Real Change homeless organizing project

In case you missed the March 13th Camp Out for Change event last week, I thought you might appreciate a quick recap. Overall, we had more than 200 people turn out for some part of the day. About 70 people divided into teams and waved signs, gathered signatures, and handed out leaflets over the lunch hour and during the evening rush on Thursday. Close to 200 people came to City Hall Plaza and shared a meal served by leaders in the religious community. And more than 150 people spent the night, camped out in tents, tarps, and cardboard boxes on City Hall Plaza to demand justice!

Even though it was rainy and cold, some of had so much fun, we wanted to relive it, and share that with you. You can see our Flickr photo set here. You can read Tim Harris' blog posting about the event here.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/24913618@N08/sets/72157604167284518
http://apesmaslament.blogspot.com/2008/03/ten-tents-my-ass.html



Participants were housed and homeless alike. New relationships were forged and existing ones were strengthened. After camping out myself, I feel a renewed sense of being together in the struggle for justice. Most notably, I feel a deeper connection with John, Deb, Michael, Richard, Margaret, Calvin and the many other Real Change vendors who attended and helped plan this event. We talk a lot at Real Change about the relationships that are built between people who are homeless and those who are not, and the importance of these relationships has never been more meaningful to me. They're my colleagues and my friends, and they're the people the Mayor is trying to sweep out of our city.

If you'd like to join the Real Change Organizing Project in preventing that, and in addressing the most pressing issues we're facing: housing affordability, growing inequality, and protection of civil and human rights, consider joining us at our next organizing meeting.

We meet the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of every month, and have an orientation prior to each meeting. The next meeting will take place on Tuesday February 26, from 6 to 7:30 PM at 1531-1st Avenue (1st and Pine, just to the left of a big bright record store called Swerve.) Arrive by 6:15 and there will be someone at the door to let you in. Orientation takes place at Real Change, 2129 Second Ave., in Belltown, from 5 to 5:45 PM. Please RSVP if you can make it to
organizer{at} realchangenews.org