21-year-old Cameron Whitten, a formerly-homeless African American youth and social justice activist who has been involved with Occupy Portland since its inception early last October, has been on hunger strike since June 2nd, 2012 as part of a 24-hour vigil outside Portland City Hall that has existed since the eviction of the original occupation. His three demands are ending homelessness by calling on the Portland City Council to implement a housing levy measure, dropping needless fines against service providers, and demanding that the Sheriff issue a 1-year moratorium on home foreclosures in Multnomah County.

According to his Facebook page, he advocates "improving government to give the People more oversight, authority, and accountability over elected officials, [...] implementing reforms that enable fair taxation, living wages, and campaign finance reform to provide equal opportunity for all," and "empowering marginalized communities to become champions, dismantle stereotypes, and reverse systemic oppression." He has been arrested four times seeking "redress of his grievances towards a government which has allowed economic, political, and social inequality to go on for far too long."

The following is a speech given by Cameron announcing a Day of Economic Justice on the 70th day of his hunger strike, August 10th. Find out more about Cameron, the specifics of his campaign, and how you can help at his blog: http://www.cameronwhitten.com/ You can also follow him on Twitter: @CameronWhitten

I would like to thank the speakers, and the rest of you all for attending. There is a coldness in the heat of our society. As the highest tier of Americans continue to profit, the gap of inequality widens, and invaluable lives are deprived of the basic essentials for survival.

Some may think that a hunger strike is a dangerous, ineffective tactic to address this crisis. Some may think that its not enough, where even in the worlds most prosperous nation, every 53 minutes an American child dies due to poverty. How many more are we willing to let die, before we act?

The theory of “housing first” states that providing a stable place to sleep significantly enables a person to find employment, recover from substance abuse, refrain from violence and crime, and seek mental health counseling at a lower cost to government. In a Progressive and Thriving City such as ours, if we were able to adapt such a powerful resolution, we would be more successful and resourceful in combating systemic poverty, rather than having our police force sweep vulnerable human beings from bridge, to doorways, to jail cells.

We entered this protest with three distinct goals. So far, advancement with the City has appeared a little bleak. But if you pay close attention, you can see a subtle change in our approach on the issue. I’d like to thank the Mayor and City Council for their responsiveness, their advocacy, and endless work behind the scenes to address our general welfare. We have their attention, and are beginning to broaden their policies to deal with the housing crisis.

Now, it is time for the citizenry do to their part. August 10th will be an observance of the 70th day of my hunger strike, and the day the United States’ Declaration of Independence first reached the streets of London. Beginning right here, we will host a rally, march, potluck, dance party, and slumber party. I strongly encourage the students, the workers, the unemployed and poor, those left in endless debt, and all others looked as being less than “middle class” to participate in our Day of Economic Justice.

There is so much visibility for this great cause, the whole world is watching. Now is the time for unity, not to divide amongst ourselves. I can see the light inside of every single one of you right now. Never surrender that power. Thank you.

Where: Union Square, NYC
When: Meet Up at 5PM
More info: http://unitedny.org/
RSVP on Facebook

Fight for better jobs, better wages, and the rights of all workers!

Across New York, our livelihoods are under attack. After years of massive layoffs and high rates of unemployment, wages and benefits are being cut from what used to be middle class jobs. On top of that, workers are working longer hours without overtime pay, health insurance or any retirement benefits.

Meanwhile minimum wage jobs are the fastest growing sector in the state growing ten-fold over the past five years.

A minimum wage earner employed full time makes just of $15,000/ year. That’s hardly enough to get by in New York. And many low-wage workers have tips and wages stolen by employers, forcing them to survive on even less.

Full-time work shouldn’t keep you in poverty. It’s time for workers to band together and demand respect in our work places. It is time to tell our elected officials that New York needs a raise. It’s time for broader prosperity across the country.

Where: Gather at Prospect Park Bandshell
Nearby trains: 1,2, Q, Franklin Avenue Shuttle
When: Sunday, July 22nd (tomorrow), from noon to 2.
Training will start on time, so please be prompt.

New Yorkers have had enough! Politicians and regulators have ignored our vocal opposition to the New York-New Jersey Expansion Project (Spectra pipeline). This pipeline will make New York dependent on hydro-fracked natural gas, create a serious safety hazard for New Yorkers living near the pipeline, and create a health risk by transporting gas with 70 times more radioactive radon than the gas New York currently uses. But we still have recourse to one tried and true method to halt construction: non-violent direct action.

This Sunday, July 22nd, join us in Prospect Park for a direct action training organized by OWS Environmental Solidarity. Trainers Goose & Jordan, of Hudson Valley Earth First!, will share the concrete skills needed to effectively halt construction, including blockades, soft-and hard-locks, police and worker outreach, media, and more.

NOTE: There will be a variety of roles involved in this training, including ones for people who do not feel comfortable being arrested. No one will be asked to do anything they don’t feel comfortable with. This is just a training, not the action itself. No one will be risking arrest by participating. Any risks will be made clear to people taking part in any eventual action.

More detailed information on why thousands of New Yorkers are resisting the pipeline here: http://saneenergyproject.org/2012/04/19/why-not-the-pipeline/

August 23rd to 26th, 2012 the Occupy The Midwest Conference will be taking place in Detroit, Michigan, hosted by Occupy Detroit. The summer conference will be the second gathering of Occupiers from around the Midwest, following the widely acclaimed success of the previous conference held during the spring in St. Louis, MO.

Occupiers from around the Midwest region will be meeting in Detroit for organizational meetings aimed at connecting Occupy movements for future projects, innovative "teach-ins" and workshops, fellowship, and entertainment. The theme for the summer conference is “Another World Is Possible”, highlighting a wide range of ideas from the Occupy movement aimed at improving the world through better local communities, while inspiring initiatives from citizens internationally. The failure of our current outdated systems has led to a demand for new and improved methods that meet the needs of all citizens, independent of a corrupt economic and social structure that benefits only a few at the expense of the many.

Regardless of someone's current level of involvement in the Occupy movement or activism in general, anyone concerned with social and economic justice is encouraged to attend the conference to exchange their ideas and visions for a better world. Topics like developing regional and local strategies, launching innovative DIY projects, urban communal living techniques, cooperative community building, and many others will be addressed. This conference will serve as an opportunity for everyone to gain skills that will immediately benefit our communities and promote self-reliance free from the limited corporate owned products and services that exist today.

Detroit was selected for the second Occupy The Midwest Conference because it serves as an unfortunate example of our failed economic system. Detroit was once a proud and iconic American city that represented the effort, pride, and character of the working class, serving as the epicenter of the American auto industry, while also acting as a major force in the entertainment industry. Today Detroit ranks amongst the highest rates in unemployment, empty housing, and crime, following the collapse of the auto industry and subsequent housing market collapse. No city in America better represents the harmful effects of corporate greed and political corruption than Detroit.

Occupy The Midwest is proud to meet in Detroit this August, not only to reinvigorate its citizens and communities, but also occupiers from around the country, providing unique opportunities to collaborate on projects that will have a direct impact in improving the lives of all people, regardless of economic status. While strengthening the relationships established at the spring conference, and building new relationships, Occupy The Midwest's summer conference will mark the beginning of a new phase of the Occupy movement, creating ideas and momentum that will evolve into an unstoppable community involving everyone who is passionate and truly believes that Another World Is Possible.

click here to register!

Occupy The Midwest is a coalition of Occupy movements from cities around the Midwest region, uniting in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and the Occupy people's movement worldwide.

http://www.occupythemidwest.org/
@occupythemidwes
OccupyTheMidwest@gmail.com

When: Sunday, July 22, 2012 11:10am until 7:00pm
Where: Travers Park - 78th St. Play Street, Jackson Heights, Queens, NY
More info: Occupy Queens | RSVP on Facebook | @OccupyTownSq

Schedule of Events

11am-3pm Occupy the Square:

Organizations' Information Tables • Open Community Speakout • Live Music • Folkloric Dance • Art Exhibition - Story Telling • Face Painting • Composting • Occupy Free Market (Swap) • Silk Screening • Political Discussions & Teach-ins:

• Housing Foreclosures and the Big Banks
• Immigration/Undocumented Status
• Stop and Frisk
• NYC Digital Commons (http://www.jacksonheights.nyc)
• Legal Residents' Voting Rights
• Impact of the Court's Healthcare Ruling
• The 1%'s Greed vs. the Hollis 99%: Abandoned vs. Affordable Housing
• Strike Debt assembly & Debtor's Speak-Out @12pm (https://www.facebook.com/events/134366816704042/)
• ... and more!

3-3:15pm Puppets Show
3:20-3:40pm Tax Dodgers 1% Base Ball Team vs. the 99% (https://www.facebook.com/events/134495150025001/)
3:40-4pm Ecuadorian Dance
4-4:45pm Community Speak-out
4:45-5:30pm Special GA
5:30-7 Issa Cabrera & Trio (Latin Jazz - Sponsored by Jackson Heights Beautification Group)
7pm Casseroles march to the 37th Road Plaza (https://www.facebook.com/events/464373573575892/) Bring a pot and a wooden spoon as we make some noise over the crisis in education and student debt.