Thanks Occupy Wall Street

by: Mae Singerman

Fri Nov 18, 2011 at 13:47:47 PM EST

One day after I marched with 30,000 people in Lower Manhattan on the 2 month birthday of Occupy Wall Street, I came to the party without any gifts for the Movement. Instead, I have thanks to offer the Occupy Movement for the gifts it has given to me.

Thanks #OWS for the following:

• The opportunity to hear people I love work through years of pent up cynicism, relenting to the idea that people can make a difference.
• A new method to express silent support and appreciation for what someone is saying—up twinkles.
• A new community of people who I feel a deep connection to through our shared participation in working groups.
• Inspiration and pride when hearing about  the concrete victories as big as billions of dollars being moved into credit unions and small banks to the small act of occupying a Harlem boiler room to get tenants heat and hot water.
• Closer relationships with the people I already know who are also active in the Occupy Movement. I see them more regularly and we have better, more thoughtful conversations than I’ve had with them in years.
• By convincing my mom to attend a General Assembly in Miami, I helped her experience something she never thought was possible in Miami- a large, age-diverse gathering that was about progressive politics (believe me, this basically never happens in Miami).
• The gift of a commons that I haven’t had since being a college student, where I got to discuss and debate tactics, racism in movements, what the non-profit world has to offer (or not), global relationships, and the importance of (a lack of) demands.

So much appreciation to the Occupy Movement on it’s two months alive. It’s just the beginning of the beginning.