On January 9, the Southern Movement Assembly gathered hundreds of our folks to listen, share, analyze, and take action in the face of rising white supremacy and heightened violence.‍

Southern movement elders asked us three questions:

• What is the historical context of this moment and what is the meaning for our movements?
• What are the opportunities opened by the insurrection on January 6th?
• What are collective healing practices we can offer each other for holding rage & grief and for creating safety & strength for the long haul?

Listen to the full recording here

We know that this is a moment like no other, and we are ready.

This attack revealed and exposed the extent of racist hatred and their hunger for authoritarianism. It is fully in the open now, and we will resist and change it. - Suzanne Pharr, National Council of Elders (AR)

We have plans. Now is the time to lean into those plans. It's time to build. We have to fight for our vision of the future. - Nina Morgan (AL)

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"We know what we know".

"Black people while we may be jarred and triggered by the insurrection attempt, we are not surprised. We are angry, disgusted, ashamed for the country and shaking our heads, but we are not surprised. . . My brown & indigenous family you, too, know what your communities have endured. Let us choose to see each other as strong powerful people with rich cultural practices that the oppressor tried to extinguish in order to retain power.  . . My white friends, I ask that you not separate yourselves from the insurrectionists. These are your brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and cousins. These were your ancestors in Selma, Tulsa, Wilmington. You know what you know and because of this knowledge you can make choices with how you respond . . . We are on this call because we are a part of a diverse Southern-rooted multiracial, multicultural, multi-gendered, multi-abled, multi-generational movement. We are committed to using the truths that we know to create the world we deserve." - Nia Wilson, SpiritHouse (NC)

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“I am not mourning for the White House or that building. It’s a symbol of white supremacy. Here in Alabama, folks are in the streets several times a week to amplify the call for justice and to protect Black lives. The rage is real. Be in community, try not to isolate. The establishment response will deter our movements and disempower protests and organizing. We need to look out for that." - Nina Morgan, GASP & Birmingham Earth Coalition (AL)

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“The attack was to strengthen the old way, not do away with it. Something is dying. And something beautiful is being born. Let us walk together. Let us walk towards each other. There is beauty on the other side of the evil of this nation. We can build the unity that cannot be broken. If we remain unified, we can build this new world.” - Nelson Johnson, Beloved Community (NC)

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“The 1% is split - On one hand they are considering fascism as a form of governance that will carry us forward, on the other hand they are trying to save the old neoliberal order. And that split is happening on the global level. The U.S. is a government that goes all over the world and foments coups. The global movements are sharing a lot of appreciation for the work we are doing in the face of what they saw on Wednesday. There is also a request - Let’s not just keep our eyes within the U.S. borders - Let’s keep our eyes global.” - Emery Wright, Project South (GA)

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The People's First 100 Days is a regional organizing campaign from January 1-April 10, 2021 to grow Southern movement power - It is the first step in a year-long action plan developed at the Southern Movement Assembly 9 in November 2020 with hundreds of Southern freedom fighters.

We are coordinating mutual aid infrastructure to protect our people. We are connecting local policy campaigns to divest from harm and invest in community solutions. We are organizing public actions to share our vision for the world we want based in the Southern People’s Initiative to build new social economies, practice a people's democracy, and protect and defend our communities.

JOIN US:

1) JOIN P100 & JOIN A WORK TEAM > We are stronger together. Drive the plan, bring your visions, heal through collective work. Join the teams that are organizing the People's First 100 Days HERE

2) DOWNLOAD & READ THE STATE OF THE SOUTH REPORT > The State of the South Report reflects the synthesis of Peoples Movement Assemblies and the 2021 Action Plan to protect our people, disrupt capital, and build infrastructure across the Southern region. DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

3) STAY CONNECTED > Learn more about the People's First 100 Days HERE. Join the SMA Discord channel HERE.

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