The protestors at Zuccotti Park style themselves as anti-corporate, and some even go as far as to call themselves anti-capitalists. Despite the movements aversion to private money, the occupation has seen a number of ambitious and industrious individuals make a buck or two off the encampment in downtown Manhattan.
From selling buttons in support of the 99% to making t-shirts, these entrepreneurs of Zuccotti support the movement, but have nothing against making some money on the side.
With a simple observation and a single tweet, Malik Rhasaan inadvertently sparked a movement that took the nation by storm.
Rhasaan visited Occupy Wall Street two months ago, and noticed that the majority of participants were white. Wanting to increase diversity and bring the movement to his hometown, South Jamaica, he signed up for Twitter and made his very first hashtag: #occupythehood.
Now in its second month, Occupy the Hood boasts 30,000 followers and is active in more than 20 states.
The fate of Occupy Wall Street seems to change with the wind. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has threatened to close down parts of Zuccotti Park for cleaning–only to back down–and insisted that the Constitution does not protect tents.
In LA, however, City Council passed a resolution endorsing the Occupy LA movement headquartered at City Hall. The West Coast 99 percent have transformed the space into a virtual campground. They’ve established many of the same facilities present in Zuccotti–a library, media station, finance department–but they also have portable toilets provided by the city. Artists are setting up installations on the lawn surrounding City Hall. They aren’t banned from using amplified devices, so the people’s mike made iconic by Zuccotti protestors is not as central to day-to-day organizing. Music performances and speeches at this past Saturday’s [R]occupy LA gave the scene the flavor of a festival.
No doubt: the LA protest is inflected with a distinctly West Coast vibe, right down to the bacon-wrapped hot dogs. With permission from the City Council to camp out indefinitely and the cooperation of the mild So-Cal winter, the occupation only seems likely to grow, and perhaps, to outlast Occupy Wall Street.
The Occupy Wall Street movement that has captivated the minds of frustrated citizens around the world passed the one-month mark this week, and it shows no signs of letting up. On the contrary, the band of protestors at Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan have dug-in, establishing what is starting to look like a small town. Complete with a kitchen, library and sleeping areas, the occupiers are proving the longevity of their cause.
From daily meals to educational sit-ins, the occupiers have plenty to do between protests. While the movement has come under fire for lacking a clear focus, the encampment in Zuccotti Park in many ways allows the demonstrators to establish the kind of society they are advocating for. Donations for food are suggested, but not required. Meetings are communal and democratic. After a near-eviction last week, the occupiers clean the park themselves. Occupy Wall Street is beginning to look like a functioning community.
The occupiers have amassed hundreds of thousands from a variety of sources, and receive hundreds of shipments of supplies every day. With the park too small to hold everything, much of the protestor’s loot is being kept at United Federation of Teachers storage facility not far from Zuccotti.
Diverse in ideology and demands, many occupiers of Wall Street agree that jobs and the economy are central issues of their movement.
Protesters have gathered in Zuccotti Park for the last 26 days to express frustrations over a variety of ideas. Jobs and the economy have been hot topics of conversation amongst the occupiers.
Photo by Alex Robinson
“10 years ago you could select what company you wanted to work for and find a job very easily. Now you have to be on a list and send out 300 resumes without any promise of employment,” said Carlos Cabrera, a 34-year-old Brooklyn man who has been at the protest since its first day, September 17.
Cabrera was a paramedic for 12 years before losing his job. He has been unemployed for the last year and a half. Cabrera said that he has considered going back to school to rebrand himself, but it would put him in debt.
Sharon Kennedy, 62, a retired attorney for the state’s court system attended the protest for the first time today.
“Two of my three children are having trouble finding work. One has actually had to go to Korea to teach English for a couple years because he couldn’t find a job when he got out of college, so there’s a very direct impact on our family,” she said.
Kennedy attributes Occupy Wall Street to the recession and unemployment. She said that the recent economic downturn highlighted the long-standing social inequalities of the country.
“I’m here to express my support for the jobs bill because I think that it will create jobs and reduce some of the income inequity by making the wealthy pay more of their fair share then they do now,” she said.