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10-22-09 Organizing Committee Meeting Notes

2009-11-03T23:31:19Z

98.246.104.134: fix formatting

'''Organizing Committee Meeting, Project South, Atlanta, GA'''
== Organizing Committee Meeting, October 22, 2009 ==
at Project South, Atlanta, Ga

What is the role/difference between the NPC and Organizing Committee.

Organizing Committee is made up of reps from the National Working Groups and the Detroit Local Organizing Committee. It mostly addresses the logistical needs of organizing the USSF. The OC assures that all of these groups are coordinating with each other. It also requires a higher level of commitment to the work.

The National Planning Committee (NPC) guides the overall political direction of the USSF. Members may not be able to contribute the same level of work to organizing the USSF, but it is important that their voice is represented in the process.

In July the NPC created a division of labor between the NPC and OC. The NPC will decide overall political decisions like the plenaries, themes and budget. The OC will handle most of the logistical decisions that will need to be made on a regular basis.

In July there was also a proposal to create Constituency Groups.

A lot of logistical decisions are also political. For instance,

Sticking points are decision-making and access to resources. If NPC is intended to be large, it would need strong proposals that come from the working groups and OC.

Communication is really essential. There are detailed security notes that have gone on the wiki. No one has responded. How do we use the tools at our disposal to communicate?

We need to clarify the process for budget and expenses.

How are working groups formed? Is it an open process or is it like the WSF International Council where there are only 5 or 6 commissions?

Maureen: NPC is like Board of Directors that decides policies. Decisions about overall policies is decided there. The Organizing Committee implements. Don't support working groups submitting proposals to NPC. This implies that Resources WG will raise the money. Everyone should be responsible for raising money.

How do we manage and coordinate all of the different fundraising efforts that will happen.

Tammy: There is more work to do than the time to do it. The function of the OC is 1) to lay out all of the political discussions that need to happen, 2) coordinate the overall work. All of us as a body are responsible for raising funds and doing outreach. ID discussions that need to happen and decisions that need be made. ID when a discussion is larging than the working group or OC. Is concerned about forming constituency groups based on identity. It could further fragment us.

Diana S: We need to have an understanding of how many is raised and allocated. Volunteers should feel appreciated for the work that they are doing.

Tom: Money is raised for a specific function.

Michael: One of our main tasks this week is to decide on our spending priorities. We have tried to do a participatory process to develop the budget but WGs are viewing this as proposals that will be funded by the NPC. We are trying to prevent political fights later and staff from being blindsided by funding requests. So we need to determine what are the priorities, the process for making ongoing spending decisions, authorize folks to make those decisions and back them up.

Sylvia: We need to establish a process and move on. It won't be a perfect process. (Sylvia will add concerns about Interim C-Team centralization, accountability. Questions about if all WGs, committees are equal and are budget issues also equal)

Will: As coordinator, need to be clear where certain decisions get made. For instance does the DLOC make suggestions about agenda items for the OC and NPC? Being sure to also identify questions and decisions that DLOC needs to be consulted on. If new working groups form, what are their responsibilities? Limitless things that could be formed, how does that connect with the NPC and the budget?

Cindy: This conversation is bringing up the role of the NPC. Make space to have political conversations. Set political tone and overall frame of the forum - ideologies, the practice, the forms of organizations, etc. We need to send time this weekend to understand the paticipatory budgeting process. What are the principles and protocols on fundraising and how money gets decided on. What are the things that have broader implications that we are responsible for? Need to give autonomy for folks to do the work but also need to ID what are the conversations that require broader buy-in. We also need to determine what is accountability, what is quorum? Participation by folks in the C-team and different working groups has been inconsistent.

Dianne: need to break up in smaller committees to hash out some of these questions, to provide proposals for the NPC (working groups, fundraising protocols, etc.)Need to plan political discussions. If we structure those in, that will be a good way to create the level of trust that we need to have.

Sustainability: Food, water, bikes, but more than just logistics.

Sylvia: The DLOC committees started before some of the WGs, and the national and local groups have not all linked up. One question we have to address is how the DLOC and WGs integrate.

Steph: let's flag what we do need to discuss, how does accountability work with something this massive. Some of these questions are really new. Last time we only had 1 staff person. We had Health and Healing group that never got added to the national WGs. We need to determine work priorities and then the spending priorities follow. What do we want to land over the next 3 days so we leave feeling really good.

Tom: sustainability means moving forward environmental health and integrity as well as social justice

Reg: What is the working group, what are committees, what are constituencies group. In February and June this will all look different again

Quentin: How would groups be able to come in and be part of the working groups or the NPC?

Current structure: Do we affirm this? Yes, unanimous. Woohoo!

Reg: Now how are we going to make this work?

What do we want to address this weekend?

* Money, communication, decision-making authority, accountability for making sure the work gets done, differentiate between Working Groups, Constituency Groups and Committees and definitions

* Leaving this weekend with a clear understanding of the frequency of the meetings

* How often we meet face-to-face - OC may need more face-to-face time and NPC may not need to meet as often--functionality

Will, Alicia, Oya, Cindy, Stephanie, Rocio, Michael will develop recommendations for NPC to make decisions. Review documents that already exist and are being developed.

Alicia: Vetting of the agenda? Program/Culture Working Group has a proposal to extend the time of the discussion for the consulta.

Sylvia: we may not be able to extend more time on discussion items but rather need to insert new items to the agenda

October 23-25 NPC Notes

2009-10-28T19:42:11Z

98.246.104.134: fixed some formatting

== NPC Planning Meeting, October 23-25, 2009 ==
Simpsonwood, Atlanta, Ga

Decisions Made (to be filled in):

:- Hired Sylvia Orduno and Adrienne Maree Brown as National Coordinators
:- We need someone to chair grassroots fundraising sub-Working Group (connect Priscilla and Maureen)
:- NPC organizations committed to bringing/sending youth to the meetings/process
:- We decided to form a Finance Committee!!
:- We affirmed 2010 goals for the USSF
:- we affirmed introducing a pre-application vetting process for new NPC members, and to have rolling cycles that are not happening in the months directly before the USSF due to capacity
:- we decided that we will hire a part-time tech staff and a part-time field organizer on November 15, and (based on resources), full-time in January
:- we affirmed the list of tracks to send out for the consulta!
:- we affirmed that we want to invite reps from Canada and Mexico around the conversation of a North American Social Forum

In attendance:

* Rose Brewer- midwest, Afro Eco, Minneapolis, GGJ alliance
* George Friday, Independent Progressive Politics Network (Ann Arbor and Toledo Board Members), United for Peace and Justice, Southern Anti-Racism (black-brown alliance)
* Tom Stevens - DLOC
* Lizzie Baskerville, EMEAC
* Rocio Valerio, EMEAC Detroit!
* Fred Vitale, Michigan Welfare Rights
* Flo Rizowski, International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, Minneapolis
* Sarah Kershnar, International Jewish Anti-ionist Network, Generation Five, Berkeley, CA
* Jacqui Patterson, Women of Color United, Silver Spring, MD
* Sarita Gupta, Jobs with Justice, Grassroots Global Justice, Washington, DC
* Reggie McGhee, Detroit, Southeast Michigan Jobs with Justice
* Julio Cesar Guerrero, Centro Obrero, Detroit
* Emily Kowano, Center for Popular Economics, Solidarity Economy Network
* Mary Bricker-Jenkins, Poor People's Economic Human Right's Campaign, Chatanooga!
* Alfredo Lopez, Mayfirst People Link, Brooklyn, NY
* Jamie McClelland, Mayfirst, ICT
* Dianne Feely, Detroit Logistics Committee!
* Scott Byrd, Sociologists without Borders, The Writers Network, Irvine, CA
* Ann Bremin, Michigan Welfare Rights, indominable spirit of Detroiters
* Sylvia Orduno, Michigan Welfare Rights, Portland Oregon
* Marian Kramer, Michigan Welfare Rights, Detroit, National Welfare Rights
* Gwen Gaines, Michigan Welfare Rights, Detroit, Potluck Committee
* Bea Loewe, On Point, Chicago
* Will Copeland, Detroit Staff of USSF, DLOC (repping the questions, the people who don't know, the people who want to be involved)
* Diana Copeland, East Michigan Environmental Action Council
* Roberto Tijerina, Language Access Group, North Carolina
* Tammy Bang Luu, Busriders Union, LA, Grassroots Global Justice
* Louis Head, Saginaw MI/GA, Albuquerque NM, Southwest Organizing Project
* Brigette Flaherty, The Pushback Network, Outreach Working Group
* Doretha Stubb, Michigan Welfare Rights, Detroit
* Harry Jones, Detroit!, Michigan Welfare Rights, Religious Committee
* Harold Spence, Michigan Welfare Rights, Detroit!
* Quentin Williams, Michigan Welfare Rights, Detroit, ADAPT
* Adrienne Maree Brown, The Ruckus Society, creative, strategic non-violent actions
* Alicia Garza, People Organized to Win Employment Rights, San Francisco
* Kaajal Shah, Praxis Project
* Michael Leon Guerrero, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
* Oya Amakisi, Detroit, Program and Culture, Detroit Women of Color Inc, Detroit WOC Film Festival, Hush House Leadership Training Institute
* Cindy Wiesner, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
* Rishi Awatrimani, Leftist Lounge
* Raquel Lavina, Social Justice Leadership
* Lance Selfa, Center for Economic Research and Social Change - International Socialist Review, Haymarket Books
* Jen Cox, PPEHRC, International Committee
* Maureen Taylor, Michigan Welfare Rights, Detroit USSF Staff
* Jerome Scott, Atlanta, League of Revolutionaries for a New America
* Taliba Obuya, Project South, African descended women, grassroots people
* Walda Katz-Fishman, League of Revolutionaries for a New America, Program and Culture, DC-Metro
* Stephanie Guilloud, Project South, ATL!, Southeast organizations (Ordinary Peoples, Highlander, People's Institute)
* Rama Kased, US Palestine Communities Network, Bay Area
* Rev Charles Williams, AFSCME, Detroit
* Genaro Lopez Rendon, Southwest Workers Union
* Juan Atilano, SWU
* Angela Winfrey, Peoples' Institute for Survival and Beyond
* Monique Harden,
* Viola Francois Washington, New Orleans Welfare Rights, NWRU
* Christy, Project South

Welcome to Atlanta--
Last night (The Detroit-Atlanta meeting) was significant, historical, because this is the first time we have had a former social forum sight and a future sight, and they got to meet.

The history of the USSF - the energy came up from the global south, having world social forums around the world. Then there was a call that the US was the belly of the beast and WE needed to engage in the process. It was scheduled, then Katrina, but we kept moving towards it in Atlanta 2007.

Community Agreements

* Step Back, Step Up
* Speak from the "I" - speak from your own experience
* Default to trust
* Respect differences/all people
* Use the "woah"!
* Be aware of time
* Be Curious!
* Cell Phone
* Use the Spirit Fingers as a Yes, do a Thumbs Up when you agree

GOALS

* Clarify
* processes
* structures
* $$$
* leadership
* Work
* in working groups
* on key decisions
* on increasing capital
* Grow
* into our visions
* the strength of our movements
* our depth with each other

Will there be othe times when new folks can get some orientation?
Inventory of proposals that are prepared. We can discuss that at end of Confessions and ?
Should also find time and space for informal conversations/hanging out - Reg will work on this

Agenda:

Friday -
9 Welcome/Intros
10 Political Conversation
2 Coming Back Together as the NPC
3 Working Group Session 1
4 Program + Culture
530 People's Movement Assembly
6 Orientation Dinner
6 OC Sub Group Meeting
6 Self-Organized Meeting Time

Saturday -
845 Wiki Training + Collaborative Democracy
10 OC Report Back: Getting on the Same Page
11 Budget/Financial Policies
1230 Hiring Process Update
2 Organizing Process Proposal
3 NPC Business
5 Strategic Communications Plan
6 Self-Organized Meeting Times
7 Virtual Walk Through of the Program Spaces

Sunday -
9 Priorities/Decisions for our final day
930 Working Groups Session 2: Speed Dating
1030 Calendar/Work Plan/Goal Setting
11:30 Closing Circle

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POLITICAL CONVERSATION

How do you believe political change happens in the world?

Pairs, groups of 4, groups of 8

1) What is the analysis of the current situation?
2) What is the analysis of the state of social movements and What is the state of resistance?
3) What are the alternate projects?
4) What are the strategies of the process of the US Social Forum?

Group 1 Facilitator: Louis Head, notetaker: Sylvia Orduno
1) Things have been going in decline economically for a long time. Things didn't just start falling apart two years ago and then we missed our time. There are already many alternatives going on in Detroit. Perfect timing now for people from other places to bring it all together.

Hurricane Katrina showed that new questions about resistance opened up: do we have the capacity to provide food, clothing and shelter to people in a dignified way? We need to provide for each other and in a concrete way. The desire for people in the movement to do this has increased and is a big part of why the USSF is going to Detroit. When we ask where the movment is today, it is a question of how much we are doing today to keep each other alive with dignity.

Borderland states also being strongly affected by issues of opportunity. Many pockets of resistance. USSF offers the opportunity to tie these together. Our coming together every three years will get us to a place like on the int'l WSF level.

Detroit is not a city of exceptionalism--what's happening there is happening in many other places. What's the value of hosting the USSF in Detroit and in helping Detroit with national relationships?

The whole rust belt is affected. Detroit is bad but we still have worse things to face. How can we make Detroit the laboratory for the USSF as another world is possible...? We're just at the beginning of the crisis. Detroit used to be the mecca for "come to Detroit: you can get a job, house, and health care." Now Detroit has 80,000 vacant homes. What does it mean when the things we need like healthcare and no longer tied to our labor? We have to come out with a vision that we know we can accomplish.

2) We've been in resistance but it needs to be a new type of resistance--e.g., projects of survival. Senior citizens and retirees also want to revisit things they previously had some comfort and safety in like housing, health care, utilities, esp for long-term.

We need to get a better handle on policy--so many are bad.

3) In NM, some groups fight policy but you can only go so far. Have to get your own people on the bodies that make policy. We still need more than electoral politics--you still can't get rid of capitalism thru it, power is still in the hands of corporations.

This work is longer term than 2010. People in Detroit are trying to create "another Detroit" and still looking beyond.

4) Looking back on ATL, one of the best things that came out of it were the relationships we built with others. In some ways this also a coming out party for Detroit. We're seeing the rebirth of a movement that hasn't existed for a long time. We need to tighten up our relationships, there's much new life!

Group 2 Facilitator: Kaajal, Note Taker: Brigid
Q 1. People are lost. Most people don't have anything, they don't have the basic needs. The current analysis is what we see happening. What's the impact that people are seeing? What are we seeing in the past two years?
People are experiencing loss of jobs and loss of income. Programs are no longer available to certain communities. More people are being layed off. More people are experiencing more hardships. A lot of things have not changed. The criminalization of our youth, high rates of police brutality, poor education system. Alot of people say that change has come, but the racism has floated to the top. The media, wallstreet wars favors the rich. People aren't thinking about the poor. Crisis is inherent in the capitalist system. Landlords make major profits from this crisis. Neoliberalism creates mechanisms so that poor people never see the rewards. The economic crisis in North America triggered a global crisis.The Obama Administration was a reaction to the Bush regime and even though he's not our savior we shouldn't minimize the work we did to ensure that McCain and Palin got elected. What is the left pole to hold Obama accountable? We have to have a fight back strategy. We are getting our butts kicked in healthcare. How does our movement adapt to this new situation? The social forum is about reorganizing and connecting our issues. Feeling that the labor movement hasn't changed up their tactics in 30 years.

Question 4: how does the social forum support movement building? The peoples movement assembly meet and decide what can we do together. We can use the PMA to link people.One of the strategies is to bring young people in a real substantial way. If we start to connect them to the movement now, we can bring about long term systemic change. The social forum is not an organization so we can't endorse or support certain things. The PMA is so important and we need to outreach because the protagonists are the actors, the movements are the actors and they are the ones who are coming with their strategies. It will allow a social movement convergence. In the ten years of social forums, people formed alliances. The campesinos is a network of 3 million members and when they talk about taking on the GMO's it's a big thing. It's a place to connect power and have strategic coversations and hopefully solutions will come out. We can't impose our agenda but we can help shape it.

Group 3 Faciliator: Raquel

State of the Movement

Economic downturn of the lost almost 2 million jobs out of the state in Michigan. E of our economic lives.
Subjectively the masses are not convinced that we cannot go back to the auto industry.
We are not prepared to convince our community that we have to create an alternative economy.
Even the structures that were used to protect the masses are being disassembled and destroyed. The economic piece that is disrupting is impacting all sectors of work throughout the nation. Privatization

True capitalism is funded by sex, drugs, and war

We left from industrial industries to service and now that is phasing out. What are the alternatives.
Are we going to be able to create something effective that meets the economic needs of the masses, before capitalism reinvents itself?
How is capitalism reinventing itself?
Out of 300 million 50 million are poor.
Large sections of the population that will not be integrating to the current economy
Poor are poorer and the rich richer. Increase in hate crimes, and the right are a viable force and seized the moment when we did not.

The system is collapsing because if there are no people to pay for it. The basic needs of the people are being cut off...water,

Rise in poverty is seriously impacting all of us. We were not prepared. We are now clear, so how do we position ourselves to create the change.

We are getting as bad as it is in some places. What is happening internationally that reflects how we are living now.

How long does it take or how much money it takes before the gov't who relies on war and to uphold the illusion of an economic base pulls back.

There is a pulse in democracy in the world.

Where is this moment going to go after the social forum? We have a common goal, but how do we create the solutions after the sf?

The US has played a horrific role in imperialism, there is this energy of resistance in Cuba and other places but they still exist within a
out of the global struggls there are some very powerful voices of struggle. Women are playing a powerful role in challenging oppression on all levels.
global shack dwellers who are challenging poverty. How do we learn from global struggles.
Take back the land struggle.

Solutions

come together and clearly define and work with the United Nation

there is the belief that capitalism equals democracy
capitalism equals oppression
what does democracy really equal?

Everyone needs to identify that we are the USSF

what is it going to look like so the masses can relate and adapt

Using the USSF to articulate what democracy really means?

We need to discuss what role the Obama and liberal movement played in shadowing the role of alternative systems and actually bringing more power to the right

Using the USSF as a tool to educate and empower the masses

democracy has been narrowed to a political context but it effects all aspects of our lives

What is the one word that defines democracy?

democracy as the pursuit life, liberty, jusftice?

There was a whole movement invented historically during the enslavement of Africans and they changed the world without the internet.

How do we mobilize the massses to create change?

How do we pull from the old that worked and integrate it with the new.

We should not have allowed them to take the jobs to other countries to exploit them and take jobs from us

create a living wage globally

How do we change mentality about having our individual sectors. We are fighting for slivers of the pie. How can we have the whole pie? We associate resources with capitalism. But we need resources to make our work happen. How do we create a movement where we share ideas but also ways that we mobilize resources? How do we change the way we think about things like democracy, resources...Capitalism is taking things that we do and make it work for them. How do we take some of their concepts and terminology that people relate to and use it to advance our work?

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Two Quick Things:

The Facilitation Team which crafted the agenda and holding the space: Adrienne Maree Brown, George Friday, Julio Cesar Guerrero, Maureen Taylor, Cindy Wiesner, and Sylvia Orduno. Also Steph played a large role!

The Role of Observers:
There are folks who are here in an observing role, reminder to self to take space in a mindful way, accompanying this space.

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Bringing all the conversations together and continuing the process. How are we using these key questions, bringing these processes along the road to Detroit and then taking us into the next World Social Forum in Dakar.

We want to hear these report backs and move towards: WHO do we want to be outreaching to, bringing to the social forum?

Emily: There is some feeling that the "crisis is over", and the question is here - have we missed out moment. We talked about: it's not. people are still losing their jobs - there's fragility. During the Depression there was a downturn, upturn, then a long down - now there's still a need to resist and build. To critique neo-liberal capitalism and capitalism.

Tom: Meet and Exceed has a history in Detroit...Ford, Chrysler, and GM would say it meets and exceeds all federal standards. The govt builds shit and sells it. But we are taking their power.

Diane: We had discussion about the "teabaggers", and how they have captured some of our rhetoric around "waste" and "congress doesn't represent our needs" and the fear - we have to find ways of speaking to the needs, isolation and fear, talk about the alternatives, and solidarity.

Maureen: Slogans - Americans have been dummied down to just wanting soundbites, not in-depth analysis. I am looking for a slogan. The enemy has convinced most of the world that capitalism equals democracy, but it doesnt. So we need a slogan - capitalism doesn't mean democracy, democracy means = ______ being able to say it's changing hands, it belongs to us, and it means this.

Louis: Talking about the IC meeting in Belin and in Quebec - doesn't make sense to us that there could be so much hope, and 9 months later such despair. We talked about Detroit and southern MI, and how the crisis kicked in 30 years ago. We live in a country now that's in a state of permanent decline. It creates many opportunities - its not like we miss one and that's it.

Sylvia: Katrina on people:s minds - how we house, clothe, feed people

Jen: immediate desperation and the contradictions of capitalism has forced people into action, or the potential for action, who had not previously been involved. In PPEHRC, people who may have been comfortable, are getting involved with a left movement (from middle upper class families in foreclosure, military families in MS who are being displaced by tourism) - how do we unite those?

Taliba: With capitalism there's always opportunities in crisis, it feeds itself.

Reg: On the constant decline note, folks not from Detroit should know that that might be the one feature of Detroit, we talk about ourselves as ground zero. We're going to model that there is no recovery here. you will come to detroit, and things are closed and not opening up again. So, how do we build for sustainable communities and where do we head to next?

Jamie: International perspective - we're out of sync with the rest of the world. The way the rest of the world perceives the crisis - the movement is happening outside of the US in ways we need to connect to

Michael: We keep finding ourselves behind the ball while the right moves very effectively (racist attacks, immigrant attacks, carrying automatic weapons to Obama speeches) and we're very fragmented. At IC meeting someone said: The crisis forces fragmentation on us - we're having to put out more fires than we did. We're going to have to figure out a way to do that, have people find their way to Detroit, to a national/intl process while dealing with the pressures locally.

Julio: there are ways that people are participating in Acts of resistance - not participating in the system. we have to not react to capitalism, we have to talk about social capital. when we talk about latin american-us relations, it centers on us power that creates aggression. power is the key point, you have to have money to have power. we have to look at power and build on that, instead of constantly responding to capitalism.

Maureen: We have discussed the phrase - "A Current Capitalism", like this is a glitch, let's highlight, this ain't no glitch. All these plants are closed - 12 million cars by 46 factories. 10 million cars with less than 10% of those people. Sarah raised a brilliant point - sex, drugs, weapons are the three biggest industries. This whole house of cards depends on people having $. This is a systemic change, it is never going back - the problems of the left is that we have missed an opportunity. We can't have to get on the phone together.

Harry: What was the position of what you were gonna come up with last year, why didn't you achieve it, and how are we going to make it a priority this time?

Cindy: We are going to go back to the 2007 and cover what we did and why! Good point.

Lance: Social movements are in a point of transition. Trade union movement has taken so many hits and is so weakened, they haven't taken any steps forward. what we have looked at as movements in the past are fading, new movements are emerging - LGBT is example. We all see small things, movements happening locally. What isn't present is a national infrastructure. There is a liberal govt in power with money and influence to make sure folks don't protest against what the White House is doing.

Fred: The idea that the crisis of capitalism is something that happens in the realm of laws makes it look objective. But actually this crisis is also due to the resistance movements all over the world - folks have refused to play along and participate, taken land, etc. Under alternative projects, MWRO has been impacted by what's happening, and we are trying to deal with that. MI has changed it's entire benefit system - we've started trainings, a People's Water Board to shadow the city board!

Walda: Importance of developing consciousness, especially class consciousness. Speaks to slogans - what is easily accessible. That consciousness has to be really clear - is it something in the past, or is it a radically and fundamentally new thing.

Taliba: Looking at contradictions of the USSF, establishing goals that could lead to sustainable communities (model it in Detroit)

Cindy: What responsibility do we have as facilitators holding this process to create a space where we're helping to sharpen and frame some of the current conditions? In 2007 we got folks to come in with their folks - beyond the workshops etc. In 2010 how do we build some ways for folks to cross cut their issues. If you were working on housing in Miami, you could see the Katrina plenary and realize these issues of displacement are all over. Now we're heading into the 9th anniversary next year, we've been there 8 years. 15 years in Afghanistan total.

The Political Context of 2007 USSF
The massive mobilization that happened on May 1st 2006, undocument folks and others challenging the racist systems...what happened with the massive millions of people on the street. How did we not capture that? The immigrant rights movement is a wide movement and is fragmented. In New Orleans and Katrina....next year is the five year anniversary. Obama just went. There has been displacement of African Americans and Native Communities but what have we as the left done to address the massive land grab. Environment and Indigenous Sovreignty. Labor in decline. Gender...using gay marriage as a way to drive wedges in our communities. These are the six movements/moments we felt it is important to hightlight.

We knew that as the left we needed to be the pole to keep Obama accountable. The economic and financial crisis....is not just an economic and financial crisis but to look at it as an accumulation of crises. A multidimensional crisis Health care...we were in canada and people were saying "we don't understand why you don't want health care" Climate justice: Road to copenhagen...myth of clean coal. Level of occupation, war and aggression ..Haiti/militarization. Growth of power block challenging. Not just about environmental justice but a way of changing how we are thinking about social justice. WHat did we do in the last 3 years? Did we regrsss? Are things better? WHat do we do? Is it reform? Is it revolution? Not as a form of imposition but as a way of creating a container. what are the key issues that are going to define 2010?

We did a very intentional process of ensuring that POC, undocumented folks, queer people...all folks who have been marginalized...to make sure that we were there...Intentional to make sure who is reflected around the room. WHen we talk about outreach and how to ensure the rubber hits the road. There are people who are going to come. We need to do the extra work to see who are the people who can't come or who need help to come but we as the NPC can't afford to bring everyone What are the mechanisms we put in place to make sure that people need to be here are here?

Tom: In terms of the history of missed moments, what we left out was what happened around the first world war. People in the street with mass mobilization before the war started. That showed us what we lost in the eighties. Because of all the stuff that has happened, because what has been done is not working, it's about organizing people's power. This is our time.

Angela Winfrey: WHat I see differently in this process is that there are more working people...those are the pople even in Atlanta where we didn't do intentional outreach to bring them into this discussion. THis is an opportunity to figure out how to engage with regular working people. We need to do intentional outreach to make sure those new faces are brought into this thing.

new people in the room:
rama kased us palestinian network
genero lopez rendo: southwest workers union
jose (?): southwest workers union

How do we maintain the commitment to who needs to be there?

Tammy and B Loewe are going to take us through this analysis.

Tammy: None of us are throwing down a multiyear process to execute the forum because we think it's going to be a good five day meeting. We think it's an important tactic to make advances in our current struggle. How are we going to build a stronger movement in the US. Will take us through who came in 2007. Big responsibility of outreach working group is what are we going to do and how are we going to structure it?

We're covering today:
a) theory of social change
b) social forces that will be critical
c) analysis of current conditions
d) state of social movements
e) working groups in motion?

USSF 2007 cross cutting issues:
1) anti-war, militarism
2) katrina + reconstruction
3) immigrant rights movement
4) climate + indigenous sovereignty
5) labor and workers rights movement
6) gender justice

We arent' going to start with logistical, mechanical things. We want to use the social forum as a way of answering the missed calls. We have a long way to go on each of the above cross-cutting issues. We took the political risk to say we thought there was a political moment to answer some of the cross cutting issues. Missing from this discussion. Jerome raised the need to start having these political discussions.

List of all the organizations that came are lefter than not. Every conference before more DC/policy focused. Didn't represent communities of color. Need to organize with folks who are accountable to a base, working class, people of color, etc. Trying to be intetnional about who we are trying to bring. Want to name that. Don't know where we are going to get to the point for more of a political confersation. Consulta should have been driven by the leadership of the NPC...this group represents detroit, and social movements in the us. we needed political clarity to drive the process. That's where the political leadership should have come from. How we want to build the social forum has to include our analysis of the current conditions...We are going to talk about outreach but didn't want to do it mechanically.

Question: WHat is the final effect of what you're trying to get? WHen the four days are over, does what we want to happen, happen?

Goals of USSF 2007:
* create a space for social movement convergence
* advance individual social movements' strategic agenda
* build stronger relationships within the movements
* meet our int'l obligations to the global community

Not completely tangible....some converged, some didn't. We did pretty good. It's a movement building process--not just networking. Purpose is to have intentional conversations.

For example, Domestic workers united had their birth in Atlanta. Before they reached Atlanta they started having conversations and linked up with farm workers--other workers who are not represented...for sixth months they raised funds and used the forum space and definitely got a bounce out of the forum. For some they didn't get anything out of it but did they put in the time to make it happen? To connect with folks?

Angela: We came together around the World Social Forum. When we were here, we had campaigns, but were still divided. Polycentric circles...being in relationship with social movements around the world. When we would go around the world there were messages going out about our social justice movements that werent' accurate. When we come to outreach for 2010, we have to take it to another level. When we looked around the table and evaluated, there were people who weren't at the table. What is our political stragegy? All of us where moved to participate because of feeling empowered after 2007.

We need to hold to what Harry is saying and make sure things are concrete.

We have names of a little less than 10K people Broke down by regions but also arbitrary as some people didn't see themselves as that.

Outreach working group presented a U.S. map on 2007 attendance: http://onpointconsortium.org/ussfmap/2007attendance.html Broke down by states and representation by color. Georgia was the largest in terms of participation at over 1700 people. In CA, 964. NY 868, MI 70. Names of all the organizations that came. THey will be part of Consulta outreach. What we want to do is build from there. Informed by who we think needs to be in Detroit. WHo did we not see in Atlanta? Also shaped by theory of social change. WHo are the orgs with membership bases we need to get in the room.how do we get the people that we want there, that need to be there, there? organizations and getting out onto the streets.

When thinking of outreach we are going to go with a loose regional structure. Whatever scale we want to work with them. Jobs with Justice is doing excellent work. AFSCME is here and they weren't here before. We have a task by Saturday night. Sticky tabs. who's coming? who have we heard? Who are the organizations? WHo are the networks? who are the sectors? what are they planning to do? In Minnesota? folks who want to ride bikes and they want to bring extra bikes so they can leave bikes there. If you know something, forward to the outreach committee. We want folks to send information to us. By the end of the weekend we want to know who is in motion so that we can figure out what are the holes in the process and how they can be involved?

Juan: there are youth who are in my network who want to come to the forum.

Tammy: There is an open position for chairing the youth working group.

Mary: People who believed in the American way who are going bankrupt, losing their homes, etc but are unorganized. We missed them because we have left out the basic theme of the need for water, food, etc. We did not define human rights as a theme which contributed to our being unprepared to organize folks as they began falling out. THese are the folks who will find out that reforms aren't going to work. We will miss the boat if we dont' organize them now. Democracy needs to meet the needs of people through basic human rights framework.

Reflection not only of the USSF but also of the movement. All the contradictions that come up are a reflection of the state of the movement. Up to us to meet that challenge.

We went through the intention, structure and form, who came in 2007. What's left to do is filling out who is in motion. Needs to feel like there is a buzz as we build towards detroit. What's the focus of the forum politically? Look around to everyone on the outreach committee and go to those folks. If there is a movement you didn't see in Atlanta and you think should be there, let us know.

Question: Thought we were going to have discussion in larger group re the questions that were posed before. '

Adrienne: We need to have the orientation to get everyone caught up. What is our personal theory of change?

Jerome: For the agenda committee, good that we pulled up goals for last time. Need to analyze them to point us to 2010. Needs to be on the table.

Reggie: People who are not in a movement...exist in large scale in detroit. How does relate to the need to submit names and movements? What happens to them? They're not in anything.

Tammy: There are those folks you mentioned who are in people's basis...MWRO, Bus Riders Union. How do we build a movement to get more people? How do we arrange so that they are present at the USSF 2010 even if they aren't in a formal movement? It's not the time we have now.

(back from lunch)
Agenda changes are being made for over the weekend because, in part, we didn't get to have a full OC discussion yesterday and add'l items are being added to the agenda.

Goal conversation is really important--we'll come back to see if they still work for us or if there are shifts.

asking outreach working group to further develop our priorities for outreach

in our dream world, the orientation for new folks would come before this morning, but that will happen tonight. orientation about what work happens at each level of the US Social Forum process, and roles are available for folks to play

we're still gonna do assumptions and confessions, but we moved it later on. stuff is moving, things are happening

we have a few sheets of yellow paper floating around about sign ups for working groups and committees and the work we're all doing; please fill them out

also there will be time for proposals to be presented later on. let Adrienne know if you have a proposal and she will work to figure out where it fits in the agenda

goals conversation:
what we want to do right now is have a conversation to begin to wrap up this morning's conversation. the point around seeing if these goals that were set sometime in 2006 or developed in the process. are these goals able to be affirmed again? we don't want to do wordsmithing--we want to determine does this still feel like the objectives for this body? we as the npc are the facilitating body, and we can't fix everything. sometimes our role is unclear as when are we here as this body and when are we here as movement actors. when we go into working groups, we're at least operating off of some common assumptions.

goals of ussf:
-create a space for social movement convergence (it's a movement building process and a convergence that's bringing together all the different movements; not a conference. it's about the process that happens before, during and after)
-advance individual social movements' strategic agenda (ensure that social movements get an opportunity to have a national and international stage, to get to know each other and to share and be taught; many networks and alliances were created and strengthened through this process)
-build stronger relationships within the movements (bring people together that used to be together, help to mend new relationships)
-meeting our international obligations to the global community (this call came from an international process, and the us social forum is actually a regional process in our hemisphere. there is an americas social forum happened in guatemala last year. its in relationship to something much bigger than us. how are we internationalizing our struggles so that we're actually beginning to understand that this is a global movement and beginning to talk about the role of the us movements. its about joint interests and solidarity, not charity)

discussion:
rose: why are we using the term social movements in the us? how are we conveying that in a popular way to people in this country where that might be potentially confusing? is it transferable or relatable?

angela: want to have a discussion on what are our obligations not just to the international community but also to our local communities?

walda: social movement means something to our communities and it doesn't mean certain things to our communities. it also means something bigger a real coming together of people from different struggles coming together to build real transformation. i think this is a goal that we are trying to accomplish through the social forum

julio: we talk about facilitating this space, bringing people together and that leads to ? developing strategy is more of a tangible perspective. i think we lack intentionality to say this is what we're looking at in terms of structural change and having an impact that will change people's respective realities. matter of framing rather than goals. our responsibility is will that change happen by accident or by design? i think that's where the intentionality piece comes.

tom: cindy's presentation and tammy's presentation this am, the question of what a social movement means, what will we accomplish in 2010, all the same way of asking what are our goals and objectives. i support these and i think theyre relevant. what i would like to see is a sort of practice and organizing strategies made explicit clear and simple and institutionalized. what is movement building? in terms of the intentional and strategic focus. we need to be very smart and take tough decisions and actions and take responsibility for them. its about finding common ground and common understanding; making visible and audible and clear what has been hidden and covered up. what it really is is like a flood or a virus; changes the topic of the conversation. when peopel in detroit meet with people after the ussf, this basic stuff affects the conversation. the goal is to tie all of this together.

sara: are we making a distinction between the goals of the ussf and the goals we're trying to create as an npc in order for material conditions to change in the united states. confusing to me; we're largely self selected, don't know what forces we represent. i understand the point of goals; and where detroit can be strengthened through this movement. don't want us to sell ourselves short? to me the social forum should be a place that tries to answer the political conversation questions in a broad way that helps to move our movements forward. balance between creating a space where people self organize to advance something and then what can we do to strengthen how people can self organize?

maureen: criticism launched against social forum process--mwro is new to this process. folks internationally have more understanding of this, but in the us, it's new. criticism has always been lots of talk and very little action outside and after the event. what we're trying to create based on our new analysis is create a space for revolutionaries who are trying to arrive at a concensus about what we agree on; peopel's movement assembly will kick ass. sanctuary movement--trying to move in 10 families into vacant houses. use this to provide alternatives; opportunity to exchange information and do some stuff too. i think that's where we're going. a convergence of discussion and action.

in your packets, there is a copy of the world social forum charter of principles. written by folks on the international council. ultimately, this is what we have as an overall guiding set of principles that we agree to adhere to. these principles are in debate. at the international council meeting, people were debating them and asking if we need to upgrade these principles. the critique has been that there is no set of outcomes. we want to create a space where people come, not impose a certain direction, but give it some level of leadership.

the people's movement assembly is absolutely the space where you should get ready to say what is our national and international campaigns? how are you moving people to take action?

what are the objectives for us as the planning body? there's been some feedback about hey where's our obligation to the local community? need to popularize the language. conversation of saying we need a space for discussion and action. helpful feedback for folks who want to continue, invite you for a lunchtable tomorrow to help work on this, come back on sunday to see if we can help to affirm these principles in a revised form.

we want to start operating within our working groups under these objectives.

jerome: observation--well over half of the people in this room were not here in 2007. disadvantage is that in 2007, we didn't have these and we spent a lot of time getting to these to give us clarity. maybe we could talk about or catch people up to speed on the differences. it was only after a lot of struggle that we were able to get to this. we also need to evaluate how we did on these goals. for example, strengthening the developing movement internationally, locally and nationally. in atlanta, i think we did a not so good of a job. we did not set up a situation where we could figure out where the emerging motion was in atlanta and how we could set it up to be able to do that. in detroit, we can do this. two examples:
-3 weeks ago, there was a meeting about how do you get help for utilities for the winter. 10K people showed up looking for help.
-later, there was a meeting at Cobo hall for housing for the winter, there was 50K people who showed up
here is the emerging motion, what do we need to do as a social forum so that when we leave there, they're in a much better position than when they came?
adrienne: folks need to hear the orientation so that they can see if their process fits in or if there's something more that's needed. it also needs to be not just structure, but process. process showed a different way that movement building can happen in the us that hadn't really happened before.

sarita: adding on about importance of evaluating the goals. was on the evaluation team for the last ussf; we did a lot of that. we should draw from that to inform this conversation. there were wonderful insights on how we did in achieving goals; don't want to lose that.

michael: there is a difference we need in these goals. the moment is different from then, because it's a second forum, because more people know about the forum, because of the economic crisis, the obama administration being there and what we have and haven't been able to do. people are thinking about this forum, but there is a demand for a greater intentionality with this forum. i think people are really coming in and saying we need to put together an agenda for the long term so we don't find ourselves back in the same place over and over again. what is the broader agenda that we need to come together around? each forum pushes limits about what the vehicle is, this is just one vehicle and won't capture everything, but there has to be something more than what was.

maureen: where is it written--it would be extremely helpful if we can map out things to avoid. things that didn't work well. stephanie mentioned that one problem was not organizing volunteers soon enough. detroit taking that to heart and using that to build this forum.

cindy: there is an evaluation (meeting in september after the forum); did another one in san antonio because that wasn't enough; we had a whole team that was created (sarita, george, michael, and others) where there was documentation created about what we did well and what we want to do better.

is there anyone who doesn't want to be filmed? raise your hand so we can keep you off that.

order of business to attend to: a less correct version of the consulta was passed out, please return the other version you received.

monique: advocates for environmental and human rights

viola: welfare rights organization; member of the national; member of organizer's roundtable

getting into the working group space: way to entice people to join your working group!

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WORKING GROUP DISCUSSIONS

moving into working group discussions:
peoples movement assembly:
international solidarity committee: for people who want to connect international struggles to local struggles and logistics for international presence at ussf
resource working group: need some extra brains inside the group, even if you're part of another working group. we make the money to make the stuff happen.
outreach: we want people to come to the ussf. if you have contacts, please
gender justice (aka women's working group): gendered analysis of all the processes to the content of the forum. patriarchy, security issues for women
communications: outreach to media, media workers, messaging, encourage and activate, help spread the word and tell stories about ussf
information and communications technology (ict): 2007 made a monumental impact on world social forum. communications and technology made an impact. want to repeat that process, do that through comprising the work group not comprised of technologists but organizers and political activists
logistics: nationally we haven't been able to get it up and running, so DLOC is holding it down for now. we do have logistics on the ground in detroit.
program and culture: workshops, work with npc on plenaries, pma on the pma, shapes the voice of how we reach the masses. 1000 workshops in 2007. this is a joyful thing. culture is not only just entertainment, art is a tool of empowerment and education and building a movement, that's how we reach the masses. if you know artists and organizations doing that, let us know.
language access: making the ussf linguistically accessible in verbal and nonverbal languages or modes of communication. interpreters, translation of materials. placeholder. it could use some support.

notice from alma nm: queer rights working group.

rose: might be good to talk to gender justice working group.

documentation and evaluation: figures out how are we gonna put together this puzzle so that its transferable and clear

youth: not sure if it's a working group, but would like to keep it moving and on the table. question: are you down to hold it

healing and health and environmental justice working group? is that happening? we have a local group called faith and spirituality that could fall in the same category.

they're separate groups...

in your packet, there is a big matrix that is the overall structure. clarification and just to let folks know, the organizing committee is going to try and come up with some clarification about working group, committee, and constituency group.

not yet a clear process and criteria for how something becomes a national working group. hopefully tomorrow we'll have some level of clarity on this.

COMM and ITC and Language Access

May First People is a huge volunteer organization of radical/progressive tech workers who merge resources and provide services to organizations who are members. Provide resources to world, hemispheric and USSF. Right now 8-10 working on USSF.

ITC has 8-10 people on biweekly calls. Launched 4 websites on free and open software. Are now in redesign for the website with Design Action Collection and Comm WG. A site plan is now in draft. Working on registration system, online proposals, blogging and housing/transportation.

COMM WG has about 5 people meeting once or twice a monthly as needed. Have worked on draft logos and posters and a media plan. Have launched a Writers Network, getting people to write stories and articles for local media. Has tools/resources on writing, messaging and approaching local media. Beginning work in Detroit on a Local Communications Committee.

Now have relations with Allied Media Conference (AMC) which will hold their annual media conference in Detroit a week prior to the USSF 2010. Looking into renting a space for a month that can be used by both groups. In discussion with AMC about helping with a USSF media center. Problem in 2007, the media center was located in a very hard to access place and difficult ID requirements for use. Need large space with many computers, WIFI, and power access for people at all levels to broadcast. One role of the MC is documentation of the USSF for video/audio library. Talking with low-power radio people.

Translation WG. There are only three people at the moment. Not enough. Need more people. Translation process? There will be several website based systems that will automatically route the translation to persons who can do it. The system is available. Translators must be recruited. Currently, we encourage people to handle our own translations for material. In the language justice movement we are pushing hard for the best translations possible.

The website site design proposal is currently on the wiki in the ITC section. There will be four function based websites. [www.ussf2010.org,www.community.ussf2010.org, www.organize.ussf2010.org, www.wiki.ussf2010.org]

International Solidarity Commmittee
Emily Kawano, Jen Cox, Rocio Valerio, Louis Head, Cindy Wiesner, Mary Bricker Jenkins

Update on work:

Provide the logistical support to international community
We can link social movements internationally to national/local social movements
Letter of invitation by January.

There is a question Inform State Dept.

International Council suggesting

In the IC meeting in Morroco, in 2010 there is no WSF. There are 15-20 forums happening in 2010. So there was a call

The strategic importance of the US. Linking the USSF to the other forums.
3rd day of forum has been decided at the July NPC meeting

Working on what the programming would look like with the International/Nat

4 major areas of work:
Relationships with IC, Hemispheric Council, Social Movements Assembly.
Any organization that wants to come and trying to connnect them to local and national organizations.
Global Day of Action in conversation with the program committee and the IC
Legal/Visa: Cuba, Venezuela, Palestine and Iraq
Fund-raising and potential subsidy with criteria

Define our goals:
Electing Chairs and OC.
What do we want to do?
What kind of space do we want to create for international people?
What does the International Day look like?
Come up with a timeline
Role of
What is our role internationally?

OUTREACH WORKING GROUP BREAKOUT:
Goal: 20,000 plus
Forces that we want to have represented:

* working class communities of color

* immigrant communities

* etc.

* (come back to this)

ð Work plan and timeline needed
ð How are we doing outreach by sector and region?
ð How are we building the movement? How are we building power? How are we building organization? How are we engaging masses?
ð How are we engaging conscious forces? How are we engaging non-organized forces?
ð On a national level we have to engage organizations that are building mass and strengthen their ability to do this. HOWEVER on local level we can massify the movement in Detroit--engage the unorganized in Detroit.
ð Outreach strategy in Detroit: Michigan, Detroit, Potluck (communities)
ð Our job is to give people what they need for the kind of outreach that makes sense in their location and for their goals--tools, processes, models, materials, examples, etc.
ð Goal is to leave a stronger Detroit AND stronger movement everywhere
ð Support local organizations to build so that they can incorporate those who attend and want to participate moving forward
ð What is our massification strategy? High-light and make visible the USSF and the work that comes out of it; specific media strategy around Detroit;
ð We need a structure and process for identifying goals, work plan and timeline: GOAL of weekend—review and adopt proposal on youth outreach; goals and targets for local and national outreach; strategies outreach; work plan, timeline and division of labor for outreach (calendaring/benchmarks); (budget); structure/roles, process and communication for outreach work group (i.e. chairs);
ð Role of outreach group is to get a scan of the state of social movements inside of the US—how is this going to happen through this process

Orientation to Outreach:
ð National level: NPC support organizations in using social forum to engage and involve existing and new members/participants/activists/community—support them in building their ability to build and sustain relationships with people not currently involved but that gather around events/organizing leading up to the social forum and the forum itself (share tools, processes, events, examples and materials that people can adapt based on their location and goals)
ð Local level: massify the movement and strengthen and grow those participating in local organizations and organizing—direct outreach to community and individuals versus through organizations or mass media at a national level
ð USSF is an opportunity to build your base, your organization and your movement

Resources WG
Responsibility of the RWG is to raise money for the core costs of the USSF: space, accessibility, staff, contractual obligations for venues like hotels.
Resources we have on hand are limited. There is a sense that the money raised can be used for a range of other needs that are related but not core to the USSF.
This situation needs to be relayed and affirmed.
Structure -

PROGRAM/CULTURE
Fireworks: about 1 million people are going to descend upon the area of t
he conference on Wednesday night. We have to have in the program a warning to folks: You have to get home and it will be a lot of people heading home at the same time so if you have special needs (disabilities, children
Space: We have 22 churches that have committed space. We have 14 hotels that have committed, as well as Cobo Hall. We will also have Wayne County Community College (list of classes happening, as well as 80 rooms). Total is 200 including Cobo Hall.

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PROGRAM AND CULTURE PRESENTATION:

The way we think about cultural expression includes movement convergence.

The Opening March is a shared responsibility for the NPC and the Local Organizing Committee - the LOC thought about the organizing, where the march should go - the DLOC folks need to begin to think about that. This VERY important political celebration belongs where?

The Detroit LOC Logistics Committee is thinking about this!
Also a cultural space for celebration
Also a Political Space! (wanna do some direct action there)

We need clarity from the NPC on where this actually lands. Right now it is with the Logistics committee to take the first step - bringing a proposal to the whole NPC.

Suggestion: an Opening March Committee - comprised of someone from the PMA, DLOC, P+C.

One point is that the ATL march was influenced by the political history of Atlanta, so DLOC shoul play a large role.

A Powerpoint (will try to get a copy of this)

Program and Culture is responsible for the self-organizing working groups and the cultural programming during the USSF. We take political leadership from the NPC, and coordinate with other working groups.

Felt if these were purely combined, culture would get subsumed. The groups meet independently and together.

In July, made some decisions and agreements:
- To use the consulta/survey process as a political tool to get feedback on the program of the USSF
- The consulta/survey can be used to get feedback on many parts of the USSF - the workshops, the PMAs, outreach, accessibility
- USSF 2010 intends to be a convergence of social movements, therefore the self-organized workshops, assemblies and cultural events should encourage 1) collaboration, 2) cooperation and 3) consolidation
- 2010 tracks shouldn't be a laundry list
- participants should be able to see their work repped in the tracks without having to list every issue, group, tactic

Consulta comes out of the World Social Forum as a way to get feedback from people. The NPC using as a political tool to show that they are open to getting feedback from people.

And now.....THE CONSULTA (powerpoint presentation, to be posted later)

Immediately, we ran into concerns and questions around using this process. People wanted to know what the word meant and where the decision was made. Also, what is the scope - 10K people? 100K people? Needed agreement on how to use, clarity that it came from the NPC. We felt this process became more contentious than it needed to be. So...we wanted to make sure to clarify to y'all what it all is, and our recommendations thus far.

Recommendations:

1. Establish Purpose
a. NPC gives task to a Working Group
b. working group can opt to do a consulta, but has to check with NPC, DLOC and other WGs
c. before a consulta goes public, the NPC, DLOC and WGs get to review it (but not all changes will be incorporated)
d. Default to trust. We trust that all of you have read it, and y'all trust that the working group is incorporating your feedback, even if you don't see it.

2. Does this reflect the goals set by the NPC?

3. Determine what body/grouping of people make the final decision

4. Parameters

5. Timeline

6. How will feedback be incorporated? What is the criteria for incorporating recommended changes?

A few key questions:

Where did the word come from, and the process?

Remind us as the NPC that a lot of folks stay on their computers, different reps come in and out, so folks paying attention, reading back over the notes. So just being aware of getting better, tighter about reviewing the notes. Maybe OC can list the decisions that get made.

The way it was brought to folks was not explained correctly, felt like it was brought as a decision.

When things get contentious, we have to ask questions and try to clarify, engage in self-reflection?

Part of what happened was miscommunication, and not moving things in order.

PARKING LOT: Rogue People! This is something we need to address because it's caused a variety of communication problems among national and local folks.

Recommendation for approaching DLOC and anchors:
Bringing things in a timely manner, and allowing folks to plan for it and having the right folks presenting it.

Now. Here's what the Program/Culture has to do with the Consulta!

There's a consulta small group - Rishi, Raquel, Alicia. Every Friday they have been convening a call. The work of moving the process forward has been in the PCWG.

Timeline:

- Week of October 26th: Online Consulta is launched
- Nov 30th: Deadline for responses to the Consulta Form
- Dec 1-15: Consulta sub-group of the PCWG incorporates feedback into track language and submits to the NPC for approval
- Dec 15th: Online Workshop Proposal form is launched, with final track language approved by the NPC
- early January 2010: Publicized launch of the online workshop proposal form
- March 15th: Deadline for submissions of proposals through the Online Workshop Proposal

Questions:
- What is the scope? Have been getting feedback from outreach, PMA. outreach has been guiding us in terms of who this goes out to.
- People have expressed that they want to use this as a way to get folks engaged in the social forum - go head on! You are free to get people to input on this, AND we will be targeting it.
- Test run - tomorrow night we will have computers set up to test run it!
- Ask for a donation!
- Outreach - we have database of 10K who attended the 2007 social forum, and the networks that folks in this room are connected to. We have a list of everyone who brought over 20 people to the USSF07. Still defining the gaps and other people we want.
- In order to move this, we have to discuss this document which we emailed last week and we have in our hands.

Thinking about: what are the ways our local work can converge with the local work of others, and the process we're engaging in...we came up with a set of containers which could hold our work. This cuts from the 35-40 offerings on an international level, last year we had 25. We thought that too long list is not necessary - people feel like if they see a very long list and they aren't on it, they wonder if their work is politically important to the group. We want to put this work in dialogue with each other.

Is the purpose to highlight the issues folks are working on, or is it to converge social movements to consolidate, cooperate and converge.

The questions:

- Michael: Really appreciate the thought and time y'all are putting into this. How do we create the cross conversations that need to happen to build power?
- is perceived rise in technology and the relationship to collapse of capitalism
- poverty issues
- how can we help be really intentional about bringing the topics together?
- our goal for making movement effective and coming together, moving from issue based and strategy. to meet those goals to cooperate, collaborate, consolidate - to look at different ways to get our issues as part of a larger conversation.
- if we organize based on how people organize could leave out people who don't organize, like teachers
- so we could revise this, that's why we're having the consulta - we have to include the tents and other spaces
- do we want to define reaching our goals to how we do these tracks...this may be too many steps, maybe people see things on an issue basis and we can't quite chunk them together. do we want tracks that don't relate to how people see each other? and how else could we reach the PC goals?
- you put the labor under "resistance strategy", it doesn't fit there, it's one of the core bodies of people organizing in the world. it shouldnt be a small part of another thing.
- i don't see the word poverty reflected in here anywhere. its one of the issues that we're dealing with every day. what i am here for is not reflected
- 1. historically. last time there was 900+ workshops. there was a book and you had to study the thing to figure out where you want to go. the world social forum process utilizes this consulta - its a process to get feedback. no one knew what social forum was a couple years ago - we're introducing it. 2. the wsf puts out a consulta process to a smaller group of people for feedback. 3. people use this as a way to converge and get stronger. there might be 10 competing organizations in a track putting forth ideas in a track, but that's part of the process. in the quebec process we went to there were 9 tracks, and room for an OTHER. it doesn't capture everything, there's the spontaneous spaces.

PC-Sub might take this all back and come back tomorrow

- what is the level of flexibility with this document? also, the OC should hopefully address this kind of stuff. this shapes the forum. ecological justice - why not environmental?
- there are words left out that some folks thought were implicit. we can add them. no big deal. i think we should be clear about the tracks - the tracks should not build cross sector - the tracks are to help people find the topics they are looking for. that cross-sectoral collaboration should happen to, but let's not overload the tracks. also, let's cross-list stuff. the geographical stuff is funny, the resistance vs movement building
- i want to affirm this process, i have seen it work in other processes. you had labor working with environmental and women's groups - addresses the goals 1 and 3.
- technically, how are you planning to process the feedback?
- maybe combining some of the stuff, tactics and stuff. hate to call stuff an issue cuz poverty effects the majority of the planet.
- how do you see this interacting with the plenaries and the tents? would be willing to fold NVDA and CD into another track if it was written out more clearly. also, want to think about how NPC groups will ground these tracks so they aren't overwhelmed by folks not aligned with all the criteria and values
- this is not supposed to be a space where we demoralize each other, but is supposed to be a space where we feel comfortable calling each other out, and appreciating the call out. shit is hard, marion is bringing and important thing and told us great civil rights stories. my question is how did you all come up with the tracks - was there consultation on the international track process? the language - some feel issue based, some feel section based...that would help. we can't satisfy everybody, its going to be a whole thing of contradictions.
- part of this work/anger is coming from "i wanna get the right stuff", marion will fight for the stuff. we are not each other's enemies, we just got issues. we came here to find slivers of ways we can get along. this question of poverty is tied to the key platforms of how can we get along. you all our coming to detroit where poverty and labor are our two things! come talk to us about the stuff we care about. and a self-critique - our opinions have been asked, and we have not been as attentive as we should have been. but the rubber has hit the road now.
- the tracks need to reflect how people actually care about and what they are movd to, and how they are organizing. then, how are we trying to connect that to building power. working with HOW we're organizing right now, but the plenaries and other spaces could be where we talk about what we're learning. so the whole picture meets folks where they're at and bringing them to the movement level.
- are we answering the questions around goals with these tracks? also the reason for going to detroit - there's a larger vision about it. about the collapse of capitalism, the high end poverty, etc. is it about venue space?
- the process was actually backwards - they are trying to give us leadership before we have had a chance to have the conversations about the key planks, the crucial issues. ideally that would come first, then they took it and brought it back. this is also a test of what the consulta could be looking like. great attempt to take leadership when we didn't provide it to you. so, some of us should step up and help: are we cross cutting issues? or not? i am open to either way.
- a lot of emails were sent out but technology often excludes a lot of poor folks, not in the room. thinking about phone calls to folks not in the room (indigenous folks not in the room) there are leaders where you have to track them down because their feedback is so important
- as a participant in 2007, the tracks were very helpful in terms of helping people show up and find their way around.
- i agree with the process of taking input of what the fronts of struggle are to inform the tracks. i disagree with the tracks. less is more. the new economy, poverty and work; mother earth and relationship with the environment; etc. the point is to organize the workshop. we could also do it like - this is about learning, or skills, or political interventions we want to make at this moment. this feels reductive and hard to find instead. we want to hear what 10K think about this. would love to have the fronts, and a blank line so folks can add stuff in. there are multiple spaces, the self-organized workshops do not have to reach every issue.

Raquel: we are hearing that this isn't working, and two that it is reductionist. Hearing a couple of ways to handle it, one is to just list stuff out and have other spaces handle cross stuff; or have the key planks. We'll bring it back to you.

----------------------------

People's Movement Assembly:

This is to build connection, commitment to action. The big question is how do you establish connections on this scale? It's connection. There's already PMAs being planned across the country, and we're barely off the ground. The How is a BIG question - we want it participatory, prepared, very facilitated with direction and a sense of purpose! Kentucky took it and did a process. There's before, during and after.

HAND OUT!

So far:
- Queer
- Portland
- southeast
- young people

---------------------------

USSF Outreach Working Group
Outreach Breakout during NPC meeting in Atlanta

Goals:
Bring at least 20,000 to the Detroit
½ the people would be coming from the Midwest Region
Use the outreach work to develop a scan of the movement
USSF would advance the mass struggle in Detroit – mass outreach

Objectives:
Develop work plan with timeline
Clarify structure (role of co-leads, regions, sectors)
Determine priorities
Assess current capacity in the WG and how do we build more capacity
Talk through strategies for outreach (toolkit, etc.)
ID folks to recruit to lead sectoral and regional outreach
ID questions that we need to address with other working groups (prep for speed date on Sunday)
Start mapping who is in motion

Consulta
Develop an outreach strategy for the consulta
Use consulta as an outreach tool
Develop timeline and goals
Develop process for assessment

Priorities and who is not at the table in Detroit:
1) community members (not organized) – Detroiters (poor Black)
2) Arab
3) Indigenous communities
4) Asian community

Midwest (already existing structures in the region that we should tap into):
1) think through working class white people on the regional level – often ignored on the national arena
2) farming and agricultural, looking at food sovereigty
3) rural communities
4) Latino immigrant communities (huge hub in the Midwest)
5) Muslim community (Black, South Asian, European and Arab Muslims)
6) Especially in the smaller towns outside the city = faith communities
7) Growing population of African immigrants
8) Midwest has a very strong union infrastructure, historical rank and file leadership
9) Midwest Social Forum
10) Youth of color
11) Midwest is full of universities where students will be drawn
12) Given history of the region with deindustrialization, there is a lot of organizations representing poor people – specific poor people’s organization
13) Huge holes in the Midwest – North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana

National:
1) LGBTQI
2) Criminalized groups/prison/detention organizing

Midwest: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan

(South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas = Great Plains states are going to be important because they are the next region over. And some would claim Western Pennsylvania and New York State).

Benchmarks for outreach…

Developing a toolkit:
How to be involved flyer
Already have an outreach kit (Detroit)
Powerpoint (2)
Frequently asked question
Film

To be developed:
Talking points
Postcards, flyers, poster with the USSF design and logo
How the USSF can benefit your base building – what’s in it for you as an organization
Labor sectoral – coming up with own poster and postcard

800 calls – USSF 101?

Speed Dating Qs
Language Access: Which languages are we going to support? What is the process for getting items translated?

ICT: Highlights of a profile of someone who went to showcase the importance of participating? How do we make sure the products we develop goes up on the web? Getting real updates on folks who are registering (data tracking and visualization)? How to get the folks who are organizing use the wiki to support their local organizing? How do we deal with the lack of access? Responsibility for social networking (myspace, facebook, twitter)
What’s the best way to collectively have an online spreadsheet?

Resources: What do we have resource for? Staff positions? Travel?

Communications: Need to develop massification strategy together.

Capacity:
Cindy GGJ
Ricardo
Maria/Fran/Sarita – JWJ, labor & midwest region & student (goal of 500 jwjers in 25 states)
Ahmina - Detroit
Brigid, Push Back, CA, NM, NV, MA, NY, MS, KY, AL
B. Loewe – On Point - Chicago, DC
Tammy Bang Luu - c
Rahma PCN – Arab & Muslim outreach
Lance – Chicago, LGBT, immigrant rights
Juan SWU – youth

TO DO:
send already existing workplans & planned targeted outreach to identify overlap
Create centralized database (ahmina)
Start identifying leads in Midwest to recruit (Fran, B, Sarita, lance)
Get old database from Josue (tammy)
Coordinate with Tom & Heather re: indigenous outreach
Queer groups list (tammy)
Connect Juan with Maria from SLAP to connect youth & students

-----------------------------------

Oct 24:

The notes from the October 22 Organizing Committee are at:
http://wiki.ussf2010.org/wiki/10-22-09_Organizing_Committee_Meeting_Notes

The notes from the first day of the Oct 23-25 meetings (the October 23 notes) are at:
http://wiki.ussf2010.org/wiki/October_23-25_NPC_Notes

October 24 Notes

Update from yesterday's hanging proposals at the end of the day:
- Consulta Process {Consulta intake butcher papers are up around to gather feedback from the group present, and the questions are below}
- Youth Tent {youth working group is getting started, youth are on the OC, and are participating in the Outreach Committee}
- Community Safety and Security --> connect with Logistics
- Health, Healing and Environmental Report --> connect with Logistics, Program
- Program and Culture online submission form --> connect with ICT {collaborative democracy}
- Timeline for registration
- Documentation of 2007 video --> showing at 1:30 lunchtime today!

Wiki Training:

The wiki is at wiki.ussf2010.org

You can use the NPC, Working Groups, Calendar sections of it.

You first edit the page with the list of notes and add a line for your new notes, THEN you click that link you created and there is a new page which you can add to and edit.

Some Basic Wiki Code:
[[Internal Link]]
[ External Link URL ]
* = bullet
''' = triple quotes create bold whatever is IN the bold
'' = double quotes for italic
: = new line

Collaborative Democracy Training:

This is to assess the ten most important technology needs for the social forum. Everyone gets to post ideas. Gives us a way to use free and open source tools to do our work.

------------------------------------------

A few things to work on throughout the day:

Vote on logos
Write up answers to key questions for the Consulta Group:
a. What are the key fronts of stuggle in your area/region/city? (Naitonal? International?)
b. What are the ways that we are building power? Where do we see key convergences?
c. What are the markers of this moment and what opportunities exist for movement building?
Write up known events where we can promote the USSF - help develop the outreach calendar
On the map, post the forces that you know are in motion towards the USSF - list out organization/networks; regions/cities/states and what they are planning to do
List the outreach each person/organization wants to take on (name sector, region, state, etc.)

Organizing Committee Update

1. Update on some key conversations around budget, hiring, constituency groups, etc.

2. How is is we are going to achieve the forum regardless of budget? How do we ensure the working groups and committees have a high level of functionality so that all the work doesn't fall on the staff?

3. The Organizing Committee was created in July, and we've been trying to develop this coordinated body to capture key areas of work and ensure accountability and flow between all the areas of work.

A few points:

First, we're not creating a body that tells everyone what to do, we're creating a body that improves the process.

Second, also we were still in a place of trying to define what constitutes a working group, a committee, and political representation. We didn't fully flesh those out, we knew it needed resolving but it wasn't until we got back here face to face in order to figure it out.

Third, we want to recognize that everyone is doing work, but we want to hold to what is the minimum expectation in terms of the work that needs to get done and holding each other accountable to what we said we will do (in a non-punitive way, working towards solution). That is the one arena we were not able to get to last night.

Context:

When you plan budgets with your organization - you put down what you have, and what you want to earn. But when you put down the expenses, you plan from what you have. That's what we have to plan, and what is we have to handle. The question we have to handle is - if you didn't get paid, would you do this? We have a budget that says what the resource is now, and we have to work within that right now, and dispell of any concept that we have more money than we have.

Definitions:

Working group:
national in scope;
leadership + responsibility;
authorized body (accountable to the NPC);
recognized entity working on behalf of building the USSF;
it charged with being part of the building blocks of the USSF;
specific task it is working for/towards
no limit on working group
self organized or NPC will recognize a need

We acknowledged that we moved too quickly through the process last time and didn't return to handle the constituency group conversation, and we apologized, and we are correcting the error now. They are working groups. We didn't want to impose a value or hierarchy.

There's a lot of potential groups who we recognize that we need the political framing for - AND we need to create a manageable body which is ACTUALLY going to do the work. If they do decide to be a working group.

What would methods of accountability be/look like? Organizing committee seems to be the most accountable structure currently.

answer:
Board of directors (overall political and budgetary decision) = NPC;
Manages the work on a day-to-day (coordination and communication) = OC

With the existing working groups, we have already identified the inability to work together. If we start multiplying, it limits our ability to coordinate how decisions are getting made, and being accountable to the NPC?

answer:
Yes, we agree - we have the skeleton, we're building it slowly.

Who makes the decision that criterias are met to constitute a working group? Do working groups apply and to whom?

The communication and how information is shared. Make clear task and expectation. What are the task for the criteria? How through the structure, effective relationship and getting work done.

Poor peoples working was raised at the last meeting

Current Working Groups:
Communications
Culture + Program
Language Access
Logistics
PMA
Outreach
Resource Mobilization
Information, Communications and Techonology (aka Tech or ICT)
Gender Justice
Youth
Indigenous

Committee:
Self organized group
organize political context
helps to shape the USSF
represents and finds groups not already or usually involve
upholds the values/principles of the USSF
NPC participation is optional

People will self organize as to whether they want to become a committee or working group - but needs to come with a plan and meet the qualifications of a working group = level of responsibilty and work and accountability

We need MANY committees, and encourage that!

Committees are not a part of the OC or NPC

Need to keep talking about the manageability and accountability of WG and Committees

Women's WG, Youth, Indigenous each had political conversations at the NPC before it's constitution

--------------------

RESOURCE MOBILIZATION WORKING GROUP

We have a working group - woot woot!

We have four foundations who are helping us through this process:
Jesse Smith Noyes
Solidago
HKH
Ben & Jerry's

Genaro, Michael and Priscilla Hung of GIFT are the chairs of the RMWG.

What we need $ for -->
Organizing:
- how do people find out?
- how do people get there?
- how do people get involved?
- how do people bring content? strategies? activies?

Infrastructure and Logistics -->
- Site ($3300??)
- Access (languages)
- Registration/Database
- Communication (materials, website)
- Printed Program

What runs between:
- costs
- staff
- working groups
- resources

Being a working group DOES NOT = getting money

Working groups don't get a chunk of money to do work, but can ask for a specific need to be met through the budget (example, a tent).

Example of self-organized funding: Solidarity work brigades

There are straight up costs (site, printed program, etc.)

The idea that the USSF budget funds everything to make the forum happen is NOT REAL.

The reality is that all of us, and folks who are not even here, are super committed to the USSF and are mobilizing resources to get folks/strategies/ideas to the Forum.

Example:

Astrea Foundation created a pot of money for their grantees to get to the forum.

Language Access - this is a political priority, and its a lot of $$ in order to make that access happen. They have a proposal for how that's going to hapen. They came up with a plan to fund their own staff. The language access committee is going charge as consultants for trainings to bring this skill set to the table.

if there's a hard cost, and your organization has a hook up or a relationship, put it on the sheet today.

all of this will have a huge impact on what we do around staff. the personnel committee is going to bring what we think we can do based on the budget and the priorities.

REAL BUDGET NUMBERS

just to bring us up to date, here's what we have in the bank:
(budget is your dream on what youproject to spend, cash flow is what you have in the bank)
--liquid: $71, 800 (at Project South)
--$116,000: CD's that will mature in 2010 (drop into budget in February and April)
--$100K from Surdna at Praxis

total available:

with staff, we spend $20K a month right now. soon, it will look more like $40K/month. Q1: 50K a month. Q2: 100K/month.

this meeting costs 20K.

need to figure out how to raise that differently if we want to continue with that.

do these include the basic things to make this happen? yes. it includes hard core costs that are just cash over, not the inkind fun stuff. just the hard cash. it does include personnel in some form or other.

in those last few months, the numbers get higher based on the high need for contract staff.

we have no costs associated with hotels. (detroit). the only time it will become an issue is when people sign into their rooms. we're responsible for the cost if we don't fill the rooms. they have allowed us to reserve space without having to put up any money. people still have to pay for hotel rooms.

do you have an estimate about projected fees? no.

does it include printing costs for program? yes. core costs are included in these projections.

core costs include rentals, speakers, stages, etc.

the other piece of the reality check is that there is money coming in beyond this. how we did it is up to april.

if we only get what we've been committed to get, we'll look at having $75K in april. doesn't include grassroots fundraising, registration costs, etc. if we get veatch and solidago, we could have $130K in bank in april 2010. these are the major questions that we had to deal with in terms of personnel. we've been afraid to fall into the hole of hiring people without having the money. we also could have been in better communication with working groups around this.

we should start functioning with the money that we have, not an estimated budget. we should be rethinking what it means for subsidizing our costs at the npc meetings.

that's where we're going to have to start making these priority things.

FUNDRAISING

some of you will be going to different foundations, and some will be hearing from several of you. we need to set guidelines for how we approach this.

there is a document developed by the world social forum council that gives guidelines for fundraising. we'd like to reintroduce this.

for funders getting multiple requests, we really rely on communication and coordination to make this work. we'll also be communicating with the funders. we're gonna be asking them. we usually end up hearing from them too.

as we go through this, we're gonna be reaching out to you all as well when we hear this information from funders.

imagine the figures above 4 months out. that's the situation we dealt with last time. it was a crisis situation. it became clear to everyone that everybody had to get clear about raising money for the forum. it became almost a campaign. we made it a rallying cry to say this is going to happen by our own political will. groups made commitments to raise money for needs. Bay Area groups got together and said we'll raise money for translation, caravans.

at the end, we ended up with a surplus. we were lucky that we did, if we didn't we'd have had a mess on our hands. it carried over into the other social forums as well. our budgeting process was backwards. the intent all along was that this needs to be a collective process. we didn't do it well.

we'd like to reintroduce a document from 2007 that is a resources and pledge sheet. we also need to talk about if we are looking at a deficit, what are our financial commitments around that?

we collectivized the fundraising and responsibility. asking folks to fill that out now.

we asked people to take responsibility for core costs.

plan:
-individual donors
-direct mail to own organizations
-organizational registration
-individual registration
-foundation contacts
-deficit: everyone takes a shared responsibility for that. we want to ask everyone to do that; take the time, fill it out

can revise it. can also ask organization and then turn it in later after consultation. can also look to endorsements and advertisements. politically have to have clear protocol in terms of endorsements and donations, to make sure they fit within the social forum principles. registration commitments are "in faith". organizational registration vs individual registration. as an organization, you get three individuals to register with your organization.

it might be worth raising range for individual donations: can be a sliding scale instead of a set $15.

detroit organizations: this is an excellent tool. if they are making a commitment in gathering resources, maybe a portion of it can go towards DLOC organizing, using the same tool for this.

we should have two space and two different budgets: DLOC organizing, national organizing. we could have a fiscal sponsor locally in detroit. accountability then stays in detroit around those resources.

i was talking more in terms of organizations in detroit that aren't here can we use this sheet and they're doing fundraising, can we talk about what portion will go towards DLOC, infrastructure, in general.

we need a finance committee that helps make those decisions and is comprised of local anchors.

ussf national project budget: 501c3 tides

we also decided in july that there would be an anchor budget in detroit.

GRASSROOTS FUNDRAISING
here's a different approach to raising funds (for consideration):
--2000 people to arrive (unemployed) charge them $20=40,000
--5000 people (students, welfare recipients) charge them $40=220,000
--5000 employed people x $50=250,000
--5000 professionals x 75=375,000
--2000 more well off people x $100=200,000

total raised would be $985,000

(side conversation between adrienne and maureen - pre-registration often yields about 50% of the people/registrations, so might be good to make a goal that 50% of our goals numbers pre-register, and set dates to it)

we need someone to bottom line this grassroots fundraising committee

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
definitions:
-advisory board: composed of the coordinating team and finance commitee to provide oversight for the fiscal responsibilities to Tides. specifically for the relationship with the Tides Center: auditing; etc. conduit to help manage our fees. 9% of all monies that go through them is the administrative fee.
--coordinating team (C-Team): composed of one rep each of the OC, the DLOC, the NPC and the National Project Coordinator
--Finance Committee: composed of one rep each from a local detroit anchor organization, member of hte resources working group, national project coordinator, and the accountant. oversees everything
--Tides Center: fiscal sponsor of the ussf

raising money on line? if we raise money online, there was no guarantee that it was going to be directed towards the ussf.

can we ask tides to donate that 9% to the ussf?
they've said no. won't lower it either. project south is willing to waive the 8% so that it doesn't get double booked, but we need our costs covered.

advisory commitee is not established yet. there are different pieces of it that needs to be resolved, but once we have those pieces, then we can move forward on this. we're recommending we move on this today.

budget priorities
-national budget developed an dapproved by the NPC. NPC decides budget catefories that are prioritized for expenditures (michael will send this for notes)

won't hire unless there's 4 months in the bank already.

financial management
-detroit organizing account
-national account
(victor arbulo has been serving as the bookkeeper)
receipts or invoices have got to be submitted for reimbursements. must be tight!
local anchor organizations will develop a financial policy plan for budget and work priorities

how should checks be written?
-not set up yet

unrestricted funds go to Detroit anchor budget
restricted funds go to national project budget

DECISION
can we establish a finance committee? yes. AFFIRMED!

----------------------------

Hiring Process Part 2

We are going to have a plan in place for evaluation/work plan by Nov 1.

Interim Personnel: Sarita Gupta, Diana, Steph (and Elena)

Long-Term Personnel: George Friday, Tom Stevens, Jerome, possibly Sarita,

Julio, Kaajal is available to support

FLAG: Only NPC members are eligible for key roles. Need to clarify where DLOC At-Large members fall in that decision making process.

Positions timeline:
First set of hire: November 15th
Recommendation: logistics and three month development contracts
Option 1: one full time ICT
Option 2: 1/2 tech and 1/2 communications
Option 3: stipend 1/4: ICT, Communications and field organizers

Second set: January 1st -
Recommendation: full time communications, full time field organizer (grow each position to full time)
Option 1: Field organizers full time
Option 2: field organizer full- time, comms full-time, full time ICT
Option 3: grow each position to full time

what about language access staff, who will be national?
marked in the notes: we hear that, and we can't deal with that in this decision today.

Future proposals: Language Access, Youth, Culture

major decision that happens tomorrow is on how to get to january with staff hiring

clarification: we need to make sure that they're money in january to move forward. we may need to do a re-prioritization. we should say what is our priority until january 2010.

All this is oriented with what has to get staffed in order to make the USSF happen and what can be done with volunteer resources, etc.

Project Coordinator: Sylvia
Planning Coordinator: Adrienne

Consulta:

What are the markers of this moment?

What are the key fronts of struggle?

What are the ways we are building power? Key convergences?

CONSULTA:
KEY FRONTS OF STRUGGLE (what is or can move the most amount of people; it may or may not equal your campaign)—i.e. getting Obama elected
economy
ecology
violence
education
ice raids and attacks on immigrants
loss of Medicare for children
criminal justice
human rights and a just recovery
education
jobs
police brutality/state violence
Detroit—
· environmental justice
· failing education system
· labor and economic crisis
fight for workers rights: collective bargaining rights, excluded workers, guest workers, laid off workers—national and transnational organizing strategy
immigration reform
housing
health and health care
water, heat and utilities
jobs, living wages, economic crisis
food

CONDITIONS (what’s the stuff that we’re all getting hit with? objective conditions that we’re up against)
collapse,
convergence
health
democracy
challenge corporate personhood/multilayered benefits/organizing and political
persistence of white supremacy
key markers:
1. rising unemployment strategies to address (policy and organizing)
2. increasing migration. guest workers, policy + transnational organizing
stage of capitalism; millions of people with no future in this economic model
massive dislocation and displacement

BUILDING POWER AND KEY CONVERGENCES (strategies and opportunities)
· labor/community
· local/global
· environmental justice (specifically using the word environmental and not ecological because of its historical significance)
· trade unions workers centers independent workers organizations on local regional and national, and global issue
· young workers –organized and unorganized (unions and workers centers)
· uniting people around common survival needs in crises, foreclosures, evictions, layoffs, displacement (Katrina related), water and heat shut offs

--------------------------

NPC New Member Application Process

Handing over responsibility for managing from Cindy to a National Coordinator.

Process has been anyone who ask gets an application

Eight floating applications out in the world

Where is our intentionality and what are we trying to reflect

One of the newly hired national coordinators will develop a process for new appplicants and NPC expansion. Will determine if/when there is a cut off date

Application is currently accepted on a rolling basis.

Applications that are being handed out: Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Black Radical Congress, Center for Economic Research and Social Change

---------------------------

WORKING GROUPS

Outreach:

We agree that field positions can wait, as long as communications position develops strategy WITH the outreach working group

What language capacity exists already on staff?

We identified some specific communities we would prioritize for outreach:

Priorities and who is not at the table in Detroit (determined by the Detroit Outreach Cmte):
1) community members (not organized) – Detroiters (poor Black)
2) Arab
3) Indigenous communities
4) Asian community

Midwest (already existing structures in the region that we should tap into):
1) think through working class white people on the regional level – often ignored on the national arena
2) farming and agricultural, looking at food sovereigty
3) rural communities
4) Latino immigrant communities (huge hub in the Midwest)
5) Muslim community (Black, South Asian, European and Arab Muslims)
6) Especially in the smaller towns outside the city = faith communities
7) Growing population of African immigrants
8) Midwest has a very strong union infrastructure, historical rank and file leadership
9) Midwest Social Forum
10) Youth of color
11) Midwest is full of universities where students will be drawn
12) Given history of the region with deindustrialization, there is a lot of organizations representing poor people – specific poor people’s organization
13) Huge holes in the Midwest – North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana

National:
1) LGBTQI
2) Criminalized groups/prison/detention organizing

Midwest: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan

(South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas = Great Plains states are going to be important because they are the next region over. And some would claim Western Pennsylvania and Western New York State).

Speed Dating Qs
Language Access: Which languages are we going to support? What is the process for getting items translated? On staff what languages do we have capacity for, then when we hire how to keep that into account.

ICT: Highlights of a profile of someone who went to showcase the importance of participating? How do we make sure the products we develop goes up on the web? Getting real updates on folks who are registering (data tracking and visualization)? How to get the folks who are organizing use the wiki to support their local organizing? How do we deal with the lack of access? Responsibility for social networking (myspace, facebook, twitter)
What’s the best way to collectively have an online spreadsheet? How to outreach to get ppl to participate in the social forum where they already are? Virtual communication as an outreach and pariticipation?

Resources: What do we have resource for? Staff positions? Travel?

Communications: Need to develop massification strategy together. Need to work closer with communications staff position

-----

Program and Culture!

Fireworks in Detroit during the USSF! A million people will come downtown for this...and USSF is going to be there en masse! Its a serious task. At 7pm come for the virtual tour and to troubleshoot the fireworks conversation.

Online Submission Process --> we want to ask each organization to be registered and paid before they can submit a workshop. And each paid organization can submit 1 workshop. However, you can be a co-sponsor or collaborator for as many workshops as you want with a different lead organization on each one. (example - RTTC had 12 workshops, SXSW had several) We shouldnt think of this as limiting us, but as an opportunity to share space and build. It will go up around December 15 - we're working with ICT to test the process! The form will stay up and open until March 15. We know we will be flooded with last minute applications - we're setting that to encourage folks to go ahead and do it, and so the reading team can process everything and place people. Each group that registers on it's own. (last time the range was $125-300)

Printed program is another area we need support on!

-----

Resource Mobilization Working Group:

Give us your pledge sheets
What should we sell at the Forum?

We need you to get $ into our group!

Every piece of material should say DONATE on it!!

-----

International Solidarity:

We are hoping to bring guests of our organizations, and other folks will want to come as well. We will need to provide letters of invitation, travel assistance, immigration support.
Couple of purposes to our group --> logistical.
Also want to continue a process of redefining what solidarity means - we're working towards collaboration, towards mutual objectives (not charity)
Also want to encourage collaborative presentations.
Resources - ideally there are some.
We need to know if folks are bringing folks from outside US. (connect to the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal; there's 15-20 forums happening leading up to this)
ICT support, Mallory is connecting us.
Language Access for sure, translations, right off the bat.
International Tent!
Also International Council of the World Social Forum

-----

Logistics

We need more serious body at the national level
[space]
tours - agriculture, rurual
youth camp spaces - ft wayne, 4 miles from cobo halls
Community safety - Initial discussions with local security services in Detroit, Learned from Atlanta that it's important to have close communication with the police, 5-page community safety report that was prepared by Logistics Committeee
Needs from WG's: Resolution on what to do about the fireworks, community safety responsibilities, communications technical help, youth encampment what to do, Outreach - needs from any groups we're outreaching to, community safety

------

ICT:

* 35 members and 8-10 show up

* 4:00pm on Thursday's (Need help here?)

* Their entire workplan is available online

* Develope 5 SF related work sites

* Have had many work sessions and welcome all WG's to these sessions. They welcome input from other WG's and would like to be involved in others work.

* There is a ticketing system for website problems

* The url for the ticketing system is - ict.ussf2010.org

* Fielded ~160 tickets and would like to get to 1,000 by the Social Forum

* Appreciate everyone respecting the ticketing process

* two wikis: one is for tech working group, the other is for notes/agendas/etc.

Needs

* They're working on the site plan and have a draft - NEED FEEDBACK

* Spoken to Communications and Outreach, other WG's please provide feedback

* Want non-tech people involved in the process (those interested in learning)

-----

Communications

* Work over the next few months to regularize connections with these WG's

* Communications as a WG needs to expand

* Will work very hard with Resource WG on the Media Center

* Will use this center to promote grassroots communication not only in Detroit but around the forum

* Want to highlight Detroit not only for ground zero for economic crises but as the place of SOLUTIONS

Needs:

* If you know people with skills please refer them to this WG

* Need to make relationship with Outreach, ICT, Language Access, and Resource Mobilization more regular

------

Gender Justice

* Multiple ways gender intersects

* Committed to one member being on every other WG

* To promote our WG's mission but also to ensure gender analysis occurs

* Committed to spreading the word on what this WG is doing

Needs:

* Responsivity from other WG's

--------

People's Movement Assembly:

* They offer themselves as an entry point to the USSF. This is a way for people to get involved without having to leave their home city, state.

* Need for a synthesis of resolutions that come from PMA's across the country

Needs:

* Programs/Culture - Want to connect with programs how PMA will show up from day-to-day

* Logistics - Want a space and tent for ocming together

* ICT - Web presence, need accesible and easy way to submit resolutions from assemblies, kit explaining how to do a PMA

* Outreach - As folks register where they're coming from across the country to have a similar map of PMA's across the country

* DLOC - Possibly doing a PMA in Detroit

------

Youth:

* Juan has been talking to youth across the nation

* They're interested and committed to joining and they just want to know "What can I do?"

Needs:

* Go back to our organizations and bring our youth to the next NPC

* Show youth you work with how they can get involved

-----

Documentation and Evaluation

* Want to know how they can serve the WG's

* They sent out a scoping tool (chart they put together to establish our goals, objectives, etc.) to establish what we want or documentation/evaluation

* The documentation team from the '07 gathering have come out with a video/DVD

* Jerome has 100 of them - enough for each organization to have 1

* The rest will go to the Outreach WG

* Also gathered together a book that will be out in approx. a month

*Request* E-mail out the evaluation that occured after the Atlanta 2007 USSF

-----

Language Access:

* Definite need for it

* Need to know:

* The right to express ourselves in our native language is a right

* Colonization - one of the first things that happens is the iradication of our languages

* Mantra of builiding a movement is "communication"

* Language justice is something that has been building in the South

* From the position that we're not asking you to create this space for us, it should be integrated into the heart of what's going on

* The people performing this work right now are all individuals who are already doing their own hustles, they have full plates

* There is a need for a full time position

* However realized $$ is not there

* If we put the request for invitations out in many different languages, when people get here will these forms of interpretations be offered at the actually forum

Proposal:
1) Gives a timeline through Dec 1st for the forum and a budget
2) If resources are not avaiable for this proposal - then the 3 folks holding this down can not commit themselves to this fully. And resultantly work will go way down.
3) We think we are in this position because there are no organizations in the NPC that do lanugage justice

Needs:

* Can we commit to having a full time person?

* Or if not, what can we do if there will not be a full-time person?

------

Summary of USSF Media Plan Proposal:

*1-page summary of media plan distributed - also will be on the wiki*

* Many collaborators who assisted in drafting the media plan which is over 30 pages, but this is a summary

* Director of Centro Obrero, Elena Herrada, often talks about trying to give voice to those who aren't normally listened to

* Immediate goals: Message refinement, story development, ID/solidfy networks that we already have access to

* Capacity wise - we will do work that we're already doing/relate it to our work

Points that aren't on the hand-out

* Finalize designs and logos

* Recruitment of communicators and speakers (Echo Team)

Needs:

* Skilled people who can join Communications so they can help

* Those experienced with blogging, film making, photography, etc.

* Must work with resource to come up with a funding strategy

Logos & Posters discussed

Q & A:

* What's going on in regard to voting on logos?

* Originally votes were supposed to be for 3 designs, but votes have gone out on all the designs so we're going to consider them all. Suggestion - that comments also come from DLOC

* Suggestion - Communications do some brainstorming on how we can communicate this message to those without access to technology.

* Communications will do this and have thought of this and are taking this into consideration and have it as a principle

* Adrienne & Will have been talking about how to link to the Allied Media Conference

* Outreach will link with Communications around this

* Logo Design

* When can we get that done?

* Who is doing the website? Design Action Collective? ICT? When will it get done?

* ICT recruited members of the Design Action Collective to do the website

* 6 weeks from today

* The old description for Communications WG included managing internal and external communications, now with this new description there is a question of, where does management of internal communications go?

* Is Communications a group that people can go to for PR for events?

* Yes, they're putting together a specific Detroit group to handle this

* Can designs be changed now, or do we have to wait 6-weeks for that?

* Submit a ticket and ICT will try to get to it

* What's the plan for international communication? Need for it

Additional comments:

* We need to also be conscious of translation for the website

* *Half pager distributed about Social Forum Writers Network that Jackie Smith is spearheading

* Develop a warehouse of stories as this process unfolds that we can use as we continue

* Once we determine a branding of the look for the USSF we should stick to that

* In regard to Detroit postcards - that as a USSF we don't endorse campaigns so there are concerns about the "Support Universal Health Care" symbol that is on the postcards

-----

GOAL SETTING

Emily went through a process with the goals to pull together the feeedback and questions relative to the four goals that we had.

Goals of 2007 Atlanta USSF:

* Create a space for social movement convergence

* Advance individual social movements' strategic agenda

* Build stronger relationships within the movements

* Meet our international obligations to the global community

The key feedback is below, and we can address these - some are easy, some are harder:
- what is a social movement (this is international language, does it work in the US?)
: we could define that here, and add a click link to the website
- we have a global obligation, but what about our local obligation?
- goals vs. objectives
: add the goal and list these as objectives
- self-selection: are there forces we aren't including?
: not just an outreach conversation, political conversation, are we representative of movements and leadership in the U.S. right now
- action vs space: are we creating an open space, or a space to act/decide together? there was clarification that the action comes through the PMAs...the USSF in general is about creating the space. if the space tries to become an action space, could close the openness...in 2007 this was a conversation which led to the PMAs.
- failing to capitalize on the hot spots to build movement from local to regional to national to international
- to create more spaces for strategic discussions

After the 2007 debrief there was a vision and goals conversation and that content is up on the 2007 website. (http://www.ussf2007.org/en/vision)

Also a document called the We Believe document. We were very intentional about our grassroots focus. That document is now below:

What We Believe

We, the organizers of the first United States Social Forum:

Believe that there is a strategic need to unite the struggles of oppressed communities and peoples within the United States (particularly Black, Latino, Asian/ Pacific-Islander and Indigenous communities) to the struggles of oppressed nations in the Third World.

Believe the USSF should place the highest priority on groups that are actually doing grassroots organizing with working class people of color, who are training organizers, building long-term structures of resistance, and who can work well with other groups, seeing their participation in USSF as building the whole, not just their part of it.

Believe the USSF must be a place where the voices of those who are most marginalized and oppressed from Indigenous communities can be heard--a place that will recognize Indigenous peoples, their issues and struggles.

Believe the USSF must create space for the full and equal participation of undocumented migrants and their communities.

Believe the USSF should link US-based youth organizers, activists, and cultural workers to the struggles of their brothers and sisters abroad, drawing common connections and exploring the deeper meanings of solidarity.

Believe the USSF is important because we must have a clear and unified approach at dealing with social justice issues, and meaningful positions on global issues.

Believe that a USSF sends a message to other people’s movements around the world that there is an active movement in the United States opposing U.S. policies at home and abroad.

Believe that the USSF will help build national networks that will be better able to collaborate with international networks and movements.

We believe the USSF is more than an event. It is an ongoing process to contribute to strengthening the entire movement, bringing together the various sectors and issues that work for global justice.

------

CLOSING

* If you have not signed the yellow sheet saying you're on a WG please do!

* Work happening tonight:

* Dinner - International Solidarity & Logistics will meet (separate from each other) at dinner

* After dinner - Goals setting

* 6:30pm - Outreach

* 7:30pm Outreach, ICT, Communications

* 6-7pm Consulta feedback on tracks

* 7:15pm Virtual walk-through

* 8:15pm Detroit Caucus

* 8:30pm Party for Will & Diana Copeland

* Decisions being made Sunday:

* Job positions/timeline

* Who sits on the finance committee?

* OC sub-group mtg (Process to be a WG, Next NPC meeting - How many attending, cost, when, where? C-Team)

* Tracks and timeline for consulta

* Proposal to reaffirm languages we had last time and add one

* Educate on North American Social Forum

* Would like to encourage "Pass the Hat". Something they did at the 2007 USSF

* Closing Out --> Sharing changes since last time

---------------

The notes from the October 22 Organizing Committee are at:
http://wiki.ussf2010.org/wiki/10-22-09_Organizing_Committee_Meeting_Notes

The notes from the first and second day of the Oct 23-25 meetings (the October 23-24 notes) are at:
http://wiki.ussf2010.org/wiki/October_23-25_NPC_Notes

---------

Fireworks Conversation:

Reality - 500,000 people are converging on the conference area for the International Freedom Day Fireworks (Canada Day and US patriotic thing)

This impacts: the tents, the concerts, the program, the workshops, the way we see Detroit, the cultural work, the security for the tents..everything.

Ideas:
- concert in the amphitheater (with famous folk!)? 1000 people can fit there
- fireworks watching alternative event in the river room? 7000 people can fit in there
- do work brigades and tours in other parts of Detroit that part of the day?
- organize to get the fireworks moved up a day or two (the Rev says the Baptists have done this before)
- alternative spaces for concerts and folks to be on that day (the Arena right next to Cobo Hall holds 20-30K)
- once people get there its shoulder to shoulder, no one moving through

Keep in mind:
- we rented this space! we are the customer. we need to hold this space.
- we can gate hart plaza
- we paid for hart plaza to have the tents there, so we need to figure out from a security perspective how to still meet this goal

This needs to go to the OC, and needs national acknowledgement!!!! And help!!! THIS IS A BIG DEAL!! Just had a big WHOA moment....

------------------

Meeting with ICT

Detroit expanded, Mallory
Established in last SF in Belem, Brazil.
USSF goal at end of day is for holding open space

Idea is to hold open virtual space. Facilitate participation from anywhere not just those in or travelling to Detroit. Open source tools are available to make it happen. Opportunity to reach people who don’t have means to travel to Detroit.

Example 1: SF in the Amazon, other cities in other countries hosted events as SF that then connected with the WSF via phone or video

Example 2: skype calls to Gaza during the siege in January

This isn’t a tech project. Its an outreach project that tech can help with.

Program is aware of concept.

Proposal Will outreach form a body to carry out Detroit Expanded? If so, how do we envision doing that?

Comm and outreach interaction
Tam should participate in comm. WG calls, usually 3pm est on Tuesday.
Establish a timeline for coordinated contacting the USSF list.

Website – outreach point person is Brigid

Where is outreach at?
We Let em know

Lists and database
Tech has multiple websites. CivicCrm is a database system for contacts, registration, and
donations. This is the one piece of private/secure data. It’s searchable, exportable, able to do email blasts, track click-throughs

10:30pm est phone call with resources to do training how to use it.

Old 2007 registrants are imported already.
Options for tagging people as media, etc.

When can we do training?
10:30am est on Tuesday with Resources.
Ict.ussf2010.org conf call # and code

Can tech export the old list for us ASAP?
Yes, after this sit.

What are the principles/protocol for the data?
Bigger discussion of privacy policy needs to happen?
Can we draft a policy?
Data to be used strictly for USSF reasons, no private or other
organizational reasons

Because the system can send email, there is no reason to export email data.

If someone wants use of list, must submit a ticket. It’s publicly recorded

What data can we collect?
Outreach: we want data tracking by sector/region, etc. and we want contact
information beyond email to follow-up with people beyond internet access

CivicCrm = top-down, centralized data. Users have no control over it, only few people have access to it

A second website is being planned for people to create their own groups and lists, etc. with full control of what they want to expose, etc.

Registration as it stands is name, email, zip code, and payment. Then diret people to the social network site where they can give additional information if they choose to.

=====================================================

SMALL GROUP ON GOALS

What We Believe

We, the organizers of the first United States Social Forum:

Believe that there is a strategic need to unite the struggles of oppressed communities and peoples within the United States (particularly Black, Latino, Asian/ Pacific-Islander and Indigenous communities) to the struggles of oppressed nations in the Third World.

Believe the USSF should place the highest priority on groups that are actually doing grassroots organizing with working class people of color, who are training organizers, building long-term structures of resistance, and who can work well with other groups, seeing their participation in USSF as building the whole, not just their part of it.

Believe the USSF must be a place where the voices of those who are most marginalized and oppressed from Indigenous communities can be heard--a place that will recognize Indigenous peoples, their issues and struggles.

Believe the USSF must create space for the full and equal participation of undocumented migrants and their communities.

Believe the USSF should link US-based youth organizers, activists, and cultural workers to the struggles of their brothers and sisters abroad, drawing common connections and exploring the deeper meanings of solidarity.

Believe the USSF is important because we must have a clear and unified approach at dealing with social justice issues, and meaningful positions on global issues.

Believe that a USSF sends a message to other people’s movements around the world that there is an active movement in the United States opposing U.S. policies at home and abroad.

Believe that the USSF will help build national networks that will be better able to collaborate with international networks and movements.

We believe the USSF is more than an event. It is an ongoing process to contribute to strengthening the entire movement, bringing together the various sectors and issues that work for global justice.

***NEED TO AFFIRM for USSF 2010***
====================================================

Strategic Goals Coming from the 2007 USSF
Another world is possible. Another US is necessary!
The US Social Forum (USSF) offers an open space and a process for creating movement convergence and coordination across our many struggles, sectors, regions, and rich diversity. The USSF lifts up the voices and demands of working people and youth at the grassroots in building for fundamental transformation in the 21st century.

Through the US Social Forum our emerging movement develops and models structures and processes for inclusion, participation, self-organization, collaboration, and collective reflection. The Social Forum process seeks to create movement infrastructure, capacity, and resources. The USSF process can be a space to communicate and educate, organize and mobilize within the broader society, and with our partners in the Global South. We envision another United States and another world, and are deepening our shared political practice and strategy to make it a reality.

Goals
Political impact: movement building / framing political debate and action

* Strengthen and expand progressive infrastructure for long-term collaboration and work for fundamental change.

* Disseminate effective models for democratic participation and movement building

* Shape and influence the public conversation in ways that convey momentum and hope.

* Model diverse, representative movement building that is cross-cutting, democratic, and effectively integrates process and outcomes.

* Continue to be a space in which grassroots lead, while being inclusive of other sectors. Develop a collective systemic understanding and analysis of the current economic and political moment.

* Create a shared vision of the society and world that challenges poverty and exploitation, all forms of oppression, militarism and war, and environmental destruction.

* Articulate and practice concrete internationalism through consciousness of today’s global context and the power of radical movements in the Global South, and awareness of our power in coming from the US and our responsibility to the broader international movement.

* Identify convergences that have already happened.

* Work toward greater convergence between working class struggles and progressive movements. Build on the strengths and convergences of the 2007 USSF.

* Further develop Black, Immigrant and Indigenous Nations solidarity.

* Make spaces to dialogue about principles of solidarity and accountability between and amongst people of color and white people.

* Help create a 21st century national agenda, a concrete blueprint for change inclusive of economic, political, social and cultural issues that has a visible impact on national discourse, social change struggles, and movement building.

Organizing, outreach and resourcing

* Increase attendance and double the numbers: 25,000 delegates and double the international delegate participation

* Engage groups and movements that were not part of the 2007 USSF

* Formalize relations with Indigenous Nations

* Involve more people under thirty in the National Planning Committee and organizing process

* Bring people and organziations of Arab and Muslim descent in the National Planning Committee

* Develop an outreach plan for progressive/radical white working class people and organizations

* Develop and implement new models of resource mobilization and funding, including more grassroots fundraising and rethinking relationships between funders, foundations, the movement

* More effectively use the Internet and independent media to shape and influence the public conversation in ways that convey momentum and hope

Structural: internal structure / program content and format

* Actualize the lessons learned between the National Planning Committee (NPC) and Local Organizing Committee (LOC): greater representation of LOC on NPC, and greater visibility of local struggles.

* Clarify the relationship between the USSF process and the Peoples Movement Assembly (PMA) process: PMA is a methodology and is within the USSF process.

* Rethink program design, content, and format – self-organized process, plenaries, open space – so that form follows function, so that program supports movement convergence.

* Greater infusion of art and culture throughout the program and experience.

* Offer a clear “orientation” to the USSF process. Let people know ahead of time what they are getting into (have a short explanation on website, in outreach materials).

* Increase Language Access capacity to a higher level than even what was reached at the first USSF based on the importance of making the USSF accessible to everyone who attends

6-9-08
================================================

Add to our principles/commitment:

* US Social Forums have an obligation to the host communities

================================================

Updated Draft Goals for USSF 2010

* Create a space for social movement convergence and strategic discussion

* Advance social movements agenda for action and transformation

* Build stronger relationships and collaboration between movements

* Deepen our commitment to international solidarity and common struggle

* Strengthen local capacity to improve social conditions, organizing and movement building in Detroit

==========================================

To have a conversation between DLOC and NPC at the January NPC meeting to answer what it means to be having the social forum in Detroit in terms of:

* infrastructure building

* building Detroit

* strengthening movements in Detroit

* Will Copeland will work with Adrienne to develop a process in Detroit to begin the conversations necessary for the next NPC meeting

----------------

October 25, 2010

DECISIONS!!

Jobs/Candidates:

Respectfully ask those who submitted the applications to step out of the room

Hired National Coordinators
November 15 - hire Logistics, development on 3 month contract

Proposals:
1.
Nov 15: full-time tech
January: comms full-time, field organizers full-time

2.
Nov 15: 1/2 tech, 1/2 field
January: Tech full time, Comms full-time, Field organizers full-time

3.
Nov 15: stipends for ICT, Comms, Field Organizers
January: grow each position to full-time, part-time as appropriate

Amendment: hire language access coordinator?

* Will be discussed on the next NPC call

* Will the lanuage access position self fund?

* Will all of the positions self fund?

Question: Can we go ahead and award the titles to the people who the working groups

Question: Updates from ICT and Comms about their hires

ICT: we need our folks immediately, the second proposal seems the most feasible. it's not an optimum circumstance.

Comms: We could operate until January if we had more people in the working group.

Calling for the Vote:

(note: Genaro still not comfortable with the options)

1 - 4
2 - 15
3 - 0
abstentions: 0

---

Language Access will come up with a detailed proposal about the proposed amendment on the next call. Next month will giv us time to talk to some funders about how to resource this position. (Maureen agrees and supports)
Have a conversation for self funding of positions on a NPC call

--

Organizing Committee

OC Structure

* NPC reps (1 from each organization)

* Anchor (1 from each organization)

* DLOC (2 at large reps)

* Staff

* International Solidarity, and Personell reps

- OC met last night to determine process, etc. but did not get to some things like accountability so we will discuss it now.
- Talked about the transition of moving to a smaller C-Team

Acccountability:

* Reports from the OC in e-mail say [OC Report]

* Send an weekly/bi-weekly email with links to reports on the wiki

* Those on the NPC list can digest their emails (receive a weeks worth of emails in one)

* OC and a clear workplan needed

* Don't just rely on email/wikis - call people! Need an OC committment.

* Know who to contact for what questions (Division of labor) and contact

* Work to set in motion pieces of work that don't fit in one Working Group

* Be consistent on calls, not needing to be chased, be honest

* All reports should be in writing

---------

NPC Application suggestions for process:

* Online/email pre-applications

* Example: Are you a grassroots base building organization? What is the size and scope of your organization? What work have you previously done with the USSF?

* Pause accepting new applications at a certain date before this 2010 USSF

* Adrienne will come back to NPC with proposal on

Suggestions:

* That we have cycles of submitting applications - like 2 cycles throughout the year leading up to the USSF

* Who needs to be here to help with the mobilizing of the process

* Be clear about the funding requirements of NPC

* Be sure we're getting NPC members who agree to this process

* Part of this process is a political expansion process

-------

Review of discussion around NPC Goals

Thought it was important for everyone to understand the many different documents concerning USSF goals

* What We Believe document reviewed (specific language is available at line 114)

* Strategic goals coming from the 2007 reviewed USSF (line 124)

* NPC members met in 2008 to deeply evaluate the Atlanta USSF

* We want to bring everyone up to speed with the political conversation that occurred to develop this document.

* This document is a good way for those to see the major conversations that came out of Atlanta

* Goals developed in Atlanta were modified to the following:

Updated Draft Goals for USSF 2010

* Create a space for social movement convergence and strategic discussion

* Advance social movements agenda for action and transformation

* Build stronger relationships and collaboration between movements

* Deepen our commitment to international solidarity and common struggle

* Strengthen local capacity to improve social conditions, organizing and movement building in Detroit

To have a conversation between DLOC and NPC at the January NPC meeting to answer what it means to be having the social forum in Detroit in terms of:

* infrastructure building

* building Detroit

* strengthening movements in Detroit

* Will Copeland will work with Adrienne to develop a process in Detroit to begin the conversations necessary for the NPC meeting

Affirmation by NPC that: (Will & Adrienne will do this)

* Affirm new updated NPC goals

* Affirm the process of establishing a discussion around the We Believe statement

* Affirm developing a process in Detroit to begin the conversations necessary for the NPC meeting

--------

CONSULTA

* Because we opened the process up to the NPC and got feedback from you all. We've come out with a better more unified document.

* They created a new document using our feedback and conversations from the past few months.

* Will this document be helpful and prompt people to provide feedback

* Being aware that not everyone we outreach will agree on the document but the Consulta subgroup asks that we just take public feedback and not try and defend the document

Questions:

* Why is building a solidarity the header for other types of economies?

* There are a number of points that relate to each other. Displacement relates to militarization and ecological and environmental justice. How do we integrate these different issues?

* People will have the opportunity to register for two tracks.

* The richness of our workshops is that they can intersect with a number of tracks. Question is what is the point of entry for our work.

* Good document to go forward with, but feels marginalized politically. Lack of knowledge of organized labor? Only one line refers to labor. Maybe use "New Economy and Jobs" instead of "U.S. labor in decline..."

* Are these the final titles? People can suggest alternate titles. Race and failing education system - where do these show up? Have to address issues that affect Detroit.

* International participants?

* Can we add a 13th category: Action Oriented Workshops? for work brigades and other local activities

* How do we categorize? Major challenges, way people are organizing. What are major trends that we think will draw people. How would I find what I want to participate in?

* Organized labor is on the decline. They are moving to privatize education. People should send their suggested edits, but it's time to get this information out in the field.

* Would this be good to have at a DLOC meeting?

* Healthcare? Don't feel that ending violence is a summary

* Human right to healthcare, housing, education, etc. Shouldn't just have a category that focuses only on the right. Should also address the capitalist class that is not only in the right.

* Racism is not strongly represented here. Should be a category. Tried to address this in the movement building category.

* Everyone should write their edits on the paper and submit to the Consulta Team.

* consulta will be sent out on email for additional feedback from the NPC

FIREWORKS!!!!!!

* International Freedom Festival happening on Wednesday, June 23. Close to a million people converge on downtown Detroit. Will have a tremendous impact on USSF. Will have fireworks. Will also affect tents as well. Will also impact undocumented people.

* Alternatives: Discuss moving the date with the city. Baptist convention was able to do this last year.

* Alternative locations: Move plenaries and cultural expression to Joe Louis Arena.

* Still plan to do culture in Hart Plaza. Lot of well known artists we may be able to bring plus local talent.

* Will impact where we put the tents.

* Reach out to Oya Amakisi (amakisi@gmail.com) if you would like to be apart of the Solution Team (team creating solution to this problem).

LOGISTICS:

Opportunity to build mass infrastructure for moving people in and out of Detroit (how to come in, roll through the 5 days and then leave). This is a responsibility that DLOC and NPC hold together.

Key components of logistics: Detroit leadership
--registration (tech, flow, where, how, volunteers)
--printed program (maps, content, workshop scheduling, flow)
--safety (maps, leadership, coordination)
--sites (rooms/outdoor spaces) [signs, contracts, liaisons, AV needs, equipment]
--transportation (shuttles from airport, internal detroit transportation)
--children's social forum (coordination, space, food, program, recruitment)
--sustainability (water, healing space)
--volunteers (shifts, coordination)
--info tables (shifts, coordination)
--housing (coordination)
--supplies (coordination, donations)
--tents (size, cost, numbers, how)
--fireworks (assessment, plan)
--the hustle (maureen

Healing Space: Cara Page and others in Detroit working on building

Key components of logistics: National support
--registration (database, costs, tech)
--printed program (content, design, translation, scheduling support)
--safety (principles, recruitment, best practices)
--sites (rooms/outdoor) [solar powered sound systems]
--transportation (get cheap flights, tracking who is coming, how, numbers, needs)
--children's social forum (recruitment and program)
--sustainability (healing space)
--volunteers (recruitment)
--info tables
--housing (needs, $ for long term projects, ideas)
--supplies ($, bags, donations)
--tents (process for decision making)
--fireworks (think through alternatives)
--the hustle (recruit)

Personnel Committee:

Next steps -

Finalize the recommendations for the personnel committee

the personnel committee was charged with vetting full slate to ensure we have full representation.

By November 1st, we will have the full slate vetted.

draft accountabilility policies that will guide hires

announce two part time hires by November 15th

draft policies and hiring before the next NPC call

we will ask the working groups to tell their recommended hires that they are hired as a volunteer with a hope that by January we can pay them.

NPC/OC Calendar
January 7 (OC meeting)
January 8-10 (NPC meeting: reduced $, Southwest)
March______ (OC meeting, in Detroit)
May 20 (OC meeting)
May 21-23 (NPC meeting)
June: all hands on deck

working on a solidarity funding proposal, and we can't continue to keep handing out stipends because we dont have the money. will do it on a low-income basis.

one week before the forum, all NPC members should be in Detroit: From June 14th on

Standard NPC call: 3rd WEdnesday of the month: 12noon PST/ 1pm MST/ 2pm CST/ 3pm EST

Quebec report back:
North American Social Forum
-we need to collaborate a lot better between canada, us and mexico

the question is:
is there time, resources, and a will to pull this together?

is there interest from this body to pull it together?
we want to invite our compañeros from Mexico to the NPC meeting coming up in January 2010 to discuss the potential of a North American Social Forum

see it as a series of conversations:
Mexico Social Forum happening in May of 2010

Social Forum of the Americas is happening in August 2010 in Paraguay

there is going to be global resistance happening regionally, etc. how do we contextualize ourselves in relationship to all of these forums?

discussion of north american social forum has been a discussion for years. we keep saying that we need to have the NPC have these conversations, and we need to have the Mexican@s involved in making this decision.

we did not want to make a decision on this; we just wanted to have permission to have a deeper conversation about our intentions. it's an initiative that the folks from quebec and canada and mexico are wanting to have a conversation about it.

can two or three people come as international observers and can we reserve some of our agenda time for this discussion. people are really excited to welcome the us into the global movement--Europe Social forum moving dates to support participation in US (reflects level of enthusiasm for social forum in US).

the delegation that went to quebec will take responsibility for moving these conversations forward

Things that went well:
-agenda flexibility
-facilitation, on time
-civility
-overall, really good sense of teamwork
-tough issues worked through
-inspiring energy building meeting
-organized hospitality
-i liked this space
-props to project south
-logistics was very thorough
-good political struggle and interventions
-reality check around resources
-give recognition to this group as a working body; national body feeling more cohesive and together
-props to the facilitation team; adrienne's leadership in particular, it's a lot to hold. thank you in particular
-impressed with the quickness in which we were able to let go of that anger Detroit people felt when coming here
-importance of trying to stay focused
-intense and clear and one of the most brilliant activities we've been able to be involved in
-want to give credit to people who made an effort to bring in youth and seniors
-impressed with the commitment to documentation, accountability, writing everything down as a way to allow for more people to participate
-southwest workers union and project south sending people to detroit to work. we want to let people know that we are going to be there
-good meeting and a turning point meeting, to atlanta detroit meeting, transformational--great use of prior USSF experience, Detroit experience and new people bringing what they brought
-really strong for me personally

Things that can be improved:
-side conversations
-we still haven't situated this forum historically where we're at and in terms of the place, glad we'll move toward that in January
-need more youth
-when struggle happens, i would like to see less assumptions about peoples politics and what they care about, but clarity on the differences
-hard to come from a place of trust, we need to continue to find space for that
-still alot of uneveness of people stepping up
-still need to have these major political conversations
-want to see people step up and take ownership of the space
-so many questions about the local and national tensions; have to deal with the tension between them
-do a little clean up afterwards when it gets messy
-tension between when you have a working body and when you want to pull people in
-how do we keep checking to make sure who is at the table
-opening hours for DLOC group getting here was horrible; just didn't feel like there was a welcome space
-we need to open up the format to make sure that once people are here, they're able to participate
-the situational analysis of whats happening right now, and the strategy that we're using to really move our power strategically and impact different things that we can be making change around; there's stuff that's happening that we should be really thinking about
-If youth are going to participate then need to create an agenda and format that engages them
-if the forum itself could reflect those strategic differences as a way to move forward. we have a lot of challenges in the us, we need to figure out how to use our differences to move us forward
-logistics of pulling forward NPC meeting, need to wathc our singularity. how can we support? how to build that in the culture, get registration forms in on time; let someone know if you're coming over, bringing beer, etc.

DLOC Flyers

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'''Please ''download (or add'') the latest flyers for Detroit Local Organizing Committee events, activities, and meetings!'''

Steps to add a flyer/link
:a) Click "Upload File" on left side navigation menu. (Note: you must be logged on to access this)
:b) Upload your file and type in a description of your file.
:c) Copy the name of your uploaded file (e.g., MyFlyer.pdf)
:d) Click on "edit this page" on this DLOC Flyers page/link.
:e) Create a link for your flyer by typing it as <nowiki>[[Media:MyFlyer.pdf|Sample flyer 10-01-09]]</nowiki>--put your file in double brackets, add a pipe bar (|) and give it a descriptive name that includes the date.
:f) Preview or save your file at the bottom.

:[[Media:LGBT-USSFpotluckflyer101609.pdf|USSF-LGBT Potluck and Fundraiser 10-16-09]]
:[[Media:FTV! Halloween Party 09.pdf|Foster the Vote Halloween Party 10-31-09]]

[[Category:Site Map|Flyers]]

USSF Wiki Calendar 2009 10 17

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'''Sat, October 17th--Anti-racism Workshop "Transforming Our Whiteness,"''' East Lansing

USSF Wiki Calendar 2009 10 14

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:'''Wed, October 14th at 1pm pst/4pm est USSF Outreach Working Group call''' -- Call in number (218) 936-4700, Code 924760
:'''Wed, October 14th--Unifying Latinos through Music, Media, & Social Networking''', Ann Arbor

USSF Wiki Calendar 2009 10 14

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'''Wed, October 14th at 1pm pst/4pm est USSF Outreach Working Group call''' -- Call in number (218) 936-4700, Code 924760
'''Wed, October 14th--Unifying Latinos through Music, Media, & Social Networking''', Ann Arbor

USSF Wiki Calendar 2009 10 31

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'''Wed, 10/31 6-9pm Foster the Vote FREE Halloween Party'''--Majestic Garden Bowl, 4120 Woodward Ave, Detroit...prizes for best costume. Foster care youth and alumni (17-24 yrs) free. Register by 10/23 for free spot or $15 at door. neila@projectintersect.org 313-965-8987

USSF Wiki Calendar 2009 10 14

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'''Wed, October 14th at 1pm pst/4pm est USSF Outreach Working Group call''' -- Call in number (218) 936-4700, Code 924760

USSF Wiki Calendar 2009 10 16

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'''Friday October 16th, 6-8pm US Social Forum Potluck Fundraiser'''--themed on LGBT Rights. It takes place with speakers and performances by Invincible, Blair D, and Audra Kubat @ Affirmations Lesbian and Gay Community Center, 290 W 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale. For more info, contact Nisa at nisajoo@yahoo.com

USSF Wiki Calendar 2009 10 13

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'''Tuesday Oct. 13th, 6pm--Outreach/Potluck meeting''' at Northwest Activity Center at Curtis and Meyer in NW Detroit. There will be a new member orientation at 5:40 pm. Contact Dessa for more info dessacosma@gmail.com

'''NO DLOC MTG on 10/13'''--There was confusion between the meeting last week. DLOC meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month, therefore we are NOT meeting today. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, October 20 at the USSF (MWRO) Offices at 5:30.

USSF Wiki Calendar 2009 10 19

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'''Monday, October 19 Program & Culture Working Group call'''--Time: 9pm ET / 8pm CT / 6pm PT, Call-in number 712.432.9998, Access 841125 #

USSF Wiki Calendar 2009 10 13

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7-28-09 Communications/Media WG Conf Call

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;Comm/Media WG Conf Call
;Tuesday, Aug 4 at 3pm EST, 2pm CST, 1pm MST, noon PST

;Agenda
* Brief Introductions/adopt agenda
* Job Description and Process Review
* Logo Review
* Writers Network
* Outreach Materials Discussion
* Detroit/Mich/Midwest Local Committee formation
* Calendar
* Work review/wrap-up
* The goal is to have this done by 4:30 pm EST

Present--Peter, Bill, Sylvia, Jackie, Reg

; Notes

;* Communications Coordinator job description
: -- Sylvia has two recommended items on including a low-tech strategy plan and proven ability to communicate with diverse groups; Reg will incorporate them.
: -- Comm/Media WG will review candidates then send to Hiring Committee and go from there.
: -- Job positions more of an oversight and coordinating role—job description too large for one person; Anyone on this working group will have to take on much work.
: -- Adjust hiring date to reflect 9/1/09.
: -- Reg will post.

;* Logo review
: -- Reg rec’d 3-4 weeks ago, really large file. We’ll try and put them on website so folks don’t have to download.
: -- Some comments from LOC have been sent to him.
: -- Reg will solicit more input for logo branding from WG until Friday at noon. He sent out a week ago.
: -- We operate mostly thru consensus but emphasize trying to understand where people are coming from and how we can work thru things. It’s also largely how the USSF operates.

;* Writers Network
: -- We need to recruit people who will write for newsletters, constituents, different groups.
: -- To support the writers we should recruit people to join and ask people to write one piece per month.
: -- Jackie will send out every two weeks a reminder to write and get something out in community newsletters to link, get hooks, and do essays; share ideas about SF, along with setting deadlines for proposals.
: -- Info is on the wiki http://wiki.ussf2010.org/wiki/USSF_Writers_Network
: -- Need to recruit people!
: -- Bill recommends Steve Babson’s, “Working Detroit” for a good understanding of the history.
: -- Send Jackie other references about Detroit.
: -- We should all consider signing up for it. And get others…good job Jackie!
: -- Bill suggests we share this with progressive activist instructors and their students.

;* Outreach materials
: -- What kind of things can we do for outreach materials? Some members of this WG believe that the DLOC PowerPoint slideshow may be effective for some audiences but not all.
: --Bill suggests we need to develop materials that are helpful for all audiences, plus specific to some groups, e.g., communicating message to labor specific problem, what’s in it for labor?
: -- Jackie: labor movement is in decline. Where there is growth labor is connected.
: -- Labor is being weakened but not in decline
: -- Increase its connection to the community, people with similar stories, allies,
: -- Tell labor’s story to more people.
: -- Share message about global day of action and multiple responses to crisis.
: -- Attempt to build a constituency to the response and share ideas to put forward.
: -- Bill will be at a labor meeting in Detroit on 7/29—having trouble talking to labor about USSF in a way that’s compelling.
: -- Broadly trying to reach out to groups open to coming to Detroit and making sure people are on the agenda.
: -- People get caught up in the day-to-day activity of their work, SF offers opportunity for many people to be in same place and encourage conversations with others.
: -- People have talked about DVD about SF. Steph says Project South DVD still being worked on. Sylvia can call and ask.
: -- Reg would like to get others in Detroit to work on a video/DVD—Detroit-based/flavor... let’s form a video/dvd subcommittee—include Rich, Bob.
: -- We can also plug in with young folks too—Sylvia will outreach to Jenny Lee and AMC.
: -- Reg will contact Daymon for doing a specific project.
: -- Peter: does communication for PPEHRC in Austin; after upcoming Minneapolis trip heading tp Midwest (maybe Detroit); meet up with Reg and Bill.; how can he hook up with outreach—who? how?

;* Other Communications/Media WG business
: -- Sylvia noted the new NPC structure in which we’ll need reps from this WG.
: -- Reg is working on an outreach draft by Dianne Feeley to labor for the 9/7 march.
: -- The DLOC is asking us about forming a Midwest/LOC communications committee.
: -- Sylvia reiterated her appeal to reform the DLOC Technology/Communications Committee so as to have local discussions and work plans about Detroit area communication projects, e.g. communications strategy for Labor Day march and speakers; plus low-tech communication plan with community newspapers, radio, etc. The Tech/Comm Committee fell apart as we moved to the WG format but not all local conversations need to take place at the national level.
:: -- This group on the WG conf call agreed.
:: -- Reg agreed to pull together a local conversation about this—perhaps Thurs, 8/6 on labor at the SF at the USSF office.
: We should post info from the AMC press conference (and future press conferences) on the USSF website…Sylvia will ask Josue for photos, Reg will write it up.

Communications-Media Working Group

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;Upcoming Communications/Media WG Conference Call:

;Tuesday, Aug 4 at 3pm EST, 2pm CST, 1pm MST, noon PST
;Conference call numbers: 712-432-0075, code: 388105#
;Host access code (for first one on the call): 564471#

;Communications/Media WG Agenda for Aug 4

* Brief Introductions/adopt agenda

* Job Description and Process Review

* Logo Review

* Writers Network

* Outreach Materials Discussion

* Detroit/Mich/Midwest Local Committee formation

* Calendar

* Work review/wrap-up

* The goal is to have this done by 4:30 pm EST

;Communications/Media WG Agenda, date?:

* USSF NPC-LOC Press Briefing at AMC
: When? Where? Who? What?

* Press release for press briefing
: Who? What? When?

* USSF Caucus at AMC
: When? Where? What? Who?

* Follow up on Karlos and Ariel's AMC press packet

* Prometheus Radio project with USSF, MWRO, and possible other grassroots groups.
: Meet up at AMC and perhaps elsewhere
: Perhaps build Hush House kit

* USSF social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, etc)
: Who? How? What?
: Especially for AMC, press briefing.

* USSF website feedback? updates?

* Comm/Media related reports from other Working Groups.
: ICT

* Upcoming meetings
: LOC Tech and Communications Committee(s) Meeting in Detroit, day/time TBD (possibly 7/14 or 7/15)
: LOC biweekly meeting--report out on AMC press briefing

* Upcoming workshops
: LOC Wiki Workshop--90 min, USSF/MWRO office, day/time TBD (possibly 7/12, 7/14, 7/15)
: [http://ict.ussf2010.org/wiki/Workshop_07_2009 Advanced Technology Workshop]--120 min, USSF/MWRO office, 7/17, time TBD
: NPC basic wiki workshop--30 min, working lunch mtg, 7/20 or 7/21

==On-going Projects==

[[Content for launch web site from other committees]]

[[Save the Date]] draft

[[6-22-09 USSF Press Release]]--draft, please add you edits/feedback

[[Website Committee]]--please answer committee questions

[http://www.pitchengine.com/preview-release.php?id=14385 USSF national press release]--draft from Center for Media Justice, Karlos

[Looking for NPC, LOC and other people and organizations who want to be listed as press contacts for Allied Media Conference press contact flyer. Please send your name, contact info and area of expertise to karlos(at)centerformediajustice.org.]

[[National Communications Coordinator job description and posting]]

==Conference Call Agendas and Notes==

[[Communications/Media WG Notes from NPC meeting]]

[[5-22-09 Communications/Media WG Agenda]]

[[5-22-09 Communications/Media WG Notes]]

[[6-3-09 Communications/Media WG Agenda]]

[[6-12-09 Communications/Media WG Agenda]]

[[6-12-09 Communications/Media WG Notes]]

[[7-28-09 Communications/Media WG Conf Call]]

National Planning Committee

2009-08-19T05:55:56Z

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{{RightTOC}}

==Please Login==
[[Why Login?]] Among the [[USSF]] goals for participation are openness, democracy, and transparency. With this, '''we encourage ''all'' participants on this site to login with a name that reflects his/her real name.''' (See link in top right corner of the screen.) Your login request will be approved quickly by one of the [[Technical/Communications Committee]] members. All edits on the site can be tracked in [[Special:RecentChanges|RecentChanges]] and they are posted with the participant's name. Since this is a public website, this helps protect this [[wiki]].

==NPC==
The National Planning is made up of representatives from U.S. social movement organizations. They are charged with overseeing the organizing and political work leading up to the USSF.

[[2010 NPC and Contacts]]

[[2007 Committee and Contacts]]

====NPC Face to Face Meeting Notes====
:[[March 2009 NPC Notes]] Detroit, MI
:[[July 19-20 NPC Notes]], Detroit, MI
:[[July 21st NPC Notes]], Detroit, MI
:Go here for live notes for July 21 Meeting [[http://etherpad.com/FbCD58wxms]]

====NPC Conference Call Notes====
* NPC monthly conference calls: 3rd Tuesdays at 3pm EST
:[[4-21-09 NPC Conf Call Notes]]
:[[5-19-09 NPC Conf Call Notes]]
:[[6-16-09 NPC Conf Call Notes]]

:[[USSF structure proposal]]

:[[USSF Finances]]

====Detroit Strategy Session====
:[[Media:StrategySessionNotes050909.pdf]] Notes
:[[Media:StrategySessionWorkPlan050909.pdf]] Work plan spreadsheet

==Coordination Team==
The Interim Coordination Team is made up of three NPC members: Cindy Wiesner (GGJA), Josue Guillen (Praxis Project/May First), and Tom Goldtooth (IEN); and three Anchor reps: Elena Herrada (Centro Obrero), Rocio Valerio (EMEAC), and Sylvia Orduno (MWRO). They are tasked with weekly discussions on NPC and LOC reports, and accountability checks for work leading up to the USSF.

====C-Team Conference Call Notes====
* NPC-Anchors interim Coordination Team conference calls: Mondays at 6pm EST
:[[4-27-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[5-4-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[5-11-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[5-18-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[5-25-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[6-1-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[6-8-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[6-15-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[6-24-09 Coordination Team Notes]]--postponed to Wed from Mon
:[[6-29-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[7-6-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[7-13-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[8-13-09 Coordination Team Notes]]--no mtgs 7/20, 7/27, 8/3
:[[8-17-09 Coordination Team Notes]]

==Personnel/Hiring Committee==
The Personnel/Hiring Committee consists of NPC and Anchor reps: NPC--Michael Leon Guerrero (GGJA) and Stephanie Guilloud (Project South), and Anchors--Elena Herrada (Centro Obrero), Diana Seales (EMEAC). They are tasked with researching and answering questions about staff interim contracts, health care insurance, and fringe benefits; providing bi-monthly staff evaluations; following up with WGs and anchors on job description drafts; and reviewing completed applications.

==Working Groups==
Moved to [[Working Groups]]

==External Links==
: [http://www.ussf2007.org/nationalplanningcommittee 2007 National Planning Committee]

[[Category:Committees]]

Culture Committee Meeting Notes August 3, 2009

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"Culture is politics; politics is culture. The two are inseparable. In fact, politics proceeds out of culture, then turns around and defines culture. Which is why all conscious Americans have good reason to be particularly worried about now.” —Kwame Ture

'''The meeting was attended by'''

facilitator: Oya Amakisi

:Barbara Ingalls
:Paul Miles
:Keir Jackson
:Nadir Omowale
:Akanke Rashad Omowale
:Yvette Nixon
:Sanaa
:Ron Watters
:Harold Bivens
:Rae

'''Gave overview of the United
States Social Forum.'''

'''What is the U.S. Social Forum?'''

The US Social Forum is a movement building process. It is not a conference but it is a space to come up with the peoples’ solutions to the economic and ecological crisis. The USSF is the next most important step in our
struggle to build a powerful multi-racial, multi-sectoral, inter-generational, diverse, inclusive, internationalist movement that transforms this country, and changes history.

'''What do we want our world to look like?'''

We must declare what we want our world to look like and we must start planning the path to get there. The USSF provides spaces to learn from each other’s experiences and struggles, share our analysis of the problems our communities face, build relationships, and align with our international brothers and sisters to strategize how to reclaim our world.

'''Where the Social Forum came from?'''

The first World Social Forum was held in January 2001, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, during the early stages of Brazil's democratic transformation.

Millions have since participated in the social forum process all across the world . ..

The first USSF gathering in Atlanta 2007 drew an estimated 15,000 - 20,000 people.

'''Structure for DLOC Program and Culture'''

The DLOC Program and Culture Committee meets in person every two weeks.

The Program and Culture Working Group meets every two weeks via a conference call.

The next Program & Culture Working Group call is:

Monday, August 17, 2009 @ 9pm ET / 8pm CT / 6pm PT
Call-in number 712.432.9998
Access 841125 #

The DLOC focus is mobilizing local Detroit artists and logisitcs.

The Working Group brings together artists/activists/organizations from all over the country.

As we grow closer to the date the Committee and the Working Group will work together more.

'''Overview of Phase I and II of the DLOC Plan'''
:[[Culture Committee Meeting Notes]]

: Return to the [[Programming and Culture Committee]] home page.

[[Category:OpenNotes|Culture]]

Calendar

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{{RightTOC}}
;Events to go to and promote the [[US Social Forum]] in Detroit 2010! Read meeting notes at [[OpenNotes]]

==Monthly==
* Every other Tuesday [[Detroit Local Organizing Committee]] meeting--''all welcome!''
:* 5:15pm [[Detroit LOC]] Orientation for new members
:* 5:30pm [[Detroit Local Organizing Committee]] Meeting
:Detroit USSF Office
::Central United Methodist Church, 4th Floor
::23 E. Adams, Detroit, MI 48226

;Next Meeting [[July 14, 2009]]

{{:July 2009 USSF WikiCalendar}}
==Test Calendar for July==
; Add events on the day and include day so it shows up nicely above
{{:July 2009 USSF WikiCalendar Test}}

===Past===
[[Previous Calendar Events]]

Calendar

2009-07-07T06:01:33Z

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{{RightTOC}}
;Events to go to and promote the [[US Social Forum]] in Detroit 2010! Read meeting notes at [[OpenNotes]]

==Monthly==
* Every other Tuesday [[Detroit Local Organizing Committee]] meeting--''all welcome!''
:* 5:15pm [[Detroit LOC Orientation]] for new members
:* 5:30pm [[Detroit Local Organizing Committee]] Meeting
:Detroit USSF Office
::Central United Methodist Church, 4th Floor
::23 E. Adams, Detroit, MI 48226

;Next Meeting [[July 14, 2009]]

{{:July 2009 USSF WikiCalendar}}
==Test Calendar for July==
; Add events on the day and include day so it shows up nicely above
{{:July 2009 USSF WikiCalendar Test}}

===Past===
[[Previous Calendar Events]]

DLOC

2009-07-07T06:00:24Z

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#redirect [[Detroit Local Organizing Committee]]

MarkDilley

2009-06-25T06:59:23Z

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{{PersonalInfoBox|MarkDilley}}

==Why I learned to stop worrying and love the wiki==
: <big><big>'''''A wiki, you see, is the voice and platform of the worker, and there are many, many more workers than managers. A wiki is a way for workers to organize themselves and to serve their own needs without waiting for the boss, the manager, or the Encyclopedia Britannica to do it.'''</big></big>

==Past activity==
I led a session on how to use a wiki for organizing social justice issues at the Atlanta [[US Social Forum]] and am a long time [[wiki]] walker. Currently at http://AboutUs.org and co founded http://WikiIndex.org - I am extremely interested in using wiki for organizing for social justice.

[http://www.aboutus.org/Pedagogy,_Organizing_and_Wiki What Does It Mean To Think In Wiki?]

I have consulted at the wiki project [http://GreenPolicy.us Green Policy] which is documenting all progressive resolution.

[http://www.aboutus.org/Pedagogy,_Organizing_and_Wiki What Does It Mean To Think In Wiki?]

More contact info at [http://MarkDilley.net MarkDilley.net]

Best, Mark

* [http://wiki.ussf2010.org/index.php?title=Loc&diff=next&oldid=6 my first edit here 13 Mar 2009] :-)

==Current activity==

* [[WikiUpgrades]]
* Seeding the [[wiki]] to see if it can be a place for [[US Social Forum]] [[Local Organizing Committee]] folks to work.
* Possible solution to feature / instruction creep on front page - [http://wiki.twit.tv/wiki/Main_Page use a table - like here]?
* Interested in having an [[Open Source]] micro-blogging site exclusive to the [[US Social Forum]] - like [[Identi.ca]] - through [[Laconi.ca]].
* Figuring out how to achieve my dream of a social justice wiki - with not one, but two to choose from! - [[Local Planning Wiki]] and [[Technology Working Group]] wiki.
* Talk to FLOSS manuals - [http://en.flossmanuals.net/About#about Adam]
* Giving you a 15 minute training on how to use the [[wiki]].

Wiki Guidelines

2009-06-23T06:18:12Z

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#redirect [[WikiGuidelines]]

Contact us Spanish translation

2009-06-21T18:56:42Z

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<< Return to [[Links for website kick off]]

'''''Note: This page is for posting to the ussf2010.org website. It needs html headers for easier transfer to the webpage draft--can anyone help? Can someone please verify the translation''''

Para obtener más información acerca Foro Social de EE.UU. en Detroit de 2010, contacte a Elena Herrada elenaherrada@comcast.net o Josué Guillén, jguillen@mayfirst.com.

Correo electrónico DetroitInfo@USSF2010.org

Llamada gratuita 877.515.USSF

Local (temporal) 313.964.0618 (Organización de Derechos de Bienestar de Michigan)

Testimonial Spanish translation

2009-06-21T18:56:01Z

98.246.104.134: new version from Cindy

<< Return to [[Links for website kick off]]

'''''Note: This page is for posting to the ussf2010.org website. It needs html headers for easier transfer to the webpage draft--can anyone help?''''

;CUÉNTANOS TUS HISTORIAS Y EXPERIENCIAS SOBRE El FORO SOCIAL EE.UU. EN NUESTRO WIKI

Les invitamos a que nos digan su experiencia o historia con el Foro Social EE.UU de Atlanta en el 2007. La documentación no ayudara a mostrar a otros lo que el Foro Social significa para los pueblos y organizaciones. Para compartir su historia vaya al: http://wiki.ussf2010.org/wiki/Press_and_People_Stories

¿Qué es un wiki? (http://wiki.ussf2010.org/wiki/Wiki)

Get involved Spanish translation

2009-06-21T18:54:48Z

98.246.104.134: new version from Cindy

<< Return to [[Links for website kick off]]

'''''Note: This page is for posting to the ussf2010.org website. It needs html headers for easier transfer to the webpage draft--can anyone help? Can someone please verify the translation?''''

;PARTICIPAR EN EL CAMINO HACIA DETROIT

Les invitamos a que se unan con activistas y organizadores para la justica que se van a converger, actuar, y reflexionar sobre nuestro potencial en el Foro Social EE.UU. Detroit. Ayúdenos a construir una visión y estrategia para el movimiento social que es multi-racial y multi-sectoral. El Foro Social II nos ofrece la oportunidad de continuar lo que aprendimos en Atlanta en el Foro Social de 2007. Debemos aprovechar este momento y avanzar en nuestro trabajo colectivo para construir la base de liderazgo, desarrollo de visión colectiva, y formular estrategias que mantienen un fuerte movimiento creciente.

Hay muchas maneras de involucrarse. Su organización puede invulucrar al Comité Nacional de Planificación (NPC) o Asamblea de los Movimientos de los Pueblos (PMA), usted puede unirse a los grupos de trabajo o crear comités regionales y locales para garantizar una participación masiva y diversa en Detroit, Junio 22-26, 2010.

Detroit kick off Spanish translation

2009-06-21T18:51:05Z

98.246.104.134: new version from Cindy

<< Return to [[Links for website kick off]]

'''''Note: This page is for posting to the ussf2010.org website. It needs html headers for easier transfer to the webpage draft--can anyone help? Also, can anyone verify translation?''''

Add this image to the website page [[Media:USSF potluck flyer espanol.jpg]]

Evento de Inicio del Foro Social EE.UU.

El 22 de junio, 2009, el Comité Organizador Local de Detroit (dLOC) quienes son la coordinación local del Foro Social EE.UU presentaran un evento de inicio, con un programa y cena en la oficina del Foro Social. Será una celebración espectacular como el inicio de un año al camino al Foro Social EE.UU 2010 en Detroit!

El evento incluirá una conferencia de prensa, presentación de la historia del Foro Social, de arte y selecciones musicales, y mucha comida! Todos están invitadados a participar en este evento de movimiento diversos para el cambio social.

Programa

6:00 pm Arte, música
6:30 pm Conferencia de prensa
6:45 pm Presentación - El Foro Social EE.UU
7:10 pm Cena
8:00 pm Música

Lugar

USSF Oficina de Detroit
23 E. Adams, Detroit, MI 48226
2º piso sala (discapacidades)
En la Iglesia Metodista Unida

Evento de inicio de información de contactos

Foro Social Personal Maureen Taylor y William Copeland: DetroitInfo@USSF2010.org

DLOC organizadores Nisa Joorabchi, wanderinisa@yahoo.com o Ahmina Maxey, ahmina@emeac.org

Contacto de prensa Lou Novak, lmn@lppal.com

Información en Español Elena Herrada, elenaherrada@comcast.net

CMJ social media Spanish release

2009-06-21T18:49:54Z

98.246.104.134: new version from Cindy

<< Return to [[Links for website kick off]]

Detroit, visto por muchos como el epi-centro de la actual crisis económica, ha sido nombrado como el sitio para el 2 º Foro Social de los Estados Unidos. Se espera que participen como 20,000 personas en el Foro, las fechas son el 22 de junio al 26 de junio de 2010. Mientras que los pequeños negocios locales y hoteles se verá un aumento de las ventas y la alta tasa de ocupación, los organizadores dicen que no eso de lo que el foro se trata.

El Foro Social EE. UU reunirá a organizaciones del movimiento social de todos los sectores y regiones de los EE.UU. y sus territorios para compartir historias, tácticas y el proyecto de estrategias para el cambio social.

"Nuestra democracia ha sido secuestrada por mucho dinero y un tipo de gobierno corporativo que ha dado lugar a los ricos cada vez más ricos, los pobres cada vez más pobres, y la disminución de los servicios para todos - Detroit encarna tanto el problema y las posibilidades de soluciones", dice Maureen Taylor, organizadora del Foro Social. "Creemos que el proceso del Foro Social estimulará alguna esperanza para el pueblo de Detroit y ayudar a la gente alrededor de esta ciudad."

Los organizadores del Comité Planificador del Foro Social EE.UU. creen en un proceso que esto es un poderoso vehículo para el cambio y como la próxima etapa en la organización de la comunidad, la comunidad de gobernanza y la democracia.

El movimiento del Foro Social concebido como una alternativa al Foro Económico Mundial - es un espacio para los movimientos sociales y sectores progresistas de la sociedad civil a reunirse y debatir las ideas y soluciones para el mundo sobre la crises económica, ecológica y sobre los derechos humanos.

Según el sitio web USSF2010.org, "El Foro Social de EE.UU. es reunión especial.. No es una conferencia con una agenda o un programa de eventos, es una reunión cuyos participantes producen su propio programa y propios eventos."

El primer Foro Social Mundial se celebró en enero de 2001, en Porto Alegre, Brasil, durante las primeras etapas de la transformación democrática de Brasil, con la eleción de Presidente el organizador sindical, Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva.

Milles de personas han participado desde entonces en el proceso del foro social en todo el mundo - desde foros locales y regionales más pequeños a los grandes foros nacionales, hemisféricos y los foros mundiales.

"Siempre que un foro social se ha llevado a cabo, hemos visto una ola de transformación que sigue", añadió William Copeland, organizador del Foro Socia. "[El Foro Social], y otros acontecimientos que condujeron a ella, será considerada como un rescate para la gente de Detroit. Detroit puede ser un modelo para una transición justa a una economía verde siglo 21".

Tanto como 12.000 participaron en el primer Foro Social de Estados Unidos en Atlanta, Georgia en 2007.

Para ser voluntario o participar, póngase en contacto con una de las organizaciones locales o nacionale: Vaya a la página web de ussf2010.org>

La coordinación políticas y organizativa del FS-EE.UU son los representantes de más de 40 organizaciones y movimientos sociales que integran el Comité Nacional de Planificación. Estos incluyen:

(continue with listed NPC members, no translation)

Detroit Press Release Spanish translation

2009-06-21T18:48:27Z

98.246.104.134: new version from Cindy

<< Return to [[Links for website kick off]]

'''''Note: This page is for posting to the ussf2010.org website. It needs html headers for easier transfer to the webpage draft--can anyone help? Also, can someone review the translation?''''

Detroit Press Release:
Para la versión 15 de junio de 2009

Para más información o contacte a Elena Herrada: elenaherrada@comcast.net

Detroit acogerá 20,000 Activistas del Movimiento de Organizaciones Sociales en el Foro Social EE.UU del 2010

Detroit - Los organizadores del Foro Social EE.UU, una base de reunión de miles de activistas y organizadores, anunciará planes para un evento de cinco días en Detroit de 2010 que empieza el lunes, 22 de junio. El evento de lanzamiento se llevará a cabo de 6pm-9pm en la Oficina del Foro Social, 23 E. Adams St., Piso 4 (cerca de la avenida Woodward, en el centro de Detroit), en el Centro de fomento de la Iglesia Metodista Unida.

A "la disponibilidad de medios de comunicación" se celebrará a las 6:30 pm. El evento incluirá música, arte, presentaciones culturales y cena. Una presentación detallada tendrá lugar a las 6:45 pm aproximadamente. Actuaciones musicales tienen lugar en torno a 8pm.

El Foro Social tendrá lugar el 22 ha 26 de junio, 2010 en Cobo Hall y Hart Plaza en el centro de Detroit. Otros talleres de arte y programas de cultura tendrá lugar a través de la ciudad. En el Foro Social EE. UU. se reunirá movimientos sociales de todo Estados Unidos y en todo el mundo. Los organizadores están enofocandose a los jóvenes, las personas de color, sindicalistas, despedidos y los trabajadores del secotr informal, los veteranos, las personas con discapacidades, indígenas, luchadores por la libertad, colectivos, y muchos otros. Objetivos fundamentales es crear un espacio abierto y un proceso para crear un movimiento de convergencia y la coordinación, aumentar la sensibilización sobre cuestiones de justicia social, ofrecer oportunidades para compartir experiencias y discutir estrategias para el cambio social y crear soluciones a los problemas que enfrentan las personas a través de nuestras muchas luchas, sectores, regiones, y la diversidad.

"Detroit es epicentro de la crisis económica que enfrentan millones de personas, no sólo aquí en Michigan, sino en toda la nación", dice Maureen Taylor, una organizadora del FS-EE.UU y Presidente de la Organización de Derechos de Bienestar de Michigan (MWRO). "Estamos realmente satisfechos de ser anfitrión de este acontecimiento histórico y estamos seguros de que lo que sucede en Detroit tendrá una gran repercusión no sólo aquí sino en otros lugares."

Del año próximo Foro Social en Detroit se espera que atraiga a más de 15,000-20,000 activistas. Se basará en la primera reunión de FS-EE.UU en Atlanta 2007 que atrajo a un estimado de 12,000-15,000 personas. Ya, comités y grupos de trabajo se reunirán en Detroit y en todo el país a prepararse para el próximo año del foro.

"El Foro Social Detroit 2010 va a ser emocionante ya que es mucho más que una simple conferencia o un gran evento", dijo William Copeland, un organizador de Foro Social y miembro del Este de Michigan del Consejo de Medio Ambiente (EMEAC). "Este es una oportunidad única de aprender de las experiencias de los demás, arrojar luz sobre las injusticias sociales, y construir sobre los esfuerzos de la comunidad para crear un cambio real".

FS-EE.UU 2010 también marca el 10 aniversario del proceso del Foro Social Mundial y pone de relieve las conexiones internacionales del FS-EE.UU. a un proceso mundial y más amplio.

Información sobre el evento y lanzamiento de 22 de junio, 2009 contacte al Detroit Comité Local del Foro Social llamando al: 877-515-USSF o DetroitInfo@USSF2010.org. Para obtener más información sobre el Foro Social de los EE.UU., visite el sitio web Foro Social 2010 en: www.USSF2010.org

Content for launch web site from other committees

2009-06-20T17:42:54Z

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<< Return to [[Communications/Media WG]] page

Please add any content you know of from other committees and edit as needed. Thanks!

===From Communications Committee===

====[[Links for website kick off]]====

====[[Save the Date email announcement]]--draft for USSF Atlanta participants====

====[[Save the Date]] draft====

It's a little abstract & dense for the first public web site, but full of good info, such as list of working groups and the background. ( But I think there should be no personal email addresses, only 1 or more Social Forum email addresses - nancy) Reg has put a second version below the original one.

====[[6-22-09 USSF Press Release]]--draft====

This is web-designed and has a lot of the kind of excitement we need.

====Center for Social Media national press release--DRAFT====

The press release will be sent from the Center for Social Media at [http://www.pitchengine.com/preview-release.php?id=14385 USSF national press release]--draft from Karlos

(Edited version below)

;Detroit Selected as Host Site for Second US Social Forum
;USSF to bring boost to the economy and, organizers say, "stimulate hope for the people of Detroit"

.. – Contact Maureen Taylor and William Copeland, USSF staff coordinators at DetroitInfo@ussf2010.org

Detroit, seen by many as ground zero for the current economic crisis, has been named as the site for the 2nd United States Social Forum. More than 15,000 are expected to participate in the Forum, which runs from June 22nd through June 26, 2010. The USSF will bring together social movement organizations from all sectors and regions of the U.S. and its territories to share stories and tactics and to draft strategies for change.

"Our democracy has been hijacked by big money and a type of corporate governance that has resulted in the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer, and decreased services for everyone - Detroit embodies both the problem and potential for solutions," says Maureen Taylor, USSF staff coordinator. "We believe the Social Forum process will stimulate some hope for the people of Detroit and help the people turn this city around."

Organizers hail the Social Forum process as a powerful vehicle for change and as the next stage in community organizing, community governance and democracy.

The Social Forum movement - conceived as an alternative to the World Economic Forum - is a space for social movements and progressive sectors of civil society to meet and discuss ideas and solutions to the world's continued economic, ecological and human rights crises.

According to the USSF2010.org website, "The US Social Forum is a very special kind of gathering. It isn't a conference with an agenda and a program of events; it's a gathering whose participants produce our own agenda and our own programs."

The first World Social Forum was held in January 2001, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, during the early stages of Brazil's democratic transformation that would ultimately lead to the election of lathe operator and union organizer, Luiz Inácio "Lula" da Silva.

Millions have since participated in the social forum process all across the world - from local and smaller regional forums to larger national, hemispheric, and global forums.

"Wherever a social forum has been held, we've seen a wave of transformation that follows," added William Copeland, USSF staff coordinator. "[The Social Forum], and other events leading up to it, will be seen as a people's bailout for Detroit. Detroit can be a model for a just transition to a green 21st Century economy."

As many as 12,000 participated in the first United States Social Forum in Atlanta, Georgia in 2007.

"[quote that touches on outcomes from 07]"

The fiscal and political responsibilities of the USSF are overseen by representatives from over 40 social movement organizations and who make up the National Planning Committee. They include:

* AFL-CIO (International)
* American Friends Services Committee
* AlternateROOTS (regional)
* CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities (New York City, NY)
* Center for Community Change (National)
* Center for Media Justice (National)
* Center for Social Justice (Seattle, WA)
* Center for Third World Organizing (National)
* Centro Obrero (Detroit, MI)--Anchor organization
* Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice (Detroit, MI)--Anchor organization
* East Michigan Environmental Action Council (Detroit, MI)--Anchor organization
* Grassroots Global Justice (National)
* Indigenous Environmental Network (International)
* Independent Progressive Politics Network (National)
* Jobs with Justice (National)
* Labor and Community Strategy Center (Los Angeles, CA)
* Miami Workers Center (Miami, FL)
* Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (Detroit, MI)--Anchor organization
* National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (National)
* Padres Unidos (Denver, CO)
* People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (New Orleans, LA)
* People Organized to Win Employment Rights, POWER (San Francisco, CA)
* People Organizing to Demand Economic and Environmental Rights, PODER (San Francisco, CA)
* Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, PPEHRC (National)
* Project South (Regional)
* REDOIL (Alaska)
* Ruckus Society (National)
* SisterSong (National)
* St. Peters Housing Committee (San Francisco, CA)
* Sociologists Without Borders (National)
* Southeast Michigan Jobs with Justice (Detroit, MI)--Anchor Organization
* Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (Regional)
* SouthWest Organizing Project (Albuquerque, NM)
* Southwest Workers Union (San Antonio, TX)
* Technology Working Group (May First/People Link)
* The Praxis Project (National)
* TOPS (Dothan, Alabama)
* Union de Trabajadores Agricolas Fronterizos (El Paso, TX)
* Women Watch Afrika, (International)
* Women’s Media Equity Collaborative

To volunteer or get involved, contact one of the local host organizations go to the website at ussf2010.org
----

====From Detroit LOC suggested schedule for kick-off day====
Posted 6-4-09

[[Detroit Local Organizing Committee]]

''Preposed schedule for [[June 22 Year-Out]] Kick-off Event at CUMC from 6-9pm''
:6 pm People arrive, there is music and art to entertain

:6:30 pm Press Conference (maybe with two [[USSF]] Detroit organizers and additional local draw)

:6:45 pm Orientation about the USSF with new [[PowerPoint]] (presented by the Outreach Committee, question and answer facilitated by who?)

:7:10 pm Food and mingling

:8:00 pm More live music (and maybe even dancing!)

''Need the help of the Communications and Culture Committees''

====Guidelines for participaton in site wikis====

Taken from email discussion. It's important to have guidelines people see right away, so if we tell someone their content isn't appropriate, they can't say it's political or they're being singled out. We should probably keep them short as possible. Edits, suggestions welcome.

=====list of principles that every contributor should follow:=====

* No name calling or obscenities;
* Please be constructive and don't contribute if you don't believe in the mission of the Social Forum (link);
* No calls for violent action;
* Assume that all who follow these guidelines are honest, intelligent and committed activists from the same large movement for change.

One of the key things about working [[wiki]] style - is that when you see something like that, you simply [[revert]], remove or reword it (obviously keeping the meaning) so that you have to spend very little time worrying about it. If a single contributor continues the behavior - then you have a conversation with them about it. Best, [[MarkDilley]]

====These notes from 6/9 LOC meeting could be useful:====

[[6-9-09 LOC meeting at MWRO Offices]]

*Spanish, Arabic translations
*acronyms need to be spelled out at least once
*talk about solutions
*we are the ones we've been waiting for
*concrete examples of neo-liberalism
*describe how we are going to bring people together
*captions under pictures from Atlanta
*images of Detroit
*labor information, vacant homes, closed factories, school closings, increase in food distribution in churches, community gardens, Detroit bucks
*what is Detroit
*show what corporations are doing to us
*examples of what will be in USSF 2010

===Return to Website Committee===

[[Website Committee]]

{{RIGHTTOC}}

6-15-09 Coordination Team Notes

2009-06-16T19:03:05Z

98.246.104.134: post notes

<< Return to [[NPC]] page

;Monday, June 15
;6 pm (sharp) to 730 pm EST
;Dial-in number (712) 432-0075
;Participant access code 388105

;C-Team Proposed Agenda

* Check in
:Many folks have been ill lately, getting better!
:Please remember—if you’ll be late or unable to make the call, please let others know.

* Review of last week's notes; action items
: Notes at http://wiki.ussf2010.org/wiki/6-8-09_Coordination_Team_Notes
: Action items
:: (a) Ask for NPC mtg logistics volunteers at Tuesday’s LOC meeting (Elena)
:: (b) Save the Date draft revisions (Sylvia)
:: (c) Elena, Julie, George, and Jenna get in touch to discuss archiving discussion at NPC meeting (Elena).

* LOC and NPC updates
Elena chaired last LOC meeting with Ahmina—approx 45 people, good meeting!
: Good committee reports, especially Outreach Committee—providing good orientations to new people.
: Julio Guerrero returned from Mexico meeting of Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras—they’ve agreed to come to Detroit for USSF.
: Lots of other recruitment, especially near Mexico border is happening.
: Everyone reviewed a Power Point presentation developed about the USSF by the Outreach Committee—well done, needs a few improvements like music, voice over. It contributed to much spirited discussion and debate about terminology, e.g., hegemony, imperialism, capitalism, etc. Many at the meeting supported the emphasis on SF origins but others argued against it. This discussion will continue at next NPC face-to-face mtg.
Peoples Summit is currently going on next to USSF office/church bldg—tents, panels, marches—exciting! USSF tabling is going on to connect the two events.
New fundraiser in Jan/Feb 2010 at Repertoire Theater in Detroit for “Song for Coretta”—expected to raise $3000-4000 for USSF. Anchors will put up initial money for tickets.
: Anchors have other contacts for local grants, possibly 10-15. Suggest they work with Resource Mob WG who has grant writers, they can help.
Anchors have still not had communication from Donele at DWEJ despite emails and message thru Domina, who occasionally attends LOC mtgs.
: Anchors will finish draft of MOU at next mtg, have all sign, and send to DWEJ for signature.
: It appears to the anchors that perhaps DWEJ does not have the capacity or interest to participate as an anchor, perhaps they are involved in other projects.

* Staff reports, update on Will's health?
: Will has been in hospital for over a week but expected to be released soon. We all send him our well wishes!
: Anchors and staff need hires for Technology, Communications, and Logistics—believe some work is being impeded without their help. Anchors will send job description drafts to –Team by end of the week.
: From Strategy Session, Will and Michael started working on a recommendation on staffing structure. Maureen believes Will can continue on this soon.

* NPC mtg logistics in Detroit:
: We’ll ask NPC during conf call to RSVP ASAP to help with plans ion Detroit.
: Mtg location? We’ll need more room than last time. Perhaps get space at hotel we get rooms through, or other community site.
: Budget? Not known yet
: Hotels? Maureen and Elena will investigate St Regis and Marriot, and possible solidarity housing.
: Airport transportation? Perhaps we rent a van for various shuttles, or arrange or local pick ups. Sharon George at NAID has van that we may be able to use. Send email to Detroit email list about logistics help and resources.

* NPC conf call--who can report back/lead discussion on different sections?
: Elena will give LOC report.
: Maureen will find one or two LOC reps to give 6/22 kick off report.
: Interim Personnel Committee (Elena?)—need to give report about new committee to help with hiring issues and contracts, healthcare options, and contact persons for issues. Members—Stephanie, Michael, Elena, and Rocio.

* Tides Foundation call and notes
: Stephanie has sent email note from conf call, Victor added more. Anchors will discuss pro and cons, and other options.
: Is GGJA a viable option? Applied for 501c3 recently but takes 2 months to hear back. GGJA could take over from Project South but they recommended that NPC go with someone more stable or with experience.
: Maureen will argue against Tides for several reasons to be discussed at NPC conf call.
: What are the alternatives to Tides?
: Project South has made it clear they want to move away from fiscal sponsorship. Tides offers good staff benefits.
: Perhaps we can focus on a plan for next 6 months.

* C-Team evaluation: who and how?
: At next NPC face-to-face mtg we have to elect a permanent team, including WG and LOC representation.
: C-Team has to come up with a proposal regarding numbers, responsibilities, and election process.
: Evaluation should include what’s happened, what worked—and not, lessons, self-reflection.
: Cindy will look up C-Team proposal from 2007 following ATL evaluation mtg., and send out to C-Team, by next Monday for review.

National Planning Committee

2009-06-16T19:00:07Z

98.246.104.134: add link

{{RightTOC}}

==Please Login==
[[Why Login?]] Among the [[USSF]] goals for participation are openness, democracy, and transparency. With this, '''we encourage ''all'' participants on this site to login with a name that reflects his/her real name.''' (See link in top right corner of the screen.) Your login request will be approved quickly by one of the [[Technical/Communications Committee]] members. All edits on the site can be tracked in [[Special:RecentChanges|RecentChanges]] and they are posted with the participant's name. Since this is a public website, this helps protect this [[wiki]].

==NPC==
The National Planning is made up of representatives from U.S. social movement organizations. They are charged with overseeing the organizing and political work leading up to the USSF.

[[2010 NPC and Contacts]]

[[2007 Committee and Contacts]]

====NPC Face to Face Meeting Notes====
:[[March 2009 NPC Notes]] Detroit, MI
:;Next Meeting July 19-21, Detroit, MI

====NPC Conference Call Notes====
* NPC monthly conference calls: 3rd Tuesdays at 3pm EST
:[[4-21-09 NPC Conf Call Notes]]
:[[5-19-09 NPC Conf Call Notes]]

====Detroit Strategy Session====
:[[Media:StrategySessionNotes050909.pdf]] Notes
:[[Media:StrategySessionWorkPlan050909.pdf]] Work plan spreadsheet

==Coordination Team==
The Interim Coordination Team is made up of three NPC members: Cindy Wiesner (GGJA), Josue Guillen (Praxis Project/May First), and Tom Goldtooth (IEN); and three Anchor reps: Elena Herrada (Centro Obrero), Rocio Valerio (EMEAC), and Sylvia Orduno (MWRO). They are tasked with weekly discussions on NPC and LOC reports, and accountability checks for work leading up to the USSF.

====C-Team Conference Call Notes====
* NPC-Anchors interim Coordination Team conference calls: Mondays at 6pm EST
:[[4-27-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[5-4-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[5-11-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[5-18-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[5-25-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[6-1-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[6-8-09 Coordination Team Notes]]
:[[6-15-09 Coordination Team Notes]]

==Personnel Committee==
The interim Personnel Committee is consists of NPC and Anchor reps: NPC--Michael Leon Guerrero (GGJA) and Stephanie Guilloud (Project South), and Anchors--Elena Herrada (Centro Obrero), Rocio Valerio (EMEAC). (Cindy Wiesner or Josue Guillen can be a back up reps if Michael can't make it.) They are tasked with researching and answering questions about staff interim contracts, health care insurance, and fringe benefits; and providing bi-monthly staff evaluations.

==Working Groups==
Moved to [[Working Groups]]

==External Links==
: [http://www.ussf2007.org/nationalplanningcommittee 2007 National Planning Committee]

[[Category:Committees]]

Why Login?

2009-06-04T20:06:00Z

98.246.104.134: correct instruction

;Welcome to the USSF wiki! Although anyone may edit this wiki, we highly encourage all USSF participants to create a login account. You can get one by clicking on ''log in'' in the top right corner, then clicking ''request one'' in the login box.

;* Login in
: Why?
::* '''Community patrolling'''--the wiki is managed by everyone who uses it. Logging in makes it easier to keep track of who is editing the site through [[RecentChanges]].
::* '''Security concerns'''--this wiki is open and public but creating a login account allows you to upload files and be a visible USSF participant, thereby, also keep the site working well.
::* '''Strategies for reducing damage to our wiki'''--all edits to the website are recorded and viewable on the [[RecentChanges]] page or on any of the '''history''' tabs at the top of each page. Any destructive or negative changes (e.g., spamming) can easily be ''reverted'' back to a previous version. If necessary, we can also enable additional tactics (e.g., blocking) for problems, etc.

:Request a login account
::* Don't forget to check your email for an approval link after you complete the online form!

;* Need additional help?
: Email or leave a message for one of the point-persons on the Detroit LOC Technical Committee [[LouNovak]] or [[SylviaOrduno]].

Wiki Training

2009-06-04T16:08:44Z

98.246.104.134: add comment

Check out these (upcoming) resources for wiki training and tips:

;[[5-27-09 Wiki Workshop]]--check out the notes from our first local training session

A nice short introductory video is available
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY here].

Wikipedia, which also uses the MediaWiki software, has a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_tutorial tutorial].

[http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Manual:FAQ#Basic_usage This section] of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) is also a good starting point.

Have fun!

USSF Tech Team

2009-05-12T03:36:49Z

98.246.104.134: Redirect

#redirect [[Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Working Group]]