Fiscal Sponsorship Spotlight: Money to Movements
WTO Protesters to Donate Class Action Settlement Funds through
‘Money to Movements’
In a landmark decision for First Amendment rights, a Seattle civil jury found that police acted unconstitutionally in arresting more than 175 peaceful protesters in downtown Seattle’s Westlake Park, as part of the World Trade Organization protests in 1999, which drew more than 50,000 protestors. Now members of that class-action lawsuit have joined forces to ensure that a portion of settlement funds will be used help to fund organizations carrying on the work of the global justice movement through the Money to Movements project, which is proudly fiscally sponsored by the Agape Foundation.
The Money to Movements project was created by a group of plaintiffs involved in the Westlake Park case in order to help channel funds obtained through the court settlement back into the global justice (formerly known as anti-globalization) movement. “We brought this suit for everyone who faced inappropriate police behavior at the protests,” said Erica Kay, of Seattle’s Community Action Network. “We want to see this money put to good purpose.”
David Solnit, a key figure in the WTO protests said, “These funds were won through struggle. We wanted to make sure that a portion of those funds were put back into the struggle.”
So far, 15 of the plaintiffs involved in the Westlake case have donated to the Money to Movements project, totaling $15,000. The ultimate goal of the project is to raise $40,000 through donations and matching grants, a figure equivalent to 10% of the settlement after legal fees.
Money to Movements has timed the announcement of those groups benefiting to coincide with the screening of the new movie “The Battle in Seattle” by director Stuart Townsend at the Seattle Film Festival, a fictional drama set during the WTO protests.
“The mission of the global justice movement is to keep transnational corporations from profiting at the expense of people and planet,” said Holly Roach, one of the organizers of Money to Movements. “Our intention with Money to Movements is to direct funds to those groups that are currently driving the global justice movement, and to help inspire a new generation of activists.”
“The WTO protests are an incredible model of ‘people power’ standing up the global elites,” said Solnit. “We hope these funds will help to bring attention to the current strength of the global justice movement, and to help to fund the work.”
Money to Movements is currently seeking matching grants and individual donations to reach the projected total of $40,000. For more information, you can contact Holly Roach at (415) 517-0057 or email wtosettlement@gmail.com
Tags: Battle in Seattle, money to movements, protest, Westlake, WTO