October 6th marks the 1st anniversary of Occupy Portland, while October 7th is the 11th anniversary of the war on Afghanistan. Tune in to hear Ani and Lyn talk with organizers of the events scheduled for that weekend.
A full weekend of action is being planned for this anniversary confluence. On Saturday, at noon people will gather in Shemanski Park (SW Park and Salmon) for a rally, with a march following. Marchers will re-gather in Shemanski for music.
On Sunday, there will be workshops and a speakers' panel discussion at the PCC Cascade Campus (N. Albina and Killingsworth).
Both events will connect the economic injustices of US policy to the wars and occupations. Events on both days will run from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM.
The organizers of the event have broadly laid out these political platform points to further explain the days' theme:
-- Money for Jobs, Education, Health Care, Housing, and the Environment -- Not War
-- End the Wars and Occupations -- No Nukes, No Drones
-- Main Street, Not Wall Street -- Power to the People
-- Restore Constitutional Rights
The events revive a collaboration between Occupy Portland and peace and social justice groups established in 2011 when the 10 years in Afghanistan march and rally coincided with the occupations of Lownsdale and Chapman Squares downtown.
Many, many community groups throughout the area have collaborated on planning this event. Cosponsors of the Portland event include Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group, Occupy Portland, the Peace Action Committee of the First Unitarian Church, Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, KBOO Community Radio 90.7 FM (media cosponsor), Portland Burn Survivors, War Resisters League-Portland, American Iranian Friendship Council, Americans United for Palestinian Human Rights (AUPHR), Peace and Conflict Studies Program at Portland Community College, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom-Portland Branch, Augustana Lutheran Church, American Friends Service Committee, Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, Portland Jobs With Justice, Metanoia Peace Community, Alliance for Democracy-Portland Chapter, St. Francis of Assisi Parish and others.
Endorsers include Cascadians Against War, Right 2 Dream Too, Right 2 Survive, Recruiter Watch PDX, Little Light of Mine Friends Worship Group, East Timor Action Network/Portland, pdxjustice Media Productions, Freedom Socialist Party, Oregon Wildlife Federation, Back 2 the Wall, Veterans for Peace Chapter 72, Cascadia Chapter of the Pacific Green Party, Portland Alliance (media endorser), Flying Focus Video Collective (media endorser), Radical Women, People's Activist Cafe, Women in Black-Portland, Oak Grove Peace Vigil, Shelly's Garden, 18th Avenue Peace House, Living Earth Gatherings, Pdx Bike Swarm, Occupy Beaverton, Occupy Estacada, Vincente's Pizza, SisterSpirit, Northwest Veterans for Peace, Civil Liberties Defense Center, Portland Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), Jericho Project, International Socialist Organization, Portland Central America Solidarity Committee (PCASC), and others.
For more information, or to volunteer to help during these actions, contact Peace and Justice Works at 503-236-3065.