Hundreds of community members gathered in Brittlebank Park on Saturday afternoon to "draw connections between the billionaire takeover of the federal government and actions taken by local and state governments threatening the rights of workers, tenants, parents, students, elders, and immigrants."
The rally was the culmination of a month of collective action from working class organizations across the Lowcountry, who have united to form the Lowcountry Solidarity Network. Participants waved flags and signs, sang together, chanted slogans reflecting the demands of the organizations, and learned how to get more involved.
“The rent,” Corazon Stegelin of the South Carolina Tenant Union began, “is too damn high!” chanted the crowd without prompting. Jada, Cory’s co-speaker, shared their experience being a new member of the tenant union. “This union has been an important source of empowerment and community.” The group has a new member orientation call June 11th, 6:30 - 7:45PM over Zoom. RSVP here to learn more about the union and its members.
Nusayba Khatoon of the group Free Palestine Charleston, spoke to the urgency of the genocide in Gaza. “This is Abdullah and Shahed,” she said while holding up a photo of a young couple and a baby, “and they just welcomed baby Joud into the world 10 days ago. They are in their 20s and living in Gaza. I worry that they could be killed, and the weapons that kill them could come from our own backyard, from Howitzer cannons being built at Elbit Systems of America in Ladson to be sent to Israel. This is why I urge you: show up to a picket outside Elbit. Donate to this family. Sign our petition to get Elbit out of Ladson.” More information about the Elbit Out of SC coalition and their petition can be found here.
Belvin Olasov of Charleston Climate Coalition railed against the damage done to the environment by the Trump administration and Dominion Energy’s plans to build a new interstate pipeline and one of the largest gas plants in the country on the Edisto River. “Mass movements have stopped a gas pipeline before. Read up on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which was Dominion trying to create a lucrative pipeline through Virginia, through the Appalachian Trail. It was stopped by the people of the land coming together. We can do that here, too.” The petition against the gas plant and pipeline can be found here.
“These struggles, the struggle for immigrant rights, Palestinian liberation, queer liberation, and tenant rights are happening because billionaires want to become trillionaires,” said Max Sorgenfrey of the Charleston Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). “The Charleston 7, and two of my friends, are facing jail time for exercising their first amendment rights and speaking out against ICE and the genocide in Gaza. Their voices were silenced because of a repressive ordinance in the City of Charleston, and the Charleston DSA is organizing a campaign to get that repealed.” The petition and more information on the ordinance can be found here.
