What follows is a day-by-day account of how dozens of students and workers spent the week—some during our Spring Break—dedicating their time to revolutionary work. In preparation for Progressive Labor Party’s powerful May Day celebration on May 3rd, we came together to learn, build, and organize side by side.
Day one: banner making
We kicked off our project with a celebration of communist art! Comrades and friends of all ages gathered to paint two banners for our upcoming May Day march. After sharing pizza, we discussed the history and significance of May Day—International Workers’ Day. Though we didn’t quite finish both banners, we experienced firsthand the joy and power of collectivity: people working not for profit, but for shared purpose. Without a boss over us, our labor was joyful, creative, and free—showing a glimpse of the communist world we are fighting for.
Day two: Film screening – Blood Cobalt
A multiracial, multigenerational group of 25–30 PL’ers and friends came together to watch Blood Cobalt, a harrowing documentary on imperialist exploitation in the Congo. The film exposes the so-called “green revolution” as capitalist greed fueled by racist violence, with Chinese and Congolese bosses profiting from mass suffering. The documentary sparked deep discussions on the international nature of our fight and the urgent need for working-class solidarity across borders. (see article on page 5).
Day Three: Game Day
Tuesday featured a political game day led by two newer educators who designed activities to build connection and camaraderie. Using familiar formats like the NYTimes’s Connections and Family Feud, games introduced us to PLP history and politics. A missed opportunity was not acknowledging a student and educator who helped lead the successful defense of a teacher targeted for anti-genocide organizing. Their efforts reflect the long tradition of communists standing up against fascist attacks—something we’ll celebrate fully on May Day.
Day four: Study Group on Internationalism
We held a study group focused on the dangers of nationalism and the importance of internationalism. Nationalism divides the working class, pushing workers to identify with their rulers instead of each other. One comrade shared powerful insights from a struggle abroad, reminding us that workers’ battles are deeply connected around the world. True solidarity means seeing every fight—from Gaza to the Bronx—as our fight.
Day five: College Club Meeting
Fifteen students and educators gathered to explore how to build a broader political base and root current campus fights in CUNY’s radical history. We watched The Five Demands, a documentary about the 1969 City College occupation led by Black and Puerto Rican students fighting for access. This history inspired conversations about increasing our militancy today—including a recent fight for a cafeteria, where students disrupted a senate meeting to confront administrative lies. We have a long way to go to consider occupying the campus, but that’s the vision that the attendees came away with.
We also discussed the critical importance of community support. Unlike in 1969, the recent Gaza encampment at City College lacked this key ingredient, which made it much easier for the liberal bosses’ attack dogs of the NYPD to attack and defeat the encampment.
We ended the meeting with an invitation for everyone to attend our upcoming May Day march, to see a slice of communism in action and to consider the need for communist revolution to not only end racist austerity on our campuses, but to create a world where the true education of the working class is primary.
Day six: Uptown March
On Saturday, we marched 33 blocks through Washington Heights protesting the fascist deportation of immigrants. Our chants—“Los obreros unidos jamás serán vencidos!” and “Luchamos contra el racismo!”—drew workers into our ranks, with some joining us on the spot. We also distributed over 400 CHALLENGES and 1,000 leaflets. This showed that despite capitalist propaganda, the working class can unite and fight back. The march energized us for our upcoming May Day march and reminded us of our power when we hit the streets together.
Join us on May 3rd as we take to Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn to celebrate May Day—International Workers’ Day. Every marcher is another nail in the bosses’ coffin. Let’s hit the streets and show the power of the working class!