The event is sponsored by the People’s Organization For Progress and the Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice and Resistance Planning Committee, of which POP is a member.
The guest speakers include Gloria J. Browne-Marshall, professor of constitutional law, attorney, author, and radio show host; Dr Kelly Harris, professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania; Virginia Kay, a member of the Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice and Resistance Planning Committee, and Hanif Denny, a member of People’s Organization For Progress. POP chairman Lawrence Hamm will moderate the program.
“The purpose of this program is to show how the Trump administration is rapidly moving away from the norms of a democratically elected to government and towards that of a dictatorship,” Lawrence Hamm, Chairman, People’s Organization For Progress stated.
“Moreover we believe that the Trump administration is behaving like a fascist regime. So, at our program we will be discussing its fascist policies and how we organize to fight back to defeat this racist and fascist regime,” Hamm said.
The program will open with songs from the Solidarity Singers followed by presentations from the speakers. A significant portion of the program will consist of questions, answers, and discussion between the speakers and the audience. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served.
The People’s Organization for progress is an all volunteer grassroots group that works racial, social, economic justice and peace. The multi-issue organization was founded 43 years ago in 1982.
This is the second teach-in that POP has helped to organize this year. The first one was held on January 11th. The theme was “The Teachings of Martin Luther King vs Trump and Trumpism.”
The Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice and Resistance Planning Committee is the coordinating body of a coalition of organizations united in their opposition to policies of the Trump administration that was formed earlier this year.
The coalition initially consisted of 300 organizations that endorsed the Martin Luther March of Resistance held on January 18th. Then last spring, 287 of those organizations endorsed the Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice and Resistance.
Since then the convention planning committee for the coalition in conjunction with the People’s Organization For Progress helped organize No Kings protests against Trump that were held in June and October, and a John Lewis Good Trouble protest in July. All of these events took place in Newark.
“Saturday’s teach-in will help prepare people for our upcoming second Martin Luther King March of Resistance. The teach-in will explore many of the issues that we will be marching about next month,” Hamm said.
The second Martin Luther King March Of Resistance is planned for Monday, January 19, 2026, 12 noon, starting at the MLK Statue at 495 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd in Newark.
Another Martin Luther King People’s Convention for Justice and Resistance is scheduled for Saturday, April 25th, and a Million People’s March Against Trump, is being called for Saturday, October 10, 2026 in Newark.
“I urge everyone who is opposed to the policies of the Trump administration, its attacks on democracy, the growing racist and fascist movement in the U.S. and around the world, and the direction in which this country is going to attend the teach-in,”he said.
For more information about the teach-in or upcoming events contact the People’s Organization For Progress at (973)801-0001.
