Video: “Solving the Budget Puzzle: Sharing Our Stories”

Watch the video from “Invest in People, Not the Pentagon” Feb 22 forum in Seattle. Members of our community shared short, compelling stories about the impacts of the economic crash in their own communities. The wide range of issues and concerns included education, Head Start, homelessness, health care, social security & medicare, mental health, poverty, prisons, veterans’ issues, Pentagon cuts, food banks/hunger.

http://youtu.be/tHCOPH7ikpQ Solving the Budget Puzzles-Sharing Our Stories: People’s Forum

http://youtu.be/Q4Ffgyya89Q Sharing Our Stories-Education

http://youtu.be/78fExutYV5Q Sharing Our Stories-Head Start

http://youtu.be/uYozp6NL79g Sharing Our Stories-Homelessness

http://youtu.be/cPJrhnm1u8U Sharing Our Stories-Healthcare

http://youtu.be/NzwaewdNkiM Sharing Our Stories-Social Security

http://youtu.be/OJV8ReFXicI Sharing Our Stories- Mental Health

http://youtu.be/IvECSnO3fQY Sharing Our Stories-Poverty

http://youtu.be/lRmyBa_kwLs Sharing Our Stories-Prisons/Rehabilitation

http://youtu.be/RoAww1KJZ2o Sharing Our Stories-Veterans’ Issues

http://youtu.be/F-I5RoVQGTo Sharing Our Stories-Pentagon Cuts

http://youtu.be/rWtXP3OPDIw Sharing Our Stories-Food Banks/Hunger

http://youtu.be/RoAww1KJZ2o Sharing Our Stories- Veterans’ Issues

http://youtu.be/NzwaewdNkiM Sharing Our Stories-Medicare & Social Security

http://youtu.be/_zV82hWBF7w Sharing Our Stories-An Egyptian’s Perspective

http://youtu.be/lwnM5FJrvQA Sharing Our Stories-Gary Kanter Performs

We were joined by staff from Congressmen Jim McDermott and Adam Smith’s offices, who were visibly moved by and shared their reactions to the stories they heard. People were encouraged to join in future actions to Protect Human Needs & Cut Pentagon Spending. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell chose not to send staff to the event, although their request for stories helped spark the event. We urge people to communicate with Senator Murray, who as chair of the powerful Senate Budget Committee, has made public statements supporting cuts to the Pentagon while protecting human needs spending. She needs to hear from her constituents to stand tall in the ongoing Federal budget negotiations.

Groups that have come together for the initial delegation and now this forum include The Church Council of Greater Seattle, The Faith Action Network, American Friends Service Committee, GI Voice, Green Party of Washington State, Rainier Valley Neighbors for Peace and Justice, Veterans for Peace, Chapter 92, WA State Progressive Caucus, West Seattle Neighbors for Peace and Justice, and Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation.