On Wednesday, September 26, a fired up group of public school students and parents, teachers, and community members from the ReFund California coalition boarded school buses and led a Tour of Top California Political Donors Homes in Bel-Air, ending with a teach-in on the front “lawn” of anti-Prop 30 donor A. Jerrold Perenchio.

Approximately 100 people participated from ACCE, SEIU 721, United Teachers Los Angeles, AFT 1475, UAW 4123, Courage Campaign, Academic Professionals of California, and the National Lawyers Guild.

At least two article were posted that highlighted the billionaires responsible for the defunding of our state and raised the question of who will pay in November’s California election – the super-rich, or students and working families?  See La Opinion, “Today’s lesson: the super-rich,” and the American Prospect, “Jerry Perenchio: California’s Sheldon Adelson” for details.

On Tuesday, Wells Fargo is holding its annual shareholder meeting in San Francisco, where top corporate executives, board members and shareholders come together to discuss company profits.  But they are also going to have to deal with me and thousands of other members of the 99% demanding justice from Wells Fargo abuses.

I was born with cerebral palsy and use a wheelchair for mobility. In 2009, I was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer.  After my breast cancer diagnosis, my husband James had to take time off of work to care for me. We decided to ask Wells Fargo for a loan modification on the home I grew up and have lived for over thirty years.

Wells Fargo denied my request for a loan modification and decided to foreclose on us. Even though my husband is back to work and we are able to make our full payments, the bank won’t budge.

On Tuesday, I’m joining thousands of families impacted by Wells Fargo’s policies to meet Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf face-to-face. I’m going to ask him to accept my mortgage payments.

Will you join me for the 99% Takeover of Wells Fargo’s Annual Shareholders Meeting, April 24th?  We’ll be meeting at 10am at Justin Herman Plaza in San Francisco.  Click here to RSVP.

Which CEO deserves to be voted Mr. or Ms. 1% of California?  Click to Meet the candidates and vote!

While the majority of Californians continue to suffer from the economic crisis, big corporations and super-rich individuals are driving an agenda in our state to ensure the 1% prospers at the expense of the 99%.

The result has been an increased economic burden for working families that includes escalating costs of higher education and healthcare, fewer jobs, more foreclosures, depressed wages, and a deteriorating quality of life.

Why? Because rich CEOs and executives in the Golden State are pocketing millions while backing and bankrolling an agenda that keeps economic and political power in the hands of the few, killing or delaying the chances of a broad economic recovery for the rest of us.

Hundreds Occupy Capitol Rotunda, Calling for Millionaires Tax, Freeze on Tuition Hikes and Spending Cuts – And Calling Out Governor's Effort to Co-Opt Rally

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 Coming from every corner of California, and from dozens of Cal, Cal State and Community College campuses, thousands of students rallied in Sacramento yesterday to hold the line on higher education cuts and tuition in the State. Seventy students were arrested in the State Capitol Rotunda after hundreds of activists non-violently occupied the Capitol Rotunda for over 7 hours, while others lobbied their representatives to fully fund education. 

The rally was the culmination of several days of action to "refund education" in California, beginning last Thursday with protests on 30 campuses statewide and a 99-Mile march of students and faculty from the Bay Area to Sacramento. The events were the followup to Novembers statewide campus protests, which successfully pressed the State to hold off on a proposed round of tuition increases. 

 "Thousands of students, workers, faculty and advocates stood together yesterday to demand that the 1% pay its share to fund education," said Charlie Eaton, an organizer with REFUND California. "After experiencing the highest tuition hikes in the country, students came to Sacramento to tell Governor Brown enough is enough. The movement that was out on campuses in November was on the steps of the Statehouse yesterday, and we will continue to fight to refund higher education." 

In "people's assemblies" inside the Capitol, protesters developed a list of demands for the legislature and the Governor. Number one was support for the "Millionaire's Tax" ballot initiative, which would add $5-6b in revenue every year - including nearly $2b in dedicated funds for higher education- to support critical social services that have been ravaged by state budget cuts. Other priorities included full funding for education statewide, and democratization of the UC and CSU board of regents. Chanting "hear us out or we'll vote you out," students made clear throughout the day that they are squarely focused on the Governor and the Legislature as the keys to refunding education in California.