5-11-09 Coordination Team Notes

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Coordination Team Conference Call

Monday, May 11, 2009

3pm EST

Present: William Copeland (LOC Staff), Josue Guillen (Praxis Project/May First), Michael Leon Guerrero (GGJA, invited) Sylvia Orduño (MWRO); partly Rocio Valerio (EMEAC).

Absent: Tom Goldtooth (IEN), Elena Herrada (Centro Obrero, sent notes), Cindy Wiesner (GGJA, vacation).

Facilitator: Will Copeland; Notes: Sylvia Orduño

AGENDA:

• Check In
• Review of Coordination Team “Action Items”
• Updates from Detroit and National
• Working Groups Update
• Review Strategic Planning Outcomes and Action Items

Staffing

• NPC Structure Proposal
• Communications
• Allied Media Conference Co-sponsorship
• Midwest Social Forum check in
• Meeting Wizard: dates for the next face to face meeting

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• Check In

Everyone good, excited post-Detroit weekend!

Will honored to be selected as a local coordinator.

Sylvia heading to Detroit soon.

• Review of Coordination Team “Action Items”

need NPC rep for call to prep Detroit reps to MWSF--done.

Public release/save the date--C-Team needs to step up and do that in the meantime, then run by NPC—Sylvia has proposal today.

Josue will identify LOC people for Communication WG mtg.--started conversation over weekend with Bryce.

need LOC contacts for fundraisers, had Rachel and Shawn previously, need one of the anchors to be a part of this; send to Michael or Genaro to get on calls.--Maureen on last call; Diana and Elena stepped up; still need LOC-apptd rep. Josue will add them to them to email list.

Per Will, add item to Anchor mtg tomorrow, discuss RM contact--done

People from all over are beginning to ask what is the planning process. This needs to be an agenda item to touch base on--C-Team working on draft.

Perhaps we could get a list of the working groups with contact information. Even if it's not a complete list right now. Sylvia can work on drafting the list, will bring a draft by next call--has some info now.

Michael would like to see overall NPC structure more in place before the July meeting. He is down to take a first stab at this! Will is down to work with Michael on this!--have as agenda item.

Note - add coordinating committee decision making process to future meeting!--perhaps we work as consensus to move forward but need to determine our quorum.

Further discussion of next NPC mtg in Detroit at Anchors Mtg tomorrow. Perhaps add 7/24-26 weekend to possibilities and still try to be accommodating to AMC conference previous weekend--anchors discussed and offered add'l dates.

• Review of (unresolved) Action Items from previous calls:

C-Team conf call facilitators? (Rocio)--Rocio sent out email. Responses in an email.

Response/decision on Anchors Hiring Proposal? How? Who?--Does C-Team need to do anything? Yes, Strategy session says we make decision and report out: Hire Will and Maureen (retro 5/1), maybe hire Communications and determine others later--unanimous.

Write summary on presenting/discussing WSF Charter of Principles and PMA for LOC orientation (Sylvia)--will do in Detroit; Josue will send notes from San Antonio mtg.

• Updates from Detroit and National

Strategy Session was good and productive! More info below.

Sylvia found a "Save the Date" announcement online for Atlanta USSF and did some initial editing of it for Detroit. Sent to C-Team via email for review. Let's put something together for NPC...we'll send it around thru C-Team for editing. Josue next, then will forward. We can use it to send out to 5000+ email list from Atlanta in anticipation of 6/22 kick off.

Sylvia received an email from Cindy following International Council meeting in Morocco. She has much to share with us when she returns. Jen Cox from the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign was also at the meeting and will contact MWRO.

Review Strategic Planning Outcomes and Action Items--Staffing: William Copeland and Maureen Taylor were hired as USSF Local Coordinators, per Anchors Hiring Proposal; effective 5/1/09. They need contracts drafted—Victor and Sylvia will work on this, and ask Diana and Rocio to help.

At Strategic session discussed 6/22 kick off. This save the date is a basic piece for concrete info--here are the people now you can contact. Share with others who have participated in past and can help in kick off event, maybe media campaigns in other local communities. Unsure how many of 5500 emails in current list are valid, plus regional lists, etc.

Finances--Stephanie, Michael, and Victor met to discuss process and structure for finances. Project South will remain current fiscal sponsor for now and send funds to Detroit thru new bank account that anchors set up. New hires will be on a contract basis until resolve fiscal sponsor transfer, payroll, and benefits. Tides Center may be good option for benefits, payroll, accounting—charge 8-9% administration fee (same as Project South). Make this recommendation to C-Team then finalize out from there. Optimal to have ready by 5/19.

Michael can send finance updates to C-Team, how frequently? Monthly.

Temp structure proposed by Michael and Will for WGs--fundraising? RM should check in on regular basis.

• Working Groups Update

We really need to push on NPC and get Working Groups filled out so that in July everyone is ready to hit the ground running.

As of today, the main gaps and persons that will be recruited are:

Logistics WG—Stephanie Guilloud (William will contact)

Language Access—Ricardo Martinez (Sylvia contact) and Hillary Klein (Josue contact); and Carmen Regalado (Sylvia contact)

Outreach WG—Sarita and Tammy (Michael will follow up)

Sylvia will send out follow-up list with additional point person WG volunteers.

…for all, ask them to schedule the first conference call and to get participants on the call. If they did meet, they should report out and work towards a basic work plan for NPC face-to-face mtg.

• NPC Structure Proposal

Michael and Will drafted a sketch of the proposed USSF Organizing Structure for C-Team to review then we can forward to the NPC for a final decision on the 19th. Review attachment from Michael. Includes Organizing Committee, WGs’ Anchors, C-Team, NPC, and LOC. Regional organizing not included

For ATL USSF, some people didn’t identify with their regions. Again, what’s the purpose of regional groups? Perhaps allow for more flexibility so people feel they have a place; allow for more self-identification, perhaps organizing by sectors.

International: We can help Organizing Committee get a picture of the international organizing process and why it’s important to have them involved; facilitate discussions.

• Communications

Josue and William Bryce (SE MI JWJ-Anchor) suggest we consider hiring someone soon for Communications Coordinator as the WG needs someone to help get things moving. Along with Anchors they think it is urgent that we fill that position. Have a recommendation locally for someone that could be 1/2 time locally focused and 1/2 time nationally focused; propose full-time. The anchors recommend writing up a job description and have an open application process. Diana and Rocio (EMEAC) from anchor will draft. Sylvia (MWRO) offered to help. Josue will forward previous job description. C-Team will need to establish a process to make a decision. Maureen and Will will work on big picture staffing. All staff hires will work at same pay rate.

Allied Media Conference Co-sponsorship--Josué requests USSF be a network sponsor of the Allied Media Conference. It would cost $1000 and would get us 10 registrations (no travel, figure out later), a table, space for a caucus, and identification as a Sponsor. We have budget items for things like this ($10,000)—C-Team unanimous. Josue will coordinate.

• Midwest Social Forum check in

Sent two LOC reps—Oya Amakisi and Tom Stephens—plus, Lisa Oliver from LOC, and Jacqui Patterson from NPC. Was a planning meeting for MWSF to USSF. They’re working to maintain communication, have reps from WI, MN, IL, need OH and IN. They are preparing locally for MWSF in Fall and Spring to mobilize and encourage participation in 2010. MWSF requests space on USSF wiki for their skills and areas of interest--Sylvia will work with others to coordinate. They’ll also coordinate training and workshops and supporting events, and expand among youth and in diversity. They’re networked in Great Lakes states, plus PPEHRC can also help on the ground, some overlap and more diversity.

• Meeting Wizard: dates for the next NPC face to face meeting

Last results were inconclusive and not enough participation. We will send out new dates:

Fri 6/19 and Sat 6/20

Fri 7/10 and Sat 7/11—note: post C-Team mtg, anchors decided against, same weekend as MWRO retreat.

Fri 7/25 and Sat 7/26

Sylvia will draft email language, send to C-Team, and work with Rocio on Meeting Wizard.

• Next C-Team Mtg, Monday, 5/18/09:

Facilitator and agenda drafter: Josué