Commentary: On Occupy Wall Street and Leadership

By Eileen Ahlquist
Creativity + Social Change
University of Connecticut
12 October 2011

Commentary on "What Occupy Wall Street Demands of Our Leaders," Washington Post, October 11, 2011

I am only just learning (more) about Occupy Wall Street. I am not much of a news-watcher, because I feel that the media is constantly buying into and feeding fear. I am someone who is more focused on immediate surroundings and what I can do to directly affect who and what is around me. However, I have been feeling a little ignorant and out of the loop of this major event.  After reading the article “What Occupy Wall Street demands of our leaders”, it summarized a little more about what is being cried out for – hope, economic opportunity and the need for acts of bravery, integrity and responsibility from our leaders. The article also mentions the denial of the “American Dream” to young people. But, I extend that point and include ALL people. I am in my forties, not necessarily the “young” generation anymore. Like many others, I am in a process of career change, back in school, and I am treading the thin ice of creating school debt while the economy just seems to keep failing. As a self employed person who has been hit by the change in economy and being a student trying to monitor the debt I am enslaving myself to, it is starting to make me feel a little immobilized.

Also, I agree with other points of the demands that say we have to protect jobs in America and more importantly, highlighting the real problem of too much power in the corporations.  How is it that there needs to be some kind of attention to the fact large companies can hoard money & not divest and continue the flow of economy? As a student in social work classes, it is frustrating to notice I am in a community of people learning how to help and serve the world, while leaders are not displaying commitment to guarding the quality and integrity of lives as much as they are committed to guarding dollars. Social Workers are people who become professionals to serve the needs of people, to promote justice, protect dignity and worth of people and it feels like we are being sent to battle our leaders who really don’t care to see real change for people… they just keep enough band-aids around to keep people in their places. The great vision of this country seems to lie more in its people, not in its leaders.

I am waking up and claiming: I AM THE 99 PERCENT! While my business has remained with some consistency, the trickle of work is slow and “just getting by” seems to feel like a blessing when I look around me. I am in the process of furthering my education and shifting into a new career, but have reservations if the job will be there when I am ready. I own a small house and every month, I have gratitude that I was able to pay the mortgage. Sometimes, when the responsibility feels too large, I don’t even have the option to sell, because I would not sell it for what I still owe on it ... so, sometimes it can be immobilizing. However, as Occupy Wall Street has grown and continues to spread, the hopelessness can start to shift. First, having connection and unity with others feeds the spirit and then feeling some restoration of power as people band together and demand what is needed.  I am grateful to be learning more in-depth about what is going on in this movement and I am grateful for the people who have spent their time and energy getting this message going. If the pulse continues, it can continue to wake up and inspire people like me, who have been feeling untrusting of the future yet lacking power. The more voices, the louder the message  ... and the more people, the more power.