As a people from diverse cultural backgrounds mostly identifying as part of the 99%, we historically find ourselves witnessing unimagined poignant times. Across this country we witnessed how those of us, trained in watching and waiting, decided to take a stand and created a movement from coast to coast on our own terms. The Boston Women’s Fund maintained a close look at Occupy Boston, from day one up to December 10 and beyond, by seeking information as to where our grantee community of activists’ stood: where were those organizations and groups led by women and girls in relation to Occupy? How were they now envisioning their grassroots efforts in relation to Occupy, if at all? In our lead article, Beth Levanthal of The Network, La Red grappled with the issues of a movement still seeking to understand its common ground.
These stories from three of our new grantees detail the positive impact that their organizations have on their members. They write in their own words about the importance of the work that they do. The Brazilian Immigrant Center is a grassroots organization whose mission focuses on the training, advocacy, and organizing of immigrant workers. Gedakina is a multi-generational endeavor to strengthen the cultural identity and knowledge of Native American youth and families of New England. The Genki Spark is both an arts and advocacy organization that aims to share the art of Japanese taiko drumming and to promote the voice and visibility of Asian women.
Inspired by the Egyptian Tahrir Square uprising and the Spanish acampadas massive demonstrations by young workers, the Occupy Movement began in September 2011 on Wall Street as a nonviolent, leaderless resistance movement to end corporate greed and corruption in the United States. In the few months since its inception, the movement spread to hundreds of cities world-wide. The main slogan of Occupy, “We are the 99%”, refers to the fact that those in the top 1% income bracket control almost half of the wealth in the country. While those who occupy the encampments are activated around a wide variety of social and political issues, the “99%” campaign focuses first and foremost on capitalist-based oppression.
The Greater Fall River Domestic Violence Coalition is a collaboration of agencies that provide education, awareness and support to reduce domestic violence.
