For Immediate Release
Contact: Occupy Wall Street PR: press@occupywallst.org 347-292-1444
National inquiries: Anthony Newby, Occupy Homes MN newby209@gmail.com 612-327-9453

• New York, 1pm ET, vibrant rally at PNC Bank branch, 340 Madison Avenue between 43rd and 44th streets

• Pittsburgh, 1pm ET, the Cruz family delegation and local supporters will rally and march to PNC Headquarters at Market Square.

• Minneapolis, 6pm CT, supporters will demonstrate at the Cruz home (4044 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN)

“Despite assurances that they are working to resolve the situation, PNC Bank has refused to accept the documents necessary for the loan to be modified. So we are going with Alejandra and David Cruz to make a hand-delivery to PNC’s headquarters,” said Anthony Newby, a community organizer with Occupy Homes MN who will travel with the family.

“We’re standing in solidarity with cities around the country demanding justice for the Cruz family. There are 12 million homeowners with negative equity fighting against being thrown out of their homes while the banks we bailed out are making record profits,” said Michael Premo, an organizer with OWS and Organizing for Occupation (O4O), a collective of NYC housing activists.

For up-to-date information about events across the country visit: www.occupyhomesmn.org

Video of Alejandra and David Cruz: http://bit.ly/LC7zUe

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: press@occupywallst.org, 347-292-1444
For this action only: Aaron Bornstein, 617-216-6546

Justice (Not Sex) in the City: Occupy Wall Street & Housing Advocates
 Demand Accountability for Homeowners at Obama Fundraiser

Obama Campaign Fundraising at Home of Sarah Jessica Parker While Investigation of Wall Street Corruption Goes Begging

Tonight, members of F the Banks, Occupy Wall Street (OWS) and local and national housing advocate groups will demand justice be brought to the banks by confronting Obama with his broken promises and deceptive funding priorities. While the President raises campaign funds at Sex In the City star Sarah Jessica Parker’s West Village townhouse, the underfunded and understaffed federal Mortgage Fraud Task Force leaves big banks free from accountability and millions of American homeowners screwed.

The Administration’s failure to investigate crimes which brought on the financial crisis will be met with a vibrant (and loud) presence for the second time in 10 days; the disparity between the millions raised by the Obama campaign and related PACs and the slow pace of the investigation will not go unchecked.

When/Where: Thursday, June 14th, 6pm: Convergence begins under the Arch at Washington Square Park. “Teach-in” of Occupy tactics; 7pm: March to Obama Fundraiser. Great photo opps. Who: F the Banks and OWS, VOCAL, Campaign for Fair Settlement.

In January’s State of the Union address, Obama announced the new “special unit” to investigate and “hold accountable those who broke the law.” If they were actually carried out, the investigations could have serious results: Big banks held accountable (criminal penalties for executives) for crimes against the American people and our economy; meaningful settlements provided for millions of underwater homeowners.

The President has the power to instruct the Department of Justice to allocate existing resources to press forward with this investigation since the requests for funding have been denied by Congress. More information can be found at: www.fthebanks.org

Occupy Wall Street is part of an international people powered movement fighting for economic justice in the face of croney capitalism, the crimes of Wall Street, and a government controlled by monied interests. #OWS is the 99% organizing to end the tyranny of the 1%. 
For more info www.occupywallst.org and press.nycga.net

# # #

**UPDATE**

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2012

Contact: Nick Espinosa, 612-432-8888, espinosa.nick@gmail.com
Anthony Newby, 612-327-9453, newby209@gmail.com

Video profile of Colleen’s Story: http://youtu.be/OMrxF6F78Eo

Minneapolis—For months, Colleen McKee Espinosa, a single mother of three—including Nick Espinosa, a volunteer organizer who has helped other homeowners fight foreclosure—has repeatedly asked Citibank officials to allow her to catch up on her mortgage and keep her home. But Citibank still has the home scheduled to be auctioned off at a sheriff’s foreclosure sale this Wednesday, June 13th, at 9am.

McKee Espinosa, a registered nurse, has been in her home for 16 years. Last year, she attempted to pay her Citibank mortgage to catch up on two past-due payments on the indicated due date. The bank told her the home had already been sent into foreclosure.

After media coverage in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the blog Crooks and Liars, and other outlets, Citibank officials contacted the family, and assured them they were doing everything they could to resolve the case, assigning them a contact in the “executive response unit.” Despite this, the bank is moving to auction the home at a sheriff’s sale this Wednesday at the Hennepin County Government Center, after which time the bank would have no legal obligation to work with the family.

“My mother has struggled her whole life to keep our family afloat, while teaching my siblings and me about hard work, fairness, and giving back,” said Nick Espinosa. “I’ve dedicated the last 8 months of my life to helping families fight against unjust foreclosures and the greedy banks that would rather leave homes vacant than work to keep families in their communities even after being bailed out with our tax dollars. Citibank won’t be stealing the home I grew up in from my mom—it stops here.”

The family has seen a huge outpouring of support from the community since the campaign started. McKee Espinosa’s union of 20,000 nurses statewide, The Minnesota Nurses Association, St. Anthony East Neighborhood Association, and hundreds of neighbors have called for Citibank to negotiate with the family, signing an online petition asking Citibank to work out an agreement with the family. Most neighbors on the block have sent letters to Citibank and display yard signs in support of the family.

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: press@occupywallst.org, 347-292-1444
contacts for specific events available upon request

Battle with Wall Street’s billionaire church continues
Occupy Wall Street pressures Trinity as criminal court trial looms

New York —Trinity Church faces continued pressure about the use of its property – not just the fabled church and yard at the foot of Wall Street but over its corporate subsidiary, Trinity Real Estate, a cash cow of commercial real estate (valued at $1 billion) that makes it one of the largest landowners in Manhattan and the richest parish in the Anglican world. Last year Occupy Wall Street (OWS) along with allies in faith communities pleaded with Trinity for sanctuary at an unused vacant lot on Canal and Sixth Avenue known as Duarte Square, for an organizing base after being violently evicted from Liberty Plaza (Zuccotti Park). A December 17 clash over use of the lot resulted in 49 arrests, including several priests (Catholic and Episcopal), Bishop Packard (Episcopal), and one Catholic religious sister; a consolidated trial of 20 defendants is set to begin June 11.

Preceding the trial are two events that will put Trinity Church/Real Estate on the spot about its values. Trinity is being asked to stop prosecuting a group of OWSers and members of the faith community, and commit itself to economic justice.

Thursday, June 7, 11am Liberty Square – Justice for the 99% Rally
Featuring author/journalist Chris Hedges and peace activist, Fr. Daniel Berrigan, a public event to remind all land rich religious institutions that their faith calls their loyalty to those at the losing end of economic disparity.

Sunday, June 10, 7pm Steps of Trinity Church (B’way & Wall) – Vesper Service

On the eve of the trial Rev. James Cooper and Trinity Wall Street will be asked in this service to embrace forgiveness, drop the charges, and re-consider use of the empty lot at Duarte Square.

Monday, June 11th 9 am Trial – Manhattan Criminal Court, Jury Part 7, 346 Broadway at Leonard Street, 4th floor 20 defendants face trespass-related charges.
The vestry of Trinity Church has recently been racked with divisions over the tenure of Rev. James Cooper. Ten of the church’s 22-member vestry–its board of directors which includes worshipers, local business, political leaders–have either been forced out or quit. Cooper’s compensation of over $1 million a year, including a lavish SoHo townhouse, has become a lightning rod for criticism. Much like its Wall Street neighbors, Trinity gives money to charitable causes but refuses to challenge dramatic income inequalities right outside its doors.

Occupy Wall Street is part of an international people powered movement fighting for economic justice in the face of croney capitalism, the crimes of Wall Street, and a government controlled by monied interests. #OWS is the 99% organizing to end the tyranny of the 1%. For more info www.occupywallst.org and press.nycga.net

# # #

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: press@occupywallst.org, 347-292-1444

Obama Selling Off Presidency While Investigation of Wall Street Corruption
Goes Begging
F The Banks to Confront Obama at Campaign Fundraiser in NYC

Tonight, members of F the Banks and Occupy Wall Street will be highlighting the Obama Administration’s failure to investigate crimes which brought on the financial crisis with a vibrant (and loud) counter-fundraiser for the woefully underfunded and understaffed federal Mortgage Fraud Task Force. Outside of President Obama’s high dollar fundraiser, NYers will demand that justice be brought to the banks by confronting Obama with his broken promises and deceptive funding priorities.

In January’s State of the Union address, Obama announced the new “special unit” to investigate and “hold accountable those who broke the law.” The investigations could have serious results: Big banks held accountable (criminal penalties for executives) for crimes against the American people and our economy; meaningful settlements provided for millions of underwater homeowners.

Recently, the F the Banks members had a sit in at New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s Mahattan office, to push him to take charge of the floundering Mortgage Fraud Task Force. With last week’s financial smack down by a Wall Street-friendly Congress to deny full funding to the investigative Task Force, and the predictions of over $1Billion to be raised by the Obama re-election campaign and related PACs, it is clear that election fundraising trumps justice for American homeowners.

When/Where: Monday, June 4th, 6pm, converge at Bryant Park. 7pm move to New Amsterdam Theater (42nd St Btwn 7th and 8th Ave).

Visuals/Photo Opps: Counter-fundraisers will wave dollar bills to underscore the ridiculous disparity between campaign spending and the amount of money needed to bring justice to the banks, as well as bang on pots and pans to bring noisy attention to the quiet investigation.

Wall Street greed remains unchecked and unbowed. While the county wants money out of politics, Obama is hauling in more Big Apple cash for his reelection effort – selling the White House to donors while millions of Americans are underwater. More information can be found at: www.fthebanks.org

Occupy Wall Street is part of an international people powered movement fighting for economic justice in the face of croney capitalism, the crimes of Wall Street, and a government controlled by monied interests. #OWS is the 99% organizing to end the tyranny of the 1%. 
For more info www.occupywallst.org and press.nycga.net
# # #

Occupy Wall Street reignited a movement for economic justice. Now WOW — Women Occupying Wall Street — aims to do the same for feminism. They’re bringing together a broad range of New York City feminists—and unapologetically using the word—to launch a new, inclusive activism for gender justice and against the War on Women.

The First Feminist General Assembly is Thursday, May 17 at 6:30 in Washington Square Park.

Yes, it’s a meeting—but not just any meeting. The invitation list ranges from SisterSong: Women of Color Reproductive Justice Center to the Sex Workers Outreach Project, from the Granny Peace Brigade to Hollaback, a group of 20-somethings using cell phone cameras to broadcast the faces of street harassers. The conversation will be personal as well as political.

It’s as if the Suffragists were getting together with the Sixties reproductive rights activists. And feminist drummers. And men (OWS’s Men’s Circle) doing the childcare.

Gender justice is crucial to economic justice, say the organizers. No society is truly democratic without sexual and gender-identity freedom. The Recession and government cutbacks are hurting women and kids most. And all over the world economic and social progress depend on individuals’ control over their own reproductive lives and on freedom from gendered violence. Feminism opposes domination, by anyone of anyone.

Contact: Dior Vargas (646-238-0447) or Melanie Gold (212-769-4987).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5-14-12
Contact: press@occupywallst.org, 347-292-1444
Contacts for each day of action below

Today: Stroller March for the 99% with Parents, Kids, Community Groups & Labor
NYers “Roll & Stroll” for Justice, Secret Prank Planned for Mayor 1%

As part of the Another NYC week of anti-austerity actions, which began on May 10th and will culminate on May 15th in a mass convergence at Times Square, NYC organizations and individuals from all across the city will join together for a family friendly Stroller March for a better future for NYC’s children, schools and families. Communities will come together to fight the Bloomberg budget attack on afterschool and childcare programs, children’s services and education.

Monday, May 14 – Focus on Education & Students | Contact
 Jonathan Westin: 347-410-6919 or Michael Kink: 518-527-2787
Grand Army Plaza, 59th & 5th Ave. (SE Corner of Central Park), 5-7pm
Also happening today: Picket and leafleting at Bloomberg LP, 731 Lexington Ave, 7am-4pm. Continue reading →

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: press@occupywallst.org, 347-292-1444
Contacts for each day of action below

ANOTHER CITY IS POSSIBLE, ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE

Continuing to shift the discussion from austerity to economic inequality, Occupy Wall Street and dozens of NY-based organizations join global days of action, May 10th-15th

Beginning on May 10th and culminating on May 15th in a mass convergence at Times Square, NYC organizations and individuals from all across the city will join together in action around the many issues we face: from cuts in social services, to an austerity agenda that redistributes your tax revenue into private hands, to the financial institutions (that we bailed out) that continue to make record profits at our expense. Actions on May 12th and 15th are in conjunction with global calls for action–coinciding with coordinated protests across Europe and the Mediterranean. Watch the video here. Continue reading →

For Immediate Release: May 4th, 2012
Press Contact: press@occupywallst.org, 347-292-1444
For this action only: Mark Bray, 201-820-8230

Members of Occupy Wall Street Stage Sit-In 
at NY AG Eric Schneiderman’s Office
Citizens Risk Arrest to Demand Public Accounting of Federal Mortgage Fraud Investigation

New York, NY–Today, more than a dozen people staged a sit-in at the office of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, pressuring him as co-chair of the federal Financial Fraud Task Force’s Mortgage-Backed Securities Working Group, to make good on his pledge to investigate and hold accountable Wall Street’s crimes that have contributed to an economic crisis and more than 11 million underwater homeowners in the US. Participants in the sit-in and demonstration expressed outrage at the lack of apparent progress in investigating or prosecuting the crimes of the big banks against the American people and our economy.

AG Schneiderman recently called on the public to “help make this investigation as strong and thorough as it needs to be.” Those organizing and participating in today’s sit-in say they are answering that call (the AG’s words appeared on several signs), and have vowed to stay until Schneiderman agrees to attend a public forum in New York to provide answers about the about the working group’s resources, staffing, and timeline.

Outside, dozens of people passed a hat to raise funds for the working group, which critics have decried as woefully underfunded and understaffed. The Obama administration has so far promised 55 investigators (who have yet to be appointed), compared to the approximately 1000 federal investigators focused on the much-smaller Savings & Loan crisis of the 80s and 90s.

“Since its creation more than 3 months ago, the silence from the federal mortgage fraud working group has been deafening,” said Han Shan, one of the sit-in participants. “We’re here to make some noise and show we won’t be satisfied with lip service and lies. Homeowners and working people across the country continue to suffer from the economic crisis created by Wall Street fraud, and we want accountability now.”

Alex Krales, one of the people sitting arm-in-arm on with protesters on the floor of the building lobby, demanded that the task force “step it up,” citing the fact that no banks or bankers have had to answer for their infamous crimes against the American people and our economy.

Outside of the office building at 120 Broadway where the Office of the New York State Attorney General is located, only about a hundred yards south of the Occupy Wall Street movement’s birthplace in Zuccotti Park, scores of demonstrators rallied in support of the sit-in. In addition to signs that quoted Schneiderman’s own words, people held banners that said “Banks Steal Homes” and “Bring the Banks to Justice.”

More post action updates to be posted soon.

# # #

For May Day: Mark Bray, 201-820-8230
Rebecca Manski, 773-758-3400
Liesbeth Rapp, 501-772-0272

8 AM–2 PM – Bryant Park, Occupy Wall Street May Day Gathering (42nd & 6th)
OWS will be at Bryant Park with a mobile occupation (popularly known as a “Pop-Up Occupation”); the day will include free food, a free market, skill-shares, workshops, teach-ins, public art and more. Bryant Park is a staging place for the early morning ’99 Pickets’ actions targeting various corporations around midtown. 99picketlines.tumblr.com At 12pm, Tom Morello from the band Rage Against the Machine will arrive at Bryant Park to enlist 1,000 guitarists, string players, and singers to take part in the Occupy Guitarmy. occupyguitarmy.tumblr.com

10 AM-3 PM – Madison Sq. Park, Free University with Occupy University (23rd & 5th)
The Free University offers a public space for the 99% to disengage from an unequal system and imagine a model for alternative education with a day-long event featuring lectures, workshops, skill-shares, and discussions — all open to the public. University professors from around the city will bring their classes to the commons. university.nycga.net

2 PM – Occupy March to Union Square with Guitarmy
Vibrant procession stepping off from Bryant Park, proceeding through midtown to Union Square with the Occupy Guitarmy.

4 PM – Union Square (14th and Broadway), May Day Solidarity Rally
The May Day Solidarity Coalition, where Occupy Wall Street will join labor unions, May 1st Coalition For Worker and Immigrant Rights, students, and faith & community groups for a massive rally at Union Square. Musical performances by Das Racist, Dan Deacon, Tom Morello, Immortal Technique, Bobby Sanabria, Toshi Reagan and other special guests. Large crowds expected.

5:30 PM – Solidarity March to Financial District (2 Broadway @Bowling Green)
A coalition of labor, immigrant, OWS, community, student, and faith organizations will march from Union Square into the heart of corporate corruption on Wall Street, ending at 2 Broadway with a rally featuring a variety of speakers, musical performances and more.