Pictured: ACAB at a public, well maintained, outdoor gym.

I’m a long time Hexbear lurker. I came here as a lib from r/chapotraphouse and now I’m a lib who has read some theory. Thanks y’all!

I am Basque diaspora and trans masc. I had been planning to move to Euskadi (Basque Country) years ago, but with the rise of fascism in the states and the risk of being disappeared for being trans and openly anti-fascist I decided that I had to flee the country ASAP. I used all my savings, help from family, and a fundraiser to escape. I am extraordinarily lucky and beyond grateful to my found family and other loved ones. I hope to pay it forward.

I’m now living in a punk apartment in the middle of Bilbao, a historically anti-fascist region of Spain and a former victim of Franco’s reign of terror during the Spanish Civil War. The bones and memories of the Basque Partisans who fought and died for a better future are ever present.

A few facts about the Bilbao:

• Bilbao has a massive community center called “Azkuna Zentroa”

https://www.azkunazentroa.eus/es/

The center contains:

• A massive “climate refugee” space with heating in the winter and cooling in the summer for everyone to use, for free, as needed. Inside this space there is also clean bathrooms (nicest in the city imo) and an exhibition hall.

• A library featuring DVD’s, media editing centers, reserve study sections, a floor dedicated to comics, and a residency hall for international comic artists. There are books in Basque, Spanish, various other languages.

• A movie theater featuring independent films, locally made cinema, and more popular films for families. Tickets are about $5.50 on Tuesdays.

• For an additional cost there is access to a really nice, low light, gym and a pool. People with disabilities are accommodated with their own specialized locker rooms. Gym classes are free with membership.

————

The old part of Bilbao is over 700 years old and is full of Basque punks. There is fierce support of Palestine with actions performed every week. The center of the old town is dominated by CNT: Confederación Nacional del Trabajo, more information can be found here (Sorry it’s Wikipedia) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confederación_Nacional_del_Trabajo

CNT has been setting up “Free Sectors of Bilbao” and emancipating abandoned churches and buildings for use as housing for the homeless. I have seen these projects throughout the city, this org puts the work in and has been active for over 100 years.

I could go on but there is so much I want to blab about. Euskadi isn’t perfect, but it is an oasis in Western Europe.

AMA and I will try to answer what I can.