Reflections on my Occupation #1: Why Occupy?

On Friday November 19, 2011, I decided to bus into Pittsburgh, PA to observe and participate in the movement.  I spent the night at the camp on Mellon Green and listened to dozens of individuals’ stories about why they chose to join the cause.  I will be attempting in my next few posts to shed some light on the movement, but mostly to share some of my own perceptions/observations about the protest, the people, and what it means to be people working for a better society.

Why did I chose to check out the camp first-hand?
I have been following the Pittsburgh occupation since it began on October 15th, and I have largely been disappointed with the media reports.  There has been very little information, from my opinion, and I am not sure why.  The Occupy has had a presence in 951 different countries in 82 countries worldwide.  There are many ways to interpret that data, but to me that means there are enough people saying “something” that we should probably listen to what is being said.  In addition to the papers, I’d also heard a lot of peoples’ opinions on the camps, and what they were “all about.”  One person (who had never been to any of the camps) claimed that it was just a  bunch of angry 20-some-things with their iPhones trying to draw attention to themselves on Facebook/Twitter, etc.  As I listened to people discuss the occupation in Pittsburgh, I quickly gathered that no one had actually gone to the camps themselves.  So, Friday I decided to go for myself, to learn as much as I could, to observe the dynamics of the movement, to listen to people’s stories, and to try to uncover what is/was really happening.
What is the purpose/goals of the Occupy Movement?
My Uncle asked this question, and I think it is an incredibly valid question to ask.  My concern is that many people are asking this question to the wrong people, or have made up in their mind already what the answer is.  I’ve heard this question used more as a pejorative, and not really as an inquiry.   Granted, a lot of what Occupy stands for is nebulous: human rights, environmental responsibility, equity.  Each Occupation has it’s own local flavor: in Oakland there was activism/advocacy because the city decided to shut down some public schools, here in Pittsburgh the movement is outraged about fracking.  Some of the language used by the movement is intentionally nebulous so that people from varying backgrounds, affiliations, and beliefs can work together for social change.

Who are the Activists?
In twelve hours, I met and spoke with dozens of individuals, all from completely different backgrounds, all with a unique story that led them to the camp.  There were 20-year-old anarchists, Veterans for peace, homeless drifters, physicists, teachers, mothers, college students, city-government officials, capitalists, liberals, and a handful of peace-loving-hippies.  One girl told me, “I’ve been waiting to join a movement like this my entire life.”  One older, more seasoned gentlemen, about my dad’s age told me, “I’m a capitalist, I just want corporations and lobbyists out of government.”  I met a nuclear physicist who has been living in a tent for two weeks.  He works his job 9-5, and then lives at the camp, participates in the direct-action.  At least half of the people I spoke with work full-time, and spend their free time living at the camp and participating in the direct action.

What are “they” trying to accomplish?
I think this is a very funny, and perhaps incredibly “western” question to ask.  We are so obsessed with ends, that we forget that means are ends in the making, that means is all we can “control” (if we can even control means).  I think a better question is: who are we (as human beings sharing this planet) going to be?  Can we BE something different? Can we be something that is ruled by charity, grace, gratitude instead of greed, distrust, and profit motive?  The occupation has only been going on for 30-some days.  Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the civil rights movement didn’t have all it’s ducks in a row when it began.  In fact, I think civil rights movement is a great movement to study in relation to the Occupation.  Within the CRM there were dozens of different factions, unarticulated goals, and mixed demographics.  It is only in retrospect that the movement holds power.  Time will tell what will be, what won’t be accomplished.

August, September, October

My how the time goes.  I’m running around, one million miles an hour.  This time, it is good. 

August had me mobile in Australia.  I zipped around Sydney, Port Macquarie, Melbourne, Tasmania, Paramatta, visiting 30 coffee shops in thirty days, several art museums, a half-dozen beaches.  I had time to think, rest, relax, talk, write, read, pray, and dream.  I saw beautiful places, ate fantastic sea food.  I grew increasingly comfortable and confident being a stranger in a strange land filled with unfamiliar bird songs, unfamiliar syllables, and unfamiliar accents.  It was grand.  I may never see that land again, but it will forever remain in my imagination.

September brought be back to the states, back to Aliquippa, back to Uncommon Grounds Cafe, and back to Trinity Seminary.  It is a new year for me with new responsibilities.  I’m raising personal support to work at the cafe full-time now.  I got to write my own job description, which means I get to do what I want and hope to do.  Right now I’m facilitating our art programs (Wednesday night artist space, after-school art classes, monthly cultural events/exhibitions), and working on the Spring Street Urban Farm, training new leaders, discipling people on a one-to-one basis.  Still no car, and now no computer, I’m keeping things simple.  I think I’ve got my monthly expenses down to about $140 a month, which is pretty rad.  I’m making art, watching people and places grow, writing grants for new programs, taking time to be interupted by strangers. 

October is supposed to be a long month, but it zipped right by.   I got to visit Scott and Krissy Delaney and some of the great folks that they share a house church with.  The final harvest from the Spring Street Urban Farm has left me inundated with Jalapenos and Jerusalem Artichokes.  The leaves are changing, some are a flaming yellow, many are already gone.  Winter is on its way.  A drifter told me to graduate, so I guess that means I’ll be finishing my Master of Arts in Religion at Trinity in the coming year.  I’ve got about eight classes left.  This semester I’ve  had to try on preaching for the first time.  I delivered my third sermon yesterday.  Strange to be behind a puplit. 

November is looking busy.  The Aliquippa Street Department has already put up the city’s Christmas decorations.  The rest of the year looks like: parents visiting, another trip to Toledo, Thanksgiving, Christmas, two more art exhitions, gardening grants, lots of wool. 

I’m content, for the first time ever.

Good News?

What would be the best news for people living in Aliquippa? If I read some of these as headlines in the Beaver County times I’d consider it good news:

• Franklin Avenue Will Never Flood Again
• Stevie’s Quickmart Announces Free Gas to Folks who Clean Up Litter
• New Jazz Venue Opens
• City Announces Grand Opening of a New Municipal Pool
• Riverfront Open For Swimming
• Aliquippa High-School Graduates Rank Highest in the Nation
• New Art Store and Gallery Opens at Former Broadcast Street Cafe

 

 

Just a dreaming sort of day…

Why Aliquippa, PA is a great place to be an artist

Three years ago when I graduated from college and moved to Aliquippa I didn’t have a clue what I was getting myself into.  I moved here to pursue graduate studies, work with non-profits, and begin pursuing my career as an artist.  I’ve faced many challenges, but I’m still in tact and putting together a body of work that I’m beginning to feel proud of.  I have much more development ahead of me as an artist and a person, but the important thing is that I am growing in these areas.  Strangely enough, Aliquippa has been the perfect place for me to develop myself as an artist.  Here are some factors that I have found in Aliquippa that I think have been indispensable in my development.

1. One of the things I cherish about my life in Aliquippa is the community of people that I have found myself surrounded by.  No matter where I go, or what kind of trouble I seem to get myself into, I know there are people here who are willing to help me out. I’ve found some great friends who support my work and who take interest in my projects.  Having a group of people who have taken a vested interest in my work and artistic development is huge.  They encourage me when I am frustrated, they help me think critically about my art, they give me feedback on potential areas for growth, they connect me with the resources (social, physical, emotional, etc.) that I am lacking, and we mutually inspire one another.  In turn, once in a while, I am able to give back in some small way.  We give and take, that’s what we do.

2. Maybe post-industrial America isn’t the most picturesque place on the planet.  Pennsylvania roads are perpetually under construction.  Abandoned houses and buildings line our streets.  Aliquippa is littered with trash.  It’s hard to find a decent job around here, and businesses suffer.  Love it or hate it, the price of living is cheap.  I share a house with three other artists/musicians which helps keep my costs down.  I also abandoned my car for bike and bus which cuts down on gas costs, I travel less, and I don’t need to worry about insurance payments.  I live cheaply, and with such an affordable price of living, a little goes a long way.  I’m able to spend more money on my work than I would be able to if I  lived somewhere more pricey.

3. One of my least favorite adjectives is the term “artsy”.  I don’t think an artist, a patron, or arts organization has to look or feel a certain way.  One of the things I like a lot about Aliquippa is that there isn’t a pretentious culture of art around here.  Aliquippa isn’t exactly known for its art (although I do hope that will someday change).  Instead, Aliquippa is known as a post-industrial football town associated with drugs and violence.  We don’t have a lot of college age artists living and working in this community and it isn’t “cool” to be an artist here.  The art education around here is seriously lacking.  While at times this disinterest in art might make it more difficult to promote work or shows, I think this factor makes a lot of the work artists do around here more genuine.  Sales and glory are periphery for Aliquippa artists.  The folks who create art here are concerned with creation, not money.  If an artist creates in a setting where art isn’t ‘the norm’ or popular, it seems to me that it is because they take their work seriously.

4. I can’t express my gratitude enough for the presence of Uncommon Grounds Cafe in my artistic and personal development.  Between free shared studio space upstairs where I can paint and teach with other artists, monthly exhibits featuring local artists and musicians, the ability to sell and promote work with no commission fees, connections with local artists, caffeine at affordable prices, and ongoing inspiration by the quirky patrons, the cafe is a creative hub in this town.  In fact, I would go so far as to say that Uncommon Grounds Cafe is THE creative hub in this town.  There are creative projects happening in the arts, community development, and social transformation here that I’ve never seen elsewhere.  Even the food is creative: today I ate a strawberry-orange-mango muffin (they’re selling fast!).

5. I’ve already mentioned the cafe and it’s quirky patrons.  One of the other things I love about this town is the multitude of stories.  Hanging out with the elderly gentlemen who worked in the Steel Mills, who saw the Pittsburgh region transform over decades, who remember the Pirates winning the division, sparks my imagination.  I walk past abandoned buildings and lots and I think about the businesses that came and went.  I hear the history of J&L and their corruption and I feel like I am reading a novel.  The stories here are inspire anger, despair, hope, frustration, love and hate, all of which are great tools for an artist.

I’ve been looking at Candy Chang all morning.

Eight months of arts initiatives: a glance ahead

In September 2010 I began an arts focused ministry initiative at Uncommon Grounds café.  The initiative was in conjunction with the Holy Cross Fellows program and born out of my own passions for art, creativity, and community transformation.  Over the past eight months of this initiative, we have seen the emergence of a community of artists and activists working together to seek the holistic welfare of individuals and communities connected to Aliquippa, Pittsburgh, and beyond.   Currently this work is being done through an after-school art class, regular art exhibits at Uncommon Grounds Café, an urban farming initiative, and an African drum/dance.  Each of these programs has sprouted up within the last eight months.

In recent weeks I have had the opportunity to assess the current progress of the mission initiative that began in September.  Through various conversations with mentors and some of the key leaders in our programs, through prayer, and through careful thinking, a logical and wise next step for this initiative seems to be the formalization of our programs and a more defined leadership structure.  Formalizing our programs would help unify our efforts, keep us focused on our vision, and ultimately help us to cultivate our fledgling programs so that they can reach their full potentials as tools of transformation.

The discovery that our mission initiative is in need of a formal structure has developed organically, much in the same way that our various community programs have arisen spontaneously as people have started programs birthed from their gifts and passions.  With this in mind, our goal is a network of leaders on the ground, mentors, and ministry/accountability partnerships created with enough latitude to continue to develop organically as God directs us into the future.

As of now, it is our hope that our structure will consist of:

1. A leadership team  – consisting of artists, gardeners, writers, poets, musicians and other individuals passionate about sharing their gifts, encouraging others to explore and nurture their gifts, all for the mutual benefit of the community at large. The leadership team will consist of individuals committed to the continued development of this initiative and who are willing to actively participate in its formation.  These are individuals who have been involved and who will begin to take on increased leadership roles and help develop new leaders.  A place on our leadership team necessitates a willingness to share responsibility and the devotion of time and resources.
2. A team of mentors/advisors – consisting of experienced individuals who are willing to work directly with members of the leadership team to help clarify visions, point out areas for growth and development, and aid in discerning future steps.
3. Ministry partners – consisting of various organizations, churches, and communities that will help keep our initiative on track. We seek to be an ecumenical movement and to work with a multiplicity of communities for the common good of our neighborhoods and families.  We also recognize the value of accountability that stems from relationships and partnerships. Therefore we will seek a formal relationship with representatives from various communities of faith and organizations who will keep us accountable to the call placed upon our lives and on track in living out our vision of transformation.

As we begin to move forward to the next stage of this initiative, we do so only out of a desire to continue to be faithful stewards of the resources God has given us.  Time and again God has been seen to be at work in the development of this initiative.  We are seeing growth and unity among likeminded individuals with the same passions, visions, and commitments; we are seeing quantitative and qualitative growth within our programs, and we are seeing repeated affirmation from existing organizations and communities of faith.

In the coming weeks, I will be working on finding individuals and organizations to fulfill these roles as we move forward.  If you or anyone you know is interested in participating in this exciting initiative, please contact me.

Christen Wurschmidt, another member of our leadership team just started a blog.  Her first post is another testimony of how this initiative is making an impact on peoples’ lives.

Be well, do good work, keep in touch.

The Phoenix Garden

Mike McGee called me up today and we went down to our garden sight at Spring St.  We poked around in the forest, moved some compost around, and just talked about our plans for the garden this year.  It was gorgeous outside today, 60s and sunny.  This Saturday is the first day of Spring.  Mike threw out the idea of calling our urban farm “The Phoenix Garden.”  I think it is a perfect metaphor.  Four row-houses burned down, and in their place, a garden will be emerging.  From death, life, an oasis in a desert.

Six days into lent.  I did break down and have a cigarette (or two) Friday, but I have been solid ever since.  Physically I felt my worst today, but mentally I have more resolve than ever.  I’ve received a lot of encouragement, which I am thankful for.  I hopped on my bicycle and road for about a half an hour yesterday.  It felt great to get some exercise, get some blood pumping.  I was sort of shocked to see color in my face.

Anyone else have the feeling it is going to be a good year?  Due to PSSAs, I have the whole week off of school.  I’m also off from seminary this week, so it’s looking like I will be able to get some catch up stuff done.  Lots to do in preparation for the first day of spring on Saturday.

Why Lent?

It’s practical.  I’ve decided to quit smoking for Lent.  It’s really not for any religious reason, I just think it is a convenient time and it gives me a framework to quit around: a set beginning time, and a hypothetical end.  I want to detox, to clear my lungs, and to free myself of chemical/psychological addiction.  The only thing inconvenient is that life, work, and responsibilities don’t quit with my smoking.

I’m on my third day.  I  haven’t slept much the last two nights, tossing and turning with insomnia.  My body aches like I have been hit with sticks.  The weirdest symptom has been my hands.  They are weak and tingly, like they are asleep.  The worst bit is I am hungry all the time now.

how do you understand a painting?

Alright, OK, so I get it.  If you want to write more, write more, so they say.  I’ve decided to partake in the post-a-week 2011 challenge because, well, because I want to write more.  So there you have it.

But really, I’ve been thinking about art.  For starters, we have a big art show tomorrow night at Uncommon Grounds Cafe here in Aliquippa.  The show is part of a series we are doing highlighting local artists and local musicians.  In a post-industrial football town like Aliquippa, it might seem like a lost cause to a lot of people to promote community art.  Yet, most people would agree that there are some serious cultural plagues tormenting our small city.  There are obvious problems: drug and alcohol abuse, economic depression, poor education, violence, racial fracture, etc.  If we are ever going to overcome these societal problems, whether it is Aliquippa or anywhere, we need a cultural renaissance, a new way of thinking.  I was reading earlier when I came across this quote by Andy Crouch: “Our response to art, the way we talk or do not talk about art, the way we make or avoid making art, is the truest diagnostic test of our underlying, perhaps implicit and unexplored, beliefs about culture.”

A man asked me tonight while I was at the cafe how to understand the meaning behind a painting.  I was thrilled when he asked me, and I hope I didn’t ruin the opportunity.  I guess I should just be encouraged that he was even interested in asking the question, for that is a step many people don’t take.  The only answer I could offer him was that meaning is only attained through hard work.  We don’t know what paintings mean because, I think at least, we’ve never really learned how to observe.  A cursory look at anything cannot possibly hope to uncover the rich depth of meaning available to us.  I think we can teach a stone to talk if we learn how to listen to it.  How much more a piece of human creative activity? We’ve got to go deep, and I think Crouch is onto something.  If we want to really understand, if we really hope to change some of our cultural problems, I think we have to go deep.  We must think of our towns, our sidewalks, our churches, our schools, as art exhibits and we must mull, mull and keep mulling over the artwork we see.

2010 in review

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Fresher than ever.

Crunchy numbers

A helper monkey made this abstract painting, inspired by your stats.

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2010. That’s about 3 full 747s.

 

In 2010, there were 42 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 130 posts. There were 44 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 32mb. That’s about 4 pictures per month.

The busiest day of the year was March 27th with 66 views. The most popular post that day was Tessellations.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, twitter.com, mail.yahoo.com, caseyfenton.net, and en.wordpress.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for leaving babylon, mayor of aliquippa, i’ve come to bring a sword, i’ve come to bring the sword, and mayor of aliquippa, pa.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

1

A Politic of Hope January 2008
1 comment

2

“I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” February 2008
2 comments

3

My top 50 Movies of the last decade February 2010
6 comments

4

From a conversation I had Saturday October 2010
1 comment