Occidental College
Campus Conversations
A Taste of Activism
Oxy is considered by some to have one of the most liberal-minded student bodies in the country. Yet, this past month (after being bombarded with images of "Occupy _____" in the mainstream media and observing fellow students skipping classes to attend various rallies), I realized I had yet to participate in any sort of real protest or rally during my three years here. Then, as if by cue, a fellow fraternity brother encouraged us to join him in a rally that he was helping to organize through a Urban & Environmental Policy (UEP) course at Oxy. The rally was targeting Trader Joe's, who has refused to sign a "fair food agreement" that would specifically ensure the fair treatment of tomato farm workers that supply the national grocer. Since it's headquarters is a mere 20 minutes from Oxy, we were able to attend and return in time for a 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon class. The rally consisted of a mile-long march from an actual Trader Joe's store location to its headquarters down the road. We had plenty of signs and creative chants - overall, I'd say it was a great taste of activism, and definitely long overdue. Here is local media coverage of the event and below are some pictures: [gallery]