Poor People’s Campaign- Week 2

The California Poor People’s Campaign is uniting people and organizations across the state to challenge the evils of systemic racism, poverty, the war economy and ecological devastation.  This second week of the campaign focused on Systemic Racism, Voting Rights, Immigration, Islamaphobia and the destruction of Indigenous communities.

The May 21 non violent direct action  in Sacramento followed the May 14 launch of the nationwide poor people’s campaign.  In the first national action, on May 14s hundreds participated in non violent direct action in Washington  and were arrested, including Poor People’s Campaign co chairs William J. Barber II, and Liz Theoharis. They were taken into custody along with over a hundred people from various states.  Non violent events were held in over 35 state capitols the same day.

At the conclusion of the 40 days, on June 23, poor people and clergy and advocates from coast to coast will join together for a mass mobilization at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Speakers at the Sacramento event included representatives from CAIR . indigenous communities, Wes White of the Salinas Homeless Union, Melina Abdullah, Black Lives Matter, and religious leaders from numerous communities including the PICO Network, Pablo Reyes-Morales, SEIU Local 2015 and cofounder of NorCal Resisist.

After a rally packed with powerful voices from AIM, to BLM, to CIYJA, with leaders from the Islamic, Jewish and Christian faiths, we set off to deliver our demands to the Capitol. We filled the halls, singing, chanting, and blocking off Gov. Brown’s office while delivering him a letter with our grievances. 5 hours after we entered the Capitol, police arrested 18 Moral Witnesses who had committed to stay until our demands were addressed.

Poor People’s Campaign.  Endorsed by DSA.  Participated in by DSA.

See video at http://www.antiracismdsa.blogspot.com