Democracy Spring march to the Capitol
Democracy Spring has arrived, and the Waking the Sleeping Giant team were along for the ride. In March we filmed organizers at their home base -- the infamous Pink House in DC -- and then we caught up with them outside Baltimore on their march from the Liberty Bell to the Capitol. On April 11th we joined the rally outside Union Station and marched the last leg to the Capitol where over 400 people where arrested in a mass, peaceful sit-in. The protestors are demanding Congress take action against big money in politics and restrictive voter laws.
Among those arrested for the first time included Harvard Law School professor and former Democratic presidential candidate Larry Lessig. In the USA Today interview, Lessig quipped, "I'm a law professor. I don't get arrested." Actress Rosario Dawson summed up the feeling of many sitting-in: "This week, we're taking back our democracy."
Crew member Tim Wilson with Dolores Huerta, co-founder of United Farm Workers.
After a week of sit-ins and mass arrests, Democracy Spring joined with Democracy Awakening for a April 17th rally on the National Mall to keep the pressure on Congress. Our DC crew member Tim Wilson filmed the rally and caught up with some of the activists and reformers we've been interviewing, including United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta.
This spring, democracy is the giant and the people are awakening.