Occupy overshadows weather, Veterans Day

RICHMOND — Despite cold and rainy weather, at least 60 protesters gathered in front of the city's Memorial Auditorium to decry income and wealth inequity, big banks and the Chevron Corp.'s appeal for refunding its property taxes at Occupy Richmond on Friday.

A banner plastered over the auditorium declared Chevron and Wells Fargo and Chase banks as Richmond's 1 percent.

"The 1 percent have this massive concentration of wealth, and the 99 percent is struggling to have their needs met," said Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, who skipped Veterans Day events to attend the extension of the Occupy Wall Street rallies.

"We need to adjust our priorities," McLaughlin said.

The focus of the event were speakers who made use of the open mic format to share stories of losing their homes, jobs and difficulties paying off student loans, as well as brainstorming solutions to achieve a more equal distribution of income and banking reform.

"Something needs to happen. Any opportunity needs to be taken to voice concerns and find solutions," said Eduardo Martinez, a Richmond Progressive Alliance member who also helped organize the event.

"The 1 percent aren't coming up with solutions. They're cutting health care and raising the cost of education. It's all stacked against us and not going to change."

When her turn came to speak at the microphone, McLaughlin justified her decision to attend Occupy Richmond instead of a Veterans Day memorial.

"We have a tradition in this country to stand up for our rights," she said.

"We're supporting veterans and they're suffering too. The 99 percent includes veterans."

City Council members Jovanka Beckles and Jeff Ritterman also came out to support the event.

Ritterman was one of many to speak out against Chevron and, on Tuesday, he, McLaughlin and City Council member Tom Butt proposed a resolution that asked Chevron to drop its property tax appeals.

Members of the RPA support the council members proposition.

"It's great being able to be in concert with your city leaders," RPA member Bill Pinkham said.

"It's really nice to be a part of a city where leaders come out and put their bodies on the line," he said.

Though many considered the turnout impressive considering the weather, some attendees noted the absence of younger occupiers, as the majority who attended were in their 40s and older.

McLaughlin said the movement needs more young people in order to grow in Richmond.

"We need to get them to understand this is a safe place. When they realize their future is at risk, the movement will spread like wildfire," she said.

The event was the second Occupy rally to take place in Richmond.

Richmond Spokes organized the first Occupy Richmond on Oct. 13 where protestors marched from the RPA office down Macdonald Avenue and stopped at the Richmond Civic Center Plaza, Martinez said.

"(The RPA) took up the mantle to make (Friday's event) happen and we hope other people take momentum and make it how other (Occupy protests) are, rather than a sputtering gasp for justice," he said.

On Saturday, the RPA held a workshop on how to move one's money from big banks to credit unions and smaller banks as an extension of the event.

Pinkham said he was sure the event would only bring a scattering of people, but was surprised by the large crowd of dedicated people.

"We need to remain in solidarity with other dedicated people in Richmond and amplify the Occupy movement in our area," he said.

"Hopefully we will continue to protest peacefully."

United Teachers of Richmond President Diane Brown related the movement to the public school system.

"The system is starting to turn our schools into charter schools. (Charter schools) only accept a unique group of students," she said.

"Students who need attention and money the most will end up in a system with the haves and have-nots."

Brown said the public must unite and be a collective voice to fuel the movement and boost the country's economy.

"We have some work to do. We showed up, but we have to fill up the courtyard," she said.

"There's power in numbers. We have to go out to our groups and spread the message so it is more concrete."