This summer project has only confirmed and amplified what I have come to love about PLP in my short time attending its gatherings and events which is  the overwhelming sense of community and support for one another. I am always so taken aback by how welcoming and caring everyone is towards each other, and I felt that tenfold over this weekend. I got to meet and speak with comrades from places like Kentucky, Virginia, and Wisconsin, and it was so inspiring to hear their stories and experiences, as well as the reasons they joined the Party. I loved connecting with others at community events such as the RPH Community Care Event and also learned about how to give speeches and sell CHALLENGE within my community.

It was also so inspiring to hear firsthand about the history of the Party from comrades who lived through the experiences themselves and brought real change during the Antiracist History Tour. It helped me realize that I too can and must be part of the fight in order to actually make a difference. Overall, it was such a great weekend full of community and learning, and it has motivated me to take the step into officially joining the Party! We have so much work to do to fight for others around the world but being part of this group of strong and dedicated people helps me realize that I am not alone in the fight. We can and will continue to fight together until all workers around the world are free from the chains of the bosses!
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At this years’ summer project Chicago successfully hosted  comrades from the Midwest and even as far as the East Coast. I enjoyed my second time communing and organizing with others, since 2024 was my first Chicago trip. This year’s shorter project, in a way, made the experience feel more precious, since I intended to make the most of each day’s activities and engage with comrades whom I see less often. The initial workshop on selling CHALLENGE and giving speeches reminded me of how important it is to consistently practice how we represent the Party in mass scenarios. We always leave an impression, even if we feel like there aren’t many people noticing.

My favorite moments included the extensive conversations I had with local workers: my first being a young post-graduate in the medical district—who even joined our collective during lunch after our first sale. They shared our understanding that many feel trapped between Democrats and Republicans and that speaking against capitalist injustice feels intimidating when done individually.

During the historical Bud Billiken parade in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, I chatted with a Black mother who recently moved to the city with her seven-year-old daughter. She also understood that the U.S. education system limits students’ ability to explore multiple aspects of working-class history and lessons—one of many reasons why she has been homeschooling her. Despite the popular assumption that homeschooled students are less competent as people and potential college students, the mother understood that her daughter is actually enjoying an education that encourages her exploration of human connection and experiences beyond memorization and exams.

I even discussed the uses of artificial intelligence (AI) with a Black worker in the U.S. Air Force. She was among the many campaign workers at the parade who were attempting to collect signatures for politicians trying to get on the mayoral ballot. She hasn’t experienced an expansive use of AI through her work since humans are still necessary for maneuvering the processes. She did assert that too much of anything, AI especially, isn’t a good thing. I pushed that thought even further to the clear insistence of the capitalists that workers integrate many forms of AI into our daily lives. Their drive to automate so many parts of our lives is in preparation for greater fascist actions and deadlier warfare.

I gave CHALLENGE to each worker and connected them with a veteran comrade so that our local collective can begin potentially strong ties with them in the near future.
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It was a great experience, learning about the history of PLP activity in Chicago. It was surprising how involved the Party was in direct action against white supremacists in the city and speaks to the working class’s need to realize our collective power. I feel as though it demonstrates groups of people don’t need to be gigantic in order to make a large impact, but well organized and committed.

Outside of that, getting to talk to Party members and simply learning more about communism was definitely a plus. It’s nice having access to a group that truly believes communism is possible to work towards in the present day.
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Myself and another comrade from northern Virginia had the privilege of attending the Chicago chapter’s Summer Project this past month. I am happy to report that the Project was a great success and that the workers and masses of Chicago are open to revolutionary alternatives to the dead-ends the reformists have provided them.

Each day we participated in activities that helped develop our skills, sharpened our political consciousness and got us out at community events to make further connections. The Chicago chapter shows a strong commitment to upholding the Party line of building a base in the working class and fighting against racist divisions in the working class. This commitment convinced new members to join the Party.
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I was invited to participate in Chicago’s Summer Project, 2026. It was great, beyond my expectations! I got to stay with Chicago comrades and was able to get to know younger Party members  from Maryland  and Virginia since we all are on the East coast. The Saturday CHALLENGE distribution at the Bud Billiken Parade was great! We all got out a substantial amount of papers. We were able to talk to Black workers during the event. Sunday was a trip down a ‘Red memory lane’ as comrades had a bus tour, and talked about fighting the Neo nazi fascists in Marquette Park. I grew up in Chicago and was still in high school in 1978. (It was thrilling to hear Party comrades talk about storming Frank Collins’ fascist headquarters.) In 1986, I joined the Party while in Minnesota, and the Marquette Park attack at the baseball field was my first big action. My mom begged me not to go, but I had to. I was slightly injured in the melee. Another comrade and myself drove around collecting bail money for jailed International Committee Against Racism (INCAR) antiracists. The Sunday planned ICE protest was canceled due to rain, but there were two Party members who had access to a dance studio, and we all learned a popular Latin American dance. It was fun! 40 years of class struggle, and I’m ready for more!
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I had a wonderful time during PLP’s 2026 Chicago Summer Project. This would be my sixth summer project and my second time visiting Chicago (the first time I visited was the 2024 Chicago Summer Project). It would be hard for me to choose between which Chicago summer project I enjoyed more. While I enjoyed the discussions and rallies and marches, I enjoyed the social gatherings and communal aspects of this year’s summer project.

My favorite part of this summer project was the Bud Billiken Parade CHALLENGE sale. It was a lively event with plenty of people. There were even groups of children walking around with costumes of cartoon characters on, such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Minions from Despicable Me. The only downside was that it was co-opted by local politicians, even though the parade was historically working class oriented. Despite this, I had three memorable instances at the event. First, when our group started to walk to where the parade was held, one worker wearing a lime-green vest walked up to me and asked if he could get two copies of CHALLENGE. This left me pleasantly surprised. You rarely get workers who enthusiastically ask for the paper, especially when it’s someone new. Second, I met a worker for DoorDash and his sweet dog that was sitting in his truck. We had a good conversation about the Mayor of Chicago and the current Illinois Secretary of State, Alexi Giannoulias. If I recall correctly, I think he received a copy of CHALLENGE. Third, there was this mother and daughter walking around the parade. A small group of comrades I was with gave her a copy as well as discussing the failures and shortcomings of the school system and the anti-human nature of capitalism. The mother also talked about a wholesome reason for bringing her daughter to events like this, saying she wanted her to experience what these events had to offer and open her perspectives. That was easily my favorite conversation of the whole summer project.

Overall, this was a great summer project for our Chicago comrades. I’m looking forward to next year’s summer project!
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My first summer project was in 2021, and I joined the party during that same summer project. Midwest Summer Project will be my fourth summer project, and my fifth year in the party. I often heard that the summer project was a good opportunity for newer and younger friends of the party to get to know the party, and on my first two summer projects I really felt a profound feeling of freedom and comradeship. Outside the summer project one is under a lot of peer pressure to reproduce capitalist ideology be it cynicism, individualism, racism, sexism, or reformism. This time, I was transfixed when I saw a newer comrade radiating enthusiasm to be in an environment where communist ideas are taken seriously and there is an demonstrated commitment to putting these ideas into practice. I must have looked like that to others that summer I was moved to join PLP, and it was really inspiring to witness someone else so moved. There are of course still many things we can improve. However we should remember that being in a communist community is a part of the struggle we are fighting, and we should recognize eachother.

The most enthusiasm was for the discussions and exchange of ideas. As Mao said in His address to the Yan’an Forum on arts and literature this real life action is the highest form of art. However intentional art is also necessary to concentrate ideas and experiences that reflect life. I feel combining theater and film screenings stimulated us to reach a higher energy and provided good material for a political discussion. A number of comrades also mentioned that they first met the party online on semi-private forums like Discord Marxist reading groups. Online discussions of Marxist theory led to in-person meetings and eventually PLP clubs in new areas. This could work internationally.

We really illustrated the theory and practice of our line during the school bus history tour of Marquette Park. Our party has a demonstrated history of anti-racist anti-sexist fightback and confrontation that continues today. Comrades from Kentucky discussed the present day fightback to prevent proud boys from organizing openly. We can find creative ways of spreading this story, which will lead to more forces for the coming confrontation with the rising forces of fascism across the competing empires where capitalists freely send weapons and money to kill workers as they see fit ignoring national borders. Our revolutionary line against nationalism, racism, and sexism is the reason our party not only survived but also continued provided leadership to the 60s rebellions and unlike many revolutionary groups from that time exists today as a continuous entity. 

There is an enthusiasm for the reviving groups that fought imperialism and rising fascism during the Vietnam war from Science for the People to SDS and the Young Lords Party. We have a great opportunity to grow rapidly, however we should also remember that what we are doing now is really important. Seeing my comrade’s joy for the summer project reminded me that we can grow and appreciate the moment.
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