courtyard of a housing project where close to 3500 people live, and a local police precinct, known for its brutality.
New York City, May First, friend of Kimani Gray, killed by cops in 2013 speaks. Photo: revcom.us
A speaker from Extinction Rebellion, May 1st, New York City. Photo: revcom.us
Carl Dix, speaking on May 1st, New York City. Photo: revcom.us
In the courtyard of the housing project, Revolution Club members shredded an enlargement of the U.S. Constitution and held high a copy of the Constitution for the New Socialist Republic in North America.
The march was joined by a group of Columbia University students, who brought with them a banner with the signatures of over 40 students, and by some people from the Haitian community, who brought a banner in Creole. A Haitian brother spoke movingly about his friendship with Kimani Gray, a youth murdered by the NYPD in Brooklyn in 2013. A representative of the environmentalist organization Extinction Rebellion gave a statement of support as the march set off.
Over 60 people gathered for the celebration at Revolution Books at the end of the march.
New York, May First, ripping up U.S. Constitution. Photo: revcom.us
New York City, May First 2023. Photo: revcom.us
New York City, May First Photo: revcom.us
Chicago
Chicago, May First Photo: revcom.us
Over 40 people came together, under canopies during a cold rain, to celebrate Revolutionary Mayday at Chicago's Millennium Park. The crowd included revolutionaries from Iran, family members of Reginald Clay murdered by Chicago police on April 15, young and veteran revcoms, activists with Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights, a crew from Cleveland and Detroit, visitors to Chicago from Turkey and France and others.
“There's a whole better way the world could be, make revolution set humanity free” and other revolutionary chants rang out during the march at the iconic sculpture “The Bean” and throughout the Chicago Loop. Marchers distributed “We Are The Revcoms” to onlookers. When the march returned to the rally site everyone got bundles of “We Are The Revcoms” to spread far and wide.
A song by family members of “Lil Red,” murdered by Chicago police on April 15.
Chicago, May First Photo: revcom.us
Chicago, May First Photo: revcom.us
April 29 Celebration of May Day in the SF Bay Area
People rallied at 24th and Mission in San Francisco on April 29, in the heart of the Mission District where many immigrants from Latin America live and hang out. After the rally people marched through the streets and then gathered for a picnic and fundraiser at Dolores Park. Photo: revcom.us
"WE ARE THE REVCOMS. WE ARE WORKING FOR A REAL REVOLUTION AND A WHOLE NEW, EMANCIPATING WAY TO LIVE." On Saturday, April 29, the revcoms brought this message to the streets of the San Francisco Mission District, where many immigrants from Latin America live and hang out. The message turned heads, and the new broadsheet "WE ARE THE REVCOMS" went out to many people. Those with substantive questions and wanting to know more were invited to talk with the Revolution Club to get into the broadsheet and how they can be part of this emancipating revolution.
“We Refuse to Accept this System’s Future! ¡Nos negamos a aceptar el futuro que ofrece este sistema!” Chants, banners, red flags, and revolutionary spirit carried the message of May Day through the streets in San Francisco’s Mission District on April 29. Photo: revcom.us
San Francisco, April 29: Some people joined the march and many greeted the message from the revcoms: “We are here to work for revolution, to get rid of this system, and to build a whole new society!” Everywhere the message of revolution turned heads and many took the new broadsheet “We Are the Revcoms.” Photo: revcom.us
Across the Country
Houston, April 30: Promoting and Raising Funds for International May Day
On April 30 in a city park in a Houston barrio, an International May 1st celebration raised $545 for the revcoms. Eighteen people brought donations, including some collected from friends and associates, and more was collected at the event. A theme emphasized by the MC and others was that by contributing financially to the movement to put revolution on the map in 2023, people are becoming part of preparing and organizing themselves and others for revolution, even in beginning ways. We all need to work on bringing many more people into this movement and spreading the word and “reach” of this revolution much more broadly in the weeks and months ahead.
We had a short program. A young revcom talked about the path she’s taken to becoming an emancipator of humanity. We watched a clip by BA on the rare times we are in now. Another speaker and the MC talked about the significance of this May 1st, particularly how it is contributing to preparing for an actual revolution and putting revolution on the map in 2023. The MC and others emphasized the importance of the new “We Are the Revcoms” broadsheet and encouraged people to take up its distribution.
Group activities included auctioning beautiful enlarged and framed photos of Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights protests in Austin last summer and displaying a banner with the May Day slogans that had been taken out in Houston, signed and with short messages by people who made monetary contributions. We also smashed a piñata of a pig draped in a U.S. flag. People broke up into teams and took the “Real Texas Values” quiz. We finished by singing the “Internationale” in 3 languages –English, Spanish, and Farsi.
On May 1st, a team went out to the area near where the celebration was held. With May 1st banners on the sides and a red flag atop a car, we drove down the streets and into shopping strips, projecting the May 1st slogans over a bullhorn, getting out the broadsheets and collecting donations. Many people were challenged and uplifted by the May First slogans and interested in finding out about and contributing to putting this revolution on the map. A few people donated and took small stacks of broadsheets to get out to others. While people raised a number of questions, one thing that resonated with many was that this is for the emancipation of all humanity.
A woman swinging at a piñata dressed up as Uncle Sam at a May 1st program in Houston, April 30, 2023. Photo: revcom.us
A banner with the May 1st slogans signed and with short messages by people who made contributions. Photo: revcom.us
Boston
In the days leading up to and on May 1st itself, small teams of revcoms, traveled across the city of Boston taking out the message: "We Refuse to Accept This System's Future! A Better World, Without Exploitation Is Possible!"
In the days leading up to and on May 1, small teams of revcoms, traveled across the city of Boston taking out the message: "We Refuse to Accept This System's Future! A Better World, Without Exploitation Is Possible!" Teams went to Boston University and Harvard University with the new proclamation along with a large map of the world, with quotes from Bob Avakian highlighting crimes the U.S. has committed throughout the globe. The U.S. and Russian flags were placed on the ground for people to jump on. Photo: revcom.us
In the days leading up to and on May 1st itself, small teams of revcoms, traveled across the city of Boston taking out the message: "We Refuse to Accept This System's Future! A Better World, Without Exploitation Is Possible!"
On May 1, revcom teams went to the University of Massachusetts, Boston and challenged students, stopping some of them in their tracks with the question, “What concerns you about the state of the planet?” This led to struggle and discussion about the fact that, “Now is the Time to Get Organized for a Real Revolution!” The team also went to Boston Medical Center, a hospital that is the site of a homeless encampment, including migrants camping out in the lobby. We talked with people about the perverse reality that immigrants driven from their homeland by the devastating workings of US imperialism now find themselves homeless in America. Photo: revcom.us
Cleveland
Cleveland, May First. Photo: Special to revcom.us
A crew of us endured the cold rain to bring the message of May 1st to the rush hour in Cleveland. We had the May Day posters on sticks, handmade signs with all the May Day slogans, and big red flags. One person handed out the May 1st fliers to the cars and we got some honks.