New Local Group Supports Workers, Shows "Pride"

S outherners Promoting United Networks (SPUN) is a newly formed political action group made up of activists from in and around Durham, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro.

Our mission is to explicitly address and link racism, homophobia, sexism, economic inequality, and environmental injustice while engaging in community education, coalition building, and political action.

SPUN's first action was a contingent at this year's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride march in Carrboro. Our objective was to celebrate queer visibility and community and to promote awareness about the interconnectedness among struggles toward social change and justice.

About 30 SPUN-sters attended the march carrying signs with slogans including "Another Lesbian for racial and economic justice"; "North Carolina: Anti-Union, Anti-Queer - Coincidence?"; "Allies Against Homophobia"; and "Sodomites for Environmental Justice." SPUN's logo shows the words homophobia, sexism, racism, and classism connected by arrows and says "Make the Connections."

Currently, SPUN is working with the United Electricalworkers' Local 150 on their Grievance for Justice Campaign. Volunteers in the campaign are interviewing public workers on 8 UNC system campuses-including UNC-Chapel Hill-collecting workers' grievances regarding the impact of downsizing, contracting out, discrimination based on sex and race, and low wages.