Its January 29^th 2013. I have been occupied for close to 500 days now, with no end in sight. A year ago yesterday was the one year anniversary of “Move In Day” in Oakland, which was a day that changed my life. I cannot believe it has been a year already since I felt the sting of teargas for the first time, was stunned by flash grenades, and ran from “less lethal” rounds. I went to Oakland, already well aware of the atrocities activists were facing, and had historically faced in this city. I knew about Scott Olsen, I knew about the violent evictions, multiple targeted arrests, and non stop political repression of the citizens of Oakland. As much as you can read about it, look at pictures, watch streams and videos of it, you really don’t know what it is like, until you face it yourself. And when you do, it changes you, it affects you on so many levels, and each person in such a unique way, it is hard to capture.