May 31: Occupella Joins the Wild Old Women at their Weekly Bank of America Protest

Update: A fabulous time was had by all, except perhaps the Bank of America security guards who locked up the front door of the bank branch once the protestors arrived.

WHAT: Occupella joins the Wild Old Women at their weekly Bank of America protest

WHEN: May 31, noon.

WHERE: Bank of America Branch, 3250 Mission Street @29th Street, San Francisco

WHY: Occupy Bernal is again in the press, under headlines such as “Occupy Bernal Blocks Auction of Foreclosed Home in San Francisco” and “Occupy Bernal Succeeds in Stalling Foreclosures.” On Thursday, the hilltop neighborhood’s famously fierce senior women invite some musical friends to celebrate, protest, and make noise, as part of their notorious weekly visits to the bank. Some say the future of Occupy is in local, neighborhood-based work — on Thursday May 31, the Wild Old Women and Occupella show how it’s done.

WHO:
Occupella describes itself: “Informal public singing at Bay Area occupation sites, marches and at BART stations. We sing to promote peace, justice, and an end to corporate domination, especially in support of the Occupy movement.”

IMG_5205_1

Contact: Tita Caldwell, titacal@aol.com; 415-505-9391

Press:
“In addition to some original material, Occupella rewrites well-known songs with Occupy-relevant lyrics.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/09/occupella-san-francisco_n_1413626.html

“The group … hopes commuters will walk away with a song in their head, or better yet, join in and sing.”
http://missionlocal.org/2012/04/occupella-sings-in-the-mission/

The Wild Old Women describe themselves: “Our action was started in December 2011 by a group of nine women who live in affordable senior housing in Bernal Heights.  Since then we have “occupied” the sidewalk in front of the Bank of America every Thursday from 12 – 1 p.m.  We have been joined by friends and political allies, as well as strangers who have stopped and talked to us. Our object is to protest the bank’s practice of foreclosing on people’s homes, and of raising the fees of low income people. We are also acting in solidarity with the Occupy movement, and are happy to be part of Occupy Bernal.”

Press:
“It was a slow-moving Occupy Wall Street protest, but it was an effective one.”
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/01/05/wild-old-women-close-san-francisco-bank-of-america-branch/

“There’s no chanting, tents, or tear gas, and certainly no cops in riot gear. Rather, the Wild Old Women hold signs and hand out pamphlets, trying to talk to people and convince them to move their money out of the big banks.”
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2012/01/wild_old_women_tita_caldwell.php

Photos:
http://occupybernal.org/wordpress/?attachment_id=212

http://occupybernal.org/wordpress/?p=238

http://occupybernal.org/wordpress/?p=190

Occupy Bernal is a neighborhood-based Occupy currently focusing on preventing the banks from throwing our neighbors out of their homes. Web: http://www.occupybernal.org

To sign up for the Occupy Bernal press list and/or obtain photos and video of the event, see http://www.occupybernal.org/press

A family-friendly street party and the Good Neighbor Awards

Video of the Occupy Bernal Fiesta by selene video

Occupy Bernal Media Advisory
For Immediate Release

Contact: Annie B., 415-483-9138, press@occupybernal.org

What: A family-friendly street party and the Good Neighbor Awards.

Where: Andover Street between Cortland and Ellert

When: May 19, 2012 from 1-4 p.m.

Occupy Bernal is proud to have helped prevent the evictions of some of our neighbors! To show appreciation for the hard work and perseverance of Bernal locals, we’re throwing a “foreclosure fighter” fiesta.

In addition to hobnobbing with our neighbors; still in their homes no thanks to the banks:

– the infamous Wild Old Women who regularly shut down the local Bank of America branch to national acclaim are expected

– hear organizer Stardust play oboe in the Occupy Bernal Band

– see Occupy Bernal instigator Beth Stephens and artist/activist Annie Sprinkle hand out the awards to neighbors whose homes are in foreclosure and who are fighting to stop predatory bank practices.

– eat barbecue cooked by foreclosure fighter Tom German

– enjoy a potluck, live music, kids activities, education, silkscreening with Families Occupy San Francisco [ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Families-Occupy-San-Francisco/236531299734365 ], and lots more

Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/349658901761052

To sign up for the Occupy Bernal press list and/or obtain photos and video of the event, see http://www.occupybernal.org/press

“Wild Old Women” Protest Closes Bank of America Branch

Once again about 40 protestors, led by the Wild Old Women (WOW) affinity group of Occupy Bernal, picketed a Bank of America branch at 3250 Mission St. today to protest for-profit evictions and foreclosures, as well as poor bank treatment of the elderly and the banks not paying their fair of taxes. The B of A branch staff closed and locked both doors of the bank and posted a sign (see picture below). Thanks to the WOW for pulling this together!

This protest is a weekly action at 12:00-1:00pm on Thursdays, except instead of Thursday, January 19, the action will switch to 9:00am on Friday, January 20, in solidarity with the Occupy Wall St West actions throughout the city focusing on the S.F. Financial District.

Join our neighbors in the Mission for a protest at 12:00 noon on Saturday, January 14, at the 16th Mission BART station plaza.

Pictures of the protest:

“Wild Old Women” Protest to Keep Bernal Neighbors in Our Homes

Occupy Bernal Media Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Stardust, +1 415 425-3936, press@occupywallstwest.org

Run On The Banks: No More Evictions or Foreclosures For Profit!
“Wild Old Women” Protest to Keep Bernal Neighbors in Our Homes

San Francisco – January 12, 2012 – Occupy Bernal’s “Wild Old Women” (WOW) affinity group announced another protest at the Bank of America as part of an escalating series of “Run On The Bank” actions to demand an end to for-profit evictions and foreclosures in San Francisco and beyond:

12:00-1:00pm, Thursday, January 12: Bank of America, 3250 Mission St.
Senior protestors from Occupy Bernal tell B of A to stop raising fees, pay fair taxes, and use the bailout money to stop foreclosures.

12:00 noon, Saturday, January 14: Plaza above 16th St Mission BART station
No more for-profit evictions in the Mission District!

6:00-8:00pm, Sunday, January 15: Location TBA
OccupySF will conduct a General Assembly/Town Hall Meeting in the Mission District – everyone from the neighborhood is welcome/encouraged to attend and participate in an open discussion regarding issues local to the Mission and their correlation with the Occupy Movement

All Day, Friday, January 20: Dozens of Locations Focused on SF Financial District
Occupy Wall St West actions to shut down the financial district’s banks and corporations most involved in evicting tenants and homeowners.

These protests follow on successful protests that shut down bank branches in Bernal on January 5 and the Excelsior on January 7.

To sign up for the Occupy Bernal presslist and/or obtain photos and video of the actions, see http://www.occupybernal.org/press

To sign up for the Occupy Wall St West presslist and/or obtain photos and video of the actions , see http://www.occupywallstwest.org/press

For more information, see http://www.occupybernal.org, http://www.occupywallstwest.org, and http://www.occupysf.org

– 30 –

Occupy Bernal Action at Bank of America Branch

About 40 protestors, led by the Wild Old Women (WOW) affinity group, picketed a Bank of America branch at 3250 Mission St. today to protest for-profit evictions and foreclosures, as well as poor bank treatment of the elderly and the banks not paying their fair of taxes. The B of A branch staff closed and locked their front door. At first we thought they had closed for the day, but it turns out their back entrance was still open. We made lots of great contacts with people on the street and lots of mainstream media covered the event. Thanks to the WOW for pulling this together!

This protest is a weekly action at 12:00-1:00pm on Thursdays, except instead of Thursday, January 19, the action will switch to 9:00am on Friday, January 20, in solidarity with the Occupy Wall St West actions throughout the city focusing on the S.F. Financial District.

Join our neighbors in the Excelsior at their protest at 12:00 noon this Saturday, January 7, at the Persia Triangle (Mission St., Ocean Ave, and Persia) and head to the Mission for a protest at 12:00 noon on Saturday, January 14, at the 16th Mission BART station plaza.

Pictures of the protest:

Media Coverage of Occupy Bernal Action at Bank of America Branch

In addition to the extensive television coverage, here is some other media coverage about the January 5, 2012, Occupy Bernal action at the Bank of America branch at 3250 Mission Street:

Other recent media coverage: