Feb 17, 2010 712 432 0075 code 388105# 12pm PST/1pm MST/2pm CST/3pm EST
USSF NPC Call - 2.17.10
Agenda: 12 Roll Call! 12:05 Brief Reportback on Seminar in Brazil for the 10th anniversary of the WSF.(see emailed) - michael leon guerrero 12:10 Check back in on Endorsers Language(see below) 12:15 Plenaries Proposal (see below) - Sarita Gupta 12:45 NPC Membership Application Recommendations and Updates on Voting Process - Outreach WG [1] 12:55 Report on # of people registered, goals for next phase - Outreach WG 1 NPC/OC process for next meeting - Cindy, Doc/Eval, Nat'l Coordinators 1:10 Finance Team conversation - Steph 1:30 END
Present:
- Adrienne Maree, Ruckus, National Coord
- Diana Copeland, EMEAC(Anchor)
- B, Field Organizer
- Kali Akuno, US Human Rights Network
- Kaajal, Praxis
- Michael Leon Guerrero, GGJ
- Tammy Bang Luu, LCSC
- Emily Kawano, SEN
- Brooke, Jubilee
- Adele Nieves, Communications
- Sylvia Orduno, National Coord
- Flo Razowsky, IJAN
- George Martin, UFPJ
- Louis Head, SWOP
- Genaro, SWU
- Jamala, Freedom Road,
- Andrew, US Palestinian Network
- Zahra, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health
- Byron, Freedom Road
- Sarahi, NDLON
- Rishi, Leftist Lounge
- Sarita Gupta, JWJ DC
- Mary Anne, AFSCME
- George Friday, IPPN
- Marisa Franco, RTTC
- Will Copeland, DLOC Coordinator
- Oya Amakisi, DLOC rep
- Cindy Domingo, Center for Social Justice
- Jerome Scott, LRNA
- Roberto, Language Access, staff
- Steph, Project South
- Eddie, AFL-CIO
- Alicia, POWER
Notetakers: Flo, Oya, Adele, Sylvia
12:05 Brief Reportback on Seminar in Brazil for the 10th anniversary of the WSF.(see emailed) - michael leon guerrero Written report sent out yesterday am. Was in brazil two weeks ago for 10 anniv activities for original WSF site. City celebration with their own Social Forum 27,000 overall turnout for local celebration. International seminar to talk about what has taken place over the last 10 years world wide Focus on: International Council WSF - relationship btwn USSF to overal WSF. No 2010 WSF. As many as 29 local Social Forums leading up to 2011 WSF (will take place in Senegal). Convos about howt o connect all these forums. Two bodies working to figure out conenctions. Straategy commission - social movement geroups and NGOS. Series of 4 ?s - what do we see as existing political context. responsiblities for these movements. alts being discussed. connections to WSF. Looking for groups interested to be involved in this process. 2nd body is 2010 cmte - focus on how each fourm connects throughout course of the year. Banner unveiled in Brazil to be used at forums throughout the year. Are we interested in having this banner in Detroit? Would involved in person exchange. Reccomendation - team from NPC (if NPC feels this is good direction to go) proposes our level of engagement. Also to determine - do we want to bring organizers form these different forums here to meet with us/talk about forums in their areas and how it connects to US? Jen - some of this work is already being done in the Int'l Solidarity Team, so taking this on would be more just continuing work already in progress. Cool. If folks want to participate, could either mean joining the ISC or create a sub group, can get in touch via ISC chairs.
12:10 Check back in on Endorsers Language(see below)
Have gotten two emails from interested endorsers. Job descrip will be on the website or can be sent if folks don't have internet access
General agreement - Looks Great.
No opposed or stand asides!
Endorsers Language:
Endorser Organizations Job Description: USSF endorser organizations or individuals are important allies in helping to build a strong grassroots movement and convergence in Detroit. Endorsers shows solidarity with the values and process of the US Social Forum and are instrumental in helping to mobilize their members and networks to the Forum. Unlike National Planning Committee organizations, endorsers are encouraged but not obligated to make financial or official work contributions to the USSF. Endorsers provide a critical role in lending their organizational or individual reputation and name toward USSF organizing and building, and will be listed on the website. The USSF has available information and contact support to help endorsers with their grassroots fundraising efforts (http://www.ussf2010.org/feedtheroots) to attend the Forum! For more information, please contact adrienne@ussf2010.org.
Endorsers Pledge: As a USSF endorser organization or individual, we/I pledge to support the USSF in one or more of the following ways: - Register early (by May 1, 2010 at latest). - Make a financial contribution to the USSF. - Identify and share in-kind donations that can be made to the USSF. [share link/form from Sha] - Promote the USSF in our/my outreach materials and other communications media. - Add a USSF badge or link on our/my website or online social networking tools (get them at USSF badges and graphics) - Recruit additional endorsers from our/my community and networks.
Endorsers Process: - Organization or Individual downloads/views the Endorser Job description and pledge, as well as the 'What We Believe' statement and the 2010 USSF Goals [I've been sending these to folks who ask about NPC membership as well and it seems to help.] - They fill in their information for the pledge, including a link to their website. - AMB checks that the organization/individual is legit, and then updates the Endorser page of the website weekly with new names and links.
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12:15 Plenaries Proposal (see below) - Sarita Gupta
Plenaries Proposal to the National Planning Committee USSF 2010 February 10, 2010 This is a proposal drafted by the plenaries team which includes: Walda Katz-Fishman, Rosalinda Guillen, Emily Kawano, Andrew Dalack , Oya Amakisi, Noura Erakat, Tammy Bang Luu, Bineshi Albert, Adrienne Maree Brown, and Sarita Gupta.
After careful conversation and consideration of the input of the National Planning Committee, we respectfully submit the following proposal.
Three Evening Plenaries We are proposing three evening plenaries, 3 hours per evening, with a variety of formats to increase participation. We propose that the plenaries align with each day’s theme: One focused on Detroit One focused on national and international movements and solutions One focused on alternatives and solutions
Each plenary will incorporate cross-cutting issues {For example, what are environmental solutions to economic crisis?} We will also strive to make the plenaries transformational, uplifting the intersectional work that will advance what folks are doing. We will need to develop big framing questions that ensure that we get these intersections.
Different Formats For the Different Plenaries We have brainstormed various formats and are advocating that we use a different format for each plenary. A panel of speakers followed by a World Café format for discussion and input, where everyone gets to have some conversation at their table or location, and that information is filtered to the large group. A fishbowl format with multiple identified speakers that takes place centrally and then moves into smaller fishbowls with audience in separate rooms. A panel of speakers with the use of technology for discussion to get comments and questions, and suggestions in real time. For example, this could be useful for the third plenary on alternatives and solutions. One plenary in which international allies are streamed in via Detroit Expanded. We are open to other format ideas as this process moves forward.
As a carry-over from the 2007 USSF, we propose prioritizing speakers who are grassroots leaders versus large names, and can speak to their work and solutions.
Next Steps: If this proposal or components of the proposal are approved by the NPC, we are proposing that there be an ongoing plenaries TEAM to work on this, with current members able to continue and other active NPC organizations eligible to join.
In ALB, talk about spaces created together. It was agreed to form a team to take info from ALB and bring proposal back to this call.
This is being brought forth as a proposal for feedback and then will be reworked to reflect feedback.
3 3-hour evening plenaries - align with each days focus/themes Day 1: Detroit Day 2: National/International movements/solutions day 3: Alts/Solutions
Uplift intersectional work that people are already doing
Each has a different format to increase participation Three ideas for format World cafe Fishbowl format Panel
Prioritize grassroots speakers
Looking for approval from NPC and folks who want to join the team to move this forward.
Questions: Other folks wanted to be included in the team.
In proposal 3 plenaries - wondering what is thinking behind focusing specifically on Detroit as opposed to: Nation (including Detroit) Intl Alts/Solutions
Responses: - goal is to show how we are all interconnected/converging. very important that Detroit is a specific focus because USSF is there and was decided to be held there for certain reasons. - Also to align with themes of days for the program
- Day Two: Connecting Detroit and the U.S.
- Day Three: Connecting U.S. and International Social Movements
- Day Four: Solutions, Alternatives, and Vision: Confronting and Combating Neo-liberalism
Questions: Timing? Looks like 6.30-9.30ish.
Note - let's be mindful of last face to face convo re: balance btwn broad issues and spreading ourselves too thin. there may be people who don't fully agree with only three plenaries. if npc approves after the final vote, we should be ready to defend it.
Question: Is there proposal of various formats fitting better with specific themes? Response: We didn't get into those specifics. Did imagine, but felt it would be gotten back to after approval from NPC.
Note: Be mindful of the constraints of having them be participatory. The real requirements of having 10,000 people in one room.
Will team create language around why we are choosing to go with way? Yes!
Call to vote: No opposition, no stand asides. Plennary team will move forward!
Any NPCer that wants to join team call email Sarita by Friday
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NPC/OC Meeting
Recommendation is to:
- Go forward with the OC meeting with main and alternate reps present (if possible)
- Invite key NPC members who are chairing priority areas of work that we would benefit from their historical knowledge or current thinking on the issue i.e. Sarita and Walda on the Plenaries, Louis on the International front to name a few. Once the prioritization of political conversations is done, the facilitation team can determine those other NPC members who should be invited.
- Like any meeting, it is open to other NPC members and regional allies that want to come but will be at their expense, and the staff will not take responsibility for arranging logistics for them.
- Increase the number/length of phone calls for the NPC from now until June, 1rst and 3rd Wednesday at 12pm PST/3pm EST.
- Create an agenda to deal with 2 main focuses: Logistics and NPC organized Program (opening and closing, plenaries, PMA and the inter-relation of the it all)
- We create a facilitation team that does not have logistical responsibilities and within the agenda we build space for breaks, non-structured time to allow for discussions and relationship building.
- Prioritize the areas of political discussion and debate. Create proposals to help advance those discussion and decisions.
- Create feedback loop from the NPC and working groups on their input on political direction. Start on Feb. 17 NPC call, create the tool/process for feedback, have final feedback on March 17 NPC call.
- And if in the OC meeting, there are questions beyond our capacity, like we have always done, we go to the NPC for that input and decision.
Here is the list of political conversations: (not limited to these)
- Programmatic themes to discuss and more importantly land: content, flow, methodology, speakers, culture, etc in the opening ceremony, the evening plenaries, PMA's and the closing ceremony.
- What is next post-USSF? What is the vision of continuing the social forum process: local, thematic, USSF3, North American Social Forum, PMA's, Days of Actions, WSF-Dakar, etc.?
- What are we as a whole (NPC, DLOC) trying to really accomplish not just logistically but politically? How do we actualize the goals for USSF 2010 that we set out for ourselves?
- What does it mean to expand the NPC and what is the future of this body?
- Are we going to meet our goal of 20,000 people in Detroit? What is it going to take to meet that goal?
- What is our commitment to internationalize the USSF? Will there be an NPC sponsored Global Action in joint struggle with our International allies?
- What needs can we really fulfill: access to the disability community, other languages, childcare, etc. All of those needs are not just a logistical consideration, it is a political discussion to create common understanding and then measure it to our actual capacity and resources to do it and be clear about our ability at this point meet those needs responsibly?
- How do we update our “What We Believe” statement to reflect our current organizing principles?
- How do we answer the questions the International Council has asked all social forums to answer: What is the analysis of the current situation? What is the analysis of the state of social movements? What is the state of resistance? What are the alternative projects that are being built? What are the strategies of the process of the WSF?
- What is our orientation and plan for security issues relating to right wing forces and backlash at the USSF, homeland security, INS, etc?
- Any others?
5 goals for the USSF 2010
- Create a space for social movement convergence and strategic discussion
- Advance a 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
Can PMA provide a cohesion on ABQ discussions: state of movement and resistance? Where are we with the 5 goals?
3 requests: a) increase amount of calls to 1st and 3rd wed to 3pm est? b) create survey to get broader feedback and consultation? evaluation & documentation committee will help. get a level of debate and dialogue going. c)
Support? Yes, no opposition, abstentions So next npc call is 3/3
- team 1: where are we at on 5 goals
- team 2: post-USSF II
- team 3: state of resistance, PMA
- Steph-PMA: PMA can help stay on those questions (team 3).
Financial update: Finance Team working from 2007 numbers and add'l budget considerations for a core cost functional budget based on cash flow. Please see email Steph sent out. Send back questions and concerns to her. Want a clear and open process, please send feedback, add'l flags and needs. Ask that WGs sync up with each other. Staff also allocated funds for travel needs, plus $1500 for working groups.
Adrienne: we will start sending out twice monthly highlights to NPC to keep everyone informed and excited!
That's all, thanks.