"power to the people"

it's been hot here.
and really inspiring.

yesterday i went to a workshop entitled "progressive anarchy: anarchism for the future." the workshop was composed of people from a variety of anarchist movements/organizations, including NEFAC (NorthEastern Federation of Anarcho-Communists), Atlanta Anarchists, WSA (Workers' Solidarity Association), and NYMAA (NY Metro Alliance of Anarchists). My friend Kelly from Boston was reppin NEFAC...I was especially moved by her talk, and really felt connected to what she had to say. She talked about how she used to steer away from explicitly anarchist organizations/organizing because she felt it wasn't really speaking in concrete and pragmatic ways to working people of colors' experiences. But after time she felt like she had to be a bridge between the two (identifying in both areas), and this is the reason why she is in NEFAC....because these folks ARE doing anarchist work (direct democracy, concensus, horizontal relationships) without an explicit identification. i really felt her on that and was really glad that another anti-authoritarian woman of color felt that way too.

after that i was going to attend a workshop on Participatory Economics with Michael Alpert, but heard (through the grapevine) of an unpermitted march through the streets of Atlanta organized by the Poor Peoples' Economic Movement of Atlanta. some of us headed over to that. this experience not only gave me an opportunity to see outside Atlanta, but also talk to some folks from the surrounding area (in the SWELTERING HEAT!!) about their concerns and organizing. after an hour of marching in the atlanta heat, we ended our march at the Coke HQ, demanding that Coke end its abuses in Colombia...as a Colombian solidarity activist, i was really moved by the solidarity that was shown by all these folks for my people.

one of our chants was

power to the people
(power to the people)
the people's power
(the people's power)

and i really felt that.
and will bring that feeling back with me to providence.