KATHY CHANGE
 Why Did She Do It?

"I want to protest the present government and economic system and the cynicism and passivity of the people...as emphatically as I can. But primarily, I want to get publicity m order to draw attention to my proposal for immediate social transformation. To do this I plan to end my own life."
-- Kathy Change/October 1996

AND SO SHE DID - ON OCTOBER 22, 1 996, KATHY CHANG A.K.A. KATHY CHANGE IGNITED THE GASOLINE SHE HAD POURED OVER HER BODY AND DANCED UNTO DEATH IN FRONT OF THE PEACE SCULPTURE ON THE UNIVERSITY OF PA CAMPUS, WHERE SHE HAD STAGED POLITICAL THEATER FOR YEARS. IN THE 10 YEARS SINCE THAT FATEFUL DAY KATHY HAS BECOME A LOCAL LEGEND, AND MANY OF HER WORDS CONTINUE TO REVERBERATE IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT HAS SINCE OCCURRED HERE ON PLANET EARTH. BUT MANY WHO HAVE HEARD OF HER DEATH KNOW LITTLE ABOUT HER LIFE, AND WHY SHE DID WHAT SHE DID.

What Was Kathy Change Trying To Accomplish?

Kathy Change believed that to attain peace, freedom and justice we must replace today's political/ economic system with a truly democratic "people's self-government" in which decision-making lies directly in the hands of the people. An artist and revolutionary pacifist in the tradition of Gandhi as well as Abbie Hoffman, Kathy had no hope for our current government, which she saw as undemocratic and incapable of real change. For years Kathy warned of the U.S. becoming a debtor nation, and of a coming economic collapse. She endlessly endeavored to share and spread her exuberant vision of "The Transformation" -- her solution to the impending turmoil she saw as inevitable.

What Is "THE TRANSFORMATION"?

"Our political system and economic system are figments of the collective imagination. We can dissolve them instantly with just a moment of unanimous disbelief," Change writes. "But realistically..." -- she goes on without pause -- this moment of "unanimous disbelief" is most probable at the point the economy collapses.

In Kathy's own words:

"When the economy collapses this should be ourplan of action: We will hold a national block party. .. All the people, of all ages, races and creeds, without exception must come out on the street to celebrate, make friends, play music and dance. Especially, party in front of radio and television stations to encourage media workers to join in the transformation and prompt TV and radio announcers to broadcast news of the transformation....

"All people whose work is not immediately essential to maintaining life... .. should stop working and meet in community assemblies to form the new self-government and begin the conference to create a new society. People who do essential work [such as utilities, communications, food and hospital workers/ would continue to work, but instead of working for their old corporate bosses .. they will democratize their workplaces. .. People who stopped doing non-essential work will join the essential workforce and the workload will be redistributed so no one will work more than 20 hors a week and all will have time to attend the conference to create a new society..."

To learn more about Kathy Change, her life and her ideas, we invite you to a tribute featuring noted speakers and presentations of Kathy's work, including original recordings and art. It will take place on October 22, 2006, at The Rotunda, (South Side of Walnut Above 40th) at 2 p.m. Admission is free and all are welcome..

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