Occupy Ypsilanti to host first teach-in on Saturday at Woodruff's
Occupy Ypsilanti is inviting the public to join in a community discussion at Woodruff’s in Depot Town Saturday.
The event is the group’s first teach-in and will boast a variety of speakers from 3 to 5 p.m.
Topics to be discussed include the history, purpose and role of unionized movements in America, as well as current events and state and federal policies, said Mark Maynard with the local Occupy organization.
The event also will serve to define the direction of the Occupy movement in Ypsilanti.
Maynard said events like this help to promote understanding and empower people.
“I think so many people feel frustrated and alone with what’s going on in America right now,” he said. “Their jobs are tenuous, they don’t know what they’d do without health insurance … so doing this is really about establishing camaraderie and letting people know that other people are facing the same things.”
For children in attendance Saturday, there will be an origami workshop led by SolarYpsi’s Dave Strenski. SolarYpsi is a volunteer-based organization committed to promoting and achieving sustainability in Ypsilanti.
According to Occupy Ypsilanti’s Tumblr page, there are six speakers scheduled to appear. They will include:
- Howard Bunsis — former treasurer of the Eastern Michigan University faculty union.
- Natalia Harris — a once homeless Ypsilanti teenager who was awarded the Ann Arbor Jaycees’ Outstanding Michigander Award in October.
- Peter Linebaugh — historian and author of “"The Magna Carta Manifesto: Liberties and Commons for All.”
- Maria Cotera — assistant professor of American culture and women’s studies at the University of Michigan
The Occupy Ypsilanti movement is still fairly new, Maynard said.
“We’ve had a few little marches in town recently with a dozen or so people with signs about ending corporate welfare and funding our schools and other things that resonate with us,” he said.
He said the best part about a “do-it-yourself” movement like Occupy is there aren’t any real leaders and it can be whatever the community involved strives to make it.
The speakers will help share different perspectives on how people of color and of various stations in life can become involved in or might view the movement, Maynard said.
For more information, contact Occupy Ypsilanti at occupyprop@gmail.com.
Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.
Comments
Goofus
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 3:26 p.m.
You know what the big plus of this event is..? The big plus of Ypsilanti in general? No John Sinclair. It's nice to see a 100% non-John Sinclair event locally.
genetracy
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 6:03 p.m.
I am sure John would like to be there but he is probably too busy organizing this year's tribute to substance abuse known as the "Hash Bash".
Bob Krzewinski
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 3:26 p.m.
On the Tea Party having candidates they support. Thats right, the local Ypsi Township Tea Party welcomed to town, and seemed to really support... Herman Cain. On the Occupy movement, keep in mind the saying ""First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."
lefty48197
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 3:22 p.m.
It's funny that the right wingers get so up in arms about the occupy movement. Their knee jerk reaction is to claim that the protestors are all lazy, unemployed with no desire to hold a job and who want to live off welfare their whole lives. It's funny but also sad that the rigth wingers jump to these conclusions without ever seeing, meeting, or speaking with any of the protestors.
northside
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 4:20 p.m.
The right quickly resorts to slinging mud at Occupy because there is no good response to the movement's main point: that 1% of the nation having 40% of the wealth is unjust. Their only response is to distort what the movement is about or resort to name-calling. What's even funnier in relation to this article is that of the four speakers listed, three have jobs and one is in grad school. Some of those who commented are themselves so lazy that they didn't even bother to read the article.
information please
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.
Correction: Bunsis is the current Treasurer and former President of EMU AAUP, and is Treasurer for the National AAUP Council <a href="http://www.emu-aaup.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=200089" rel='nofollow'>http://www.emu-aaup.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=200089</a>
Usual Suspect
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 1:23 a.m.
I didn't know the Flea Party was active in Ypsi.
Billy Bob Schwartz
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 4:49 p.m.
north...It is what it is. A flea is a flea is a flea. :-)
northside
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 2:30 p.m.
Interesting that referring to other people as fleas doesn't get a post removed from this site.
Usual Suspect
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 3:57 a.m.
OK, and you you keep up your MSLSD-assigned talking points. They're better than doing your own thinking.
Homeland Conspiracy
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 3:24 a.m.
Keep watching Fox News. Name calling is way better that any kind of debate.
Arborcomment
Fri, Dec 9, 2011 : 11:40 p.m.
These folks may be able to speak: <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-occupy-protesters-marched-from-wall-street-to-dc/2011/11/29/gIQAmHAwKO_story.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-occupy-protesters-marched-from-wall-street-to-dc/2011/11/29/gIQAmHAwKO_story.html</a>
xmo
Fri, Dec 9, 2011 : 11:29 p.m.
I was trying to figure out what are the "Occupiers" trying to accomplish and I guess it slipped out during the interview "the history, purpose and role of unionized movements in America, " At least the TEA PARTY has candidates running for office, the "Occupy Crowd" is just another group in the Democrat Party supporting Union Workers. How BORING!
Jessie
Sun, Dec 11, 2011 : 5:30 p.m.
We have no party. And who was being interviewed? There were several speakers covering a variety of topics affecting our country and world. Unions were one of them, but so was education, liberties and rights, and yes history was also shared. Please come to an Occupy Teach In or event sometime before you judge the movement and people based upon what you watch on the television or see on the news. Do you believe everything you see on tv or read in print?
northside
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 4:07 p.m.
Many people in the Occupy movement view the country's political process as broken, especially the two-party system. So the movement isn't interested in running candidates for office, at least at this time.
Billy Bob Schwartz
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 12:34 a.m.
Teagroup has candidates, all right. What a totally amazing pack of third-level nincompoops. Who's left now for President? I guess Newt. Surely, you don't consider Mitt a teagroupie, do you? And Newt?? What a joker. S o you are offering America a guy who was kicked out of the Speaker's position by the House by a huge margin, and has gone through wives and sweeties faster than a kid through candy (well, kind of LIKE a kid with candy), and is 70% conservative and 30% liberal. If you like Mitt, which Mitt do you like? Left-face or Right-face Mitt? I don't think this slew of misfits really is much to brag about. I will wait awhile to see what a resurrected middle class voter will actually do next year.
Dante Marcos
Fri, Dec 9, 2011 : 10:24 p.m.
Things are about to get beautiful.
genetracy
Fri, Dec 9, 2011 : 10:24 p.m.
Occupy Ypsi? Just how many members of the 1% club live there? Drive through the city. It is in shambles and is in danger of state takeover. And these attendees want a stop to corporate welfare? All the major corporations (former union shops) are gone. So what are you asking for, welfare of your own? Get a paycheck to have a teach in? Uh, who is suppose to pay for this? Oh, I get it, the taxpayer.
Jessie
Sun, Dec 11, 2011 : 5:27 p.m.
The taxpayer did not pay for this teach in. No one did. The speakers all volunteered their time and energy. The Occupy movement has several different facets, one being income inequality in this country, which yes, you can see apparent throughout Ypsilanti. Another issue is one of student debt, privatization of schools, and tuition hikes. Many there yesterday were also students. The issues of the 99% effect everyone, even you dear, whether you choose to recognize it or not. We are fighting for your rights too, which are being threatened in this country more and more.
Danielle
Sun, Dec 11, 2011 : 9:19 a.m.
Genetracy, it doesn't matter how many of the 1% live here. We are still affected by what they are doing to everybody else, and that's a bad picture.
northside
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 2:21 p.m.
Gene wealth has already been redistributed - upward - in this country. 1% of the population does not do 40% of the work, yet they've got 40% of the wealth.
genetracy
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 12:49 a.m.
I am not whining, whining is the tenor of the whole occupy movement. I just point out the obvious. The self proclaimed leaders on the occupy crowd demand a redistribution of wealth in this country which means right into their pockets.
Billy Bob Schwartz
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 12:25 a.m.
You know, the people of Ypsi aren't nailed down. They may go to other places to live or seek work. It won't hurt if they have a better understanding of their world. Are you against learning, or do you just like to make snide comments and whine for the "taxpayer"? Every vote in every election by people who understand and detest the ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods and services, as well as the buying of the government of America, by a tiny minority of the people is a vote to help straighten this out. Whine all you want. The middle class is sick and tired of the one percenters and their minions and is heading toward getting the power back from these critters. Who is getting paid to have a teachin? I guess I missed that part.
rob
Fri, Dec 9, 2011 : 10:14 p.m.
Bring a bunch of applications and set up a job fair on the sidewalk out front - nobody would dare cross that line.
lefty48197
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 3:24 p.m.
How ignorant to think that unemployed people today dont' even want jobs. I guess it's how you justify destroying an economy without feeling guilty for the victims.
northside
Sat, Dec 10, 2011 : 2:08 p.m.
That's hilarious Rob! And so original! Like nothing ever written on this site before.