Today, the “Occupy” movement has helped focus America on the fact that our economy and our government is working on behalf of the wealthiest 1%, and at the expense of all the rest of us.

We agree and boldly state that the answer is the Beloved Community preached and acted upon by Dr. King.

Please join us for a day of ACTION the most fitting way of honoring Dr. King and his vision for the world.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Action Assembly will be held Sunday, January 15, 2012. Registration and Music will start at 2:30 until 3:00 pm. Our celebration program and action will begin at 3:00 until 4:30 pm.

Join us at The People’s Church located at 941 W. Lawrence Avenue in Chicago, Illinois

Free Parking available at the Aragon Ballroom Lot 2 blocks away: 1106 W. Lawrence Avenue

Sponsored by: IIRON Education Fund, NFP (IIRON) Northside P.O.W.E.R. (People Organized to Work, Educate and Restore), Northwest Indiana Federation, and Southsiders Organized for Unity & Liberation (SOUL). Visit us at iironblog.org.

RSVP on Facebook or For more information call Will Tanzman 312.402.0572

On Monday, November 7, SOUL joined the Jane Addams Senior Caucus and a number of other groups to protest proposed cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and HUD. The protest featured powerful testimony from people of diverse backgrounds, 43 seniors and allies being ticketed for an act of civil disobedience, and this powerful moment of accountability between SOUL's Rev. Patrick Daymond and Senator Dick Durbin (from an NBC Chicago article):

In front of more than 400 seniors rallying with Occupy Chicago, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin slammed the Tea Party, the Republican Party and said it's no time to mess with Medicare and Medicaid.

But for at least one Occupy Chicago organizer, that wasn't good enough. 

Reverend Patrick Daymond, who helped organize the Monday march, asked Senator Durbin reaffirm a list of liberal values by signing a values document. 

Durbin declined. 

"I have to go to the airport," Durbin said, trying to avoid the confrontation. "I don't sign pledges." 

Durbin returned moments later to voice an endorsement for the values statement,  pledging his support to oppose cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

See more of the encounter in the following video: