<div>Hey all!</div><div><br></div><div>Street met this evening. Here's a quick update on what we discussed for the NH primary this weekend. </div><div><br></div><div>(Mark, Robert, et al -- please read and let us know if this squares with your plans!)</div>
<div><u><br></u></div><div><u>So officially, "Occupy the Primary" runs from Friday, January 6 to Tuesday, January 10. </u> It will be held in Manchester NH, at Veteran's Memorial Park. There is a full roster of events, with speakers, teach-ins, and actions happening all weekend (full schedule <a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/124596234321440/">here</a>). There will be tents, as well as indoor sleeping accommodations and a kitchen available during the day for cooking. At least five of us (hopefully more) are going to go up Friday night for the opening festivities. <u>OB will be the second event following the kickoff, from 6:30 to 7:30 (maybe later?) to get the evening starte</u>d Here's a quick overview of what we have planned!</div>
<div><br></div><div><b>"Elephant in the room" - Speak-out and Build Party!</b><b> </b> </div><div><br></div><div>On saturday, January 7, Manchester will be hosting the primary debate, where candidates will likely be asked about the state of the economy and what's to be done about it. We're going to provide them with a little bit of help -- reappropriating the Republican elephant to address questions directly to the candidates. Susi, who has been doing most of the organizing and outreach for this event, is midway through constructing an <u>8-foot plywood elephant</u>, which will be the main attraction. If all goes according to plan, it wlil have video monitors, speakers, and a camera attached to it so the elephant can livestream.</div>
<div><u><br></u></div><div><u>From 6:30-7:30, we'll break into groups and decorate the elephant with all the questions we actually want the candidates to answer and be held accountable for. </u> At the same time, we'll have a few folks going around with cameras interviewing people, a la the 99 percent Tumblr page, to be tweeted and livestreamed, and also projected later on our very own elephant. The next day, the elephant will march in the gay pride parade and then over to St. Anselm College, where they will be hosting the actual debates) --- where it will sit outside plaintively with questions (which the candidates may or may not decide to answer)</div>
<div><br></div><div>Susi, Ridgeley, David, Brett, Ariel, and Katie will be going and helping to facilitate the speak-out and break-out elephant decorating party. We're hoping to get some additional support from signs for awesome banner making and screenprinting (as well as bringing up materials for some tiny tent-making). There are possible additional plans for sign-making, banker GAs, smaller actions, etc, but the elephant will be the main thing we're working on for Friday evening. I think that sums up the plans so far. We hope you'll join us! </div>
<div><br></div><div><b>Logistics: </b> We're either going to carpool up or take the bus ($25 round trip), and will head up a little bit early (around 3 or 4?) to help set up. You are all enthusiastically invited to join us!</div>
<div><br></div><div><b>Things that need to happen between now and then:</b></div><div><ul><li>Press release (ideally with some of this information) needs to get posted to the OB main page --- Susi, maybe we can co-draft this? I can help tweak if you want to send me a rough sketch of what you'd like posted (also, this should be a Facebook event -- anyone have access?)</li>
</ul><ul><li>Susi needs to finish up the elephant (is this a thing other people can help with?) - I think tweeting progress on this will help get people revved up</li></ul><ul><li>Rdeshare coordination -- I think there are a number of people who would like to go, and may want to stay for the weekend (our group is only going up for Friday). Is there a wiki page? If we can get this set up by tomorrow and announce at GA, I think this will help a lot in getting buy-in</li>
</ul><ul><li>Mass announce + invite to OB groups -- ideally after we've got rideshares figured out (though sooner is better than later)</li></ul><ul><li>Acquiring livestream + video equipment -- Ariel is looking into getting this from media, but if there is anyone in NH or OB who is willing to use their phone, that would be ideal. At the moment we only have one livestreamer, and video is a big part of this.</li>
</ul><ul><li>Reaching out to tiny tents + Screenprinting -- Ariel is reaching out to Jay and John Murphy-- can someone volunteer to email CASA and see if they'd be into this? At the very least, we'd need to get templates and scrounge materials for it. It would also be great to have stuff for making banners. </li>
</ul><ul><li>Costs, etc -- Occupy NH has asked that participating occupies pitch in for the cost of portapotties and other assorted logistical stuff. This can be covered out of outreach + street budgets, but we'll need to get forms and keep receipts.</li>
</ul></div>
<div>Those who were at the meeting -- thoughts, revisions, additions? (many thanks to Susi, who is the reason this is happening) We did not discuss the flash mob -- I don't know what's happening with this or who's organizing it, it's a separate thing. Also, for those who are on the edge of your seats, we are categorically NOT endorsing Mitt Romney. Breathe deep! All is well with the world. </div>
<div><br></div><div><u>Next Street meeting is Thursday at 5 </u>-- let's check in then to see how things are coming along (Brett, Ben - any thoughts on where this meeting will be held?) I think that's all I've got - please add anything I missed, and let us know if you'd like to be in on the action! The plan is to be back Friday evening, late, though anyone who wants to is welcome to stay through the weekend. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Please share with your friends! It's going to be a fun weekend, and a great start to this event. </div>
<div><br></div><div>Best,</div><div><br></div><div>Katie</div>