Category Archives: civil rights

We Hate Bullies & We Hate Bigots

We hate bullies and we hate bigots so when OLB was asked to convene to help a young group of LBGTQ+ students and citizens in Madison, WI, we didn’t hesitate. The Light Brigades have been around for a while now, almost twelve years, and the lighted panels needed some TLC to spark ‘em up, but … Continue reading We Hate Bullies & We Hate Bigots

Some thoughts on the Midterms

The following reflection is from Graeme Chesters, a Senior Lecturer in Peace Studies at the University of Bradford in the UK.  Graeme is a writer and activist who researches social movements and collective action, and has kept a keen eye on Wisconsin and our relationship with broader political developments in the United States. Watching CNN’s coverage … Continue reading Some thoughts on the Midterms

Disarm the NRA

Even with snow predicted, we knew that we would get Holders of the Light to come out last night in order to display a message against the stranglehold regarding access to high-power military-grade weaponry that the NRA has on this country. We don’t need here to outline the absolute lunacy of a society devouring itself, … Continue reading Disarm the NRA

Overpass Light Brigade – San Diego: Context is Everything!

Light Brigade actions take on their meaning from the context of people and places. The Overpass Light Brigade – San Diego  continues to create vivid and powerful visual messages at the nation’s southern border, on local overpasses, and recently by adding to a famous Bruce Nauman piece of public art on the UCSD campus, which illuminates … Continue reading Overpass Light Brigade – San Diego: Context is Everything!

Reappearing the Disappeared

Overpass Light Brigade invited artist and activist Brian Carlson to tell us about his project to repatriate the memory of Argentina’s “Los Desaparecidos” through his skillful portrait painting. What follows is his account of this stunning project that merges memory, archive and social justice… Since the seventies, US administrations have supported the overthrow of democratically … Continue reading Reappearing the Disappeared

Light for Wisconsin’s Immigrant Community

Republicans in Wisconsin reintroduced a law that was defeated last year by a popular uprising called the #DayWithoutLatinos. The legislation would deputize public employees, local police, and sheriffs to act as immigration agents: This hateful legislation is a retread of what our community defeated last year. This bill aims to turn local government employees and … Continue reading Light for Wisconsin’s Immigrant Community

Bringing Light & Love for Wisconsin’s Immigrant Community

Scott Walker and the Wisconsin GOP have decided to reintroduce ant-immigrant legislation that was defeated last year by the #DiaSinLatinos (Day Without Latinxs) movement. The legislation makes public employees, local police, and sheriffs officers defacto Immigration (ICE) agents in the Trump deportation machine. We will join Voces de la Frontera in bringing a lighted message … Continue reading Bringing Light & Love for Wisconsin’s Immigrant Community

Cold Feet, Warm Hearts: Reflection on Women’s March

Editor’s Note: OLB invited poet and activist Margaret Rozga to reflect on her experience in DC at the women’s march, which she attended with her daughter, Christine Groppi. The following is her account of the march, among other points of resistance and solidarity that fill her life. As a small group assembled for a recent … Continue reading Cold Feet, Warm Hearts: Reflection on Women’s March