John,

I’m a proud member of the Detroit and Michigan Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, which protects the rights of people fighting for social change.

As repression escalates against students who are calling for an end to the genocide against Palestinians, National Lawyers Guild chapters and members are on the ground in dozens of U.S. cities supporting the right to dissent.

Having developed its Legal Observer Program in 1968 in response to protests at Columbia University, the National Lawyers Guild is now mobilizing networks of legal support to protect students who are being targeted by their universities and the police.

With lawmakers trying to further criminalize and silence protesters, I wanted to help raise money to power this urgent work.

Can you donate today to the National Lawyers Guild Mass Defense Program, to support pro-Palestine student activists and protect our right to protest?

In my district, I’ve had the opportunity to spend time at my alma mater Wayne State University’s Gaza solidarity encampment, where I urged the school’s president to meet with her students and tried to make sure that students are protected and safe. For example, I stood in front of a police car that tried to drive through a crowd of students.

Students are putting their bodies on the line to demand that their universities divest from weapons manufacturers that are sending bombs to destroy hospitals and murder innocent children in Gaza.

As students face violent crackdowns for protesting to save lives, many government leaders and media outlets are smearing and condemning students—rather than condemning Israel’s human rights abuses. It’s disgraceful.

We must listen to and defend these students, and continue building the movement for Palestinian liberation.

Right now, the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) is supporting and training NLG members to assist students with disciplinary proceedings, training activists about their rights and about how to become Legal Observers, and providing Legal Observer support to help arrested activists and to document police behavior in defense of the right to protest.

Please donate today to help power the National Lawyers Guild’s Mass Defense Program and provide on-the-ground legal support for students putting their bodies on the line to stop the genocide of Palestinians.

Thank you for continuing to build progressive power for the world we all deserve, where all people can live with dignity and safety.

In solidarity,

Rashida