I need advice and lodging!! My college just pulled funding for our trip to the Wall Street protests!

[antigone382]

I go to *Unnamed Private Liberal Arts College* in Kentucky. This week, our SGA managed to raise $10,00 over a matter of days to send 50 students on a tour bus to the protest this weekend (we have a four day weekend prior to midterms). Several college departments and campus organizations contributed funds to make this happen, and we were all set to leave tomorrow at 5:00 PM. However, today the college suddenly changed their line, and although we obliged every request they made, including finding faculty and staff to sponsor us, and preparing a detailed safety plan, they pulled $8,000 of our funding two hours ago, and refused us access to any college resource, including transportation.

We are now desperately trying to make alternate arrangements. We have pooled together what funds we have, which isn't much considering that this college only admits students from low income backgrounds (I'm identifying the school right there, but I don't really care). We are working out transportation details, but one of our biggest needs is a place for students to stay in the area. All hostels are full, and we can no longer afford to stay at a hotel. We are trying to come up with tents and camping gear, but again, our resources are limited. If anyone has any advice to offer, please post it in this thread. If you have a place where a couple of students could stay, PM me for more details.

[MineralMan]

1. I suggest you stage your own event there in Kentucky.

You'll make a bigger impact than you will by traveling. Gather your friends and allies together and do something where you are. Just my opinion.

[antigone382]

6. Yes, that is another option that we are considering.

However, our goal was to learn as much as we could from what they've been able to do at Occupy Wall Street, as well as contribute our input to the discussions going on there. It is the kind of the "information & ideas center" of a burgeoning social movement--and being a student body made up entirely of low income minorities, and people from the most distressed parts of Appalachia, who nonetheless have received a caliber of education that hardly anyone of our social class gets to experience, we feel that we have a legitimately unique perspective that should at least be briefly present at the heart of the movement.

Over the long term, we do plan to protest at Lexington, and possibly Louisville as well.

[hootinholler]

12. This is a very worthwhile trip

How many busses would you need to get there. Charter rates are pretty reasonable. KY to NYC you may be able to do for under $50/seat.

[antigone382]

16. Thank you for the advice.

We would probably need one bus, assuming it can seat 50 people. $50 a person may still be too much--I think our total budget right now is at maybe $3,000. We are contributing as much as we can out of our own pockets, as well as our food stamps, and hopefully we'll get more individual donations from faculty, and from some of the local liberal churches (there are more than you would think in this part of Kentucky) so we may yet be able to pull something together.

[hootinholler]

21. Are there any Union Locals nearby that might be able to help?

A 55 passenger bus is pretty standard fare, no affiliation, but google landed me here and a quote for a 49 passenger charter Lexington to NYC was $3906.00

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Agree with the above post. Anywhere nearby available?

[antigone382]

7. There are local options available, but we are kind of a unique student body

(as described in my response to Mineral Man). We feel that we legitimately have a place at the heart of the movement.

[Fire Walk With Me]

11. I bow to your passion and good intent to contribute to the movement. I hope that

something shows up and you can all do so...how about contacting the destination's transit union and asking their support? They might send a few buses.

Think through your resources, and how to convert what you need into resources...do NOT give up. You are smart enough to make this happen, and help will appear. We all support you! :toast:

[antigone382]

14. Thank you, I will look into that! n/t

[Joe the Revelator]

3. You don't have to be in NYC to make a difference.

Think locally

[customerserviceguy]

23. Like maybe your congressman's office?

He's the one who's may have a chance to vote on the President's millionaire tax.

[ellisonz]

4. Occupy Louisville!

http://www.facebook.com/OccupyLouisville

[midnight]

5. K&R

[antigone382]

8. Thank you! n/t

[Tsiyu]

9. K&R

:kick:

[notadmblnd]

10. Believe it or not, this it the first time I happen to agree with something MM says.

You should organize an event on campus. I would also do some research and find out who your institution's corporate donors are and see if they had any influence on the schools decision to withdraw funding.. If so, I would then make sure to mention it on some of the protest signs.

[antigone382]

13. That's definitely an option.

In this case, there's a particular individual in authority who undermines a lot of student-led, progressive initiatives. Considering the history and legacy of this particular college, this person is at the wrong institution, and the student body will be making efforts to get this person to change the M/O or leave.

We have protested locally, and will continue to do so. However, at the moment we intend to go forward with the original plan so many of us worked so hard to pull together. We have a place at the heart of the movement, and we're going to try to get there if there's any way we can.

[notadmblnd]

15. Good luck, but I'd definately look for a way to publicly embarass "this person"

Get the dirt on him and go public with it.

[antigone382]

17. Oh, I believe that's on the agenda.

From what I've heard, this person has treated campus rape victims with disdain and condescension, among other tasteful things. She's really quite despicable.

[Occulus]

25. Give her name to Anonymous

Or better yet, make the threat- anonymously- that her name will be given to Anonymous.

She'll change her tune. Or be fired.

[valerief]

26. That's a GREAT idea! nt

[antigone382]

18. kick

:kick:

[firehorse]

19. I was there the other day. A lot of people are sleeping in the park. Tuesday is going to be hot.

They are very organized there. There is a donation food kitchen. I saw piles of catering sandwiches, tea, fruit, etc. A lot of people are sleeping on yoga mats with a tarp over them.

I think once you are there, you'll meet a lot of people who will hook you up to a shower.

[antigone382]

20. Thank you, I will pass this on. n/t

[PuraVidaDreamin]

27. There are no tents allowed

Talked to a guy who has been there since day 2, and he said when they tried to tie tarps to the trees, the cops told them to take them
down or be arrested.

[antigone382]

22. kick, and thank you to those who have PM'd me with support.

DU, you rock!

[MadHound]

24. Time to Occupy *Unnamed Private Liberal Arts College*

Seriously.

[antigone382]

28. Oh no worries, that's already locked down.

;)

And we have nearly raised enough money and generated enough connections to pull this whole thing off.

[tuckessee]

29. Why are you afraid to say "Berea"?

Will they kick you out of school?

[Zookeeper]

30. K&R. I visited your college this spring and was impressed by...

its story. The high mucky-muck who is trying to stop you, should be ashamed of herself....and fired!

Best of luck!