since 1992, he has appeared on c-span more than 400 times. he is just one of the many people the concerts and watch for free anytime online at our c-span video library. tonight on c-span, a rally held earlier today by the one nation working together a coalition. we will listen to civil rights leaders as well as environmental and peace activists. then ben nelson talks about why he is against letting any of the bush era tax cuts expire. later, members of the a services committee meets with pentagon officials for not being forthcoming about budget initiatives. next, at a rally held earlier today. it is made up of 150 national, local and state organizations.

leaders spoke at the lincoln memorial for jobs, justice and education. we heard remarks from reverend al sharpton and double -- naacp president and harry belafonte. this is close to four hours. one more time for the urban nation choir. ladies and gentlemen, let me bring to you one of the voices of our nation today, a man who speaks with clarity and power. one that understands power. the one and only ed schultz. [applause] >> one nation.

we are together. this march is about the power to the people. it is about the people standing up for the corporations. are you ready to fight back? are you ready to stand up for your brother and sister? >> yes. >> of this is a defining moment in america. are you americans? >> yes. >> are you americans? >> yes. >> do you love america? >> yes. >> it is time. it is a defining moment for this country. for us to look into our hearts and our soul to find out who we are as a people, as a country, as a family,. -- as a family.

the conservatives are holding you down. and they do not believe in your freedom. they want the concentration of wealth. they shift your jobs overseas. to our brothers and sisters who have fallen on hard times in this economic world, we stand with you as one nation. to our brothers and sisters who have seen their jobs go overseas, we will not let it happen. we will fight back as one nation. to our brothers and sisters who have been discriminated against, this is no time to back down. this is the time to fight for america. you love this country. we fight for this country. we will sacrifice for this country. but that sacrifice cannot profit

those at the top all the time. this is about the people. this is about one nation. this is about our future. this is about our kids, our grandkids, the future of our country. we cannot back down. we will not back down. we must move forward. are you one nation? >> yes! are you one nation? >> ! >> are you one nation? >> yes! >> for the past two years, president obama has had to put up with the word "no." 40 people in the united states senate have held down the working man of america. 40 republicans have decided to say "no."

will you suffer and your jobs to overseas, while they strangle the money. they do not won a -- do not want to give it up. they want to keep it at the top. we cannot let obama sale. -- failed. -- fail. they are protesting this march. we have a great turnout on a wonderful day. i leave you with a message. we cannot give up on november 2. >> no! >> we have not gotten everything we wanted in the first two years. but we have to stand behind our leaders on the progress of agenda, that is for the people and not always the corporations. it is for the families of america.

the other side thinks it is about profit. they do not think it is about people. they do not want us to have health care. they want it for profit. we will get universal health care someday in this country. [applause] we will create jobs. we will get the money to the small businesses. we will not let them ruined public education. -- ruined public education. if we let them do this to public education, we will be a different country. just remember, the great thing about public education is when the doors open, everyone is welcome. the gifted, the challenge, the rich, the poor those that need .pecial help

this is not just about a few people. this is about all of the people in public education for the opportunity of america. we cannot let them tear it down. we must fight. we must push back. our brothers and sisters, our union brothers and sisters across america, they have vilified you. they do not want you to organize in the workplace. they suppress your vote. we will not stand by a silent. we, as one nation, we as one nation will stand together to fight the forces of evil. the conservatives across this country, they do not want it for

the people. they talk about the constitution, but they do not want to live by it. they talked about our forefathers, but they want discrimination. they want to change this country. we, as one nation, stand up to say that we will be there on november 2. we will not give up. we will continue to fight. are you americans? >> yes! >> do you love this country? yes!. let's move forward for the country. [applause] >> in the current economic crisis, we have a sobering

choice to make. we can let it cool our nation apart or we can all pull together. as daunting as our problems appear to be, it is clear. we need more jobs. we can generate those jobs as one nation, working together. we need to value people for profits. so struggling families can become working families. we need to end economic greed on wall street and focus on the economic recovery of the main street. working together, we can rebuild america. a leaner, more diverse and fair. since our nation's founding, communities have always committed to our commerce and culture. it benefits everyone. working together, we can curb the high costs of low wages.

when people in poverty and need social services they cannot afford, we all suffer. when millions of people lose their homes, we all suffer. one nation working together, we can change lives. we can nurture businesses. we can educate our youth. we can empower communities. we can and will recover. working for the good of every individual and every family, from our smallest towns and businesses to our biggest cities and corporations. across the entire nation.

>> we are reminded of the 1963 march on washington which was organized by the great labor leader, a philip randolph. on this day, we were mesmerized by martin luther king speech's . all of these years later, it's still inspires us -- it still inspires us. we have the chairman for the democracy of america, chairman of the board of the naacp. >> we have come to this hallowed spot to remind american of the fierce urgency of now. now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of god's children. now is the time to lift our

nation from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. >> as we walk, we must make the pledge to we will march ahead. we cannot turn back. >> the go back to mississippi. go back to alabama. go back to georgia. go back to louisiana. go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities. it knowing -- knowing that somehow, this situation can and will be changed. [applause] >> i say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, i still have a dream. it is a dream deeply rooted in the american dream. i have a dream that one day,

this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of extreme. we hold these truths to be self- evident that all men are created equal. [applause] i have a dream that one day, on the red hills of georgia, the son of a former slave and former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. >> i have a dream that my four children will someday live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, of their character. >> i have a dream that one day the state of alabama will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. i have a dream today.

>> i have a dream today. that one day, every valley shall be exhausted. every hill and mountain shall be made low. the rocky places will be laid flat and the crooked places will be made straight for the glory of the lord shall be revealed and all shall see it together. >> this is our hope. this is the faith with which i return to the south. with this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle to the other, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. [applause] >> this will be a day when all of god's children will be able

to sing with a new meaning. my country to is of the, sweet land of liberty, for the icing. land where my fathers died, land of the programs pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring. >> if america is to be a great nation, this must become true. so, let freedom ring. from new hampshire, let freedom ring. from the mining of mountains of new york -- the mighty mountains of new york, let freedom ring. from pennsylvania, let freedom ring. from the snowcapped rockies of colorado, let freedom ring. from the heat of california, let freedom ring. from stone mountain of georgia,

let freedom ring. from lookout mountain of tennessee, let freedom ring. from every hill and every mole hill of mississippi. from every mt. tom -- from every mountaintop. let freedom ring. >> if you let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of god's children, black men and white men -- >> jews and gentiles, protestants and catholics will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old negro spiritual -- >> free at last! >> free at last! >> thank god almighty, we are

free at last! >> we are free at last. now, two great americans. a human rights activist and president of the asian american justice center whose mission is to advance civil rights for asian-pacific americans. and this gentleman is the former mayor of new orleans and president and ceo of the national urban league. god bless you and welcome to march".e nation rally >> we are dedicated to jobs and economic empowerment. we are 100 years young and we empower 2.1 million people across the nation. we empower children, families,

young and old, black, white, latino, asian and native americans and we connect them with good jobs, good schools, good housing in good health care. we are empowered in 100 cities across america. we march today. we rally today because people in our cities, in detroit and philadelphia, in akron and new orleans, in memphis, in peoria, in richmond, in omaha, in st. louis, in chattanooga and columbia, south carolina and in your home town. too many people are hurting. without good jobs to support their families and without good jobs to support our families, our nation cannot recover from this jobs crisis. we march today because we look around our communities and this

nation and we see an epidemic of housing foreclosures. tax benefits that benefit only the wealthiest. jobs being shipped overseas. $1 trillion spent on the war in iraq and 50 million americans out of work. we marched today in because behind these figures are people, our children, our mothers, our fathers, our grandfathers our grandmothers and remorse today because we as one nation working together demand a targeted jobs program to create 3 million jobs, to rebuild our streets, to rebuild our bridges, to rebuild

our libraries, our schools, our communities that are part of our homes and our families. let's create those jobs in the neighborhoods, in the big cities, in the small towns, in the rural areas, in the ghetto, in the borneo, and in neighborhoods where joblessness is highest and is crushing the hopes of our people. today, as we rally, we must rebuild baltimore. we must rebuild boston and richmond and pittsburg in birmingham and el paso and laredo and loss angeles and your hometown. we are one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty, justice, and economic empowerment for all. we are one nation working together.

>> asian americans are joining with the center for events in justice to march to the ballot box in november as part of one nation working together. we are marching because we understand that america faces an important decision this november. do we want leaders who will lead in building a new and vibrant economy in this country that provides quality jobs for everyone, or leaders that are satisfied with the old economy that only works for a few? do we want leaders who will leave a stronger safety net that extends unemployment benefits, access to affordable health insurance and real mortgage assistance or leaders who will turn their backs on those struggling in this economy? do we want leaders who will roll up their sleeves and devote the resources necessary to make our

schools work and provide training and summer jobs for all of america's youth. or leaders that would rather keep playing the blame game? we seek to elect leaders that believe that government has a responsibility to end discrimination in the purchasing and financing of homes. we are marching together because we seek to elect leaders to understand that our economy cannot work until our immigration system works to bring immigrants out of the shadows and reunite them with their families. we are what america, working together to elect leaders who believed in the tenacity of the american people and who will choose hope over fear, communities over divisiveness. so let's work together to demand an investment in the american

worker that will generate a strong economy and help the community. let's work together to demand a top-notch education system that is accessible to all and an end to discrimination. nation working together to ensure that we live in an america that provides opportunity and equality for all. [applause] >> we welcome the light for as res.e welcome eli floor a >> ladies and gentlemen, my name is richard garrison. i am from the commonwealth of virginia. i have here to tell you today that you are not alone.

the frustration and disappointment that has led many of you here today to this very rally, you are not alone. i attended the united states military academy at west point. when called upon by my country, i traveled to iraq with my unit on two separate occasions. when i returned home to make the decision to move on to the next stage of my life outside of the military, i found that the opportunities in the job corps were more than simply lacking. with the support of my family, i became one of the lucky ones. for months following the completion of my graduate studies, i struggled to secure adequate work. i was not the part of the economic downfall. my story have become the norm for our job market. i knew soldiers that had served

at -- admirably on multiple opponents who were forced to choose between cold nights in the desert away from their family and loved ones for ensuring that their families were properly provided for. without a second thought, without so much as a sound, these tired, fighting men and women chose the latter. they found themselves locked out in the cold. but they are not alone. servicemen and women are not the only ones suffering today. we know this. past administrations of this government aided in driving this country into trillions of dollars of debt to support jobs abroad while the working class continues to pay the bills and our society fights for their very well being. they are not alone. the government has stressed the

necessity of a fight thousands of miles away from our shores wild game member's main and murder in broad daylight on the streets of this nation's very capital. banks were left unregulated and free to literally steal billions in savings from good and honest and hardworking american families. this is the america that we return to. this is the america that we fought so diligently for. we were looking out for america, but when we came back, america was not looking out for us. please, ladies and gentlemen, do not misunderstand my words here today. our society has made great strides in recent times. things have begun to progress. we have seen unprecedented regulation of the financial sector through our president's strong leadership. this administration has begun the early steps to freeing -- to

bring our troops home. this is no small accomplishment. this government has fought for and won the right for every man, woman and child to receive adequate health care for their lifetime. [applause] so much has been accomplished. yet we still have so far to go. that is why we are having this rally today, folks. that is why i am proud to wear the uniform of the united states army. this gathering today is what i am honored to say that i am a veteran who fought with pride and dignity on behalf of my country. so my fellow americans could come together as one nation and proclaim in one voice that no matter your race, your ethnicity, your social economic status, your religion or sexual orientation, we are all

patriots. we are all one people. we will fight to support those men and women who risked their lives in defense of our freedom. america should not merely pay lip service to our military men and women. we should embrace them wholeheartedly. left to continue to fight here at home. even though having left for the battlefield. just as they support the fight, to gather, overseas, we must continue as one nation in these difficult economic times to stand together and support each other. let not this adversity shatter our spirit, but instead galvanize us as a people. as one nation, we will probably look this world know that the united states of america is now

, has always been, and shall forever be of the land of opportunity, hope and freedom. thank you. [applause] >> where are my young people today? where a young people at? i do not just mean a young, physically, but also the young in spirit. [applause] i come here today, not only representing young people of los angeles california, but also representing young people from all across this nation. many times, we are the ones that are the most forgotten population. the population most affected by failed public policies. the population damaged by

institutions of incarceration. unemployment hit us way before the recession hit this country. but we are also the population with great historical significance and a history full of young people standing up for what they believe is right and is just. from the walkouts in east los angeles demanding cultural an adequate education to the walkouts and citizens in the south during the '60s demanding civil-rights, young people have been on the forefront in the front lines of change of every major social movement of this country's history. [applause] i am fortunate that at the age of 23, i not only have a job, but i also have a lifelong career in social justice and

social change. this person that you see today was almost lost to a life of incarceration. this person you see today could have been a mere statistical failure. this person you see today could have continued on a path of destruction. but this person you see today was sent on a path of fighting for justice. [applause] i was one of the fortunate ones who found a chance to continue my education and belonged to a community of peers seeking to make community transformation through a program called youth build. they help us take ownership of our lives and responsibility for our families. our governments need to invest

in its people again. [applause] now, just because i have a steady income does not mean that i will relax and let life right itself out or be forced to believe that everything is ok. if i in eating, but my brother is starving, then i am starting as well. [applause] -- starving as well. if i have a home, but my sister is homeless, that i am homeless as well. if i have total civil rights, but others around the do not even have human rights, then something is not right. if my gender is respected, but other genders are pushed to a life of seclusion, the something is not right. [applause]

until that something becomes right, we are young people must stand it and must continue to stand up, just like our history has proven that we have. in justice somewhere is injustice everywhere. oppression somewhere is oppression everywhere. social justice and the reinvestment in people must not only happen somewhere, it must happen everywhere. [applause] item from los angeles california and i think you for standing up for me today. we must continue standing when you return home. will you stand when you go back home? [applause]

he starred in all five seasons of the hbo show. he is now back on a new series. he is also working hard to rebuild his hometown of new orleans. please welcome mr. wendell pierce. >> good afternoon. one nation, working together. one nation, working together. people remember him for "i have a dream." but after the march on washington and the passage of the civil rights bill, martin luther king had shifted his attention to another dream. economic justice for all americans. in a speech at the southern christian leadership conference he said that a nation that continues, year after year, to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching

spiritual death. as we talk about where we go from here we honestly face the fact that the movements must address itself and the country in reconstructing the whole of american society. there are 40 million poor people here. one day, we must ask the question why there are 40 million poor people in america? if you begin to ask that question, you ask questions about the economic system, about a broader distribution of wealth. when i say question the whole society, it means ultimately coming to see that the problem of racism, the problem of exploitation, and the problem of war are all tied together. these are the triple evils that

are interrelated. so, i conclude by saying again that we have a task. let's go out with a divine dissatisfaction. lotus be dissatisfied and to america no longer has a high blood pressure and agreed canned and anemia. let us be dissatisfied until the inner-city of poverty and despair shall be crushed by the battering rams of the forces of justice. let us be dissatisfied until those that live on the outskirts of hope are brought into the metropolis of daily security. let us be this of this fund -- be dissatisfied until the slums are thrown into the junk heap of history and every family is

living in a decent, sanitary home. [applause] let us be dissatisfied until the dark yesterday's of segregated schools will be transformed into the black tomorrow of quality, integrated education. let us be dissatisfied and to integration is not seen as a problem, but as an opportunity. for discipline in the duty of diversity. lettuce be dissatisfied -- let us be dissatisfied until men and women, no matter how black they are, will be judged on the content of their character and not on the basis of the color of their skin. let us be dissatisfied. let us be dissatisfied until every city hall, justice will roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.

let us be dissatisfied until men realize that god made all men to dwell upon the face of the earth. let us be dissatisfied until that day when nobody shout white ower and nobody will shot iut human power -- shot black power, but everyone will shout human power. [applause] >> and now, former union brothers and sisters, mary kay henry, the president of the international union. [applause] >> i stand here to represent the tribes across this nation. as tribal nations coming together but then this nation,

with one nation, our strength is your strength. >> our strength is your strength. let's say it together. our strength is your strength. our strength is your strength. i am proud to stand with my friend today. we met each other yesterday. i am sure you all are meeting each other today and we know that as one nation, that we are stronger together. is that right? [applause] we know that as one nation, that when we come to join hands, as health care workers, public service workers, janitors, security officers, all of our union brothers and sisters, young people, old people, all across this nation, that we can

make change happen and that is why we are here today. is that right? >> [applause] brothers and sisters are here today because we have had it. we have a corporate america that has higher and higher ceo pay and bonuses while workers are losing their jobs. we will not stand for it any longer. we are standing up and speaking out against corporate greed. [applause] we are here, standing together, because we care about health care delivery systems, to make sure that even the first americans have access to health care of. we care about equal education. we care about the fact that our next generation and -- are our future industry leaders, our

educators and will make a difference. we care about our veterans who fought for only to come home where poverty and crime has wounded or community. we stand together as sisters. we are your neighbors. >> are you standing with us sisters and brothers? we are one nation coming together. we are one nation coming together. we are one nation coming together. thank you, brothers and sisters. in my own language [speaking native american language]

>> our next artist was featured on russell simmons def poetry gen. he bridged the gap between hip- hop and poetry. his spellbinding does spellbound and presents. ladies and gentleman, black eyeice. >> so what happens in neighborhoods where self-esteem has been overshadowed by the decay and the children no longer play the way they used to? where young boys shoes to father figures that have no father figures. most of my childhood friends -- it is like -- that took away boys clubs and neighborhood

sports. cracow's instead of recreational centers that they claim they cannot afford to keep open for operation. the characterization was his sole promotion. [unintelligible] most of our families are quite poor. we miss out on meals. you have the audacity to cut the funding for what keeps us off the streets and then ask us what we sell drugs.

-- what will sell drugs -- what we sell drugs. -- why can we sell drugs. -- why we sell drugs. imagine if that little black girl could stay in school for free and love and dream of the broadway show. imagine if she was taught to love herself. imagine. [applause] ♪

welcome an american patriot, mr. van jones. [applause] >> all right. it is good to be here. i think they have their turn. it is our turn now. it is our turn now. it is our turn to put our business forward. it is important that we do that because as beautiful as today is and as beautiful as we all are here together and -- in this bright sunshine, we will be going home soon. there are people who would love to be here right now, but they can't. because they are home dealing with tough situations.

right now, there is somebody in indiana or michigan, ohio. somebody who is in -- who is an industrial worker, somebody who knows how to build cars. someone who has the best training in the world but they do not know when they will work again. right now, there is a mother somewhere watching her child got into an urban neighborhood where the do not have of programs and enough opportunities. she does not know if you will ever see her son again. he may be in jail tonight or on his way to the grave. she is looking at this demonstration, hoping that there will be answers. there was a family farm and they are about to lose it because they cannot have enough income. they don't need aid for rhetoric, they need real solutions. we have got real solutions. right now, there are men that

are drilling holes in appalachia, trying to mine coal. there are well workers was in their lives off of our coast. -- risking their lives of our coast. we respect them. they are our heroes. they have gotten us this far. america's future is not down those holes. if you want to see the future, look up. look at the sun to read look at the -- look at the sun. if you want to see the future, look up to imagine the manpower that we could have. let's put america back to work. if we do not begin to move off

of oil and coal, we will make the planet. we need to reach our america in a clean way. let's connect the people who most need work with the work that most needs to be done. fight poverty at the same time. put america back to work. that is what we can do together. let those industrial workers been the -- build wind turbines. each wind turbine has as much steel as 26 cars. we could put our steelworkers back to work and our water, our auto makers back to work. -- our auto makers back to work. when the collapse, you never get a wind slick. i have never heard of a wind

slick or a son spill. there is a smart way to do this. -- sun spill. let our children be trained to retrofit houses. to put solar panels on top so that houses use less energy. there is a smarter way to do this. real solutions. let those farmers who are out there have a new business to be in. they don't just have to be in the food production business. they to be in the energy production business. let them put those wind turbines on their property. we are not just talking about an agenda for america. we have real answers. not just rhetoric. real answers. [applause]

in conclusion, let me say that we have an environment in crisis and an economy in crisis. the earth is overheating. the temperature is going up and job prospects are going down. we can fix them both at the same time. we have the opportunity to put one solution in place that will fix the both of the same time. if we do that, we will finally have an environmental movement in america that is certainly in correct in saying that we should not have to throw weight aluminum cans or newspapers. we should be recycling those materials. we also do not need any throwaway children or neighborhoods either. let's have an environmental movement that can take care of that, too. thank you very much. [applause]

shouting] >> everybody over there. a man who has fought for the people his whole life. reverend jackson and [inaudible] >> good afternoon. you all know this man. did you know that he has been an ordained minister since the age of 9? at age 15, he was the youth director. at age 60, he found -- at age

16, he found the youth group. if you have a problem, he has your back. reverend sharpton, thank you for being with us today. >> thank you. thank you, linseed. my friend here is a recent graduate of the university of massachusetts where she earned --achelor's and anthropology in anthropology. she served the united states student association. >> young people in this country have been organizing and fighting for college access and college affordability for decades. because our government, both federal and state, have continually put education funding on the back burner.

divestments steady for public higher education has endanger the future of college in this country. leaving the average student borrowing nearly $25,000 in debt. then a graduate has to enter in one of the worst job markets in history. that may sound like a lot, but this is about 5% is what -- in what is spent each year on the military budget and less than 2% of the annual federal budget. my generation is paying for our nation's worst priority and we can no longer afford to pay for them. our elected officials are concerned with what is

politically expedient at the expense of making the kind of change that we need. we can no longer afford to be the unemployed, have the doors of our nation's colleges and universities slammed shut on us and graduate saddled with debt. our elected officials are not responding to us, so we can choose new leadership. yes, weekend. we realize -- yes, we can. we realize we can change our education system and rebuild an education system that works for america. it leaves my generation with hope that we can build a future for this country that works for all people. >> that is why today i joined of lindsey because we need america to deal with the issue of jobs. our young people need

education, but we need jobs. we bailed out of banks. we bailed out the insurance companies. now it is time to bail out the american people. we need to rebuild the infrastructure and provide jobs and training for american people. [applause] i hope the people looked at this mall because this is what america looks like. america is not one color. this is what america looks like. lindsay, i applaud it melody campbell and others in the civil rights community that we can stand and fight for america for jobs, decent education. we cannot scapegoat teachers.

we need to hold them accountable, but there is a difference between accountability and union busting. that is why we are going on the road. we want to straighten out our schools. but we need teachers, parents and students to work together. let me say this. when i was in school, we had midterm exams. what we had in 2008 was not the end, but a beginning. it brought us from one place in america to another. but in four weeks, we are going to have the midterm exam. when i have to take my midterms, i had to turn the light on my studies. that to tell my friends not to call me. add to turn the tv off. i had to get ready for a midterm

exam. we have to go home and we have to hit the pavement. we have to knock on doors. we have got to get ready for the midterm exam. we cannot stop. [applause] we have got to get ready. we are going to pass the midterm exam. [applause] lastly, they say that we're apathetic. they say that we are not energized. i am a preacher. there is a story in the bible about a man named ezekiel. ezekiel saw a valley full of dry bones. somebody asked if the bones could live and the way he made them live was that he started

connecting them together. we came today in the shadows of the lincoln memorial. if we can get connected, blacks connected to whites, latinos connected to asians, strait's connected to gays, immigrants and to all of us that were naturally born, we can make america free and make america live. one nation under god. [applause] one nation, one nation, one nation! ♪

>> ladies and gentleman, please welcome [inaudible] >> hello, everybody. good afternoon, everybody. but you reverend sharpton. i do not know how i am going to follow that one. but i will try. god be with you. i am a youth minister in baltimore, but i an irish. i was born in dublin 44 years ago. i came to baltimore nine years ago. the city has charmed me. i came to follow a dream. i came to follow the call. to work at what i was trained to do. i am a teacher.

i am a listener. i am an immigrant and i am a resident of this great country. america welcomed me as no other country could. and that is why i came to work at a job and to give to this nation all that it could give to me. anyone can come to this society to contribute. i look out at this corraled it today >> america has no need to be afraid of immigrants. we had lives before we came and

we came to bring all that experience and our expertise to you. as immigrants who come to share and to give, to grow, to prosper, not at anyone's expense but owned. home for some of us does not exist anymore. war, famine, economic loss, and government unrest forces us to come to find love -- and to give, to give to this country because we can. i know i am very lucky to be here today. i want to speak on behalf of those who are afraid to speak, who cannot speak because they live in the shadows. i speak on behalf of them because they deserve as much as i have.

we as immigrants continue to nurse america sick, teach america's children, and very america's dead as we have built this nation, the railways, and invented some of the best inventions of the 20th century. henry ford was from ireland. edison's father was from canada. the inventor of the submarine was from county clare. all of us, all of them have given to the world and they have come to this world to society that has given in the space and the opportunity. in 2009, the combined purchasing power of latino and asian immigrants was $23 billion. that was in the same year that the war in iraq cost $1.80

billion a week. so it is time for us to look for and stand for comprehensive immigration reform, to allow jobs for all, an affair work environment for all workers. [applause] i want to tell you story. to paraphrase a story, there was an irishman standing at the bottom of a hill and a car pulls up to the hill and arrives at the door of a huge mansion. the occupants got out and closed the door and goes in and the irishman says, who does he think he is? now imagine the same scene with an american at the bottom of a hill.

the car comes up, the door opens, and he goes into that mentioned. american says if i work hard enough, i will get what she has. so let's get going. we already make you proud. we will continue to help make this country great again. a levee, america. working together, there is no problem we cannot surmount, ever. [unintelligible] thank you very much indeed. [applause] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, comedian charlie hill. >> thank you. my name is charlie hill.

i'd like to do something for you this afternoon. this land is my land. this land is your land. get the hell off of my -- you may need a little spirit of spanking. i am glad to be here today. all these beautiful people are here. it is better than hearing b27, i 19. it is really nice being here. my people are from wisconsin. i was a member of the republican party.

three of the nicest gentleman i ever met in my life. that was during the bush administration. there is a tea party a month ago with glen beckett, sarah palin sharing a brain. i think if she had a bright idea, it would probably be beginner's luck. [laughter] it is all about healing. when you get right with the indians, it is going to have a ripple effect on everything you are doing here. it will elevator spirit. that is what is going to happen here. if you want to fix america, come to us. we have a manual. we did this already. we survived the recession. immigration problems started at plymouth rock.

[laughter] we have been fighting terrorism since 1492. if they had metal detectors at plymouth rock, we would have nipped it right in the bud. [laughter] i just came from venice, california. where the sewage meets the sea. there was a beautiful neighborhood on the corner of grab and stabbed me. so much crime at night, the women sing their babies to sleep by going [makes a siren noise]. i just want to say this is one nation. there is only one approved

landlord here. if it were not for native american people, white people would be lost in the woods. i have seen the blair witch project. we taught you how to survive. we taught you how to fight the british, which was the mightiest nation in the world. hide behind the trees. then they told the indians george washington was the father of our country. we looked at a man with high heels, pedal pushers, and they weigh it, not that there is anything wrong with it. we all have to come to all these beautiful things here. i am not here because of you.

thank you, sir. no bill cosby, and a richard pryor, but he is the man. [applause] ♪ he says, charlie, my great- grandfather was african- american and native american. they stole his land, they made him work on it for free. this is the first day of the healing. martin luther king was here, and he was in line with the spirit. he proved that the young in

spirit cannot be destroyed. just like martin luther king, there was gunned the. there was crazy heart. we are all related. ♪ the blues came from the african americans to express their sorrow and sadness. with indian people, we played the blues, it cheers as up. [laughter] ♪ [harmonica playing] i got those reservation blues. traded my moccasins for those white man shoes. [unintelligible] i got two canoes. reservation blues. ♪

[applause] i left my family back home on the ranch. been gone so long i do not know who i is. when i feel blue. all i can do, reservation blues. ♪ [harmonica playing] stay strong. keep the love killing. you are the mightiest nation in the world. i love you. thank you. [applause]

[unintelligible] [applause] >> i work in the call center part of xerox in staten island, new york. i have been organizing a union at work. we need jobs for justice. we need real organizing rights, not imaginary rights of the national labor is three h -- relations act. xerox filed objections to the election. only a few weeks ago, the election was conducted fairly. management objections had no merit. yes. [applause] they spent huge amounts on up lawyers for delays. we have benefits that are out of reach for most of us and the company no longer contribute to cover for 1 k.

i am proud to be a member of the communication workers of america. my sisters and brothers have many elected officials that have backed us up. i am proud to introduce our international president larry. -- larry cohen. [applause] >> thanks, barbara. i am proud to be here with all of you build one nation working together. the leaders like barbara are an inspiration to our union, our movement, and asian. what is exceptional is that her leadership has given courage to her co-workers, even those that have lost their jobs in this fight. they should not need courage to have a union in america. it should not be a fight.

it should be not exceptional. in many ways, this is that the height of u.s. workers. there is a playbook this as workers like barber cannot organize in the united states and when they do, they will pay an awful price. 47 years ago, our predecessors stay here fighting for the dreams to end jim crow. one out of three private-sector workers in the united states had a union contract. companies like xerox agreed voluntarily to recognize unions and the government with their workers. in 47 years marked by significant advancement in the many human rights in our

nation, workers' rights have been all but crushed. today, only one in 16 private sector workers have bargaining rights. this story at xerox tells us why. the united states is at the very bottom of the global economy in protecting workers' rights to organize and negotiate. >> we want to inspire and not discovered. we came here today to rebuild our movement. our commitment to stand with other organizations. we have not given up on our union or our nation or each other. it does not protect workers like me. the company controls virtually every aspect of the organizing process. that is why will change like the employee free choice act is so important to me and my co- workers.

[applause] >> we will build one nation working together. we know that a minority in the u.s. senate has prevented even discussion of fortune bills passed our representatives including this act. we also know that working together, we can work for progressive change. as barbara's story demonstrates, real change is hard. we're united, determined. we are working together. [applause] ♪

>> labor unions are the hearts of working america. here is a special message from some of their hard working members. >> good afternoon. today we as one nation we stand. i am proud to look out and see all of us did the other. we're not leaving. this is our land, our nation, and we deserve our jobs. i am proud to be a registered nurse in massachusetts. today i am proud to stand with you as one nation.

today, i am here with nurses from all over this country. i wish the nurses would say hello. we know how important it is to have jobs in this country. we are here to march for the freedom of nurses to have a voice at work so we can be better advocates for you, our patients. as nurses, we see the fallout of the great recession every single day. you can't afford health insurance or early prevention. you know it, i know it. every day, you are trying to keep a roof over your head, you are trying to put food on your table, you are trying to take care of your children -- health care is not a priority. what will fix it? jobs. not just any jobs. good jobs.

good jobs with good health care benefits. we need jobs that -- we need jobs for our soldiers, our heroes, who are proudly serving our country in iraq and in afghanistan it. we need health care for all. thank you. [applause] >> thank you. i am a veteran of the united states navy and and union electrician. i am marching because i believe that america needs to invest in infrastructure now predict we need to rebuild our highways, railways, and bridges. i believe upgrading infrastructure with corrine technology for returning men and women are ready to do it. [applause]

>> hello, one nation. it is an honor to stand with you. i know how painful it is to be out of work, because i cannot find work either. i was laid off two years ago and have been looking and looking to no avail. this year, i joined "walking america" as a volunteer because i know i may be unemployed, but i still have a job to do. i am organizing jobless people because it is horrible out there. all we want is work. i don't believe that is too much to ask. working people need to catch a break sometimes. thank you.

[applause] >> good afternoon, brothers and sisters. i am honored to be with you here today. my name is richard it. i represent 12,500 union workers at delta air lines. i am proud to be a part of the international association of machinists and aerospace workers, the largest transportation union in north america. it is rough out here for folks like angela. i am marching today because everyone should have a good job like i have, to be able to make their own decision about whether to have union representation. this is about people before profit. this is about communities before corporations.

i am marching today to lift you, to lift me, to lift us all. [speaking spanish] gracias. [cheers and applause] >> good afternoon. hello, one nation. i am a public school teacher from new york city and washington heights. [applause] i need everyone to hear the voices of our educators. are there any other teachers out there today? i am marching with you today because i believe the american dream begins in our classroom. i believe educators are a big part of the solution, and it is wrong to paint us as the

problem. i think the jobs and a quality education for all goes hand-in- hand. thank you. gracias. [speaks spanish] >> thank you. by and i home care attendant in the bronx. i came for my elderly clients. i do -- sorry. i don't make a lot of money, and it is hard, but i love my job. i make people feel secure when i am there with them. they count on me becasue i'm there. i am marching so that everyone can do them in jobs that they love and still make a good living. thank you.

[applause] >> hello, one nation. i am marching to keep america's air travelers safe and out of harm's way. i work for the transportation security administration. my co-workers and i are on the front lines every day to keep our airports safe. we are trying to gain a union voice on the job, which will not threaten national security. it would help national security. i am marching so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we work to protect. [applause] >> i am from pittsburgh, pa., and i am proud to say that i am a steel worker. we need to bring manufacturing jobs back to america. we need to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. we need to get back to making

things in america again. can you say "made in america?" [chating "made in america"] >> thank you, union brothers and sisters. and now, small-business owners, dianna ortiz, and the president of the nfl. -- afl-cio. [cheers and applause] >> good morning, america, and a good morning, my family, friends, and brothers and sisters. [unintelligible] he worked his way through the

ranks to become the youngest president. today, richard is president of the aflcio. 11.5 million workers welcome him. [applause] >> thank you, and i am proud to be standing with one of the most important people in our nation today, a small-business owner from pueblo, colorado, the home of heroes, please welcome miss diana ortiz. [applause] >> i am proud to call myself a small business owner. small businesses create jobs. we need help to create those jobs. i on a catering company. while i do well, some of my fellow businesses have not been doing so good.

wall street got help. we need help from -- for main street. i and what -- i am marching because i believe in hope. i believe our movement here today will lead america to a better future. i am honored to stand with a man who has been fighting for small businesses. here is the president of the afflcio. thank you. >> hello, america. you look like one beautiful nation. i am so glad you got to hear from a hard-working men and women who have come up here from all across this beautiful nation. there is nothing, and i mean nothing, that we can't do when we stand together, side by side, shoulder to shoulder. you see? there is no power greater than

what you see all around here today in our nation's capital. you know, if you watch too much tv, you might think we are a nation full of hate, that we turned against the values that made our country great. no, that's not america. america is here today. america is a freedom of religion. america is dr. king and president lincoln, and their spirit living in you and me today. america is one nation. we signify that nation. [applause] never forget, the eyes and the voices of fear and hatred are the voices of greed. the powers that put us in the economic mess that we are in today.

we have a lot of work to do to repair the damage of greed in our country. the brothers and sisters, we come together today because america needs jobs. good jobs. jobs that will support families, all families. jobs that will give our young people paths of opportunity, not obstacles. jobs that will allow people to retire with dignity. jobs that provide the needs to support small businesses, like the one owned by diana ortiz who came all the way from pueblo, colorado, to tell us we need an economy that works for main street so that small businesses can innovate and move america forward. we are gathered here to say that we believe in america, and it is time for america to believe in each and every one of us.

[applause] it is going to take something big to get america growing again it. if we are going to build our dreams, turn them into reality, then we have to be bold. we have to rebuild our schools, our roads, our bridges. we have to compete and win in the world economy with investments in world-class energy, high-speed railways, and technology so that we can fight climate change and create good jobs. we have to ensure that working men and women have the freedom to make every last job a good job by joining together in a union for a better life. [applause] you see, that is the american

dream, the promise of if you work hard, you can have a good life and a future for your children. that is what we can do as one nation it. brothers and sisters, i want you to make a promise today. promised that you will not let anybody divide us or turn us against each other. it promised us that you will make your voice is heard for good jobs, justice, and education today and on election day. because we believe in america, in this one nation, this great nation. our best days are ahead, not behind us, and we are ready to fight for it. it is time for you to stand together, fight together, and we will win together, and we will not let anyone, and i mean anyone, stand in our way.

god bless you. [cheering and applause] ♪ come together right now over me ♪ handt's give them a great for america. [applause] [unintelligible] >> god bless all of you. it has been an honor to be a part of this. i want to turn the podium over now to mr. joe madison. [applause] >> i just found out -- if i could have everybody's attention, [inaudible] a satellite image of the crowd.

somebody go tell glen beck that there are more people here right now -- [cheers and applause] [inaudible] 47 years ago, philip randolph said if you look for the enemies of medicare, a higher minimum wage, social security, federal aid towards education, but there you would find the anime of the negro, the coalition of reactionary republicans that seek to

dominate congress. advance those words to 2010. change it to the tea party. change reactionary republicans -- they are still there. and we cannot let them dominate congress or the white house. we stand on the shoulders of the people who are here in the front row, and in the front row is where they should be. let me recognize someone. ladies and gentlemen, please, ernie green, give an air round of applause. [applause]

>> before barack obama accepted his nomination, in my generation, there was an man by the name of [unintelligible] [applause] he would have been here with us. i want to give special recognition to dr. walters, who would have been hit with us here. ladies and gentlemen, please, and moment of silence for one of the greatest political scientists, activists, politicians that this country has ever produced, dr. ron walther.

he has already been introduced, my main man, dick gregory. [applause] it is now my honor to introduce another giant who has been on the scene for it seems like forever. you only have to say two words. harry belafonte. [applause] >> thank you.

i would like to start off by thinking all of my brothers and sisters in 1199, and the president of that union. thank you for inviting me to participate in today's ceremony. in 1963, martin luther king jr. stood on the steps of this memorial and declared that this nation should come together and to embrace its greater ideals. he said we should rally together and overcome in justice and racism and that all citizens should not only have the right to vote but that we should exercise that right and make america whole.

that is part of why we are here today. we are also here to attend to other grievances. martin luther king jr. in his speech 47 years ago said that america would soon come to realize that the war that we were in at that time, that this nation waged in vietnam, was not only unconscionable but also unwinnable. 58,000 americans died in that cool venture. now, today, almost half a century later, as we gather at this place where dr. king parade for the soul of this great nation, tens of thousands

of citizens from all walks of life have come here today to rekindle his dream and once again hope that all of america will soon come to the realization that the wars we wage today in faraway lands are immoral, unconscionable, and unwinnable. [applause] the cia in its official report tells us that the enemy we pursued in afghanistan and in pakistan, the al-qaeda, they number less than 50 people. do we really think that sending a hundred thousand young american men and women to kill innocent civilians, women and

children, and antagonize the tens of millions of people in the whole region somehow makes us secure? does this make any sense? the president's decision to escalate the war in that region alone cost this nation $33 billion. that sum of money could not only create 600,000 jobs here in america but would even leave us with a few billion to start rebuilding our schools, our roads, our hospitals, and affordable housing. it can also help to rebuild the lives of the thousands of our returning wounded veterans. dr. king loved this nation. he saw, as all of us here today

see, this great nation should not be allowed to perish. his division was also the vision of abraham lincoln -- his vision was also the vision of abraham lincoln. the abolition of slavery saved america. the crippling poison of racism still exists, and the struggle still continues. we have the largest prison population in the world. as we industrialize these prison systems, week rob hundreds of thousands of workers of the jobs they need and the wages that are rightfully theirs. the plight of women, they are no better. their oppression refuses to yield as rape and domestic

violence and sex slaves and teenage pregnancy abound. perhaps, the greatest threat of all is the undermining of our constitution and the systematic attack against these inalienable rights of the citizens of this nation cannot rights that are guaranteed by our constitution it. -- of this nation, rights that are guaranteed by our constitution. the group at the center of this is the tea party. this gathering here today is america's wake-up call. the giant called democracy is at last starring again. citizens are coming together to say freedom does not sleep.

it may have been fuelled and loved for the moment -- and lulled for the moment, but it is fully awake now, and we the people are its engines. we must show them that our greatest weapon is to vote. it is the answer to much that anguishes us. on november 2, we must vote against those who would see the nation become a totalitarian state. [cheers and applause] dr. king of's dream is not dead. let us vote on november 2 for

jobs, fort jobs, for jobs -- for peace, for justice, for human rights, for our children, the future of america, and let us put an end to [unintelligible] peace is necessary. it is necessary for our futures. i love you all, and god bless america. [cheers and applause] ♪ >> the american dream promises affordable, high-quality

education from preschool to college and it threw out one's life. we must devote ample resources. we must grant equal access, it encourage diversity, respond to community needs, we need better assessments, higher standards, and a greater grasp of our changing world. we must continue to invest in our schools, award our teachers, and encourage students in every community nationwide, education is for life. ♪ ["everyday people" by slay and the family stone plays] ♪

-- [sly and the family stone plays] >> put your hands together.

♪ ♪ [instrumental music plays]

♪ ♪

♪

[playing "america the beautiful "] ♪ ♪

♪ [applause]

[applause] >> welcomed the president of the naacp and the head of the children's defense fund.

[applause] >> every thing our nation and all of us need to know about life can be learned from noah's ark, according to an anonymous writer. lesson one, don't miss the boat. the united states is going to miss the boat to lead and compete in our globalizing world because we are now preparing a majority of our children for the future. the greatest threat to america's national security comes from no enemy without, but from our failure to invest in and educate all of our children.

[applause] every 11 seconds of the school day, he child drops out. -- a child drops out. over 80% of black and hispanic children can not read or compute at grade level in 4th, 8th, or 12th grade, if they have not already dropped out. any nation that is failing to prepare all of its children for productive work in life is jeopardized think everything and needs to correct course right now. all of us, all of us, parents,

educators, community, religious leaders, we need to be a part of the solution, not the problem. god did not make two different classes of children. [applause] noah's lesson two, we are all in the same boat, which is the central message of today's positive and inclusive rally. many americans may not like or think they have any self interest in insuring a fair playing field for other people's children, especially for minority children. but the black, hispanic, and other minority children will be a majority of our child population in 2023.

isn't it better to ensure that our social security and medicare systems and productive work force is in place rather than supporting them because we neglected them in prison? our states are spending on average three times more for private and public school pupils. i cannot think of a dumber investment policy, and we have got to change it. lesson three, plan ahead. it wasn't raining when noah built the ark. tomorrow is today, and children have only one childhood. they need to be healthy now. they need quality education now. they need first rate schools

with first grade teachers. they need to know there is a good paying job after college in their future. we must plan ahead and resist this quick fix, for-profit culture. it has gotten us into trouble. lesson four, do not listen to the critics and naysayers. get the job done. if you do not want to be criticized, don't do anything or say anything. stand up and fight for our children, all of them. sake, five, for safety's travel in pairs. better still, travel with your brothers and sisters and community leaders here. have to turn back those who hijacked dr. king's words -- we

have to turn back those who hijacked dr. king's words. we must particularly right now make sure we end those massive tax giveaways to the richest 2% when 15.5 million children are languishing in poverty. lesson six -- almost done. remember, noah's ark was built by amateurs. the titanic was built by professionals. use your powers, your vote. direct our ship of state from that small group of experts, who recklessly jeopardized all of our lives for personal gain.

use your own power. don't rely on experts. last lesson, build your future, build our children's future and our nation's future on high ground. let's leave our nation and our world better than we found it -- more hopeful, more peaceful, more productive, more unified. this may be the first time when our children and grandchildren will be worse off than their parents and grandparents unless we correct course with urgency, with the power reflected in your witness today. let me end with a brief prayer. god, we have pushed some many of our children and a tumultuous sea of life, in small and leaky boats, without the bible, gear, and compass.

please forgive us and help our children for give us. help us now to build that transforming movement, to give all of your children the anchors of aith and love, the rudder of hope, the sails of health and education, and the paddle of family and community to keep them safe and strong when life's seas get worse. thank you for your witness. [applause] . .

>> my fellow americans, before i can start, i ask you to take one more step with me. we've come too far to stop now. reverend jackson says the water is high and you don't drown until you stop kicking. and we've got to keep on kicking. coming out of here, we've got to go home and ask our friends to vote, we've got to ask our neighbors to vote. we've got to get folks off the sidelines and get them back off the field, get off the couch and the bleachers and turn out

a vote. right now take out your cell phone, brothers and sisters, take out your cell phone and i want you to text v-o-t-e to 6 2227. all right. now i ask you, brothers and sisters, to turn to the person sitting next to you, turn to the person on your right, turn to the person on your right and say you are my fellow -- you are my fellow. you're my fellow activist, you're my fellow labor lieber, you're my fellow muslim, you're my fellow jew, you're my fellow member of this country! say you're my fellow american and i love you. you're my fellow american and i will fight for your family like it's my own! one nation working together.

america's family future like god, liberty and country, those three words are among the most powerful in our nation's collective vocabulary. as a child growing up in this country, i knew that my family had its origin, once illegal, and yet very much like the great american family of which we are all apart. on one side we descended from white puritans to more recent immigrants. on the other side we descended from native americans and black slaves and statesmen. such unions in 166 where my parents married, were illegal in every direction from 10 miles from where we stand right now. growing up in the center of our country's promise of unity and

its realities of so many fractious realities forcing to look for the common thread. the ties that bind us together, the fact that make our nation's noto -- motto epluribis unum, and prophesy fulfilled. the strongest threads we have are three words in our country, americans, family, future. [applause] >> whether we were born here or whether we sacrificed everything to be here, what makes us most americans from the gulf of mexico to the green and white mountains of new england, from st. mary's church in harlem to the fields and

farms of moderate counties is our commitment to persevere in the face of great hard, not just to secure our family's future but that of our neighbor's, too, because we know our national destiny is to move ever forward, never backward. ever forward, never backward. ever forward, never backward. ever forward, never backward. [cheers and applause] >> we have a great american family where we've hit times in which more and more of us live in daily fear of foreclosure. more and more of our teachers, our nurses, our firemen and police officers are getting laid off, and more and more of our students are coming home,

not because they graduated but because we are broke. our progress is the essence of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. as american parents, this faith is forward. the one that has endured for centuries, the every generation will do better than the last. as an american people, what is greatest about our history are the many times we have led this world away from hate and towards hope and so this precipitous moment and time with great tradition, the one of generational advancement and the one of moving the world from hope -- to hope from hate.

we have come here to our nation's capital to say let us nurture the practice of family values by policies that value families. [cheers and applause] let us invest less and less in taxes for the richest 1%. and more and more in jobs and schools for the other 99%. and by all means, let us not teach our children wrongs about our president's place of birth -- [applause] >> or that of any other american, any other person in this country but rather let us teach the truth about the

universal dignity and values of all american families. and most importantly as we stand here in the shadow of a monument to our nation's greatest uniter, in this moment when so much is at stake for our families and for our children, let us come together in the name of god, of liberty, and of country to ensure that jobs, justice, and education remain at the top of our nation's agenda. [applause] >> this is america. we are one nation, indivisible,

with liberty and justice for all! so it is written, so it must be, one nation, one nation, one nation, one nation! >> one nation! one nation! one nation. may god bless america! >> ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, chairman of the council for presidents of the national council, dwayne murray. >> thank you, thank you.

on behalf of the nation general president of alpha phi alpha, dr. andrew ray, grand am booed of mega si phi. jimmy hammond, national president of fphi p beta. joe an loveless, attorney karl furyk, jennifer jones. collectively, we represent over 1.5 million voters, educators, entrepreneurs, men and women, we are the lawyers, the doctors, the preachers, presidents of the universities all across this nation. i stand here today in the nation's capital and am reminded of the words etched in the fabric of the national archives building, we stand on

the hallowed grounds where the greatest champions of justice march to bring a too often apathetic nation to remember our nation's creed and stand where people of every nation stood remembering the greatest nation on earth while recognizing disparity and dispensing justice for all people. it is here in the shadows of the washington monument at the site of the memorials abraham lincoln and the statue of thomas jefferson that we remember from whence we came, here, there as african-americans holding the highest office in the land, in the white house, we have once more, believing all of our nation, the world in which we live that alexander was right when he said hope springs eternal. we continue to prevail across our nation. this day becomes a prelude to a promise, a promise that jobs, justice and education will manifest itself for all in this nation but more importantly that some grandchild will get

to see the reality of a modern preacher's dream. let us join together as one unit, one nation, one naacp, seeking justice without appropriating the power of an almighty god to bring parity to its people. thank you so much. please receive the undergraduates from the colleges all across this nation. please receive these young people. [applause] >> good afternoon, everyone. my name is tithia william, a proud alumni of prince port university and i'm joined with community leaders across the united states. we are so happy to be here together for the one nation working together rally. we believe this is an important march because it represents positive change through collaboration. singularly we as individuals can be strong and it's

organizations working on our own we can be strong. however, together as individuals and together as organizations, we are stronger. and isn't this what this rally is all about? isn't this why 400 organizations partnered together today to make this a tremendous difference? and i'm here today representing two organizations, the first is depelta sirvings gma thata incorporated. any of us out there today? [applause] it is a sorority compromised of college educated women who perform public acts. the first public service activity was the march on washington in 1963. as a delta, i'm proud to be back in the same place my founders march sod many years ago. the second is capital cause, a nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging young professionals in the giving process. as students and community leaders we want to say

congratulations to the organizers for planning this rally in the spirit of one nation working together. thank you. >> good afternoon, my name is jamila rivers and i'm delighted to be here at this momentous occasion. i'm a graduate of they willman college and howard university. i am a member of alpha kappa alpha incorporated. is there anyone else? alpha sorority incorporated is a organization for women and the oldest greek organization for black women. like one nation working together, alpha kappa alpha is dedicated for fighting for education, social justice and environmental sustainability, health, poverty and human rights. thank you. >> good afternoon. my name is cory ponder and i'm a graduate of vanderbilt university and also university of california berkeley and am a

proud member of alpha phi alpha university incorporated founded in 1906 on the campus of cornell university in ithaca, new york. as a proud alpha man, we believe in three things, manly deeds such as our commitment to the big brother, big sister program and boy scouts of america, scholarships such as go to high school, go to college programs and love for all mankind such as our commitment to raising awareness about domestic violence this month in october. love for all mankind is why i'm here. when i look out on this crowd today some americans may feel cynicism is a tool to solve the pain of unrealized hope. what i see when i look at us and when i look at myself is people coming together and believing choices actually do matter and their actions can make a difference. that's why i respect when one nation working together is doing today to promote unity and through that promoting progress and dialogue on issues such as better public education, equal pay, and equal

justice for all. thank you. >> good afternoon, everyone, my name is andrew scott thomas and i'm a senior psychology major at howard university and also a proud member of the omega si phi university incorporated by way of alpha chapter. i feel that there are many students at colleges and universities who have run into the different financial aid issues all of us at howard university deal with and i myself feel this is a long, drawn out process and as a nation working together as one, we can -- excuse me. as a nation working together as one, we can take the necessary steps to better ourselves so the students don't have to deal with the long drawn out processes of dealing with financial aid issues and given the ability to graduate to graduate with large amounts of debt. so as one nation working together, i feel we need to

take the necessary steps so students can be ok when it comes to the money issues and it's been an honor and privilege speaking to you all today. thank you very much. >> hi, everyone. my name is ava brian, a sophomore at george washington university around the corner studying public health. after i graduate i plan to attend medical school study infection shuss disease and pediatrics by the end of my long educational journey i expect to have over $200,000 in loans, in debt. however, i won't let this burden stop me in my pursuit to provide quality health care to every american. health is a right and education will be our way to achieve this right. thank you. >> good afternoon. thank you, everyone, for being here today, and i'm very

honored and humbled to be standing up here to speak to you all. first of all, i'm a senior and first generation college student at the university of california-davis. and i'm studying political science at the you've of california davis and interning here in washington, d.c. for the southeast asia research action center studying immigration policies. i was raised in sacramento but my parents and i arrived in the united states in 1991 as refugees. contrary to what some think, all asian americans and pacific islanders excel academically and face no barriers to higher education, i face many barriers. my parents cared about my educational success very much because growing up in laos during the war they never had an opportunity to go to school. and they tried the best they could to support me in any way possible but still in order for

me to attend a university i've had to save up on my own working the past six years while going to school full time. and while i went to a public university, i will be graduating this june with over $30,000 in student loans. however, i do believe that no student should be denied a high quality education just because they can't afford one. i believe one nation working together can change this. thank you very much. [cheers and applause] >> good afternoon, brothers and sisters, my name is isaiah tony, a student from oakland, california studying here at the george washington university. i have the great honor and privilege of working with jobs with justice in the united states student association as the d.c. coordinator for the student labor action project, and i can tell you i'm very committed to this position because i'm inspired. i'm inspired by the six who stood up against violence,

violence institutional racism and said we will not be treated wrong. i'm inspired by the dan savages who organized people in the lbgc community to put videos, encouraging youth to hang in there and to know it gets better after high school and they can have a happy life. and i'm inspired by the students at the university of california and those all across the nation who on october 7 will be striking their schools to defend education. i can tell you that one nation working together is an important step, and i can also tell you that those young people who work with the gene of six or who work with the dan savages or the students trying to organize themselves in their schools, know that the way you get things done is by organizing. the way you get things done is by organizing things in your community, organizing on your block and organizing in your own kitchen. i'm happy to say one nation

working together is going to be a great effort in referring the community organizing that gets us to where we need to be. thank you. my name is samuel, i'm a first generation american, fourth year at ucla and $35,000 in student debt. they call me lucky. what does education have to do with getting lucky? what do jobs have to do with getting lucky? let's not talk about luck. let's talk about rights. what are the rights we need to get this country moving again? employment. full and fair employment, sustainable jobs and livable wages for every american family. you know what else is a right? education is a right. and you know what we need for education, affordable education whether it's a toddler or grandmother getting her p.h.d.

my friends, it's one nation we're a part of. are you with me standing for our rights, our jobs and our schools, our safe schools and safe jobs. say it with me, jobs and schools, jobs and schools. jobs and schools. thank for you standing with me and my friend with the university of california and thank you for standing with my fellow collegiates here. >> good afternoon. what a beautiful day we have here in our nation's capital. thank you. welcome to my city. my name is ben marcus, i'm a senior at the university of the district of columbia, political science and i'm the chair of the d.c. student alliance. we represent the hundreds of thousands of college students that live in the metropolitan area. after all is said and done, i'm going to be left with $100,000 worth of debt but i'll have the degrees necessary to be a public servant to serve the people so that's ok with me. i'm ok.

i'm willing to take that on. if it means that i'm only a small part, i only deliver small ripples of hope to get america back on track, it's all worth it to me. no one should be educationally limited because of where they're born or the economic status that they're born into, nobody. demand equality in our workplace, demand equality in our justice system and demand equality in our schools. education is a right. thank you. >> ladies and gentlemen,

brothers and sisters, please welcome depac, halazabah and colin whitehead. >> here's working hard to improve the lives of the poor and working class people. as the executive director for the center of community change, he is leading the work of bringing new generations of community organizers. and i am very privileged to be here with collin whided. he is student body president of gallaudet university. gallaudet is the world's only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students. collin has a unique and especially important perspective on why we are here

today. >> as deepak mentioned, i am deaf. i come from a deaf family. i was raised in a very deaf community. and i go to gallaudet university, which that school is not for disabilities but rather a culture. i've never considered myself a deaf person and i've never considered myself -- i consider myself deaf but not disabled. and i will not rest until all disabled people can feel like i do. because they, too, are not disabled. with one nation working together leading the way, we, too, together can accomplish that. commitment to education means making colleges affordable without having lots of debt. increased access to higher education by having decreased

affordability and depending on the resources of loans. and making sure people have equal access to affordable resources and high quality resources and public education throughout their life. from elementary school through college. [applause] >> brothers and sisters, my organization, the center for community change was founded in the memory of robert kennedy to support community organizing in low-income communities and to push for economic and social justice. community organizing is more important than ever. do you agree? the last few months in america have been rough. we are at a turning point. and we have to answer some questions. america, how big is our hearts?

do we have room for everyone? are we one nation working together or two americas at war with each other? some say that our best days are behind us. that we can't afford the values that made us great, compassion, inclusion, a commitment to the common good. but i believe that america's heart is very big and that that's a big part of our history as a country. our nation lifted millions of seniors out of poverty with social security. the united states of america has a long history of welcoming immigrants and refugees from all over the world into our communities and into our hearts. we created a land grant university system and world class schools. my friends, our nation once created millions of jobs to lift a nation out of the great

depression through pull government action and we can do it again. america's heart is big enough to ensure that every student has an affordable college education. that the immigrant students can pursue their dream through the dream act and they never have to worry about their parents getting deported because we have passed comprehensive immigration reform. we can assure that no child is denied a quality public education by virtue of their neighborhood or the color of their skin. our heart is big enough to afford increased federal support to institutions of higher education to provide opportunities to underserved communities including women's institutions, historically black colleges and universities, and hispanic serving institutions. we say here today that america has a big, generous heart. america's heart is big enough to say that in all our

communities, everyone is our brother and our sister. standing together, united as one nation, we say this is america, we will not be divided and turned against one another. our hearts are big enough for everyone. thank you very much. >> please put your hands together for the reverend jesse jackson sr. [applause] >> i am proud to be standing in this historic spot with the legend of the bill of rights movement, the reverend jesse jackson. >> and i'm excited to be here

with yves gomez. only a few short months ago the u.s. government was trying to deport him to a country he's never known. he's an example of the nearly million students who dream of being able to be part of the american dream, but our broken immigration system stands in their way. >> my name is yve gomez and i'm 18 years old. my entire life has been a realization that we must ensure opportunities for all. you see, i came to this country when i was a baby with my mother from india when i was only 1 1/2 years old. my earliest he memorieses are of america. i consider myself to be an american. i grew up here, immersed in american culture and all the wealth of diversity. my parents raised me to be

appreciative and grateful of all the opportunities found in the united states. also, i have a brother whom i love who was born here as an american citizen. however, my parents were deported. i can remember so vividly of how my father was snatched away right in front of our eyes in august of 2008. that was the last time i saw him. i remember so vividly how my brother and i were forced to say goodbye to my mother at j.f.k. airport in july of 2009 and how that was also the last time i saw her. that moment was devastating to me. but ultimately i fulfilled part of my dream and their dream when i finished high school, got accepted into college and received scholarships.

but because i am labeled illegal, not only was my college education threatened, i was also ordered to be deported on august 13 to a country which i have no memory of. but thanks through the grace of god, the work of my lawyer, the help of the media, my family, my friend and so many of the community organizers, i was able to get a deferral of removal and am here today speaking in front of you. >> that day came just three case before i was to be exiled. i'm so grateful. but while i'm ecstatic i can remain in the country, the broken immigration system has torn my family apart. and i know there are hundred of thousands of other students out there who are in similar or

worse situations than mine. for each of us, the american dream is being denied. so for mar, one nation working together means more than policy changes like the dream act and immigration reform. it means first we must come together to promote tolerance and understanding, not hate and fear. thank you. >> i want to first express my thanks to organizers of this great event today. three of our standing congresspeople here today should be recognized. congressman john conyers, congressman charlie rangel p and congressman claude. give them a big hand. the leader of little rock nine, the first to graduate p, please stand.

>> we've come together today to not compromise the high standards of the american dream, give me your tired, your whole masses, your poor, those yearning to breathe free. many races, many faces from many places, one nation working together p, many languages, one message. and we mention liberty and justice for all. we must hold high the standard of one nation. more than seven years ago i stood here with you and many other family members, and those in north carolina fighting for freedom. today we are free but unequal, too afternoon unemployed, the

wealth-poverty gap is getting wider, midday in our politics, midnight in our economy. the expense of wars are weighing on our budget and our souls. rising privileges for the few, taking hold of poverty from appalachia to rural alabama, from urban detroit and chicago, the polarization driven by governments interide -- subsidized belt and poverty we must go another way, and so we march. in 1963 we left here with faith and hope, today we can leave with a vote and the will to fight back. of course it will be tough. our character is being tested. we verbalize capital without verbalizing workers rights and human rights and women's rights and children's rights.

to tropical depression our industrial capital. the march of the big three are g.m., ford and chrysler making cars and the casinos that have gone from making cars to rolling dice to luck. detroit is the crown jewel of industrialization but yet they've cut public transportation in every american city. rising foreclosures, another million this year, 90,000 vacant lots and homes in detroit alone, not a single chain food store. not one retail store. a shopping debt earth. -- a shopping desert. children without adequate nutrition, or glasses, utilities, temperatures and gas, water, and light. their spirits are broken. we must go another way. a month ago 600,000 registered

voters, only 60,000 voted. we must revive their hopes. king spoke of checks bouncing, marked insufficient funds. today we have insufficient priorities, we must rise and focus on jobs now with jobs come esteem, dignity and security and fair and balanced trade. jobs now. reinvest in america. jobs now. in detroit, 20 vacant homes. we can now turn that into a plus. when i look at 90,000 vacant homes in detroit or chicago, with apprenticeship training, landscapers, building jobs. need promise for 90,000 homes. job ofs. need painters.

jobs. need roofers. jobs. need electricians. jobs. stop killing in afghan and rebuild america. it's called jobs now. the president cannot bear this cross alone. we rally today, we organize monday and vote in big numbers november 2. we're on the battlefield today to be on the right side of history no matter how difficult, michelle obama, the first lady speaks of obesity and esteem and health. she's on the right side of history. she speaks of veterans deserving a job when they return from the war, the million who went to afghanistan and iraq, 500,000 applied for disabilities. she speaks of veterans being guaranteed a job and health care. she's on the right side of

history. the president signed a hate crimes bill, he's on the right side of history. seek to lift up our children. today we must leave here with our minds made up to vote. for this vote, this precious vote, some were killed about this vote. mandela spent 27 years in jail about this vote. we can use our stress to defend our gains about this vote. secure our future with this vote. end unnecessary wars with this vote. mark student loan debt about this vote. vote for our future. this vote has power. hold high our standards. let nobody wreck your spirit. today we march, tomorrow we

vote. it gets hard sometimes. don't let anyone tell you that you should not vote. your vote has power. your vote elects congresspeople and chairs and subchairs and it elects the state powers. we marched too long for the vote, bled too much and died too young. don't give up now. stand up and fight back. i know it's dark sometimes but the morning comes. the lord is our light. and our salvation. we march too many dusty roads. don't you give up now. don't you let them break your spirits. we hold on and hold out because joy comes in the morning. cut the military budget. reinvest in america. jobs now! jobs now! one nation now!

one nation under god, liberty, justice, indivisible now. jobs now! jobs now! jobs now! keep hope. alive. keep hope alive. keep hope alive. keep hope alive. >> love you. ♪ >> let's hear it again for yves gomes and the reverend jesse jackson.

welcome now, dennis vanroll and wayne hibertson. >> good afternoon, brothers and sisters, good afternoon! this is truly america the beautiful. give yourselves a hand. please join me in welcoming my friend and partner, dennis van wrinkle. dennis is a passionate advocate for children and public education who spent 23 years as a teacher, one of the most important jobs in america. and now dennis is the head of the national education association with its 3.2 million members, the n.e.a. is the largest labor union in the united states. [cheers and applause]

>> thank you, and it is an honor of a lifetime to be here with wayne henderson, president and c.e.o. of the leadership conference on civil and human rights, the nation's premiere civil and human rights coalition. one in which my organization is a proud member. i'm standing here by the leader of a movement which fought for and won passage of every major civil rights law since the civil rights act of 1957. at the leadership conference we're working to build an america that's as good as its ideals. and one of the most important ideals that we fight for is our belief that equal access to a quality public education is a fundamental civil and human right.

we believe the future of our country depends on our ability to make that idea a reality for every single child regardless of his or her zip code. education is the foundation that enables all of us to achieve the american dream. and at a time when america's standing in the world is being challenged on many fronts, education is a critical component in rebuilding our economy and preparing our citizens for the jobs of today and tomorrow. the stakes are high. every year many students, many are poor and from the fastest growing segment of our society drop out of high school without a diploma. the economic social and political costs are astounding. nearly six decades after brown

versus the board of education, too many of our kids are in underresourced schools and overcrowded classes with fewer and older text books and without the preschool and after school programs that would give them a fighting chance at success. the true test of our greatness as a society will be whether or not we rise to the challenge and do what's right for our children today and for generations that will follow. we are all in this together, parents, students, teachers and entire communities. and we all need to paddle in the same direction. all children can learn high quality public education can be achieved, and though it has become politically popular in far too many circles, demonizing teachers is not the

answer! 3 demonizing teachers is not the answer. you can't reform public education without them. so i'm not screaming but i truly believe that when we work together we can solve even our most difficult challenges and the time to act is now. together we must demand the same high academic standards for every child and the resources needed to meet them. together we must ensure that we find the very best teachers, give them the very best training, pay them a decent wage, and invest in their success so our children can succeed. together we must ensure that school buildings are well maintained, energy efficient and equipped for learning with broadband connections and technological resources necessary to prepare our children for the 21st century. together we must ensure that all children have access to

nutritious food, exercise, and the arts so they're healthier, well balanced and ready and eager to learn to the very best of their ability. and today we must close the high school dropout factories that indirectly promote the school to prison pipeline that ruins young lives before they really have begun. now, look, can we do this? yes, we can. will we do it? that's up to us. and as the great frederick douglass reminds us, power concedes nothing without a demand. it never has, it never will. and the most effective way to hold power accountable is through our vote. voting is the language of democracy. if you don't vote, you don't count. case closed. your presence here today is a powerful reminder that there is

far more that unites us than divides us. we share common dreams. we share common values. we share a common belief that one nation working together can build a better world for us all. thank you for being here. thank you for everything you do every day. thank you! >> thank you. for all of us who understand the history of this place, we are standing on holy ground. this is a place where millions of people who have been left out of the promise of america began to finally believe that they could dream, that the american dream just might be for them, too. as i stand here, i can almost hear president lincoln saying that education is the most important subject which we as people can be engaged in.

and i can almost hear the reverend martin luther king jr. who said education is the road to equality and citizenship. i am here along with my fellow members of the national education association representing 3.2 million members who care deeply about the dreams of america's children. n.e.a. members have come here today from every single state in the country, alaska and alabama, hawaii to maine to stand together with you, our partners, our friends, and our collective commitment to jobs, justice and public education. educators work every day to support this agenda because our country can't create enough jobs or achieve justice for everyone without great public education. our greatest leaders have always known that education is a cornerstone of democracy and prosperity. today our economic economy works fine for the wealthy but not so well for working

families. millions of middle class, hard-working families have lost their jobs, their homes, and their savings. and more than 43 million americans are living below the poverty level, including many of our students, one out of every five children. we all know that education is the engine that drives our economy. today i'm proud to announce n.e.a. is launching a priority schools campaign to focus on the schools that should be our national priority. the 5% of our schools that are struggling. never again should a child in america have to attend the school that is not safe, nurturing and high performing. never again should we let a child or thousands of children each day drop out of high school. never again should we accept any place in the world except firstly for the children of america. but nothing's going to change for our kids in our poorest communities until they're first in the hearts of every american.

our top priority has to be where kids need us the most, communities that struggle with poverty and crime must be with where he concentrate priority schools. the schools need -- these kids need everything they need to succeed, the best teachers and support staff, the highest standards, preparation for careers and the possibility of affordable college. let us leave here today committed to all our children's education. that is the measure we'll hold politicians to, strengthening families and communities for building a great public school for every child. did you care about building an economy that helps struggling communities into the american dream of something better? were you dedicated to justice for all? this is the america our children deserve to dream of, to reach for, and to achieve. this is the america we will vote for on november 2. thank you very much.

>> yes we can! yes we can! >> the next speaker of "the new york times," best-selling author of "the women who raised me." she's the ann e casey foundation spokesperson for foster care and adoption, a whitney m. young awardee and won 12 naacp image awards. we know and love her at drucilla winters of "the young and the restless" please welcome victoria rau. >> good afternoon. as a union member of the screen actors guild and many other unions, i bring to you a metsage, james baldwin said we must resist whatever cost the fearful pressures placed on one to lie about one's experience.

and i say be unafraid of modern day terrorism in the workplace. speak out against institutionalized discrimination and disparity. know what it's like to work for the company that refuses to hire fairly. james baldwin said, it's not simply wickedness which would be easy to deal with but the apathy, the sleep to know what's going on, that the facts of habit, of power are not extremely hard to lose but are as tenacious as a incurable disease and that's discrimination. like james baldwin, i'm not afraid. i believe and that you must -- we must stand up, take notice and vote. i believe that it's not out of our hands, it's only out of our

hands if we choose not to pick it up and vote as americans and keep marching forward. let us not be derailed or distracted by numbers and colors but let us be invigorated with passion and justice. in 1977 when harvey mills won a seat on the san francisco board of supervisors, he bravely became the first openly gay elected official in the united states. his unprecedented election was an inspiration to all americans to be who we are. why are we here, he asked in? make is happening to me is the antithesis of what you hear on the radio that we must ban together and fight this movement to the right. and i'm here to say that what you hear and read is what they want you to think, because it's not happening.

major media in this country has talked about the movement to the right, so legislators think there is indeed a movement that congress and legislators and city councils will start to move to the right the way major media wants. harvey mills went on to say, it's important that gay people run for office and get elected. it is not enough anymore just to have friends represent us, no matter how good that friend may be. black communities made up its minds a long time ago that myths cannot tell the story. in the latino story, myths cannot tell the story. in the asian story, myths cannot tell the story. the time has come when the gay community must not be judged by

myths. like every other group, we must be judged by our leaders and by those who are themselves gay. those who are visible. for invisible we remain in limbo, a myth, a person with no parents, no brothers, no sisters, no friends who are straight, no important positions in employment. but today the black community is not judged by its friends but by its black legislators and leaders. we must give people the chance to judge us by our leaders and legislators. a gay person in office can set a tone, can command respect. not only from the larger community but from the young people in our own community. who need both examples and hope. it means hope to a nation that has given up. because if a gay person makes it, the doors are open to

everyone. harvey milk helped open doors for all americans to be included in the political process, equal opportunity, intolerance of discrimination and disparity. and so with the legacy of james baldwin and harvey milk, won't you lift up every voice and be heard. be inspired. know that your voice counts. seek justice. get out, rock the boat, and rock the vote. i'm victoria rowell. ♪ >> let's hear it again for victoria rowell.

>> my name is mark thompson, and i'm the host of make it plain on xirius x.m. radio. this is a great day. you owe yourselves a round of applause. [applause] >> we continue the legacy of dr. martin luther king jr. where he stood and spoke on this very spot in 1963. and made the demand for jobs, justice, and peace. we come back today making similar demands, jobs, justice, education, and peace. this is a continuum of the struggle that he began those many years ago. and so since we have continued this struggle, there is no way

possible that anyone can say we've come here to react or respond to anyone. our struggle has continued. if anything, they have been reacting and responding to us. and as dr. king said, when they used inner position and nullification in 1963, we know that those who would oppose jobs, justice, education, and peace continue to use in a position and nullification today. but we are resolved to stand together, to see to it that this is a movement and not a