Dear Friends,

The 27th Convention of the Communist Party USA from July 6-8 will be a great event. There will be many exciting features to this three-day gathering, which will be held at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

For one, we are inviting many of our "coalition partners" to come to the convention. We want them to take part in our discussions on the many issues of the day. We want their input on how to more effectively fight against the policies of the Bush administration, how to build a broad, united independent electoral movement.

We want their thinking on the fight against the global capitalism. We want to share ideas with our many friends from today's new trade union movement. We want their input on how to build greater unity in the struggle against racial and gender inequality.

Many in the youth and retirees movements, the African American and Mexican American movements have expressed a desire to meet with us in Milwaukee. We want those fighting for the equality of the Puerto Rican, Native American Indian and Asian and Pacific peoples, all of our partners in the fight for racial justice, to join with us in Milwaukee.

We want to hear from those in the struggle for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people, from environmental activists struggling against the corporate polluters. We want to share ideas and experiences with our friends so that our joint efforts will be more successful.

That is why we are making a special appeal for funds to help guarantee that many of our "coalition partners" can join us in Milwaukee.

We also want the three days at the University of Wisconsin to be full of progressive culture. We want artists, musicians, singers, poets and performers of all kinds to attend our convention. The plenary sessions should be full of singing, swaying and clapping to the sounds of our wonderful movement.

In the evenings, there will be a coffeehouse where artists can perform in a more intimate setting. And on Friday and Saturday nights there will be concerts and a big dance with all kinds of music and dancing. There will be rock, folk, blues, rhythm and blues, salsa, reggae, jazz and hip hop, a vast array of progressive music that will reflect the beautiful multi-cultural nation we live in. Yes, the campus will rock to the beat of the people's movement.

Many outstanding artists want to come to Milwaukee and take part in our 27th convention. It would be a real shame if they cannot come because they don't have the funds for travel and lodging.

Last, but not least, we need to raise money to see to it that our fraternal guests, who will be coming from many lands around the world, will be accommodated during their stay in our country. Many parties from around the world are planning to send delegates. More have said they are coming than we expected. Those delegates will have to be housed and fed. We urgently need contributions if we are going to be able to take good care of our international guests.

Please help make the 27th Convention a huge success by contributing to this special appeal.

To contribute, make checks payable to 27th Convention of the CPUSA. You may also make checks payable to either Esther Moroze or Pat Barile. In either case, please note whether this special contribution should go to help host international delegates, cultural performers or national guests. Your donations will be highly appreciated.

Thank you,

Jarvis Tyner,

Executive Vice Chair

People's Weekly World

www.pww.org