US Social Forum Opens in Atlanta, U.S.

Sokari (Black Looks) presents what it was like earlier today in Atlanta, the host city of 2007 United States Social Forum.

Exhausting day - so much so Robtel and I missed the 8pm showing of the film Bamako at the Africa Tent - I really wanted to see this film but my legs were not cooperating - by the time we got back to my hotel room we crashed out and woke up after 8 so that was that. Great opening day -the Africa Tent is the coolest place to be literally as it has AC! Besides us at Fahamu, Trans Africa Forum, Priority Africa Network, UCLA Africa Studies Programme and the AFSC Southerland Institute. There is a buzz in the Tent and I get the feeling that it will be a success with a host of workshops planned and a special focus on Darfur. Also a couple of more films will be shown over the next couple of days which I will not miss - “Have you Heard From Johannesburg? Apartheid & the Club of the West” is on tomorrow evening.

A large African American and Latino presence and from what I could see I would say housing and immigration are two big issues and Iraq of course.

Ok so on to the opening day fun stuff - the march - brilliant despite the intense heat of marching at 2pm in Atlanta BUT it was a privilege to march along side 10 - 15,000 dedicated activists from across the US - real ordinary everyday people - just knowing these people exist and are committed is one hell of an uplift.

The serious work starts tomorrow but meanwhile here are some are some photos - I will try and get some video edited up by tomorrow evening.

Some photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/soks/tags/socialforum/

Sokari blogs at BlackLooks