Outreach Call January 5 2015 Jerome, Maria-Elena, David, Shamako, Dione, Kelly, Edgar, walda, Spence, Anna, Shawn, Delice Calcote, Jeff Lanman (Alaska Inter Tribal Council), Ibrahim
Contents
Overview of Process (Shamako)
Currently, six-month out from the first USSF polycentric forum. Forum will be in Philly, Jackson, and San Jose with satellite sites in Mexico and Canada. We are currently developing PMAs and Movement Schools and other forms of outreach and connection. There is a National Planning Committee meeting coming up in Jackson (Jan 22-24) that will be followed by a PMA. The next stage of this process, after the social forum, will be an Assembly of Assemblies in 2016.
Crowdfunding campaign
The crowdfunding campaign is one part of the broader fundraising campaign. These campaigns are 1-2 months in length with the goal of raising a specific target amount of money. Use videos and social media and other resources to encourage people to give. We are a few weeks into first crowdfunding campaign, which is focused on PMA and NPC gathering in Jackson. (Future crowdfunding campaigns will focus on other areas.) $10,500 goal will cover some of costs of Jackson meeting. $2000 right now. We need to ensure that the word is getting out there about the campaign. People who are coming to the site are tending to give generously. Currently creating memes (graphics for FB, Twitter). Goal is to do a couple of memes each week and ask people to share around to get the word out. People who are interested in getting a meme done: Delice Calcote aitc.dcalcote@gmail.com (Alaska Intertribal Council) David Cobb (Move to Amend)
Spence will help put together email blast so that it’s well organized and well presented. Email blasts are being discussed in ACT and being regularized. Crowdsourcing blast will be put out Crowdsourcing is one of a few funding strategies. Periodically, the fundraising committee will be sending along other strategies. If people are on FB,– a few shares a week is really helpful.
Shamako and Marie-Elena will connect about the specific organizing that is happening in Texas and discuss possibility of including link in newsletter that discusses current state of police violence. Suggestion of a national town hall meeting to discuss police violence. Live streamed. To recognize the killing of unarmed Blacks, Latinos, poor whites. Currently PMA being organized about participatory defense/legal system restructuring in San Jose/Bay Area.
Overview of Outreach/PMA Working Group
Outreach/PMA are two working groups. Outreach meets the first Monday of the month. PMA meets on the third Monday of the month. WG will start focusing on how to subdivide our time to support the three sites and determine who is going to be resource for local sites. PMAs: specifically designed to be an introductory participatory process through which people examine: • What is happening and why? • What is world do we want? • What are concrete processes to get to that point?
Movement school: is a more studious option for those who want to go more deep. Proposed agenda.
Current PMAs • Appalachia PMA processs (Spring 2015) have had one gathering and going to do another for entire Appalachia region. • King County – still working on doing PMA/open house in July. Multimedia center working with people who would like to do Youth PMA. (Dione) • Community 2 Community have 4 PMAs planned out for year. (Edgar) o March 14: Farm worker and food sovereignty. o June: Climate Justice. o October: Elections o December: Solidarity Economy (going to be hosting Domestic Fair Trade Organization in Bellingham). Edgar will send Spence images about PMAs. Movement school is also being planned for June. • Envisioning a New Constitution (Jan 31): Move to Amend • What the Bleep Happened to Hip Hop • Movement school in Houston, TX (Marie-Elena) • Health Care PMA, San Jose, CA (Low Income Self Help Center) • Militarization PMA, San Jose, CA (San Jose Peace and Justice Center) • Mass Incarceration PMA, San Jose, CA (San Jose Peace and Justice Center) • Louisville, KY Local PMAP: date to be determined • May First Brooklyn PMA on technology (May First/People Link)
Other Working Groups
Gender Justice: Rose Brewer (brewe001@umn.edu) Poverty: Evelyn Dortch (evelyn@wvdawg.org) Resource Development: Dione Johnson Tyson (multimedia206@gmail.com) Communications/Technology: Alfredo Lopez (alfredo@mayfirst.org) Arts and Culture: Shamako Noble (shamakonoblemusic@gmail.com) Road to USSF: Walda KatzFishman (wkatzfishman@igc.org) International Committee: Jen Cox (jenkwru@yahoo.com) and Rob Robinson (rob_robinson423@yahoo.com)
Currently in formation Indigenous Peoples Youth Language Justice
Proposal for new working group focused on police/state violence as well as national PMA held online to connect organizers in New York, Houston, San Jose. Marie-Elena and Shamako will talk about online PMA and come back with a proposal. Marie-Elena highlighted the large rally in Houston, TX, in response to the death of Jordan Baker. Jerome and walda will send article about related organizing. Jerome and Walda will discuss new WG on ACT call coming up.
Other ideas
• Add New Business/ New Ideas section to agenda • Check on status of PMA training/videos posted in lead up to 2010 USSF.
NPC meeting
Dates are Jan 22-24. Please arrive on 21. Combining movement school and NPC meeting. Meeting at Lumumba Center for Human Rights. Will be having political framing discussions and in-depth conversation and next steps re: key planning items. Cooperation Jackson will be hosting PMA focused on economic agenda. Solidarity housing is being looked into.
Coming to Jackson: Jerome, Marie-Elena, walda, David, Spence, Shamako, Anna,
NPC is body that ensures that three-year plan is being implemented. This is middle year of 3 year plan.
PMA and USSF websites
Plan is for there to be one PMA website, with sections dedicated to PMAs, movement schools. Web developer working at Project South will be creating new website. Spence is waiting to hear back from Jovan re: when he is ready to share that website. This site will be connected to all PMAs that are we know of: those connected with USSF, with Southern Assembly Process, and not connected to either. USSF website: people can review the site and go online before Jan 15 and give feedback. Two sites will be linked.