In a time when our community’s first amendment rights, access to abortion, right to gender affirming care, right to vote, and right to breathe clean air are all at risk, seven newly laid-off members of the MOVE Staff now do not have income or healthcare. Furthermore, with the current economic climate and unstable job market, it will be difficult, if not impossible for those who were let go to secure work in the coming months.

Today’s job eliminations are a difficult reminder that no one is immune from the volatility of the tumultuous political and economic climate we are living in and no organization is immune from the oppressive and unfair practices that the progressive organizing space prides itself on fighting to change. At the same time, we must remember that our ultimate power lies in our solidarity - everyday working people are each other’s safety net, and when we each pitch in to carry the weight of the moment, we have the ability to hold each other up where institutions fail to provide for our needs. Those of us who are fortunate enough to have a stable job have a responsibility to do what is in our power to ensure that our peers stay afloat, to send a message that we will never back down in the face of unjust labor practices, and to solidify our commitment to fighting for each other at a time when the odds are stacked against us. Any donation, no matter how small or large, whether it’s $5 or $100, can help make rent, buy groceries, and cover the cost of childcare or medical expenses. As you read the testimonies of our beloved colleagues and amplifying this fundraiser to your networks, remember that your contribution is not only going to help people like you make ends meet but is a building block of the working class solidarity that will ensure our collective survival.

Note: We want to acknowledge and be transparent about the severance packages that these employees will be receiving. While each of our union siblings who were let go will receive 6 weeks of severance plus an additional week for each year as a full-time staff member, we want to acknowledge that they will immediately lose vital benefits, like health insurance. Because of this and the unstable job market, we want to support them in raising funds to cover their healthcare needs and the likely potential that they will be unable to find suitable work before their severance is paid out.