OWS Updates for the Week of January 25th

Last week's petition delivery action was a great success, delivering a clear message that OWS would not stay silent while the New York Post lied about us yet again. People from Occupy Faith and concerned activists spoke with humor and eloquence against a backdrop of banners printed with the names of the thousands of people who signed the petition. Music was played and songs were sung, but we’re still waiting on our apology, let alone a thank you note for the good time!

--from the ‘Your Inbox: Occupied’ team

OWS in Media

The brides were blushing, the grooms oddly impersonal, as the third anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling was marked with a magical direct action wedding on the steps of Federal Hall.

The discussion at Strike Debt’s MLK day event at Judson Church was enormously stimulating. If you missed it, take a look at Strike Debt’s Visioning Workbook to get up to speed with the issues raised that day.

New York City school bus drivers have been out on strike since Wednesday, January 16th and as is now standard treatment for striking workers, have been smeared and vilified for it. Our featured blog post "Strike Lessons" offers up a refreshing alternative in an analysis of the situation that explains why we can and must strike, as well as a list of picket locations so that we can show some on-the-ground solidarity.

Occupy these Actions and Events

Friday, January 25, 8pm
Debt Resistors Dance Party
207 Starr Street, Bushwick, Brooklyn; Off Jefferson L train stop
A caravan of 13 people is heading out to Detroit Feb 1st-4th to reach out to movements and struggles in Detroit and folks from Strike Debt Detroit. Our goal is $1,000 to cover the entire trip for 13 people for 4 days. This will cover gas and emergency funds. We are seeking to learn what people are doing in terms of alternatives that can help us un-plug from the system and develop new bonds and relations with one another. Come dance all night to the best jams - no corny stuff. Hear more about Strike Debt and how you can get involved. $5 at the door. 1 Free beer. BYOB allowed.

Sunday, January 27, 3pm
Occupy the Climate: Hurricane Sandy, Eco-activism and the Vegan Option
Jivamuktea Café @ Jivamukti Yoga School
841 Broadway, 2nd floor, (212) 353-0214
A gathering/teach-in and an urgent call-to-arms on Post-Sandy life. Climate change contributed to the impact and aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and the number one cause of human-created greenhouse gases is the global animal by-products industry. Mickey Z. will help you do the math!

Sunday, January 27, 1pm
Screening of “We’re Not Broke”
Unitarian Church of All Souls, Reidy Hall, 1157 Lexington Avenue
Screening of a film by Karin Hayes and Victoria Bruce. “The story of how U.S. corporations have been able to hide over a trillion dollars from Uncle Sam, and how fed-up Americans from across the country have taken their frustration to the streets.” With special guest J.A. Myerson, founding member of UncutNYC and early participant in the occupation of New York City, Zuccotti Park. Free and open to the public. Refreshments served.

Friday, February 1, 2013, 6:30pm-9:30pm
Occupy Beyond Sandy
The Atrium 60 Wall St.
Despite all the GREAT work of Occupy Sandy, the problems of both Sandy Victims and the 99% remain and will only get worse with the plans of the 1% to gentrify in the aftermath of Sandy. With the many issues that still remain before and after Sandy, it’s time we examine our work and continue to organize for the 99% to fight Wall Street and build the Occupy Movement. Please join us. We are involved in several continuous actions all around the city and attempting to build a mass movement

February 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
People's Recovery Summit
The Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew, 520 Clinton Ave.
The People's Recovery Summit is a three day event of workshops, trainings, horizontally facilitated discussions, and evening entertainment. Residents, activists, organizers, volunteers, and all concerned citizens will unite to build a more equitable and sustainable New York City post-Hurricane Sandy. Come participate for any and all parts of the weekend and help ignite a people-powered recovery! Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner will be served.

Tuesday, February 5, 7pm
Divesting from Fossil Fuels
Cooper Union, The Great Hall, 7 East 7th Street between 3rd & 4th Avenues.
America’s colleges and universities prepare the nation’s young people for their future. Yet those same institutions invest in the fossil fuel companies that are profiting enormously from the carbon that’s going to wreck the climate. Thousands of students are building a national movement demanding that university endowments divest from the fossil fuel industry.

Occupy Sandy Update
Occupy Sandy is looking for individuals and groups for food preparation, canvassing, muck-out, mold remediation, construction, driving, coordinatoing volunteers and more. To find out more about how to get involved please email OccupySandyVolunteers@gmail.com or call 347-770-4520. For more information go to occupysandy.org. Support local businesses by using the Occupy Sandy Local Registry.