Lisa Fithian
Encyclopedia
Lisa Fithian is an American
political activist. She began her work in the mid-1970s as a member of student government in her high school and at Skidmore College
. As a member and coordinator of the Washington Peace Center
for 7 years during the 1980s, Fithian organized hundreds of events and demonstrations on a range of issues, both locally and nationally, and helped lead an extensive anti-racism
process that transformed the Peace Center into a multicultural organization.
In the early 1990s Lisa joined the labor movement, bringing her experience to the Justice for Janitors
campaigns in Washington DC, Denver and Los Angeles
and to nursing home workers in San Francisco and Detroit. She also provided training and support work to the United Auto Workers Union and with the Detroit Newspaper Strikers. Lisa has continued her work for social, economic and environmental justice, providing training and organizing support to many of the global justice mobilization around the world since the shut down of the WTO Ministerial in Seattle in 1999. After Hurricane Katrina
, Lisa worked with the Common Ground Collective
in New Orleans, organizing relief efforts. Currently, Lisa serves 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 and build a broad movement for social change.
She has written throughout the years including the introduction to the post-9-11 edition of Abbie Hoffman
's Steal this Book
, and most recently in the book anthology What Lies Beneath: Katrina, Race, And the State of the Nation by South End Press
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
political activist. She began her work in the mid-1970s as a member of student government in her high school and at Skidmore College
Skidmore College
Skidmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. The college is located in the town of Saratoga Springs, New York State....
. As a member and coordinator of the Washington Peace Center
Washington Peace Center
The Washington Peace Center grew from The Vigil to Stop Biological Weapons at Fort Detrick, which was maintained in Frederick, Maryland from 1959 through 1961. In 1961 vigil coordinator Larry Scott and other vigilers moved to the nation’s capital to start the Washington Peace Action Center...
for 7 years during the 1980s, Fithian organized hundreds of events and demonstrations on a range of issues, both locally and nationally, and helped lead an extensive anti-racism
Anti-racism
Anti-racism includes beliefs, actions, movements, and policies adopted or developed to oppose racism. In general, anti-racism is intended to promote an egalitarian society in which people do not face discrimination on the basis of their race, however defined...
process that transformed the Peace Center into a multicultural organization.
In the early 1990s Lisa joined the labor movement, bringing her experience to the Justice for Janitors
Justice for Janitors
Justice for Janitors is a social movement organization that fights for the rights of janitors across the US and Canada. It was started in 1985 in response to the low wages and minimal health-care coverage that janitors received...
campaigns in Washington DC, Denver and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and to nursing home workers in San Francisco and Detroit. She also provided training and support work to the United Auto Workers Union and with the Detroit Newspaper Strikers. Lisa has continued her work for social, economic and environmental justice, providing training and organizing support to many of the global justice mobilization around the world since the shut down of the WTO Ministerial in Seattle in 1999. After Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, Lisa worked with the Common Ground Collective
Common Ground Collective
The Common Ground Collective is a decentralized network of non-profit organizations offering support to the residents of New Orleans. It was formed in the Algiers neighborhood of the city in the days after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.-History:...
in New Orleans, organizing relief efforts. Currently, Lisa serves as a National Steering Committee member of United for Peace and Justice
United for Peace and Justice
United for Peace and Justice is a coalition of more than 1,300 international and U.S.-based organizations opposed to "our government's policy of permanent warfare and empire-building."...
, a coalition of over 1,000 local and national groups working to end the war in Iraq and build a broad movement for social change.
She has written throughout the years including the introduction to the post-9-11 edition of Abbie Hoffman
Abbie Hoffman
Abbot Howard "Abbie" Hoffman was a political and social activist who co-founded the Youth International Party ....
's Steal this Book
Steal This Book
-Advice on dissidence:The book includes advice on such topics as growing cannabis, starting a pirate radio station, living in a commune, stealing food, shoplifting, stealing credit cards, preparing a legal defense, making pipe bombs, and obtaining a free buffalo from the Department of the Interior...
, and most recently in the book anthology What Lies Beneath: Katrina, Race, And the State of the Nation by South End Press
South End Press
South End Press is a non-profit book publisher run on a model of participatory economics. It was founded in 1977 by Michael Albert, Lydia Sargent, John Schall, Pat Walker, Juliet Schor, Mary Lea, Joe Bowring, and Dave Millikan, among others, in Boston's South End...
.