from the
NEW MEXICO NEWS CONNECTION - A statewide news service for New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM - June 22, 2007- Dozens of grassroots organizations and
activists are
hitting the road today (Friday) on the first-ever "People's Freedom Caravan" across the
Southern U.S., beginning in Albuquerque and ending at the U.S. Social Forum
in Atlanta. Robby Rodriguez with the Southwest Organizing Project or SWOP
says the
caravan is meant to draw attention to Americans who don't receive the
benefits of democracy. SWOP is one of dozens of grassroots organizations in the
caravan, which is expected to include a thousand travelers by the end of the
trip. He says communities on the caravan's path feel the brunt of pollution,
poverty, and inequality - and the goal is to give those communities a seat at
the table on decisions that affect them adding
Click to Hear rodriguez1.mp3
("The South and the Southwest are arguably
two of
the most disempowered and disenfranchised regions. It's important for us to
figure out how we learn from each other's struggles.")
The caravan begins in Albuquerque today, making stops in San Antonio, Houston, New Orleans and Jackson, Mississippi before reaching Atlanta next week. Rodriguez says grassroots groups are working together to bridge a "democracy divide" that exists in this country, and the stops of the Freedom Caravan are meant to illustrate the problem, Click to Hear rodriguez2.mp3 ("Hurricane Katrina is an example of how democracy works for some and not others, and so there's lessons there that we can learn.") The U.S. Social Forum is expected to be one of the largest gatherings of progressive groups in the country. It runs until July 1st. Visit SWOP at http://www.swop.net .
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