One activist to another

I want to thank the Occupiers for their awareness of the inequalities that so many in our communities experience and for their courage to speak out and bring attention to them. I write as an activist from the ‘60’s in Vancouver, one of the Militant Mothers of Raymur in Vancouver’s East End. What we learned from our struggles might be helpful to the protesters today. Choose your issues and go after the people responsible on each one. It is fine to have conversations in your group about the variety of problems, but it is important to focus on and have a list of demands to put before the business or agency responsible for resolving the situation. If it is the banks don’t park at City Hall, they can’t do anything about bank policies.

I understand your frustration with much in our society but it takes work and effort to make change, not just sitting around and complaining. I encourage you to become focused, learn about the organization or agency you want to change and find the ways to do within each one. Thanks for seeing things as they are, thanks for caring, thanks for taking action, now to focus.

Toni Graeme,

Victoria