Occupiers

“I don’t know of a movement that unfolds in less than a decade. People are impatient—and some of them are too quick to pass judgment—but Occupy Wall Street is the beginning, I think, of a great movement. One of a series of movements that has episodically changed history.”

Professor Frances Fox Piven
New York City, May 2012

"This is my therapy, man. So yeah, it does something for me. It’s fulfilling. And it’s given me courage, it’s boosted my self-esteem, to where I’m now ready to go out and engage this world."

Dwayne, Occupy Denver

"My well-being is tied to your well-being, that’s key. And as a people, if we can figure that piece out … then we’ll have a revolution."

Amalia, (un)Occupy Albuquerque

In 2011-2013, we interviewed more than 200 people in 42 occupations across 27 states. Here are those who are featured in the film Occupy Wall Street: An American Dream. Please visit the Films page for more information.

"I’m here because you got people out here sleeping, jobless, no healthcare. You go to the hospital, they turn you away." Antonio, Occupy Philadelphia
"They [the 1%] are scared of what the people are trying to accomplish. They don’t want change. They wanna keep it the way it is." Arturo, Occupy Los Angeles
Bill and Kai, (un)Occupy Albuquerque
"I’m getting way over my head in loans and debt. I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, where are the jobs at?" Austin, Occupy Lexington
"We’re reclaiming the commons on behalf of the demos, the demos is the people, the democracy is based on the public square." Charles, Occupy Fullerton
"Wealth is being too concentrated, it's that simple." Chuck and Mary, Youngstown, OH
Chuck Jr., Occupy Youngstown
"[The Occupy camp] occupies our minds and our hearts and souls, from morning 'til night!" Cyndi, Occupy Boise
"Here’s a place where I can serve at and know that I’m connected to 2,700 other cities internationally in a movement of conscious awareness." Dwayne, Occupy Denver
"The movement as a whole has a lot to do with building the new society. Because if we’re not gonna do it, who is?" Jane, Occupy Detroit
"When you live with somebody, you start thinking of people with wildly different backgrounds as a family. And you’ll fight for your family. That’s what sets this apart from all the protests that have come before." Joe, Occupy Detroit
"Direct democracy for everything. More like a co-op. Why not? This ain’t working!" Joe, Occupy Tucson
"This is not about the racial or gay movement. It’s a movement about the people, the 99%, the ones that corporate America got its foot on their neck!" John, Occupy Pittsburgh
"This is the greatest thing that's ever happened in my lifetime." Lindy, Occupy Laramie
Maria, Occupy Seattle
Mary, Occupy Tucson
"How is it that a major corporation showing record profits pays less taxes than the employees at the bottom who sweep the floor? Doesn’t make sense. It’s wrong!" Michael, Occupy Nashville
"For one job, there's over 2,000 people lined up!" Mildred, Houston, TX
"This country isn’t broke. This country doesn’t have a budget crisis. It has a distribution crisis: The money is stuck at the top!" Author Naomi Klein
"I still didn’t have enough money to survive on. I would have to choose on paying the utilities and getting food, or [...] paying the utilities and getting my medicine." Nat, Occupy Nashville
"Many people in my family are very disillusioned by the American Dream and, if anything, have become more alienated, by feeling like maybe they somehow failed at it. That’s heartbreaking to me." Natalie, (un)Occupy Albuquerque
"Participation in the movement is the most transformative part of the process. That’s what changes your consciousness." Professor Frances Fox Piven
"If democracy is a social value, how in the world can you justify excluding it from (the workplace), where adults spend most of their adult life?" Professor Richard D. Wolff
Ralf, Occupy Salt Lake City
Robert, Occupy Cheyenne
"What I mean by 'the system' is the intersection of corporate interests and the state." Sam, Occupy Honolulu
"It’s just not true that diversity of tactics can work in such a way that you do your thing, I do mine, and everything comes out well in the end." Historian Staughton Lynd
"The people of color here feel that this is our chance to rise up for equality, and we can’t let the white middle class dominate it, because once they get their stuff back, they’re going to throw us to the curb." Tami, Occupy Albuquerque
"I’ve come to the conclusion that the 1% is obsessive-compulsive hoarders, and we the people have been the enablers. And it's time to have an intervention!" Tim, Occupy Little Rock
"We thought it was going to be 20 people camping in New York for 3 days. And it turned into something that was literally global." Thomas, Occupy Youngstown
Stephanie, Occupy Tulsa
"It’s not true that you can’t fight city hall. If there’s enough of us, we can fight city hall. And you’re not gonna do that by ... putting blurbs on Facebook." Sherry, Occupy Tucson
Shannon, Occupy Tucson
Rocio, New Era Windows, Chicago
Robb, Occupy Albuquerque
"But if I fight and lose, at least I fought." Ricky, New Era Windows, Chicago
"I think labor has been committing slow suicide for a long time. And I think Occupy actually reversed that!" Michael, Occupy Los Angeles
"It was for a cause, but it’s more homeless people out here in the tents now." Melita, Detroit, MI
"The greatest fear is not that people will create a health risk here. The greatest fear is that people will become organized and create a political risk!" Malik, Occupy New Orleans
"This is what’s happening: Occupy is freed up from being in a stationary place to create actions where they’re needed!" Lynn, Occupy Youngstown
"If you want to appeal to the broader masses in the city and actually represent the 99%, you have to fight what’s hurting them." Leila, Occupy Atlanta
"[The 1%] cannot withstand a collective, educated withdrawal of faith in their power." Kenneth, Occupy Tucson
"Hawaii’s been occupied all along. We never consented to the U.S. occupation here in Hawaii today." Kekane Pa, Reinstated Hawaiian Government
“I don’t know if it’s growing. But I think the people involved are getting stronger.” Karen, Occupy Youngstown
"It’s still about corporate influence in our government, so no matter whether or not it’s called Occupy, I think that’s the lens you can use to see that it’s most definitely growing." Jonathan, Occupy Youngstown
"We get things done. And I'm kinda happy they took away our tent." John, Occupy Youngstown
"It was just a blessing when I heard about Occupy Atlanta." Chris, Atlanta, GA
"I think moreso than any movement I’ve been a part of, the voice of the individual is seen as in some ways more important than the voice of the whole." Brooke, Occupy Wall Street, NYC
"People can do a lot more running a business than what they’re given credit for." Brendan, The Working World
Armando, New Era Windows, Chicago
"That word 'occupy'? It hurts. Because it means the destruction of my people." Amalia, (un)Occupy Albuquerque
"We’ll be out as long as people are fighting for the Occupy movement." Adam, Occupy Allentown
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