More than 70 UCCS community members gathered on El Pomar Plaza Tuesday afternoon to participate in an Occupy Wall Street teach-in.
The event allowed community members to discuss the meaning and implications of the Occupy Wall Street movement with local activists.
“Our goal is to provide a place for dialog to talk about what’s going on the campus, downtown, and across the nation,” Kent Henderson, sociology graduate student and event moderator, said.
The event consisted of three speakers who focused on different aspects of the movement, followed by a question and answer session. Topics included what the Occupy Wall Street movement is, explanations of the top 1 percent and why people should be concerned with it and the identities of the protesters at Acacia Park.
The group has been protesting in Acacia Park since early October and, according to Hosseun Forouzandeh, a 2011 UCCS graduate, community support has been great.
“We’re trying to work with the city,” Forouzandeh said. “Our 30 day permit is up for review and we’re hoping to be ok’d through the end of the year.”
According to the presenters, the most important thing individuals can do, regardless of their political views, is to educate themselves. Forouzandeh ended by urging the audience to get involved in some way.
“You can do a little, or you can do a lot,” Forouzandeh said. “Just do something.”
— Photos by Philip Denman
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