Standing in Solidarity with #OccupyCleveland

Arriving in Cleveland on thursday night, I knew shit was about to get real. I met up with @MidwestPShift11 organizers at a local restaurant and had dinner, and heard about everything that was going on re: the conference. I was so excited to get here. Being a social media junkie/activist, I had been tasked with keeping the twitter alive during #mwps11. I was on-board. Friday came quickly and last minute things were done to make sure everything went off without a hitch. Registration began at 5pm , students started coming in, and at that point it was on. 8 p.m. came quickly.

Photo Credit: benhejkal.com

In the opening plenary we heard from:

Abby Fenton
The Youth Program Director for the Will Steger Foundation. Abby helped start and supports YEA MN, a high-school environmental action network in Minnesota, which is helping to build the midwest youth environmental.

Abby kicked off the night be asking us to:

 

Lois Gibbs
Who led the Love Canal Homeowners Associations' struggle against the toxic chemical dump in Niagara Falls, N.Y. Gibbs has played a critical role in the grassroots environmental justice movement. She is the founder and executive director of the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice.

Lois gave us our battle cry:

Mansfield Frazier
A lifetime Cleveland resident was born the son of a preacher on Cleveland's East side. A former union pipe-welder, Mansfield quit his job when he was passed over for a promotion because his co-workers "couldn't handle a black boss." After quitting, Mansfield became an outlaw, hustling primarily in NYC. After one of many stints in prison, he returned to his neighborhood in Cleveland with aspirations of changing it for the better. He is now an accomplished author, vineyar downer, and community organizer.
 

Our battle cry:

David Cobb, National Projects Director of Democracy Unlimited. He is a lawyer, political activist, and engaged citizen. He has dedicated his adult life to making the promise of a democratic republic a reality in the United States. He has sued corporate polluters, lobbied elected officials, run for political office himself, and has been arrested for non-violent civil disobedience.  He truly believes we must use ALL the tools in the toolbox to effect the systemic social change we so desperately need.

Ethan Nuss brought up the rear of the plenaries. Ethan, a Kansas Native has played an active role in the U.S. Youth Clean Energy

Movement. He has supported numerous youth led grassroots campaigns that have achieved clean energy victories at the campus, sate, and national levels. Ethan is a Field Director at the Energy Action Coalition.

Follow him on twitter: @ethannuss

Ethan encourages us:


At this point, we #firedup and #readytogo. 
And then this happens:

And we were off:

Photo Credit: benhejkal.com

We made it to Public Square, where #occupycleveland protesters were camped out.


We arrived to a warm welcome from the occupiers, they embraced #mwps11 attendees and were so excited to see us. (see the video) We formed a circle around the occupiers and sang in #solidarity. 

Photo Credit: benhejkal.com
 

The energy and fire felt by those attending has relayed over to Saturday, attendees are excited for the presentations and the plenaries tonight. Stay tuned for more.