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.”
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