Occupy Eugene is HAPPENING! Saturday, October 15, was the biggest march in Eugene history. Over 2,000 people participated! 150-200 people camped out in the Park Blocks downtown Eugene. The energy was amazing. We met at Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza where there were many speakers, some songs, and a lot of people getting together, making signs, and talking about the movement.
Malik Rahim, former Black Panther and founder of the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans joined us. He and many other speakers were so inspiring! In fact, EVERYONE THERE was inspiring! Malik Rahim reminds us, "The number one issue is saving our environment, and then ending these unjust wars! We can find peace! It starts like this!" and he reminds us they may evict us from a certain site, "but they cannot evict a movement!" Malik told us that when he comes back from the 45th anniversary of the Black Panthers, he will be camping with us in Eugene. :)
There were so many people, we were on both sides of the bridge waving at each other. Once we were off the bridge we could look back and see an endless stream of people continuing on! In solidarity!
Samba Ja took the lead on the march and then stopped at the courthouse for more drums and dancing before heading to the occupation site!
It was beautiful to see how many children are involved and participating!
And of course, there were several bike cops around and some cop cars, but it stayed calm and mostly friendly between the people in uniforms and the people marching. There was a Homeland Security vehicle hanging around, too, of course...
Positive vibes and Solidarity!
The lovely little tent village.
Malik Rahim, former Black Panther and founder of the Common Ground Collective in New Orleans joined us. He and many other speakers were so inspiring! In fact, EVERYONE THERE was inspiring! Malik Rahim reminds us, "The number one issue is saving our environment, and then ending these unjust wars! We can find peace! It starts like this!" and he reminds us they may evict us from a certain site, "but they cannot evict a movement!" Malik told us that when he comes back from the 45th anniversary of the Black Panthers, he will be camping with us in Eugene. :)
Occupy Eugene is very well organized, and getting more organized as we learn how to live and work together as a community striving for change! We have several committees, including Sanitation, Medical, Communications, Community Outreach, People of Color, Sobriety Support, Children and Families, Research, Peace Keepers, Collective Visioning, Food, Facilitation, Morale, and Engineering. Many of these committees have several sub-committees, too. If you would like to be involved, please check out the website, and PLEASE, come down to 8th and Oak and show your support in person! Join the occupiers! You can also donate money or needed items to the occupation.
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| 7am General Assembly 10/16. |
The General Assemblies have been going very well. Eugene has been using 100% Consensus and it has been working amazingly well! You can watch the General Assemblies, and many other goings-on on livestream. We have adopted St. Paul's Principles. General Assembly meetings will happen every day at 7am and 7pm.
The media is finally starting to pay attention to these movements. The Register Guard wrote a pretty good article about Occupy Eugene.
I want to reiterate, because some have expressed concern about this, that Occupy Eugene committees are discussing ways we can work with, and not interfere with, the Saturday Market.
In Solidarity!
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