On the first anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, GRITtv host Laura Flanders talks to journalist Arun Gupta and organizer Marina Sitrin about the movement’s impact and future role in American life and politics.
“Occupy has lifted all organizing boats,” says Gupta. “We saw that in New York City, for example, the Occupy movement helped Teamsters win a better contract with Sotheby’s… They [also] helped fast food workers at Hot & Crusty unionize, which is remarkable that you have fast food workers who unionized.”
Sitrin describes renewed momentum in terms of the personal self-esteem of the 99%. “In the past, to be unemployed, to be in foreclosure was something you kept secret. It was something to be ashamed of,” Sitrin told Flanders. “The power of Occupy and the slogan is to say, ‘Well, wait a minute. I’m the 99%. I’m the majority. I can feel empowered.’”
A full transcript of the show is available here.
