Calling occupants
Occupy Reno builds its community
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! - On the night of Thursday, Oct. 27, with approval from the city of Reno, Occupy Reno began its occupation outside of Moana Pool with a General Assembly meeting. The GA meetings are conducted like open-ended democratic discussion forums, complete with votes conducted using a simple system of hand gestures. Here, Laurel, who declined to give her last name, discusses one of the key issues of the night: the development of a sustainable infrastructure at the Occupation site.
Photo by AMY BECK
In addition to its goal of raising awareness of economic disparity—and correcting that disparity—the worldwide Occupy movement is about community and solidarity among the “99 percent” who aren’t part of the world’s financial elite. The construction of the Occupy Reno occupation outside the closed-down Moana Pool, now known euphemistically as Moana Springs, serves as a sort of metaphor for building community. For this photo essay, we documented the first week of the Reno occupation, from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3.
 <b>DELIBERATE IN TENT</b> - Jared Lowell and Marissa chat outside Lowell’s tent. Some of the participants of Occupy Reno refer to it as the “Biggest Little Occupation.” Photo By amy beck |
 <b>BEST LAID PLANS</b> - Meanwhile, as the children play along the south side of the pool, David Sater facilitates an infrastructure meeting on the north side of the building. Photo By amy beck |
 <b>COP STOP</b> - Demian Trevor O’Keeffe, left, discusses the Occupation with his father-in-law Patrick Alonzo O’Bryan and Reno Police Officer Robert Larson. The police have been a semi-regular and friendly presence at the occupation. Though the Occupation’s goals are radical, they’re not necessarily subversive and certainly not illegal—in fact, one of the goals is legal action against the Wall Street bankers who caused the world economic collapse. Many Occupiers are quick to mention that they’ve worked within the system and are simply using their First Amendment right to peacefully assemble. Photo By amy beck |
 <b>CLEANING SLATE</b> - Before anything new can be built, the refuse of the old must be cleared away. One of the first steps of the Occupation was clean-up. Here, Jason Klein, Cathy Blane and Lisa Schmidt clean the enclosed common area south of Moana Pool, sweeping and removing leaves, trash, broken glass and other debris. Photo By amy beck |
 <b>BEYOND THE OTHER DOME</b> - A man known only as “Tuna,” left, David, and Edward Hickey begin putting together the geodesic dome that will eventually be the media and information center of the Occupation. Like “Tuna,” who ran for Nevada State Assembly in 2010, many Occupiers will only give the media, including the RN&R, first names or nicknames, citing fear of retribution from conservative employers, among other reasons. Though full names are easily found online—a quick trip to the Occupy Reno Facebook page, for example—we’ve decided to honor this request. Photo By amy beck |
 <b>’ROUND THE FIRE</b> - A group of Occupiers engage in in-depth conversation around the campfire. They pride themselves on the strict policy against alcohol and drugs. This is partly to keep heads clear and partly to counteract the perception that the Occupy movement is a bunch of hippies and burnouts. Photo By amy beck |
 <b>CHROME DOME</b> - Later in the afternoon, Tilghman Wendel puts together the roof of the dome. In years past, the dome has been used at Burning Man. Though some locals, including some Occupiers, draw some comparisons between the annual art festival in the Black Rock Desert and the Occupy movement, there are some key differences: In many ways, Burning Man is an escape from “the default world;” the Occupy movement aims to change that world. Photo By amy beck |
 <b>NOT ALL WORK</b> - On the afternoon of Wednesday, Nov. 2, Circe, left, and Ethan play badminton, or the informal childhood variant of it, near some of the Occupiers’ tents. Photo By amy beck |
 <b>KNOW YOUR RIGHTS</b> - Here, on the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 2, Felipe Miranda helps construct a pallet base to keep an Occupier’s tent off the cold cement of the Moana location. “We’re here to exercise our rights and educate ourselves,” he says. Photo By amy beck |
 <b>ON THE GRASS</b> - Stacey Alonzo engages in the discussion at a GA meeting on Sunday night, Oct. 30. Many participants in the occupation describe Occupy Reno as a “leaderless movement.” Photo By amy beck |
 <b>NIGHT LIFE</b> - Jared Lowell talks with some Occupiers at a nighttime campfire. Much of the evening campfire scene is almost like a typical campout, though the conversation tends toward NAFTA rather than NASCAR. And it’s in the middle of town. Photo By amy beck |
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