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The 99% of the 918: Daniel Lee takes the lead in the Occupy Tulsa movement.

In September of 2011, Tulsan Daniel Lee began to follow the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York City.

“I couldn’t stop reading about the protests, and eventually I just told myself, ‘I want in’” said Lee.

On September 23, Lee created an Occupy Tulsa Facebook page. A week later, the page had over one thousand “likes”. Lee was able to congregate enough Occupy-ers to hold their first general assembly on October 1. Ever since, Occupy Tulsa has had weekly meetings at Rudisill Regional Library in North Tulsa.

“Usualy about thirty or fourty people show up for the meetings, but they are slowly but surely getting more people” said Occupy Tulsa member Steven Lanik, 29.

In addition to weekly meetings, the members demonstrate at H.A. Chapman Centennial Green Park in the banking district of downtown Tulsa. Lee says that he has renamed the park to “Solidarity Square”. Despite the park’s 11:00 P.M. curfew, the occupy-ers demonstrate there 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We are exercising our First Amendment rights to peacefully protest. There is no curfew on the First Amendment” said Lee.

Although Occupy Tulsa is affiliated with Occupy Wall Street, they have their own additional goals. According to the offical Occupy Tulsa website, their goals include solving Tulsa’s unemployment problem, improving Tulsa’s public transit, and stressing the importance of clean energy sources.

“I adore Tulsa, but I think there is a lot that needs to be done. We’re out here every day hoping to see change” said Occupy Tulsa member Robert Seagle, 34.

Lee says that Occupy Tulsa has no plans of slowing down, he plans to continute to expand it. “We’re not going anywhere. This is only the beginning.”

To get involved with the Occupy Tulsa movement, visit their official website at occupytulsa.com