outside the KU student union building about to leave for Miami

another shot..Amy, Nate, Danielle, Helen, Brian, and Carl

Brian of USWA Local 6996 drove pretty much straight through...19 hours!

and this is how they looked as they packed in the van...right before the door closed

USWA welcomed us to their Rapid Response Conference in Miami. Great speakers from across the hemisphere discussed fair trade.

Another shot of the first night of the USWA Rapid Response Conference

USWA also invited us to all their dinners and fed us. These dinners were excellent opportunities for use to get to talk to union organizers from around the country and discuss student-labor coalitions

More shots from the dinner that first night

...and more

 

The Steelworkers and other unions also helped rent the space for the Independent Media Center (pictured here) and the Convergence Center

Banners outside the Convergence Center

more banners outside Convergence Center

Amy, Miranda, and Dave inside the Convergence Center's food and prep area

Brian at the first big Steelworkers' march

Amy and Helen in the Steelworkers' march

Dave at Steelworkers' march. We were all on marching to a big international labor forum

United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) contingent preparing for an anti-sweatshop action

USAS put on a bit of guerilla theater before the action

Amy, Miranda, and I were in a group for the USAS action. We had to break up into groups of 3 because Miami had passed an ordinance criminalizing any gathering of more than 3 people. Anyway, Amy and Miranda volunteered to be in group #1, which delivered a demand to the store manager (and security as it turned out) to stop using sweatshop labor to produce jeans. Here, we're waiting for Tom (the head security guy) to get us a meeting

After we left the department store and made our way through lines of police, Miranda got interviewed by the media...this reporter (I believe) is from Brazil

The night before the big protest, we all gathered in a big ampitheater to hear union leaders, global justice activsts, and a great line up of bands for the Truth Tour. Many organizations had tables and we got the first shift at the USAS table

Billy Bragg playing at the Truth Tour

Stage shot of Dead Prez at the Truth Tour

End of the night Truth Tour jam with several of the acts that played

Miranda, Nate, and Dave at the Truth Tour.

FTAA Gator (we were in Florida after all)

Getting around Miami on thier "people mover"

The whole crew before the big march

One of the many puppets on the march

Puppet kite with one of the many black helicopters flying above

Some of the signs carried on the march

Sun puppet

As people arrived to get ready to march, they were greeted with riot police practicing charging a crowd. I'm only including one picture of these police. In part, because I have too many. But also because I don't want to detract from the incredibly energy at this protest.

...and there were tanks too

Jobs with Justice--Miami style

One of the many strollers on the march

Medea Benjamin of Global Exchange sat down next to us after the march

First signs the police were gassing protesters. Here street medics administer first aid

The tear gas starts to really fly. This shot is after we had to flee our resting place because we were innundated with gas

Another shot of corporate rule in action

The day after the major march, Miami organizers held a "Really, Really Free Trade Market" in a local park. Bring what you have and barter away

Amy and Miranda at our spot at the Market

Amy, Miranda, and Dave at the Market

I left a day after everyone else. So I took a little walk along the beach on my way to an Internet Cafe in South Beach. The "other" Miami