People of Color Occupy Wall Street

BET.com visits the grounds of the protests.

It’s Not Okay, Anymore - For nearly three weeks protesters from Occupy Wall Street have been marching and demanding that American government support education, infrastructure and jobs, get rid of corporate tax loopholes and strengthen democracy. Thousands of protesters — including students, union members, parents and teachers — marched in lower Manhattan Wednesday in the biggest show of support yet to Occupy Wall Street. What was once a regional movement has grown nationwide and even received an acknowledgment from President Obama during a news conference on his jobs bill. BET.com went straight to the people to hear their thoughts and, in the following pages, show you what they had to say. (Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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It’s Not Okay, Anymore - For nearly three weeks protesters from Occupy Wall Street have been marching and demanding that American government support education, infrastructure and jobs, get rid of corporate tax loopholes and strengthen democracy. Thousands of protesters — including students, union members, parents and teachers — marched in lower Manhattan Wednesday in the biggest show of support yet to Occupy Wall Street. What was once a regional movement has grown nationwide and even received an acknowledgment from President Obama during a news conference on his jobs bill. BET.com went straight to the people to hear their thoughts and, in the following pages, show you what they had to say. (Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Don’t Be Fooled, We Got Sold Out - "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out" Kenny leads a group in chanting. "We are walking over the graves of slaves. Wall Street was built where slaves were traded and they turned that slavery into economic slavery; that’s the main reason I’m out here. I want economic freedom."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Don’t Be Fooled, We Got Sold Out - "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out" Kenny leads a group in chanting. "We are walking over the graves of slaves. Wall Street was built where slaves were traded and they turned that slavery into economic slavery; that’s the main reason I’m out here. I want economic freedom."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Loans and More Loans - "I’m here because I’m tired of paying more and more loans for an education that doesn’t necessarily guarantee me a job," says second-year Doctoral Student at Columbia University, Akua Gyamerah.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Loans and More Loans - "I’m here because I’m tired of paying more and more loans for an education that doesn’t necessarily guarantee me a job," says second-year Doctoral Student at Columbia University, Akua Gyamerah.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Come One, Come All - "I’m out here to support the American people. Period," says nurse Maria Mamonia.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Come One, Come All - "I’m out here to support the American people. Period," says nurse Maria Mamonia.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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We Will Show You - “Show me what democracy looks like, this is what democracy looks like,” protestors chanted.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Photo By Raymond Haddad/BET.com

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The Grannies Speak  - "I'm out with the Granny Peace Brigade. Five of them have been arrested," Louise Meriweather told us. "War affects everybody. We are seeking the end of nuclear weapons. We are seeking the end of killing people like Troy Davis. We are seeking jobs for people. We are seeking the end of the mortgage crisis. We are seeking better education for young people where they don’t have to work until they’re 60 to pay off their student loans."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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The Grannies Speak - "I'm out with the Granny Peace Brigade. Five of them have been arrested," Louise Meriweather told us. "War affects everybody. We are seeking the end of nuclear weapons. We are seeking the end of killing people like Troy Davis. We are seeking jobs for people. We are seeking the end of the mortgage crisis. We are seeking better education for young people where they don’t have to work until they’re 60 to pay off their student loans."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Act Out and You Will Be Under Arrest  - Police stand at attention, ready to arrest any disorderly protestors with plastic handcuffs.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Act Out and You Will Be Under Arrest - Police stand at attention, ready to arrest any disorderly protestors with plastic handcuffs.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Pay Your Share  - "Millionaires and billionaires are getting richer in this great recession that everyone else is going through," says Kwame Patterson, spokesperson for the building service workers union 32BJ SEIU located in eight cities and Washington D.C. "What we’re saying is, share the wealth. We need the rich to pay their fair share to make this country work."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Pay Your Share - "Millionaires and billionaires are getting richer in this great recession that everyone else is going through," says Kwame Patterson, spokesperson for the building service workers union 32BJ SEIU located in eight cities and Washington D.C. "What we’re saying is, share the wealth. We need the rich to pay their fair share to make this country work."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

A Victory Against Complacency - "A lot of people are saying how can a protest end a problem so deep, but look at Libya and Egypt, they toppled whole regimes — all we want to do is fix ours," said Roisin Isner, a student and participant in the walkout from Columbia University held on Wednesday afternoon. "I think the fact that we are doing this at all is a victory against apathy and a victory against complacency."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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A Victory Against Complacency - "A lot of people are saying how can a protest end a problem so deep, but look at Libya and Egypt, they toppled whole regimes — all we want to do is fix ours," said Roisin Isner, a student and participant in the walkout from Columbia University held on Wednesday afternoon. "I think the fact that we are doing this at all is a victory against apathy and a victory against complacency."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Time for Equality  - "As a Black woman, for so long we’ve been deprived of many things: of getting jobs that we know we deserved and of being told there are no more jobs," said April Gail. "I’m marching today because of the wrongdoing and for the homeless who have lost their homes after paying for them for 10 to 20 years."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Time for Equality - "As a Black woman, for so long we’ve been deprived of many things: of getting jobs that we know we deserved and of being told there are no more jobs," said April Gail. "I’m marching today because of the wrongdoing and for the homeless who have lost their homes after paying for them for 10 to 20 years."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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I Got Lucky - "I’m lucky I have a job, but if I lost my job, I’d be just like these people. I’d be out looking in a market flooded with over-educated people here," Cheryl Pam said. "We have to do something about the inequality of wealth in this country. We have to do something about the families that are losing their homes to foreclosure. We have to do something about the persistent homelessness in this city."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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I Got Lucky - "I’m lucky I have a job, but if I lost my job, I’d be just like these people. I’d be out looking in a market flooded with over-educated people here," Cheryl Pam said. "We have to do something about the inequality of wealth in this country. We have to do something about the families that are losing their homes to foreclosure. We have to do something about the persistent homelessness in this city."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

"Let Us March" - "All of these people want to march and they won’t let us. This is how they treat the economy, too. This is the kind of bureaucracy that is holding back our country; they don’t listen to the people," says Bill Shortell, who led the chant, "Let Us March."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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"Let Us March" - "All of these people want to march and they won’t let us. This is how they treat the economy, too. This is the kind of bureaucracy that is holding back our country; they don’t listen to the people," says Bill Shortell, who led the chant, "Let Us March."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

African- Americans Occupy Wall Street - Recent Occupy Wall Street minority protesters say that African-Americans need help more than anyone, and that Blacks should be attending the protests in record numbers.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Health Care? They Don’t Care - "I caught the tail end of the civil rights movement and I’m a veteran. Whenever I need medical attention I just go to the VA, but so many people can’t go to the doctor because they simply cannot afford it," says 53-year-old Jeremiah Drake. "People are screwed and they know it."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Show Me the Money - "Where’s the money? Where’s the food? Welcome to the multitude," protestors chanted on Wednesday evening.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Show Me the Money - "Where’s the money? Where’s the food? Welcome to the multitude," protestors chanted on Wednesday evening.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

I Want Real Change  - "I lost my job because CEOs were greedy. They created an atmosphere of competition where they didn’t want me to compete. I’m here to fight for justice. This is about change, real change," says Marvin James.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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I Want Real Change - "I lost my job because CEOs were greedy. They created an atmosphere of competition where they didn’t want me to compete. I’m here to fight for justice. This is about change, real change," says Marvin James.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Hollywood Supports  - "I grew up a part of the 99 percent and I will never forget that. I’m here to support a real grassroots movement based in democratic thought that is developing its agenda through debate and consideration. The way it should be working in democracy," actor Tim Robbins tells BET.com.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Hollywood Supports - "I grew up a part of the 99 percent and I will never forget that. I’m here to support a real grassroots movement based in democratic thought that is developing its agenda through debate and consideration. The way it should be working in democracy," actor Tim Robbins tells BET.com.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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More Money for Education - “I am marching with the New School University because we know that it gets harder and harder to come back to school every year,” says Candice Smith.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

21st Century Protest  - A demonstrator captures scenes of the police near Wall Street. (Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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21st Century Protest - A demonstrator captures scenes of the police near Wall Street. (Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Photo By Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com

Congress Work With Us, Not Against Us - "We need less resistance from Congress and more jobs so we can move forward, not backward," says Richie McCall.  (Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Congress Work With Us, Not Against Us - "We need less resistance from Congress and more jobs so we can move forward, not backward," says Richie McCall.  (Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

We Won’t Be Overlooked  - "African-Americans are below the 99 [percent] in our communities," says Jasiri X. "Most often we are the last to be helped and the most frequent to be overlooked in our communities. That’s why I’m here."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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We Won’t Be Overlooked - "African-Americans are below the 99 [percent] in our communities," says Jasiri X. "Most often we are the last to be helped and the most frequent to be overlooked in our communities. That’s why I’m here."(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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What About Our Children? - "I’m a teacher at a New York City public high school and I find that my job and my career, that I’ve worked very hard for, is in jeopardy and, more importantly, my students recognize that their futures are in jeopardy," says Malik Lewis. "The saddest part about it is that they recognize the failures of this current economic system and the government in providing for them a standard of living that they deserve and will not currently receive." (Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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What About Our Children? - "I’m a teacher at a New York City public high school and I find that my job and my career, that I’ve worked very hard for, is in jeopardy and, more importantly, my students recognize that their futures are in jeopardy," says Malik Lewis. "The saddest part about it is that they recognize the failures of this current economic system and the government in providing for them a standard of living that they deserve and will not currently receive." (Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

Six-Year-Old Protests With Father  - "The president has billions to spend on militarism, incarceration and to bail out the banks, but he has little money to invest in the people and, in particular, the Black people," says Rev. Omar Wilks of Union Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, New York. Wilks was one of the 700 protestors arrested on Saturday. "My daughter needs to see this. We are the 99 percent," he said in reference to Occupy Wall Street’s claim that it represents 99 percent of the country that isn’t part of the super-rich elite and who is suffering from the greedy practices of Wall Street.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)

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Six-Year-Old Protests With Father - "The president has billions to spend on militarism, incarceration and to bail out the banks, but he has little money to invest in the people and, in particular, the Black people," says Rev. Omar Wilks of Union Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, New York. Wilks was one of the 700 protestors arrested on Saturday. "My daughter needs to see this. We are the 99 percent," he said in reference to Occupy Wall Street’s claim that it represents 99 percent of the country that isn’t part of the super-rich elite and who is suffering from the greedy practices of Wall Street.(Photo: Raymond Haddad/BET.com)