The Occupy movement sought to change the way government and banks function. (flickr/creative commons)

On Oct. 1 of last year, Occupy L.A. began its crusade in the city. Protesters marched from Pershing Square to City Hall, where they camped out to put pressure on city representatives. Throughout the first year, the controversial movement has demonstrated to bring change concerning corporations, banks and the government, according to the group’s website.

The group certainly has pulled stunts to bring attention to its cause.

Last October, Occupy protesters attempted to cash a $673-billion check at an L.A. bank and refused to leave when the bank denied their request. One of the group’s accomplishments involved demonstrating outside City Hall for a responsible banking ordinance eventually adopted by the City Council last spring. The ordinance forces banks to make loan and foreclosure information available by community if the bank has deals with the city, according to the L.A. Times.

Currently, Occupy L.A. holds a general assembly every Wednesday in Pershing Square from 7:30 to 11 p.m., where activists “pass proposals, breakout into group discussion, here about upcoming events, and committee updates,” according to the group’s website. Occupy L.A. also organized committees to focus on different sub-issues within the movement. For example, the committee Occupy Fights Foreclosures works “with families who are losing their homes, and helping them to find the illegal actions in their foreclosures.”

Smaller Occupy L.A. offshoots like Occupy LAUSD, an Occupy group focused on the city's school district, were also busy this year. The group, which included many teachers, marched last October from California Teacher’s Association (CTA) to LAUSD headquarters and held a demonstration protesting laying off teachers, school funding and corporate influence on school boards. However, the group’s activities have slowed over the past year.

Some experts such as Fordham University history professor Dr. Mark Naison, predict the Occupy movement will lose momentum.

“I don’t think Occupy itself has an enormous future. I think that movements energized by Occupy have an enormous future,” Naison said, according to The Washington Post.

Read more of Neon Tommy's coverage on the Occupy movement here.

Reach Contributor Katherine Ostrowski here.