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“Single handed you are helpless but united you can win everything.

You have won over the opposed power of the city, state, and national administrations, against the opposition of the combined forces of capitalism, in face of the armed forces.

You have won by your solidarity and your brains and your muscle.”

- Big Bill Hayward, turn-of-the-century labor organizer

and co-founder of Industrial Workers of the World,

addressing victorious Lawrence textile strikers

Are you feeling bullied by the fascist oligarchy?

In need of a reminder of the absolute power of the people?

Join us on Saturday, May 3rd from 3-7 pm for a celebration of International Workers’ Day!

Together we can find strength, solidarity and inspiration in the long memory of the labor movement in America & beyond!

“The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too.”

This was the slogan of the 1912 Lawrence, MA textile strike: twenty-five thousand workers, most of them women and many of them immigrants, struck in the middle of a frigid winter for better working conditions, hours, and wages. They demanded that the worker not only has the right to necessities (bread), but also beauty and dignity (roses). The strike was a major success; workers walked away with a pay increase and their dignity intact.

"Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes--

Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses!"—lines from Bread and Roses, a poem inspired by the Lawrence strike by James Oppenheim.

Image of workers marching during the Lawrence textile strike.

Then, at 5 pm: MUSIC AND PERFORMANCES

Featuring a cantastoria from Bread and Puppet and music from many of our talented friends.

At 6 pm: WORKSHOPS AND MORE PRINTING AND CELEBRATING

EcoGather & Uncle Erok & other pals will be leading hands-on workshops, we’ll have a print on the press, and we’ll be making buttons & stickers.

There will be an opportunity to peruse some relevant selections from our zine library and explore an exhibit of historical materials about the labor movement.

The event will continue with food, drink, music and dancing into the evening!

But wait, that’s not all!

On Friday, May 2nd during open studio hours (4-7pm), we’ll be screening the film Pride (the true story of an unlikely alliance between gay & lesbian activists and a miner’s union in the UK) and making buttons for Saturday’s event.

All are welcome!

On Thursday, May 1st— the actual International Workers’ Day— there are two actions happening concurrently with the day-long boycott of Hannaford stores in support of Milk with Dignity and Migrant Justice.

The first, in Williston:

The second, in Montpelier:

We hope to see you soon at the picket line or in the shop. Let’s raise hell together.

Your comrades,

The Hard-Pressed Crew

Stay tuned to our community calendar and this newsletter— and forward this email to someone who loves art and community building.

View this email in your browser

“Single handed you are helpless but united you can win everything.

You have won over the opposed power of the city, state, and national administrations, against the opposition of the combined forces of capitalism, in face of the armed forces.

You have won by your solidarity and your brains and your muscle.”

- Big Bill Hayward, turn-of-the-century labor organizer

and co-founder of Industrial Workers of the World,

addressing victorious Lawrence textile strikers

Are you feeling bullied by the fascist oligarchy?

In need of a reminder of the absolute power of the people?

Join us on Saturday, May 3rd from 3-7 pm for a celebration of International Workers’ Day!

Together we can find strength, solidarity and inspiration in the long memory of the labor movement in America & beyond!

“The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too.”

This was the slogan of the 1912 Lawrence, MA textile strike: twenty-five thousand workers, most of them women and many of them immigrants, struck in the middle of a frigid winter for better working conditions, hours, and wages. They demanded that the worker not only has the right to necessities (bread), but also beauty and dignity (roses). The strike was a major success; workers walked away with a pay increase and their dignity intact.

"Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes--

Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses!"—lines from Bread and Roses, a poem inspired by the Lawrence strike by James Oppenheim.

Image of workers marching during the Lawrence textile strike.

Then, at 5 pm: MUSIC AND PERFORMANCES

Featuring a cantastoria from Bread and Puppet and music from many of our talented friends.

At 6 pm: WORKSHOPS AND MORE PRINTING AND CELEBRATING

EcoGather & Uncle Erok & other pals will be leading hands-on workshops, we’ll have a print on the press, and we’ll be making buttons & stickers.

There will be an opportunity to peruse some relevant selections from our zine library and explore an exhibit of historical materials about the labor movement.

The event will continue with food, drink, music and dancing into the evening!

But wait, that’s not all!

On Friday, May 2nd during open studio hours (4-7pm), we’ll be screening the film Pride (the true story of an unlikely alliance between gay & lesbian activists and a miner’s union in the UK) and making buttons for Saturday’s event.

All are welcome!

On Thursday, May 1st— the actual International Workers’ Day— there are two actions happening concurrently with the day-long boycott of Hannaford stores in support of Milk with Dignity and Migrant Justice.

The first, in Williston:

The second, in Montpelier:

We hope to see you soon at the picket line or in the shop. Let’s raise hell together.

Your comrades,

The Hard-Pressed Crew

Stay tuned to our community calendar and this newsletter— and forward this email to someone who loves art and community building.