So, I went to my first real rally yesterday down in Waikiki. As a member of Aikea, an organization dedicated to fighting for the rights of working people and bringing greater awareness to social issues, I was proud to march in Waikiki to fight for my community. I don't want this post to be too much about the activism but more about my experience, since this is the first time I am writing about my participation in Aikea.
It was an incredibly exhilarating experience, and I now know how it feels to LITERALLY stand up for your beliefs. It is one of the most exposing and vulnerable yet empowering things I have ever done. I literally stood on a sidewalk, held a sign almost as tall as me, and chanted for about an hour to fight for something I believe in. That was priceless, and I am addicted. I would gladly do it again...but in probably slightly better footwear (I was wearing slippers aka flip-flops). I would also bring a bottle (or two) of water. Lol.
Well, without further delay, here are snapshots of the day :):
This was the sign I was holding. Pretty awesome. It was also HUGE.
The group of people in front of me. The crowd extended almost an entire city block in Waikiki. And we were grouped together. If we stood side by side, we would have reached MUCH farther.
Just a FEW members of our contingency at the Ilikai Hotel. We were protesting their plans to transition into condos. They are cutting TONS of jobs, and a lot of the protesters that day were literally fighting for their jobs in the hot sun.
To learn more about AIKEA:
If anything, this rally showed me that I can put my views out there and be heard. We got a LOT of support that day from the drivers passing by!
PS. "Aikea" is pidgin (Hawaii slang) for "I care."
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