Your special contribution to our 10 year anniversary campaign will help us finish the year strong and ready to start the next 10 years of Love and Solidarity for the East Side, Saint Paul, and beyond!

Love and Solidarity Symposium: A Decade of Commitment to Justice, Equity, and Community

Join us in celebrating a decade of commitment to justice, equity, and solidarity at the East Side Freedom Library’s Love and Solidarity Symposium. As we commemorate our 10th anniversary, we proudly invite you to be part of a transformative gathering.

Our special keynote speaker will be Ellen David Friedman.  Friedman has been an organizer for about half-a-century, including 10 years working in the labor movement in China (prior to being kicked out in 2015). In her retirement, she volunteers full-time on the left side of the labor movement as chair of the board of Labor Notes, facilitator of a national network of rank & file caucuses within K-12 teacher unions, called UCORE (United Caucuses of Rank & File Educators), and advisor to the rising tide of graduate student unionists as they undertake long haul strikes and win big.

The Love and Solidarity Symposium brings together Artists, Activists, Academics, and Organizers who illuminate how communities unite in acts of solidarity. Together, we address the topic of collective action, mutual aid, and building solidarity in the face of historical injustices and ongoing challenges. Our symposium explores a decade of work and commitment to the interconnectedness of labor struggles, racial equity, justice, and broader social movements. Love and solidarity emerge as components of resistance and resilience, fostering a shared responsibility for positive change. Through the lens of Love & Solidarity, we explore contemporary moments that embody these values, grounding our collective efforts toward a society where love, collaboration, partnership, and solidarity are paramount to our work.

At the heart of what we do best is bringing the community together in conversation to produce knowledge, share experiences, speak truths, and engage in active listening. Each session serves as a dynamic platform, fostering dialogue, encouraging critical thinking, amplifying community-driven approaches, and weaving the threads of love and solidarity into the fabric of our discussions.

Sponsors:

Metropolitan State University – Office of the President
East Side Funders Group
Rooted Philanthropic
Institute for Advanced Study – University of Minnesota
Labor Education Services – University of Minnesota
Twin Cities Chapter of Japanese American Citizens League
Kofi Annan Institute for Global Citizenship – Macalester College
Saint Paul Federation of Educators Local 28
Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation
Center for Race, Indigeneity, Disability, Gender & Sexuality Studies – University of Minnesota
Department of African American & African Studies – University of Minnesota
Educational Studies – Macalester College
Juche Saint Paul

DONATE: LOVE & SOLIDARITY SYMPOSIUM