LIBERATION CHARTER1

Liberation is the birthright of all people around the globe— from Brooklyn to Baghdad, from Caracas to Compton, from Port-Au-Prince to Palestine to Pyong Yang. That right cannot justly be denied by any person, government or imperial power. However, this right is unjustly stolen in service of a world-wide imperialist system2 which is fueled by white supremacy and patriarchy. Today, the United States represents the greatest threat to true liberation of the world itself and to the people of the world. Therefore, we— the people living inside oppressed communities within the borders of the United States— declare for all the world to know that: True Liberation Demands that…
There Shall be Peace, Justice and Self-Determination at Home and Abroad

Peace and friendship amongst all the people of the world shall be secured by upholding the equal rights, opportunities and status of all— regardless of race, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, language, national origin, economic status, HIV status, age, ability, etc.

All people shall enjoy equal rights and those rights shall be equally protected.

All people shall have equal access to a fair and just legal system that represents all the people.

Military and police forces shall be under the direct control of the people and shall serve to protect the interests of all of humanity.

An emphasis shall be placed on rehabilitation for crimes that are committed as society moves towards having no prisons, jails and detention centers.

All people, including transgender, intersex, lesbian, gay, bisexual, two-spirit, and queer identified people, shall be able to access public spaces and social services, that are free from state-sanctioned and interpersonal violence, discrimination, ignorance and stereotypes.

All people of the world shall have the unfettered right to speak, to organize, to meet with others, to publish, to worship as they choose.

The United States and all formerly imperialist powers must act as equal citizens in the global community, respecting the self-determination of all people, communities and nations and observing the preeminence of international law and international institutions.
True Liberation Demands that…
There Shall be Land, Work and Community for All of the People of the World

All people shall have the right to live where they choose in decent housing to sustain their lives and to bring up their families in healthy and comfortable communities that foster global solidarity.

Free quality medical care shall be provided for all, with priority given to young children, mothers, people living with HIV/AIDS, people living with disabilities and other medical conditions.

The state shall recognize all forms of work, including women’s reproductive labor.

All work shall be valued and fairly compensated, including those forms of work that have been traditionally rendered invisible.

Community investments to provide transportation, gas, electricity, water, communication technologies and other community infrastructure shall be made freely accessible to all.

All people shall be free to travel without restriction across borders, particularly to, from, and within the United States, regardless of immigration status.

All displaced people shall have the right to return to their homelands.

All shall be free to work, to form trade unions, which work in solidarity with the community and other workers around the globe.

The state shall recognize the right of all to meaningful work that serves to meet the needs of the people of the world, and for those unable to work to draw full unemployment or disability benefits.

All people shall have equal access to meaningful work regardless of race, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, language, national origin, economic status, HIV status, age and ability.

All people shall have quality employment and the ability to determine the number of hours to be worked in accordance with the common good.

There shall be a global minimum and maximum wage, paid vacation and sick leave, quality child-care, and full retirement benefits for all workers and paid parental leave for all working parents.

Rest and leisure shall be a right of all.
True Liberation Demands that…
All of the People of the World shall Share the World’s Wealth Equally

All industry and trade shall be used to meet the needs of the people of the world and shall be controlled by the people of the world;

All the land shall be re-divided amongst those who work it to banish hunger and famine.

All levels of government shall make investments to bolster infrastructure and community amongst groups that have been economically exploited, particularly victims of racism, sexism, heterosexism, transphobia and able-ism.

Technological advancements shall be for the betterment of all humanity.

Nations and corporations shall pay reparations for crimes against humanity, which have taken place throughout history, robbing peoples and nations of their sisters and brothers, their labor, collective wealth and self-determination.

Surplus wealth shall be redistributed, controlled and shared by the members of the community.
True Liberation Demands that…
Knowledge and Culture shall be Common Property of the People of the World

All people shall have equal right to use their own languages and having the state provide necessary translations to allow all people to actively participate in public life.

The members of the community shall control mass media institutions and will use those institutions to promote ideas, images and messages which advance knowledge, culture and solidarity.

All education shall be free and equal for all the people.

Education for children shall have the goal of teaching the youth to love the world, their people and their cultures, to honor human solidarity, diversity, liberty and peace.

Educational institutions shall actively recruit from communities and nations that have been historically excluded.

All of humanity’s cultural treasures and scientific knowledge shall be available to all, not the exclusive property of private individuals, state or corporate interests.

Adult illiteracy shall be ended by a mass state-sponsored education plan.
True Liberation Demands that…
The People Shall Act as the Care-Takers of the Environment

All people and governments shall show the highest respect for the interdependence of human beings on clean air, water and land.

All levels of government shall protect, conserve and restore all biological, ecological and genetic diversity, including plant life, animal life and ecological systems for the benefit of present and future generations.

The state shall ensure the development of toxin-free communities, playgrounds, workplaces and rural lands.

All goods and services, including energy sources and food products, shall be produced using humane and ecologically sustainable practices.

The world’s natural resources shall be the collective property of the people of the world and used in a sustainable manner, which protects the ecological system for future generations.
True Liberation Demands that…
The People of the World shall Govern

Everyone shall have the right to participate in deciding their form of government and having the opportunity to change that form of government when it proves unable to meet the needs of the people.

Government shall serve the interests of all of the people of the world, not the greed of an imperialist system.

The state shall facilitate unity and solidarity among all peoples of the world across historical divisions.

The state shall facilitate the full participation of all the masses of the people— regardless of race, gender identity/gender expression, sexual orientation, language, national origin, economic status, HIV status, ability and age— in making the decisions that will affect the destiny of the world, of their communities and of their families.

Community priorities shall be set by all of the people of the community with ultimate regard for the impact on other communities and other peoples of the world, and without trampling on the rights of minority groups.

Community leaders shall be accountable to all of the people of the community and shall respect the impact on multiple communities and other peoples of the world.

All elections shall be financed with public funds and will be monitored by international observers.

We will fight for the principles of this charter, side by side, without fear or reservation, until we have won for all our people and for the generations yet to come: true liberation.




1 We were inspired to draft the Liberation Charter after learning about the South African Freedom Charter. This document was adopted on June 26, 1955 by thousands of delegates from hundreds of organizations who came together throughout South Africa in the face of extreme repression from the white minority government which used its control over the economy and the police to crack down on those struggling for the end of the racist system of apartheid. The Freedom Charter helped to unite the movement and provide a vision for the movement over the next forty years.

You can find a copy of the original Freedom Charter online at www.anc.org.za/

2 Imperialism is an advanced stage of capitalism where corporate monopolies dominate the economic activity of the vast majority of the world. In this stage, imperialist nations struggle with each other (through trade wars, military wars, etc.) to gain control over non-imperialist nations to use them as sources of cheap labor and raw materials or as dumping grounds for excess goods and services. Because imperialism developed alongside white supremacy and patriarchy, various systems of oppression including racism, sexism, heterosexism and transphobia all play an important role in sustaining and advancing the imperialist system.