Unified People's Liberation Front

The Unified People's Liberation Front is a now-defunct grass-roots human rights organization. It was the brain child of sisters Julie Straley and Zoe Cording. Despite the fact that the city-states were well established, the women found that the tactics used by these governments were often based on what they believed to be scare tactics, greed, and abuse. The women formed the group under the ethos of peaceful non-violence. The group was known for protests and highly publicized activism against, quote, "economic oppression, the squandering and hoarding of the few resources which are left in North America, the horrors which are being committed day in and day out in the name of science and state security, and powerfully dehumanizing nature of New York's paternalistic 'outreach' which more often than not results in drug addiction, poverty, and a sense of helplessness," (Zoe Cording).

Relation to Up Left
When Straley and Cording died within two years of one another, the group dissolved as it no longer had individuals to lead. The deaths of these women were never investigated, but Cording's brother spread rumors of conspiracy and murder. It can be assumed that it was this warning that kept others from taking up the mantle of a leadership position.

It is unclear as to whether or not Jack Cording, de-facto spokesperson for Up Left, is related to Zoe Cording or if he only co-opted her last name.

Notable Accomplishments
While the Unified People's Liberation Front was known more as a gadfly than a source of legal change, the group did create certain achievements which have outlived the group itself.

Old Wall Street Mural
In the early history of the group, Straley and Cording created a painted mural across three cement buildings on Old Wall Street. It was promptly painted over. This began the cycle of new murals appearing on the newly repainted buildings. It has sense be deemed more cost-efficient to leave the mural (deemed vandalism)than repaint.

Domestic Worker's Strike of 2252
Immediately before Cording's death, the group had arranged for the domestic workers of state employees to stage sit-ins during their hours of service. The strike lasted nearly three consecutive days. However, it was not until the second day that viewers learned that the sit-ins would exist literally during the hours of a worker's service. The strike ended after three eight-hour sit-ins. No demands were issued; the group's statement insisting that the act was only bring awareness to, quote, "these domestic servants and the fact that their work allows for the city's oligarchy to run without hitch," (Zoe Cording).

Elephants and Hedgehogs
During the last two years of their inception, the group would paint over street signs and decorate buildings with flowers and slogans like, "An elephant cannot swallow a hedgehog." It culminated in seventeen blocks surrounding the city-state's capital buildings.

Important Players

 * Julie Straley; deceased
 * Zoe Cording; deceased
 * Claire Rive