PHOTOS:
'HUNGER STRIKE'
- a song by Kirk Kelly, in honor of the Hunger Strike.
DAY 7
The Hunger Strike came to an end on Tuesday, May
13! Despite the rain, wind, and cold, day after day the hunger
strikers would not be moved from in front of Pataki's office.
During the finale rally on Tuesday night, several of the hunger
strikers expressed before a crowd of hundreds how they felt overwhelmed
by the support they received from friends, from supporters, and
passersby. Said Hunger Striker Laura Gillis, "Your support
has made doing this hunger strike almost easy." Despite their
exhaustion and weakness, their spirits were high and they exhorted
the crowd to let this be a beginning, not an end, to the fight
to stop Pataki's attacks on our health. Other groups came out
to express their determination to join with us in our struggle,
including Jim Houghton of Harlem FightBack and Reverend Vernon
Williams from the New York Forum of Concerned Religious Leaders.
There was also singing from the Perfect Peace Ministries Ensemble,
the Labor Chorus, Kirk Kelly, Joel Landy, Patrilla Fisher, and
drumming from the Young Korean American Services & Education
Center.
Despite a media blackout that dampened our mainstream
news coverage, we received coverage by well-known columnist Jimmy
Breslin from Newsday, were on the front page of Hoy, and were
covered heavily by WBAI and other radio stations and local press.
Thousands more learned about the hunger strike from posters and
flyers, word-of-mouth, email, and from passing by the hunger strike..
The hunger strikers are now recovering and will
hopefully be well and up on their feet soon. During the long week,
we have forged many new relationships with individuals and with
church and community organizations. Many have expressed how they
too have been hurt by long hours of overwork, by New York's failing
Workers' Compensation system, by the toxic and economic fallout
of 9-11, and by the lack of health care for New York's working
people. The Hunger Strike served as a beacon to draw these people
together, so that we will now surge ahead, stronger than ever,
as we continue to hold Governor George Pataki responsible for
the deteriorating health and working conditions of New Yorkers.
The hunger strike has ended, but the momentum propels
us forward. Those who came out felt the energy behind this action.
Those of you who could not make it -- it is not too late to join
in the fight to stop Pataki's attacks on our health! We urge everyone
to contact us now at (718)625-9091 or email us at nmass@yahoo.com
to get involved.
DAY 5 & 6
Emotions ran high in the last few days of the Hunger
Strike. On Mothers' Day (Sunday), families and friends poured
in to shower the hunger strikers with flowers. Several children
of the hunger strikers expressed how seeing their mothers hunger
striking had inspired them and deepened their relationship. Hunger
Striker Huang Sheng Ku said, "This has been the best Mother's
Day ever." A prayer service led by Margaret Shafer of the
5th Ave. Presbyterian Church, Reverend Elizabeth Braddon of the
Park Slope United Methodist Church, and Reverend Lucius Walker
of IFCO closed the program, though many family members remained.
It was truly a celebration of the work that mothers do.
DAY 3 & DAY 4
The hunger strike gains momentum as the hunger strikers
and their supporters vigorously reach out to thousands of passers-by
in front of Governor Pataki's office. On Day 4, hunger striker
Henry Wiechno fell ill and had to leave the hunger strike, having
lasted four days taking heavy medications for his injury with
no food. He is now doing well, as are Elaine Hoffman, Nereida
Buitrago, and Yuk Kum Wong, who had to leave the hunger strike
earlier.
On Friday evening, supporters from around the city
gathered for a candlelight vigil in honor of the hunger strike.
Spirited singing and speeches by hunger striker Arek Tomaszewski
and Reverend Vernon Williams from the Forum of Concerned Religious
Leaders of New York brought everyone closer together in fight
for our health. Support from around the city continues to pour
in: US Congressmen Major R. Owens & Jerrold Nadler, State
Senators Toby Ann Stavisky & Ada L. Smith, State Assemblyperson
Carmen Arroyo, and City Council Members Alan Jay Gerson &
Larry Seabrook have pledged their support for the campaign, while
the following organizations have endorsed the Hunger Strike demands:
- Arch Deacon Michael S. Kendall, Episcopal Diocese of
NY
- Asian Pacific Islander Coalition on HIC & Aids
- Asociacion Tepeyac de New York
- Bellevue Occupational & Environmental Health Clinic
- Beyond Ground Zero
- Brennan Center for Justice & NYU Law School
- Business Council of Kingsborough College
- Cabrini Immigrant Services
- Calbary Cathedral of Praise
- Casa Atabex Ache
Catholic Charities - Lower Manhattan
- Center for Economic Rights
- Chinese American Arts Council
- Chinese United Methodist Church, Community Developers
Program
- Church of St. Teresa
- Council of Churches of the City of New York
- Crown Heights Youth Collective
- Dominican Women's Development Center
- East West Medical Services
- Filipino Workers' Center
- Freedom Socialist Party
- FUREE
- Good Old Lower East Side
- Greater New York
- Labor Religion Coalition
|
- Green Party, NYC Coordinating Committee
- Harlem Fight Back!
- Immigrant Social Services
- Jews for Racial & Economic Justice
- Judson Memorial Church
- Lower East Side Anti-Displacement Project
- Lower East Side Green Party Local
- MADRE, An International Women's Human Rights Organization
- Make the Road By Walking
- Margaret Shafer, Fifth Av. PresbyterianChurch
- Met Council on Housing
- Mobilize NY
- National Employment Law Project
- New Immigrant Community Empowerment
- New York State Catholic Conference
- New York Taxi Workers' Alliance
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish
- Park Slope United Methodist Church
- Perfect Peace Ministry
- Youth Outreach Inc.
- Polish National Catholic Church
- Polonians Organized to Minister to Our Community, Inc.
- Project Reach
- Radical Walking Tours
- Radical Women
- Ramon Nieves, UMCOR Disaster Relief Response Program
|
- Reclaim the Streets
- Reverend BJ Whipper Jr, Jehovah Baptist Church
- Reverend Canon Carmen R. Guerrero, The Episcopal Church
- Reverend James Fitzgerald, Minister for Mission &
Social Justice@ The Riverside Church
- Reverend N.J. L'Heureux Jr, Queens Federation of Churches
- S.S. Cyril & Methodius
- Services for Differently Abled, Medgar Evers College
- Sixth Street Community Center
- St. Francis De Chatal Parish
- The Civic Committee for the Baptists Ministers Conference
of Greater NY & Vaccinity
- The CUNY School of Law Labor Coalition
- United Methodist Church, Women's Division
- UPROSE
- Wetlands Preserve Activism Center
- WILD for Human Rights
- Workplace Project
- Workers' Solidarity Alliance
- Young Korean American Services & Education Center
- YWCA of Brooklyn
|
DAY 2
As the hunger strike moves into its second day,
the hunger strikers' resolve to expose the damage that Pataki
is doing to our health is being tested. Three hunger strikers
have been forced to leave the hunger strike: Elaine Hoffman, due
to her medical condition; Nereida Buitrago, due to a medical emergency
in the family; and Yuk Kum Wong, who went to the emergency room
this evening. These difficulties and the risk to the hunger strikers'
health have been aggravated by the refusal by the police to allow
us to erect rain protection or arrange suitable sleeping conditions.
Yet the remaining hunger strikers are more determined than ever
to not let Pataki dampen the their spirit or to silence all the
support from around the city from working people fighting for
their health.
More than ever, supporters need to come out to show
Pataki, the police, and the world how important this hunger strike
is to our lives!
DAY 1
Tuesday, May 6 - The Hunger Strike Begins
Day 1 of the Hunger Strike has begun! Spirits were
high as hundreds of supporters came out to the kick-off rally
last night to show their support for the hunger strikers and their
anger at Governor Pataki for putting our health in jeopardy.
After sleeping overnight on the sidewalk in front of Pataki's
office, the hunger strikers now face the difficult week ahead.
