Occupy The King Center

I've been so busy that I've found it almost impossible to make time to update the blog. I originally had hoped to blog daily but my engagement with the Occupy Atlanta movement has ended taking way more time then I had anticipated. It's been a beautiful frustrating struggle worth every moment.

I've decide just to write entries whenever I have the chance and to focus on smaller stories that aren't getting enough love in the press. I promise to have more updates from here on out!

Last Tuesday Mayor Reed decided to evict everyone from Troy Davis park with overwhelming force. There was mounted cops, SWAT team, helicopters, barricades, giant spotlights, and an overwhelming number of police.

52 of us were arrested inducing myself. After spending a day in jail we began talking about where and how we would reoccupy a space.

It was my sense that we needed a morale buster. Something bold and in the spirit of civil disobedience, yet something that wouldn't end up in certain arrests since Occupy Atlanta had been relegated to public enemy #1 by Mayor Reed.

So we decided to take refuge in the shadow of an Atlanta giant, Martin Luther King Jr. We knew it was federal property but we couldn't imagine the city dragging us away in from of the Martin Luther King Jr Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

Within five minutes of our arrival we had a police helicopter and about fifty police officers. Though our crowd was scared most decided to stay. Senator Nan Orrock and City Counsel person Kwanza Hall showed up to try to talk the police out of arresting. After an hour or so police finally gave up and went home.

We spent the rest of our night fellowshiping around the Gandhi statue, in total awe of the surreal experience of camping outside the King center.

When morning broke we decided to stick around and experience the King center. Kwanza Hall was nice enough to bring us some breakfast and talk to use about his fathers legacy in the civil rights movement.


Channel 11 coverage


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

SERO Lands In The Fairle Poplar District!

AFSC South Eastern Regional Office Headquarters moved into our new unfinished building several months ago. The floors on the 3rd floor were plywood and the 2nd floor hardwoods were a total mess. Because of the hard work of many generous people our 2nd and 3rd floor renovations have been completed in time for our planned October 1st open house!

Alice Lovelace, our associate regional director, and Betti Knott, our regional director, planned most of the details of our open house. We were all excited to have so many of our friend and partners in the community can out and support the occasion. Clinton Pettus, AFSC's Deputy General Secretary for Programs came in twn for the occasion and we had the special honor of having city counsel member Kwanza Hall's office present us with a special proclamation.

We're all so happy about the new space, and we're excited about the new opportunities the space will create to better serve the Atlanta community! Already dozens of grassroots organizations are using our space for organisational meetings, special events, and office space. So if ou haven't already, come down to the new AFSC South Eastern Regional Office at 60 Walton Street, Atlanta and say and give us a visit!

Below are video's of Betti Knott recieving a proclamation from city counsel, and some of the open house festivities!





Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee