Liberation Road

Mary Jo Connelly

Mary Jo Connelly's Blog Posts

Adelante! Exciting New Publications from the México Solidarity Project

February 16, 2024 /

We are excited to share the latest issues of ¡Adelante! These pamphlets by Liberation Road members and fellow travelers help explain our strategic perspectives on Chicano Liberation and Mexico Solidarity; discuss important issues facing Latin@ communities and other oppressed communities

Our 2022 Main Political Report & 2022 – 2025 Strategic Orientation

July 27, 2022 /

The Main Political Report: An Analysis of the Moment In the Main Political Reports (MPRs) that Liberation Road prepares before each of our triennial congresses, we outline major societal contradictions and complexities of a given moment, while trying not to

Internationalist Manifesto Against the War

April 17, 2022 /

Anticapitalist Organisations of Russia, Ukraine, and NATO Countries The criminal war launched by Russian imperialism against Ukraine is the most serious threat to world peace since the end of the Cold War. It brings the world closer to a global

Defend Ukraine’s Independence: When Elephants Fight, It’s the Grass that Suffers

February 28, 2022 /

As humanity reels from a pandemic that has killed millions, and an environmental crisis that threatens most species on the planet, the great leaders of major powers (the elephants) couldn’t manage to find a non-military security solution in Europe. And

The Rittenhouse Verdict Raises the Stakes

November 27, 2021 /

by the National Executive Committee, Liberation Road Socialist Organization The acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse surprised few people. Anyone who followed the trial from the beginning, and particularly the rulings of the judge, knew that it was likely that the defendant

Extracting the Truth from Los Repatriados

October 27, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project October 27, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Extracting the truth can be like extracting a tooth. We have a gnawing pain that won’t go away, but we

Bottom-Up Unionism: Getting to Yes Begins with No

October 27, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project October 20, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team We all get scam calls and emails. The scammers pose as officials from the IRS, our credit card company, or

Stop in the Name of the Law!’: Helping Asylum Seekers

October 27, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project October 13, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Wouldn’t be nice if those breaking the law stopped whenever asked? Fat chance, especially when the most powerful government on

The Laws of Migration, Natural and Unnatural

October 27, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project Beautiful butterfly sitting on the girl finger, nature background. October 6, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Our earth’s creatures have been on the move since time immemorial,

David and Goliath: The Sequel We Now Need

October 27, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project September 29, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Who doesn’t love the story of a kid with a slingshot bringing down an armored nine-foot tall warrior wielding sword

Los Charros y los Carros: Cowboys and Cars

October 27, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project September 22, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Labor unions in México first came under direct PRI government control in the late 1940s when the Aléman administration started

Tres por Uno: When Equal Becomes Unequal

October 25, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project September 15, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team People who migrate to the United States leave their family, friends, and neighbors in the little villages where they grew

The Miracles of Guadalupe: A Heritage of Helping

October 25, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project September 8, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Generations of Mexicans have viewed the Virgin of Guadalupe, México’s mestiza patron saint, as a blessed miracle maker. Yolanda López, the 79-year-old Chicana artist who died this past week, saw the strength and power

Chinese — and Mexican, Too? Absolutely Yes!

October 25, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project September 1, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team My Chinese-American son grew up facing a mocking schoolyard sneer: “You’re not white, you’re not black, you’re nothing!” For kids

La Hermosa Luz del Espectro de Género

August 29, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 27 de agosto de 2021 / La edición de esta semana/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial ¿Qué pasaría si la vida nos trajera solo la luz del día y la

‘No Eres Granjero. Eres Campesino.’

August 29, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 18 de agosto de 2021/ La edición de esta semana/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Estas palabras, dice Rudy Arredondo en nuestra entrevista de este número, reflejan la actitud histórica

Un Desafío a las “Fronteras Abiertas”: por la Corrupción

August 29, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 11 de agosto de 2021 / La edición de esta semana/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial El presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador, justo al comienzo de su administración, emitió tres

La nueva visión bolivariana de AMLO para América Latina

August 29, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 8 de agosto de 2021 / La edición de esta semana/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Simón Bolívar, el Libertador de gran parte de América Latina, prometió a su maestro,

Dos aspectos de la soberanía: ¿cuál promueve la libertad?

August 29, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 28 de julio de 2021 / La edición de esta semana/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial La libertad nunca ha sido gratuita. Los africanos esclavizados en Haití tuvieron que luchar

The Beautiful Light of the Gender Spectrum

August 29, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project August 25, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team What if life brought us only bright daylight and total darkness? That would be an incredibly boring world, without the

‘You’re not a farmer. You’re a farmworker.’

August 29, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project August 18, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Those words, says Rudy Arredondo in our interview this week, sum up the historic attitude of the US government toward Latino —

A Challenge to ‘Open Borders’ — for Corruption

August 22, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project August 11, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, right at the start of his administration, famously issued three simple commandants to elected Morena

AMLO’s New Bolivarian Vision for Latin America

August 22, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project August 4, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Simón Bolívar, the Liberator of much of Latin America, promised his teacher, social reformer Simón Rodríguez, that he would “not

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO, ANDRÉS MANUEL LÓPEZ OBRADOR, ON THE 238TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF SIMÓN BOLÍVAR, THE LIBERATOR

August 3, 2021 /

The México Solidarity Project Respected foreign ministers and representatives of brotherly countries of our Americas I am grateful for the presence here of Isabel Allende, a great Chilean writer who accompanies us in this event to pay homage to the

Arte en la plaza pública: ¿opresión o liberación?

August 1, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 21 de julio de 2021 / La edición de esta semana/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Los monumentos en espacios donde el público se junta pueden ser tanto publicidad como arte. Los

Two Takes on Sovereignty: Which Promotes Freedom?

August 1, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project July 28, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Freedom has never been free. The Africans enslaved in Haiti had to battle against all odds to get free from

Arte en la plaza pública: ¿opresión o liberación?

July 28, 2021 /

Art in the Public Square: Oppression or Liberation?

July 28, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project July 21, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Monuments in spaces where the public congregates can be as much advertising as art. Monuments often function as “ads” for

El Partido como Fiesta no ha Terminado

July 5, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México La edición de esta semana/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial La fiesta comienza con entusiasmo a medida que la multitud se agranda. Pero luego la energía comienza a disminuir. No

Just Part Way Through the Party

July 5, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project June 30, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team The party starts out with excitement and enthusiasm as the crowd starts building. But part way through, the energy starts

El Día Anterior, el Mero Día, y el Día Después

June 30, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 16 de junio de 2021/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial ¡Un gran evento! La preparación toma la mayor parte del tiempo, los recursos, el trabajo en equipo, el enfoque y

No Chains Can Ever Be Comfortable

June 30, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project June 23, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team “We don’t want our chains made more comfortable, we want our chains removed,” South African Bishop Desmond Tutu declared in the struggle against apartheid. “You

The Day Before, the Day Of, the Day After

June 19, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project June 16, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team A big event! The preparation takes the most time, the resources, teamwork, focus, enthusiasm. That holds true for all big

Las elecciones del domingo y nuestra calle neocolonial de un solo sentido

June 14, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México AYAHUALTEMPA, MEXICO – JUNE 06: Voters line up for their turn to cast their ballots at a polling station on June 06, 2021 in Ayahualtempa, Mexico. A record number of 93.5

Obreros Mexicanos, la espada y la pared

June 14, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 2 de junio de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Como lo expresa el dicho, a veces uno se encuentra “entre la espada y la pared”. Uno sabe que

Sunday’s Elections — and Our Neocolonial One-Way Street

June 14, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project AYAHUALTEMPA, MEXICO – JUNE 06: Voters line up for their turn to cast their ballots at a polling station on June 06, 2021 in Ayahualtempa, Mexico. A record number of 93.5 million

Bury Neoliberalism in the Ballot Box

June 5, 2021 /

La Jornada, 31 de Mayo de 2021 John M. Ackerman is one of Mexico´s leading public intellectuals, writing bi-weekly columns at both La Jornada and Proceso magazine. He is a Professor at the Institute for Legal Research of the National

Mexican Workers, the Devil, and the Deep Blue Sea

June 5, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project June 2, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Sometimes you’re caught, as the saying goes, “between the devil and the deep blue sea.” Whichever way you turn, you

Do We Have a Horse in This Race?

May 29, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project May 26, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team They’re coming down the home stretch. Will last time’s winner be able to hang on? Or will some former champ

El Cinco de Mayo Tiene una Historia Propia en los Estados Unidos

May 25, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 5 de mayo de 2021/ Presentación invitada por el activista laboral y de solidaridad internacional Jesús Hermosillo En la década de 1980 en Los Ángeles, los niños de la escuela primaria

Salvando un Idioma, Salvando a un Pueblo

May 23, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México: mexicosolidarityproject.org 12 de mayo de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Hace años, en la escuela primaria, temía que mi madre viniera a conocer a mis maestros u otros

Fighting for the Joy of Doing Work ‘That Is Real’

May 23, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project May 19, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team In one of Marge Piercy’s most beloved poems, To Be of Use, she writes: “The pitcher cries for water to

Saving a Language, Saving a People

May 15, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project: online at mexicosolidarityproject.org May 12, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Years ago, in elementary school, I dreaded having my mother come to meet my teachers or other

Cinco de Mayo Has a US History All Its Own

May 5, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project May 5, 2021/ This week’s issue A guest introduction by international solidarity and labor activist Jesus Hermosillo Back in 1980s Los Angeles, elementary school kids like me had just one occasion —

MEXICAN CULTURE IS NOT A COSTUME

May 5, 2021 /

by Bruce Hobson Wearing sombreros, ponchos, and fake mustaches and drinking tequila on Cinco de Mayo is a sign of disrespect and ignorance. Each year in the United States, frat boys take advantage of Cinco de Mayo as a pretext

Dañado en Tránsito

May 1, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 28 de abril de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial A veces, nuestros paquetes tienen un tránsito difícil. Los paquetes más pesados pueden aplastar a los más delicados o

“Las Paredes Tienen Oídos y Ojos”

May 1, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 21 de abril de 2021/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial La antigua expresión “las paredes tienen oídos” tenía mucho sentido hace años cuando escuchar a escondidas implicaba poner una oreja

Damaged in Transit

May 1, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project April 28, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Sometimes our packages have a rough transit. Heavier packages may squash more delicate ones or something we send out might

Los Desastres Que Nos Esperan

April 25, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 14 de abril de 2021/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial En la década de 1980, trabajé en el Hospital Boston City, el único hospital público de la ciudad. Recuerdo la

‘The Walls Have Ears’ — and Eyes

April 25, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project April 21, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team The old expression “the walls have ears” made perfect sense years ago when eavesdropping involved putting an ear to a

Disasters Waiting to Happen, Happen

April 17, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project April 14, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team In the 1980s, I worked at Boston City Hospital, the city’s only public hospital. I remember the time an elderly

Arte y Cultura Sin Fronteras

April 17, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 7 de abril de 2021/ Bill Gallegos, para el equipo editorial El arte y la cultura siempre han sido puentes poderosos para construir la solidaridad internacional, y eso ha sido especialmente

Arte y Cultura Sin Fronteras

April 10, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project April 7, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Bill Gallegos, for the editorial team Art and culture have always been powerful bridges for building international solidarity, and that’s been especially true for building links

Hieleras y Perreras

April 10, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 31 de marzo de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Una hielera es una excelente manera de mantener la cerveza fría, y a tu cachorro le encanta un lugar

En la Frontera México-Estados Unidos, Mucho Más Que Un Muro

April 4, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 24 de marzo de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial El constante “¡Construye el Muro!” de Donald Trump siempre significaba más que una pared. El lema equivalía “no podemos

Ice Boxes and Dog Kennels

April 4, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project March 31, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team A cooler can be a great way to keep your beer cold for a picnic, and your puppy loves a

At the US-México Border, Much More Than a Wall

March 28, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) March 24, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Donald Trump’s constant “Build the Wall!” mantra always had more than a wall in mind.

Identificando la Serpiente Real

March 21, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 17 de marzo de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial En el siglo V, según la historia clásica, San Patricio expulsó a todas las serpientes de Irlanda. Siglos más

Identifying the King Serpant

March 21, 2021 /

The Weekly Bulletin of the Mexico Solidarity Project March 17, 2021 / Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team In the 5th century, according to classical history, Saint Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland. Centuries later, in the Mexican-American War

¿Quiere Hacer un Intercambio?

March 13, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 10 de marzo de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Vives en una pequeña granja. Tiene cien plátanos maduros en un racimo que acabas de cortar, mucho más de

Want to Make a Trade?

March 13, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project March 10, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team You’re living on a small farm. You have a hundred ripe bananas in that bunch you just cut down, far

Cuando el terror se vuelve ordinario

March 7, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México Zapatos en el Zócalo, parte de una protesta de 2020 contra el brutal asesinato de Ingrid Escamilla. 3 de marzo de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Acurrucado en

When Terror Turns Ordinary

March 7, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project Shoes left in México City’s Zocalo, part of a 2020 protest against the brutal murder of Ingrid Escamilla. March 3, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Snug in the bosom

‘Todo lo que Realmente Necesito Saber lo Aprendí en el Kinder’

February 27, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 27 de enero de 2021/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial El autor Robert Fulghum tenía razón en el libro con ese título que escribió hace unos 35 años. Toma solo

La Unidad Negra-Mexicana: Tan profunda como el ADN

February 27, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 25 de febrero de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Todas las pruebas de ADN disponibles en estos días han sorprendido a muchas personas, incluso conmocionadas, al descubrir cuales

The Black-Brown Unity: As Deep as DNA

February 27, 2021 /

The Weekly Bulletin of the Solidarity Project with Mexico February 25, 2021 / Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team What makes test results like these so shocking? We can trace the roots of that impact deep into American history, to the

Ángeles, Demonios y las Próximas Elecciones Intermedias de México

February 20, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 17 de febrero de 2021 / Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial En Estados Unidos, acabamos de sobrevivir a una temporada electoral escalofriante. En México, la gente se está preparando para las

Angels and Devils — and México’s Upcoming Mid-Terms

February 20, 2021 /

THE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER OF THE MÉXICO SOLIDARITY PROJECT February 17, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team In the United States, we’ve just survived a blood-curdling electoral season. In México, folks are just gearing up for mid-term

The Past Is Never Past

February 20, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project February 10, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team You always loved grandma’s homemade bread, and the smell of fresh bread today still transports you back to her cozy

Cuerpo de evidencia/evidencia del cuerpo

February 6, 2021 /

El Boletín Semanal del Proyecto de Solidaridad con México 20 de enero de 2021/ Meizhu Lui, para el equipo editorial Hace dos semanas, la violencia de las turbas estalló en el Capitolio de los Estados Unidos y dejó cinco muertos.

Staying Power

February 6, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project 2-5 February 3, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Home. Where do we find it? In the land, in the life cycle of the plants and animals we live among?

Kindergarten Wisdom, Capitalist ‘Logic’

February 6, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project 2-4 A group of kids and their teacher are indoors in their kindergarten classroom. They are building with blocks together. January 27, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team ‘All I Really Need

Body of Evidence/Evidence of the Body

January 31, 2021 /

The weekly newsletter of the México Solidarity Project 2-3 January 20, 2021/ This week’s issue/ Meizhu Lui, for the editorial team Two weeks ago, mob violence erupted at the US Capitol and left five dead. We live in violent times.

To the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on its 13th Congress

January 18, 2021 /

To the Communist Party of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam: The National Executive Committee of Liberation Road, a socialist organization in the U.S., is honored to send revolutionary greetings to your 13th Congress. The Communist Party of Vietnam has inspired

LA MORATORIA CHICANA – EL INCENDIO QUE NUNCA SE APAGA

August 29, 2020 /

Bill Gallegos, September 1991 YES, THE WOLF WILL SURVIVE. Waves crashing through the streets of a hot and smoggy barrio. Thunder/thunder …pounding along the shoreline of poverty. La Playa de Opresión. ¡Raza Si! ¡Guerra No! / ¡Raza Si! ¡Guerra No!

¡Que Viva La Moratoria Chicana!

August 29, 2020 /

I wrote this piece in 2003, but want to share it with you now on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium. In this time of the Covid crisis, the upsurge of the Black Freedom Struggle, and

A Day to Reflect: 50 Years since the August 29th Chicano Moratorium & 15 Years Since Hurricane Katrina

August 29, 2020 /

Two perspectives on the lessons these two historic events hold for today’s movements. The Chicano Moratorium – A People’s Demand for Justice by Bill Gallegos Today marks the 50th Anniversary of the National Chicano Moratorium Against the War, in which

La Izquierda Estadounidense Necesita Humildad para Comprender la Política de México

August 22, 2020 /

por Bill Gallegos La reciente visita a los Estados Unidos del presidente mexicano, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) para una reunión con el presidente Trump, ha provocado una gran reacción de los medios de comunicación en los Estados Unidos y

The US Left Needs Humility to Understand the Politics of México

August 22, 2020 /

by Bill Gallegos The recent visit to the US by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) for a meeting with President Trump has stirred a great deal of media reaction in the US and México. Nearly all US media

Update from Mexico: Relations between Morena and Indigenous Peoples January, 2020

July 28, 2020 /

There is never just one viewpoint among any group of people. As we remember, the Zapatistas did not and do not support Morena; they do not believe in electoral politics and concentrate on creating autonomous zones for indigenous peoples to

Mexico’s Unions and Labor Movements under AMLO (before COVID) October 2019

July 28, 2020 /

1. Until AMLO took office last year, organized labor was dependent (and sometimes co-dependent) on the monolithic power of the PRI. PRI controlled the main labor federation, the CTM, whose members are seen as “employer unions.” Morena’s victory disrupted that cozy

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