Occupy the Facts: Let’s Rebuild the Community the System has Failed!

by OO Research Working Group

Sat, Jan 28, 2012 8:21AM

Our city is in crisis. The Bay area has a wider gap between rich and poor than most other metropolitan areas in the U.S. Nearly one out of five residents lives in poverty. Oakland’s schools, health programs, environmental programs, parks, recreation, libraries, and other services are strained by declining real revenues and a city budget dominated by funding for police, fire, and debt service. Other services are struggling.

With the help of over 16 Occupy Oakland (OO) committees, our community center promises to be a safe space for providing the community with much-needed free services. It will offer free meals, a first aid station, a library, free school classes, workshops, a “zero-waste” sanitation crew, sleeping areas, and an assembly.

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§One Fact Incorrect

by Kerie Campbell

Sat, Jan 28, 2012 11:17AM

Regarding OO's Children's Village: we do NOT provide CHILDCARE. It is a space that is in constant danger of police raids or other kinds of trouble (i.e., earthquake, fire, whatever). Parents were not allowed to leave their children, they had to stay with them. So that if the cops came, the parents and children could leave together. We could not be responsible for their safety or taking charge of them in the event of a raid.

Parents and their children were welcome to use the Village and its supplies daily until sundown.

I make this correction as it's important -- we say this repeatedly but people always call it child care which is not accurate.

I was a co-founder of the Children's Village, so this is an official explanation of the Village's place in Occupy Oakland.

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