Lisa Fithian
Lisa Fithian (born 1960 or 1961) is an American political activist and protest consultant.
Early life and education
[edit]Fithian was born in 1960 or 1961[1] and grew up in Hawthorne, New York. During high school, Fithian launched an underground newspaper called The Free Thinker, which focused on topics such as social justice and free speech, reflecting her early interest in activism. She began her work in the mid-1970s as a member of her high school's student government, where she served as president.[2] She continued advocacy work as president of the Skidmore College Student Government Association. She graduated from Skidmore in 1983.[3] Her brother David Fithian is the 10th president of Clark University in Worcester, MA.
Activism
[edit]Fithian served from 1980 to 1987 as a member and coordinator of the Washington Peace Center. During her tenure, she led and organized hundreds of events and demonstrations on a range of issues, locally and nationally. She led an organizational extensive anti-racism initiative, facilitated educational workshops, and supported campaigns adressing issues such as nuclear disarmament and racial justice. This helped transform the Peace Center into a multicultural organization.[4]
In the early 1990s, Fithian joined the labor movement, bringing her experience to the Justice for Janitors campaigns in Washington, D.C., Denver, and Los Angeles.[5] She continued her work for social, economic, and environmental justice, providing training and organizing support to many of the global-justice mobilizations around the world since the shutdown of the World Trade Organization Ministerial in Seattle in 1999.[6]
After Hurricane Katrina, Fithian worked with the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans.[7]
Fithian previously served as a National Steering Committee member of United for Peace and Justice, a coalition of over 1,000 local and national groups working to end the war in Iraq.[8] She was also a member of the national team of Extinction Rebellion.[9][10]
In April 2024, she reportedly played a significant role in the pro Palestinian protests at Columbia University. She was observed providing guidance to the students protesting for divestment from Israel, who launched an occupation of Hamilton Hall on April 29.[11][12] She instructed them on barricading techniques and crowd management.[13] The New York City Police Department labeled her a "professional agitator" in footage released during a press conference, highlighting her influence in escalating the protests.[14][15]
Writings
[edit]Fithian has written throughout the years, including the 2007 book anthology What Lies Beneath: Katrina, Race, and the State of the Nation by South End Press.[16] She wrote the 2019 book Shut It Down: Stories from a Fierce, Loving Resistance.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ Keh, Andrew; Rosman, Katherine (May 1, 2024). "The 63-Year-Old Career Activist Among the Protesters at Columbia". The New York Times.
- ^ "About Lisa | Organizing for Power, Organizing for Change". Retrieved May 10, 2024.
- ^ Harkinson, Josh. "Meet Professor Occupy". Mother Jones. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ "Who We Are". Washington Peace Center. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ French, Mary Ann (April 14, 1995). "TAKING IT TO THE STREETS". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ "How We Shut Down the World Trade Organization". YES! Magazine. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ ""Shut It Down: Stories from a Fierce, Loving Resistance": Lisa Fithian Reflects on Decades of Protest". Democracy Now!. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ "Protesting Against War with Iraq". C-SPAN.org. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
- ^ "Shut It Down: Veteran Organizer Lisa Fithian Offers a Guide to Resistance in Era of Climate Crisis". Democracy Now. September 6, 2019.
- ^ Deaton, Jeremy (August 2, 2019). "The Radical Philosophy of Extinction Rebellion". PBS.
- ^ Keh, Andrew; Rosman, Katherine (May 1, 2024). "The 63-Year-Old Career Activist Among the Protesters at Columbia". The New York Times. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
- ^ "Columbia Threatens to Expel Students Who Took Over Building". Bloomberg.com. April 30, 2024. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "A veteran activist joined Columbia protesters. Police call her a 'professional agitator".
- ^ "Confirmed Professional Agitator Present At Columbia University". Vimeo. New York City Police Department. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "Mayor Eric Adams says "outside agitators" influenced Columbia University protests. What does he mean?".
- ^ "What Lies Beneath: Katrina, Race, and the State of the Nation (publisher's overview)". February 15, 2007. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved December 17, 2007.
- ^ Publicist page at Net Galley for Shut It Down https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/166698
External links
[edit]- United For Peace and Justice
- Lisa Fithian at IMDb
- Bunn, Austin (November 16, 2003). "Them Against the World, Part 2". The New York Times. Retrieved January 3, 2008.
- MacEwan, Valerie. "Steal This Book Review (archived)". Pop Matters site. Archived from the original on October 15, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- York, Byron. "Cindy Sheehan's Radical Strategist (archived)". National Review. Archived from the original on August 7, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
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