Occupy Olympia boasts a fruitful, if brief, career. Since its inception less than three months ago, hundreds of local bank accounts have been transferred to credit unions; hundreds of safer bed-nights (tent-nights?) were provided for the houseless; new relationships blossomed among activists, volunteers, faith communities and service providers. Occupiers not only brought a great injustice to the attention of the wider community, but also demonstrated a near-miraculous energy, resilience and optimism to counter it.
Sadly, with its eviction from Heritage Park on December 16, Occupy Olympia lost its geographic center. No longer a physical occupation, it evaporated back into a loose collection of abstract ideals and slogans championing economic justice and decrying corporate skullduggery, doomed to wander the ethereal halls of academic conjecture forever.
Or maybe not.
There is the unarguable fact that many of the occupiers have no home to go back to, regardless of how much they may feel discouraged by the “loss of momentum” grimly announced by the cynical mainstream media. There are also plenty of new friendships, built on service and solidarity, that beg to be useful.
Most importantly, there is still considerable energy and momentum in the occupy movement. Far from being dead, it is undergoing a crucial metamorphosis that will allow it to persist. As participants at a recent Occupy Olympia general assembly put it:
“Let’s not get stuck on ‘occupy’ as what we’re about. We need to explore other forms of direct action.” And, “We need to identify other forms of strategic work than just holding a space.”
There are a variety of examples nationwide of what an Occupation can evolve into – a variety of creative de-Occupations, if you will. Some excel at legislative action, others are focused on meeting the basic needs of those in their communities, still others have turned to smaller, more targeted occupations or direct actions. This second stage of Occupy seems mostly determined by the opportunities and skills present in any given community.
Occupy Olympia has a number of advantages in this respect. As the state capital, we are well-situated for any kind of state-level lobbying action. We have the luxury of applying consistent pressure to the legislature without leaving town. We also have the opportunity to provide hospitality to others who travel here to petition for redress, etc. Picture it! We could be Lobbytown, WA for the 99% – a veritable mecca of civic participation for the entire state.
Another advantage we have is our propensity to act out. Olympians are well-known for our readiness to engage in direct action – we may as well claim our middle name is “direct action.” (It has an intriguing ring to it: Olympia “Direct Action” Washington.) Sometimes this is helpful, sometimes not. It works in our favor in this case only to the extent that 1) people with some experience are willing to learn from that experience and share it, and 2) the action is coordinated – or at least not at cross-purposes – with other endeavors.
These are compelling scenarios, for sure. But it feels like Olympia is going in a different direction with its de-Occupation. The primary themes that emerged from the encampment at Heritage Park were community development, relationship-building and mutual aid. Initially, many participants were inspired by the idea of combatting economic injustice. As the occupation progressed, many were moved by the reality of economic injustice, and the local opportunities to address it.
So the next step for us has to be something that incorporates that spirit. Lobbying, yes, but with an eye to the impacts of policies on the poor. Direct action, yes, but with tangible outcomes for those who don’t have the luxury of civil disobedience.
We propose a focused local movement with enough anti-bank thrill, enough practical outcomes, enough solidarity with the larger Occupy movement, and enough groundedness in the local community, to satisfy a great majority of Olympians. It’s not a new idea – in fact, we wouldn’t be writing about it if so many people weren’t talking about it – and we certainly don’t take credit for thinking it up. But it is brilliant!
It has been succinctly described elsewhere as “occupy the neighborhood.” The ingredients are as follows: dozens of foreclosed homes, hundreds of houseless people, strong neighborhoods, energetic volunteers, a supportive community and a dash of initiative.
A few recent examples from other places (from a brief googling of the phrase):
“Occupy Detroit occupies a neighborhood in Detroit. They are squatting in six abandoned houses, fixing them up. The next stage? Positive protest of clean-ups and barnraisings, community gardens and orchards? Seeds of resilient (and urban ecological) communities?” (Daily Kos)
“Occupy Our Homes’ [occupyourhomes.org] effort to occupy foreclosed houses and help families stave off eviction continues around the country. In the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn, homeless activist Alfredo Carrasquillo and his family have been occupying an abandoned home at 702 Vermont Street since December 7. The home was foreclosed on by Bank of America.
Similar actions are taking place in California, Georgia, Michigan, and elsewhere in response to the avalanche of foreclosures that is burying homeowners, especially those who are low-income, across the nation.” (alternet.org)
The process could be very straightforward. There is information about local foreclosed homes online. (Okay, just have to mention this: about a dozen of these homes are on the aptly-named Banks Street.) People in need of housing are not difficult to find. Volunteers will show up, if the project is inspiring. Possible allies include neighborhood associations, faith communities, and the neighbors themselves.
The key is to focus on stewardship – notice the language that they use in Detroit: “clean-ups and barn-raisings.” Let’s bake cookies and meet the neighbors beforehand. Let’s figure out ways to contribute to the neighborhood, so that everyone feels the benefit. Let’s invite gardeners and craftspeople to apply their skills to the property. Let’s work hard to responsibly address every complaint, so that our neighbors will not be resentful or freaked out.
Imagine it. Every time a house is occupied, the house becomes more clean, sound and beautiful. Every time a person moves into a foreclosed home, the street gains a welcome neighbor. Every occupied house is one less homeless family. If we do it right, the positive impact on our community will be more than any of us could expect.
The only tears left to shed will be for the banks.