BROOKLYN, September 4—“Same enemy, same fight! Workers of the world, unite!” rang through the streets of Flatbush neighborhood. As the bosses’ racist attacks on workers in Haiti continue unabated, more than 30 members and friends of Progressive Labor Party (PLP) unfurled banners in solidarity with our working-class sisters and brothers in Haiti today. We expressed anti-imperialist and internationalist politics and brought a message of revolutionary hope. Not false hope through elections or fake leftist misleaders, but through confidence in the international working class to one day overthrow this vicious racist imperialist system. And build a communist world–without nations, borders, the ever-present threat of war, and profit-driven disasters.
Learning to fight collectively
A PLP club at the  City University of New York (CUNY), with little collective experience, planned a successful rally and  learned rich lessons. We began reaching out to students and staff from several CUNY campuses and friends made in the #SOSColombia movement (see CHALLENGE, 9/8). We also had several study groups that drew connections between U.S. imperialism and racism in Israel-Palestine, Colombia and Haiti, using CHALLENGE articles to anchor each discussion.
The use of a Colombian death squad to assassinate Haiti’s president illustrated yet another blatant example of the relationship between U.S. imperialism and fascism in Colombia and Haiti. Building international working-class solidarity has been a focal point of our discussions and actions, especially following the devastating earthquake and hurricane.
Days before the rally, two comrades posted 200 flyers along Flatbush Avenue and Church Avenue. Passersby gave enthusiastic support. We made new contacts, saw old friends, and sold CHALLENGE along the way.
Internationalism and food fuel our movement
Before the rally, we held a covid-safe  banner making party. We shared a delicious spread of pizza and home-cooked food including Haitian-style pasta and pikliz. This nourished a debate over elections, reform versus communist revolution, and the connections between workers in Colombia and Haiti.
While many disagreements remain, we were in agreement on the urgent need for smashing racism, and fighting for internationalism. This helped decide the slogans for our banners and we began painting to the music of Colombia’s Joe Arroyo and Haiti’s Emeline Michel. The banners read, “Smash Imperialism from: U.S. to China to Russia” and “Solidarity with Workers in Haiti—Smash Racism!”
Haiti means FIGHT BACK!
When we unfurled our banners in this working-class Caribbean neighborhood, some cars honked and workers raised their fists in support. We carried posters demanding COVID-19 vaccines and immediate aid sent to Haiti. Others carried signs connecting workers in Haiti’s fight with the striking Alabama miners, and with miners in Colombia and Haiti.
We distributed 500 CHALLENGEs. To conclude our rally, we marched on the sidewalks and finally took over a street lane with chants of “Asian, Latin, Black and white! Workers of the world unite!” and “Koupe tèt, boule kay!” (cut off their [bosses’] heads, burn down their houses in Kreyol).
Lessons learned
We are learning how to fight for solidarity and working class internationalism, while exposing our common enemy, imperialism. We’re learning how to build toward revolution through regular study groups, social events, and protests.
Most of all we learned that as U.S. imperialism declines and marches our class toward World War III, we need to be bolder in bringing our politics to the international working class. Workers are looking for answers. We are building communist revolution through practice, making mistakes, and growing.