Raising Tents to Raise Awareness

You may have noticed your fellow classmates pitching tents in the middle of Gleeson Plaza last week.
 
As the all-encompassing Occupy movements around the world occupy everything from our local TV reports to our Facebook newsfeeds, students at USF have joined in and organized their own movement.
 

“We’re camping out so people will come talk to us. Our ultimate goal is to raise awareness,” said freshman Teague Harry.
 
Although they have been criticized, Occupy movements are spread out across the map both in a geographic sense and in terms of the matters each movement focuses on.
 
“With the occupied movement, there isn’t a single centralized place at which people can meet. We want to show students how they can bring the Occupy movement into their own communities,” said Harry.
 
Many students at USF had already taken it upon themselves to experience the marches on Market Street before the on-campus group formed.
 
“I do believe that the corporations have too much influence over the government. However, I believe that the 99% are just as much to blame as the 1%,” said freshman Jordan Darula after attending a march earlier this month.
 
USF students have sifted through the many layers of the 99%’s messages to distinguish which goals they hope to stand behind.
 
“If there was one group that I completely supported, it was the teachers for public education,” said Darula.
 
Whether in conjunction with the new on-campus group or with their own political endeavors, students at USF are joining worldwide Occupy movements with hopes to “change the world from here.”
 
If you want to join the movement, attend Occupy USF’s general assembly meetings every Tuesday at 12:00pm in Gleeson Plaza or check out their website.