Why am I protesting?

Why am I protesting?  Why am I here?

I am not here because I got laid off, because my house got foreclosed on or because my 401k tanked.  I'm not here because I'm heavy with student debt with no job prospects on the horizon or because of anything that happened to me.  I'm here because these things ARE happening to other people, because I see whole populations of people being exploited, because people and our earth are being polluted and disease ridden.  I am here because I have faith that there is a better way to live; with healthy people, a healthy planet, equality, respect and solidarity.