Javi and I went to the first Occupy Nashville protest last Thursday at Legislative Plaza – go Nashville! I still wish I could go to the Occupy Wall Street protests and marches with my trusty Nikon but Occupy Nashville was a great way to show our southern support for the movement. Javi isn’t really the protesting type (though he did hold up a sign during a silent protest on Vandy’s campus when Bay Buchanan came to deliver a speech about illegal immigration!), but he came with me and ate his lunch on the steps of the plaza while I ran around taking photos and yelling chants with the rest of the crowd.

Javi y yo fuimos a nuestra primera protesta de Ocupen Nashville  el Jueves pasado en la plaza de la legislacion – Vamos Nashville! Todavia pienso en la ganas que tengo de ir a las protestas de  Ocupen Wall Street y las marchas con mi camarita, pero Ocupen Nashville estuvo genial y es una buena manera de demostrar el apoyo sureno de este movimiento. Javi no es de los que le gustan las  protestas (aunque si sujeto una pancarta durante una protesta silenciosa en Vanderbilt cuando BAy Buchanan vino a hablar sobre immigracion ilegal!), pero vino conmigo y comio su almuerzo en la escalera de la plaza mientras yo corria por todos lados sacando fotos y gritando con el resto de la multitud.

There was a sizable crowd there during the hour or so that I attended (with my friend Minyoung!) and it was heartening to see all of the different kinds of people at the protest. Most striking to me was the size of the 50+ crowd – I would even say that they outnumbered 20-30 age group while I was there. Everyone was taking turns on the bull horn and shouting call and response chants echoed from the main branch of the movement in NY. My favorite moment was when I turned around and saw 3 familiar faces – friends Art, Jeremy and Katherine behind me holding signs and chanting “WHOSE PLAZA? OUR PLAZA!”

Habia una buena cantidad de gente durante la hora y algo que estuvimos (con mi amiga Minyoung!) y era muy emocionante ver los distintos tipos de personas que habian en la protesta. Lo mas impresionante fue la cantidad de gente mayores de 50 en la multitud – Yo diria incluso que era mas que los de 20 a 30 anos cuando yo estuve ahi. Todos tomaban turno para el altvoz y gritaban canticos que la multitud repetia, estos gritos venian desde la principal rama del movimiento en New York. My momento favorito fue cuando me di vuelta y vi 3 caras familiares – mis amigos Art, Jeremy, y Katherine atras mio con pancartas gritando LA PLAZA DE QUIEN? NUESTRA PLAZA!

The day was cloudless and beautiful and the feeling was positive and energetic – perfect conditions for a peaceful protest. I loved it. I went home pretty much immediately after I left and uploaded the photos to my photography blog to get the word out that Nashville is participating too. I am so lucky that I can use my photography as a creative and political outlet – it would be different, maybe, if it were my #1 career but as it is I use my camera in whatever ways I see fit, which is important to me. Hopefully the Occupy Nashville movement will stay strong – I’m hoping to get another chance to go out to the plaza and get photos of the folks camping out there, if they can hold out til after my midterms…

El dia estaba despejado y bonito y se sentia un ambiente positivo y energetico – perfecto para una protesta pacifica. Me encanto! Volvi a casa y de inmediato me puso a bajar fotos y ponerlas en mi blog (click aqui) para pasar la voz que Nashville esta participando en esta protesta. Tengo mucha suerte de poder usar mi camara como un descargo de creatividad y politica – seria diferente tal vez, si fuera mi carrera #1 pero  como no lo es puedo usar la camara para lo que se me de la gana y lo que me parezca importante. Espero que Ocupen Nashville seiga firme – deseo poder tener otra oportunidad de ir a la plaza y sacar fotos de la gente acampando ahi, si solo pudieran aguantarse hasta que pasen los examenes de mitad de semestre…..