A little over a year ago, shortly after Occupy Wall Street had taken off in New York and Oakland had begun organizing, a small contingent formed in South San Francisco.
Last fall, Jackie Lopez brought together about 15 South City residents who shared the vision of supporting what the movement has called the 99%.
The energy and numbers behind the local and national movements have diminished in the past year, though NBC reports that over 180 arrests were made in New York on Monday at the one-year anniversary mark of the movement.
Lopez and a fellow local Occupier, Eddie Miller, say they still meet with other Bay Area Occupy contingents about once a week. As an expression of their commitment to the movement, the two also hand out lunches for homeless in downtown South City weekly. Villa Del Sol restaurant across from City Hall on Grand Ave. donated pastries for those lunches on Thursday.
Lopez and Miller participated in an Occupy protest in Redwood City for the year anniversary on Monday.
When asked to reflect on the past year of Occupy, Miller said that, "Occupy has targeted some of the main banks that were responsible for the economic meltdown, and the movement has opened people's eyes to a lot of faulty foundations of this country."
Miller is originally from Ohio, but came to South City after graduating from Boston University in 2010 with a degree in sustainable economics. Lopez was formerly a small business owner, is originally from Walnut Creek, and has lived in South San Francisco for many years.
Tell us below what your thoughts are on Occupy. Did you know there was a South City group?
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