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Rose facilitating

On call: Mary, Jerome, Walda, Rose, Jen, Alfredo

1) Check-ins


2) Trayvon Martin statement


Mary: Made a couple editorial suggestions that have since been adopted. Comment: The term working class is understood differently in different places. We need to revisit as current period progresses, need to monitor use of it. Some people think of it as cultural entity not political entity. Others think of as only one section of what we think of. Jerome: Had volunteered to work with Shamako to put a link to his longer statement Rose: It’s important to affirm the notion of state’s long history of not honoring the rights of Black people. There are many statements on this case and we need to make a statement, link to bigger piece by Shamako. It’s a good statement; we need to move forward. Not sure if NPC needs to weigh in - what is the process? Jerome: Don’t think we need to send to NPC, it’s in line with “We believe” policy documents. Only need to get NPC to endorse if it is from NPC. We should just make the statement from the ACT. Walda: Do we have access to the big list serve? What is method of distribution? These are longer questions for the retreat - question of what’s our response to things like this, having a list serve, etc. Jerome and I will consolidate by Friday. Do you want me or Jerome to put out on all communication vehicles we have? Jerome: We should also contact communications and see what other lists we can put it on, as well as put on the website. Rose: Let’s not delay too much longer. Alfredo: As soon as it’s done it needs to be submitted and can be started to be sent out. How long that takes is another question Jerome: We can do in next day or so Alfredo: Send to me, will work with Mallory to get out


1) Guidelines for USSF research/knowledge production:

The subcommittee needs to continue working on this and maybe bring back to August meeting of ACT. We probably won’t get to it at the retreat. (See draft statement and discussion at notepad: https://pad.riseup.net/p/USSF_research_guidelines)


2) Working group reports


- Poverty Working Group (Mary): PWG meeting July 25th. Mary and Evelyn from DAWG (Direct Action Welfare Group) are coming for to the retreat for the PWG. Mary is a placeholder for the PWG in the ACT. Khalilah and Evelyn are interested in the possibility of representing the PWG on the ACT in the long term. Khalilah would like to be skyped in to the retreat if possible. DAWG, a new NPC member, has announcement on its website that it is planning an Appalachian PMA.

Rob from USACAI (US Canadian Alliance of Inhabitants) is meeting with the International Chairperson of the International Alliance of Inhabitants from Italy, who is currently in NYC to discuss applying for USACAI to join the NPC. Once formalized USACAI will probably apply.

Jerome informed us that Rob from USACAI was on the USSF Information call this week.

- Road Working Group (Walda): 2 sites have applied - Philadelphia and Jackson (Malcolm X Grassroots. Looking to establish site team 3 of people from the Road WG to make site visits to these location. Currently, except for Victor, there isn’t a person from Detroit or a staff person. The WG needs to get approval (from the ACT) to ask Detroit folks to look for one person from Detroit to send on these site visits. The request was approved by those on the call.


3) Retreat Planning


Logistics

Who took notes while I (Jen) was leading discussion?


Agenda

Agenda call later same day (July 24th).

Discussion of where to put Comm/ Tech proposal. Decision to place it in early in working group section, place it after the Comm/ Tech WG report, so as to make the discussion non-general or generic, but rather make it concrete. Here the Comm/tech can also raise the implications of this for a Social Forum of a New Type, which will help lead in to the afternoon discussion. Rose suggested 11:45 to 1 pm, after the break, that the comm/ tech WG would do their report and proposal

Jerome said that the agenda is very packed and important to break down sections ever further see which themes need more or less time. Also raised importance of facilitators and idea that the agenda committee attach goals of the forum/ retreat to each section of the agenda.

Review of proposed agenda - The morning will be context and theory – going over the documents, such as strategy paper, that everyone should have read. - Afternoon is visioning. - Jerome suggested finer tune timing to estimate times, to come out with sense of what social form of new type looks like - Another major goal of the retreat is discussing the instrument – the PMA to get clear on how it serves our goals, movement building, education, organizing etc. - An idea was put out to attempt to leave Atlanta with a new draft of the strategy paper/ strategic plan

These agenda points capture the 2 major goals of the retreat - reviewing and reflecting on the strength and weakness of the process, and developing a social form of new type – what does it mean, what do we want, what are our tools to get there.

Walda: We need to be clear that we need to be looking to be concrete on PMA's, who's holding them, the process, etc. Some political orientation discussion is important for the weekend, but the bulk needs to be concrete, how to get done what needs to get done. Not general discussion but concrete on the road to the next USSF, etc.

Rose reminded us that these are interrelated, that we can’t do the concrete planning without the framing.

The Agenda team’s next work will be developing more in terms of overarching frame and getting more specifics

Draft 3 of the agenda should also have proposals for facilitation

Rose: Wants to get specifics on room for the meeting. For those coming in Saturday afternoon, it would be a good thing to go over and look at the set-up, see what else we need. Any idea what room

Jerome said we would use the big room downstairs or the library. We can do either. He will check on this. Emory is the person assigned to be in meeting, as long as the March is over and everything goes well.

Jen suggested an evening event in which we would ask Project South to share with us about the march to Sanford. Of course this would also including discussion of the general context of what is happening in this moment, and also possibly the situation in Detroit. We could frame this around the need for a rapid response strategy for the USSF/ PMS process, as well as other possible ways of deepening coordination between movements, especially in the face of such political moments

Walda reminded us that we need to consider document for the retreats, which can we do electronically, which need to be on paper, what supplies are needed etc.

Neither Jerome and nor Jen will be able to be on the next ACT call


Next ACT meeting 7/31/13 11AM eastern