Matthew Fega asks: Cynthia, how come there was so little RPS/2044 coverage of long marches?
You guessed we had more? You are right. I just think their not getting space in the text is an artifact of the timing of the book and the focus of the questions. Our biggest marches were very recent, after most of the interviews, maybe all, I don’t know. The idea of our big marches was simple enough. Start long marches, 100 miles, in some cases 250 miles or even I think maybe more for a few. You have had one or two already, I think, haven’t you?
Ours each had multiple parts converging from four or five directions on some major city – like Chicago, Austin, SF, Cleveland, I think we have had about 20. And each city had from two to four marches heading toward it from different directions, passing through different terrain, all to arrive at essentially the same time for a major gathering.
All the long feeder marches began in small towns and even hamlets, and passed through countryside, towns, and cities too. And every one, in each setting, held rallies and tried to stay over at least a day or two to recruit new marchers and spread commitment. It was mass, simultaneous, joyous and raucous organizing reaching the mainstreams and byways of places ordinarily not reached.
I was on a few of those, each for a time, mostly in the Midwest. It was some of the best times I ever had, walking, talking, not just with others who were purposefully walking, but with folks we came across, with kids who would tag along, with farmers, and with all kinds of people. These were really outreach, celebration, and commitment all at once – it was the first stage of victory, I think, leading to 2044.