Students 'Occupy the Dream' in the Legacy of Dr. King

Inspired by the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., students and community leaders have joined the efforts of Occupy Wall Street in order to promote economic justice.

This movement, Occupy the Dream, was founded by Dr. Benjamin Chavis and Dr. Jamal Bryant. It began when Russell Simmons visited an Occupy protest and connected with the protestors' frustrations enough to join forces with Chavis and Bryant to begin the movement.

Since then, Occupy the Dream has rallied the support of college students all over the nation and, more specifically, students who attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities. These student and community leaders have galvanized the support of their peers and neighbors, seeking their assistance in protesting outside all Federal Reserve banks in the nation.

The protests are geared toward tackling the injustices that are affecting the 99 percent of Americans who hold very little of the nation's wealth. Day 1 of this journey, scheduled on Monday, Jan. 16, was deemed the National Day of Action.

Although temperatures were low, more than 200 protesters gathered at the corner of 20th Street and Constitution Avenue. There they chanted phrases such as, "We are the 99 percent", "This is what democracy looks like," and "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out."

The crowd was composed of many ethnic backgrounds and age groups who united for one cause: justice for all. Sophomore Abraham Williamson, D.C. College Students co-coordinator, hopes that the efforts of Occupy will continue to strengthen and increase in numbers by the day.

"Hopefully the message presented by Occupy will develop and gather even more momentum," Williamson said. "The frustration of the protestors will hopefully serve as a catalyst in reversing the current economic injustices in America."

Howard University freshman Olivia Pearson attended the protest and thought it was a great effort that Dr. King would be proud to witness.

"This is something that all college students should participate in," Pearson said. "This goes much further than most people think; many decisions now can affect us all."

The next strategic move will take place on Feb. 14. Occupy hopes to gain the support of up to or more than 50,000 people to funnel over $20 million to smaller banks and credit unions. The focus is to make a statement by limiting funding that is given to the larger banks. To learn more about Occupy the Dream and find out ways to support, please visit www.occupydream.org.