ACT Meeting May 29, 2013 11:00 AM Eastern, 90 minutes
Facilitator: Jerome
Notetaker: Jackie
Action items:
• Check USSF Website for any needed changes/updates/corrections. Esp. list of NPC members (http://www.ussocialforum.net/npc)
• Working groups to propose names of delegate to the meeting/ by next ACT call (in addition to ACT rep.)
• Applications for National Coordinator are available at ACT wiki page: http://wiki.ussocialforum.net/wiki/Applications (Email Jackie if you prefer email version)
• Mark your calendar ACT retreat August 4-5/Atlanta
• Review draft strategy document for next meeting & prepare for discussion of examples of ‘social transformation’ and ‘challenging/reversing hierarchy’
NOTES: Check-ins: Rose, Walda, Alfredo, Jerome, David, Jackie, Jen, [Liz-regrets/traveling]
1) Working group reports (20 min.)
ROAD: So far Philly is only site that has applied. Others have expressed interest. Just got off site selection call with Asian Communities United/Co-app. With PPEHRC for site. Discussed their ideas for space (tents in deindustrialized area of city), notions of social forum of new type. Main concern is about other anchor potentials. They still need to consult possible co-anchors (AFSC, Norris Sq. Civic Assoc., Liberty Resources/Disability rights) Additional research needed on anticipated venue costs. Requested to see budget from Detroit USSF to model-[Resource Dev.?]. -David- it’s necessary to have Victor help walk someone through this document/it’s not easy to read. Will work on setting up meeting. -Rose-suggests making the call a wider one for other potential applicants -Jen –notes that the proposed area is gentrifying, there may be issues with legal/police to consider. Chris & others on WG are producing video to help put out call for site applications
OUTREACH: Is getting broader and wider; 3 new groups applied to/ (2 confirmed) on NPC. Peaceful Uprising was at March Meeting and has applied. ACT Recommends accepting Peaceful Uprising as NPC member. Jerome will send message to NPC list to get NPC approval. (if we don’t hear from folks within 1 week new group is approved). Need to be sure new groups get added to NPC list.
- RECOMMENDATION TO Organize working group membership lists. This is a useful way to organize working group communications. Some already have this, but other WGs now use email thread/lists which can miss people, etc. HOW TO FIND OUT-Information on people who sign up? Jackie will find out and report back.
RESOURCE DEV. Meeting to reconstitute WG. Are calling people who had been involved. Working up budget through 2013. Working on email blasts/ crowdsourcing, etc.
COMMUNICATIONS: Website updates have been made from last meeting- **please check site and send any new updates. New NPC members added. http://www.ussocialforum.net/npc Language Justice-met with Roberto and will follow-up at Left Forum to discuss how to integrate Lang. justice into communications work. Newsletter-coming soon ACT email is set up for ACT business: act@ussocialforum.net (now forwarding to Jackie)
Rose: Asked about NPC membership list. (GET EMAIL COUNT?)
Left Forum plan/ meeting with OWS folks? (<2 min.) •Building Cooperative Alliances between Radical Scholars and Social Movements Saturday June 8, 3:40pm - 5:20pm, Room E302 •The Road to the Third United States Social Forum—Towards a Social Forum of a New Type Saturday June 8, 5:30pm - 7:10pm, Room E321 •The 2013 World Social Forum in Tunis Sunday June 9, 10:00am - 11:50am, Room E330 •Building a Global Movement for Radical Transformation: An Orientation to the US and World Social Forum Process Sunday June 9, 12:00pm - 01:50pm, Room, Room E330
Times for meeting between USSF/ OWS during Left Forum? David: Pam Brown of OWS (Occupy theory/ associated with Title Magazine) has gotten involved in MTA—are planning to apply to NPC. Pam has offered to host a dinner on Saturday for ACT. Rose: Wants to know meeting agenda/structure/plan. David will follow up with Pam and make connections. Alfredo: Likes idea. Good outreach idea & demonstrates politics of social forum. Might help pull together some of the remnants of OWS initiatives.
2) USSF Coordinator Search update. Discuss process for reviewing (Jackie <10 min.)
3 Applications submitted so far; Denise Graves, Shamako Noble, Toussaint Tingling-Clemmons
-Applications are available to all of ACT: http://wiki.ussocialforum.net/wiki/Applications
-Sub-committee should review all applicants and make recommendation to ACT.
Sub-Committee: Jackie, Walda, David
-Recommends phone interview to follow ACT preliminary discussion/ Sub-committee to recommend way forward.
3) ACT Retreat (http://wiki.ussocialforum.net/wiki/ACT_Retreat_Planning) (Rose, Jen, Liz: 30 min)
Dates: Aug. 4-5 (Sunday & Monday-Full days). Location: Atlanta Hotel near airport or Project South (TBD). Jerome will invite to Project South to attend; have some joint activity with Project South. Will see about possible meeting space if that is needed. Agenda proposal coming soon from sub-committee. Last ACT meeting notes specified: Meeting is open to all NPC members who want to send rep. Working Group delegates (up to 2) will be supported to attend this meeting.
- Working groups should propose names of delegate to the meeting/ by next ACT call
4) USSF Strategy paper (Draft circulated) Jackie & Walda (20 min.) Jackie: Needs help integrating Rose’s suggestions into document. Specifically-- we need concrete examples of what we mean when we say the USSF process produces social transformation and how it challenges hierarchies/dominant power relations. Rose: Good to have political discussion about what social transformation is. What is the vision and how is it achieved? On hierarchy—having this discussion may help us revisit the concerns raised by NOLA experience. Walda: Notes that this document raises two different tasks/needs for us. One is to produce a text to communicate externally with potential funders. Another is to have an internal discussion about strategy/goals/assessment. We need to be clear about the two different statements and their purpose. Proposes a more systematic discussion of each of the 6 goals and how we would see them being realized; PMAs Deeper political analysis, greater political alignment, more coordinated action. This deeper conversation can happen at retreat.
Next ACT Meeting CHANGED to Tuesday June 4 11:00 AM
Facilitator: Jerome (He’s now liberated from this role for rest of June)
Notetaker: Jackie (Still willing and able…)