[Street] [Ob-media] [Ideas] proposal to table GA until Friday (in lieu of community forum on immediate problems)

Elizabeth Holmes sherlock at mit.edu
Wed Dec 14 15:00:54 EST 2011


We are quite decentralized & I thought it might be interesting to think
about project-based approach to OB versus working group approach.

As our communications are strained, our working groups may not communicate
with each other as much as we'd like & in a successful manner.  I've seen
it a lot here and it seems to be happening in Boston (after sifting through
the 2500+ emails I have from OB that're unread...)

Proposal Notes<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T_JbMbFfbzUBnBkO8ddt2SGGUSQBHh_X8kv21Ze17uM/edit?pli=1>

On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 2:56 PM, Patricia Downer
<patricia.downer at gmail.com>wrote:

> +1
>
> Patricia Downer
>
> On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 2:25 PM, Allison Nevitt <asnevitt at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> I guess I don't understand why having this Friday meeting means we
>> shouldn't have a GA on Thursday. They are not mutually exclusive.
>>
>> I very much appreciate the desire for some community conversations which
>> are facilitated quite differently from the decision-making process at a GA.
>> GAs are for decision-making in a very large group and that requires
>> careful, methodical consideration and more structure to ensure that people
>> are in the right headset for each section of consideration and that each
>> person knows when they can get their input into the process. Open
>> conversation is for a very different purpose. GAs were never meant for
>> this. Both venues are equally valuable. The demonizing of the GA because it
>> can't be all things has been problematic. Making room for open conversation
>> is exactly why we cut back to 4 GAs per week. We fully expected people to
>> step up and organize topic-centric community conversation evenings. So,
>> let's get that going. I'd love see us go from Cuppa (5-7pm on Mondays) into
>> a community conversation about a predetermined topic.
>>
>> Sounds like this Friday will be about housing the houseless and
>> continuing to think about OB space for meetings and things. That's great.
>> Let's do it.
>>
>> I'd like to see another one on "why we're doing this and what our
>> long-term visions are". Not a conclusive, decision-making process, but a
>> personal outpouring of the issues that sparked this movement and our dreams
>> about what we think a future would look like if we were successful. I think
>> having this be the subject of a community conversation on regular basis
>> would help to keep us connected to our common ground and maintain the
>> foundation for all our decisions, both collective and autonomous.
>>
>> I know there are many hours of meetings about action planning on Sunday.
>> I'd love to have a "why we're here and our visions" conversation before
>> then. That means Saturday. I don't know if we can pull that off. I might
>> have a place to do so, if we'd like to.
>>
>> I don't have an issue with the many creative autonomous actions people
>> are discussing. I like seeing the energy and I haven't seen anything that
>> is counter to our issues: waking US citizens up to the income and justice
>> disparities in our country. I do think we need some very clear
>> communications systems so that if a group has a concrete plan and is moving
>> forward, there is a centralized place where we can all learn about
>> opportunities to join in. And most definitely need to let media know just
>> before or after the fact (if surprise is important to the action) so that
>> we can document all that we're doing.
>>
>> Certainly, if someone has an idea for some kind of action which requires
>> a lot of people or wants to be deemed an "official" Occupy Boston effort,
>> then they need to gather the support for that, plan it out, bring final
>> plans to GA and have the "official" part consented to.
>>
>> From what I can see, there are those who want us to intensely link with
>> existing community organizations as we move forward and those who feel that
>> this would allow those organizations to co-opt our movement. We don't need
>> to reconcile this, per se. Some of us can work with community orgs and
>> others can continue on independent paths. I would not feel comfortable with
>> anything else.
>>
>> That said, coming together periodically for a community-wide meeting
>> which is solely about action planning - whether independent or not - sounds
>> like a great way to keep centered and connected. So, I love the idea of
>> these meetings, as long as we're not going to them to argue about what to
>> do and what not to do. Let people bring up their ideas, update us on how
>> their plans are coming along and ask people who are interested to join
>> them. Members of the community will self-select based on their interests,
>> personalities, time available, etc. If I bring an idea and it resonates,
>> people will sign up for it. If not, I must accept that it didn't resonate.
>> I trust us, as a community, to generate powerful actions, as long as we
>> keep connecting to one another.
>>
>> Given my back, I'm not sure how many meetings I can make in the near
>> future, so I would be very appreciative if someone, or more than one, would
>> convey some of my thoughts here.
>>
>> In solidarity,
>>  - Allison
>> Una at DailyKos <http://www.dailykos.com/user/UnaSpenser><http://bostonlyme.blogspot.com/>
>>
>> <http://kossacksnetworking.ning.com>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 9:56 AM, Daniel McCarey <
>> daniel.coexistence at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> +1 Aria
>>>
>>> On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 9:54 AM, Aria Littlhous <aria at littlhous.net>wrote:
>>>
>>>> I agree with the sentiment but don't think you will be able to
>>>> successfully cancel Thursday GA on such late notice; whomever shows
>>>> up---and someone will--will feel they have a right to make decisions. Maybe
>>>> start the healing Thursday/ask for input for Friday?
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 7:04 AM, rita sebastian <rita at brandeis.edu>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Thank-you Katie for saying this...I agree!
>>>>> Rita
>>>>> Off to Court
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 1:55 AM, Jennifer Mazer <jmmazer at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>       THANK YOU KATIE (not yelling, emphasis)
>>>>>>         I felt some very bad vibes at tonight's GA.  Enough to make
>>>>>> me fear for OB...
>>>>>>       My birthday is Thursday.  One of my major birthday wishes will
>>>>>> be for
>>>>>>          OB to survive because when we aren't dysfunctional we are
>>>>>> powerful.
>>>>>>           We have the power to change Boston and the world.  Not
>>>>>> being "starry-eyed" here.
>>>>>>            I KNOW we can do it.
>>>>>>             My thoughts.
>>>>>>               In hope, Jen Mazer
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 1:35 AM, Katie Gradowski <
>>>>>> katie.gradowski at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hey all,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm forwarding this email widely because it seems pressing.  The
>>>>>>> past two GAs following eviction have felt very out of place -- I feel like
>>>>>>> we, as a community, have not yet dealt with the eviction from Dewey Square,
>>>>>>> which has resulted in a creeping sense of sprawl and dysfunction.   This
>>>>>>> email is a tentative call for a reset!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *A brief overview of my concerns:  *
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Over the past two days, we have seen hours worth of working group
>>>>>>> announcements, in many cases for working groups whose purpose and identity
>>>>>>> has irrevocably shifted.    We have seen "message" proposals, even as we
>>>>>>> have houseless occupiers who have gone days without a place to stay.    We
>>>>>>> have had a proliferation of hastily planned actions, with no thought or
>>>>>>> coordination of how we, as a community, want to respond to eviction, or of
>>>>>>> coordinated actions between working groups in response to eviction from
>>>>>>> Dewey Square. Reports so far on tonight's GA (contentious issues of
>>>>>>> storage, personal attacks, a proposal to send homeless occupiers to DC?)
>>>>>>> suggests that things are not getting better.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> While this is all happening, there are pressing issues that have not
>>>>>>> yet been resolved.    I feel deeply uncomfortable moving forward in any
>>>>>>> sense until we can take time, as a group, can resolve the question of space
>>>>>>> and housing.   I would like to propose tabling Thursday's GA, and in its
>>>>>>> place scheduling an open community forum this Friday, at St. Paul's
>>>>>>> Cathedral, from 6-8:30 p.m. to find immediate, community-wide solutions to
>>>>>>> the following three concerns:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ******************************************************************************************************************************************
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> IMMEDIATE ISSUES  (to be resolved in the next few days)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *1)   Permanent space for GA + reassessment of working groups *---
>>>>>>> Without a site, we have sprawl on all sides.   Working groups that no
>>>>>>> longer have space, GAs are tentatively planned, lots of options on the
>>>>>>> table for sites but no solid choices, defunct groups consolidating with
>>>>>>> other groups.   We need to sit down and map out the new terrain.   What is
>>>>>>> the new "site" for OB, in the absence of Dewey Square?  (don't outsource
>>>>>>> this to a working group!  let's solve it together)   Do we want a central
>>>>>>> space for everything or several diffuse spaces?   Do we want roving GAs in
>>>>>>> JP, Chinatown, Dorchester, and elsewhere? (and is it important for Gas and
>>>>>>> working groups to be in the same space?)   Do we want to rent or borrow?
>>>>>>> Do we want a food truck and a caravan of tiny houses?   And if so, how do
>>>>>>> we make that happen?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *Between now and Friday, I propose that *everyone* who has an idea
>>>>>>> or plan about permanent space take this week (facilitation, logistics,
>>>>>>> outreach, Eric, Greg, Brian, myself) write it up as a proposal, and bring
>>>>>>> it with actionable items to Friday's community forum*.   In line
>>>>>>> with that, I propose that as many working groups as possible check in with
>>>>>>> updated information about where you are meeting and how you are situated,
>>>>>>> post-eviction. *This is a top priority at the moment*.   Without a
>>>>>>> space to assemble and a concrete proposal for what space we want to
>>>>>>> inhabit, post-Dewey, we will not be able to settle long enough to
>>>>>>> accomplish anything of substance.   We'll split up, peter out, start
>>>>>>> meeting separately, stop checking in, and that will be the end of Occupy
>>>>>>> Boston.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *2)   Long term winter solution for houseless occupiers * --  At
>>>>>>> the moment, we have up to 10 people remaining who are active occupiers who
>>>>>>> need a place to stay.   At least 4 are couples and cannot go into the
>>>>>>> shelter system.   *We cannot rely on occupiers who have stepped up
>>>>>>> to offer short-term housing as a long-term solution to this issue.
>>>>>>> * Those of us who have offered space are already stretched thin and
>>>>>>> are trying hard to fill in the gaps.   Many of these people have stuck it
>>>>>>> out after eviction,  helping to coordinate space logistics and
>>>>>>> participating in GAs and working groups, in spite of the very real
>>>>>>> possibility of spending the night in a bus station.The occupiers who remain
>>>>>>> are part of our community, and we need a community solution to this issue.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *We need an immediate solution to the question fo where they will
>>>>>>> be housed. *  Possible short term solutions: rotating couch space,
>>>>>>> church space, others?  long-term solution:  outreach to places that will
>>>>>>> allow us to pitch tents (not a good option over winter)?  large indoor
>>>>>>> spaces with housing?   renting an apartment for houseless occupiers over
>>>>>>> winter?   Sending people to other occupations is not an option -- nor is
>>>>>>> farming this out to a working group or a dedicated set of individuals.   If
>>>>>>> we are truly a community, we need a community solution to this issue.
>>>>>>> Most of these people have arrangements that are expiring by the end of the
>>>>>>> week.  This issue must be dealt with, before any broader questions of
>>>>>>> message and direction are considered.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *3)  OB actions this week, next week, and moving forward.  * I had
>>>>>>> a conversation with some folks in media a few days ago about message, and
>>>>>>> someone remarked (quite rightly) that the way we make statements now is not
>>>>>>> with words, but with actions.   There are a number of very exciting actions
>>>>>>> coming out of the community organization meetings, as well as a
>>>>>>> proliferation of exciting, small-scale actions (tiny tents, anyone?) that
>>>>>>> are in progress.   Let's coordinate TOGETHER, plan across working groups,
>>>>>>> and approach these actions in a really intentional way!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> This week has seen more sprawl than usual, with a proliferation of
>>>>>>> actions, many reactionary, quickly planned with little coordination or
>>>>>>> thought of execution.  Autonomous action is fine, but too easily becomes an
>>>>>>> excuse to throw things together at the last minute -- let's NOT use GA
>>>>>>> announcements as a place to plan actions in the hopes that people will just
>>>>>>> show up -- let's actually sit down and plan them together!   *There
>>>>>>> are two meetings taking place this weekend -- an OB action summit (Sunday
>>>>>>> at 1) and a community-wide spokescouncil meeting to plan for a mass day of
>>>>>>> action sometime in January or February.*   Let's prioritize these
>>>>>>> meetings, and use that space as a jumping-off point for a larger discussion
>>>>>>> of what we, as a community, want to prioritize going forward.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *********************************************************************************************************
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> WIDER POST-EVICTION THOUGHTS - on GA, facilitation, and the need for
>>>>>>> open community spaces
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> (this is less urgent - feel free to skip it if you like -- they deal
>>>>>>> with my broader concerns about GA, and how we can move forward as a
>>>>>>> community in the wake of eviction from Dewey Square
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *Reclaiming GAs as a public space* -- the past two GAs have felt
>>>>>>> very closed at a time when they need to be radically open -- they have
>>>>>>> carried on with "business as usual," instead of reclaiming GAs as an open
>>>>>>> forum (which they initially were).   In the wake of eviction, we need SOME
>>>>>>> spaces for "loose" facilitation, for town hall stye forum, similar to what
>>>>>>> we had in the beginning --->  perhaps reviving the PROPOSAL FOR COMMUNITY
>>>>>>> NIGHTS?   how to deal with the sprawl of announcements??   replacing WG
>>>>>>> announcements with print copies to circulate -- info desk at GA? -- all of
>>>>>>> these and more. now, more than ever, we need to make it a radically open
>>>>>>> space, and be proactive about inviting new people in
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> In the days and weeks leading up to eviction, many people remarked
>>>>>>> privately to me that they felt OB becoming a closed community, with people
>>>>>>> onsite "taking care of their own," and offsite working groups operating in
>>>>>>> total isolation of each other.   Post-eviction, we have followed "business
>>>>>>> as usual" -- continuing meetings, highly procedural GAs, prioritizing an
>>>>>>> hour of working group announcements, and dragging on for hours.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We need to respond to GA specifically -- but we also need to
>>>>>>> actively create spaces for people to meet and socialize, building in time
>>>>>>> for social events, community forums  (like the one I'm proposing right
>>>>>>> now), discussion meetings, teach-ins, and debate -- planning them in
>>>>>>> advance and publicizing them widely, so that people outside the mailing
>>>>>>> lists will know about them and can come.    In line with this, we need to
>>>>>>> actively make use of the website, wiki, facebook, and twitter make sure we
>>>>>>> are publicizing our events, keeping people up to date, and coordinating
>>>>>>> within Occupy Boston in order to get the word out in a timely manner.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *Taking care of our own*.   When occupied, Dewey Square was in a
>>>>>>> constant state of crisis.   It was impossible to respond, react, or slow
>>>>>>> down long enough to deal with the myriad issues  -- chief among them, the
>>>>>>> marginalization of houseless occupiers and people of color.  Their needs
>>>>>>> need to be addressed and put front and center in any discussion of how we
>>>>>>> as a community move forward as a community  (whether they be clothing,
>>>>>>> shelter, living assistance, a place to take showers, etc)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *Prioritizing people over process:*   David made a proposal at
>>>>>>> Saturday's facilitation meeting to go back to loose process and allow
>>>>>>> people to speak openly at the post-eviction GA.   This didn't happen, and
>>>>>>> to date, no space for this kind of open conversation has been made.
>>>>>>> Post-eviction, we need to reintroduce a sense of radical openness to GA,
>>>>>>> even if it slows things down or breaks process.  *We need spaces
>>>>>>> for loose facilitation, even at the expense of efficiency, both to take
>>>>>>> into account (and deal with) our radically changed circumstances, and to
>>>>>>> make space for new people to have a place in the dialogue.*
>>>>>>> Strong facilitation is comforting to some and profoundly alienating to
>>>>>>> others -- at this juncture, I feel pretty strongly that we need spaces for
>>>>>>> both strong facilitation and open, spontaneous dialogue -- and that if this
>>>>>>> isn't currently happening in GA, we need to make it so.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *Collaboration across working groups.  * For anyone who was at last
>>>>>>> night's community orgs meeting, it was an amazing example of coordination
>>>>>>> across groups -- we had four solid proposals on the table for upcoming
>>>>>>> actions (from January through March) and left with actionable items on each
>>>>>>> one.   For the first time in the history of that meeting, there were
>>>>>>> representatives from media,outreach, facilitation, and community
>>>>>>> organizations from across Boston.   At the facilitation meeting last
>>>>>>> Saturday,likewise,  there were representatives from almost all of the major
>>>>>>> working groups.    It felt amazing, to see and begin to plan large-scale
>>>>>>> collaborative actions as a group, with thoughtful, intentional buy-in from
>>>>>>> everyone in the room.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Too often, we farm out difficult decisions to working groups or
>>>>>>> create new ones on the spot, rather than do the workto have these
>>>>>>> conversations.   We need to create spaces where we can collaborate TOGETHER
>>>>>>> to solve pressing issues across working groups, marshal our existing
>>>>>>> resources and work together, across working groups, to plan actions,
>>>>>>> solutions, discussions, and next steps.     More conversations like this =
>>>>>>> more work that can immediately get done (and can get done together!), which
>>>>>>> is what's going to keep us together in the long run.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> *********************************************************************************************************************************
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Everything that's outlined above is hard.   We need to be
>>>>>>> thoughtful, intentional, and have the courage to take things slowly rather
>>>>>>> than rush to keep up with press coverage and the post-eviction spotlight.
>>>>>>> We also need to try, as best we can, not to trash each other by email as we
>>>>>>> work through these difficult issues.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Without a space -- and in particular, without concrete
>>>>>>> accommodations made for our most marginalized members -- I feel it will be
>>>>>>> very hard to move forward on any of the rest of it in a meaningful way.   I
>>>>>>> propose that we start this conversation Friday at 6 p.m. at St. Paul's
>>>>>>> Cathedral.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Those are my thoughts!   Please let me know yours.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> All best,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Katie
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Rita Monestersky- Sebastian
>>>>> Brandeis, MA SID' 2009
>>>>>
>>>>> "If you cannot change yourself, how can you change the world?"
>>>>> Gandhi
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Ideas mailing list
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>>>>>
>>>>> You are subscribed as: aria at littlhous.net
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> 'A coalition is not a family. It's not where you feel comfortable or
>>>> where you go to see people you like; it's where your boundaries are tested.
>>>> It's where you get work done." Barbara Smith, African American feminist
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
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