On Feb. 28, 2025, the community of Carbondale, Illinois, came together at Carbondale United for an event organized by United We Boycott Against the Far Right.
Carbondale United organized a Solidarity Potluck for Economic Blackout, Latino Freeze and Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) to promote social justice through economic power. The event took place at the Carbondale United office, starting at 5 p.m., and aimed to help people get a meal without spending money.
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The economic blackout movement recommended people to avoid spending money for the entire day, which meant no shopping, making online orders or buying fast food. The aim was to send a strong message by not supporting corporations that contributed to social and political issues, while instead supporting local businesses that had shared values.
This economic blackout drew inspiration from past movements, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s activism in the 1960s. The event also supported two ongoing initiatives: the BDS Movement, which pressured businesses linked to Israel’s actions toward Palestinians, and the Latino Freeze Movement, which promoted economic empowerment in Latino communities by encouraging support for inclusive businesses.
Carbondale United, a grassroots organization dedicated to eradicating the root causes of gun violence, continues to mobilize the community in efforts that extend beyond its initial mission. Founded by Nancy Maxwell and others, the group has evolved into a force for activism, organizing events that challenge systemic injustices and inspire collective action.
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Nancy Maxwell, a Carbondale City Council member and the executive director of Carbondale United, spoke passionately about the group’s origins and ongoing work. “Carbondale United kind of started because me and Luke (Herron-Titus) and a whole bunch of other people were marching when George Floyd was murdered, and we’ve been going ever since. So whatever comes up, and this is huge.“ She said that their activism is far from a one-time event. Instead, it is a continuous fight against oppression and systemic violence.
Recently, Carbondale United organized the People’s Assembly, a potluck event aimed at fostering discussions on social justice and community empowerment. Luke Herron-Titus, the main organizer of the event, said the significance of bringing people together was to unite them for a common cause.
“We wanted to create a space where people could come together, share food, and engage in meaningful conversations about the injustices that persist in our society. These gatherings help us build stronger connections and reinforce the importance of sustained action,” Herron-Titus said.
Maxwell said her goal is to sustain the momentum.
“I just don’t want it to stop there. Okay, we had a great event, and then, you know, we’re gonna go back to being fearful, sad, depressed. No, we’re gonna be in that fight mode. We’re going to keep doing that boycott mode, you know, we’re not going to sit back and just take this,” Maxwell said.
Boycotts have historically been powerful tools for social change, from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the Birmingham movement.
“Hey, historically boycotts have worked, you know, going back to the Birmingham boycotts, and it was a good opportunity to bring together boycotts not just for today, but to highlight the ongoing ones, like BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) and the Latino Freeze boycotts in response to deportations and attacks on workers and immigrants,”Herron-Titus said
Macklen Makhloghi, another speaker at the event, elaborated on the importance of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement against Israel.
“It is a Palestinian-led movement that started in the early 2000s when it became evident that the entire world, specifically the western world, is watching an apartheid state oppress, arrest, harass, brutalize, intimidate, marginalize, kidnap an entire people,” Makhloghi said.
He said that economic pressure remains one of the most effective strategies to demand justice: “We can’t wait for justice to happen, we need to cause it to happen.”
The event also touched on the importance of solidarity across movements, from supporting Starbucks Workers United, a union that represents the cafes’ workers, to advocating for racial and economic justice.
“We all want environmental justice. We all want racial justice. We all want economic justice. And in the genocide, we see this confluence of racism, xenophobia, capitalism, colonialism and imperialism all in this one hotbed issue,” Makhloghi said.
With these principles in mind, Carbondale United and its allies remain committed to collective action, using their voices and economic choices to drive systemic change. Their message is clear: the fight for justice does not end with one event—it is a sustained movement that requires continuous effort and unwavering commitment.
“I hope everybody enjoys themselves and eats as much food as they want, and keep coming back,” Maxwell said.
Staff reporter Jasmine Thompson can be reached at jasminethompson@dailyegyptian.com. To stay up to date on all your southern Illinois news, be sure to follow The Daily Egyptian on Facebook.
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