Dream Defenders at the Opening Session of the Florida Legislature on March 5th 2013, demanding an end to racial profiling, Stand Your Ground and for representatives to address the crisis in Florida of the "school-to-prison" pipeline of black and brown youth. Photo courtesy of dreamdefenders.org.

Stand with the Dream Defenders to Demand Justice for Trayvon Martin!

National Women's Liberation (NWL) stands in solidarity with the Dream Defenders occupying Florida Governor Rick Scott's office to demand justice for Trayvon Martin. NWL is sending people, food, and other resources to the Florida Capitol this week, and we urge our members and allies to join us.

Read the Dream Defenders' demands and statement to Governor Rick Scott.
Sign the Dream Defenders MoveOn.org petition here.
Watch a video and slideshow of Dream Defenders occupying the Capitol, and read about Rick Scott's refusal to meet their demands, on The Huffington Post.

Join the fight!
To join the Dream Defenders occupying the capitol, visit www.dreamdefenders.org, contact Nailah Summers at 786-925-8482, or email her at nailah@dreamdefenders.org.

The following is our statement of support for the Dream Defenders:

Sisters and brothers, Dreamers and allies sitting-in at the Florida Capitol,

Solidarity and love (and food!) from your sisters in the Women’s Liberation Movement! National Women’s Liberation stands with you as you sit-in and speak out for deep change that truly addresses the fundamental underpinnings of racism in this country. We are moved by your daring leadership. The Dream Defenders are breaking ground, pushing forward the struggle for justice and liberation for all, much as the Civil Rights and Black Power movements did for this country in the 1950s and 1960s.

You are building a movement out of ongoing acts of white supremacy — the unconscionable Zimmerman verdict being the most recent. This was a white supremacist act not only by George Zimmerman, but the society that produced him and the (in)justice system that is complicit in the murder of Trayvon Martin. White supremacy is ingrained in that system, as is male supremacy and sometimes both at the same time, as we’ve seen with Marissa Alexander who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for firing a warning shot against her male attacker, compared to Zimmerman, the 29 year old son of a good ole boy judge, walking free after stalking and murdering an unarmed teen. We have experienced and witnessed many more examples of lives cut short or “equal protection under the law” denied to so many. We stand with you: not one more!

Marching, speaking out, sitting-in, singing – taking demands directly to Rick Scott, a governor who comes directly from the class of business and corporate owners who fund and pass laws and set the conditions across the country that prevent justice and undermine basic democratic advances movements have struggled so hard for – which is exactly what these laws are intended to do. Your leadership in Tallahassee is a breath of fresh air and just what we need in this country, on so many fronts, to build a real democracy for the people and push forward, not back.

Stay strong. Fighting the good fight with you – until we are all free,

On behalf of National Women’s Liberation,
Gainesville, FL chapter & New York City chapter

Carol Giardina, New York, NY
& Candi Churchill, Gainesville, FL