About Youth Against War and Racism

Youth Against War and Racism is a growing national network of youth activists and student groups. YAWR is organized around the following Points of Unity:
* End the occupation of Iraq - Bring the troops home now!
* Money for jobs and education, not war!
* Military recruiters out of our schools!
* Say no to racism, homophobia, and attacks on our civil liberties!

Youth Against War and Racism began in the fall of 2004 when three high school members of Socialist Alternative started to organize against military recruiters at Kennedy High in Bloomington, Minnesota. When their principal tried to ban them from setting up an antiwar table against military recruiters, the students waged a successful public campaign defending their free speech rights.

As news of this victory spread, YAWR quickly grew to other high schools across the Twin Cities. Student activists with Socialist Alternative along with independent activists started YAWR chapters in other cities last spring.

On May 20, when military recruiters held their one-day "values" retraining, YAWR received national media attention again for helping to organize coordinated national protests at military recruitment stations

YAWR's call for student walkouts on November 2 was endorsed by Cindy Sheehan, Noam Chomsky, and Howard Zinn, to name a few. YAWR now has the potential to grow substantially and become a key force in the student antiwar movement in the areas where it is active.