The Hottest People at Occupy Wall Street

Megan McCarthy — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:33:29 -0400

Days at the protest: Since a week ago last Thursday.
What brings you here? Revolution. It’s for the future of humanity. We need to change the way we treat people.
Do you have a message?Wake up. Love each other.
Hobbies:Art.

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What brings you here? Everything’s really messed up. It shouldn’t be like this for people who work so hard.
Do you have a message? People should come. Sooner or later, they will have to join, so it’s better to do it sooner.
Hobbies: Fighting for reproductive justice. (Started the New Paltz Voice for Choice.)

" data-medium-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/ashley-_zr.jpg?w=200" data-large-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/ashley-_zr.jpg?w=400" width="100" height="150" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/ashley-_zr.jpg?w=100" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Ashley Drzymala, 21, Student/Teacher's Assistant" /> Days at the protest: First day.
What brings you here? Good that our generation is starting to take a stand. Get out there and stick it to the man.
Do you have a message? If you’re able, bring food and supplies. Nothing’s going to change unless we start making a change.
Hobbies: Figure skating, sewing.

" data-medium-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/saba_zr.jpg?w=200" data-large-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/saba_zr.jpg?w=400" width="100" height="150" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/saba_zr.jpg?w=100" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Saba Gray, 18, Fashion Intern" /> Days at the protest: First day.
What brings you here? It’s awesome. What everyone else is here for: Democracy, freedom, and justice for all.
Do you have a message? Be the change you wish to see in the world.
Hobbies: I run a health blog (terronshealthadventures.blogspot.com) and music, art — just about anything that’s creative.

" data-medium-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/terron_zr.jpg?w=200" data-large-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/terron_zr.jpg?w=400" width="100" height="150" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/terron_zr.jpg?w=100" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Terron Wood, 25, Model" /> Days at the protest: First day (visiting from Toronto, ON).
What brings you here? There’s so many people here willing to mobilize for something new. There’s hunger, energy, awareness.
Do you have a message? Contribute 20 percent to the common good.
Hobbies: Shifting from scarcity to creativity and abundance. Redefining Profit. Tribal leadership. Coordinating for Toronto Global Shift.

" data-medium-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/joanna_zr.jpg?w=200" data-large-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/joanna_zr.jpg?w=400" width="100" height="150" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/joanna_zr.jpg?w=100" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Joanna Guerriere, 30, Life Coach" /> Days at the protest: First day – came to NYC for a belly dance workshop.
What brings you here? Wanted to see it. Wanted to feel it. I think this is awesome.
Do you have a message? Keep going, keep speaking. Hope this grows.
Hobbies: Belly dance, hula hoop, teaching English in South Korea.

" data-medium-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/bethiah_zr.jpg?w=200" data-large-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/bethiah_zr.jpg?w=400" width="100" height="150" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/bethiah_zr.jpg?w=100" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Bethiah Rosa, 23, 'a Bunch of Jobs'" /> Days at the protest: 19 days.
What brings you here? [Editor's note: Please see our previous coverage of Jesse's reasons for participating in the Occupy Wall Street protest and he could be the Smartest Man on Wall Street.]
Do you have a message? [Editor's note: Jesse had a pretty convincing message for a Fox News producer last week.]
Hobbies: I’m a total nerd. Read a lot, write a lot, curious a lot. Also, sports: Giants, Yankees, Knicks, Islanders.

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What brings you here? Pictures. And, of course, to support the movement too.
Do you have a message? A lot of people want to spread the word.
Hobbies: Photography and Human Rights. Studying abroad in India. Ballet.

" data-medium-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/zora_zr.jpg?w=200" data-large-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/zora_zr.jpg?w=400" width="100" height="150" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/zora_zr.jpg?w=100" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Zora Bowman, 19, Student" /> Days at the protest: First day.
What brings you here? I wanted to be part of history being made — or at least witness it.
Do you have a message? No.
Hobbies: Theater, bookstores, enjoying New York, anti-sex-trafficking work.

" data-medium-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/cara_zr.jpg?w=200" data-large-file="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/cara_zr.jpg?w=400" width="100" height="150" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/cara_zr.jpg?w=100" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="Cara Money, 22, Works for a Documentary Film Company" /> Days at the protest: Since the beginning.
What brings you here? Amazed that such a phenomenon can unfold under our noses. This is something different and new.
Do you have a message? This is a self-organized process. A city just sprung up here.
Hobbies: Filmmaking.

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Sunday afternoon, The Observer went down to Zuccotti Park to continue our series of portraits of protesters and other people drawn to the Financial District. Suddenly we noticed a trend: a preponderance of very attractive people in the crowd. Since Occupy Wall Street's foes love to dismiss the protesters as "druggy" and unhygenic, we thought we would highlight a few of the glamorous citizens of the 99 percent. Qualifications included charisma, optimism, or a certain way of bantering with a Fox News producer, but basically we shot anyone we just couldn't stop staring at. While we hope this gallery brings a new view to the people behind the Occupy Wall Street movement, we also hope it clears up any outstanding mysteries before the next round of Craigslist Missed Connections.

(All photographs by Zenith Richards for The Observer)

Observer » The Hottest People at Occupy Wall Street

The Hottest People at Occupy Wall Street