Blair Rush, a 42-year-old single mother from Montgomery County, Maryland joined the occupiers at Freedom Plaza and has been struggling since they were forced off the site. Rush was an assistant teacher at a day care center in Maryland who lived with her mother. After a bad car accident, she lost her job and her mother died. Rush says she is upset by the way people are treated; every time she thinks about this her eyes fill with tears. “I have been fighting Social Security since 2001 and they keep denying me. Every time they deny me I go through another process. And the process takes two years. They still don’t want to give me my benefits.” Rush hopes that one day she will receive her benefits and have a home of her own again. “My doctor gave me all the paper work and Social Security still doesn’t want to give me my benefits. I worked for my benefits. I don’t want a hand out, all I want is a hand up.”
Blair Rush of Montgomery County, Md., and Kelo Rush, her 3-year-old American bully service dog, enjoy beautiful sunny weather at Freedom Plaza, Washington D.C., on Mar. 1, 2012. Rush and Kelo joined Occupy D.C. on October 2, 2011. “The homeless have been occupying. When the 99 percenters started putting up tents we blended in with them because they had food and donations and garments coming in.” Rush says. (Photo by Jacob Foko/Full Sail University).
Blair Rush of Montgomery County, Md., and Kelo Rush, her 3-year-old American bully service dog, enjoy beautiful sunny weather at Freedom Plaza in Washington D.C. on Mar. 1, 2012. Rush and Kelo joined Occupy D.C. on October 2, 2011. “Service dogs can be any size. Kelo helps me with mobility and emotional support,” Rush says. (Photo by Jacob Foko/Full Sail University).
Blair Rush of Montgomery County, Md., and Kelo Rush, her 3-year-old American bully service dog, enjoy sunny weather at Freedom Plaza in Washington D.C. on Mar. 1, 2012. Rush and her service dog joined Occupy D.C. on October 2, 2011. “The huge challenge I am facing right now is being without a home and people looking at me like ‘why can she get on the bus with her dog?’ People don’t realize that he is a service dog and just say horrible things while I am sitting right there.” Rush says. (Photo by Jacob Foko/Full Sail University).
Blair Rush of Montgomery County, Md.,remembers what she has been through during the Freedom Plaza occupation of Washington D.C., in an interview on Mar. 1, 2012. Rush joined the Occupy movement on October 2, 2011. “The reason we are still at Freedom Plaza is to get our message across,” Rush says. (Photo by Jacob Foko/Full Sail University).
Blair Rush of Montgomery County, Md., in front of her tent at Freedom Plaza in Washington D.C. on Mar. 1, 2012. Rush and Kelo joined Occupy D.C. on October 2, 2011. Rush has been trusting that affordable housing will come along so she won’t be out in the cold indefinitely. “Always believe in yourself. God first, then yourself. Never put anyone before God.” Rush concludes. (Photo by Jacob Foko/Full Sail University).