New Haven prepares for week of action for jobs

As the City of New Haven reels from the 31st death of a young person to gun violence this year, the movement for job creation is heating up as mobilizing begins for a rally and a large march next week.

Excitement is building for the “Jobs for Youth – Jobs for All” rally to be held on Sunday, December 4 at 4 pm at the Cooperative High School for Arts and Humanities at 177 College Street in New Haven where a video of the youth jobs march will be premiered and the People’s World Amistad Awards will be presented to three labor, and community leaders.

“Here we will all come together, this will be powerful and exciting,” exclaimed one high school student from New Haven.

After having organized a march of 200 for youth jobs and against violence on November 2, and a press conference on November 17 of nearly 100 outside the closed Dixwell Community House youth center, calling for infrastructure jobs, the New Elm City Dream and the New Haven Young Communist League are preparing to bring their energy and commitment to the rally.

Award recipients include Renae Reese, director of the Connecticut Center for a New Economy, Delphine Clyburn, 1199 union delegate and alderwoman-elect from Ward 20 in New Haven, and Pastor Abraham Hernandez, vice chair of the statewide Interfaith Fellowship for Universal Health Care.

An array of youth performances, produced by poet Baub Bidon, will feature a Hispanic dance group, hip-hop dancers, several poets, a jazz combo, and song. Video and photos of the youth march for jobs will be shown. 

“The spirit of the 99% is sure to fill the auditorium,” said Joelle Fishman, event organizer and chair of the Connecticut Communist Party USA whose 92nd anniversary is being celebrated at the rally in recognition of its long history in the fight for good jobs with union representation, equality and peace, and its vision of Bill of Rights socialism.

In the midst of a people’s upsurge against corporate rule, deepening poverty and the largest economic divide since the great depression of the 1930’s, the rally call to action will include the emergency need for massive public works jobs to restart the economy and aid communities, to be paid for by taxing the rich and ending the wars. 

The youth groups have collected hundreds of signatures in support of the American Jobs Act and the Emergency Jobs to Restore the American Dream Act.

“By putting all generations of people to work there will be less violence, and a better economy in New Haven,” said first year college student Joseph Stoudmire Jr. at the Youth Jobs March.

A group of newly elected representatives on the New Haven Board of Aldermen, mostly union members, have been invited as special guests along with labor and community leaders who have been recipients of the People’s World Amistad Awards over the last eleven years. 

Two days later the unions at Yale, the New Haven Labor Council and community groups are joining with Occupy New Haven for a large march through downtown to demand more jobs for all residents.

The march will leave at 5 p.m. from City Hall on December 6 and go to the AT&T building on Orange Street in support of the workers and their union, Communication Workers of America, as they begin contract negotiations. The march will then go to Chase Bank, and fill New Haven’s Wall Street near the Yale campus to support Yale workers who are also starting contract negotiations.

Tickets for the December 4 Amistad Awards rally are $10, and $1 for youth. For more information call 203-624-8664 or email ct-pww@pobox.com

Photo: New Haven, Connecticut rally and press conference in support of the American Jobs Act, calling for funds to rebuild and staff the Dixwell Q House community center, as well as other community and infrastructure needs. Art Perlo/PW.