The importance of People Power

"People power" is such an important phrase to me; it's one of the reasons I got involved in campaigning from such a young age. Recently I've seen many demonstrations for campaigns take place, even during the COVID-19 pandemic! However, the main one I'd like to talk about in my first post is the Save Our Libraries Essex (SOLE) campaign.

I got involved in SOLE thanks to an amazing campaigner - who worked at my school & sixth form - Andy. At the time I was Head Boy at my sixth form, and Andy offered me the chance to speak at a demonstration for SOLE on a platform that students need libraries as educational resources and study spaces. Of course, this is something I remain passionate about! Walking past the library during the dreaded 'exam season' was a massive testament to the importance of libraries - tables were adorned with revision notes, study guides, textbooks. This was a resource, for my peers, I wanted to fight for.

Previously, I had seen demonstrations for other local campaigns (run by Andy, too!): Defend Our NHS, Homelessness is not a Crime. These demonstrations made people's voices heard, and sent a clear message to the local authorities that people did not agree with the plans for merging three hospitals and £100 fines to those sleeping rough respectively. I remember turning up to the demonstration early and watching the crowd grow bigger and bigger, showing just how many people cared about this vital service.

According to local news sources, this was expected to be one of the biggest protests (at the time) Essex had seen. The photo in the banner for this post shows just how many people turned out to show their support for libraries. I vividly remember speaking into that microphone back in February 2019, saying that students stand against the plans to take away such a valuable resource. This photo is one I always refer back to when thinking about how effective "people power" is because, as a result of our demonstrations, the council U-turned on their decision. By using our voices, we managed to reverse a decision made by authorities.

SOLE has been an incredible experience for me as it has shown me the effects of people power. This is still an ongoing battle, even now with Debden Library at risk from being taken over by New City College, but I know that with enough people making noise about issues that matter, we can tackle injustices and reverse decisions that will marginalise others. For now, I can look back on the work of these campaigns and know that major differences have been made, and can be made again, by standing up and using my voice.