A D A P T |

A D A P T  Action Report |

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September 7, 2003

ADAPT Perfects the Craft.

Civil Rights March Rolling On: Smooth and Relaxed.

OVERVIEW OF THE MARCH SO FAR:

• DAY 3: Sen. Joe Biden cheers on the Free Our People March.
  
• DAY 2: ADAPT came together in support of one member.
  
• DAY 1: ADAPT faced a violent downpour.

(Bear, Delaware) Still fired up from stirring words form Sen. Biden, ADAPT faced scorching sun on the smoldering asphalt; yet, the Free Our People March made easy work of the nearly nine miles from the breakfast stop to dinner. The Free Our People March has seemingly hit its stride, grinding out the miles to the US Congress with the message: Pass MiCASSA this session.

Daniese McMullen-Powell from Delaware and her family treated everyone to a roast pig dinner with all the trimmings. Bill Powell and Kevin McMullen tended to the specially built grill, mounted on an old boat trailer. Kevin, who called himself a pig cooker, said that it takes eight hours to roast a pig; but we like longer.

The result was phenomenal, and needed to recharge the tired bodies that had worked throughout the day. Like a family, dinnertime is when we all get together: marchers, attendants, support volunteers and set-up and breakdown crew. 

The day started with a two-mile march to a Bob Evans Restaurant on US 40 for a biscuit breakfast and bathroom break. At around 1:00 ADAPT stopped at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware for lunch in the shade. Knowing that the McMullen-Powell’s had something special planned for dinner motivated the crowd to march the final stretch without a break.

Each night, everyone claims to be exceptionally tired, yet people talking and laughter is heard around the tent city at all hours of the night. The generator growls endlessly in the distance recharging the power wheelchairs for the next day’s journey while creating a comforting background drone over the camp.

The organization is meticulous; the time for getting up in the morning revolves around the recharging schedule of the powerchairs. Each night the arrangement of recharging changes so that one group of people is not always getting up at 4:30 am, and the schedule does actually begin at 4:30.

The schedule was worked out by Bob Kafka and will get the ultimate test tomorrow as everyone in ADAPT will have a chance to shower. . . and its about time.

Although MiCASSA is the main goal of the Free Our People March, many people are also celebrating the 20th Anniversary of ADAPT. Twenty-years ago ADAPT was organizing people to make public transportation accessible. “ADAPT shutdown Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House (at the time the street had heavy traffic),” recalled Babs Johnson who coordinated the food for ADAPT very first action. “Some people climbed from their wheelchairs and into the street to get Reagan to support lifts on buses.”

“We got out of our wheelchairs,” said Richard Miller who recalls that action also, “and blocked the street overnight.”

“My first action had a big impact,” said Steve Verriden of Wisconsin, “Just like everyone I remember rolling out of my hotel room and seeing crips as far as the eye could see. It wasn’t as much the action as it was the people. I thought… what have I gotten myself into?”

- Tim Wheat

Get the official ADAPT Free Our People T-Shirt.

T-Shirt Order Form.

ADAPT’s FREE OUR PEOPLE “Songs of Freedom.” 

CD Order Form.

Original artwork from the Free Our People March - By Sher Stewart.

Photos of her work.