I call upon all Houstonians to join us in nonviolent confrontation & public witness of a vile emblem of antiblack white supremacy in the heart of Houston's downtown. Sam Houston Park (across from the Central Library downtown) hosts Houston's Heritage Society. It is also the home of a monument "to the Spirit of the Confederacy," a celebration of waging bloody war in the name of white supremacy & greed. The statue's inscription repeats the cruel myth that 'states rights' were the Confederates’ motivation for war, whitewashing that the "right" was to enforce brutal enslavement. These racist lies cannot stand unchallenged, especially on public land. Join us Sunday afternoon for a joyful, defiant statement of the just Houston that can be! #MLKSitInHTX This is a child-friendly event at an accessible location with little existing seating. Everyone who attends should share our goals of: Drawing international attention to the systematic execution of Black Americans and the terrorism inflicted upon them by racist institutions Celebrating the joy, love, and hope of our future in defiant acts of community and peace Commit ourselves in the fight to eradicate racism, sexism, queer/transphobia, xenophobia, poverty, injustice, and all violations of civil and human rights and liberties. #MLKSitIn is a nationwide grassroots event honouring Rev. Dr. King's radical message while tying it to our present struggle for collective liberation and equity. http://www.mlksitin.com/

Details and information about the National MLK Sit In being held on Martin Luther King Jr Blvd/Drive/Street all over the country on July 23rd.MLKSitIn.com The #MLKSitIn is A national gathering of everyday people in an occupational protest on every single street named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in America #MLKSitIn is the chance to: Draw international attention to the systematic execution of Black Americans and the terrorism inflicted upon us by racist institutions Celebrate the joy, love, and hope of our future in defiant acts of community and peace Call everyone around the country to commit themselves in the fight to eradicate racism, sexism, queer/transphobia, xenophobia poverty, injustice, and all violations of civil and human rights and liberties. We are a group of DEDICATED organizers taking part in a national act of peaceful resistance, an act of defiant JOY, a sit in on the every street named after the man who gave his life to move us closer to freedom and liberation. We need people from all over the country to join us in making this a momentous occasion.

The 2nd annual MLK Sit In is taking place around the country and we invite you to participate in the event in solidarity. Please check out MLKSitIn.com to see how the event came to be and why we choose to honor Dr. King's radical legacy and the efforts of freedom fighters past and present. Details for this year: Meeting Time: 11am Meeting Location: Art Museum "Rocky" steps (meeting) then progress to MLK Drive (adjacent to the museum) Attire: We ask attendees to wear white for peace What to bring: This is a "family" gathering, so we ask everyone to bring one of the following--water, juice, fruit, pastries, small food items to share, candy for kids, chips, cups, ice, yogurt etc. Please bring enough for 5-10people. We also ask, if you feel so inclined, to bring flowers to toss into river to honor ancestors or, if you're a person of faith, something emblematic of your faith and spirituality. We will have a limited amount on hand. Our purpose: Gather in a space of joy to honor Dr King's radical legacy and honor Freedom Fighters from Philadelphia. We ask that you be on time and respect other people's commitment to this space. Order of Events: Begin silent march at 11:15 (we will walk a few hundred feet along Dr. King Blvd in silene to honor the lives of people lost to state violence and those currently incarcerated as political prisoners) Pour libations into river at 11:30. Call names of ancestors and freedom fighters. Recite Dr Kings speech in unison at 11:45 Remarks: 11:55--If you have any words to share, any poetry, a musical dedication, anything to recite, we welcome you to participate at this time. Move to park space across from art museum by statues to eat and drink and celebrate 12:15-12:30pm or so Children are welcomed and encouraged to attend. Friends and family in the city are also welcomed.

#MLKSitIn is An annual national gathering of everyday people in an occupational protest on every single street, highway, park & space named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in America in July. The date is Sunday July 23, 2017 2pm-6pm with a unified national action at 4pm on MLK street in Louisville, KY. #MLKSitIn is the chance to: • Commit to resisting persecution fueled by White Supremacy • Draw international attention to the systematic execution of Americans and the terrorism inflicted upon us by racist institutions • Celebrate the joy, love, and hope of our future in defiant acts of community and peace • Call everyone around the country to commit themselves in the fight to eradicate racism, sexism, queer/transphobia, xenophobia poverty, injustice, and all violations of civil and human rights and liberties. We hope to see you there.

What: MLK Sit-In at MLK, Jr. Blvd. in New Haven Where: In grassy area across from the Sherman/Tyler Parking lot near Ella T. Grasso Blvd. in New Haven (signs will be present) When: Sunday, July 23, 12pm-4:30pm Why: The MLK Sit-in is a nationwide event observed on the streets named after Martin Luther King, Jr. to honor this brave civil rights activist and continue the fight against local, national, and international violence, hatred, and oppression against vulnerable communities, especially people of color, gender and sexual minorities, immigrants, and other persecuted groups. Our community recognizes that despite the huge wave of civil rights progress in our nation, we need to reinforce and celebrate our values of love, empathy, and solidarity in spite of our differences. New Haven has recently seen an unfortunate wave of hate-related incidents, and we're here to say that New Haven is an inclusive, creative, and welcoming place to live, work, and thrive. How: The event organizers, local artist Tiffany Johnson and community social worker Alberto Cifuentes, Jr., will be providing a large canvas where attendees can write and/or draw their vision of racial and social justice. Participants will be given the opportunity to make posters and peacefully display them in the area. There will also be racial and social justice organizations tabling, face-painting and artistic activities for children, speakers, performers, and a community reading of an excerpt from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech at 4pm nationwide. Schedule: • 12-2pm: Poster-making, art activities, tabling • 2-4pm: Speakers, performers • 4pm: Community Reading of excerpt from “I Have a Dream” speech • 4:15pm: Wrap-up and Call for Action Note: Because this is a free and family-friendly/all ages event, security/police will be present. Any use of violence, profanity, drugs, and/or alcohol will be strictly prohibited. Questions: Please go to our event’s Facebook page, “MLK Sit-in at MLK, Jr Blvd in New Haven,” for periodic updates. You can also contact event organizers Tiffany Johnson at [email protected] and Alberto Cifuentes, Jr., at [email protected] This community celebration of peace, justice, and solidarity will be both a sit-in and celebration of MLK, Jr.'s visionary message and legacy. This is an all ages, family friendly event that will feature speakers and community organizations. This event will be in the grassy area across from the Sherman/Tyler Parking lot near Grasso (signs will be present). More details will be released very soon! This event is part of the National #MLKSitIn Day of Action, a national gathering of everyday people in an occupational protest on every single street named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in America on Sunday, July 23rd, 2017. Visit this page for updates and more information. For more information about the nationwide movement, please go tohttp://www.mlksitin.com/. #MLKSitIn New Haven is the chance to: • Draw international attention to the systematic execution of Black Americans and the terrorism inflicted upon us by racist institutions. • Celebrate the joy, love, and hope of our future in defiant acts of community and peace. • Call everyone around the country to commit themselves in the fight to eradicate racism, sexism, queer/transphobia, xenophobia poverty, injustice, and all violations of civil and human rights and liberties. We are a group of dedicated organizers taking part in a national act of peaceful RESISTANCE, an act of defiant JOY. This sit-in is on a street named after the man who gave his life to move us closer to freedom and liberation. Join us on MLK, Jr. Blvd. in New Haven on July 23rd for this historic nationwide day of solidarity!

https://www.facebook.com/mlksitinnyc

Photos by our new friend Cheyenne Matthews-Hoffman

---Draw international attention to the systematic execution of Black Americans and the terrorism inflicted upon us by racist institutions ---Celebrate the joy, love, and hope of our future in defiant acts of community and peace ---Call everyone around the country to commit themselves in the fight to eradicate racism, sexism, queer/transphobia, xenophobia poverty, injustice, and all violations of civil and human rights and liberties.