After a jam-packed week in Detroit and a long van ride back, I'm finally beginning to catch my breath and process everything I saw and learned at the US Social Forum. The Atlanta group stayed busy, spreading out and attending events all over the city.
We were at workshops--AFSC's youth organizing against military recruitment, video messages from the Zapatistas about "The Other Campaign," the legalization of marijuana, justice and water issues, justice and sports, transformation theory, socialism, anarchism, etc. Some of us also attended opening and closing ceremonies and the evening plenaries, with panel members from all over the US and even international speakers.
We were at concerts, parties, and spoken word events by the river and at venues around the city. We explored the city and learned about the tough issues Detroit is facing. Some of us even saw a HUGE art installation called the Heidelberg Project taking up a whole block of houses, many of which are run down and abandoned.
Most of all, we were meeting people from all over the world doing important work, having discussions and debates, and getting a sense of the spirit of the people working for change in the US! Many of us on the Atlanta caravan did not know each other before this trip, but we hope to continue to work together in the future and to bring more Georgians on board with us.
Erica Schoon
American Friends Service Committee
Here are some highlights from some of the Saturday recaps:
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