Caravan lands in Lake Charles, Louisiana

Unified, Freedom Caravan Reaches Louisiana

Amplifying Voices of the Grassroots for clean water, alternatives to incarceration

Four buses strong, with the addition of folks from Houston, the People’s Freedom Caravan heard powerful testimony of struggles and victories from the community in Southwestern Louisiana. Hosted by the Families & Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC) and Mossville Environmental Action Now (MEAN), participants shared their vision for ‘another’ world and how the grassroots is creating alternatives now.

One Mossville resident explained how “we’ve been waiting a long time” for this type of convergence that overcomes the barriers that divide us. “This is about making our voices heard, bringing together our power and constructing a better future for our children based on human rights and justice.” Young voices filled the auditorium as folks shared their experiences, hopes and realities.

The stories focused on recuperating democracy for the working-class and people of color communities in this country

In the heart of the petrochemical industry and the parish with the highest juvenile incarceration rate in the country, residents spoke of shutting down prisons for children, dedicating resources into education and services, and reducing the amount of poisons in the air. A line filled the hall of people waiting to sign a petition for justice for the Mossville community engulfed with power plants and toxic water.

“I felt the suffering of the community here, dealing with health problems from contaminations just like in my neighborhood in San Antonio,” explained George Valdez of Southwest Workers Union. “We must unite our struggles to ensure that everyone in this country has a safe, clean environment for their families.”

“We know what a better world would look like,” said Grace Bauerof FFLIC. “It has air and water that nourishes rather than poisons, it has a schools and parks not prisons, it prioritizes social programs and health care instead of corporate welfare. Let’s go to Atlanta and build that better world.

Special Report: Live from the People's Freedom Caravan

• See pictures from this 'social forum on wheels'
  
• YES! Magazine: blog from Sarah van Gelder's insight from the buses
• SWOPblogger: even more updates from the journey to the USSF