Peoples Freedom Caravan wrapup

The People's Freedom Caravan was an initiative of grassroots leadership in communities in Southwest in South to attend the US Social Forum and promote a new vision of democracy. This is a vision based on human rights, a vision that bridges racial, geographic and cultural divides and moves beyond the status quo 'pay to play' politics. Inspired by the Freedom Riders who confronted racist violence in the South in the early 1960's, organizers, activists and allies boarded buses from Albuquerque to Selma on the way to Atlanta.

Volunteers with Houston Indymedia joined the caravan in Houston, at a rally to address environmental injustice in the Manchester neighborhood in east Houston. By this time the Caravan had already left New Mexico, and marched through downtown San Antonio to protest for migrant rights and against the environmental injustices being perpetuated by the Kelly Air Force base.

Gislaine and RoB rode to New Orleans [1, 2], Slidel, Biloxi, Selma and finaly Atlanta providing story coverage and photos along the way. [Read the compilation of their coverage and the caravan]

Upon arriving in Atlanta the caravan was more than 400 people in 7 busses and a small armada of cars and vans. The Caravan marched together in the march that kicked off the Social Forum and represented a diverse cross section of the many groups in the southwest and south struggling for social justice.

HIMC Coverage | El Mono Xoro (Nuevo Laredo - Spanish) | Southwest Workers Union Blog | Southwest Organizing Project Blog | Video Coverage from FreeJonathan.com
Photo from SWOPBlogger: People's Freedom Caravan in Slidel, LA