From the Bay to the “A”
Story by Adrian Avila // Photo by G. Melesaine

Atlanta, Georgia – Thousands of activists and organizers came from all corners of the US and some parts of Canada and Mexico to attend the first ever United States Social Forum. The days were long and hot, but the workshops and networking went on strong. The 9,000 plus people that took over the streets and hotels of Atlanta came from as far as California and Oaxaca, Mexico to network with people from around the country that are making change happen in their communities. Workshops held all over the city dealt with issues such as police brutality, immigration reform, environmental justice, and basic human rights just to name a few. The feeling in the Atlanta air was one of change and that a better US is possible and necessary.

Yet with all of the people that attended the massive forum, a presence of the Atlanta locals was missed – the homeless, the neighborhood folks, basically the non-activists. The homeless community in Atlanta is large, yet none of the 6,832 homeless people were asked to attend any of the workshops. Many of the homeless that I spoke to that were residing within a block radius of the Civic Center weren't even aware that such resourceful event was happening right in their back yards.

Being at the USSF and looking around and seeing how a lot of people had gotten left out of the conversations that were going on, made me come to the realization that the movement as a whole in the U.S. tends to leave out some of the most important voices. For instance, in the immigration movement you have leaders that are holding meetings that speak on how important immigration is and how valuable the people are, yet the people in those conversations are not the ones that the laws effects.

It is to be understood that putting together a 1,000 plus workshop forum is no easy task and that there is no possible way to include everyone into the agenda, but it just seems odd that with all of the promotion of change and a better US, there was no help for the natives of the streets of Atlanta. Natives such as Stone, and elderly African-American man who has been with out a home for nearly 15 years. Stone stays no more than two blocks away from the Civic Center, which was the main hub for the Social Forum. “I saw all of these people walking by me that I asked for help and they looked down at me and said nothing,” said Stone. “When I found out what they were here for, it made me wonder, who they were really here to help?” he concluded. The weathered look on Stone's face told a story of struggle and hardships that he has had to face over the years on the mean streets of Atlanta.      

Another man named Duce actually attempted to attend the forum and see what kind of help could be offered to him, yet he was denied entrance because he had not paid the $15 registration fee in order to receive his US Social Forum name tag. “I was just trying to get inside and see what all of this hype was about, maybe even get some help,” said Duce, who has been homeless for six years now, and had not eaten in two days when I met him.

And it wasn't only the homeless that seemed to be excluded from the forum. A 19-year-old girl named Muffin that takes the subway that many of the forum's attendees took everyday, said that she was mad that none of the street people were asked to attend, “Why have it in our city if your not going to include us?”

It was Muffin in fact that showed our De-Bug contingent what Atlanta was really like, in becoming our official hood tour guide.   She shared with us the way that Atlanta street life works. “Dudes in the A are wild, life is hard here and we need to do what we have to, to get by,” said Muffin. As she took us from block to block, pointing out kick it spots where the locals hung out after school and work, and how quick the police were to question anyone that wore baggy jeans and big shirts. We really got to see the underside of the “ATL,” something that maybe none of the other attendees got to experience.

In addition to Muffin, a group of street gang members became our eyes into the real world of the ATL. With their bandanas in full view, the group of 20 something's demonstrated to us how a typical Wednesday night went down in the A. While huddle in a circle they began to freestyle rap battle in a most colorful way. The energy that they produced was unmatched by any other rap battle I have ever seen. The creativity and delivery that they had was strong and the soul and influence of Atlanta could be heard and understood in the flows.

Apart from rapping, the group also gets involved with the community. They help out at a local homeless shelter and say that they are always looking out for people in their community.  

In truth, it was a great experience being at the forum and meeting all of the people from all over that are conscious and that are trying to make a difference, but the real impact that being in Atlanta had one me was the people of the great city. It was the homeless with their stories of struggle and drive, and it was the gang members that volunteer at soup kitchens, and just the overall soul that the people of the city have. You can't hold such a big event and not take into consideration the people that live in the city you are coming into. And not to say that anyone is to blame for the leaving out of some of the necessary voices, but all of us should be more aware that there are people that need to be thought of when planning such a big event. We should push for the involvement of all people that are in a struggle, especially if it is there homes that we are using as a platform for our movement.  

It is a great shame that the movement sometimes neglects to include those voices that are genuine to the struggle, because without those voices all the movement is really doing is feeding the fire that is burning so many of our people.     

Check out the video “From the Bay to the A” at:

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