We Are the Ones

When in the course of social collapse
It becomes necessary to change society, perhaps
Jobless and homeless, can’t get ho health are, life isn’t fair
Who do we know, to help us go, help us sew
Seeds of somethin’ better, cast aside fetters
Well I met her, she sent a letter:

We’re the welfare mothers from New York City
We fight for rights don’t need your pity
But where are the people to join in our fight
To make it right, could they be hiding in plain sight
Well we are the ones, yes we are the ones

Farm Labor Organizing committee Flocs to the rescue
takes on the soup and pickle people
demanding respect for the pickle pickers, don’t you know,
fair wages and treatment for the sis and bro
Grassroots global justice, Alianza Popular
wants a new system
What Dreamers! – Wait, that’s how we make change,
For a minute I forgot
Power for working people and those who have not

Indigenous Environmental Network
Somehow got this funny idea
people are in some way part of some environment round here
Third world majority says we not only have the right to know
We have the responsibility to BE the media, step it up and go
Don’t you think youth of color queers and other marginalized multitudes
could do a better job of telling us what’s goin down
Than those gringos up at NPR with their chatty Kathy attitudes
(you heard me – I said – You can say that)

And when the CEO said you just gotta trust us
Got a big laugh from Jobs with Justice
We bailed out the rich, they got the bonus itch
Did you see what I saw, I had drop jaw
We want our dignity back, not mention homes and jobs
They say the wheels of society are coming off,
Train wreck is straight ahead
But some of us have been there all along
Somebody somewhere doin something wrong
Undernourished children in a overnourished society
When we allow poverty to continue that’s an impropriety
Who cares about health care, we care,
Who cares about immigrants, we all share
If money can move globally
so can people who have to have it to live nobly

Michigan welfare rights organization
fight against privatization for affordable water rates,
Like they did in Bolivia and by the way they won
If Bolivia can do it, Michigan can
Padres Unidos defending Denver Latinos from education asesinos
Without the Freedom to Learn Project
You got no freedom to earn prospect
We want no schoolhouse to jailhouse track
We want our dignity back

Women in Transition out in Louisville Kentucky
Do you think you get what you need by hopin, maybe little dopin C
No, you band together, stand together, don’t wait for their approval
Get up stand up against unjust child removal
Poor people’s economic human rights campaign says
we all have the right to do more than complain
about health care, housing, education, and a living wage
It’s the new black, it’s all the rage
Supports the victims of Nafta and welfare reform
Which taken together were a perfect storm

We been downsized and cast-aside
But we will not be sat astride
We need power which we can only get
From the strength and perseverance of our 93 member organizations
I’ll mention a few, most I can’t remember cause I ain’t no cyborg
you can look it up at economichumanrights.org/members
There you find among others these sisters and brothers
Alexandria United Taxi-drivers, and the Hip-Hop Congress,
Sisters Together Ending Poverty STEP
Southsiders Together Organizing for Power STOP
Toledo Foreclosure Defense League TFDL?
Direct Action Welfare Group – DAWG!
And don’t forget the Mormons
For Equality and Social Justice
All right!
INCITE! radical feminists of color workin to end violence – against women –
and communities of color through direct action, and grassroots organizing. I’m gonna go out on a limb and link ‘em
with the Indigenous Women’s Network with their Youth Cultural Arts
Program and Sustainable Communities
We are the ones…