US Social Forum - connecting the local to the global

Greetings from the 7th World Social Forum in Nairobi Kenya! Hundreds of Americans are here to demonstrate our solidarity with the people of the African continent. Many of us here are also working on the first United States Social Forum--Connecting the local to the global! (For additional YES! magazine reports before and at the Social Forum, see the YES! USSF.)

The Call for Program Proposals is now on the website! Click the call on the opening page then you can complete it online or download and complete to submit later. Don’t forget to register before you submit you proposal.

Meet the latest member of the National Planning Committee --The Independent Progressive Politics Network brings together organizations and individuals working to achieve a national, non-sectarian, independent progressive political party, or an alliance of such parties. IPPN’s representative to the NPC is Ms. George Friday, National Coordinator.

Come to the DC Metro Social Forum / Build the Grassroots Movement for Social Change
March 3, 2007 at Catholic University, Washington, DC

Why a DC Metro Social Forum? Here in the shadow of the White House and the Pentagon we suffer the local consequences of a world built on greed and oppression. While empire is being built, our schools are being devastated, our neighborhoods are being gentrified, and our rights to adequate healthcare and affordable transportation are being taken away piece by piece. While many imagine DC to be a city of great wealth, we speak to another metro DC – the metro DC that is majority African American and Latino and that stands on the corner looking for work each dawn; the metro DC that changes the bed pans, and makes the beds; that cuts grass, hair, or nails; that builds homes, bridges and museums. Together we say – Enough! A thousand small organizations, a million living room conversations, and a billion acts of resistance every day? it is not enough! We call for a DC Metro Social Forum to build a movement to imagine and create another metro DC.

HOW: Some ways that you can get involved include: organizing your own workshop, mobilizing your organization or community to participate, volunteering to help with program, fundraising, logistics, and more! To submit a workshop and to register please use the attached forms, or visit the website at www.ussf2007.org/dcmetrosf

To join with us or for more information, please call 202-234-8840; email justlikeatree@hotmail.com; write us at DC Metro Social Forum c/o Community Coalition, 1525 Newton St. NW Washington, DC 20010 or visit us at www.ussf2007.org/dcmetrosf

Some USSF FAQ

::Where will the USSF take place?
We will be headquartered in downtown Atlanta at the Atlanta Civic Center, the Westin Hotel, and the Downtown Marriott. We will also utilize space at the Auburn Ave. African-American Research Library, CARE, the APEX Museum, and Amnesty International to name a few. Community and Cultural events are also being planned for Hammonds House African American Gallery, 7 Stages Theatre, Horizons Theatre, and Eyedrum. This information will be posted on the website in February.

::What does the National Planning Committee do?
Organizations on the NPC are expected to give at least 50% of their time to the USSF process, and to tap someone else within their organizations to give at least 25% of their time. They are expected to donate money and resources to their fullest ability, and they are expected to hold down the regional committees and working groups. As we approach the USSF they are expect to give 100% of their time or 100% of the time of some else in their organization. No members of the NPC are paid for their work by the USSF.

::How can my organization support the USSF?
Organizations that can't throw down with cash can go to the website and sign on as a USSF Movement Mobilizer--tell us how many people your organization commits to get registered for the USSF.
-Organizations that already have a staff person working on an USSF working group or regional committee should go to the website and sign on as a USSF Movement Builder.

::What does my organization get if we make a tax-deductible contribution to the USSF process?
Organizations can go to the website and donate as little as a $150.00 to the mobilizing process then sign on as a USSF Movement Supporter.
-Organizations willing to commit to multi-year support of the social forum process are asked to come on board as:
USSF Resisters donate $1,000
USSF Protectors donate $2,000
USSF Designers donate $5,000
USSF Believers donate $8,000+

In exchange for this commitment organizations receive a 5-person registration package to the US Social Forum, as well as public acknowledgement for your commitment.

In February we will launch a new section of the website to acknowledge all our Organizational Sponsors, Honorary Delegates, Supports, Mobilizers and Movement Builders!

::I understand only organizations can present programs and events at the USSF, but what is the minimum organization registration you can pay?
The lowest posted organizational rate is $125 for 3 people. Any organization that finds even that rate a hardship can write and request a solidarity discount.

::How do I get my ideas for a USSF program on the schedule?
Your organization can register for the USSF on-line then access the Call for Proposals, also on the website. You can submit as many proposals as your organization can support.

::Then what happens?

The Program Working group along with help from other working groups will review the proposals and group them according to the themes and purpose. June 28—programs that seek to educate us and raise our consciousness; June 29 programs that call us for us to create a vision for the near future; and on June 30 programs that help us shape strategies for change.

::My group is thinking about having a tent at the USSF—what should we do?

You must contact the logistics working group ASAP. Tents have to be permitted 90 days before the event. We also have limited area for tents so size restrictions will be imposed. Contact Alice at alovelace@ussocialforum.org or 404-586-0460 ext. 32.

IT'S BUILDING TIME
More information to come very soon !
www.ussf2007.org

What the U.S. Social Forum Means To Me

Imagine a world where everyone has what they need, where people make the decisions that matter and where government truly is for and by the people. Now, imagine we are working, talking, debating and planning to bring that world into being.

This is the World Social Forum (WSF) process, an open space where tens of thousands gather together to imagine and then work to realize that “other” world. Over the years, the World Social Forum has helped to advance fundamental regime change throughout the world. In places like Venezuela, Brazil, Chile and Mexico, grassroots movements have forged political environments that offer more than a choice between the lesser of two “evils.” They are crafting societies that demand authentic participation and voice.

The Forum’s slogan is “Another World Is Possible.” I believe that. And I believe that in order for us to achieve that other world, we must bring the Social Forum movement home to help build another United States.

A Journey Starting in Seattle

This June 27th, thousands of like-minded people will meet for a week in Atlanta for the first national U.S. social forum. It is ironic that it has taken more than six years for the U.S. to host a national social forum because the World Social Forum process was birthed in an action that took place in the United States.

A movement was launched at the World Trade Organization conclave in 1999 in Seattle. Forget what the media showed you, release that frame and see it from another perspective. Paul Hawkens, a leading environmental businessman and author, in a January 2000 speech about the world trade organization and the events in Seattle wrote:

Already, the world's top 200 companies have twice the assets of 80 percent of the world's people. Global corporations represent a new empire whether they admit it or not. With massive amounts of capital at their disposal, any of which can be used to influence politicians and the public as and when deemed necessary, all democratic institutions are diminished and at risk. Corporate free market policies subvert culture, democracy, and community, a true tyranny.

The American Revolution occurred because of crown-chartered corporate abuse, a "remote tyranny" in Thomas Jefferson's words. To see Seattle as a singular event, as did most of the media, is to look at the battles of Concord and Lexington as meaningless skirmishes.

From the streets of Seattle and every struggle that proceeded from that day in November, a vision was born; the idea that maybe, just maybe another world other than the one being planned by the eight richest nations, a world that encompassed all the peoples of the world, was possible.

Bringing the Vision Home

The U.S. Social Forum (USSF) presents a unique opportunity to develop relationships, collaborative campaigns, and a greater sense of hope that indeed another U.S. is possible. The forum process places us in step with the global movement for justice, helps us connect our work in more strategic and inspired ways. Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “Our nettlesome task is to discover how to organize our strength into compelling power.” This is the next important step in our struggle and this is the very heart of the forum process.

To date over 300 organizations are working to make the USSF a reality. What holds us together is the belief that we live in an interdependent world community and must hold each other accountable.

The WSF committee delegated Grassroots Global Justice (GGJ) to coordinate a U.S. Social Forum that would represent those most adversely affected by the ravages of globalization and neoliberal policies. GGJ is an alliance that grew out of people of color-led grassroots groups who participated in the first WSF. These grassroots leaders created a U.S. Social Forum Planning Committee. Atlanta was selected as the host city because of its location in the U.S. South.

I wanted to be a part of this process because I believe:

• in creating sustainable communities
• there must be an end to the worldwide AIDS epidemic and its devastation of Africa and India.
• that we must stand together in our support of nuclear disarmament and an end to nuclear proliferation
• that we must work to reform the juvenile justice system and put an end to the private prison industrial complex that profits from finding ways to make criminals of our youth
• that we should support indigenous land rights, as we oppose Artic drilling, environmental racism and Global Warming
• that we must support a just minimum wage because a job should keep you out of poverty, not keep you in it struggling to pay for necessities
• that everyone should have food, affordable housing, extensive and affordable public transportation systems, education and quality health care
• that we are a nation of immigrants and must stand in support for Immigrant Justice
• that we must join thousands of organizations and congregations across this nation and around the world that are working for the end of war; those committed to take nonviolent action to end the U.S. war in Iraq, who call for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops and occupation in Iraq.
• and that we must not be silent in the face of man made misery and destruction like what is taking place in Darfur.

Here in the U.S., we have our own man made devastation. One year after Katrina, the failure of the levees and “homeland” policy have been exposed. And these man made failures have contributed to the devastation of the Gulf Coast and the scattering of hundreds of thousands of persons from New Orleans across this nation.

Katrina is a wake up call that we must embrace our mutual interdependence and take responsibility for one another's well being. The reality is we are each linked to the fate of all persons in this nation, whether the storms and floods directly affected us or not. This awareness of our interdependence will be at the core of the USSF as the forum will feature updates on conditions in the Gulf Coast and the policies affecting the region and its residents.

It is time for us to connect -- all of us who are committed to justice, love, equality, creativity, and sustainability. We must work collectively to ensure deep and lasting social change and for the protection of the planet.

Bringing About the “Great Turning” Point

David Korten has written a book titled “The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community”. I had the pleasure of hearing Mr. Korten speak at the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in St. Louis -- he explained that “The Great Turning” is the shift from the industrial growth society to a life sustaining civilization. He called for deep shift away from the devastating individual and structural practices that occur when profits drive our actions. We must turn away from domination, he warned, and embrace partnership. We can no longer allow resources to be diverted away from people to secure a system based on domination of those on the bottom, for to have a society where a few are on the top, you have to have many on the bottom.

As one of the organizers of the U.S. Social Forum, I want to believe that collective visioning is connected to this kind of great turning toward real change; that we are creating a continuum that includes personal change work, relationship and community building, and direct political action to enact systemic change.

Working together, another U.S. and another world is possible. I invite you to reach out to your organizations and extended communities to participate in the social forum because it is an opportunity to forge a collective turn for the better.

How can you help:

• Post information about the United States Social Forum on your website, or an ad with a link back to our website
• Create a solidarity fund for the working class and poor who need resources in order to attend the USSF.
• Become an organizational supporter and make a donation to help sponsor the USSF.
• Mobilize your constituents, members, friends, neighbors and co-workers to attend the USSF.
• Connect with our speaker’s bureau and bring in USSF speakers to address your congregation, club, and friends.
• Donate your time, frequent flyer miles, old video and digital cameras.

Why? Because we live in a world where 20% of the world’s people consume 85% of the world’s resources. Where the poorest 20% lives on only 1% of the world’s resources. Where the middle 60% of the population live on 14% of the planet's resources.

Why? Because the only way the world will change is if a majority of the people believe changing it is possible and desirable.

Why? Because you believe that another word is not only possible, it is necessary.

Come help us make history. For more information, visit us on the web at www.USSF2007.org

Published in In Motion Magazine November 22, 2006

Momentum Grows for the US Social Forum

I just completed a report on the USSF process to date, and even I was impressed. After talking to all the working groups, local host committee working teams, and regional committees I was energized by the amazing depth and breadth of the work that is being done across this country. If you would like a copy of the USSF Update #1, send me an email at alovelace@mindspring.com.

The Grassroots Global Justice Alliance initiated the US Social Forum process, shepherding the organizing process through the formation of the initial National Planning Committee (NPC) in August of 2004. The NPC for the United States Social Forum (USSF) has been working to assure that those most affected by the ravages of neoliberal policies are at the center of the organizing process. Participation in the organizing process has grown steadily over the past two years with more than 200 organizations participating in the 8 Working Groups and 10 Regional Committees.

On June 16 the Coordinating Committee of the United States Social Forum (USSF) met in Durham, NC and developed a set of recommendations for restructuring the planning process of the USSF. There have been some transitions among groups in the National Planning Committee (NPC). There are also a significant number of organizations that have become active in the Regional Committees and the Working Groups over the past year. The NPC will now be made up of more regional and working group representatives. In this way the NPC will be more reflective of the organizations active in the organizing process.

The Coordinating Committee will now be known as the USSF Organizing Committee, it will be made up of representatives from each of the regions and working groups. 3 additional categories of organizational participation have been created to reflect the broad support and participation in the USSF process.

These categories will be publicized on the USSF website and in USSF literature.
Movement Builders: Groups who will *Participate in the organizing work through the Working Groups or Regional Committees, *Raise money for the USSF, and *Mobilize people to USSF
Movement Mobilizers: Groups who will *Endorse the USSF and *Mobilize people to participate in the USSF
Supporters: Groups who will *Endorse the USSF and *Raise Money

I like the new direction because it creates several levels for participation that takes into account the diversity of structures and size of social justice and peace organization. If you think your organization would like to receive this document, again send me an email and I will shoot it out to you.

The other exciting news is we have heard from three organizations that plan to forgo their own annual meeting in 2007 and bring their entire membership to the social forum—adding their issues to the incredible program that is being planned. We know that other organizations are exploring the same possibility.

Speaking of the program—the Call for Proposals is expected to be on line by the end of August. Once an organization registers its people for the forum, they can submit as many proposals for programs as they like—we encourage organizations to partner around similar issues. The presentation format is up to the presenters, but we are encouraging formats that are interactive, such as panels, art-based activities, dialogues, story circles, role-plays, small group discussion, performance, etc.

This is a big move, this means we will begin to get a sneak preview of what to expect during the USSF by the end of the year. Along with the Call for Programs Proposal we will also post the Call for Submissions for the USSF Film Festival. In addition to the Film Festival a full array of performance arts and visual arts are planned around Atlanta.

Another wonderful addition to the mobilization work is the Women’s Caucus, chaired by Loretta Ross of SisterSong. Loretta says, “We have a great cross-section of women of color groups – both national and local, as well as national and local mainstream and progressive women’s organizations. We have a good number of youth-led and youth-serving organizations, but we want to improve that number as well as more representatives from LGBTQ and organizations of people with disabilities and we’ll continue to work on both of those areas.”

The SouthWest Regional Organizing Committee under the leadership of Regional Representative Ruben Solis—Southwest Workers Union is preparing for the Border Social Forum - October 13-15, 2007- CD. Juarez, Chihuahua Mexico at the campus of the Autonomous University of CD Juarez (UACJ).

The idea of a Border Social Forum grew out the World Social Forum in Caracas, Venezuela in January 2006. A dozen organizations from Mexico and the US met over the proposal to organize an action to tear down the ‘Wall of Death’ on the US-Mexico border. In the agreements of Caracas, it was agreed by the organizations to hold the first Border Social Forum and the action against the ‘Wall of Death’.

The Organizing Committee of the Border Social Forum was founded at the February 18, 2006 meeting in CD Juarez. The Organizing Committee is made up by 25 organizations with the majority from New Mexico, Chihuahua, and Texas. More than 100 organizations have already endorsed the Border Social Forum. For information contact Rubén Solís grulla@igc.org or visit www.swunion.blogspot.com.

All of these activities are evidence of how those five days in Atlanta are beginning to take shape and form. See you in Atlanta June 27-July 1, 2007---if I don’t see you before!

Alice Lovelace
Lead National Staff Organizer
United States Social Forum
www.ussocialforum.org

Speak Poem - Another World Is Possible

From the Theatre Communications Group and The US Social Forum -- Woodruff Arts Center Rich Auditorium Saturday, June 10, 2006

“Global Organizing through the World Social Forum process”

A speak poem constructed by Alice Lovelace from a speech by Candido Grzybowski, one of the founders of the World Social Forum

Candido Said……

Another World is Possible each January
an open space to socially engage and pursue change
experiment in political practice, gather in opposition
to global market liberalism opposition to the idea of
organizing around capital—we organize around people
facilitate decentralized action for a global civil society.

A civic society movement making clear our position
as we fight against globalization—controlling life, breaking the future
fighting debt and trade liberalization, attacks on the environment,
human rights, women’s rights.

Seattle was a break through to stop the World Trade Organization
a new context, which gave rise to the World Social Forum—
a world economic forum in opposition to global control by corporations.

Now we say—how arrogant!

We feel we can do better than they do so we carry the process around the world.
We start something that is about mobilization of society and a shift in economy,
power, culture. The task is to democratically define a new world with people at the center.

We organize to put together people divide by culture, language, distance
in order to work on common problems like water, land, wages—
we join our struggles and campaigns pressing against a global monopoly.
We fight for respect for future generations and human rights for all.

What kind of world do we want? A world as diverse as we are.
Organizing where we live because all our possibilities are different.
Different ideas, all legitimate, making coalitions. Not the forum,
but the people joining together around our shared values with
human beings in the center—world citizenship—we are together!

We are inventing ourselves—the world cannot come to the forum,
but the forum can go to the world! Change from the bottom up.
Come together, exchange ideas, and debate change.
Build a permanent world process—a global civil society
where we work locally, but we live globally.

Another World is Possible. Believe it!

A Public Forum to Speak and to Listen

After a long silence spent trying to clear dozens of tasks, papers, issues off my desk, I am back with my blog. Although I was buried in paperwork, I couldn’t help but notice that the world continues to be full of bad news whether it is about the war and violence against civilians in Iraq, or the more than 500 people who have died in the last three weeks in Afghanistan. Marines in Iraq are now believed to have purposefully slaughtered over 20 innocent civilians in revenge for a car bomb that killed a fellow Marine. And a few weeks ago I heard a report that nearly every person arrested in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina is still in jail today nearly a year later.

Meanwhile, the US Congress debates on what defines marriage in our country millions of families and children slip deeper into poverty, the foreclosure rate on homes increase, chronic unemployment grows and the price of food and medicine rises daily. And how could I forget the cost of gas and the subsequent impact on our wages, ability to get to work, and how we spend our leisure time.

Everyday I discover another reason why the United States Social Forum makes sense. I am beginning to believe as many as 30,000 people will find their way to Atlanta in 2007 to participate in the hundreds of panels, workshops, performances, presentations, conversations and open space dialogue as part of the United States Social Forum.

The idea of a public forum, an arena of public discourse, requires that people come empowered to speak to their social, economic, and political realities while listening to others. It is a place to network and find like minded organizations and communities; a gathering that brings many players, representing diverse issues, at different stages of development onto a level field to exchange ideas, strategies and the tactics in ways that connect us and deepen our impact.

On June 10 in Atlanta, GA Theatre Communications Group I had the opportunity to participate on two plenary during their annual conference. The sessions featured Michael Guerrero, Grassroots Global Justice Director,; Melanie Joseph, Producing Artistic Director The Foundry Theatre; Candido Grzybowski, one of the founders of the World Social Forum; and me. It was Melanie who had this great idea and worked with TCG to make it happen. The topic was Global Organizing and the Arts and what made it significant is that the US Social Forum will be the first to insist on, and make room for artists, cultural works and art activists. Melanie has researched the issues and tells me artists have played little to no role in shaping any of the previous social forums.

I’ll let you know how that conversation went next week. (I promise.)

Houston Social Forum and more

How do we form new coalitions, especially brown/black coalitions? What do the Katrina evacuees have in common with immigrant workers? What is the relationship between the levees they didn’t build in Louisiana and the Border where they are sending the money to build a fence? What about the environmental damage left in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, does the impact on the environment outweigh the needs and rights of the people to return? What is the true cost of the war in Iraq and what relationship does it have with the increasing cost of gas? What do people really mean when they say: It’s not about the issues, it’s about the struggle?

These questions and a dozen more have been crowding my head for the past few months. Being involved with the planning for the first United States Social Forum has forced me to be open to a variety of issues and opinions. Creating a space for civic dialogue is a lot harder than it looks.
Why, because one has to be very purposeful about balance and representation if the base desire is to have a forum where all the people who care to attend can be heard and no one voice dominates.

It also means you have to be fearless and instead of avoiding the issues that create conflict among activist, organizers, grassroots communities, and cultural workers you attack them head on. One thing I learned during my classes in conflict resolution at Antioch University was that chaos is useful if you can harness it to bring about clarity and eventually a unified vision.

Our elders say the most difficult journey begins with one step. In Houston I found people who were ready and prepared to take that first step. Folks, who were willing and able jumped into the chaos, suffered the hurt feelings and bruised egos and tried to use the social forum as a way to open the arena of public discourse. They washed the family laundry in public in the hope that folks would see beyond their current relationships and ineffective waya of relating to each other. The organizers of the Houston Social Forum began the journey believing, another world is possible.

I came to Houston to bear witness to how organizers in the USA who were new to the social forum experience would interpret that experience in practice. I came because I knew that many of the people who evacuated from the Gulf Coast landed in Houston. Another reason was that the HSF sprang up outside of the process set up by the National Planning Committee for the USSF. There is a desire within the process to focus on organizations and their constituents, but being an artist I appreciate the wild card. Houston was an effort put forth by individual activist and organizers with little organizational support.

The night before Heather and Jennifer, two of the organizers had come to a small gathering at the home of my nephew and I got a chance to sit down with them. I asked how they came to decide about a social forum in Houston, not seen as a bastion of progressive politics. My first question was about the involvement of artists, I was told there is a real disconnect between the arts community and organizers in Houston. Unfortunately I hear this from too many communities.

Having read about the social forum they hoped it could help ease the situation in Houston of disconnection between progressive communities. The idea was brought forward and the organizing began. Using the consensus process they set out to unite around the principal of “one no and many yeses” as espoused by the Zapatistas. Not to focus on the one thing that folks said no to, but on the many things they could all say yes to.

We assemble Saturday morning for the first HSF events on the campus of Texas Southern University, an African-American school. The demographics of the school are not reflected in the participants. The crowd numbers close to 100, and is overwhelmingly white and over 40.

So it’s Saturday morning, 9:30am and I head up to the room for my workshop around the United States Social Forum. With me is Ruben Solis, an organizer with Southwest Workers Union in Austin and the southeast regional representative for the USSF.

I love to talk to Ruben when he speaks about the integration of our struggles. He is so clear about the past and his vision of a course for the future. Ruben says the time is ripe for social action and he believes this could bring an estimated 40,000 to the USSF. He believes that if we work congruent to what is happening we can integrate that energy into the social forum process. Because what we are seeing today is a movement set in motion by the people, he believes the energy will push other social and political movements to become more active.

With Ruben are Robert and Lupe. I consider myself well read when it comes to what is happening in my country, yet I was blown away by the information Robert and Lupe shared with us about their campaign to get the military to clean up the Kelly Air Force Base and clean up the toxins on the surrounding land. The toxins buried under ground have created a stew, and when it gets hot the fumes travel into the homes and into the water supply. The surrounding community has experienced high levels of cancer, loss of hair, rotting nails, fragile misshapen bones, kidney failure, even blindness.

When no one else joins us, it becomes obvious, that those who have come to the forum are focused on issues that do not extend, at least in their minds, to the US Social Forum. So I went to other workshops, passing out U.S. Social Forum handouts and checking out the crowd. I stopped in at the Transforming Ourselves workshop, which was very popular. The description of the workshop reads: “How to develop attractive personality so as to be a better person, spouse, parent or employee? Discussion on practical means of transforming ourselves to achieve our goals. A workshop on spiritual development.”

The competition for the small crowd was fierce, not only was there 7-8 workshops running simultaneously, but a series of wonderful films were running at the same time.

Immigration is treated as a major issue with a plenary and several workshops, however only the plenary is well attended. About 50 people gathered in the auditorium for the plenary on immigration. The panel was moderated by Mike Espinosa, managing editor of La Nueva Raza newspaper, and featured activists with various points of view on immigration issues. Panel members include two elders and two youth. The elders spoke first followed by the two youth.

Maria Jimenez began; she is with CRECEN (Centro de Recursos para Centroamericanos). Maria questioned the way the recent immigrant rallies have given prominent positions to politicians and those who were not a part of the movement. She asked the question, is this a moment of opportunism or movement building? “Immigrants are refugees of globalization”, she insisted then went on to explain that when the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund insist that a country restructure agriculture and create polices that shut down small business, a dignified life is no longer possible so people have to leave—to cross international borders to seek a better life. Current policies around the world on immigration are similar and they exist to support globalization and to repress the displaced working poor. She made the point that Political refugees and those with wealth move across borders legally and safely. It is unsafe and life threatening for poor workers – for the international working poor and displaced.

Ruben Solis, Southwest Workers Union, offered a short history of Mexico and the first intrusions from colonizers to the current wave of demonstrations and the planned May 1 rallies around the nation. “What we have seen in the past few months was long in the making going back to the 1950’s when our leaders began the fight for the most exploited of workers—the undocumented worker.” He spoke about the role of NAFTA—dislocating indigenous people’s collective land holdings and creating new poor displaced class of workers. He admitted that the number of people who have participated in the immigration rallies have been surprising and welcome, surprising because it happened by the gut feeling of the people.

Lauren Gonzales (Jovenes Immigrantes Por Un Futuro Mejor-UH) is a student. She spoke about
the American DREAM Act (HR 5131) - a bill that would remove barriers to higher education and create a path to citizenship for immigrant youth. Currently children of undocumented workers can attend college and pay in-state resident fees. She cautioned us that children of undocumented workers often excel in their studies, but once they graduate they were are not allowed to enter the work force because they don’t have social security numbers. She ended by declaring that, “To educate youth and not allow them to enter the workforce is dangerous.” Her comments made me think of the violence and strikes that continue to plaque France.

The final speaker was Jose Rodriquez of the Anonymous Collective. Jose is a self described anarchist who says he was the kind who goes along because this is what everyone seems to be doing. “This war is a continuation of 513 years of war, the big guys against the little guys. When I observe this mobilization, I am just going alone because people are coming up to me and asking me if I was gonna walk out of school and work—a real grassroots effort that appears to be being taken over by big organizations, non-profits, and others who see it as big attention dollars for their organizations.” Jose questioned what others meant when they talked about the people. He spoke to a distrust of non-profits and organizations because very often to get something, recognition, anything they end up aligned with “strange bedfellows” obscuring the line between left and right rhetoric. He expressed doubt about calling what was going on in the streets around the recent immigration rallies a grassroots movement if ordinary people are not being trained to access power.

I left feeling that it seemed to be pitting elders and youth against each other—the youth movement against established organizations. Similar to the question youth often pose—“if you are working so hard, why has nothing changed?”

I was most moved and impressed by the plenary presented by the Common Ground Collective, a true grassroots effort that has come with slides documenting Hurricane Katrina and an exhibit of pencil drawings of evacuees along with their story. The images and words bear powerful testimony to the destructive force of nature and the destruction by neglect of man.

When no one else, not FEMA or the military, would venture into areas to help people in need, these young people did. They grew from a group of three trying to organize on their cell phone to a force of over 2,800 in less than six months. “We grew so fast because we were the only relief organization inside the disaster zone doing something other than handing out food.”

Their commitment to stand with people in need in solidarity, not as an act of charity, was the most important message I heard over the weekend. For me they answered the question of what happens when we resist the impulse to focus on the issues, and instead focus on the struggle ahead.

By using Open Spaces Technology, the organizers insured that anyone who had an opinion or point of view could put out a call to others to join them to discuss a particular issue or share their interest. Open Spaces allows participants to self select where they want to be and what they want to talk about.

Before I left for the airport and Atlanta, I attended the session “Building Bridges Between our Local Struggles and in our Communities.” The final comments I recorded came from Houston organizer Ernest McMillan who worked in the past with NAACP and SNCC, and is currently director of the 5th Ward Enrichment Project and Cuba Solidarity Committee.

It is time to get into the community instead of planning rallies—build institutions within the community to help youth become their own protagonist. You have to set ego aside and let them make their own mistakes. What encourages me, changing demographics in the community causes friction and tension, but it could be the catalyst for a new alliance. Students leading the black/brown alliance and taking it to other schools, youths. How can we build relationships that reflect in our work, learn from and support each other? This is a human rights struggle, but we are all different, we have to learn to work across and through those differences.


Bio:
Alice Lovelace is a published author, performance poet, playwright, essayist, arts infusion specialist, and community arts consultant with a Masters Degree in Conflict Resolution. Awards include 1996 Atlanta Mayor's Fellowship in the Arts and1997 Fund for Southern Communities’ "Torchbearer Award". Alice is coeditor of In Motion Magazine, an on-line publication devoted to issues of democracy. She is the lead national organizer for the United States Social Forum that will take place in Atlanta, GA June 27-July 1, 2007.


LINKS:

Visit the website for the Houston Social Forum at www.houstonsocialforum.org and log onto the blog page for reactions from other attendees.

United States Social Forum
www.usscoialforum.org

Coeditor of "Art Changes" @ In Motion Magazine
www.inmotionmagazine.com

A member of Alternate ROOTS, artists for social change
www.alternateroots.org