Initiated by the organizers of the annual Poor People’s Day events at the Capitol (Georgia Citizens’ Coalition on Hunger, Project South, and the Up & Out of Poverty Now! Coalition) and inspired by the 40th anniversary of the historic Poor People’s Campaign for Economic Justice launched by Dr. King in 1968, this multi-issue coalition brought the voices and demands of millions of working and poor people to the Georgia State Capitol. We stood side by side with movements around the world answering the World Social Forum’s call for a GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION
Poor People’s Caravan and People’s Movement Assembly
Close to 600 strong.
Five 25ft monster flatbed trucks
3 busloads
20 trucks and cars
And . . .
1 horse and buggy
Caravaned for 8 miles through downtown Atlanta
We posted up banners at 6 sites including Grady Hospital (Healthcare for the People), Atlanta Detention Center (Freedom for the People), MARTA (Accessible Transportation for the People), Luxury condos (Housing for the People), CNN Center (Media for the People), and Atl Public Schools (Education for the People).
Task Force for the Homeless staged a Reverse Eviction at the Atlanta Housing Authority to protest the mass evictions and scheduled demolition of Atlanta Public Housing. The huge caravan for liberation converged on the Georgia State Capitol where SPARK/Georgians for Choice held a Reproductive Justice rally. The crowd marked their votes for quality education, migrant rights, disability rights, accessible transportation, affordable housing, and other issues on The People’s Ballot with spray paint and stencils to demand transformation of our city, state, country, and world.
The Caravan rolled to the Georgia Citizen’s Coalition on Hunger for the Poor People’s Movement Assembly. We shared food and felllowship. We heard from speakers, testimonials, and the amazing Youth Ensemble of Atlanta. We broke out into workshop groups to discuss the root causes, effects, and solutions to Poverty, Racism, and War & Violence. The groups announced 12 Resolutions for Action that demand community-led changes ranging from Living Wages and Family Support to the end of the militarization of our communities. (We will send out a final version of the Resolutions for Action in a formal report as part of the People’s Movement Assemblies happening across the country.) It was cold outside, but the fires were burning in our hearts, and our spirits were HIGH!
Huge shout outs to all the volunteers and sponsoring organizations – including: Georgia Peace & Justice Coalition, People’s Institute for Survival & Beyond, WAND, GA Vote Connection, the Grady Coalition, Equal Voice Campaign, the Task Force, SPARK; and the entire Poor People’s Day Planning Committee led by the Hunger Coalition for working on key pieces throughout the process.
Check out the attached pictures the following links to videos so you can see and hear this fabulous action –
LINKS to videos and coverage of Poor People’s Caravan, Assembly, and the Global Day of Action Press conference:
Thanks to Artemis Productions for all the great video coverage.
*Were Making Noise!! ACTION VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM_Wtq6azFw&NR=1
Global Day of Action Press Conference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkgFEI-DHFk&feature=related
Theresa Davis Prelude 2 Global Day of Action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NHpRxfov94&feature=related
Emery Wright at the Global Press Conference:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXLEx4C0tsE&feature=related
Sandra Robertson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULAIsI0FTAI&feature=related
Global Day of Action Interviews:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdShLPHp_I0&NR=1
We made the Evening News! (4 channels, at 6pm, 11pm, and 7am the next day!)
*11Alive News Article:
http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=110212
GALEO Poor Peoples Day article:
http://www.galeo.org/story.php?story_id=0000004109
Also . . . Check out http://www.myspace.com/peoplesmovementassembly