Thank you for your patience as we've taken a few steps back to evaluate our approach to communication in the context of, well, everything.

We are standing on a precipice, or so, at least, it seems. There is a shattering occurring of what we deem "normal" to be, and what happens next will depend largely on how we choose to relate to instability and uncertainty, and what we choose to do about it.

Rancho de la Libertad stands on this precipice, gathering materials to build a bridge to a yet-unknown other side. We are continuing to take steps towards building a sovereign community insulated from geopolitical and climate instability, insofar as we can be. We wish to nourish, provide space and sanctuary for, and educate our community and those who join our community from afar - to empower and enable all of us with the skills we will need to establish distributed networks, remain safe, feed and house ourselves, and thrive.

By the end of this week I hope to release a website and free newsletter offering, but also a paid subscription that will help support this project. While we may keep this account, it will not be very active. We are trying to rigorously protect our energy and time so that we can focus on real direct action, while simultaneously ensuring we maintain communication with our community and those interested in our mission. Creating one central source of contact feels like the best way, at this time, to build and maintain relationships and community.

Stay tuned for the release in a few days with more information about what we're offering our community at this time. If you'd like to send me your email to be added manually in advance, you can send it to ranchodelalibertad@protonmail.com.

Be safe, and don't forget to take a few steps back from your online spaces to check in and be present alongside your regional community.

"I Didn’t Believe in the Fight; the Fight Made Me a Believer"

Something to Share with Friends and Neighbors Asking “What Do We DO?”
https://guante.info/2025/03/04/actionzine/

Amazon Boycott Starts Today; Includes Ring, Twitch, Whole Foods
A grassroots movement called the People's Union USA is asking consumers to stop spending money at Amazon and its subsidiaries for a week - #Amazon #Boycott #Bezos #DirectAction #Billionaires https://www.cnet.com/tech/amazon-boycott-starts-today-and-includes-whole-foods-ring-twitch/

Pinned Thread

What I find fascinating as an autistic person is how often I envision an anarcho-syndicalist society. Every day, I imagine a world built on freedom, solidarity, and mutual aid, a society where people are empowered to live with dignity and autonomy.

Yet, when I look around me, I see the overwhelming reality of the system I’ve been suppressed by for nearly 25 years. It’s a system that feels broken, unjust, and dehumanizing, a constant reminder of the garbage we’re forced to endure.

There are many methods of #nonviolent civil #resistance. Strategic planning is crucial: https://contensis.uwaterloo.ca/sites/sandboxes/admin/testCopy-1205/media/documents/198-methods-non-violent-action.pdf #nonviolence #CivilResistence #DirectAction #nonviolence #StrategicCivilResistance

New Zine: How To Do It Anyway: A Guide to Self-Managing an Abortion at Home

"This zine is a love letter to anyone who finds themself hungry for the information contained in these pages, no matter the circumstances that lead to this booklet coming into your hands. This resource was diligently compiled and written with care by a few clinic workers in the midwest for the patients we can’t see anymore, in the wake of the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022."

https://unsalted.noblogs.org/post/2025/01/30/new-zine-how-to-do-it-anyway-a-guide-to-self-managing-an-abortion-at-home/

#Boston and #CambridgeMA folks: an action by our friends @WarmUpBoston is happening on February 3rd at 7AM. Show up if you can.

The lows at night this week and next are all going to be below freezing. No one should have their shelter torn down, especially not in this cold.

If you can't make it, you can still let DCR know you dislike their violent attacks on your unhoused neighbors. Their contact info can be found at the bottom of this page: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-conservation-recreation

Feel free to call Governor Healey and your state and local politicians as well to let them know you disagree with sweeping encampments, especially when the restrictions for shelter stays are only increasing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DFYtxShy0f0/

This Thursday, Transgender Unity Rallies will take place across the country! I've included the info for the Massachusetts rally, but you can find out about others here:
https://transunitycoalition.org/events/transgender-unity-rally/

Please boost, share, and spread where you can!

The article below lays out dozens of concrete actions you can take to preemptively combat literary censorship

"Create a Microlibrary. Organize locally. Every person can take these two actions American or not, and the more people who take them, the more effective they will be. Fascism is a global threat. You can start today."

https://thetransfemininereview.com/2024/11/13/a-practical-guide-to-resisting-censorship/

As an anarcho-syndicalist, I envision a society grounded in freedom, solidarity, and direct action. My commitment to these principles shapes my understanding of true liberation.

Freedom is Non-Negotiable: Individual liberties should never be conditional. True liberation means trusting people to think critically and organize voluntarily, free from oppression and censorship. Limiting freedoms for the so-called greater good betrays the ideals we strive to uphold.

Rejecting Authoritarianism: I stand firmly against all forms of authoritarianism, including centralized power and oppressive governments. History shows that hierarchical structures often lead to the suppression of rights and autonomy. We must dismantle these hierarchies and empower individuals to control their own lives.

Empowerment Through Direct Action: Real change occurs when communities unite to assert their agency. I advocate for grassroots organizing, strong unions, and direct action as essential tools for achieving social justice. By coming together, we can challenge the status quo and create systems that serve human needs rather than profit.

Solidarity and Mutual Aid: In our struggle for a better future, solidarity and mutual aid are vital. Fostering cooperation among workers and communities allows us to resist exploitation and build a society that prioritizes collective well-being over individual greed.

The Importance of Open Dialogue: A healthy society thrives on open dialogue and critical thinking. Silencing dissent breeds resentment and weakens our collective strength. Every voice matters in the fight for liberation, and we must create spaces where diverse perspectives are heard.

Together, we can work towards a decentralized society where individuals are empowered to make decisions that affect their lives. Let us unite to dismantle oppressive systems and create a world based on voluntary cooperation, equality, and justice for all!

If you’re feeling anxious about the next Trump administration and the grip of Big Tech, take a moment to think about where you’re getting your information. If you’re reading this on my RSS feed or here on Mastodon, congratulations—you’re already part of a decentralized alternative that doesn’t rely on corporate giants.

You don’t need to depend on Big Tech to live a simple life. It’s possible to step back and live below your means, focusing on what truly matters instead of getting caught up in the endless cycle of consumption. Reflect on the repentance needed for all the tech you consume daily. Every time you log onto a corporate platform, remember that you’re feeding into a system that prioritizes profit over your well-being.

Living simply doesn’t mean giving up; it means reclaiming your independence. The Fediverse is waiting for you, offering a chance to connect with others who share your values without the interference of algorithms and ads.

So, if you're feeling overwhelmed by the state of things, remember: you have choices. You can break free from the digital chains of Big Tech and find community in spaces that respect your autonomy. Let’s prioritize genuine connections and take back our freedom from corporate control.

Poll time!

Would you read, and donate to, a blog about #DirectAction, #CivilDisobedience and #Protest across #UK #Midlands (and sometimes further afield)?

Most likely #Fediverse focused so exclusively on #Mastodon, #Pixelfed & #Loops. Maybe #Bluesky.

Would also probably make some cool asf #zines about the ins and outs of this sort of stuff.

Boost for larger sample size, and we'll see what happens

The IWW Union Ireland branch create a regular online event for new members to introduce them to the union.
This next online presentation will take place on Tuesday 14th January 2025 at 7pm sharp via zoom link.

https://www.onebigunion.ie/post/an-online-introduction-to-the-iww

Direct action gets the goods!

How radical spectacles create space for progress

When radical activism takes place at the same time as formal institutional challenges, studies show the combination can help increase support for more moderate activism. Researchers call this the “radical flank effect.”

https://theconversation.com/from-throwing-soup-to-suing-governments-theres-strategy-to-climate-activisms-seeming-chaos-heres-where-its-headed-next-219545 #ClimateAction #ClimateChange #DirectAction #DirectActionSavesLives #DirectActionGetsTheGoods #activism

We had the absolute pleasure of hosting 12 UC Santa Barbara students this week at the ranch. They chose to use their break to volunteer here, and assisted with earthworks, building a solar array, and erecting outdoor bathrooms to enable us to continue to host and teach large groups.

Each day began in meditation, sharing stillness or intentional movement with one another, connecting down into our roots and sacred attachment to the land. We then engaged in discussion - I gave talks about regenerative agriculture, and a friend with a wonderfully fruitful food forest in nearby Joshua Tree spoke about plant teachers, and building abundance through listening to the land.

But we also highlighted something crucial: regeneration is not just about doing large-scale agriculture "better". It isn't about protecting profits through crisis. It isn't even about reversing climate change, because we firmly disbelieve in abiding by a philosophy that is solely an opposition to something else. No, regeneration has to begin with ourselves.

We cannot do the work if we are empty. We cannot listen to the land if we are deafened by dissasociation.
We cannot maintain sovereignty if we are convinced of authority and our own incapability.

And so we discussed how sometimes degrowth is vital in our own approach to direct action: shrinking one's world down to a size that enables energy to go into a community cycle, rather than sending it outwards without impact. We discussed the mindset of closing cycles, of minimizing external inputs. We discussed shifting from a mindset of "they need my help" which comes from a place of superiority and towards the mindset of "how can I be of service?", which comes from a place of humility and connection. We talked about degrowth in terms of our own choices, our own consumption.

And of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't share about carbon sequestering, the potential for altering microclimates, making an inhospitable environment thrive and support its residents once again. But that can't be the point, because the memory of the technical details will fade, and (hopefully) what will remain is the impact of relearning agency. That we do have a choice how this whole world ending business goes down, and when. That we do have influence, but that it just might be on our own tiny corner of the world, but that that is enough. More than enough.

And perhaps they'll forget. It's easy to return to your life and not make changes. But we can hope, and continue to open ourselves up in this way.

On #ThisDayInHistory in 1971, #Ovambo workers in #SouthAfrican-occupied #Namibia showed the power of #DirectAction against #apartheid with a strike that spread nationwide, lasted until 21 Jan., and ended forced-work contracts and gained free medical care.

https://nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu/content/ovambo-migrant-workers-general-strike-rights-namibia-1971-72

The #documentary film that I'm featured in is now available for #free viewing:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb4q_dXo7Bw

It includes footage & shared #deforestation issues with the #Amazon. It's all connected.

I'm holding back tears near the end of it. I was arrested a few days after doing the documentary film interview at gate to River & Landback resistance camps.