Rick Gunderman is a communist activist in his early 20s from Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. He has completed the Journalism program at Mohawk College in Hamilton and is currently enrolled in the History program at McMaster University, also in Hamilton.
Rick became politically active at age 16, volunteering for the New Democratic Party candidate in his local riding during the 2006 Canadian federal election. During this campaign, he joined the NDP.
After being involved in the NDP for two years, Rick progressively became more disillusioned with what he saw as the abandonment of socialist principles and policies by that party. Learning more and more about the difference between social democratic politics and revolutionary socialist politics, Rick flirted with various revolutionary groups. Initially joining the nascent United Socialist Movement of the Americas, the eventual disintegration of that group’s presence in Hamilton and being introduced to Marxism-Leninism led Rick to join the Young Communist League of Canada.
After a year and a half in the YCL, Rick was invited to join the Communist Party of Canada. He gratefully accepted and has been an active member since, even running to represent the CPC in the 2011 Ontario provincial election. His activity with the YCL and CPC has informed him significantly about real-world political struggle and the connection it has to theory.
Rick is currently deeply involved in the student movement at McMaster University, and feels particularly strongly about the causes of First Nations sovereignty, LGBTQ liberation, organized labour and anti-imperialism.
