The Columbus Free Press hosted a multigenerational gathering of Central Ohio-based activists on Oct 13 where Cheri Honkala said the Democrats have “thrown us down the stairs so many times” that ceasing our support for them is long overdue.

Honkala, who has traveled as an activist with the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign and as a Green Party candidate, said people in communities around the country are going to make changes.

“It’s going to happen, but we want to make sure it’s the right kind of change.”

She said she was surprised when Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein phoned her to ask that she be her running mate. But Honkala said her background complements Stein’s.

“She’s from Harvard and I’m from the school of hard knocks.”

Honkala has been arrested about 200 times as a result of her work as an activist.

“If you think you’ve done too many things to keep you from running for pubic office, think again, because I’ve done it all,” said Honkala half-jokingly.

Before ending her talk, she said, “thank you to everyone in this room who is working hard to make the world a better place.”