On July 9, dozens gathered at Parker Elementary School in East Oakland for an art build for abortion rights. Parker Elementary is currently the site of a historic occupation of one of the many public schools slated for closure in the Oakland Unified School District.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation hosted the event to support the Parker Elementary occupation and to connect the fight for reproductive justice with the fight for public education.
Attendees began by connecting the shameful trend of public-school closures and privatization to the recent attacks on reproductive freedom and access to critical health care. They discussed how the lack of public education and access to abortion services conspires to keep the working class vulnerable to the oppressive capitalist system. Destroying public education while ensuring millions are subjected to forced birth further entraps millions in a system founded on coercive control and exploitation.
Community members contributed thoughtful responses, pledging to continue organizing a mass liberation movement and to fight back against these devastating attacks on the people. After the initial discussion, organizers led a screen-printing workshop where attendees learned how to create prints, and produced revolutionary artwork demanding “Community, Not Closures!” The Parker Elementary occupation leaders plan to use and display the images in the neighborhood around the school.
Participants in another workshop painted a large banner reading: “Bans Off Our Bodies – Fight For Abortion Rights – Reproductive Justice For All.” The banner will be displayed at future reproductive justice actions across the Bay Area.
This event demonstrated the interconnected nature of all working-class struggles – from health care to education – and produced beautiful revolutionary art that advocates for the collective liberation of all oppressed peoples.
We will not go back, we will fight back! Don’t agonize, organize!
