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ACT CALL 6/19/13 11:00AM Eastern, 90 minutes Facilitator: Walda Notetaker: Jackie Agenda: Check-ins: Jerome, Walda, Liz, Jen, Jackie [Rose is away]

1) Left Forum debrief (10 min.) • Sessions- were good to invite people to learn about USSF/ Attendance was small-though. o Walda notes that people still aren’t in the political space we need them to be to come out of silos and engage in the kind of movement building the USSF is about. We need to engage in more political education to help move people in this direction. Specifically –moving people out of issue silos to system critique; moving from campaigns to long-term and broad movement. Need clarity about how to move beyond fighting back to more pro-active strategy. Need more clarity on the importance of building power. In addition, moving from thought/discussion to concrete action. • Good networking by large # of ACT folks who were there—direct links with other groups; Contact with NESRI, Center for Constitutional Rights- both will be applying for NPC member (NESRI) /Ally (CCR); Also individuals recruited for working groups. • Meeting with OWS folks was helpful/productive—Occupy Theory will be joining NPC • We learned that we need to improve the PMA organizing kit—[Jerome noted that Outreach is working on this with Road to USSF3]

2) USSF Coordinator Search update. (Jackie, Walda, David 5 min.) (see: http://wiki.ussocialforum.net/wiki/Applications) 12 Applicants for position. Committee would like input from ACT on how much to prioritize particular skills/experience: (i.e.,*Importance of Spanish?.Tech experience?; Coalition work/experience?). Administrative/ coordination abilities/ availability to communicate with ACT, Working Groups. (not same skills as ‘organizing’) Tech savvy enough to work with May First/PL folks. Experience with USSF/WSF process Knowledge of national movement landscape/ experience as organizer is important as well as skill-base Clear understanding of how much work it will be.

  • Committee will be reviewing applications and doing follow up. Will make recommendation/s to ACT. We will have recommendation by next ACT call at the latest.
  • Question about process: Does ACT have authority to hire, or does this need to go to NPC? [The process we’ve followed in past suggests that ACT should bring a recommendation to the NPC prior to finalizing decision.]


3) USSF Strategy paper --whether & how to communicate/share with NPC/others? (<5 min.)

  • We had developed this paper to guide Resource Development work/proposals. Also for use with other working groups.
  • Strategy retreat will work from that paper to develop deeper discussion of ideas in document.
  • Should the paper be on the website/where/how?
  • Discussion favored making document public/available so we can get some feedback prior to the discussions in the retreat.
  • Jen: noted that this document is helpful to share with our international allies. [After retreat we will translate and disseminate]
  • Jackie: Proposes doing a short newsletter piece on the strategy discussions, linking to paper and inviting input. Also on website.


4) ACT Retreat Updates (see http://wiki.ussocialforum.net/wiki/ACT_Retreat_Planning ) (Jen) LOGISTICS: Jen will reserve hotel block- 10 rooms near airport-- & transport to meeting space; Meeting space at Project South (Emory will rep. Proj.South at meeting); Caterer –Project South recommendation. Invite letter (need discussion of whose costs are being covered—agreement that ACT members & 1 (active) Work Group rep. each); [Outreach-wants to invite Edgar from WA/active with NW PMA; Poverty-Marian Kramer/Mary BJ; Comms/Tech—hopes to send Roberto Tijerina & one additional WG rep. the team will help support.; Road-Chris Wamhoff; Resource Dev. –Jacqui P.;

  • Sylvia-should be invited as ACT member
  • We will need to pay travel for Coordinator
  • [Do we need to make specific outreach to, e.g., Indigenous W-G; Youth], other NPC members? Note need to connect with past USSF work. We want newly mobilized people but also long-time participants.
  • We need to activate arts & culture working group [Hip Hop Congress]
  • Jerome notes health and healing report—which recommends mobilizing that working group early in process (Rita in Atlanta plans to attend retreat as observer)
  • Kali Acuno-MXGM- is in Atlanta-should be invited
  • Detroit rep. –poverty WG; Sylvia…

Jackie proposes to work with Jen to develop budget and cost out the travel allowances we’ve committed to, etc. –8 ACT members +5 WG Reps?/ other WG?-Culture/ Atlanta Observer-participants. (Est. 25 people at meeting)

CONTENT: Rose is working on draft agenda


5) Working group reports (remaining time)

• Outreach: New applications from MXGM and DAWG. ACT needs to decide how to move.
• Comms/Tech: Newsletter- in process with item on strategy discussion/retreat; and featuring story about new NPC members (ongoing work to report on each new group-will do as capacity allows)
• Road to USSF3-Jackson MS-is applying to host/ MXGM; Working on video for site selection
• International-Summarizes work to coordinate/strategize with international allies--Iraq Social Forum-Sept. Work to strengthen ties with Middle East is priority in WSF process; Global social movement assembly gathering in Brazil planned for next year- would like to raise resources to have attendance there. European left is keen to strengthen work with us on new free trade initiatives being put forward by governments.


OTHER: Liz asks about follow-up with NOLA people. Jerome and Rose are still working on date of July 6. Hopes this works with NOLA. Walda notes that we should have this meeting before the August retreat. If the July 6 date doesn’t work for NOLA, do we need to find another ACT rep. since Rose’s schedule is tight?


• Next ACT Meeting 6/26/13—{SPECIAL MEETING} Wed. 11AM AGENDA:

NPC Applications- MXGM and DAWG
NOLA meeting-Jerome
Strategy Retreat
Coordinator Short List