Several months ago, Kip Billups was taken out of Amarillo City Hall and booked into the Potter County Detention Center on charges of Disrupting a Meeting. His offense? Clapping and refusing to comply with Mayor Ginger Nelson's orders to stand.
Today, Billups is back and he has a brand new mission: to mobilize unregistered Amarillo residents to vote.
"I abhor politics," Billups says, wearing his trademark black pajamas. "But I just couldn't sit this one out."
The disabled veteran and former California resident made a name for himself by delivering sandwiches and other foods to Amarillo's homeless. Billups also advocated for Amarillo's homeless and spent weeks protesting what he viewed as injustices by the City of Amarillo, directed at Amarillo's homeless.
And, while he still plans to make a difference for Amarillo's homeless, Billups says that he believes no positive change will ever occur in any community unless people exercise their right to vote.
"I will continue to practice civil disobedience and exercise my rights until the laws are changed," Billups said. "And while doing so, I will change the laws."
The veteran and activist says that he is now planning on working to register brand new voters in Amarillo. Billups says that he will visit neighborhood gatherings, community meetings and government meetings to increase voter registration and turnout in Amarillo.
By registering voters, Billups says that he hopes he will see even more exercises of one of the American People's most sacred rights.
"Let's put the unity back in the Amarillo community," he said.
