Occupy Wall Street. Three Years Later.

It's hard to believe that it was already three years ago when the counter-culture magazine Adbusters sent out a call to action to Occupy Wall Street. Dozens of people gathered on September 17, 2011 to protest the Wall Street bailouts being granted by our government. After being forced off of Wall Street that night, protesters occupied the nearby public space of Zuccotti Park, and renamed it Freedom Park.

World Revolution Day is September 17. What Will You Do?

World Revolution Day is September 17. What Will You Do?

Dozens grew to hundreds and then to thousands. Protestors from all classes made their way to the park in hopes for a revolution. Three years later, the park is unoccupied by revolutionaries, however, the work started there is still being done. 

In 2011, Occupy Wall Street received thousands of dollars of donations. Since then, some of that money has been used to bailout everyday Americans who have debt that has gone to collection agencies. Find out more about Strike Debt! and Rolling Jubilee's work here. 

I visited Freedom Park regularly during OWS and captured some very moving clips. I wanted to share this video from day 25 of the occupation three years ago.

Adbusters has issued another call to action and September 17 is now known as "World Revolution Day," and asks the simple question, "What will you do?"

Zuccotti Park, three years later. September 2014. 

Zuccotti Park, three years later. September 2014. 




Thankful to Buy Nothing Day

Happy Thanksgiving, 

I hope that you can take the time to enjoy family and friends this Thanksgiving. To all my non-American friends may this message find you able to take time to be Thankful in some way. Here in the US, I'm saddened that mega consumption, through internet sales and early store hours minutes after our meal is finished, has set a place at the table. Thanksgiving Day which has been the least capitalistic holiday of the year is being co-opted by the right to shop. Can't we have one day off people?! So between eating the cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, we'll be seduced into logging on and firing up the credit card. And 'Black Friday' lures people into impulse buying because of a discount. It gets nuttier and nuttier. We should instead be sharing a story or try to be in some kind of stillness. Friday after Thanksgiving should be a wonderful shut down day, to be whimsical, a day for reflection, not shopping, or working.  

I'm loving the Buy Nothing campaign seen popping up around the net. Buy Nothing Day to give Thanksgiving new meaning. Cool People Care's Sam Davidson writes on his blog "Nada For Me," pledge to buy nothing this Friday and stay out of the shopping whirlwind.

and Adbusters who encourage a Buy Nothing Day. Adbusters uses grassroots capitalism to start business ventures, spreading indie culture and providing ever more alternatives to buying from mega corporations. 

We Americans work so hard at working hard and take little time to just decompress. Now becoming contagious throughout the world, this is not some American invention we should be proud of.

So try and pledge to stay away from online sales Thursday, and the stores on Friday. 

Look to the sky, find a star, make a wish, smile at someone, anyone.  Makes you feel good. Or if you absolutely have to go online, watch some of my "What's Your Inspiration?" clips where I have filmed many commuters happy to chat and share their stories, their challenges and loves, and of course their inspirations.

Check out my "What's Your Inspiration?" channel on youtube. 

I'll be back in the subway December 5th.