The Occupy Wall Street movement is a powerful one. What began as a collective voice of the people fighting for American jobs and against the excesses of the 1% quickly grew into a larger social movement. One could trace its origins back to September when Bill McKibben's 350.org group convened in D.C. to protest the now hotly debated Keystone XL pipeline project. The relatively small group of activists, risking arrest, urged President Obama to protect our environment from a runaway fossil fuel frenzy and to support clean, smart energy alternatives and the infrastructure and green jobs to support them. McKibben's movement may have helped to inspire the larger OWS efforts, but it's happily finding itself buoyed by the success of the broader, global shake-up. The Keystone XL project is now well recognized as a major environmental issue and its risks have been discussed and debated in depth. 

I am, of course, gratified to see that President Obama will now be taking personal responsibility for the final decision on the Keystone Project, no doubt due to the public pressure brought to bear by Occupiers everywhere. On November 1st, David Roberts of Grist wrote, “Obama mans up and takes responsibility for the final call on Keystone XL.” Fearless writers, researchers and journalists help to shape the collective public knowledge, which can lead to new perspectives, fresh attitudes and thoughtful priorities.

As a contributing writer for EnergyBoom, I'm honored to see my name added to the expanding list of OccupyWriters. Started by journalists, Jeff Sharlet and Kiera Feldman, it's an expression of solidarity for the free press, free speech and for the freedom of assembly. Whether it's American jobs, living wages, access to affordable healthcare, education, or the environment, the Occupy movement has liberated all of us.

Stacy Clark is a pre-school teacher, an environmental geologist, a contributing writer for EnergyBoom and a Co-Founder of Inkubate, an online home for aspiring and accomplished writers and the publishers they aim to reach.