Rudy Rodriguez

Rudy Rodriguez’s time at Occupy L.A. is not spent yelling into megaphones or picketing on the street, but instead medically attending to those who do. 

A nursing student at East Los Angeles College, Rodriguez helps oversee the first-aid tent pitched on City Hall’s lawn.  His participation ensures campers stay hydrated and healthy throughout the occupation that started Oct. 1.

“We’re trying to keep everything low key as far as security goes,” said Rodriguez.  “I’ve been the unofficial night person in charge of the medic tent. I make myself available at any time in the night.”

Rodriguez first heard about the national protest on Facebook, and when word got out of it spreading to his hometown of Los Angeles, he felt compelled to aid his fellow “99 percent.”

“You know in the 60s and 70s they had this thing called ‘civil rights’ and it was an absurd notion to some people,” Rodriguez said.  “I was thinking about the idea of this [protest] being about ‘economic rights.  Maybe 10, 30, or 40 years from now that will be as important as any human right.”

Occupy L.A. is an extension of the movement started in New York City on Sept. 17, when protestors began congregating on Wall Street to protest the economic inequalities influenced by the elite one percent of Americans. 

The demonstration includes a range of people from unionists to environmentalists, all insisting the country’s need for social and political change.

“Some people are saying that our agenda’s not clear, but some argue if we had a specific agenda that would actually detract from the nature of the economic imbalance,” Rodriguez said.  “Like for instance, if we were asking for a higher minimum wage, they would just give us a higher minimum wage and call it a night.”

In the current economy, Rodriguez sometimes finds it hard to pay for rent and even food.  Having to call upon his family for help when times are hard, he hopes for a day when he can live independent of them. 

“I want to be self-sufficient,” said Rodriguez.  “If this event or this occupation of L.A. can contribute to some sense of economic rights, I think that would be beneficial for me.”

While Rodriguez hands out bottled water to protesting comrades, he is greeted with handshakes and heads nods, making his role as camp medic appear both appreciated and respected.  

“I had time to offer and I wanted to experience it simply to become one more person in a crowd,” he said, “which is something significant in itself.”

Reach contributor Lauren Foliart here.