P.O.W.E.R. to the PEOPLE !!!

by Joe B./PNN staff writer

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2002 Power People Organized To Win Employment Rights (POWER) held their 5th year anniversary celebration, which also acted as a POWER-ful fundraiser for the cause, held in the Women’s building at 18th and Valencia in the Mission.

From its start in 1998 to 2002 Power has pissed off many a politician; the rich and powerful embarrassed and made to give a damn about poor folks and growing problems that are created from rabid business models’ blockhead, bloodless, bottom line ethic.

In their five short years members from all walks of life have joined including a few individuals with money, in control of their own hearts and minds.

POOR's editor, a former welfare recipient and myself are both former POWER members and alumni, knowing the truth the people of POWER speak.

I had lunch earlier and would not have eaten, until I saw long lines forming for the excellent meal they provided to the capacity crowd of over a 150 people.

There were powerful speeches by Steve Williams, Cindy Weisner and more. There was also a very-corporate-ish slide show of P O W E R’s history, written and narrated by Ed Willard and Libby, as well as a well-done financial requisition by Van Jones and others.

Poetry, music, dancing and freedom fighter award presentations were among the many parts of a party to celebrate the ultimate power poor folks have if they band together in the common cause of need of resistance and survival.

I am glad as a humble office manager and columnist of P O O R, to be part of this cavalcade of brave, courageous, savvy men, women and children in this honored organization.

When people have worked so hard, so long, for almost no recognition, at first laughed at and then taken seriously; well its long past due for a party.

POWER made up for it this night before heading back to work to give those so called powers-that-be more headaches by exposing their crass, greed obsessed money grubbing ways of cheating honest working people out of their hard earned pay.

As long as there are fools bleeding silver, gold or green out of their asses, POWER will ride their backs and minds like the ax-swinging fighters they are,
like barbarians gone berserk.

Happy 5th P O W E R, may you pick up more speed, members, and honors as the years roll on. Bye.