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Meet the 99%

updated 11:44 AM EST, Thu October 27, 2011
Who are the people protesting, and what do they want?
Here, demonstrators in 10 cities share their reasons for joining the movement. Want to represent your city? Share your photos on iReport.

ATLANTA
Tim Franzen, 34 | Employed
"A lot of people were very frustrated with George Bush, and we put a lot of energy into the Obama campaign. We heard a lot about hope and change, and we've barely got any change, and barely any hope. We've lost all hope in the political process."

ATLANTA
John Brown, 23 | Employed
"This is about people taking back what belongs to them, taking back control over their lives. A lot of the people involved here are learning what democracy really means, which is how to work together to accomplish goals, and look out for each other."

ATLANTA
Craig Anthony Hickerson, 34 | Homeless and unemployed
"I know dozens and dozens of people here in Atlanta who are dealing with the same economic conditions as me. … Even if we're not connected by birth, we're connected by humanity, and the recognition that something's gotta change."

ATLANTA
Matthew Manguson, 27 | Employed
"We live in a system where the elite few make the rules for the masses, under the guise that it's in our best interests. But it's become clear that's not what's happening. We're being manipulated and controlled to suit their interests, and the interests of corporations, and a corrupt government."

ATLANTA
Ron Allen, 36 | Employed part-time
"For me, the primary objective is to get money out of politics, or at least to make the political process much more transparent, so that we can identify whose interests our politicians are serving. We need to know where the money is coming from."

ATLANTA
Lindsey, 21 | Employed
"I believe that governments should be for and by the people. Apathy isn't good for you. I believe that people have the power to make change in their government, and the American people in general need to be far less apathetic if we want anything to change, and this is a step in that direction."

ATLANTA
Kristen, 20 | Employed part-time
"As an individual, or even as a small business, I can't function in a world where a massively wealthy corporation has the same legal rights as me. I can't fight against that - I don't have the money, and I don't have the political power."

ATLANTA
Arturo Dueno, 26 | Unemployed
"I understand that people are different - we're not all born or living on the same level - but we can still share our ideas on how to move towards a more just and equal society. Everyone who participates in this movement is a part of the discussion on how we can level that playing field."

ATLANTA
Oliver Beinlich, 29 | Unemployed
"There are a lot of issues in this country that need to be addressed. This is one way of voicing our concerns - there are many interests represented here, but I think the overarching message here is that we want to get our country back from the overwhelming power that corporations have."

ATLANTA
Leila Bader, 19 | Employed part-time
"People's general welfare needs to be met; we have to have that discussion about the need for a basic social safety net. We, the 99%, have nothing - most of us spend everything we have just getting by, staying afloat day by day, week by week."

NEW YORK
Brenna McLaughlin, 32 | Employed part-time
Brenna is protesting the "stop and frisk" practices by the New York City Police Department and the general escalation of police powers.

NEW YORK
Vanessa Lee, 24 | Employed
Vanessa works two jobs, at a library and as a barista, but makes less than $30,000 a year. She is protesting because she feels that "people need to get mad, life is not working, they promised us change."

NEW YORK
Renard, 21 | Unemployed
Renard has been unemployed for seven or eight months now and has been protesting for a full month. He is protesting because, he says, minimum-wage jobs do not pay enough, so people have to work several jobs. He says we should tax the rich "a bit more."

NEW YORK
Safiye Embel and Afra Boztepe, 19 | Students
Afra, right, is studying early childhood education and is worried that she won't find a job after college. She says a bachelor's degree is no longer enough to get a job, and that is part of why she is protesting. Safiye is protesting the wars that America is currently involved in.

NEW YORK
Kimberly Howard, 25 | Unemployed
Kimberly used to work as a social case worker/manager but got laid off. She is protesting because she cannot continue her college education due to her loan debt, and she is now in risk of default.

NEW YORK
Aleksandra Perisic, 27 | Student
Aleksandra is showing solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protesters, in particular for better health care and education in America.

NEW YORK
Brian, 27 | Unemployed
Brian is protesting to show solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, but he is specifically demonstrating against our political and electoral system. He is disillusioned with the two-party system and believes we need "new ideas to hit the mainstream."

NEW YORK
Nathalie Farfan, 28 | Recently Employed
Being unemployed for seven months caused a drastic change in Nathalie's lifestyle -- she says she had to give up her apartment and is now rooming with two others. She is protesting corporate greed and says "the 1% could help the 99%."

NEW YORK
MaryNancy Clary, 56 | Employed part-time
Because of the economy, MaryNancy's living situation changed, and she has had to start subletting her apartment to make rent. She is protesting because things have been "business as usual" for decades, and she says it is time for something to change.

NEW YORK
Pauly Kostora, 27 | Unemployed
Pauly is "unemployed by choice, nurse by trade" and works as a street medic. He is unclear about Occupy Wall Street's message and demands but is lending his medical expertise to the protesters.

SAN DIEGO
Shahrokh, 52 | Homeless and unemployed
When no one was in charge of sanitation for the camp, Shahrokh volunteered. He's been working to assemble a sanitation team, keep the area clean and mobilize a recycling program. "No one else wanted to do it, so I do it," he said.

SAN DIEGO
Howard, 68 | Disabled and unemployed
Howard is protesting out of concern about his grandchildren's education and his daughter's student loan debts.

SAN DIEGO
Crystal Williams, 28 | Disabled and unemployed
Williams attended the protest with her 2-year-old daughter, Autumn. She said she was inspired to join the protest by a Gandhi quote: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

BOSTON
Nawontah Waters, 18 | Unemployed
Waters, who is part of the logistics team at Occupy Boston, said he's protesting "for Native American poverty."

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