International women’s forum packs ANSWER Chicago office

On Feb. 22, ANSWER Chicago (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) hosted a forum entitled “Women in Struggle:

Fight Sexism and Racism!” The event featured a diverse array of speakers and concluded with lively discussion. A main theme of the meeting was solidarity with the struggle of immigrant women.

The event was chaired by Jacqui Scott, an ANSWER organizer. She started the evening by recounting the history of International Women’s Day, March 8. The first speaker was Stephanie Mitchell, who gave an update on the U.S. government’s attacks on African American revolutionary Assata Shakur.

The writer, a member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, spoke about the struggles of Iraqi and Palestinian women.

Mathilda De Dios, an activist with the Committee on Pilipino Issues, followed with a talk on the struggles of Filipino women who emigrate from the Philippines to the United States.

Finally, Chicago organizer of the March 17 March on the Pentagon, Stefanie Beacham, related the struggle of women to the importance of the upcoming protest in Washington, D.C .

The talks provoked a lively discussion. Comments ranged from stories of Palestinian resistance in Gaza, to expressions of solidarity with women all over the world who are fighting occupation.

Participants vowed to unite the struggle for women’s liberation with the anti-war struggle and all other people’s struggle on the steps of the Pentagon on March 17.