Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/854923
corporate Democrats and is now running Our Revolution; and from political commentator Van Jones, who lauded the attendees for con- tinuing the fight and said, "To the extent that there is hope in the country, still, a big chunk of it is right here in this room." As with last year, attendees were also treated to a program titled "The People Speak," in which actors performed dramatic readings of speeches and writings by famous civil rights, women's right, and workers' rights movement activists. "I must have been born believ- ing in the full right of women to all the privileges and positions to which nature and justice accord to her in common with other human beings. Perfectly equal rights. Human rights. There was never any question in my mind in regard to this. I did not purchase my freedom with a price. I was born free," said actor Hong Chau as Clara Barton, recreating a speech Barton gave in 1898 at the May Festival of the New England Women's Suffrage Association. Many know of Barton as the nurse who founded the American Red Cross, but may not be as familiar with her activism in the movement to win women the right to vote. Undoubtedly the biggest attraction of the summit, however, was a special appearance and speech by Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose historic 2016 campaign and truly progressive Democratic Socialist platform for presi- dent rallied and inspired many of those present at the summit. The line to enter the theater snaked back and forth for what seemed like miles in the convention hall corridors, but everyone agreed it was arguably the friendliest, most orderly queue they had ever encountered, with attendees spontaneously high-fiving one another. Sanders did not disappoint, with another rousing speech touch- ing on all the progressive electoral and organizing wins around the country made since his presidential campaign, as well as the desire for socioeconomic justice in other countries. "The movement for economic, social, racial, and environmental justice is not just grow- ing here in the U.S., it is growing worldwide," said Sanders. "All over the world, people are asking, how does it happen that globally, the top 1 percent now owns more wealth than the bottom 99 percent? How does it happen that the eight wealthiest people on this planet now own more than half of the world's population?" He also elaborated on the extreme dangers posed by this current administration. But, as always, he inspired. "Now is not the time to throw your hands up and say, I'm giving up. I'm in despair. I'm burnt out," he said in closing. "I want you to think about the incredibly brave heroes and heroines in our history, against unbelievably daunt- ing odds, who risked their lives for social justice, for economic justice, for racial justice. Now the fight that we are engaged in now is a tough one…But when we stand together, there is nothing that will stop us." Besides NNU, convening organizations included People's Action, United Students Against Sweatshops, People for Bernie, Our Revo- lution, United Electrical Workers, Color of Change, Progressive Democrats of America, Democratic Socialists of America, and Mil- lion Hoodies. M AY | J U N E 2 0 1 7 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 21 "I want you to build transformative relationships. Give out your phone number and your email. Get to know one another. You know why? Because we can only protect one another if we know one another." —LINDA SARSOUR, PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN ACTIVIST To see photos from the summit, please visit www.flickr.com/ nationalnursesunited. Many of the summit presentations were filmed and can be viewed or downloaded at https:// vimeo.com/ album/4632005.