Yesterday afternoon it was sunny and warm. By this point, we almost knew the way to Zuccotti Park by heart. But the huge Megamarch planned for Wednesday didn’t start in the recently renamed Liberty Plaza: it began (for us at least) at Foley Square, right across from the steps where they filmed Law & Order. In the tiny park, union workers and students streamed in from either side of Worth Street and Broadway; history in the making. Their numbers were in the thousands. It was epic.
It was also exhausting. We may have sat down for a smoke break on the steps of 60 Centre Street, where we may have run into an ex from long ago, who may or may not currently be a city council member.
“I’m confused,” this hypothetical friend said, “I thought these were supposed to be all these young liberals, but I just saw a sign that said ‘Destroy the Federal Reserve.’ Are the Ron Paul Libertarians involved in this now?”
We wished we had an answer for him. Yesterday’s Megamarch contained a much more diverse group of people than our first portrait excursion last week. With the unions added, we spoke to men and women who were well past retirement age; With the student walk-outs, we also spoke to people young enough to be their grandkids. And while everyone seemed to have gotten Jesse LaGreca‘s memo on how to talk to journalists and staying on message with the 99 % line, the range in ages, lifestyles, and yes — socio-economic background — yesterday’s rally was ultimately a testament to the American melting pot of dissatisfaction. A reoccurring slogan we heard almost as much as “This is what democracy looks like!” was “This isn’t a real rally, you should have been there for the WTO/Vietnam/RNC demonstration.”
It wasn’t all bad though. At the very least, we got to experience what it was like to have an 80-year-old woman school us on proper police etiquette, should we ever be arrested. “Always carry your I.D. and $25 in your wallet for bail,” we were told, and assumed that our new friend wasn’t counting inflation.
Here then, are 50 portraits displaying the range of people we saw yesterday: students, union workers, lawyers, the unemployed, the disenfranchised, the media news hosts….all of them. Enjoy.
Photos courtesy of Marielle Solan
This is my beautiful daughter and I’m proud of her for standing up for what she believes in. I believe in her, and I’m sorry that she and so many other talented and willing young people have been made to suffer under our recent economy. Our wonderful country is being robbed of some of its best and most valuable resources!
I can say the same for my beautiful granddaughter and share your disappointment in what our country has become.
SAG? That means she works maybe 2x a year.
Got to love the mixed messages. No one knows what this protest is about, its just a protest to protest. Picture 32, a doctor at the protest inhis lab coat. Hope you dry clean it before you go back to the hospital…how many germs did you pick up on that coat while wearing it around 10,000 people. Health over Wealth, ok, how about Health despite stupidity!
The middle class is shrinking, jobs where one can earn a living wage are disappearing and poverty is becoming a fact of life for millions of Americans (20 percent of children are growing up in poverty).
Meanwhile, the wealthiest among us are doing better than ever. A strong society needs a strong middle class, but the politicians are more interested in raising money for their next campaign and playing political games than in effecting policies of value to anyone but the elite.
Many are frustrated with the status quo and are seeking change by joining their voices to enact a cultural shift after feeling disappointed by the double speak of both parties. Why do we bail out banks who in turn kick people out of their homes? Why do we let politicians give lip service to a great America, while they enact policies that keep power concentrated in such a limited supply? How bad does it have to get before we tell them this isn’t acceptable?
Occupy Wall Street is a protest against a system that isn’t working. That’s why it doesn’t look like part of the system.
Will it be effective? I don’t know, but I don’t understand the anger. We’re all in this together.
Picture 23, “What brought you down here today? “Social-economic inequality. I think this march is fantastic; it’s part of a revolution.”" Well, lets look at that sign, Close corproate loopholes, ok; Tax religious groups, thats a new one; End the Wars, you mean just end them regardless of national security?; Legalize weed, yeah that one everyone there is behind! And bring back arrested development, thr group or the show? Neither are worth bringing back!
Picture 39, looking for a sugar daddy? Make out not war? You better put out if you want your sugar daddy!
England isn’t *that* de-unionised (25% union membership rate)
Great Pic, Ahmed. i am so proud of you, my brother. the time has come for us to claim our country back, and yes, this is the biggest family and it is much bigger than NY, and the entire US, and most certainly the time has come for us to look after one another after those piggish bankers have abandoned their responsibility to social equity.
Fuck off & get a job, or Better yet CREATE a fucking job YOU WHINING BABIES!, This is a product of being told all their life that “They’re Special” Obviously They are NOT, YOU dirtbag, LAZY FUCKS DO NOT REPRESENT MORE THAN 10% OF The USA, & YOU ARE LOSERS, Being manipulated bu a wannabe dictator & a bunch of Socialist Union FUCKTARDS.
Drop your Balls down from your Vaginas, & Apply your supposed talents to make some of the Green you covet so much. Nothing is FREE! If you can’t Grow The FUCK UP, Then SHUT THE FUCK UP!
It is best to see recent American history in terms of medicine: one per cent of the population is a psychopath… without conscience, that is they have no mental machinery for conscience. It is interesting that it is also 1% who “make all the money” right now. It is, I consider, well proven that there is a significant matching statistical correlation between the two groups. Based on the normal allocation of human merit, somewhere between 5 and 10% of the population (maybe even up to 30% of the population) should earn most of the money.
you are being manipulated by the ” isms ” lurking in the background. Pres wants to become Dictator
this was my physics teacher last year.
These pictures are worth so many words. The characters captured by the photographer, Marielle Solan , are historical if not museum worthy. The diversity of faces…..you gotta love it all.
Thanks for the coverage for us out in the hinterlands.
Proud of you Ted!
It is best to see recent American history in terms of medicine: one per cent of the population is a psychopath… without conscience, that is they have no mental machinery for conscience. It is interesting that it is also 1% who “make all the money” right now. It is, I consider, well proven that there is a significant matching statistical correlation between the two groups. Based on the normal allocation of human merit, somewhere between 5 and 10% of the population (maybe even up to 30% of the population) should earn most of the money.
I sympathize with some of what they’re saying about Wall Street and the bailouts. However their appearance, messages, and politics are just to the other extreme of the Tea party. Now that the unions are involved, it just makes things hypocritical. The unions extort money from taxpayers and businesses just like Wall Street. Union greed comes at price as well.
Realist , you need to study your history. Wall Street has been plundering our economy for a long, long time now — interested only in profits for the investor class (the 1%).
The unions have done more than any other institution to raise the standard of living for the rest of us — union members and non-members alike.
In 1969, I protested too, expecting a revolution or the Age of Aquarius that never happened. So pardon me if I see “Occupy Wall Street” as a futile endeavor.
this is the stock that told England to blow it and boarded the
Mayflower and then told England to blow it again, don’t mess with this
people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BUT WHAT IS YOUR GOAL ? YOU CAN’T REPLACE OUR GOV. WITH THE “ISMS” PROMOTING THIS RALLY. THE PRES & REID ARE THE HOLDUP.
I know exactly why I support the occupation. 9.1% unemployment rate…and you say “Stop whining and go get a job?” Really?! Where are the jobs you speak of? I hear so much anger and even hatred coming from people against the occupy movement. I am not going to stoop that low. I am just going to keep resisting…every step of the way. Huff and puff all you want, you’re not going to hold us back. Good luck to you–especially if you are in the 99%.
Beautiful and so inspiring. I live in Canada and I am SO proud of my country right now. Thank you for sharing!!
Shuka shouts out the Zen imperative: WAKE UP!!
This is my beautiful, bright and talented daughter, who has been engaged by the cause of the Occupy Wall Street Movement in ways that make me very proud of her.