First they came for Julian Assange.. globally we won his freedom but not our own

NYCFreeAssange hosted a celebration of the moment most of us barely dared to dream would come to honor so many who helped it happen and reflect on what next.

After many years of standing in streets with many of the same people between New York and Washington D.C. it becomes like an extended family where out of towners drift between site visits and eventually everyone sees everyone else.

This is a sentimental riff and bittersweet nostalgia. If you chose family Free Assange clans would be the ones you’d want and so many treasured friendships have been born from shared orbits. My yardstick for elapsed time is Nathan Fuller from a peachy, baby faced advocate for Chelsea Manning to grown ass man pivotal to efforts on Julian’s behalf at Courage Foundation. These are ethics and energy and skills we will need to nurture as the war on free speech targets all of us. Don’t panic organize!

Indoor pics are not happy for me because I like to scurry around and catch folks not looking at me and flash totally ruins that and feels rude to me so there’s an internal battle between dark meh images or annoying pest with a flash..

The flash won… fingers crossed the grascious speakers think results were worth it… sorting was fast, my lowest picture count ever and already on Flickr but in the spirit of family album some favorites and one historic landmark in adversarial journalism, first ever pic of Aaron Mate and Joe Lauria together… fab pair looks like a great omen!!

We won a mighty battle but the struggle for free speech and peace goes on.. Thursday 3pm NYPL steps Bryant Park.. see you in the streets!! :~)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pameladrew/albums/72177720320518734/with/54011524232/