wiki.occupyboston.org - User contributions [en]

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012

2012-02-07T02:59:11Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Check-Is/Updates */

Anti-Oppression Working Group
Arlington Street Church
January 21, 2012

Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlotte, Jacob, Andrea

==Agenda==
6:00-6:20 Opening
* Introductions/appreciations
* Facilitation, notekeeper, timekeeper
* Ways of Being
6:20-6:50 Check-Is/Updates
* Safety
* Banner
* OWS road trip – request for contact information
* FAWG stipend freeze
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
* Request for our presence at GA’s
* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
6:50-7:10 Debriefs
* Visioning Workshop
* People of Color Community of Gathering
7:10-8:20 Task Work Group
* Visioning Exercise
* Break-Out Groups
* Report Backs

8:20-8:30 Assessment of Ways of Being Ways of Being

==Introductions==
Meck and Bhavin asked the group members to introduce themselves and then appreciate the person to your right. The group enjoyed opening the meeting in this way.

==Roles==
Facilitators – Bhavin and Meck

Notetaker – Andrea

Timekeeper - Greg

==Appreciations==
Facilitators opened up the space for folks to give additional appreciations. The following people were appreciated.
* Michael → taking a risk to engage in this work
* Greg → for the dedicated and often invisible work you do with Financial Accountability WG (FAWG)
* Anna → for being in the center of difficult conversations around safety in OB
* Susan → for all that you have been doing around level 3 offenders, and your involvement with so many working groups
* Maureen → for asking good and hard questions at the Linda Stout Visioning session

==Ways of Being==
The group reviewed the ways of being.
* Step up/Step back
* Both/and
* Don’t shame, blame, attack
* Room for disagreement – oops, ouch, what’s up with that
* Can use hand signals
* Use I statements –speak for yourself
* Active listening – it starts with a decision, a commitment, an intention,
* 30 second rule – this is something we do every twenty minutes. We are also finding that it is tool that facilitators and participants can call for when the tension is high. It is also a useful tool when proposals are bring brought forward to a group and you want group to pause and have time to consider it before conversation begins. It ties into a diversity in the way we structure meetings and active listening.
* Progressive stack
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings -
* No Screens
** Ouch- Introverts among us, who don’t talk a lot, is it a barrier from fully engaging? Or is it a means of communication? A means for being present? It’s their way of having their voices being heard. Maybe figuring out ways to make room for screens can be folded into diversity of structuring our meetings
* Appreciations – new way of being that has been added so that we can recognize and appreciate folks who have put themselves out there

==Check-Ins/Updates==
* Safety (we’re going to do this one first because some folks will be leaving early to go to the GA)
** Folks involved in thinking about community safe space building and way in which we can mitigate harm ….do community trust building. Use what we learned in visioning workshop there. Thought folks would have ideas for that.
** Build a community for responding to harm. Build a community where there …because we respond to one another’s need for emotional and other forms of safety. To build a foundation, need to be able to trust each other. In the past month, Jumped into OB and put a lot of trust in folks in my WG and affinitiy group and didn’t know them well. A few things have happened that have shaken that trust. It matters to me that they are safe and personal responsibility to hold that trust – both ways me towards them and them towards me. This the background to wa
** A couple of ways to be involved – Sunday at 1:00 at Flaxseed across from Park St. to help plan for Monday meeting. Or be in touch via email. Or want to help facilitate this. There is also a meeting next week on Monday for larger meeting for self-education about questions of restorative justice and safety…who in our/wider community have wisdom on the topic.
** Appreciate what is Rachel is trying to do. Think that the discussion won’t ….there are anti-democratic structures of GA. Knows someone who got physically sick from being involved at GA. Confused by blocking….group decides if you’re objection is valid or not. Not intuitive. They understand –
** Facilitator: Understand there are many people concerned about GA. Not our task to …many people feel that this needs to be deeply . You are welcome to address this with them .
** Agree that these issues are important.
** Anna@occoupyboston.org
** 6:00-8:30 Monday Gathering
* Banner --. nothing new
* OWS road trip – request for contact information → looking for contacts with whom to
** Michelle and Angela offered to serve as contacts
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
** Statement of Purpose – in progress, Andrea is contact person, nagel.andi@gmail.com
** Vision Statement – finished and posted
* FAWG stipend freeze
** Proposal to put hold on monies until March 6. Frozen at the
** Folks taking direct action with cap of $2000.
** Goes into effect at 12:01 on Monday.
** Why is only one area of work allowed to spend money – direct action? Passed at GA.
** Money for community gathering? Will still be available
* Request for our presence at GA’s
** More presence of AOWG at GA’s made by member of Facilitation to be eyes and ears,
** Maybe this group can bring an offering and open a GA with a reading
** Maybe we can read our Ways of Being in our meetings
** Nothing built into GA’s to deal with issues of oppression unless the facilitator already has the skills to deal with them. Hence, a lot of things are said and done and not always dealt with effectively. This area needs to evolve a step further it would be a wonderful to have the help of Anti-Oppression working group.
** Some members of us are present at GA’s – Susan for example. We need to hold that some of us are present and that more of us could be there. It’s a both/and. It would be great …many of us are there not in front or in public ways, but there building relationships.
** Proposal of another civility pledge, did look to this group about ways to speak to one another. Can lead by example. Don’t have to fight your way to the front. Leadership emerges by doing good works and having that recognized.
** GA’s are a large group and we are a small group. Facilitators there need more skills. We need to understand what they are dealing with. It would be good for some of their facilitators to come here and learn with us.
** It’s about bigger existential questions about OB and where to spend my time
** Asking people to do anti-oppression organizing to go into a space that is oppressive, that we want to appreciate people’s self-knowledge to know when it’s not safe space to do this. And for those that go into those spaces, we need to find spaces to support them, the need for healing when there is real trauma.

* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
** There is a group that affects the way the level 3 sex offender proposal is addressed
** It sounds like what is being said is that because there is a group, that it will be handled. That feels unfair – not right.
** No - I didn’t want to open it up for a big conversation about the topic, so that’s why said that. But I didn’t mean that it’s all taken care of because the group exists.
** Many of the level 3 offenders are oppressed themselves. They have needs for sex, as they do for other things…..There are issues of mental illness [full statement not captured]
** We need to set a space to have this conversation – not here.
** An ouch for me - Some of what you’re saying is an ouch
** Some of what is being discussed is so complex and we haven’t set aside a space/time to discuss.
** The community safety is approaching this conversation from a place of accountability and restorative justice and it is nuanced and complex. Not taking proposals, in process of discovery and learning. Not centered on a particular situation or person.
** What is the frame for our discussion? Updates – where is the work, where are we at with a process for each of these. This wasn’t clear.
** Feeling discomfort about this – when thinking about our ways of being. We’re trying not to replicate what we’ve learned by dominant culture about responding with what can be experienced as aggressive. My hope is that in this space to try to think about how we speak to one another – I mess up miserably and try hard and have been held by the group and accountable.
** A few of us in the room - in not being honest with the issues on the table. Until we deal with the issues we won’t have progress.
** When I first entered Facilitation WG – I came in attack mode. And wanted to point out all that was wrong with it. And found that the Fac. Team are all concerned with the same things. They are very concerned ….everyone in the community is aware that there are deep concerns with the process. A lot of people come in and out of facilitation team and they bring new ideas and skills. Now there is an action assembly, there’s conversation about a spokes council. You should attend facilitation meetings. You’ll hear a lot of anxiety about the process…the community is at stake at every GA.
** Some of the things that have been said is patronizing and patriarchy. Very easy to sit in an arm chair and criticize. Don’t sit back and throw stones, get involved and change it. Get to know the people and what they’re trying to do. It’s a process. It’s very easy to talk about how bad it is and talk down at them. People need to check themselves.
** Appreciate Bhavin for sharing his thoughts.
** Need 20 seconds. ….silence.
** I believe that we are all in this circle because we care deeply about many things that bring us here together. There are some deep conversation about the issues going on right now, about the stories that we bring to the work, that is deep work. OB is challenging us to go down this road. And there is no structure or way of doing this. There is place to hold the nerve, the will, the passion that people bring to this. Tere are truths being spoken, and everyone has a truth worthy of being spoken. We cannot deal with all of the truths now at this meeting.
** Carlos’s way of communicating, just being you. It’s cultural. Maybe the fact that we can be who we are in the space says that we are closer to being family than we realize. We have to remember that all of us are products of our cultures.

==Visioning Workshop==
What did you learn that would inform our anti-oppression work?
* Appreciate Susan for all the work/outreach you’ve done to bring this opportunity to OB
* Really challenging to apply techniques well in an organization to OB. Can you give an example? The whole thing.
* I learned that I was really frustrated. I have tremendous respect, She was trying to uses a model that wasn’t applicable.. because we don’t have a shared community, rootedness in community (like Piedmont) – which is in fact what we’re struggling with. The visioning exercise went on so long with drawing time. Paying attention to what was going on with folks. Linda continued to speak to her own experiences when people were yearning. That the challenges were, what our creativity could yield.
* Would she have been willing to alter it if she had heard this?
** I tried to once to say something and it didn’t have much of an effect. To be fair hard to come in from out of town and shift gears mid-stream is hard.
* I learned about commitment to things that are dysfunctional. When I step into a space, I commit to it and process it afterwards. It was helpful to do that. There were moments of beauty. The moments of one-on-ones were beautiful. I was frustrated by the visioning exercise – whether we were doing something together. If going to spend that much time creating a space, have to commit to holding it all the way. Think we lost the space that was being created at the end.
* Not having been there – what did she do?
** A lot of the time done to create the space to vision. A lot of exercises – step in with identities to see collective experience in the circle. Then went through guided imagery – from now into a time capsule 25 years ahead. Imaging the children now are adults then, what would be going on if our work were to come to fruition. Then draw the images that we had seen. At the end of the visualization exercise, the assignment was to listen and get a message from someone and bring it back.
* Hearing common themes – an exercise that works for organizations and not occupy. The models for doing anti-oppression organizing – focused on structural and systemic oppression, not to ignore interpersonal – not having a community that knows and trusts each other can’t have structures for decision making. Feeling frustrated by desperate need of OB trying to create beloved community and do structural work….not possible to do structural work if not from a place of community. Making it harder to come back to OB.
* To be able to deal with racism in institutional level your place of organizing has to start in a community that exists – famiiy, neighborhood, workplace, community, church..not one that has to be pre-disposed to want to deal with it – but place based. OB goes out into an ether and catch with whomever shows up. That’s enough to deal with it interpersonally but not structurally.
* We have to understand a real issue, from here we’re going to talk to our colleagues.
* Grounding – concept of being able to do work – internal community building work without common grounding. Place-based, can be varied - experienced based…but some grounding is necessary. At OB, feels like we’ve known each other for ever. A day feels like a week. How short this time has been – any of us. Important for me to hear. For me, who has not been involved in this type of organizing, have been so absorbed in it, it’s only 3 mos. Not having a common grounding in only 3 mos. and there is an expectation that we should have it. How to deal with the expectation and the disappointment that we don’t have it.
* Have a lot of thoughts to respond to…..when we did exercise to step into the circle. Some of the things people …not having a space to hold the things that are raised.
* More of a community interaction in OB – and can’t have a civil culture about civility proposal. All the spaces reinforce oppressive culture – church, sports, schools, entertainment, etc. Not going to pass …can’t blame the fruit for the tree. The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning. You can deal individually with a person and have to understand the culture from which they come.
* Build community
* Educate – we don’t all have the same analysis, richest place to start.
* Model of visioning trained in – model that is steeped in naming what is current reality. It is completely critical to be honest about where I am right now. I need to know where I am in relationship with my vision. Creates structural tension to work with. As humans, do all sorts of things we do with that. OB is so fractured, and beautiful, and a lot of oppression here, and wanting to ….so critical for OB to realize what the current reality is. What does a stretched rubber band want to go with it? Lose the vision and no energy, or move towards the vision. Most people have the hope, but maybe not the skill……a lot of drug use and lack of safely at Dewey…maybe have skill set in the greater community but not at the moment it is needed. It’s the both/and thing…….
* Where a lot of these divisions are in our movement….when you have a community. Can start by looking at where you are. Can come to a common understanding of what the problem is. Don’t have that at OB. Can also start with an understanding of what our vision is. There is also a big division about our vision. This might stem more from the way about the way we think about the vision than the vision itself. Visions tend to be visual – pictures….the way of doing this has been the problem– dismantling all prisons. A lot of people at OB don’t embrace that idea. Even in thinking of the future the way we want, the differences are still there. You have to focus on how it will feel not what it looks like. What is most important than the way we ..how important people feel is the most important thing for me – there is nothing more important. If it’s important for people to reflect on what it will look like or what people will have done, but how it will feel, I suspect there will be a lot more common ground.
* Sorry that you are facing foreclosure, I hope you are finding support for that given the connotations. Didn’t have my vision be understood - Not so much of the opening the prison doors – having our brothers and sisters join us with fishing rods, diplomas, but speaks to how we share our vision, and what we’re trying to get at. There is no shorthand because we don’t have a common analysis. Structural impediments to how they are perceived socially or what they embody for powers that be. The more we can come forward with our oppressed identities – whether we have suffered them, or hold them in solidarity with people who can hold them, the focus is on the person who is surviving and not on the perpetrator. Want to shift the dominant culture and culture of OB. While there is a lot of shifting, there is a lot
* This is new to me, I’m from PR– oppression stuff. Mostly oppression is done by the government. Been here for 3 years and people are helping me see it. Am interested in how you deal with this……
* Appreciating this and the people who continue to teach me…this is my reality and not making any sense and have it mirrored back….with yes but, yes and. Appreciate all of the responses. The work of this group – whether the community and education. There is a strategic question – what is our definition of community? Occupy – this broad thing? This space who come here and build that ground up. Educate - Building from concentric circles, starting with us or larger OB? If moving away from the visual and asking people to share their feelings – because it’s really personal, although we’ve crossed paths, this is personal. There is another risk – strategic risk – being effective …worry of over focus on the “I” – leads them to humanitarian path but not structural path. Rather than asking people – how will you feel? Ask how will we feel?
* I met Susie at a book fair –and talked about white privilege. Though difficult for me – very rewarding for me, forced me to re-examine my beliefs…healthy debate is good, re-examine beliefs and willing to get heard. I’ve spoken with Kendra and learned a lot …have to be true to your own values. There needs to be healthy debate. Take this opportunity to thank Susie for the conversation – that’s how community is built, through exchange of ideas.
* I heard you – and this is the place to come to have those
* We can see it and we do need to feel it. What we want to create.
==Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series==
What is our vision for our events? What can we hope for?

Put praxis and theory together – bumping up against our limitations in terms of our own organizing experience because this is a different beast in the context of doing these events. We use our community organizing strategies when not a community or rootedness. Knowing that the people are shifting, hard to build on things. And that there is a level of community building that is going on is real. The time put into building relationships, learning, getting to know folks. It’s this and constant building relationships. It’s a both and thing.

Folks on Community Gathering team: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea (Meck volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

Folks who volunteered for Film Series: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble (Andrea volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

==Evaluation of Ways of Being==
* Step Up/Step Back – mixed; ask for folks who have not spoken to speak; (mixed with listening) don’t raise hand when someone is speaking
* Both/And - did well holding different truths at same time. I thought that at the point of
* Don’t Shame, Blame and Attack – differentiate between conflict and shame/blame/attack, what we moved what could have been shame/blame/attack to both/and. Everything I have experienced at OB, fairest way to do things as an organization is Robert’s Rules of Order. Understand, respect your approach and wonder about its portability.
* Oops, Ouch, what’s Up – good
* I statements – good
* Active Listening – good
* 30 second rule – good
* Progressive stack – mixed
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings – break out groups, one-on-ones, when we drop some aspect of agenda where there
* No screens –
* Appreciations - thank you to facilitators for holding the tough space, introductions were a beautiful model of speaking of everyone in a loving way

One more thing in response to concern about GA’s – there is a realization among many of us (facilitation and others) that we are not actually doing consensus and that is at the root of our problems.

== Closing Poem ==

'''Choose To Bless The World''' 
By Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry

Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be‚ can be used to bless or curse the world.

The mind's power, The strength of the hands, The reaches of the heart, The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting

Any of these can serve to feed the hungry, Bind up wounds, Welcome the stranger, Praise what is sacred, Do the work of justice Or offer love.

Any of these can draw down the prison door, Hoard bread, Abandon the poor, Obscure what is holy, Comply with injustice Or withhold love.

You must answer this question: What will you do with your gifts?

Choose to bless the world.

The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude To search for the sources of power and grace; Native wisdom, healing, and liberation.

More, the choice will draw you into community, The endeavor shared, The heritage passed on, The companionship of struggle, The importance of keeping faith, The life of ritual and praise, The comfort of human friendship, The company of earth The chorus of life welcoming you.

None of us alone can save the world. Together‚ that is another possibility waiting.

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-02-06T02:28:42Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Administrative */

=Vision Statement=

Our [[Anti-Oppression/Vision| vision]] is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) [http://aqueductpress.blogspot.com/2010/04/collective-liberation-alternative-to.html collective liberation] by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination.

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational | intergenerational]]</ins>, inclusive and <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional | intersectional]]</ins> practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory [http://www.bostoncoop.net/~balm/training/principles_antioppress.pdf anti-oppressive values]. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities at large.

=Working Group Info=

== Meetings ==

Weekly group meetings held every Saturday, 5:30 - 8:30p at the Arlington Street Church, 351 Arlington St. (corner of Arlington and Boylston Sts.) at the Arlington St. T Stop (Green Line). See [http://www.occupyboston.org/| Occupy Boston Calendar] for most accurate information.

====Meeting Minutes====
*January 21, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012]]
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: The Occupy Boston General Assembly passes proposal to hold an anti-racism workshop at a General Assembly (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to how to de-escalate encounters with law enforcement officials: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-02-06T02:22:55Z

Possiblybhavin:

=Vision Statement=

Our [[Anti-Oppression/Vision| vision]] is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) [http://aqueductpress.blogspot.com/2010/04/collective-liberation-alternative-to.html collective liberation] by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination.

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational | intergenerational]]</ins>, inclusive and <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional | intersectional]]</ins> practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory [http://www.bostoncoop.net/~balm/training/principles_antioppress.pdf anti-oppressive values]. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities at large.

=Administrative=

== Meetings ==

Weekly group meetings held every Saturday, 5:30 - 8:30p at the Arlington Street Church, 351 Arlington St. (corner of Arlington and Boylston Sts.) at the Arlington St. T Stop (Green Line). See [http://www.occupyboston.org/| Occupy Boston Calendar] for most accurate information.

====Meeting Minutes====
*January 21, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012]]
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: The Occupy Boston General Assembly passes proposal to hold an anti-racism workshop at a General Assembly (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to how to de-escalate encounters with law enforcement officials: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012

2012-01-23T13:48:19Z

Possiblybhavin:

Anti-Oppression Working Group
Arlington Street Church
January 21, 2012

Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlotte, Jacob, Andrea

==Agenda==
6:00-6:20 Opening
* Introductions/appreciations
* Facilitation, notekeeper, timekeeper
* Ways of Being
6:20-6:50 Check-Is/Updates
* Safety
* Banner
* OWS road trip – request for contact information
* FAWG stipend freeze
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
* Request for our presence at GA’s
* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
6:50-7:10 Debriefs
* Visioning Workshop
* People of Color Community of Gathering
7:10-8:20 Task Work Group
* Visioning Exercise
* Break-Out Groups
* Report Backs

8:20-8:30 Assessment of Ways of Being Ways of Being

==Introductions==
Meck and Bhavin asked the group members to introduce themselves and then appreciate the person to your right. The group enjoyed opening the meeting in this way.

==Roles==
Facilitators – Bhavin and Meck

Notetaker – Andrea

Timekeeper - Greg

==Appreciations==
Facilitators opened up the space for folks to give additional appreciations. The following people were appreciated.
* Michael → taking a risk to engage in this work
* Greg → for the dedicated and often invisible work you do with Financial Accountability WG (FAWG)
* Anna → for being in the center of difficult conversations around safety in OB
* Susan → for all that you have been doing around level 3 offenders, and your involvement with so many working groups
* Maureen → for asking good and hard questions at the Linda Stout Visioning session

==Ways of Being==
The group reviewed the ways of being.
* Step up/Step back
* Both/and
* Don’t shame, blame, attack
* Room for disagreement – oops, ouch, what’s up with that
* Can use hand signals
* Use I statements –speak for yourself
* Active listening – it starts with a decision, a commitment, an intention,
* 30 second rule – this is something we do every twenty minutes. We are also finding that it is tool that facilitators and participants can call for when the tension is high. It is also a useful tool when proposals are bring brought forward to a group and you want group to pause and have time to consider it before conversation begins. It ties into a diversity in the way we structure meetings and active listening.
* Progressive stack
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings -
* No Screens
** Ouch- Introverts among us, who don’t talk a lot, is it a barrier from fully engaging? Or is it a means of communication? A means for being present? It’s their way of having their voices being heard. Maybe figuring out ways to make room for screens can be folded into diversity of structuring our meetings
* Appreciations – new way of being that has been added so that we can recognize and appreciate folks who have put themselves out there

==Check-Is/Updates==
* Safety (we’re going to do this one first because some folks will be leaving early to go to the GA)
** Folks involved in thinking about community safe space building and way in which we can mitigate harm ….do community trust building. Use what we learned in visioning workshop there. Thought folks would have ideas for that.
** Build a community for responding to harm. Build a community where there …because we respond to one another’s need for emotional and other forms of safety. To build a foundation, need to be able to trust each other. In the past month, Jumped into OB and put a lot of trust in folks in my WG and affinitiy group and didn’t know them well. A few things have happened that have shaken that trust. It matters to me that they are safe and personal responsibility to hold that trust – both ways me towards them and them towards me. This the background to wa
** A couple of ways to be involved – Sunday at 1:00 at Flaxseed across from Park St. to help plan for Monday meeting. Or be in touch via email. Or want to help facilitate this. There is also a meeting next week on Monday for larger meeting for self-education about questions of restorative justice and safety…who in our/wider community have wisdom on the topic.
** Appreciate what is Rachel is trying to do. Think that the discussion won’t ….there are anti-democratic structures of GA. Knows someone who got physically sick from being involved at GA. Confused by blocking….group decides if you’re objection is valid or not. Not intuitive. They understand –
** Facilitator: Understand there are many people concerned about GA. Not our task to …many people feel that this needs to be deeply . You are welcome to address this with them .
** Agree that these issues are important.
** Anna@occoupyboston.org
** 6:00-8:30 Monday Gathering
* Banner --. nothing new
* OWS road trip – request for contact information → looking for contacts with whom to
** Michelle and Angela offered to serve as contacts
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
** Statement of Purpose – in progress, Andrea is contact person, nagel.andi@gmail.com
** Vision Statement – finished and posted
* FAWG stipend freeze
** Proposal to put hold on monies until March 6. Frozen at the
** Folks taking direct action with cap of $2000.
** Goes into effect at 12:01 on Monday.
** Why is only one area of work allowed to spend money – direct action? Passed at GA.
** Money for community gathering? Will still be available
* Request for our presence at GA’s
** More presence of AOWG at GA’s made by member of Facilitation to be eyes and ears,
** Maybe this group can bring an offering and open a GA with a reading
** Maybe we can read our Ways of Being in our meetings
** Nothing built into GA’s to deal with issues of oppression unless the facilitator already has the skills to deal with them. Hence, a lot of things are said and done and not always dealt with effectively. This area needs to evolve a step further it would be a wonderful to have the help of Anti-Oppression working group.
** Some members of us are present at GA’s – Susan for example. We need to hold that some of us are present and that more of us could be there. It’s a both/and. It would be great …many of us are there not in front or in public ways, but there building relationships.
** Proposal of another civility pledge, did look to this group about ways to speak to one another. Can lead by example. Don’t have to fight your way to the front. Leadership emerges by doing good works and having that recognized.
** GA’s are a large group and we are a small group. Facilitators there need more skills. We need to understand what they are dealing with. It would be good for some of their facilitators to come here and learn with us.
** It’s about bigger existential questions about OB and where to spend my time
** Asking people to do anti-oppression organizing to go into a space that is oppressive, that we want to appreciate people’s self-knowledge to know when it’s not safe space to do this. And for those that go into those spaces, we need to find spaces to support them, the need for healing when there is real trauma.

* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
** There is a group that affects the way the level 3 sex offender proposal is addressed
** It sounds like what is being said is that because there is a group, that it will be handled. That feels unfair – not right.
** No - I didn’t want to open it up for a big conversation about the topic, so that’s why said that. But I didn’t mean that it’s all taken care of because the group exists.
** Many of the level 3 offenders are oppressed themselves. They have needs for sex, as they do for other things…..There are issues of mental illness [full statement not captured]
** We need to set a space to have this conversation – not here.
** An ouch for me - Some of what you’re saying is an ouch
** Some of what is being discussed is so complex and we haven’t set aside a space/time to discuss.
** The community safety is approaching this conversation from a place of accountability and restorative justice and it is nuanced and complex. Not taking proposals, in process of discovery and learning. Not centered on a particular situation or person.
** What is the frame for our discussion? Updates – where is the work, where are we at with a process for each of these. This wasn’t clear.
** Feeling discomfort about this – when thinking about our ways of being. We’re trying not to replicate what we’ve learned by dominant culture about responding with what can be experienced as aggressive. My hope is that in this space to try to think about how we speak to one another – I mess up miserably and try hard and have been held by the group and accountable.
** A few of us in the room - in not being honest with the issues on the table. Until we deal with the issues we won’t have progress.
** When I first entered Facilitation WG – I came in attack mode. And wanted to point out all that was wrong with it. And found that the Fac. Team are all concerned with the same things. They are very concerned ….everyone in the community is aware that there are deep concerns with the process. A lot of people come in and out of facilitation team and they bring new ideas and skills. Now there is an action assembly, there’s conversation about a spokes council. You should attend facilitation meetings. You’ll hear a lot of anxiety about the process…the community is at stake at every GA.
** Some of the things that have been said is patronizing and patriarchy. Very easy to sit in an arm chair and criticize. Don’t sit back and throw stones, get involved and change it. Get to know the people and what they’re trying to do. It’s a process. It’s very easy to talk about how bad it is and talk down at them. People need to check themselves.
** Appreciate Bhavin for sharing his thoughts.
** Need 20 seconds. ….silence.
** I believe that we are all in this circle because we care deeply about many things that bring us here together. There are some deep conversation about the issues going on right now, about the stories that we bring to the work, that is deep work. OB is challenging us to go down this road. And there is no structure or way of doing this. There is place to hold the nerve, the will, the passion that people bring to this. Tere are truths being spoken, and everyone has a truth worthy of being spoken. We cannot deal with all of the truths now at this meeting.
** Carlos’s way of communicating, just being you. It’s cultural. Maybe the fact that we can be who we are in the space says that we are closer to being family than we realize. We have to remember that all of us are products of our cultures.
==Visioning Workshop==
What did you learn that would inform our anti-oppression work?
* Appreciate Susan for all the work/outreach you’ve done to bring this opportunity to OB
* Really challenging to apply techniques well in an organization to OB. Can you give an example? The whole thing.
* I learned that I was really frustrated. I have tremendous respect, She was trying to uses a model that wasn’t applicable.. because we don’t have a shared community, rootedness in community (like Piedmont) – which is in fact what we’re struggling with. The visioning exercise went on so long with drawing time. Paying attention to what was going on with folks. Linda continued to speak to her own experiences when people were yearning. That the challenges were, what our creativity could yield.
* Would she have been willing to alter it if she had heard this?
** I tried to once to say something and it didn’t have much of an effect. To be fair hard to come in from out of town and shift gears mid-stream is hard.
* I learned about commitment to things that are dysfunctional. When I step into a space, I commit to it and process it afterwards. It was helpful to do that. There were moments of beauty. The moments of one-on-ones were beautiful. I was frustrated by the visioning exercise – whether we were doing something together. If going to spend that much time creating a space, have to commit to holding it all the way. Think we lost the space that was being created at the end.
* Not having been there – what did she do?
** A lot of the time done to create the space to vision. A lot of exercises – step in with identities to see collective experience in the circle. Then went through guided imagery – from now into a time capsule 25 years ahead. Imaging the children now are adults then, what would be going on if our work were to come to fruition. Then draw the images that we had seen. At the end of the visualization exercise, the assignment was to listen and get a message from someone and bring it back.
* Hearing common themes – an exercise that works for organizations and not occupy. The models for doing anti-oppression organizing – focused on structural and systemic oppression, not to ignore interpersonal – not having a community that knows and trusts each other can’t have structures for decision making. Feeling frustrated by desperate need of OB trying to create beloved community and do structural work….not possible to do structural work if not from a place of community. Making it harder to come back to OB.
* To be able to deal with racism in institutional level your place of organizing has to start in a community that exists – famiiy, neighborhood, workplace, community, church..not one that has to be pre-disposed to want to deal with it – but place based. OB goes out into an ether and catch with whomever shows up. That’s enough to deal with it interpersonally but not structurally.
* We have to understand a real issue, from here we’re going to talk to our colleagues.
* Grounding – concept of being able to do work – internal community building work without common grounding. Place-based, can be varied - experienced based…but some grounding is necessary. At OB, feels like we’ve known each other for ever. A day feels like a week. How short this time has been – any of us. Important for me to hear. For me, who has not been involved in this type of organizing, have been so absorbed in it, it’s only 3 mos. Not having a common grounding in only 3 mos. and there is an expectation that we should have it. How to deal with the expectation and the disappointment that we don’t have it.
* Have a lot of thoughts to respond to…..when we did exercise to step into the circle. Some of the things people …not having a space to hold the things that are raised.
* More of a community interaction in OB – and can’t have a civil culture about civility proposal. All the spaces reinforce oppressive culture – church, sports, schools, entertainment, etc. Not going to pass …can’t blame the fruit for the tree. The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning. You can deal individually with a person and have to understand the culture from which they come.
* Build community
* Educate – we don’t all have the same analysis, richest place to start.
* Model of visioning trained in – model that is steeped in naming what is current reality. It is completely critical to be honest about where I am right now. I need to know where I am in relationship with my vision. Creates structural tension to work with. As humans, do all sorts of things we do with that. OB is so fractured, and beautiful, and a lot of oppression here, and wanting to ….so critical for OB to realize what the current reality is. What does a stretched rubber band want to go with it? Lose the vision and no energy, or move towards the vision. Most people have the hope, but maybe not the skill……a lot of drug use and lack of safely at Dewey…maybe have skill set in the greater community but not at the moment it is needed. It’s the both/and thing…….
* Where a lot of these divisions are in our movement….when you have a community. Can start by looking at where you are. Can come to a common understanding of what the problem is. Don’t have that at OB. Can also start with an understanding of what our vision is. There is also a big division about our vision. This might stem more from the way about the way we think about the vision than the vision itself. Visions tend to be visual – pictures….the way of doing this has been the problem– dismantling all prisons. A lot of people at OB don’t embrace that idea. Even in thinking of the future the way we want, the differences are still there. You have to focus on how it will feel not what it looks like. What is most important than the way we ..how important people feel is the most important thing for me – there is nothing more important. If it’s important for people to reflect on what it will look like or what people will have done, but how it will feel, I suspect there will be a lot more common ground.
* Sorry that you are facing foreclosure, I hope you are finding support for that given the connotations. Didn’t have my vision be understood - Not so much of the opening the prison doors – having our brothers and sisters join us with fishing rods, diplomas, but speaks to how we share our vision, and what we’re trying to get at. There is no shorthand because we don’t have a common analysis. Structural impediments to how they are perceived socially or what they embody for powers that be. The more we can come forward with our oppressed identities – whether we have suffered them, or hold them in solidarity with people who can hold them, the focus is on the person who is surviving and not on the perpetrator. Want to shift the dominant culture and culture of OB. While there is a lot of shifting, there is a lot
* This is new to me, I’m from PR– oppression stuff. Mostly oppression is done by the government. Been here for 3 years and people are helping me see it. Am interested in how you deal with this……
* Appreciating this and the people who continue to teach me…this is my reality and not making any sense and have it mirrored back….with yes but, yes and. Appreciate all of the responses. The work of this group – whether the community and education. There is a strategic question – what is our definition of community? Occupy – this broad thing? This space who come here and build that ground up. Educate - Building from concentric circles, starting with us or larger OB? If moving away from the visual and asking people to share their feelings – because it’s really personal, although we’ve crossed paths, this is personal. There is another risk – strategic risk – being effective …worry of over focus on the “I” – leads them to humanitarian path but not structural path. Rather than asking people – how will you feel? Ask how will we feel?
* I met Susie at a book fair –and talked about white privilege. Though difficult for me – very rewarding for me, forced me to re-examine my beliefs…healthy debate is good, re-examine beliefs and willing to get heard. I’ve spoken with Kendra and learned a lot …have to be true to your own values. There needs to be healthy debate. Take this opportunity to thank Susie for the conversation – that’s how community is built, through exchange of ideas.
* I heard you – and this is the place to come to have those
* We can see it and we do need to feel it. What we want to create.
==Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series==
What is our vision for our events? What can we hope for?

Put praxis and theory together – bumping up against our limitations in terms of our own organizing experience because this is a different beast in the context of doing these events. We use our community organizing strategies when not a community or rootedness. Knowing that the people are shifting, hard to build on things. And that there is a level of community building that is going on is real. The time put into building relationships, learning, getting to know folks. It’s this and constant building relationships. It’s a both and thing.

Folks on Community Gathering team: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea (Meck volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

Folks who volunteered for Film Series: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble (Andrea volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

==Evaluation of Ways of Being==
* Step Up/Step Back – mixed; ask for folks who have not spoken to speak; (mixed with listening) don’t raise hand when someone is speaking
* Both/And - did well holding different truths at same time. I thought that at the point of
* Don’t Shame, Blame and Attack – differentiate between conflict and shame/blame/attack, what we moved what could have been shame/blame/attack to both/and. Everything I have experienced at OB, fairest way to do things as an organization is Robert’s Rules of Order. Understand, respect your approach and wonder about its portability.
* Oops, Ouch, what’s Up – good
* I statements – good
* Active Listening – good
* 30 second rule – good
* Progressive stack – mixed
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings – break out groups, one-on-ones, when we drop some aspect of agenda where there
* No screens –
* Appreciations - thank you to facilitators for holding the tough space, introductions were a beautiful model of speaking of everyone in a loving way

One more thing in response to concern about GA’s – there is a realization among many of us (facilitation and others) that we are not actually doing consensus and that is at the root of our problems.

== Closing Poem ==

'''Choose To Bless The World''' 
By Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry

Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be‚ can be used to bless or curse the world.

The mind's power, The strength of the hands, The reaches of the heart, The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting

Any of these can serve to feed the hungry, Bind up wounds, Welcome the stranger, Praise what is sacred, Do the work of justice Or offer love.

Any of these can draw down the prison door, Hoard bread, Abandon the poor, Obscure what is holy, Comply with injustice Or withhold love.

You must answer this question: What will you do with your gifts?

Choose to bless the world.

The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude To search for the sources of power and grace; Native wisdom, healing, and liberation.

More, the choice will draw you into community, The endeavor shared, The heritage passed on, The companionship of struggle, The importance of keeping faith, The life of ritual and praise, The comfort of human friendship, The company of earth The chorus of life welcoming you.

None of us alone can save the world. Together‚ that is another possibility waiting.

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012

2012-01-23T13:45:18Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Closing Poem */

Anti-Oppression Working Group
January 21, 2012

Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlotte, Jacob, Andrea

==Agenda==
6:00-6:20 Opening
* Introductions/appreciations
* Facilitation, notekeeper, timekeeper
* Ways of Being
6:20-6:50 Check-Is/Updates
* Safety
* Banner
* OWS road trip – request for contact information
* FAWG stipend freeze
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
* Request for our presence at GA’s
* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
6:50-7:10 Debriefs
* Visioning Workshop
* People of Color Community of Gathering
7:10-8:20 Task Work Group
* Visioning Exercise
* Break-Out Groups
* Report Backs

8:20-8:30 Assessment of Ways of Being Ways of Being

==Introductions==
Meck and Bhavin asked the group members to introduce themselves and then appreciate the person to your right. The group enjoyed opening the meeting in this way.

==Roles==
Facilitators – Bhavin and Meck

Notetaker – Andrea

Timekeeper - Greg

==Appreciations==
Facilitators opened up the space for folks to give additional appreciations. The following people were appreciated.
* Michael → taking a risk to engage in this work
* Greg → for the dedicated and often invisible work you do with Financial Accountability WG (FAWG)
* Anna → for being in the center of difficult conversations around safety in OB
* Susan → for all that you have been doing around level 3 offenders, and your involvement with so many working groups
* Maureen → for asking good and hard questions at the Linda Stout Visioning session

==Ways of Being==
The group reviewed the ways of being.
* Step up/Step back
* Both/and
* Don’t shame, blame, attack
* Room for disagreement – oops, ouch, what’s up with that
* Can use hand signals
* Use I statements –speak for yourself
* Active listening – it starts with a decision, a commitment, an intention,
* 30 second rule – this is something we do every twenty minutes. We are also finding that it is tool that facilitators and participants can call for when the tension is high. It is also a useful tool when proposals are bring brought forward to a group and you want group to pause and have time to consider it before conversation begins. It ties into a diversity in the way we structure meetings and active listening.
* Progressive stack
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings -
* No Screens
** Ouch- Introverts among us, who don’t talk a lot, is it a barrier from fully engaging? Or is it a means of communication? A means for being present? It’s their way of having their voices being heard. Maybe figuring out ways to make room for screens can be folded into diversity of structuring our meetings
* Appreciations – new way of being that has been added so that we can recognize and appreciate folks who have put themselves out there

==Check-Is/Updates==
* Safety (we’re going to do this one first because some folks will be leaving early to go to the GA)
** Folks involved in thinking about community safe space building and way in which we can mitigate harm ….do community trust building. Use what we learned in visioning workshop there. Thought folks would have ideas for that.
** Build a community for responding to harm. Build a community where there …because we respond to one another’s need for emotional and other forms of safety. To build a foundation, need to be able to trust each other. In the past month, Jumped into OB and put a lot of trust in folks in my WG and affinitiy group and didn’t know them well. A few things have happened that have shaken that trust. It matters to me that they are safe and personal responsibility to hold that trust – both ways me towards them and them towards me. This the background to wa
** A couple of ways to be involved – Sunday at 1:00 at Flaxseed across from Park St. to help plan for Monday meeting. Or be in touch via email. Or want to help facilitate this. There is also a meeting next week on Monday for larger meeting for self-education about questions of restorative justice and safety…who in our/wider community have wisdom on the topic.
** Appreciate what is Rachel is trying to do. Think that the discussion won’t ….there are anti-democratic structures of GA. Knows someone who got physically sick from being involved at GA. Confused by blocking….group decides if you’re objection is valid or not. Not intuitive. They understand –
** Facilitator: Understand there are many people concerned about GA. Not our task to …many people feel that this needs to be deeply . You are welcome to address this with them .
** Agree that these issues are important.
** Anna@occoupyboston.org
** 6:00-8:30 Monday Gathering
* Banner --. nothing new
* OWS road trip – request for contact information → looking for contacts with whom to
** Michelle and Angela offered to serve as contacts
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
** Statement of Purpose – in progress, Andrea is contact person, nagel.andi@gmail.com
** Vision Statement – finished and posted
* FAWG stipend freeze
** Proposal to put hold on monies until March 6. Frozen at the
** Folks taking direct action with cap of $2000.
** Goes into effect at 12:01 on Monday.
** Why is only one area of work allowed to spend money – direct action? Passed at GA.
** Money for community gathering? Will still be available
* Request for our presence at GA’s
** More presence of AOWG at GA’s made by member of Facilitation to be eyes and ears,
** Maybe this group can bring an offering and open a GA with a reading
** Maybe we can read our Ways of Being in our meetings
** Nothing built into GA’s to deal with issues of oppression unless the facilitator already has the skills to deal with them. Hence, a lot of things are said and done and not always dealt with effectively. This area needs to evolve a step further it would be a wonderful to have the help of Anti-Oppression working group.
** Some members of us are present at GA’s – Susan for example. We need to hold that some of us are present and that more of us could be there. It’s a both/and. It would be great …many of us are there not in front or in public ways, but there building relationships.
** Proposal of another civility pledge, did look to this group about ways to speak to one another. Can lead by example. Don’t have to fight your way to the front. Leadership emerges by doing good works and having that recognized.
** GA’s are a large group and we are a small group. Facilitators there need more skills. We need to understand what they are dealing with. It would be good for some of their facilitators to come here and learn with us.
** It’s about bigger existential questions about OB and where to spend my time
** Asking people to do anti-oppression organizing to go into a space that is oppressive, that we want to appreciate people’s self-knowledge to know when it’s not safe space to do this. And for those that go into those spaces, we need to find spaces to support them, the need for healing when there is real trauma.

* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
** There is a group that affects the way the level 3 sex offender proposal is addressed
** It sounds like what is being said is that because there is a group, that it will be handled. That feels unfair – not right.
** No - I didn’t want to open it up for a big conversation about the topic, so that’s why said that. But I didn’t mean that it’s all taken care of because the group exists.
** Many of the level 3 offenders are oppressed themselves. They have needs for sex, as they do for other things…..There are issues of mental illness [full statement not captured]
** We need to set a space to have this conversation – not here.
** An ouch for me - Some of what you’re saying is an ouch
** Some of what is being discussed is so complex and we haven’t set aside a space/time to discuss.
** The community safety is approaching this conversation from a place of accountability and restorative justice and it is nuanced and complex. Not taking proposals, in process of discovery and learning. Not centered on a particular situation or person.
** What is the frame for our discussion? Updates – where is the work, where are we at with a process for each of these. This wasn’t clear.
** Feeling discomfort about this – when thinking about our ways of being. We’re trying not to replicate what we’ve learned by dominant culture about responding with what can be experienced as aggressive. My hope is that in this space to try to think about how we speak to one another – I mess up miserably and try hard and have been held by the group and accountable.
** A few of us in the room - in not being honest with the issues on the table. Until we deal with the issues we won’t have progress.
** When I first entered Facilitation WG – I came in attack mode. And wanted to point out all that was wrong with it. And found that the Fac. Team are all concerned with the same things. They are very concerned ….everyone in the community is aware that there are deep concerns with the process. A lot of people come in and out of facilitation team and they bring new ideas and skills. Now there is an action assembly, there’s conversation about a spokes council. You should attend facilitation meetings. You’ll hear a lot of anxiety about the process…the community is at stake at every GA.
** Some of the things that have been said is patronizing and patriarchy. Very easy to sit in an arm chair and criticize. Don’t sit back and throw stones, get involved and change it. Get to know the people and what they’re trying to do. It’s a process. It’s very easy to talk about how bad it is and talk down at them. People need to check themselves.
** Appreciate Bhavin for sharing his thoughts.
** Need 20 seconds. ….silence.
** I believe that we are all in this circle because we care deeply about many things that bring us here together. There are some deep conversation about the issues going on right now, about the stories that we bring to the work, that is deep work. OB is challenging us to go down this road. And there is no structure or way of doing this. There is place to hold the nerve, the will, the passion that people bring to this. Tere are truths being spoken, and everyone has a truth worthy of being spoken. We cannot deal with all of the truths now at this meeting.
** Carlos’s way of communicating, just being you. It’s cultural. Maybe the fact that we can be who we are in the space says that we are closer to being family than we realize. We have to remember that all of us are products of our cultures.
==Visioning Workshop==
What did you learn that would inform our anti-oppression work?
* Appreciate Susan for all the work/outreach you’ve done to bring this opportunity to OB
* Really challenging to apply techniques well in an organization to OB. Can you give an example? The whole thing.
* I learned that I was really frustrated. I have tremendous respect, She was trying to uses a model that wasn’t applicable.. because we don’t have a shared community, rootedness in community (like Piedmont) – which is in fact what we’re struggling with. The visioning exercise went on so long with drawing time. Paying attention to what was going on with folks. Linda continued to speak to her own experiences when people were yearning. That the challenges were, what our creativity could yield.
* Would she have been willing to alter it if she had heard this?
** I tried to once to say something and it didn’t have much of an effect. To be fair hard to come in from out of town and shift gears mid-stream is hard.
* I learned about commitment to things that are dysfunctional. When I step into a space, I commit to it and process it afterwards. It was helpful to do that. There were moments of beauty. The moments of one-on-ones were beautiful. I was frustrated by the visioning exercise – whether we were doing something together. If going to spend that much time creating a space, have to commit to holding it all the way. Think we lost the space that was being created at the end.
* Not having been there – what did she do?
** A lot of the time done to create the space to vision. A lot of exercises – step in with identities to see collective experience in the circle. Then went through guided imagery – from now into a time capsule 25 years ahead. Imaging the children now are adults then, what would be going on if our work were to come to fruition. Then draw the images that we had seen. At the end of the visualization exercise, the assignment was to listen and get a message from someone and bring it back.
* Hearing common themes – an exercise that works for organizations and not occupy. The models for doing anti-oppression organizing – focused on structural and systemic oppression, not to ignore interpersonal – not having a community that knows and trusts each other can’t have structures for decision making. Feeling frustrated by desperate need of OB trying to create beloved community and do structural work….not possible to do structural work if not from a place of community. Making it harder to come back to OB.
* To be able to deal with racism in institutional level your place of organizing has to start in a community that exists – famiiy, neighborhood, workplace, community, church..not one that has to be pre-disposed to want to deal with it – but place based. OB goes out into an ether and catch with whomever shows up. That’s enough to deal with it interpersonally but not structurally.
* We have to understand a real issue, from here we’re going to talk to our colleagues.
* Grounding – concept of being able to do work – internal community building work without common grounding. Place-based, can be varied - experienced based…but some grounding is necessary. At OB, feels like we’ve known each other for ever. A day feels like a week. How short this time has been – any of us. Important for me to hear. For me, who has not been involved in this type of organizing, have been so absorbed in it, it’s only 3 mos. Not having a common grounding in only 3 mos. and there is an expectation that we should have it. How to deal with the expectation and the disappointment that we don’t have it.
* Have a lot of thoughts to respond to…..when we did exercise to step into the circle. Some of the things people …not having a space to hold the things that are raised.
* More of a community interaction in OB – and can’t have a civil culture about civility proposal. All the spaces reinforce oppressive culture – church, sports, schools, entertainment, etc. Not going to pass …can’t blame the fruit for the tree. The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning. You can deal individually with a person and have to understand the culture from which they come.
* Build community
* Educate – we don’t all have the same analysis, richest place to start.
* Model of visioning trained in – model that is steeped in naming what is current reality. It is completely critical to be honest about where I am right now. I need to know where I am in relationship with my vision. Creates structural tension to work with. As humans, do all sorts of things we do with that. OB is so fractured, and beautiful, and a lot of oppression here, and wanting to ….so critical for OB to realize what the current reality is. What does a stretched rubber band want to go with it? Lose the vision and no energy, or move towards the vision. Most people have the hope, but maybe not the skill……a lot of drug use and lack of safely at Dewey…maybe have skill set in the greater community but not at the moment it is needed. It’s the both/and thing…….
* Where a lot of these divisions are in our movement….when you have a community. Can start by looking at where you are. Can come to a common understanding of what the problem is. Don’t have that at OB. Can also start with an understanding of what our vision is. There is also a big division about our vision. This might stem more from the way about the way we think about the vision than the vision itself. Visions tend to be visual – pictures….the way of doing this has been the problem– dismantling all prisons. A lot of people at OB don’t embrace that idea. Even in thinking of the future the way we want, the differences are still there. You have to focus on how it will feel not what it looks like. What is most important than the way we ..how important people feel is the most important thing for me – there is nothing more important. If it’s important for people to reflect on what it will look like or what people will have done, but how it will feel, I suspect there will be a lot more common ground.
* Sorry that you are facing foreclosure, I hope you are finding support for that given the connotations. Didn’t have my vision be understood - Not so much of the opening the prison doors – having our brothers and sisters join us with fishing rods, diplomas, but speaks to how we share our vision, and what we’re trying to get at. There is no shorthand because we don’t have a common analysis. Structural impediments to how they are perceived socially or what they embody for powers that be. The more we can come forward with our oppressed identities – whether we have suffered them, or hold them in solidarity with people who can hold them, the focus is on the person who is surviving and not on the perpetrator. Want to shift the dominant culture and culture of OB. While there is a lot of shifting, there is a lot
* This is new to me, I’m from PR– oppression stuff. Mostly oppression is done by the government. Been here for 3 years and people are helping me see it. Am interested in how you deal with this……
* Appreciating this and the people who continue to teach me…this is my reality and not making any sense and have it mirrored back….with yes but, yes and. Appreciate all of the responses. The work of this group – whether the community and education. There is a strategic question – what is our definition of community? Occupy – this broad thing? This space who come here and build that ground up. Educate - Building from concentric circles, starting with us or larger OB? If moving away from the visual and asking people to share their feelings – because it’s really personal, although we’ve crossed paths, this is personal. There is another risk – strategic risk – being effective …worry of over focus on the “I” – leads them to humanitarian path but not structural path. Rather than asking people – how will you feel? Ask how will we feel?
* I met Susie at a book fair –and talked about white privilege. Though difficult for me – very rewarding for me, forced me to re-examine my beliefs…healthy debate is good, re-examine beliefs and willing to get heard. I’ve spoken with Kendra and learned a lot …have to be true to your own values. There needs to be healthy debate. Take this opportunity to thank Susie for the conversation – that’s how community is built, through exchange of ideas.
* I heard you – and this is the place to come to have those
* We can see it and we do need to feel it. What we want to create.
==Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series==
What is our vision for our events? What can we hope for?

Put praxis and theory together – bumping up against our limitations in terms of our own organizing experience because this is a different beast in the context of doing these events. We use our community organizing strategies when not a community or rootedness. Knowing that the people are shifting, hard to build on things. And that there is a level of community building that is going on is real. The time put into building relationships, learning, getting to know folks. It’s this and constant building relationships. It’s a both and thing.

Folks on Community Gathering team: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea (Meck volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

Folks who volunteered for Film Series: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble (Andrea volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

==Evaluation of Ways of Being==
* Step Up/Step Back – mixed; ask for folks who have not spoken to speak; (mixed with listening) don’t raise hand when someone is speaking
* Both/And - did well holding different truths at same time. I thought that at the point of
* Don’t Shame, Blame and Attack – differentiate between conflict and shame/blame/attack, what we moved what could have been shame/blame/attack to both/and. Everything I have experienced at OB, fairest way to do things as an organization is Robert’s Rules of Order. Understand, respect your approach and wonder about its portability.
* Oops, Ouch, what’s Up – good
* I statements – good
* Active Listening – good
* 30 second rule – good
* Progressive stack – mixed
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings – break out groups, one-on-ones, when we drop some aspect of agenda where there
* No screens –
* Appreciations - thank you to facilitators for holding the tough space, introductions were a beautiful model of speaking of everyone in a loving way

One more thing in response to concern about GA’s – there is a realization among many of us (facilitation and others) that we are not actually doing consensus and that is at the root of our problems.

== Closing Poem ==

'''Choose To Bless The World''' 
By Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry

Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be‚ can be used to bless or curse the world.

The mind's power, The strength of the hands, The reaches of the heart, The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting

Any of these can serve to feed the hungry, Bind up wounds, Welcome the stranger, Praise what is sacred, Do the work of justice Or offer love.

Any of these can draw down the prison door, Hoard bread, Abandon the poor, Obscure what is holy, Comply with injustice Or withhold love.

You must answer this question: What will you do with your gifts?

Choose to bless the world.

The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude To search for the sources of power and grace; Native wisdom, healing, and liberation.

More, the choice will draw you into community, The endeavor shared, The heritage passed on, The companionship of struggle, The importance of keeping faith, The life of ritual and praise, The comfort of human friendship, The company of earth The chorus of life welcoming you.

None of us alone can save the world. Together‚ that is another possibility waiting.

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012

2012-01-23T13:42:52Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series */

Anti-Oppression Working Group
January 21, 2012

Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlotte, Jacob, Andrea

==Agenda==
6:00-6:20 Opening
* Introductions/appreciations
* Facilitation, notekeeper, timekeeper
* Ways of Being
6:20-6:50 Check-Is/Updates
* Safety
* Banner
* OWS road trip – request for contact information
* FAWG stipend freeze
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
* Request for our presence at GA’s
* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
6:50-7:10 Debriefs
* Visioning Workshop
* People of Color Community of Gathering
7:10-8:20 Task Work Group
* Visioning Exercise
* Break-Out Groups
* Report Backs

8:20-8:30 Assessment of Ways of Being Ways of Being

==Introductions==
Meck and Bhavin asked the group members to introduce themselves and then appreciate the person to your right. The group enjoyed opening the meeting in this way.

==Roles==
Facilitators – Bhavin and Meck

Notetaker – Andrea

Timekeeper - Greg

==Appreciations==
Facilitators opened up the space for folks to give additional appreciations. The following people were appreciated.
* Michael → taking a risk to engage in this work
* Greg → for the dedicated and often invisible work you do with Financial Accountability WG (FAWG)
* Anna → for being in the center of difficult conversations around safety in OB
* Susan → for all that you have been doing around level 3 offenders, and your involvement with so many working groups
* Maureen → for asking good and hard questions at the Linda Stout Visioning session

==Ways of Being==
The group reviewed the ways of being.
* Step up/Step back
* Both/and
* Don’t shame, blame, attack
* Room for disagreement – oops, ouch, what’s up with that
* Can use hand signals
* Use I statements –speak for yourself
* Active listening – it starts with a decision, a commitment, an intention,
* 30 second rule – this is something we do every twenty minutes. We are also finding that it is tool that facilitators and participants can call for when the tension is high. It is also a useful tool when proposals are bring brought forward to a group and you want group to pause and have time to consider it before conversation begins. It ties into a diversity in the way we structure meetings and active listening.
* Progressive stack
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings -
* No Screens
** Ouch- Introverts among us, who don’t talk a lot, is it a barrier from fully engaging? Or is it a means of communication? A means for being present? It’s their way of having their voices being heard. Maybe figuring out ways to make room for screens can be folded into diversity of structuring our meetings
* Appreciations – new way of being that has been added so that we can recognize and appreciate folks who have put themselves out there

==Check-Is/Updates==
* Safety (we’re going to do this one first because some folks will be leaving early to go to the GA)
** Folks involved in thinking about community safe space building and way in which we can mitigate harm ….do community trust building. Use what we learned in visioning workshop there. Thought folks would have ideas for that.
** Build a community for responding to harm. Build a community where there …because we respond to one another’s need for emotional and other forms of safety. To build a foundation, need to be able to trust each other. In the past month, Jumped into OB and put a lot of trust in folks in my WG and affinitiy group and didn’t know them well. A few things have happened that have shaken that trust. It matters to me that they are safe and personal responsibility to hold that trust – both ways me towards them and them towards me. This the background to wa
** A couple of ways to be involved – Sunday at 1:00 at Flaxseed across from Park St. to help plan for Monday meeting. Or be in touch via email. Or want to help facilitate this. There is also a meeting next week on Monday for larger meeting for self-education about questions of restorative justice and safety…who in our/wider community have wisdom on the topic.
** Appreciate what is Rachel is trying to do. Think that the discussion won’t ….there are anti-democratic structures of GA. Knows someone who got physically sick from being involved at GA. Confused by blocking….group decides if you’re objection is valid or not. Not intuitive. They understand –
** Facilitator: Understand there are many people concerned about GA. Not our task to …many people feel that this needs to be deeply . You are welcome to address this with them .
** Agree that these issues are important.
** Anna@occoupyboston.org
** 6:00-8:30 Monday Gathering
* Banner --. nothing new
* OWS road trip – request for contact information → looking for contacts with whom to
** Michelle and Angela offered to serve as contacts
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
** Statement of Purpose – in progress, Andrea is contact person, nagel.andi@gmail.com
** Vision Statement – finished and posted
* FAWG stipend freeze
** Proposal to put hold on monies until March 6. Frozen at the
** Folks taking direct action with cap of $2000.
** Goes into effect at 12:01 on Monday.
** Why is only one area of work allowed to spend money – direct action? Passed at GA.
** Money for community gathering? Will still be available
* Request for our presence at GA’s
** More presence of AOWG at GA’s made by member of Facilitation to be eyes and ears,
** Maybe this group can bring an offering and open a GA with a reading
** Maybe we can read our Ways of Being in our meetings
** Nothing built into GA’s to deal with issues of oppression unless the facilitator already has the skills to deal with them. Hence, a lot of things are said and done and not always dealt with effectively. This area needs to evolve a step further it would be a wonderful to have the help of Anti-Oppression working group.
** Some members of us are present at GA’s – Susan for example. We need to hold that some of us are present and that more of us could be there. It’s a both/and. It would be great …many of us are there not in front or in public ways, but there building relationships.
** Proposal of another civility pledge, did look to this group about ways to speak to one another. Can lead by example. Don’t have to fight your way to the front. Leadership emerges by doing good works and having that recognized.
** GA’s are a large group and we are a small group. Facilitators there need more skills. We need to understand what they are dealing with. It would be good for some of their facilitators to come here and learn with us.
** It’s about bigger existential questions about OB and where to spend my time
** Asking people to do anti-oppression organizing to go into a space that is oppressive, that we want to appreciate people’s self-knowledge to know when it’s not safe space to do this. And for those that go into those spaces, we need to find spaces to support them, the need for healing when there is real trauma.

* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
** There is a group that affects the way the level 3 sex offender proposal is addressed
** It sounds like what is being said is that because there is a group, that it will be handled. That feels unfair – not right.
** No - I didn’t want to open it up for a big conversation about the topic, so that’s why said that. But I didn’t mean that it’s all taken care of because the group exists.
** Many of the level 3 offenders are oppressed themselves. They have needs for sex, as they do for other things…..There are issues of mental illness [full statement not captured]
** We need to set a space to have this conversation – not here.
** An ouch for me - Some of what you’re saying is an ouch
** Some of what is being discussed is so complex and we haven’t set aside a space/time to discuss.
** The community safety is approaching this conversation from a place of accountability and restorative justice and it is nuanced and complex. Not taking proposals, in process of discovery and learning. Not centered on a particular situation or person.
** What is the frame for our discussion? Updates – where is the work, where are we at with a process for each of these. This wasn’t clear.
** Feeling discomfort about this – when thinking about our ways of being. We’re trying not to replicate what we’ve learned by dominant culture about responding with what can be experienced as aggressive. My hope is that in this space to try to think about how we speak to one another – I mess up miserably and try hard and have been held by the group and accountable.
** A few of us in the room - in not being honest with the issues on the table. Until we deal with the issues we won’t have progress.
** When I first entered Facilitation WG – I came in attack mode. And wanted to point out all that was wrong with it. And found that the Fac. Team are all concerned with the same things. They are very concerned ….everyone in the community is aware that there are deep concerns with the process. A lot of people come in and out of facilitation team and they bring new ideas and skills. Now there is an action assembly, there’s conversation about a spokes council. You should attend facilitation meetings. You’ll hear a lot of anxiety about the process…the community is at stake at every GA.
** Some of the things that have been said is patronizing and patriarchy. Very easy to sit in an arm chair and criticize. Don’t sit back and throw stones, get involved and change it. Get to know the people and what they’re trying to do. It’s a process. It’s very easy to talk about how bad it is and talk down at them. People need to check themselves.
** Appreciate Bhavin for sharing his thoughts.
** Need 20 seconds. ….silence.
** I believe that we are all in this circle because we care deeply about many things that bring us here together. There are some deep conversation about the issues going on right now, about the stories that we bring to the work, that is deep work. OB is challenging us to go down this road. And there is no structure or way of doing this. There is place to hold the nerve, the will, the passion that people bring to this. Tere are truths being spoken, and everyone has a truth worthy of being spoken. We cannot deal with all of the truths now at this meeting.
** Carlos’s way of communicating, just being you. It’s cultural. Maybe the fact that we can be who we are in the space says that we are closer to being family than we realize. We have to remember that all of us are products of our cultures.
==Visioning Workshop==
What did you learn that would inform our anti-oppression work?
* Appreciate Susan for all the work/outreach you’ve done to bring this opportunity to OB
* Really challenging to apply techniques well in an organization to OB. Can you give an example? The whole thing.
* I learned that I was really frustrated. I have tremendous respect, She was trying to uses a model that wasn’t applicable.. because we don’t have a shared community, rootedness in community (like Piedmont) – which is in fact what we’re struggling with. The visioning exercise went on so long with drawing time. Paying attention to what was going on with folks. Linda continued to speak to her own experiences when people were yearning. That the challenges were, what our creativity could yield.
* Would she have been willing to alter it if she had heard this?
** I tried to once to say something and it didn’t have much of an effect. To be fair hard to come in from out of town and shift gears mid-stream is hard.
* I learned about commitment to things that are dysfunctional. When I step into a space, I commit to it and process it afterwards. It was helpful to do that. There were moments of beauty. The moments of one-on-ones were beautiful. I was frustrated by the visioning exercise – whether we were doing something together. If going to spend that much time creating a space, have to commit to holding it all the way. Think we lost the space that was being created at the end.
* Not having been there – what did she do?
** A lot of the time done to create the space to vision. A lot of exercises – step in with identities to see collective experience in the circle. Then went through guided imagery – from now into a time capsule 25 years ahead. Imaging the children now are adults then, what would be going on if our work were to come to fruition. Then draw the images that we had seen. At the end of the visualization exercise, the assignment was to listen and get a message from someone and bring it back.
* Hearing common themes – an exercise that works for organizations and not occupy. The models for doing anti-oppression organizing – focused on structural and systemic oppression, not to ignore interpersonal – not having a community that knows and trusts each other can’t have structures for decision making. Feeling frustrated by desperate need of OB trying to create beloved community and do structural work….not possible to do structural work if not from a place of community. Making it harder to come back to OB.
* To be able to deal with racism in institutional level your place of organizing has to start in a community that exists – famiiy, neighborhood, workplace, community, church..not one that has to be pre-disposed to want to deal with it – but place based. OB goes out into an ether and catch with whomever shows up. That’s enough to deal with it interpersonally but not structurally.
* We have to understand a real issue, from here we’re going to talk to our colleagues.
* Grounding – concept of being able to do work – internal community building work without common grounding. Place-based, can be varied - experienced based…but some grounding is necessary. At OB, feels like we’ve known each other for ever. A day feels like a week. How short this time has been – any of us. Important for me to hear. For me, who has not been involved in this type of organizing, have been so absorbed in it, it’s only 3 mos. Not having a common grounding in only 3 mos. and there is an expectation that we should have it. How to deal with the expectation and the disappointment that we don’t have it.
* Have a lot of thoughts to respond to…..when we did exercise to step into the circle. Some of the things people …not having a space to hold the things that are raised.
* More of a community interaction in OB – and can’t have a civil culture about civility proposal. All the spaces reinforce oppressive culture – church, sports, schools, entertainment, etc. Not going to pass …can’t blame the fruit for the tree. The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning. You can deal individually with a person and have to understand the culture from which they come.
* Build community
* Educate – we don’t all have the same analysis, richest place to start.
* Model of visioning trained in – model that is steeped in naming what is current reality. It is completely critical to be honest about where I am right now. I need to know where I am in relationship with my vision. Creates structural tension to work with. As humans, do all sorts of things we do with that. OB is so fractured, and beautiful, and a lot of oppression here, and wanting to ….so critical for OB to realize what the current reality is. What does a stretched rubber band want to go with it? Lose the vision and no energy, or move towards the vision. Most people have the hope, but maybe not the skill……a lot of drug use and lack of safely at Dewey…maybe have skill set in the greater community but not at the moment it is needed. It’s the both/and thing…….
* Where a lot of these divisions are in our movement….when you have a community. Can start by looking at where you are. Can come to a common understanding of what the problem is. Don’t have that at OB. Can also start with an understanding of what our vision is. There is also a big division about our vision. This might stem more from the way about the way we think about the vision than the vision itself. Visions tend to be visual – pictures….the way of doing this has been the problem– dismantling all prisons. A lot of people at OB don’t embrace that idea. Even in thinking of the future the way we want, the differences are still there. You have to focus on how it will feel not what it looks like. What is most important than the way we ..how important people feel is the most important thing for me – there is nothing more important. If it’s important for people to reflect on what it will look like or what people will have done, but how it will feel, I suspect there will be a lot more common ground.
* Sorry that you are facing foreclosure, I hope you are finding support for that given the connotations. Didn’t have my vision be understood - Not so much of the opening the prison doors – having our brothers and sisters join us with fishing rods, diplomas, but speaks to how we share our vision, and what we’re trying to get at. There is no shorthand because we don’t have a common analysis. Structural impediments to how they are perceived socially or what they embody for powers that be. The more we can come forward with our oppressed identities – whether we have suffered them, or hold them in solidarity with people who can hold them, the focus is on the person who is surviving and not on the perpetrator. Want to shift the dominant culture and culture of OB. While there is a lot of shifting, there is a lot
* This is new to me, I’m from PR– oppression stuff. Mostly oppression is done by the government. Been here for 3 years and people are helping me see it. Am interested in how you deal with this……
* Appreciating this and the people who continue to teach me…this is my reality and not making any sense and have it mirrored back….with yes but, yes and. Appreciate all of the responses. The work of this group – whether the community and education. There is a strategic question – what is our definition of community? Occupy – this broad thing? This space who come here and build that ground up. Educate - Building from concentric circles, starting with us or larger OB? If moving away from the visual and asking people to share their feelings – because it’s really personal, although we’ve crossed paths, this is personal. There is another risk – strategic risk – being effective …worry of over focus on the “I” – leads them to humanitarian path but not structural path. Rather than asking people – how will you feel? Ask how will we feel?
* I met Susie at a book fair –and talked about white privilege. Though difficult for me – very rewarding for me, forced me to re-examine my beliefs…healthy debate is good, re-examine beliefs and willing to get heard. I’ve spoken with Kendra and learned a lot …have to be true to your own values. There needs to be healthy debate. Take this opportunity to thank Susie for the conversation – that’s how community is built, through exchange of ideas.
* I heard you – and this is the place to come to have those
* We can see it and we do need to feel it. What we want to create.
==Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series==
What is our vision for our events? What can we hope for?

Put praxis and theory together – bumping up against our limitations in terms of our own organizing experience because this is a different beast in the context of doing these events. We use our community organizing strategies when not a community or rootedness. Knowing that the people are shifting, hard to build on things. And that there is a level of community building that is going on is real. The time put into building relationships, learning, getting to know folks. It’s this and constant building relationships. It’s a both and thing.

Folks on Community Gathering team: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea (Meck volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

Folks who volunteered for Film Series: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble (Andrea volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

==Evaluation of Ways of Being==
* Step Up/Step Back – mixed; ask for folks who have not spoken to speak; (mixed with listening) don’t raise hand when someone is speaking
* Both/And - did well holding different truths at same time. I thought that at the point of
* Don’t Shame, Blame and Attack – differentiate between conflict and shame/blame/attack, what we moved what could have been shame/blame/attack to both/and. Everything I have experienced at OB, fairest way to do things as an organization is Robert’s Rules of Order. Understand, respect your approach and wonder about its portability.
* Oops, Ouch, what’s Up – good
* I statements – good
* Active Listening – good
* 30 second rule – good
* Progressive stack – mixed
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings – break out groups, one-on-ones, when we drop some aspect of agenda where there
* No screens –
* Appreciations - thank you to facilitators for holding the tough space, introductions were a beautiful model of speaking of everyone in a loving way

One more thing in response to concern about GA’s – there is a realization among many of us (facilitation and others) that we are not actually doing consensus and that is at the root of our problems.

==Closing Poem==
Choose To Bless The World
By Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry
Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be‚
can be used to bless or curse the world.
The mind's power,
The strength of the hands,
The reaches of the heart,
The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting
Any of these can serve to feed the hungry,
Bind up wounds,
Welcome the stranger,
Praise what is sacred,
Do the work of justice
Or offer love.
Any of these can draw down the prison door,
Hoard bread,
Abandon the poor,
Obscure what is holy,
Comply with injustice
Or withhold love.
You must answer this question:
What will you do with your gifts?
Choose to bless the world.
The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude
To search for the sources of power and grace;
Native wisdom, healing, and liberation.
More, the choice will draw you into community,
The endeavor shared,
The heritage passed on,
The companionship of struggle,
The importance of keeping faith,
The life of ritual and praise,
The comfort of human friendship,
The company of earth
The chorus of life welcoming you.
None of us alone can save the world.
Together‚ that is another possibility waiting.

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012

2012-01-23T13:42:36Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series */

Anti-Oppression Working Group
January 21, 2012

Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlotte, Jacob, Andrea

==Agenda==
6:00-6:20 Opening
* Introductions/appreciations
* Facilitation, notekeeper, timekeeper
* Ways of Being
6:20-6:50 Check-Is/Updates
* Safety
* Banner
* OWS road trip – request for contact information
* FAWG stipend freeze
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
* Request for our presence at GA’s
* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
6:50-7:10 Debriefs
* Visioning Workshop
* People of Color Community of Gathering
7:10-8:20 Task Work Group
* Visioning Exercise
* Break-Out Groups
* Report Backs

8:20-8:30 Assessment of Ways of Being Ways of Being

==Introductions==
Meck and Bhavin asked the group members to introduce themselves and then appreciate the person to your right. The group enjoyed opening the meeting in this way.

==Roles==
Facilitators – Bhavin and Meck

Notetaker – Andrea

Timekeeper - Greg

==Appreciations==
Facilitators opened up the space for folks to give additional appreciations. The following people were appreciated.
* Michael → taking a risk to engage in this work
* Greg → for the dedicated and often invisible work you do with Financial Accountability WG (FAWG)
* Anna → for being in the center of difficult conversations around safety in OB
* Susan → for all that you have been doing around level 3 offenders, and your involvement with so many working groups
* Maureen → for asking good and hard questions at the Linda Stout Visioning session

==Ways of Being==
The group reviewed the ways of being.
* Step up/Step back
* Both/and
* Don’t shame, blame, attack
* Room for disagreement – oops, ouch, what’s up with that
* Can use hand signals
* Use I statements –speak for yourself
* Active listening – it starts with a decision, a commitment, an intention,
* 30 second rule – this is something we do every twenty minutes. We are also finding that it is tool that facilitators and participants can call for when the tension is high. It is also a useful tool when proposals are bring brought forward to a group and you want group to pause and have time to consider it before conversation begins. It ties into a diversity in the way we structure meetings and active listening.
* Progressive stack
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings -
* No Screens
** Ouch- Introverts among us, who don’t talk a lot, is it a barrier from fully engaging? Or is it a means of communication? A means for being present? It’s their way of having their voices being heard. Maybe figuring out ways to make room for screens can be folded into diversity of structuring our meetings
* Appreciations – new way of being that has been added so that we can recognize and appreciate folks who have put themselves out there

==Check-Is/Updates==
* Safety (we’re going to do this one first because some folks will be leaving early to go to the GA)
** Folks involved in thinking about community safe space building and way in which we can mitigate harm ….do community trust building. Use what we learned in visioning workshop there. Thought folks would have ideas for that.
** Build a community for responding to harm. Build a community where there …because we respond to one another’s need for emotional and other forms of safety. To build a foundation, need to be able to trust each other. In the past month, Jumped into OB and put a lot of trust in folks in my WG and affinitiy group and didn’t know them well. A few things have happened that have shaken that trust. It matters to me that they are safe and personal responsibility to hold that trust – both ways me towards them and them towards me. This the background to wa
** A couple of ways to be involved – Sunday at 1:00 at Flaxseed across from Park St. to help plan for Monday meeting. Or be in touch via email. Or want to help facilitate this. There is also a meeting next week on Monday for larger meeting for self-education about questions of restorative justice and safety…who in our/wider community have wisdom on the topic.
** Appreciate what is Rachel is trying to do. Think that the discussion won’t ….there are anti-democratic structures of GA. Knows someone who got physically sick from being involved at GA. Confused by blocking….group decides if you’re objection is valid or not. Not intuitive. They understand –
** Facilitator: Understand there are many people concerned about GA. Not our task to …many people feel that this needs to be deeply . You are welcome to address this with them .
** Agree that these issues are important.
** Anna@occoupyboston.org
** 6:00-8:30 Monday Gathering
* Banner --. nothing new
* OWS road trip – request for contact information → looking for contacts with whom to
** Michelle and Angela offered to serve as contacts
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
** Statement of Purpose – in progress, Andrea is contact person, nagel.andi@gmail.com
** Vision Statement – finished and posted
* FAWG stipend freeze
** Proposal to put hold on monies until March 6. Frozen at the
** Folks taking direct action with cap of $2000.
** Goes into effect at 12:01 on Monday.
** Why is only one area of work allowed to spend money – direct action? Passed at GA.
** Money for community gathering? Will still be available
* Request for our presence at GA’s
** More presence of AOWG at GA’s made by member of Facilitation to be eyes and ears,
** Maybe this group can bring an offering and open a GA with a reading
** Maybe we can read our Ways of Being in our meetings
** Nothing built into GA’s to deal with issues of oppression unless the facilitator already has the skills to deal with them. Hence, a lot of things are said and done and not always dealt with effectively. This area needs to evolve a step further it would be a wonderful to have the help of Anti-Oppression working group.
** Some members of us are present at GA’s – Susan for example. We need to hold that some of us are present and that more of us could be there. It’s a both/and. It would be great …many of us are there not in front or in public ways, but there building relationships.
** Proposal of another civility pledge, did look to this group about ways to speak to one another. Can lead by example. Don’t have to fight your way to the front. Leadership emerges by doing good works and having that recognized.
** GA’s are a large group and we are a small group. Facilitators there need more skills. We need to understand what they are dealing with. It would be good for some of their facilitators to come here and learn with us.
** It’s about bigger existential questions about OB and where to spend my time
** Asking people to do anti-oppression organizing to go into a space that is oppressive, that we want to appreciate people’s self-knowledge to know when it’s not safe space to do this. And for those that go into those spaces, we need to find spaces to support them, the need for healing when there is real trauma.

* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
** There is a group that affects the way the level 3 sex offender proposal is addressed
** It sounds like what is being said is that because there is a group, that it will be handled. That feels unfair – not right.
** No - I didn’t want to open it up for a big conversation about the topic, so that’s why said that. But I didn’t mean that it’s all taken care of because the group exists.
** Many of the level 3 offenders are oppressed themselves. They have needs for sex, as they do for other things…..There are issues of mental illness [full statement not captured]
** We need to set a space to have this conversation – not here.
** An ouch for me - Some of what you’re saying is an ouch
** Some of what is being discussed is so complex and we haven’t set aside a space/time to discuss.
** The community safety is approaching this conversation from a place of accountability and restorative justice and it is nuanced and complex. Not taking proposals, in process of discovery and learning. Not centered on a particular situation or person.
** What is the frame for our discussion? Updates – where is the work, where are we at with a process for each of these. This wasn’t clear.
** Feeling discomfort about this – when thinking about our ways of being. We’re trying not to replicate what we’ve learned by dominant culture about responding with what can be experienced as aggressive. My hope is that in this space to try to think about how we speak to one another – I mess up miserably and try hard and have been held by the group and accountable.
** A few of us in the room - in not being honest with the issues on the table. Until we deal with the issues we won’t have progress.
** When I first entered Facilitation WG – I came in attack mode. And wanted to point out all that was wrong with it. And found that the Fac. Team are all concerned with the same things. They are very concerned ….everyone in the community is aware that there are deep concerns with the process. A lot of people come in and out of facilitation team and they bring new ideas and skills. Now there is an action assembly, there’s conversation about a spokes council. You should attend facilitation meetings. You’ll hear a lot of anxiety about the process…the community is at stake at every GA.
** Some of the things that have been said is patronizing and patriarchy. Very easy to sit in an arm chair and criticize. Don’t sit back and throw stones, get involved and change it. Get to know the people and what they’re trying to do. It’s a process. It’s very easy to talk about how bad it is and talk down at them. People need to check themselves.
** Appreciate Bhavin for sharing his thoughts.
** Need 20 seconds. ….silence.
** I believe that we are all in this circle because we care deeply about many things that bring us here together. There are some deep conversation about the issues going on right now, about the stories that we bring to the work, that is deep work. OB is challenging us to go down this road. And there is no structure or way of doing this. There is place to hold the nerve, the will, the passion that people bring to this. Tere are truths being spoken, and everyone has a truth worthy of being spoken. We cannot deal with all of the truths now at this meeting.
** Carlos’s way of communicating, just being you. It’s cultural. Maybe the fact that we can be who we are in the space says that we are closer to being family than we realize. We have to remember that all of us are products of our cultures.
==Visioning Workshop==
What did you learn that would inform our anti-oppression work?
* Appreciate Susan for all the work/outreach you’ve done to bring this opportunity to OB
* Really challenging to apply techniques well in an organization to OB. Can you give an example? The whole thing.
* I learned that I was really frustrated. I have tremendous respect, She was trying to uses a model that wasn’t applicable.. because we don’t have a shared community, rootedness in community (like Piedmont) – which is in fact what we’re struggling with. The visioning exercise went on so long with drawing time. Paying attention to what was going on with folks. Linda continued to speak to her own experiences when people were yearning. That the challenges were, what our creativity could yield.
* Would she have been willing to alter it if she had heard this?
** I tried to once to say something and it didn’t have much of an effect. To be fair hard to come in from out of town and shift gears mid-stream is hard.
* I learned about commitment to things that are dysfunctional. When I step into a space, I commit to it and process it afterwards. It was helpful to do that. There were moments of beauty. The moments of one-on-ones were beautiful. I was frustrated by the visioning exercise – whether we were doing something together. If going to spend that much time creating a space, have to commit to holding it all the way. Think we lost the space that was being created at the end.
* Not having been there – what did she do?
** A lot of the time done to create the space to vision. A lot of exercises – step in with identities to see collective experience in the circle. Then went through guided imagery – from now into a time capsule 25 years ahead. Imaging the children now are adults then, what would be going on if our work were to come to fruition. Then draw the images that we had seen. At the end of the visualization exercise, the assignment was to listen and get a message from someone and bring it back.
* Hearing common themes – an exercise that works for organizations and not occupy. The models for doing anti-oppression organizing – focused on structural and systemic oppression, not to ignore interpersonal – not having a community that knows and trusts each other can’t have structures for decision making. Feeling frustrated by desperate need of OB trying to create beloved community and do structural work….not possible to do structural work if not from a place of community. Making it harder to come back to OB.
* To be able to deal with racism in institutional level your place of organizing has to start in a community that exists – famiiy, neighborhood, workplace, community, church..not one that has to be pre-disposed to want to deal with it – but place based. OB goes out into an ether and catch with whomever shows up. That’s enough to deal with it interpersonally but not structurally.
* We have to understand a real issue, from here we’re going to talk to our colleagues.
* Grounding – concept of being able to do work – internal community building work without common grounding. Place-based, can be varied - experienced based…but some grounding is necessary. At OB, feels like we’ve known each other for ever. A day feels like a week. How short this time has been – any of us. Important for me to hear. For me, who has not been involved in this type of organizing, have been so absorbed in it, it’s only 3 mos. Not having a common grounding in only 3 mos. and there is an expectation that we should have it. How to deal with the expectation and the disappointment that we don’t have it.
* Have a lot of thoughts to respond to…..when we did exercise to step into the circle. Some of the things people …not having a space to hold the things that are raised.
* More of a community interaction in OB – and can’t have a civil culture about civility proposal. All the spaces reinforce oppressive culture – church, sports, schools, entertainment, etc. Not going to pass …can’t blame the fruit for the tree. The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning. You can deal individually with a person and have to understand the culture from which they come.
* Build community
* Educate – we don’t all have the same analysis, richest place to start.
* Model of visioning trained in – model that is steeped in naming what is current reality. It is completely critical to be honest about where I am right now. I need to know where I am in relationship with my vision. Creates structural tension to work with. As humans, do all sorts of things we do with that. OB is so fractured, and beautiful, and a lot of oppression here, and wanting to ….so critical for OB to realize what the current reality is. What does a stretched rubber band want to go with it? Lose the vision and no energy, or move towards the vision. Most people have the hope, but maybe not the skill……a lot of drug use and lack of safely at Dewey…maybe have skill set in the greater community but not at the moment it is needed. It’s the both/and thing…….
* Where a lot of these divisions are in our movement….when you have a community. Can start by looking at where you are. Can come to a common understanding of what the problem is. Don’t have that at OB. Can also start with an understanding of what our vision is. There is also a big division about our vision. This might stem more from the way about the way we think about the vision than the vision itself. Visions tend to be visual – pictures….the way of doing this has been the problem– dismantling all prisons. A lot of people at OB don’t embrace that idea. Even in thinking of the future the way we want, the differences are still there. You have to focus on how it will feel not what it looks like. What is most important than the way we ..how important people feel is the most important thing for me – there is nothing more important. If it’s important for people to reflect on what it will look like or what people will have done, but how it will feel, I suspect there will be a lot more common ground.
* Sorry that you are facing foreclosure, I hope you are finding support for that given the connotations. Didn’t have my vision be understood - Not so much of the opening the prison doors – having our brothers and sisters join us with fishing rods, diplomas, but speaks to how we share our vision, and what we’re trying to get at. There is no shorthand because we don’t have a common analysis. Structural impediments to how they are perceived socially or what they embody for powers that be. The more we can come forward with our oppressed identities – whether we have suffered them, or hold them in solidarity with people who can hold them, the focus is on the person who is surviving and not on the perpetrator. Want to shift the dominant culture and culture of OB. While there is a lot of shifting, there is a lot
* This is new to me, I’m from PR– oppression stuff. Mostly oppression is done by the government. Been here for 3 years and people are helping me see it. Am interested in how you deal with this……
* Appreciating this and the people who continue to teach me…this is my reality and not making any sense and have it mirrored back….with yes but, yes and. Appreciate all of the responses. The work of this group – whether the community and education. There is a strategic question – what is our definition of community? Occupy – this broad thing? This space who come here and build that ground up. Educate - Building from concentric circles, starting with us or larger OB? If moving away from the visual and asking people to share their feelings – because it’s really personal, although we’ve crossed paths, this is personal. There is another risk – strategic risk – being effective …worry of over focus on the “I” – leads them to humanitarian path but not structural path. Rather than asking people – how will you feel? Ask how will we feel?
* I met Susie at a book fair –and talked about white privilege. Though difficult for me – very rewarding for me, forced me to re-examine my beliefs…healthy debate is good, re-examine beliefs and willing to get heard. I’ve spoken with Kendra and learned a lot …have to be true to your own values. There needs to be healthy debate. Take this opportunity to thank Susie for the conversation – that’s how community is built, through exchange of ideas.
* I heard you – and this is the place to come to have those
* We can see it and we do need to feel it. What we want to create.
==Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series==
What is our vision for our events? What can we hope for?
Put praxis and theory together – bumping up against our limitations in terms of our own organizing experience because this is a different beast in the context of doing these events. We use our community organizing strategies when not a community or rootedness. Knowing that the people are shifting, hard to build on things. And that there is a level of community building that is going on is real. The time put into building relationships, learning, getting to know folks. It’s this and constant building relationships. It’s a both and thing.

Folks on Community Gathering team: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea (Meck volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

Folks who volunteered for Film Series: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble (Andrea volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

==Evaluation of Ways of Being==
* Step Up/Step Back – mixed; ask for folks who have not spoken to speak; (mixed with listening) don’t raise hand when someone is speaking
* Both/And - did well holding different truths at same time. I thought that at the point of
* Don’t Shame, Blame and Attack – differentiate between conflict and shame/blame/attack, what we moved what could have been shame/blame/attack to both/and. Everything I have experienced at OB, fairest way to do things as an organization is Robert’s Rules of Order. Understand, respect your approach and wonder about its portability.
* Oops, Ouch, what’s Up – good
* I statements – good
* Active Listening – good
* 30 second rule – good
* Progressive stack – mixed
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings – break out groups, one-on-ones, when we drop some aspect of agenda where there
* No screens –
* Appreciations - thank you to facilitators for holding the tough space, introductions were a beautiful model of speaking of everyone in a loving way

One more thing in response to concern about GA’s – there is a realization among many of us (facilitation and others) that we are not actually doing consensus and that is at the root of our problems.

==Closing Poem==
Choose To Bless The World
By Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry
Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be‚
can be used to bless or curse the world.
The mind's power,
The strength of the hands,
The reaches of the heart,
The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting
Any of these can serve to feed the hungry,
Bind up wounds,
Welcome the stranger,
Praise what is sacred,
Do the work of justice
Or offer love.
Any of these can draw down the prison door,
Hoard bread,
Abandon the poor,
Obscure what is holy,
Comply with injustice
Or withhold love.
You must answer this question:
What will you do with your gifts?
Choose to bless the world.
The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude
To search for the sources of power and grace;
Native wisdom, healing, and liberation.
More, the choice will draw you into community,
The endeavor shared,
The heritage passed on,
The companionship of struggle,
The importance of keeping faith,
The life of ritual and praise,
The comfort of human friendship,
The company of earth
The chorus of life welcoming you.
None of us alone can save the world.
Together‚ that is another possibility waiting.

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012

2012-01-23T13:42:16Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series */

Anti-Oppression Working Group
January 21, 2012

Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlotte, Jacob, Andrea

==Agenda==
6:00-6:20 Opening
* Introductions/appreciations
* Facilitation, notekeeper, timekeeper
* Ways of Being
6:20-6:50 Check-Is/Updates
* Safety
* Banner
* OWS road trip – request for contact information
* FAWG stipend freeze
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
* Request for our presence at GA’s
* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
6:50-7:10 Debriefs
* Visioning Workshop
* People of Color Community of Gathering
7:10-8:20 Task Work Group
* Visioning Exercise
* Break-Out Groups
* Report Backs

8:20-8:30 Assessment of Ways of Being Ways of Being

==Introductions==
Meck and Bhavin asked the group members to introduce themselves and then appreciate the person to your right. The group enjoyed opening the meeting in this way.

==Roles==
Facilitators – Bhavin and Meck

Notetaker – Andrea

Timekeeper - Greg

==Appreciations==
Facilitators opened up the space for folks to give additional appreciations. The following people were appreciated.
* Michael → taking a risk to engage in this work
* Greg → for the dedicated and often invisible work you do with Financial Accountability WG (FAWG)
* Anna → for being in the center of difficult conversations around safety in OB
* Susan → for all that you have been doing around level 3 offenders, and your involvement with so many working groups
* Maureen → for asking good and hard questions at the Linda Stout Visioning session

==Ways of Being==
The group reviewed the ways of being.
* Step up/Step back
* Both/and
* Don’t shame, blame, attack
* Room for disagreement – oops, ouch, what’s up with that
* Can use hand signals
* Use I statements –speak for yourself
* Active listening – it starts with a decision, a commitment, an intention,
* 30 second rule – this is something we do every twenty minutes. We are also finding that it is tool that facilitators and participants can call for when the tension is high. It is also a useful tool when proposals are bring brought forward to a group and you want group to pause and have time to consider it before conversation begins. It ties into a diversity in the way we structure meetings and active listening.
* Progressive stack
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings -
* No Screens
** Ouch- Introverts among us, who don’t talk a lot, is it a barrier from fully engaging? Or is it a means of communication? A means for being present? It’s their way of having their voices being heard. Maybe figuring out ways to make room for screens can be folded into diversity of structuring our meetings
* Appreciations – new way of being that has been added so that we can recognize and appreciate folks who have put themselves out there

==Check-Is/Updates==
* Safety (we’re going to do this one first because some folks will be leaving early to go to the GA)
** Folks involved in thinking about community safe space building and way in which we can mitigate harm ….do community trust building. Use what we learned in visioning workshop there. Thought folks would have ideas for that.
** Build a community for responding to harm. Build a community where there …because we respond to one another’s need for emotional and other forms of safety. To build a foundation, need to be able to trust each other. In the past month, Jumped into OB and put a lot of trust in folks in my WG and affinitiy group and didn’t know them well. A few things have happened that have shaken that trust. It matters to me that they are safe and personal responsibility to hold that trust – both ways me towards them and them towards me. This the background to wa
** A couple of ways to be involved – Sunday at 1:00 at Flaxseed across from Park St. to help plan for Monday meeting. Or be in touch via email. Or want to help facilitate this. There is also a meeting next week on Monday for larger meeting for self-education about questions of restorative justice and safety…who in our/wider community have wisdom on the topic.
** Appreciate what is Rachel is trying to do. Think that the discussion won’t ….there are anti-democratic structures of GA. Knows someone who got physically sick from being involved at GA. Confused by blocking….group decides if you’re objection is valid or not. Not intuitive. They understand –
** Facilitator: Understand there are many people concerned about GA. Not our task to …many people feel that this needs to be deeply . You are welcome to address this with them .
** Agree that these issues are important.
** Anna@occoupyboston.org
** 6:00-8:30 Monday Gathering
* Banner --. nothing new
* OWS road trip – request for contact information → looking for contacts with whom to
** Michelle and Angela offered to serve as contacts
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
** Statement of Purpose – in progress, Andrea is contact person, nagel.andi@gmail.com
** Vision Statement – finished and posted
* FAWG stipend freeze
** Proposal to put hold on monies until March 6. Frozen at the
** Folks taking direct action with cap of $2000.
** Goes into effect at 12:01 on Monday.
** Why is only one area of work allowed to spend money – direct action? Passed at GA.
** Money for community gathering? Will still be available
* Request for our presence at GA’s
** More presence of AOWG at GA’s made by member of Facilitation to be eyes and ears,
** Maybe this group can bring an offering and open a GA with a reading
** Maybe we can read our Ways of Being in our meetings
** Nothing built into GA’s to deal with issues of oppression unless the facilitator already has the skills to deal with them. Hence, a lot of things are said and done and not always dealt with effectively. This area needs to evolve a step further it would be a wonderful to have the help of Anti-Oppression working group.
** Some members of us are present at GA’s – Susan for example. We need to hold that some of us are present and that more of us could be there. It’s a both/and. It would be great …many of us are there not in front or in public ways, but there building relationships.
** Proposal of another civility pledge, did look to this group about ways to speak to one another. Can lead by example. Don’t have to fight your way to the front. Leadership emerges by doing good works and having that recognized.
** GA’s are a large group and we are a small group. Facilitators there need more skills. We need to understand what they are dealing with. It would be good for some of their facilitators to come here and learn with us.
** It’s about bigger existential questions about OB and where to spend my time
** Asking people to do anti-oppression organizing to go into a space that is oppressive, that we want to appreciate people’s self-knowledge to know when it’s not safe space to do this. And for those that go into those spaces, we need to find spaces to support them, the need for healing when there is real trauma.

* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
** There is a group that affects the way the level 3 sex offender proposal is addressed
** It sounds like what is being said is that because there is a group, that it will be handled. That feels unfair – not right.
** No - I didn’t want to open it up for a big conversation about the topic, so that’s why said that. But I didn’t mean that it’s all taken care of because the group exists.
** Many of the level 3 offenders are oppressed themselves. They have needs for sex, as they do for other things…..There are issues of mental illness [full statement not captured]
** We need to set a space to have this conversation – not here.
** An ouch for me - Some of what you’re saying is an ouch
** Some of what is being discussed is so complex and we haven’t set aside a space/time to discuss.
** The community safety is approaching this conversation from a place of accountability and restorative justice and it is nuanced and complex. Not taking proposals, in process of discovery and learning. Not centered on a particular situation or person.
** What is the frame for our discussion? Updates – where is the work, where are we at with a process for each of these. This wasn’t clear.
** Feeling discomfort about this – when thinking about our ways of being. We’re trying not to replicate what we’ve learned by dominant culture about responding with what can be experienced as aggressive. My hope is that in this space to try to think about how we speak to one another – I mess up miserably and try hard and have been held by the group and accountable.
** A few of us in the room - in not being honest with the issues on the table. Until we deal with the issues we won’t have progress.
** When I first entered Facilitation WG – I came in attack mode. And wanted to point out all that was wrong with it. And found that the Fac. Team are all concerned with the same things. They are very concerned ….everyone in the community is aware that there are deep concerns with the process. A lot of people come in and out of facilitation team and they bring new ideas and skills. Now there is an action assembly, there’s conversation about a spokes council. You should attend facilitation meetings. You’ll hear a lot of anxiety about the process…the community is at stake at every GA.
** Some of the things that have been said is patronizing and patriarchy. Very easy to sit in an arm chair and criticize. Don’t sit back and throw stones, get involved and change it. Get to know the people and what they’re trying to do. It’s a process. It’s very easy to talk about how bad it is and talk down at them. People need to check themselves.
** Appreciate Bhavin for sharing his thoughts.
** Need 20 seconds. ….silence.
** I believe that we are all in this circle because we care deeply about many things that bring us here together. There are some deep conversation about the issues going on right now, about the stories that we bring to the work, that is deep work. OB is challenging us to go down this road. And there is no structure or way of doing this. There is place to hold the nerve, the will, the passion that people bring to this. Tere are truths being spoken, and everyone has a truth worthy of being spoken. We cannot deal with all of the truths now at this meeting.
** Carlos’s way of communicating, just being you. It’s cultural. Maybe the fact that we can be who we are in the space says that we are closer to being family than we realize. We have to remember that all of us are products of our cultures.
==Visioning Workshop==
What did you learn that would inform our anti-oppression work?
* Appreciate Susan for all the work/outreach you’ve done to bring this opportunity to OB
* Really challenging to apply techniques well in an organization to OB. Can you give an example? The whole thing.
* I learned that I was really frustrated. I have tremendous respect, She was trying to uses a model that wasn’t applicable.. because we don’t have a shared community, rootedness in community (like Piedmont) – which is in fact what we’re struggling with. The visioning exercise went on so long with drawing time. Paying attention to what was going on with folks. Linda continued to speak to her own experiences when people were yearning. That the challenges were, what our creativity could yield.
* Would she have been willing to alter it if she had heard this?
** I tried to once to say something and it didn’t have much of an effect. To be fair hard to come in from out of town and shift gears mid-stream is hard.
* I learned about commitment to things that are dysfunctional. When I step into a space, I commit to it and process it afterwards. It was helpful to do that. There were moments of beauty. The moments of one-on-ones were beautiful. I was frustrated by the visioning exercise – whether we were doing something together. If going to spend that much time creating a space, have to commit to holding it all the way. Think we lost the space that was being created at the end.
* Not having been there – what did she do?
** A lot of the time done to create the space to vision. A lot of exercises – step in with identities to see collective experience in the circle. Then went through guided imagery – from now into a time capsule 25 years ahead. Imaging the children now are adults then, what would be going on if our work were to come to fruition. Then draw the images that we had seen. At the end of the visualization exercise, the assignment was to listen and get a message from someone and bring it back.
* Hearing common themes – an exercise that works for organizations and not occupy. The models for doing anti-oppression organizing – focused on structural and systemic oppression, not to ignore interpersonal – not having a community that knows and trusts each other can’t have structures for decision making. Feeling frustrated by desperate need of OB trying to create beloved community and do structural work….not possible to do structural work if not from a place of community. Making it harder to come back to OB.
* To be able to deal with racism in institutional level your place of organizing has to start in a community that exists – famiiy, neighborhood, workplace, community, church..not one that has to be pre-disposed to want to deal with it – but place based. OB goes out into an ether and catch with whomever shows up. That’s enough to deal with it interpersonally but not structurally.
* We have to understand a real issue, from here we’re going to talk to our colleagues.
* Grounding – concept of being able to do work – internal community building work without common grounding. Place-based, can be varied - experienced based…but some grounding is necessary. At OB, feels like we’ve known each other for ever. A day feels like a week. How short this time has been – any of us. Important for me to hear. For me, who has not been involved in this type of organizing, have been so absorbed in it, it’s only 3 mos. Not having a common grounding in only 3 mos. and there is an expectation that we should have it. How to deal with the expectation and the disappointment that we don’t have it.
* Have a lot of thoughts to respond to…..when we did exercise to step into the circle. Some of the things people …not having a space to hold the things that are raised.
* More of a community interaction in OB – and can’t have a civil culture about civility proposal. All the spaces reinforce oppressive culture – church, sports, schools, entertainment, etc. Not going to pass …can’t blame the fruit for the tree. The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning. You can deal individually with a person and have to understand the culture from which they come.
* Build community
* Educate – we don’t all have the same analysis, richest place to start.
* Model of visioning trained in – model that is steeped in naming what is current reality. It is completely critical to be honest about where I am right now. I need to know where I am in relationship with my vision. Creates structural tension to work with. As humans, do all sorts of things we do with that. OB is so fractured, and beautiful, and a lot of oppression here, and wanting to ….so critical for OB to realize what the current reality is. What does a stretched rubber band want to go with it? Lose the vision and no energy, or move towards the vision. Most people have the hope, but maybe not the skill……a lot of drug use and lack of safely at Dewey…maybe have skill set in the greater community but not at the moment it is needed. It’s the both/and thing…….
* Where a lot of these divisions are in our movement….when you have a community. Can start by looking at where you are. Can come to a common understanding of what the problem is. Don’t have that at OB. Can also start with an understanding of what our vision is. There is also a big division about our vision. This might stem more from the way about the way we think about the vision than the vision itself. Visions tend to be visual – pictures….the way of doing this has been the problem– dismantling all prisons. A lot of people at OB don’t embrace that idea. Even in thinking of the future the way we want, the differences are still there. You have to focus on how it will feel not what it looks like. What is most important than the way we ..how important people feel is the most important thing for me – there is nothing more important. If it’s important for people to reflect on what it will look like or what people will have done, but how it will feel, I suspect there will be a lot more common ground.
* Sorry that you are facing foreclosure, I hope you are finding support for that given the connotations. Didn’t have my vision be understood - Not so much of the opening the prison doors – having our brothers and sisters join us with fishing rods, diplomas, but speaks to how we share our vision, and what we’re trying to get at. There is no shorthand because we don’t have a common analysis. Structural impediments to how they are perceived socially or what they embody for powers that be. The more we can come forward with our oppressed identities – whether we have suffered them, or hold them in solidarity with people who can hold them, the focus is on the person who is surviving and not on the perpetrator. Want to shift the dominant culture and culture of OB. While there is a lot of shifting, there is a lot
* This is new to me, I’m from PR– oppression stuff. Mostly oppression is done by the government. Been here for 3 years and people are helping me see it. Am interested in how you deal with this……
* Appreciating this and the people who continue to teach me…this is my reality and not making any sense and have it mirrored back….with yes but, yes and. Appreciate all of the responses. The work of this group – whether the community and education. There is a strategic question – what is our definition of community? Occupy – this broad thing? This space who come here and build that ground up. Educate - Building from concentric circles, starting with us or larger OB? If moving away from the visual and asking people to share their feelings – because it’s really personal, although we’ve crossed paths, this is personal. There is another risk – strategic risk – being effective …worry of over focus on the “I” – leads them to humanitarian path but not structural path. Rather than asking people – how will you feel? Ask how will we feel?
* I met Susie at a book fair –and talked about white privilege. Though difficult for me – very rewarding for me, forced me to re-examine my beliefs…healthy debate is good, re-examine beliefs and willing to get heard. I’ve spoken with Kendra and learned a lot …have to be true to your own values. There needs to be healthy debate. Take this opportunity to thank Susie for the conversation – that’s how community is built, through exchange of ideas.
* I heard you – and this is the place to come to have those
* We can see it and we do need to feel it. What we want to create.
==Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series==
What is our vision for our events? What can we hope for?
Put praxis and theory together – bumping up against our limitations in terms of our own organizing experience because this is a different beast in the context of doing these events. We use our community organizing strategies when not a community or rootedness. Knowing that the people are shifting, hard to build on things. And that there is a level of community building that is going on is real. The time put into building relationships, learning, getting to know folks. It’s this and constant building relationships. It’s a both and thing.
Folks on Community Gathering team: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea (Meck volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)
Folks who volunteered for Film Series: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble (Andrea volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)

==Evaluation of Ways of Being==
* Step Up/Step Back – mixed; ask for folks who have not spoken to speak; (mixed with listening) don’t raise hand when someone is speaking
* Both/And - did well holding different truths at same time. I thought that at the point of
* Don’t Shame, Blame and Attack – differentiate between conflict and shame/blame/attack, what we moved what could have been shame/blame/attack to both/and. Everything I have experienced at OB, fairest way to do things as an organization is Robert’s Rules of Order. Understand, respect your approach and wonder about its portability.
* Oops, Ouch, what’s Up – good
* I statements – good
* Active Listening – good
* 30 second rule – good
* Progressive stack – mixed
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings – break out groups, one-on-ones, when we drop some aspect of agenda where there
* No screens –
* Appreciations - thank you to facilitators for holding the tough space, introductions were a beautiful model of speaking of everyone in a loving way

One more thing in response to concern about GA’s – there is a realization among many of us (facilitation and others) that we are not actually doing consensus and that is at the root of our problems.

==Closing Poem==
Choose To Bless The World
By Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry
Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be‚
can be used to bless or curse the world.
The mind's power,
The strength of the hands,
The reaches of the heart,
The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting
Any of these can serve to feed the hungry,
Bind up wounds,
Welcome the stranger,
Praise what is sacred,
Do the work of justice
Or offer love.
Any of these can draw down the prison door,
Hoard bread,
Abandon the poor,
Obscure what is holy,
Comply with injustice
Or withhold love.
You must answer this question:
What will you do with your gifts?
Choose to bless the world.
The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude
To search for the sources of power and grace;
Native wisdom, healing, and liberation.
More, the choice will draw you into community,
The endeavor shared,
The heritage passed on,
The companionship of struggle,
The importance of keeping faith,
The life of ritual and praise,
The comfort of human friendship,
The company of earth
The chorus of life welcoming you.
None of us alone can save the world.
Together‚ that is another possibility waiting.

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012

2012-01-23T13:41:08Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Ways of Being */

Anti-Oppression Working Group
January 21, 2012

Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlotte, Jacob, Andrea

==Agenda==
6:00-6:20 Opening
* Introductions/appreciations
* Facilitation, notekeeper, timekeeper
* Ways of Being
6:20-6:50 Check-Is/Updates
* Safety
* Banner
* OWS road trip – request for contact information
* FAWG stipend freeze
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
* Request for our presence at GA’s
* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
6:50-7:10 Debriefs
* Visioning Workshop
* People of Color Community of Gathering
7:10-8:20 Task Work Group
* Visioning Exercise
* Break-Out Groups
* Report Backs

8:20-8:30 Assessment of Ways of Being Ways of Being

==Introductions==
Meck and Bhavin asked the group members to introduce themselves and then appreciate the person to your right. The group enjoyed opening the meeting in this way.

==Roles==
Facilitators – Bhavin and Meck

Notetaker – Andrea

Timekeeper - Greg

==Appreciations==
Facilitators opened up the space for folks to give additional appreciations. The following people were appreciated.
* Michael → taking a risk to engage in this work
* Greg → for the dedicated and often invisible work you do with Financial Accountability WG (FAWG)
* Anna → for being in the center of difficult conversations around safety in OB
* Susan → for all that you have been doing around level 3 offenders, and your involvement with so many working groups
* Maureen → for asking good and hard questions at the Linda Stout Visioning session

==Ways of Being==
The group reviewed the ways of being.
* Step up/Step back
* Both/and
* Don’t shame, blame, attack
* Room for disagreement – oops, ouch, what’s up with that
* Can use hand signals
* Use I statements –speak for yourself
* Active listening – it starts with a decision, a commitment, an intention,
* 30 second rule – this is something we do every twenty minutes. We are also finding that it is tool that facilitators and participants can call for when the tension is high. It is also a useful tool when proposals are bring brought forward to a group and you want group to pause and have time to consider it before conversation begins. It ties into a diversity in the way we structure meetings and active listening.
* Progressive stack
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings -
* No Screens
** Ouch- Introverts among us, who don’t talk a lot, is it a barrier from fully engaging? Or is it a means of communication? A means for being present? It’s their way of having their voices being heard. Maybe figuring out ways to make room for screens can be folded into diversity of structuring our meetings
* Appreciations – new way of being that has been added so that we can recognize and appreciate folks who have put themselves out there

==Check-Is/Updates==
* Safety (we’re going to do this one first because some folks will be leaving early to go to the GA)
** Folks involved in thinking about community safe space building and way in which we can mitigate harm ….do community trust building. Use what we learned in visioning workshop there. Thought folks would have ideas for that.
** Build a community for responding to harm. Build a community where there …because we respond to one another’s need for emotional and other forms of safety. To build a foundation, need to be able to trust each other. In the past month, Jumped into OB and put a lot of trust in folks in my WG and affinitiy group and didn’t know them well. A few things have happened that have shaken that trust. It matters to me that they are safe and personal responsibility to hold that trust – both ways me towards them and them towards me. This the background to wa
** A couple of ways to be involved – Sunday at 1:00 at Flaxseed across from Park St. to help plan for Monday meeting. Or be in touch via email. Or want to help facilitate this. There is also a meeting next week on Monday for larger meeting for self-education about questions of restorative justice and safety…who in our/wider community have wisdom on the topic.
** Appreciate what is Rachel is trying to do. Think that the discussion won’t ….there are anti-democratic structures of GA. Knows someone who got physically sick from being involved at GA. Confused by blocking….group decides if you’re objection is valid or not. Not intuitive. They understand –
** Facilitator: Understand there are many people concerned about GA. Not our task to …many people feel that this needs to be deeply . You are welcome to address this with them .
** Agree that these issues are important.
** Anna@occoupyboston.org
** 6:00-8:30 Monday Gathering
* Banner --. nothing new
* OWS road trip – request for contact information → looking for contacts with whom to
** Michelle and Angela offered to serve as contacts
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
** Statement of Purpose – in progress, Andrea is contact person, nagel.andi@gmail.com
** Vision Statement – finished and posted
* FAWG stipend freeze
** Proposal to put hold on monies until March 6. Frozen at the
** Folks taking direct action with cap of $2000.
** Goes into effect at 12:01 on Monday.
** Why is only one area of work allowed to spend money – direct action? Passed at GA.
** Money for community gathering? Will still be available
* Request for our presence at GA’s
** More presence of AOWG at GA’s made by member of Facilitation to be eyes and ears,
** Maybe this group can bring an offering and open a GA with a reading
** Maybe we can read our Ways of Being in our meetings
** Nothing built into GA’s to deal with issues of oppression unless the facilitator already has the skills to deal with them. Hence, a lot of things are said and done and not always dealt with effectively. This area needs to evolve a step further it would be a wonderful to have the help of Anti-Oppression working group.
** Some members of us are present at GA’s – Susan for example. We need to hold that some of us are present and that more of us could be there. It’s a both/and. It would be great …many of us are there not in front or in public ways, but there building relationships.
** Proposal of another civility pledge, did look to this group about ways to speak to one another. Can lead by example. Don’t have to fight your way to the front. Leadership emerges by doing good works and having that recognized.
** GA’s are a large group and we are a small group. Facilitators there need more skills. We need to understand what they are dealing with. It would be good for some of their facilitators to come here and learn with us.
** It’s about bigger existential questions about OB and where to spend my time
** Asking people to do anti-oppression organizing to go into a space that is oppressive, that we want to appreciate people’s self-knowledge to know when it’s not safe space to do this. And for those that go into those spaces, we need to find spaces to support them, the need for healing when there is real trauma.

* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
** There is a group that affects the way the level 3 sex offender proposal is addressed
** It sounds like what is being said is that because there is a group, that it will be handled. That feels unfair – not right.
** No - I didn’t want to open it up for a big conversation about the topic, so that’s why said that. But I didn’t mean that it’s all taken care of because the group exists.
** Many of the level 3 offenders are oppressed themselves. They have needs for sex, as they do for other things…..There are issues of mental illness [full statement not captured]
** We need to set a space to have this conversation – not here.
** An ouch for me - Some of what you’re saying is an ouch
** Some of what is being discussed is so complex and we haven’t set aside a space/time to discuss.
** The community safety is approaching this conversation from a place of accountability and restorative justice and it is nuanced and complex. Not taking proposals, in process of discovery and learning. Not centered on a particular situation or person.
** What is the frame for our discussion? Updates – where is the work, where are we at with a process for each of these. This wasn’t clear.
** Feeling discomfort about this – when thinking about our ways of being. We’re trying not to replicate what we’ve learned by dominant culture about responding with what can be experienced as aggressive. My hope is that in this space to try to think about how we speak to one another – I mess up miserably and try hard and have been held by the group and accountable.
** A few of us in the room - in not being honest with the issues on the table. Until we deal with the issues we won’t have progress.
** When I first entered Facilitation WG – I came in attack mode. And wanted to point out all that was wrong with it. And found that the Fac. Team are all concerned with the same things. They are very concerned ….everyone in the community is aware that there are deep concerns with the process. A lot of people come in and out of facilitation team and they bring new ideas and skills. Now there is an action assembly, there’s conversation about a spokes council. You should attend facilitation meetings. You’ll hear a lot of anxiety about the process…the community is at stake at every GA.
** Some of the things that have been said is patronizing and patriarchy. Very easy to sit in an arm chair and criticize. Don’t sit back and throw stones, get involved and change it. Get to know the people and what they’re trying to do. It’s a process. It’s very easy to talk about how bad it is and talk down at them. People need to check themselves.
** Appreciate Bhavin for sharing his thoughts.
** Need 20 seconds. ….silence.
** I believe that we are all in this circle because we care deeply about many things that bring us here together. There are some deep conversation about the issues going on right now, about the stories that we bring to the work, that is deep work. OB is challenging us to go down this road. And there is no structure or way of doing this. There is place to hold the nerve, the will, the passion that people bring to this. Tere are truths being spoken, and everyone has a truth worthy of being spoken. We cannot deal with all of the truths now at this meeting.
** Carlos’s way of communicating, just being you. It’s cultural. Maybe the fact that we can be who we are in the space says that we are closer to being family than we realize. We have to remember that all of us are products of our cultures.
==Visioning Workshop==
What did you learn that would inform our anti-oppression work?
* Appreciate Susan for all the work/outreach you’ve done to bring this opportunity to OB
* Really challenging to apply techniques well in an organization to OB. Can you give an example? The whole thing.
* I learned that I was really frustrated. I have tremendous respect, She was trying to uses a model that wasn’t applicable.. because we don’t have a shared community, rootedness in community (like Piedmont) – which is in fact what we’re struggling with. The visioning exercise went on so long with drawing time. Paying attention to what was going on with folks. Linda continued to speak to her own experiences when people were yearning. That the challenges were, what our creativity could yield.
* Would she have been willing to alter it if she had heard this?
** I tried to once to say something and it didn’t have much of an effect. To be fair hard to come in from out of town and shift gears mid-stream is hard.
* I learned about commitment to things that are dysfunctional. When I step into a space, I commit to it and process it afterwards. It was helpful to do that. There were moments of beauty. The moments of one-on-ones were beautiful. I was frustrated by the visioning exercise – whether we were doing something together. If going to spend that much time creating a space, have to commit to holding it all the way. Think we lost the space that was being created at the end.
* Not having been there – what did she do?
** A lot of the time done to create the space to vision. A lot of exercises – step in with identities to see collective experience in the circle. Then went through guided imagery – from now into a time capsule 25 years ahead. Imaging the children now are adults then, what would be going on if our work were to come to fruition. Then draw the images that we had seen. At the end of the visualization exercise, the assignment was to listen and get a message from someone and bring it back.
* Hearing common themes – an exercise that works for organizations and not occupy. The models for doing anti-oppression organizing – focused on structural and systemic oppression, not to ignore interpersonal – not having a community that knows and trusts each other can’t have structures for decision making. Feeling frustrated by desperate need of OB trying to create beloved community and do structural work….not possible to do structural work if not from a place of community. Making it harder to come back to OB.
* To be able to deal with racism in institutional level your place of organizing has to start in a community that exists – famiiy, neighborhood, workplace, community, church..not one that has to be pre-disposed to want to deal with it – but place based. OB goes out into an ether and catch with whomever shows up. That’s enough to deal with it interpersonally but not structurally.
* We have to understand a real issue, from here we’re going to talk to our colleagues.
* Grounding – concept of being able to do work – internal community building work without common grounding. Place-based, can be varied - experienced based…but some grounding is necessary. At OB, feels like we’ve known each other for ever. A day feels like a week. How short this time has been – any of us. Important for me to hear. For me, who has not been involved in this type of organizing, have been so absorbed in it, it’s only 3 mos. Not having a common grounding in only 3 mos. and there is an expectation that we should have it. How to deal with the expectation and the disappointment that we don’t have it.
* Have a lot of thoughts to respond to…..when we did exercise to step into the circle. Some of the things people …not having a space to hold the things that are raised.
* More of a community interaction in OB – and can’t have a civil culture about civility proposal. All the spaces reinforce oppressive culture – church, sports, schools, entertainment, etc. Not going to pass …can’t blame the fruit for the tree. The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning. You can deal individually with a person and have to understand the culture from which they come.
* Build community
* Educate – we don’t all have the same analysis, richest place to start.
* Model of visioning trained in – model that is steeped in naming what is current reality. It is completely critical to be honest about where I am right now. I need to know where I am in relationship with my vision. Creates structural tension to work with. As humans, do all sorts of things we do with that. OB is so fractured, and beautiful, and a lot of oppression here, and wanting to ….so critical for OB to realize what the current reality is. What does a stretched rubber band want to go with it? Lose the vision and no energy, or move towards the vision. Most people have the hope, but maybe not the skill……a lot of drug use and lack of safely at Dewey…maybe have skill set in the greater community but not at the moment it is needed. It’s the both/and thing…….
* Where a lot of these divisions are in our movement….when you have a community. Can start by looking at where you are. Can come to a common understanding of what the problem is. Don’t have that at OB. Can also start with an understanding of what our vision is. There is also a big division about our vision. This might stem more from the way about the way we think about the vision than the vision itself. Visions tend to be visual – pictures….the way of doing this has been the problem– dismantling all prisons. A lot of people at OB don’t embrace that idea. Even in thinking of the future the way we want, the differences are still there. You have to focus on how it will feel not what it looks like. What is most important than the way we ..how important people feel is the most important thing for me – there is nothing more important. If it’s important for people to reflect on what it will look like or what people will have done, but how it will feel, I suspect there will be a lot more common ground.
* Sorry that you are facing foreclosure, I hope you are finding support for that given the connotations. Didn’t have my vision be understood - Not so much of the opening the prison doors – having our brothers and sisters join us with fishing rods, diplomas, but speaks to how we share our vision, and what we’re trying to get at. There is no shorthand because we don’t have a common analysis. Structural impediments to how they are perceived socially or what they embody for powers that be. The more we can come forward with our oppressed identities – whether we have suffered them, or hold them in solidarity with people who can hold them, the focus is on the person who is surviving and not on the perpetrator. Want to shift the dominant culture and culture of OB. While there is a lot of shifting, there is a lot
* This is new to me, I’m from PR– oppression stuff. Mostly oppression is done by the government. Been here for 3 years and people are helping me see it. Am interested in how you deal with this……
* Appreciating this and the people who continue to teach me…this is my reality and not making any sense and have it mirrored back….with yes but, yes and. Appreciate all of the responses. The work of this group – whether the community and education. There is a strategic question – what is our definition of community? Occupy – this broad thing? This space who come here and build that ground up. Educate - Building from concentric circles, starting with us or larger OB? If moving away from the visual and asking people to share their feelings – because it’s really personal, although we’ve crossed paths, this is personal. There is another risk – strategic risk – being effective …worry of over focus on the “I” – leads them to humanitarian path but not structural path. Rather than asking people – how will you feel? Ask how will we feel?
* I met Susie at a book fair –and talked about white privilege. Though difficult for me – very rewarding for me, forced me to re-examine my beliefs…healthy debate is good, re-examine beliefs and willing to get heard. I’ve spoken with Kendra and learned a lot …have to be true to your own values. There needs to be healthy debate. Take this opportunity to thank Susie for the conversation – that’s how community is built, through exchange of ideas.
* I heard you – and this is the place to come to have those
* We can see it and we do need to feel it. What we want to create.
==Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series==
What is our vision for our events? What can we hope for?
Put praxis and theory together – bumping up against our limitations in terms of our own organizing experience because this is a different beast in the context of doing these events. We use our community organizing strategies when not a community or rootedness. Knowing that the people are shifting, hard to build on things. And that there is a level of community building that is going on is real. The time put into building relationships, learning, getting to know folks. It’s this and constant building relationships. It’s a both and thing.
Folks on Community Gathering team: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea (Meck volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)
Folks who volunteered for Film Series: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble (Andrea volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)
Evaluation of Ways of Being
* Step Up/Step Back – mixed; ask for folks who have not spoken to speak; (mixed with listening) don’t raise hand when someone is speaking
* Both/And - did well holding different truths at same time. I thought that at the point of
* Don’t Shame, Blame and Attack – differentiate between conflict and shame/blame/attack, what we moved what could have been shame/blame/attack to both/and. Everything I have experienced at OB, fairest way to do things as an organization is Robert’s Rules of Order. Understand, respect your approach and wonder about its portability.
* Oops, Ouch, what’s Up – good
* I statements – good
* Active Listening – good
* 30 second rule – good
* Progressive stack – mixed
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings – break out groups, one-on-ones, when we drop some aspect of agenda where there
* No screens –
* Appreciations - thank you to facilitators for holding the tough space, introductions were a beautiful model of speaking of everyone in a loving way

One more thing in response to concern about GA’s – there is a realization among many of us (facilitation and others) that we are not actually doing consensus and that is at the root of our problems.

==Closing Poem==
Choose To Bless The World
By Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry
Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be‚
can be used to bless or curse the world.
The mind's power,
The strength of the hands,
The reaches of the heart,
The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting
Any of these can serve to feed the hungry,
Bind up wounds,
Welcome the stranger,
Praise what is sacred,
Do the work of justice
Or offer love.
Any of these can draw down the prison door,
Hoard bread,
Abandon the poor,
Obscure what is holy,
Comply with injustice
Or withhold love.
You must answer this question:
What will you do with your gifts?
Choose to bless the world.
The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude
To search for the sources of power and grace;
Native wisdom, healing, and liberation.
More, the choice will draw you into community,
The endeavor shared,
The heritage passed on,
The companionship of struggle,
The importance of keeping faith,
The life of ritual and praise,
The comfort of human friendship,
The company of earth
The chorus of life welcoming you.
None of us alone can save the world.
Together‚ that is another possibility waiting.

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012

2012-01-23T13:40:06Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Roles */

Anti-Oppression Working Group
January 21, 2012

Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlotte, Jacob, Andrea

==Agenda==
6:00-6:20 Opening
* Introductions/appreciations
* Facilitation, notekeeper, timekeeper
* Ways of Being
6:20-6:50 Check-Is/Updates
* Safety
* Banner
* OWS road trip – request for contact information
* FAWG stipend freeze
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
* Request for our presence at GA’s
* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
6:50-7:10 Debriefs
* Visioning Workshop
* People of Color Community of Gathering
7:10-8:20 Task Work Group
* Visioning Exercise
* Break-Out Groups
* Report Backs

8:20-8:30 Assessment of Ways of Being Ways of Being

==Introductions==
Meck and Bhavin asked the group members to introduce themselves and then appreciate the person to your right. The group enjoyed opening the meeting in this way.

==Roles==
Facilitators – Bhavin and Meck

Notetaker – Andrea

Timekeeper - Greg

==Appreciations==
Facilitators opened up the space for folks to give additional appreciations. The following people were appreciated.
* Michael → taking a risk to engage in this work
* Greg → for the dedicated and often invisible work you do with Financial Accountability WG (FAWG)
* Anna → for being in the center of difficult conversations around safety in OB
* Susan → for all that you have been doing around level 3 offenders, and your involvement with so many working groups
* Maureen → for asking good and hard questions at the Linda Stout Visioning session

==Ways of Being==
The group reviewed the ways of being.
** Step up/Step back
** Both/and
** Don’t shame, blame, attack
** Room for disagreement – oops, ouch, what’s up with that
** Can use hand signals
** Use I statements –speak for yourself
** Active listening – it starts with a decision, a commitment, an intention,
** 30 second rule – this is something we do every twenty minutes. We are also finding that it is tool that facilitators and participants can call for when the tension is high. It is also a useful tool when proposals are bring brought forward to a group and you want group to pause and have time to consider it before conversation begins. It ties into a diversity in the way we structure meetings and active listening.
** Progressive stack
** Diversity of Structuring Meetings -
** No Screens
*** Ouch- Introverts among us, who don’t talk a lot, is it a barrier from fully engaging? Or is it a means of communication? A means for being present? It’s their way of having their voices being heard. Maybe figuring out ways to make room for screens can be folded into diversity of structuring our meetings
** Appreciations – new way of being that has been added so that we can recognize and appreciate folks who have put themselves out there

==Check-Is/Updates==
* Safety (we’re going to do this one first because some folks will be leaving early to go to the GA)
** Folks involved in thinking about community safe space building and way in which we can mitigate harm ….do community trust building. Use what we learned in visioning workshop there. Thought folks would have ideas for that.
** Build a community for responding to harm. Build a community where there …because we respond to one another’s need for emotional and other forms of safety. To build a foundation, need to be able to trust each other. In the past month, Jumped into OB and put a lot of trust in folks in my WG and affinitiy group and didn’t know them well. A few things have happened that have shaken that trust. It matters to me that they are safe and personal responsibility to hold that trust – both ways me towards them and them towards me. This the background to wa
** A couple of ways to be involved – Sunday at 1:00 at Flaxseed across from Park St. to help plan for Monday meeting. Or be in touch via email. Or want to help facilitate this. There is also a meeting next week on Monday for larger meeting for self-education about questions of restorative justice and safety…who in our/wider community have wisdom on the topic.
** Appreciate what is Rachel is trying to do. Think that the discussion won’t ….there are anti-democratic structures of GA. Knows someone who got physically sick from being involved at GA. Confused by blocking….group decides if you’re objection is valid or not. Not intuitive. They understand –
** Facilitator: Understand there are many people concerned about GA. Not our task to …many people feel that this needs to be deeply . You are welcome to address this with them .
** Agree that these issues are important.
** Anna@occoupyboston.org
** 6:00-8:30 Monday Gathering
* Banner --. nothing new
* OWS road trip – request for contact information → looking for contacts with whom to
** Michelle and Angela offered to serve as contacts
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
** Statement of Purpose – in progress, Andrea is contact person, nagel.andi@gmail.com
** Vision Statement – finished and posted
* FAWG stipend freeze
** Proposal to put hold on monies until March 6. Frozen at the
** Folks taking direct action with cap of $2000.
** Goes into effect at 12:01 on Monday.
** Why is only one area of work allowed to spend money – direct action? Passed at GA.
** Money for community gathering? Will still be available
* Request for our presence at GA’s
** More presence of AOWG at GA’s made by member of Facilitation to be eyes and ears,
** Maybe this group can bring an offering and open a GA with a reading
** Maybe we can read our Ways of Being in our meetings
** Nothing built into GA’s to deal with issues of oppression unless the facilitator already has the skills to deal with them. Hence, a lot of things are said and done and not always dealt with effectively. This area needs to evolve a step further it would be a wonderful to have the help of Anti-Oppression working group.
** Some members of us are present at GA’s – Susan for example. We need to hold that some of us are present and that more of us could be there. It’s a both/and. It would be great …many of us are there not in front or in public ways, but there building relationships.
** Proposal of another civility pledge, did look to this group about ways to speak to one another. Can lead by example. Don’t have to fight your way to the front. Leadership emerges by doing good works and having that recognized.
** GA’s are a large group and we are a small group. Facilitators there need more skills. We need to understand what they are dealing with. It would be good for some of their facilitators to come here and learn with us.
** It’s about bigger existential questions about OB and where to spend my time
** Asking people to do anti-oppression organizing to go into a space that is oppressive, that we want to appreciate people’s self-knowledge to know when it’s not safe space to do this. And for those that go into those spaces, we need to find spaces to support them, the need for healing when there is real trauma.

* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
** There is a group that affects the way the level 3 sex offender proposal is addressed
** It sounds like what is being said is that because there is a group, that it will be handled. That feels unfair – not right.
** No - I didn’t want to open it up for a big conversation about the topic, so that’s why said that. But I didn’t mean that it’s all taken care of because the group exists.
** Many of the level 3 offenders are oppressed themselves. They have needs for sex, as they do for other things…..There are issues of mental illness [full statement not captured]
** We need to set a space to have this conversation – not here.
** An ouch for me - Some of what you’re saying is an ouch
** Some of what is being discussed is so complex and we haven’t set aside a space/time to discuss.
** The community safety is approaching this conversation from a place of accountability and restorative justice and it is nuanced and complex. Not taking proposals, in process of discovery and learning. Not centered on a particular situation or person.
** What is the frame for our discussion? Updates – where is the work, where are we at with a process for each of these. This wasn’t clear.
** Feeling discomfort about this – when thinking about our ways of being. We’re trying not to replicate what we’ve learned by dominant culture about responding with what can be experienced as aggressive. My hope is that in this space to try to think about how we speak to one another – I mess up miserably and try hard and have been held by the group and accountable.
** A few of us in the room - in not being honest with the issues on the table. Until we deal with the issues we won’t have progress.
** When I first entered Facilitation WG – I came in attack mode. And wanted to point out all that was wrong with it. And found that the Fac. Team are all concerned with the same things. They are very concerned ….everyone in the community is aware that there are deep concerns with the process. A lot of people come in and out of facilitation team and they bring new ideas and skills. Now there is an action assembly, there’s conversation about a spokes council. You should attend facilitation meetings. You’ll hear a lot of anxiety about the process…the community is at stake at every GA.
** Some of the things that have been said is patronizing and patriarchy. Very easy to sit in an arm chair and criticize. Don’t sit back and throw stones, get involved and change it. Get to know the people and what they’re trying to do. It’s a process. It’s very easy to talk about how bad it is and talk down at them. People need to check themselves.
** Appreciate Bhavin for sharing his thoughts.
** Need 20 seconds. ….silence.
** I believe that we are all in this circle because we care deeply about many things that bring us here together. There are some deep conversation about the issues going on right now, about the stories that we bring to the work, that is deep work. OB is challenging us to go down this road. And there is no structure or way of doing this. There is place to hold the nerve, the will, the passion that people bring to this. Tere are truths being spoken, and everyone has a truth worthy of being spoken. We cannot deal with all of the truths now at this meeting.
** Carlos’s way of communicating, just being you. It’s cultural. Maybe the fact that we can be who we are in the space says that we are closer to being family than we realize. We have to remember that all of us are products of our cultures.
==Visioning Workshop==
What did you learn that would inform our anti-oppression work?
* Appreciate Susan for all the work/outreach you’ve done to bring this opportunity to OB
* Really challenging to apply techniques well in an organization to OB. Can you give an example? The whole thing.
* I learned that I was really frustrated. I have tremendous respect, She was trying to uses a model that wasn’t applicable.. because we don’t have a shared community, rootedness in community (like Piedmont) – which is in fact what we’re struggling with. The visioning exercise went on so long with drawing time. Paying attention to what was going on with folks. Linda continued to speak to her own experiences when people were yearning. That the challenges were, what our creativity could yield.
* Would she have been willing to alter it if she had heard this?
** I tried to once to say something and it didn’t have much of an effect. To be fair hard to come in from out of town and shift gears mid-stream is hard.
* I learned about commitment to things that are dysfunctional. When I step into a space, I commit to it and process it afterwards. It was helpful to do that. There were moments of beauty. The moments of one-on-ones were beautiful. I was frustrated by the visioning exercise – whether we were doing something together. If going to spend that much time creating a space, have to commit to holding it all the way. Think we lost the space that was being created at the end.
* Not having been there – what did she do?
** A lot of the time done to create the space to vision. A lot of exercises – step in with identities to see collective experience in the circle. Then went through guided imagery – from now into a time capsule 25 years ahead. Imaging the children now are adults then, what would be going on if our work were to come to fruition. Then draw the images that we had seen. At the end of the visualization exercise, the assignment was to listen and get a message from someone and bring it back.
* Hearing common themes – an exercise that works for organizations and not occupy. The models for doing anti-oppression organizing – focused on structural and systemic oppression, not to ignore interpersonal – not having a community that knows and trusts each other can’t have structures for decision making. Feeling frustrated by desperate need of OB trying to create beloved community and do structural work….not possible to do structural work if not from a place of community. Making it harder to come back to OB.
* To be able to deal with racism in institutional level your place of organizing has to start in a community that exists – famiiy, neighborhood, workplace, community, church..not one that has to be pre-disposed to want to deal with it – but place based. OB goes out into an ether and catch with whomever shows up. That’s enough to deal with it interpersonally but not structurally.
* We have to understand a real issue, from here we’re going to talk to our colleagues.
* Grounding – concept of being able to do work – internal community building work without common grounding. Place-based, can be varied - experienced based…but some grounding is necessary. At OB, feels like we’ve known each other for ever. A day feels like a week. How short this time has been – any of us. Important for me to hear. For me, who has not been involved in this type of organizing, have been so absorbed in it, it’s only 3 mos. Not having a common grounding in only 3 mos. and there is an expectation that we should have it. How to deal with the expectation and the disappointment that we don’t have it.
* Have a lot of thoughts to respond to…..when we did exercise to step into the circle. Some of the things people …not having a space to hold the things that are raised.
* More of a community interaction in OB – and can’t have a civil culture about civility proposal. All the spaces reinforce oppressive culture – church, sports, schools, entertainment, etc. Not going to pass …can’t blame the fruit for the tree. The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning. You can deal individually with a person and have to understand the culture from which they come.
* Build community
* Educate – we don’t all have the same analysis, richest place to start.
* Model of visioning trained in – model that is steeped in naming what is current reality. It is completely critical to be honest about where I am right now. I need to know where I am in relationship with my vision. Creates structural tension to work with. As humans, do all sorts of things we do with that. OB is so fractured, and beautiful, and a lot of oppression here, and wanting to ….so critical for OB to realize what the current reality is. What does a stretched rubber band want to go with it? Lose the vision and no energy, or move towards the vision. Most people have the hope, but maybe not the skill……a lot of drug use and lack of safely at Dewey…maybe have skill set in the greater community but not at the moment it is needed. It’s the both/and thing…….
* Where a lot of these divisions are in our movement….when you have a community. Can start by looking at where you are. Can come to a common understanding of what the problem is. Don’t have that at OB. Can also start with an understanding of what our vision is. There is also a big division about our vision. This might stem more from the way about the way we think about the vision than the vision itself. Visions tend to be visual – pictures….the way of doing this has been the problem– dismantling all prisons. A lot of people at OB don’t embrace that idea. Even in thinking of the future the way we want, the differences are still there. You have to focus on how it will feel not what it looks like. What is most important than the way we ..how important people feel is the most important thing for me – there is nothing more important. If it’s important for people to reflect on what it will look like or what people will have done, but how it will feel, I suspect there will be a lot more common ground.
* Sorry that you are facing foreclosure, I hope you are finding support for that given the connotations. Didn’t have my vision be understood - Not so much of the opening the prison doors – having our brothers and sisters join us with fishing rods, diplomas, but speaks to how we share our vision, and what we’re trying to get at. There is no shorthand because we don’t have a common analysis. Structural impediments to how they are perceived socially or what they embody for powers that be. The more we can come forward with our oppressed identities – whether we have suffered them, or hold them in solidarity with people who can hold them, the focus is on the person who is surviving and not on the perpetrator. Want to shift the dominant culture and culture of OB. While there is a lot of shifting, there is a lot
* This is new to me, I’m from PR– oppression stuff. Mostly oppression is done by the government. Been here for 3 years and people are helping me see it. Am interested in how you deal with this……
* Appreciating this and the people who continue to teach me…this is my reality and not making any sense and have it mirrored back….with yes but, yes and. Appreciate all of the responses. The work of this group – whether the community and education. There is a strategic question – what is our definition of community? Occupy – this broad thing? This space who come here and build that ground up. Educate - Building from concentric circles, starting with us or larger OB? If moving away from the visual and asking people to share their feelings – because it’s really personal, although we’ve crossed paths, this is personal. There is another risk – strategic risk – being effective …worry of over focus on the “I” – leads them to humanitarian path but not structural path. Rather than asking people – how will you feel? Ask how will we feel?
* I met Susie at a book fair –and talked about white privilege. Though difficult for me – very rewarding for me, forced me to re-examine my beliefs…healthy debate is good, re-examine beliefs and willing to get heard. I’ve spoken with Kendra and learned a lot …have to be true to your own values. There needs to be healthy debate. Take this opportunity to thank Susie for the conversation – that’s how community is built, through exchange of ideas.
* I heard you – and this is the place to come to have those
* We can see it and we do need to feel it. What we want to create.
==Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series==
What is our vision for our events? What can we hope for?
Put praxis and theory together – bumping up against our limitations in terms of our own organizing experience because this is a different beast in the context of doing these events. We use our community organizing strategies when not a community or rootedness. Knowing that the people are shifting, hard to build on things. And that there is a level of community building that is going on is real. The time put into building relationships, learning, getting to know folks. It’s this and constant building relationships. It’s a both and thing.
Folks on Community Gathering team: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea (Meck volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)
Folks who volunteered for Film Series: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble (Andrea volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)
Evaluation of Ways of Being
* Step Up/Step Back – mixed; ask for folks who have not spoken to speak; (mixed with listening) don’t raise hand when someone is speaking
* Both/And - did well holding different truths at same time. I thought that at the point of
* Don’t Shame, Blame and Attack – differentiate between conflict and shame/blame/attack, what we moved what could have been shame/blame/attack to both/and. Everything I have experienced at OB, fairest way to do things as an organization is Robert’s Rules of Order. Understand, respect your approach and wonder about its portability.
* Oops, Ouch, what’s Up – good
* I statements – good
* Active Listening – good
* 30 second rule – good
* Progressive stack – mixed
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings – break out groups, one-on-ones, when we drop some aspect of agenda where there
* No screens –
* Appreciations - thank you to facilitators for holding the tough space, introductions were a beautiful model of speaking of everyone in a loving way

One more thing in response to concern about GA’s – there is a realization among many of us (facilitation and others) that we are not actually doing consensus and that is at the root of our problems.

==Closing Poem==
Choose To Bless The World
By Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry
Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be‚
can be used to bless or curse the world.
The mind's power,
The strength of the hands,
The reaches of the heart,
The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting
Any of these can serve to feed the hungry,
Bind up wounds,
Welcome the stranger,
Praise what is sacred,
Do the work of justice
Or offer love.
Any of these can draw down the prison door,
Hoard bread,
Abandon the poor,
Obscure what is holy,
Comply with injustice
Or withhold love.
You must answer this question:
What will you do with your gifts?
Choose to bless the world.
The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude
To search for the sources of power and grace;
Native wisdom, healing, and liberation.
More, the choice will draw you into community,
The endeavor shared,
The heritage passed on,
The companionship of struggle,
The importance of keeping faith,
The life of ritual and praise,
The comfort of human friendship,
The company of earth
The chorus of life welcoming you.
None of us alone can save the world.
Together‚ that is another possibility waiting.

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012

2012-01-23T13:38:56Z

Possiblybhavin: Created page with " Anti-Oppression Working Group January 21, 2012 Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlo..."

Anti-Oppression Working Group
January 21, 2012

Attendance: Bhavin, Meck, Maureen, Sable, Susan, Corry, Jude, Kendra, David, Greg, Carlos, Michael, Rachel, Anna, Susie, Charlotte, Jacob, Andrea

==Agenda==
6:00-6:20 Opening
* Introductions/appreciations
* Facilitation, notekeeper, timekeeper
* Ways of Being
6:20-6:50 Check-Is/Updates
* Safety
* Banner
* OWS road trip – request for contact information
* FAWG stipend freeze
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
* Request for our presence at GA’s
* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
6:50-7:10 Debriefs
* Visioning Workshop
* People of Color Community of Gathering
7:10-8:20 Task Work Group
* Visioning Exercise
* Break-Out Groups
* Report Backs

8:20-8:30 Assessment of Ways of Being Ways of Being

==Introductions==
Meck and Bhavin asked the group members to introduce themselves and then appreciate the person to your right. The group enjoyed opening the meeting in this way.

==Roles==
Facilitators – Bhavin and Meck

Notetaker – Andrea
Timekeeper - Greg

==Appreciations==
Facilitators opened up the space for folks to give additional appreciations. The following people were appreciated.
* Michael → taking a risk to engage in this work
* Greg → for the dedicated and often invisible work you do with Financial Accountability WG (FAWG)
* Anna → for being in the center of difficult conversations around safety in OB
* Susan → for all that you have been doing around level 3 offenders, and your involvement with so many working groups
* Maureen → for asking good and hard questions at the Linda Stout Visioning session

==Ways of Being==
The group reviewed the ways of being.
** Step up/Step back
** Both/and
** Don’t shame, blame, attack
** Room for disagreement – oops, ouch, what’s up with that
** Can use hand signals
** Use I statements –speak for yourself
** Active listening – it starts with a decision, a commitment, an intention,
** 30 second rule – this is something we do every twenty minutes. We are also finding that it is tool that facilitators and participants can call for when the tension is high. It is also a useful tool when proposals are bring brought forward to a group and you want group to pause and have time to consider it before conversation begins. It ties into a diversity in the way we structure meetings and active listening.
** Progressive stack
** Diversity of Structuring Meetings -
** No Screens
*** Ouch- Introverts among us, who don’t talk a lot, is it a barrier from fully engaging? Or is it a means of communication? A means for being present? It’s their way of having their voices being heard. Maybe figuring out ways to make room for screens can be folded into diversity of structuring our meetings
** Appreciations – new way of being that has been added so that we can recognize and appreciate folks who have put themselves out there

==Check-Is/Updates==
* Safety (we’re going to do this one first because some folks will be leaving early to go to the GA)
** Folks involved in thinking about community safe space building and way in which we can mitigate harm ….do community trust building. Use what we learned in visioning workshop there. Thought folks would have ideas for that.
** Build a community for responding to harm. Build a community where there …because we respond to one another’s need for emotional and other forms of safety. To build a foundation, need to be able to trust each other. In the past month, Jumped into OB and put a lot of trust in folks in my WG and affinitiy group and didn’t know them well. A few things have happened that have shaken that trust. It matters to me that they are safe and personal responsibility to hold that trust – both ways me towards them and them towards me. This the background to wa
** A couple of ways to be involved – Sunday at 1:00 at Flaxseed across from Park St. to help plan for Monday meeting. Or be in touch via email. Or want to help facilitate this. There is also a meeting next week on Monday for larger meeting for self-education about questions of restorative justice and safety…who in our/wider community have wisdom on the topic.
** Appreciate what is Rachel is trying to do. Think that the discussion won’t ….there are anti-democratic structures of GA. Knows someone who got physically sick from being involved at GA. Confused by blocking….group decides if you’re objection is valid or not. Not intuitive. They understand –
** Facilitator: Understand there are many people concerned about GA. Not our task to …many people feel that this needs to be deeply . You are welcome to address this with them .
** Agree that these issues are important.
** Anna@occoupyboston.org
** 6:00-8:30 Monday Gathering
* Banner --. nothing new
* OWS road trip – request for contact information → looking for contacts with whom to
** Michelle and Angela offered to serve as contacts
* Statement of Purpose and Vision Statements
** Statement of Purpose – in progress, Andrea is contact person, nagel.andi@gmail.com
** Vision Statement – finished and posted
* FAWG stipend freeze
** Proposal to put hold on monies until March 6. Frozen at the
** Folks taking direct action with cap of $2000.
** Goes into effect at 12:01 on Monday.
** Why is only one area of work allowed to spend money – direct action? Passed at GA.
** Money for community gathering? Will still be available
* Request for our presence at GA’s
** More presence of AOWG at GA’s made by member of Facilitation to be eyes and ears,
** Maybe this group can bring an offering and open a GA with a reading
** Maybe we can read our Ways of Being in our meetings
** Nothing built into GA’s to deal with issues of oppression unless the facilitator already has the skills to deal with them. Hence, a lot of things are said and done and not always dealt with effectively. This area needs to evolve a step further it would be a wonderful to have the help of Anti-Oppression working group.
** Some members of us are present at GA’s – Susan for example. We need to hold that some of us are present and that more of us could be there. It’s a both/and. It would be great …many of us are there not in front or in public ways, but there building relationships.
** Proposal of another civility pledge, did look to this group about ways to speak to one another. Can lead by example. Don’t have to fight your way to the front. Leadership emerges by doing good works and having that recognized.
** GA’s are a large group and we are a small group. Facilitators there need more skills. We need to understand what they are dealing with. It would be good for some of their facilitators to come here and learn with us.
** It’s about bigger existential questions about OB and where to spend my time
** Asking people to do anti-oppression organizing to go into a space that is oppressive, that we want to appreciate people’s self-knowledge to know when it’s not safe space to do this. And for those that go into those spaces, we need to find spaces to support them, the need for healing when there is real trauma.

* Level 3 sex offender proposal fallout
** There is a group that affects the way the level 3 sex offender proposal is addressed
** It sounds like what is being said is that because there is a group, that it will be handled. That feels unfair – not right.
** No - I didn’t want to open it up for a big conversation about the topic, so that’s why said that. But I didn’t mean that it’s all taken care of because the group exists.
** Many of the level 3 offenders are oppressed themselves. They have needs for sex, as they do for other things…..There are issues of mental illness [full statement not captured]
** We need to set a space to have this conversation – not here.
** An ouch for me - Some of what you’re saying is an ouch
** Some of what is being discussed is so complex and we haven’t set aside a space/time to discuss.
** The community safety is approaching this conversation from a place of accountability and restorative justice and it is nuanced and complex. Not taking proposals, in process of discovery and learning. Not centered on a particular situation or person.
** What is the frame for our discussion? Updates – where is the work, where are we at with a process for each of these. This wasn’t clear.
** Feeling discomfort about this – when thinking about our ways of being. We’re trying not to replicate what we’ve learned by dominant culture about responding with what can be experienced as aggressive. My hope is that in this space to try to think about how we speak to one another – I mess up miserably and try hard and have been held by the group and accountable.
** A few of us in the room - in not being honest with the issues on the table. Until we deal with the issues we won’t have progress.
** When I first entered Facilitation WG – I came in attack mode. And wanted to point out all that was wrong with it. And found that the Fac. Team are all concerned with the same things. They are very concerned ….everyone in the community is aware that there are deep concerns with the process. A lot of people come in and out of facilitation team and they bring new ideas and skills. Now there is an action assembly, there’s conversation about a spokes council. You should attend facilitation meetings. You’ll hear a lot of anxiety about the process…the community is at stake at every GA.
** Some of the things that have been said is patronizing and patriarchy. Very easy to sit in an arm chair and criticize. Don’t sit back and throw stones, get involved and change it. Get to know the people and what they’re trying to do. It’s a process. It’s very easy to talk about how bad it is and talk down at them. People need to check themselves.
** Appreciate Bhavin for sharing his thoughts.
** Need 20 seconds. ….silence.
** I believe that we are all in this circle because we care deeply about many things that bring us here together. There are some deep conversation about the issues going on right now, about the stories that we bring to the work, that is deep work. OB is challenging us to go down this road. And there is no structure or way of doing this. There is place to hold the nerve, the will, the passion that people bring to this. Tere are truths being spoken, and everyone has a truth worthy of being spoken. We cannot deal with all of the truths now at this meeting.
** Carlos’s way of communicating, just being you. It’s cultural. Maybe the fact that we can be who we are in the space says that we are closer to being family than we realize. We have to remember that all of us are products of our cultures.
==Visioning Workshop==
What did you learn that would inform our anti-oppression work?
* Appreciate Susan for all the work/outreach you’ve done to bring this opportunity to OB
* Really challenging to apply techniques well in an organization to OB. Can you give an example? The whole thing.
* I learned that I was really frustrated. I have tremendous respect, She was trying to uses a model that wasn’t applicable.. because we don’t have a shared community, rootedness in community (like Piedmont) – which is in fact what we’re struggling with. The visioning exercise went on so long with drawing time. Paying attention to what was going on with folks. Linda continued to speak to her own experiences when people were yearning. That the challenges were, what our creativity could yield.
* Would she have been willing to alter it if she had heard this?
** I tried to once to say something and it didn’t have much of an effect. To be fair hard to come in from out of town and shift gears mid-stream is hard.
* I learned about commitment to things that are dysfunctional. When I step into a space, I commit to it and process it afterwards. It was helpful to do that. There were moments of beauty. The moments of one-on-ones were beautiful. I was frustrated by the visioning exercise – whether we were doing something together. If going to spend that much time creating a space, have to commit to holding it all the way. Think we lost the space that was being created at the end.
* Not having been there – what did she do?
** A lot of the time done to create the space to vision. A lot of exercises – step in with identities to see collective experience in the circle. Then went through guided imagery – from now into a time capsule 25 years ahead. Imaging the children now are adults then, what would be going on if our work were to come to fruition. Then draw the images that we had seen. At the end of the visualization exercise, the assignment was to listen and get a message from someone and bring it back.
* Hearing common themes – an exercise that works for organizations and not occupy. The models for doing anti-oppression organizing – focused on structural and systemic oppression, not to ignore interpersonal – not having a community that knows and trusts each other can’t have structures for decision making. Feeling frustrated by desperate need of OB trying to create beloved community and do structural work….not possible to do structural work if not from a place of community. Making it harder to come back to OB.
* To be able to deal with racism in institutional level your place of organizing has to start in a community that exists – famiiy, neighborhood, workplace, community, church..not one that has to be pre-disposed to want to deal with it – but place based. OB goes out into an ether and catch with whomever shows up. That’s enough to deal with it interpersonally but not structurally.
* We have to understand a real issue, from here we’re going to talk to our colleagues.
* Grounding – concept of being able to do work – internal community building work without common grounding. Place-based, can be varied - experienced based…but some grounding is necessary. At OB, feels like we’ve known each other for ever. A day feels like a week. How short this time has been – any of us. Important for me to hear. For me, who has not been involved in this type of organizing, have been so absorbed in it, it’s only 3 mos. Not having a common grounding in only 3 mos. and there is an expectation that we should have it. How to deal with the expectation and the disappointment that we don’t have it.
* Have a lot of thoughts to respond to…..when we did exercise to step into the circle. Some of the things people …not having a space to hold the things that are raised.
* More of a community interaction in OB – and can’t have a civil culture about civility proposal. All the spaces reinforce oppressive culture – church, sports, schools, entertainment, etc. Not going to pass …can’t blame the fruit for the tree. The most segregated hour of the week is Sunday morning. You can deal individually with a person and have to understand the culture from which they come.
* Build community
* Educate – we don’t all have the same analysis, richest place to start.
* Model of visioning trained in – model that is steeped in naming what is current reality. It is completely critical to be honest about where I am right now. I need to know where I am in relationship with my vision. Creates structural tension to work with. As humans, do all sorts of things we do with that. OB is so fractured, and beautiful, and a lot of oppression here, and wanting to ….so critical for OB to realize what the current reality is. What does a stretched rubber band want to go with it? Lose the vision and no energy, or move towards the vision. Most people have the hope, but maybe not the skill……a lot of drug use and lack of safely at Dewey…maybe have skill set in the greater community but not at the moment it is needed. It’s the both/and thing…….
* Where a lot of these divisions are in our movement….when you have a community. Can start by looking at where you are. Can come to a common understanding of what the problem is. Don’t have that at OB. Can also start with an understanding of what our vision is. There is also a big division about our vision. This might stem more from the way about the way we think about the vision than the vision itself. Visions tend to be visual – pictures….the way of doing this has been the problem– dismantling all prisons. A lot of people at OB don’t embrace that idea. Even in thinking of the future the way we want, the differences are still there. You have to focus on how it will feel not what it looks like. What is most important than the way we ..how important people feel is the most important thing for me – there is nothing more important. If it’s important for people to reflect on what it will look like or what people will have done, but how it will feel, I suspect there will be a lot more common ground.
* Sorry that you are facing foreclosure, I hope you are finding support for that given the connotations. Didn’t have my vision be understood - Not so much of the opening the prison doors – having our brothers and sisters join us with fishing rods, diplomas, but speaks to how we share our vision, and what we’re trying to get at. There is no shorthand because we don’t have a common analysis. Structural impediments to how they are perceived socially or what they embody for powers that be. The more we can come forward with our oppressed identities – whether we have suffered them, or hold them in solidarity with people who can hold them, the focus is on the person who is surviving and not on the perpetrator. Want to shift the dominant culture and culture of OB. While there is a lot of shifting, there is a lot
* This is new to me, I’m from PR– oppression stuff. Mostly oppression is done by the government. Been here for 3 years and people are helping me see it. Am interested in how you deal with this……
* Appreciating this and the people who continue to teach me…this is my reality and not making any sense and have it mirrored back….with yes but, yes and. Appreciate all of the responses. The work of this group – whether the community and education. There is a strategic question – what is our definition of community? Occupy – this broad thing? This space who come here and build that ground up. Educate - Building from concentric circles, starting with us or larger OB? If moving away from the visual and asking people to share their feelings – because it’s really personal, although we’ve crossed paths, this is personal. There is another risk – strategic risk – being effective …worry of over focus on the “I” – leads them to humanitarian path but not structural path. Rather than asking people – how will you feel? Ask how will we feel?
* I met Susie at a book fair –and talked about white privilege. Though difficult for me – very rewarding for me, forced me to re-examine my beliefs…healthy debate is good, re-examine beliefs and willing to get heard. I’ve spoken with Kendra and learned a lot …have to be true to your own values. There needs to be healthy debate. Take this opportunity to thank Susie for the conversation – that’s how community is built, through exchange of ideas.
* I heard you – and this is the place to come to have those
* We can see it and we do need to feel it. What we want to create.
==Community Gathering Feb. 13 and Film Series==
What is our vision for our events? What can we hope for?
Put praxis and theory together – bumping up against our limitations in terms of our own organizing experience because this is a different beast in the context of doing these events. We use our community organizing strategies when not a community or rootedness. Knowing that the people are shifting, hard to build on things. And that there is a level of community building that is going on is real. The time put into building relationships, learning, getting to know folks. It’s this and constant building relationships. It’s a both and thing.
Folks on Community Gathering team: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea (Meck volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)
Folks who volunteered for Film Series: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble (Andrea volunteered to serve as team coordinator of effort)
Evaluation of Ways of Being
* Step Up/Step Back – mixed; ask for folks who have not spoken to speak; (mixed with listening) don’t raise hand when someone is speaking
* Both/And - did well holding different truths at same time. I thought that at the point of
* Don’t Shame, Blame and Attack – differentiate between conflict and shame/blame/attack, what we moved what could have been shame/blame/attack to both/and. Everything I have experienced at OB, fairest way to do things as an organization is Robert’s Rules of Order. Understand, respect your approach and wonder about its portability.
* Oops, Ouch, what’s Up – good
* I statements – good
* Active Listening – good
* 30 second rule – good
* Progressive stack – mixed
* Diversity of Structuring Meetings – break out groups, one-on-ones, when we drop some aspect of agenda where there
* No screens –
* Appreciations - thank you to facilitators for holding the tough space, introductions were a beautiful model of speaking of everyone in a loving way

One more thing in response to concern about GA’s – there is a realization among many of us (facilitation and others) that we are not actually doing consensus and that is at the root of our problems.

==Closing Poem==
Choose To Bless The World
By Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry
Your gifts, whatever you discover them to be‚
can be used to bless or curse the world.
The mind's power,
The strength of the hands,
The reaches of the heart,
The gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting
Any of these can serve to feed the hungry,
Bind up wounds,
Welcome the stranger,
Praise what is sacred,
Do the work of justice
Or offer love.
Any of these can draw down the prison door,
Hoard bread,
Abandon the poor,
Obscure what is holy,
Comply with injustice
Or withhold love.
You must answer this question:
What will you do with your gifts?
Choose to bless the world.
The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude
To search for the sources of power and grace;
Native wisdom, healing, and liberation.
More, the choice will draw you into community,
The endeavor shared,
The heritage passed on,
The companionship of struggle,
The importance of keeping faith,
The life of ritual and praise,
The comfort of human friendship,
The company of earth
The chorus of life welcoming you.
None of us alone can save the world.
Together‚ that is another possibility waiting.

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-23T13:26:15Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Meeting Minutes */

=Vision Statement=

Our [[Strategic planning | vision]] is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) [http://aqueductpress.blogspot.com/2010/04/collective-liberation-alternative-to.html collective liberation] by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational | intergenerational]]</ins>, inclusive and <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional | intersectional]]</ins> practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory [http://www.bostoncoop.net/~balm/training/principles_antioppress.pdf anti-oppressive values]. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities at large.

=Administrative=

== Meetings ==

Weekly group meetings held every Saturday, 5:30 - 8:30p at the Arlington Street Church, 351 Arlington St. (corner of Arlington and Boylston Sts.) at the Arlington St. T Stop (Green Line). See [http://www.occupyboston.org/| Occupy Boston Calendar] for most accurate information.

====Meeting Minutes====
*January 21, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 21, 2012]]
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: The Occupy Boston General Assembly passes proposal to hold an anti-racism workshop at a General Assembly (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to how to de-escalate encounters with law enforcement officials: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-21T04:08:43Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Contact */

=Vision Statement=

Our [[Strategic planning | vision]] is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) [http://aqueductpress.blogspot.com/2010/04/collective-liberation-alternative-to.html collective liberation] by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational | intergenerational]]</ins>, inclusive and <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional | intersectional]]</ins> practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory [http://www.bostoncoop.net/~balm/training/principles_antioppress.pdf anti-oppressive values]. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities at large.

=Administrative=

== Meetings ==

Weekly group meetings held every Saturday, 5:30 - 8:30p at the Arlington Street Church, 351 Arlington St. (corner of Arlington and Boylston Sts.) at the Arlington St. T Stop (Green Line). See [http://www.occupyboston.org/| Occupy Boston Calendar] for most accurate information.

====Meeting Minutes====
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: The Occupy Boston General Assembly passes proposal to hold an anti-racism workshop at a General Assembly (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to how to de-escalate encounters with law enforcement officials: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-21T04:08:20Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Meeting Minutes */

=Vision Statement=

Our [[Strategic planning | vision]] is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) [http://aqueductpress.blogspot.com/2010/04/collective-liberation-alternative-to.html collective liberation] by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational | intergenerational]]</ins>, inclusive and <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional | intersectional]]</ins> practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory [http://www.bostoncoop.net/~balm/training/principles_antioppress.pdf anti-oppressive values]. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities at large.

=Administrative=

== Meetings ==

Weekly group meetings held every Saturday, 5:30 - 8:30p at the Arlington Street Church, 351 Arlington St. (corner of Arlington and Boylston Sts.) at the Arlington St. T Stop (Green Line). See [http://www.occupyboston.org/| Occupy Boston Calendar] for most accurate information.

====Meeting Minutes====
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: The Occupy Boston General Assembly passes proposal to hold an anti-racism workshop at a General Assembly (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to how to de-escalate encounters with law enforcement officials: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-21T04:08:05Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Administrative */

=Vision Statement=

Our [[Strategic planning | vision]] is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) [http://aqueductpress.blogspot.com/2010/04/collective-liberation-alternative-to.html collective liberation] by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational | intergenerational]]</ins>, inclusive and <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional | intersectional]]</ins> practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory [http://www.bostoncoop.net/~balm/training/principles_antioppress.pdf anti-oppressive values]. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities at large.

=Administrative=

== Meetings ==

Weekly group meetings held every Saturday, 5:30 - 8:30p at the Arlington Street Church, 351 Arlington St. (corner of Arlington and Boylston Sts.) at the Arlington St. T Stop (Green Line). See [http://www.occupyboston.org/| Occupy Boston Calendar] for most accurate information.

===Meeting Minutes===
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: The Occupy Boston General Assembly passes proposal to hold an anti-racism workshop at a General Assembly (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to how to de-escalate encounters with law enforcement officials: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-21T04:07:33Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Meetings */

=Vision Statement=

Our [[Strategic planning | vision]] is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) [http://aqueductpress.blogspot.com/2010/04/collective-liberation-alternative-to.html collective liberation] by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational | intergenerational]]</ins>, inclusive and <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional | intersectional]]</ins> practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory [http://www.bostoncoop.net/~balm/training/principles_antioppress.pdf anti-oppressive values]. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities at large.

=Administrative=
==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: The Occupy Boston General Assembly passes proposal to hold an anti-racism workshop at a General Assembly (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

== Meetings ==

Weekly group meetings held every Saturday, 5:30 - 8:30p at the Arlington Street Church, 351 Arlington St. (corner of Arlington and Boylston Sts.) at the Arlington St. T Stop (Green Line). See [http://www.occupyboston.org/| Occupy Boston Calendar] for most accurate information.

===Meeting Minutes===
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to how to de-escalate encounters with law enforcement officials: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional

2012-01-13T08:53:24Z

Possiblybhavin: Created page with "==Why Intersectional?== Because forms of oppression within society, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, do not act independently of one another; instead, these form..."

==Why Intersectional?==
Because forms of oppression within society, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, Islamophobia, do not act independently of one another; instead, these forms of oppression interrelate, creating a system of oppression that reflects the "intersection" of multiple forms of discrimination (from wikipedia).

<ins>''[[WG/Anti-Oppression#Vision_Statement | Back to Vision Statement]]''</ins>

Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational

2012-01-13T08:52:36Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Why Intergenerational? */

==Why Intergenerational?==
This liberation will take a long time and we want to learn from and build on what has been done for generations and hope to inspire generations ahead of us.

<ins>''[[WG/Anti-Oppression#Vision_Statement | Back to Vision Statement]]''</ins>

Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational

2012-01-13T08:52:09Z

Possiblybhavin: Created page with "==Why Intergenerational?== This liberation will take a long time and we want to learn from and build on what has been done for generations and hope to inspire generations ahead o..."

==Why Intergenerational?==
This liberation will take a long time and we want to learn from and build on what has been done for generations and hope to inspire generations ahead of us.

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-13T08:51:28Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Vision Statement */

=Vision Statement=

Our vision is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational | intergenerational]]</ins>, inclusive and <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional | intersectional]]</ins> practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive values. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities at large.

=Administrative=
==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: GA proposal passed to hold an anti-racism workshop at a GA (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

== Meetings ==
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to law enforcement de-escalation tips: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-13T08:50:25Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Vision Statement */

=Vision Statement=

Our vision is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intergenerational intergenerational]]</ins>, inclusive and <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Intersectional intersectional]]</ins> practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive values. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities at large.

=Administrative=
==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: GA proposal passed to hold an anti-racism workshop at a GA (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

== Meetings ==
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to law enforcement de-escalation tips: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-13T08:48:25Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Vision Statement */

=Vision Statement=

Our vision is to build a <ins>[[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]]</ins> that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation
by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural
oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and
religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and
intersectional practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive
values. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to
become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities
at large.

=Administrative=
==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: GA proposal passed to hold an anti-racism workshop at a GA (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

== Meetings ==
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to law enforcement de-escalation tips: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community

2012-01-13T08:47:43Z

Possiblybhavin:

==What is a Beloved Community?==

A Beloved Community is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their
power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community
where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts. It is a sustainable
community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and
compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection,
learning , transformation and critical and creative thinking.

<ins>''[[WG/Anti-Oppression#Vision_Statement | Back to Vision Statement]]''</ins>

Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community

2012-01-13T08:46:13Z

Possiblybhavin:

==What is a Beloved Community?==

A Beloved Community is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their
power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community
where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts. It is a sustainable
community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and
compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection,
learning , transformation and critical and creative thinking.

[[WG/Anti-Oppression#Vision_Statement | Back to Vision Statement]]

Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community

2012-01-13T08:43:53Z

Possiblybhavin:

==What is a Beloved Community?==

A Beloved Community is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their
power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community
where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts. It is a sustainable
community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and
compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection,
learning , transformation and critical and creative thinking.

[http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/WG/Anti-Oppression#Vision_Statement Back to Vision Statement]

Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community

2012-01-13T08:43:38Z

Possiblybhavin: /* What is a Beloved Community? */

[http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/WG/Anti-Oppression#Vision_Statement Back to Vision Statement]

==What is a Beloved Community?==

A Beloved Community is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their
power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community
where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts. It is a sustainable
community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and
compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection,
learning , transformation and critical and creative thinking.

[http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/WG/Anti-Oppression#Vision_Statement Back to Vision Statement]

/Anti-Oppression/Vision/Beloved Community

2012-01-13T08:41:26Z

Possiblybhavin: moved /Anti-Oppression/Vision/Beloved Community to Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community: cleaner url

#REDIRECT [[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community]]

Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community

2012-01-13T08:41:26Z

Possiblybhavin: moved /Anti-Oppression/Vision/Beloved Community to Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community: cleaner url

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-13T08:40:36Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Vision Statement */

=Vision Statement=

Our vision is to build a [[Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community | Beloved Community]] that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation
by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural
oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and
religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and
intersectional practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive
values. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to
become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities
at large.

=Administrative=
==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: GA proposal passed to hold an anti-racism workshop at a GA (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

== Meetings ==
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to law enforcement de-escalation tips: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

Anti-Oppression/Vision: Beloved Community

2012-01-13T08:39:31Z

Possiblybhavin: Created page with "==What is a Beloved Community?== A Beloved Community is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practi..."

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-13T08:38:24Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Vision Statement */

=Vision Statement=

Our vision is to build a [[/Anti-Oppression/Vision/Beloved Community | beloved community]] that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation
by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural
oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and
religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and
intersectional practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive
values. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to
become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities
at large.

=Administrative=
==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: GA proposal passed to hold an anti-racism workshop at a GA (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

== Meetings ==
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to law enforcement de-escalation tips: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-13T08:37:47Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Vision Statement */

=Vision Statement=

Our vision is to build a [[/vision/beloved_community | beloved community]] that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation
by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural
oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and
religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and
intersectional practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive
values. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to
become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities
at large.

=Administrative=
==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: GA proposal passed to hold an anti-racism workshop at a GA (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

== Meetings ==
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to law enforcement de-escalation tips: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-13T07:47:00Z

Possiblybhavin:

=Vision Statement=

Our vision is to build a beloved community that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation
by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural
oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and
religious domination. (maybe stop here?)

We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and
intersectional practice that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive
values. Our vision is for the practices learned and applied in our community [this working group] to
become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the occupy movement and our communities
at large.

=Administrative=
==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: GA proposal passed to hold an anti-racism workshop at a GA (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

== Meetings ==
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to law enforcement de-escalation tips: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-13T07:46:18Z

Possiblybhavin:

=Vision Statement=

A group to discuss what we can do about dominant-culture-privilege and its effects on dynamics at Occupy Boston, having grown out of an outreach meeting about such things, in a largely-though-not-exclusively racial context.

=Administrative=
==Proposals==
Octber 8, 2011: GA proposal passed to hold an anti-racism workshop at a GA (held on Oct 16, 2011 - see below.)

== Meetings ==
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to law enforcement de-escalation tips: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012

2012-01-10T05:51:14Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Discussion of the “territory” of our work */

[http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/WG/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression Home]
'''Anti-Oppression Working Group Meeting'''  
'''Arlington St Church'''  
'''January 7, 2012'''  
'''5:30-8:30 pm'''  

==Agenda==

Opening 5:30 – 5:50
Internal work 5:50 – 6:50
External work 6:50 – 7:45
Admin stuff 7:45 – 8:00
Assessment of ways of being 8:00 – 8:20
Close 8:20 – 8:30

Attendance:  Shannon, Salma, Corry, Mathew, Greg, Clyde, Cathy, Michelle, Marueen, Katie, Angela, Chris, Carl, Jacob, Andrea, Bhavin

==Opening==
share one wild, crazy, or fun thing that you’ve done.

==Review of our Ways of Being.==

==Discussion of the “territory” of our work==

We looked at a visual representation.

[[File:Anti-Oppression Working Group Work.jpg|x500px|Anti-Oppression WG work]] 

The graphic categorizes the group’s work into two:

''Internal work:''
*''Circle labeled AOWG: internal''
**Crafting purpose/vision statement
**Learning
**Building community
**Reflecting on our own work
**Supporting each other

''External work:''
*''Radiating outward: proactive''
**Organizing, e.g.,
***Vision Workshop
***Coalition building
***Movement building
***Work around 3-strikes
**Education, e.g.,
***Movie series
***Feb 13 OB Community Gathering
**Organizing & Education à leading to ''Participation in other working groups''
***Many of us are involved in other spaces/WGs at Occupy Boston.
***In addition, we have been asked to participate in other WGs.
*''Radiating outward: reactive''
**Self-directed
***Teachable moments
**Responding to requests, e.g.,
***Letter to the Banner
***Hosting a community gathering
***Houseless proposal
***White allies response at GA

==Presentation by visioning group==

(Last meeting we broke out into two groups, one to discuss our vision, one our mission/statement of purpose. The former group continued its work on e-mail between meetings, so they presented their thinking. The vision group will continue working outside the meeting.)

There was some disagreement about what a vision statement should be. Some people said it should be very concise; Sebel sent one by e-mail: “Our vision is to build a community that constantly aspires to creating a sustainable, just and a safe society for everyone, which is free from all forms of oppression (sexism, national origin, religion, sexual orientation . . .).”

Others felt that the longer statement we worked on last meeting was a good place to start but some things needed clarifying:
* Could we ever get to a space where there is no oppression?
* What is the difference between a vision and a mission?
* Is this vision for us or for OB or everyone? We hope to become an agent of transformation for OB as well as the larger community.
* Why is our focus on oppression? We need to explain this.
* Why must the work be intergenerational? Intersectional?

The group came up with a multilayered, interrelated group of statements:

“Our vision is to create a ''beloved community'' that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination.”

Comments: How about disability, age, immigration status?

“A ''beloved community'' is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts.  It is a sustainable community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning, transformation and critical creative thinking.”

Comments: Issue of the origins of the phrase “beloved community”: African-American women, Sufi tradition.

“We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and interpersonal practice, that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive values. Our vision for that is the tools and practices learned and applied in our community to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the Occupy movement and our community at large.”

Comment: Is there a working definition of “oppression” for the purposes of this group?

* The exercise of power over a group.
* Arises by violence and is maintained by violence.
* Sustained over time.

Comment: Why is it “our vision is to build a beloved community” rather than “our vision is a beloved community?” Because our work is a practice, constantly ongoing.

Comment: Recommendation that we clarify what we’re talking about with “oppression” – there will be a lot of resistance from other groups even within Occupy. Speaker had objections, but doesn’t wish to go into them here, merely recommends we address it at a future meeting.

Response: Speaker feels oppression is white supremacy, heteronormativity, classism . . . it’s very clear to him. This is work that will take a long time, and he’s not naïve about how people outside the group will respond.

Response: We want to grow as a group, and to do that we have to learn. If it were easy to build a beloved community, human beings would have already done it.

Members volunteered to work on the “click-through” presentation of these statements.

==Visioning workshop==

Linda Stout, a respected thinker with a strong anti-racist/anti-oppression lens, will lead a visioning workshop next weekend. She will not only help us with collective visioning for OB, but teach us how to do the work. We would like to get the word out to people in two rough groups:

(a) Those from historically marginalized communities, who don’t have access to a certain level of power within Occupy (or elsewhere): e.g. Women’s Caucus, Houseless, POC, GLBTQ, Immigration, Decolonize, Mutual Aid.

(b) Those who do have access to power but tend not to be included in this type of conversation: Media, Ideas, Direct Action, Inter-Occupy, Facilitation, Logistics, Space, Finance, Safety.

Comment: What about Faith & Spirituality?

Comment: Look at the Free School University model—they get the word out by taking advantage of the OB “media machine”: stuff posted on website, etc.

Comment: The way the e-mail was framed was a little off-putting. Framed as “professional”—academic. One thing that might help to bring people in is to connect it with ongoing, “real” oppressive stuff that’s been happening; or to include a personal explanation of what it is. It’s hard to get people to buy into a framework that isn’t theirs. At the same time, people are excited about collective efforts, because they want this to work—they want a space where people can be together.

Comments: People may not know who Linda Stout is and the amazing work that she’s done. – An organization without visioning isn’t going to go very far. We need to communicate the “why” of it.

Ways of getting our messaging out:
* E-mail groups
* Twitter
* Going to other WG meetings
* Get to top of OB website page (now possible!)
* Personalize the e-mail blasts
* Send a short video of Linda Stout’s work

We’ll communicate our discussion to the workshop organizers.

Group members will reach out to various working groups.
* Women’s Caucus, Mutual Aid, GLBTQ, Houseless, Logistics -  Angela
* POC – Bhavin, Carl, Chris
* Casa – Maureen
* Immigration, Decolonize – Clyde
* Ideas – Susan
* Media – Katie
* Direct Action – Jacob
* Facilitation, Space, Finance, Safety – Greg
* OBIT - Bhavin

==''Banner'' letter==

This is an example of the work we are asked to participate/intervene in. Context: ''Bay State Banner'' editorial on the economy that included vague reference to OB. Draft of letter, possibly to be signed by Ideas WG, went out for comment. Angela and others asked that the process slow down, and were met by various feedback, some intensely negative.

Comment: Letter reads as, “We agree with what you say. People from your community should come join us.” There’s a problem with this analysis. Also, about half the POC group has such strong connections with the ''Banner'', that they could call Yawu Miller and get us a half-page photo spread—which would be much more productive in terms of bring the ''Banner’s'' readership closer to OB.

Comment: “Urgency is an aspect of white supremacy.” The ''Banner ''is a weekly paper. Urgency leads to not doing things in relationship, which is fundamentally oppressive. This is a teachable moment.

Comment: Hard to get out of the sense of crisis, especially when we feel called to intervene.

Ideas for response:
* When and how to add distribution lists?
* Post open letter to OB re: “the letter”?
* Use teachable moment to give specific, clear explanation of what was oppressive about letter’s approach. People on the e-mail chain have owned that they don’t know what is problematic about the letter.
* Respond on e-mail chains?
* Can we use this incident to promote the visioning workshop?
* Guidelines we can use to check ourselves – offer this as a first step? (See George’s e-mail.)
* Opportunity to promote and explain what we’re doing (importance of inreach).

Comment: Speaker has an “ouch.” She has extended herself to get our message/lens out to other working groups and feels unsupported.

Response: Her work is not lost. Difficult to be a white ally—you’re expected to do the work, and it’s easy to feel unappreciated. We appreciate her!

Response: How do we create an intentional process for supporting each other? Maybe start each meeting by thanking people in the group who stuck their necks out. Or close with appreciations.

==Admin stuff==

Two more people stepped up to be financial liaisons. Brief discussion of how FLs can do their work.

==Evaluation of ways of being==

Step up/step back: People who were quieter spoke to their feelings—learning, maybe a bit intimidated.

In formulating our vision, can we incorporate an acknowledgement of the fact that many white supremacist groups often have false perspectives of victimization and oppression, for the purposes of differentiating ourselves from that?

The “colorblindness” belief is out there (we do not need to do systematic anti-oppression work) and widespread, and it is going to affect us. We will meet resistance, and it’s necessary for us to recognize that that resistance is going to be a learning experience for us. If we’re going to transform OB into an anti-oppressive organization, we’re going to have to communicate with the many, many people who don’t accept the existence of systemic oppression.

More anti-oppression voices are needed at GA. They need to be heard again and again and again. Group added this to agenda for discussion at next meeting.

We agreed that we did okay on the remaining ways of being.

==Appreciations==

Group members spoke their appreciation to various members. Thanks everyone!

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012

2012-01-10T05:48:53Z

Possiblybhavin:

[http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/WG/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression Home]
'''Anti-Oppression Working Group Meeting'''  
'''Arlington St Church'''  
'''January 7, 2012'''  
'''5:30-8:30 pm'''  

==Agenda==

Opening 5:30 – 5:50
Internal work 5:50 – 6:50
External work 6:50 – 7:45
Admin stuff 7:45 – 8:00
Assessment of ways of being 8:00 – 8:20
Close 8:20 – 8:30

Attendance:  Shannon, Salma, Corry, Mathew, Greg, Clyde, Cathy, Michelle, Marueen, Katie, Angela, Chris, Carl, Jacob, Andrea, Bhavin

==Opening==
share one wild, crazy, or fun thing that you’ve done.

==Review of our Ways of Being.==

==Discussion of the “territory” of our work==

We looked at a visual representation.

[[File:Anti-Oppression Working Group Work.jpg|none|Anti-Oppression WG work]] 

The graphic categorizes the group’s work into two:

''Internal work:''
*''Circle labeled AOWG: internal''
**Crafting purpose/vision statement
**Learning
**Building community
**Reflecting on our own work
**Supporting each other

''External work:''
*''Radiating outward: proactive''
**Organizing, e.g.,
***Vision Workshop
***Coalition building
***Movement building
***Work around 3-strikes
**Education, e.g.,
***Movie series
***Feb 13 OB Community Gathering
**Organizing & Education à leading to ''Participation in other working groups''
***Many of us are involved in other spaces/WGs at Occupy Boston.
***In addition, we have been asked to participate in other WGs.
*''Radiating outward: reactive''
**Self-directed
***Teachable moments
**Responding to requests, e.g.,
***Letter to the Banner
***Hosting a community gathering
***Houseless proposal
***White allies response at GA

==Presentation by visioning group==

(Last meeting we broke out into two groups, one to discuss our vision, one our mission/statement of purpose. The former group continued its work on e-mail between meetings, so they presented their thinking. The vision group will continue working outside the meeting.)

There was some disagreement about what a vision statement should be. Some people said it should be very concise; Sebel sent one by e-mail: “Our vision is to build a community that constantly aspires to creating a sustainable, just and a safe society for everyone, which is free from all forms of oppression (sexism, national origin, religion, sexual orientation . . .).”

Others felt that the longer statement we worked on last meeting was a good place to start but some things needed clarifying:
* Could we ever get to a space where there is no oppression?
* What is the difference between a vision and a mission?
* Is this vision for us or for OB or everyone? We hope to become an agent of transformation for OB as well as the larger community.
* Why is our focus on oppression? We need to explain this.
* Why must the work be intergenerational? Intersectional?

The group came up with a multilayered, interrelated group of statements:

“Our vision is to create a ''beloved community'' that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination.”

Comments: How about disability, age, immigration status?

“A ''beloved community'' is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts.  It is a sustainable community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning, transformation and critical creative thinking.”

Comments: Issue of the origins of the phrase “beloved community”: African-American women, Sufi tradition.

“We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and interpersonal practice, that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive values. Our vision for that is the tools and practices learned and applied in our community to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the Occupy movement and our community at large.”

Comment: Is there a working definition of “oppression” for the purposes of this group?

* The exercise of power over a group.
* Arises by violence and is maintained by violence.
* Sustained over time.

Comment: Why is it “our vision is to build a beloved community” rather than “our vision is a beloved community?” Because our work is a practice, constantly ongoing.

Comment: Recommendation that we clarify what we’re talking about with “oppression” – there will be a lot of resistance from other groups even within Occupy. Speaker had objections, but doesn’t wish to go into them here, merely recommends we address it at a future meeting.

Response: Speaker feels oppression is white supremacy, heteronormativity, classism . . . it’s very clear to him. This is work that will take a long time, and he’s not naïve about how people outside the group will respond.

Response: We want to grow as a group, and to do that we have to learn. If it were easy to build a beloved community, human beings would have already done it.

Members volunteered to work on the “click-through” presentation of these statements.

==Visioning workshop==

Linda Stout, a respected thinker with a strong anti-racist/anti-oppression lens, will lead a visioning workshop next weekend. She will not only help us with collective visioning for OB, but teach us how to do the work. We would like to get the word out to people in two rough groups:

(a) Those from historically marginalized communities, who don’t have access to a certain level of power within Occupy (or elsewhere): e.g. Women’s Caucus, Houseless, POC, GLBTQ, Immigration, Decolonize, Mutual Aid.

(b) Those who do have access to power but tend not to be included in this type of conversation: Media, Ideas, Direct Action, Inter-Occupy, Facilitation, Logistics, Space, Finance, Safety.

Comment: What about Faith & Spirituality?

Comment: Look at the Free School University model—they get the word out by taking advantage of the OB “media machine”: stuff posted on website, etc.

Comment: The way the e-mail was framed was a little off-putting. Framed as “professional”—academic. One thing that might help to bring people in is to connect it with ongoing, “real” oppressive stuff that’s been happening; or to include a personal explanation of what it is. It’s hard to get people to buy into a framework that isn’t theirs. At the same time, people are excited about collective efforts, because they want this to work—they want a space where people can be together.

Comments: People may not know who Linda Stout is and the amazing work that she’s done. – An organization without visioning isn’t going to go very far. We need to communicate the “why” of it.

Ways of getting our messaging out:
* E-mail groups
* Twitter
* Going to other WG meetings
* Get to top of OB website page (now possible!)
* Personalize the e-mail blasts
* Send a short video of Linda Stout’s work

We’ll communicate our discussion to the workshop organizers.

Group members will reach out to various working groups.
* Women’s Caucus, Mutual Aid, GLBTQ, Houseless, Logistics -  Angela
* POC – Bhavin, Carl, Chris
* Casa – Maureen
* Immigration, Decolonize – Clyde
* Ideas – Susan
* Media – Katie
* Direct Action – Jacob
* Facilitation, Space, Finance, Safety – Greg
* OBIT - Bhavin

==''Banner'' letter==

This is an example of the work we are asked to participate/intervene in. Context: ''Bay State Banner'' editorial on the economy that included vague reference to OB. Draft of letter, possibly to be signed by Ideas WG, went out for comment. Angela and others asked that the process slow down, and were met by various feedback, some intensely negative.

Comment: Letter reads as, “We agree with what you say. People from your community should come join us.” There’s a problem with this analysis. Also, about half the POC group has such strong connections with the ''Banner'', that they could call Yawu Miller and get us a half-page photo spread—which would be much more productive in terms of bring the ''Banner’s'' readership closer to OB.

Comment: “Urgency is an aspect of white supremacy.” The ''Banner ''is a weekly paper. Urgency leads to not doing things in relationship, which is fundamentally oppressive. This is a teachable moment.

Comment: Hard to get out of the sense of crisis, especially when we feel called to intervene.

Ideas for response:
* When and how to add distribution lists?
* Post open letter to OB re: “the letter”?
* Use teachable moment to give specific, clear explanation of what was oppressive about letter’s approach. People on the e-mail chain have owned that they don’t know what is problematic about the letter.
* Respond on e-mail chains?
* Can we use this incident to promote the visioning workshop?
* Guidelines we can use to check ourselves – offer this as a first step? (See George’s e-mail.)
* Opportunity to promote and explain what we’re doing (importance of inreach).

Comment: Speaker has an “ouch.” She has extended herself to get our message/lens out to other working groups and feels unsupported.

Response: Her work is not lost. Difficult to be a white ally—you’re expected to do the work, and it’s easy to feel unappreciated. We appreciate her!

Response: How do we create an intentional process for supporting each other? Maybe start each meeting by thanking people in the group who stuck their necks out. Or close with appreciations.

==Admin stuff==

Two more people stepped up to be financial liaisons. Brief discussion of how FLs can do their work.

==Evaluation of ways of being==

Step up/step back: People who were quieter spoke to their feelings—learning, maybe a bit intimidated.

In formulating our vision, can we incorporate an acknowledgement of the fact that many white supremacist groups often have false perspectives of victimization and oppression, for the purposes of differentiating ourselves from that?

The “colorblindness” belief is out there (we do not need to do systematic anti-oppression work) and widespread, and it is going to affect us. We will meet resistance, and it’s necessary for us to recognize that that resistance is going to be a learning experience for us. If we’re going to transform OB into an anti-oppressive organization, we’re going to have to communicate with the many, many people who don’t accept the existence of systemic oppression.

More anti-oppression voices are needed at GA. They need to be heard again and again and again. Group added this to agenda for discussion at next meeting.

We agreed that we did okay on the remaining ways of being.

==Appreciations==

Group members spoke their appreciation to various members. Thanks everyone!

File:Anti-Oppression Working Group Work.jpg

2012-01-10T05:45:29Z

Possiblybhavin: uploaded a new version of "File:Anti-Oppression Working Group Work.jpg": Anti-Oppression Working Group work.

File:Anti-Oppression Working Group Work.jpg

2012-01-10T05:44:30Z

Possiblybhavin:

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012

2012-01-10T05:43:13Z

Possiblybhavin: /* 6. Banner letter */

[http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/WG/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression Home]
'''Anti-Oppression Working Group Meeting'''  
'''Arlington St Church'''  
'''January 7, 2012'''  
'''5:30-8:30 pm'''  

==Agenda==

Opening 5:30 – 5:50
Internal work 5:50 – 6:50
External work 6:50 – 7:45
Admin stuff 7:45 – 8:00
Assessment of ways of being 8:00 – 8:20
Close 8:20 – 8:30

Attendance:  Shannon, Salma, Corry, Mathew, Greg, Clyde, Cathy, Michelle, Marueen, Katie, Angela, Chris, Carl, Jacob, Andrea, Bhavin

==Opening==
share one wild, crazy, or fun thing that you’ve done.

==Review of our Ways of Being.==

==Discussion of the “territory” of our work==

We looked at a visual representation.

/// image///

The graphic categorizes the group’s work into two:

''Internal work:''
*''Circle labeled AOWG: internal''
**Crafting purpose/vision statement
**Learning
**Building community
**Reflecting on our own work
**Supporting each other

''External work:''
*''Radiating outward: proactive''
**Organizing, e.g.,
***Vision Workshop
***Coalition building
***Movement building
***Work around 3-strikes
**Education, e.g.,
***Movie series
***Feb 13 OB Community Gathering
**Organizing & Education à leading to ''Participation in other working groups''
***Many of us are involved in other spaces/WGs at Occupy Boston.
***In addition, we have been asked to participate in other WGs.
*''Radiating outward: reactive''
**Self-directed
***Teachable moments
**Responding to requests, e.g.,
***Letter to the Banner
***Hosting a community gathering
***Houseless proposal
***White allies response at GA

==Presentation by visioning group==

(Last meeting we broke out into two groups, one to discuss our vision, one our mission/statement of purpose. The former group continued its work on e-mail between meetings, so they presented their thinking. The vision group will continue working outside the meeting.)

There was some disagreement about what a vision statement should be. Some people said it should be very concise; Sebel sent one by e-mail: “Our vision is to build a community that constantly aspires to creating a sustainable, just and a safe society for everyone, which is free from all forms of oppression (sexism, national origin, religion, sexual orientation . . .).”

Others felt that the longer statement we worked on last meeting was a good place to start but some things needed clarifying:
* Could we ever get to a space where there is no oppression?
* What is the difference between a vision and a mission?
* Is this vision for us or for OB or everyone? We hope to become an agent of transformation for OB as well as the larger community.
* Why is our focus on oppression? We need to explain this.
* Why must the work be intergenerational? Intersectional?

The group came up with a multilayered, interrelated group of statements:

“Our vision is to create a ''beloved community'' that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination.”

Comments: How about disability, age, immigration status?

“A ''beloved community'' is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts.  It is a sustainable community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning, transformation and critical creative thinking.”

Comments: Issue of the origins of the phrase “beloved community”: African-American women, Sufi tradition.

“We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and interpersonal practice, that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive values. Our vision for that is the tools and practices learned and applied in our community to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the Occupy movement and our community at large.”

Comment: Is there a working definition of “oppression” for the purposes of this group?

* The exercise of power over a group.
* Arises by violence and is maintained by violence.
* Sustained over time.

Comment: Why is it “our vision is to build a beloved community” rather than “our vision is a beloved community?” Because our work is a practice, constantly ongoing.

Comment: Recommendation that we clarify what we’re talking about with “oppression” – there will be a lot of resistance from other groups even within Occupy. Speaker had objections, but doesn’t wish to go into them here, merely recommends we address it at a future meeting.

Response: Speaker feels oppression is white supremacy, heteronormativity, classism . . . it’s very clear to him. This is work that will take a long time, and he’s not naïve about how people outside the group will respond.

Response: We want to grow as a group, and to do that we have to learn. If it were easy to build a beloved community, human beings would have already done it.

Members volunteered to work on the “click-through” presentation of these statements.

==Visioning workshop==

Linda Stout, a respected thinker with a strong anti-racist/anti-oppression lens, will lead a visioning workshop next weekend. She will not only help us with collective visioning for OB, but teach us how to do the work. We would like to get the word out to people in two rough groups:

(a) Those from historically marginalized communities, who don’t have access to a certain level of power within Occupy (or elsewhere): e.g. Women’s Caucus, Houseless, POC, GLBTQ, Immigration, Decolonize, Mutual Aid.

(b) Those who do have access to power but tend not to be included in this type of conversation: Media, Ideas, Direct Action, Inter-Occupy, Facilitation, Logistics, Space, Finance, Safety.

Comment: What about Faith & Spirituality?

Comment: Look at the Free School University model—they get the word out by taking advantage of the OB “media machine”: stuff posted on website, etc.

Comment: The way the e-mail was framed was a little off-putting. Framed as “professional”—academic. One thing that might help to bring people in is to connect it with ongoing, “real” oppressive stuff that’s been happening; or to include a personal explanation of what it is. It’s hard to get people to buy into a framework that isn’t theirs. At the same time, people are excited about collective efforts, because they want this to work—they want a space where people can be together.

Comments: People may not know who Linda Stout is and the amazing work that she’s done. – An organization without visioning isn’t going to go very far. We need to communicate the “why” of it.

Ways of getting our messaging out:
* E-mail groups
* Twitter
* Going to other WG meetings
* Get to top of OB website page (now possible!)
* Personalize the e-mail blasts
* Send a short video of Linda Stout’s work

We’ll communicate our discussion to the workshop organizers.

Group members will reach out to various working groups.
* Women’s Caucus, Mutual Aid, GLBTQ, Houseless, Logistics -  Angela
* POC – Bhavin, Carl, Chris
* Casa – Maureen
* Immigration, Decolonize – Clyde
* Ideas – Susan
* Media – Katie
* Direct Action – Jacob
* Facilitation, Space, Finance, Safety – Greg
* OBIT - Bhavin

==''Banner'' letter==

This is an example of the work we are asked to participate/intervene in. Context: ''Bay State Banner'' editorial on the economy that included vague reference to OB. Draft of letter, possibly to be signed by Ideas WG, went out for comment. Angela and others asked that the process slow down, and were met by various feedback, some intensely negative.

Comment: Letter reads as, “We agree with what you say. People from your community should come join us.” There’s a problem with this analysis. Also, about half the POC group has such strong connections with the ''Banner'', that they could call Yawu Miller and get us a half-page photo spread—which would be much more productive in terms of bring the ''Banner’s'' readership closer to OB.

Comment: “Urgency is an aspect of white supremacy.” The ''Banner ''is a weekly paper. Urgency leads to not doing things in relationship, which is fundamentally oppressive. This is a teachable moment.

Comment: Hard to get out of the sense of crisis, especially when we feel called to intervene.

Ideas for response:
* When and how to add distribution lists?
* Post open letter to OB re: “the letter”?
* Use teachable moment to give specific, clear explanation of what was oppressive about letter’s approach. People on the e-mail chain have owned that they don’t know what is problematic about the letter.
* Respond on e-mail chains?
* Can we use this incident to promote the visioning workshop?
* Guidelines we can use to check ourselves – offer this as a first step? (See George’s e-mail.)
* Opportunity to promote and explain what we’re doing (importance of inreach).

Comment: Speaker has an “ouch.” She has extended herself to get our message/lens out to other working groups and feels unsupported.

Response: Her work is not lost. Difficult to be a white ally—you’re expected to do the work, and it’s easy to feel unappreciated. We appreciate her!

Response: How do we create an intentional process for supporting each other? Maybe start each meeting by thanking people in the group who stuck their necks out. Or close with appreciations.

==Admin stuff==

Two more people stepped up to be financial liaisons. Brief discussion of how FLs can do their work.

==Evaluation of ways of being==

Step up/step back: People who were quieter spoke to their feelings—learning, maybe a bit intimidated.

In formulating our vision, can we incorporate an acknowledgement of the fact that many white supremacist groups often have false perspectives of victimization and oppression, for the purposes of differentiating ourselves from that?

The “colorblindness” belief is out there (we do not need to do systematic anti-oppression work) and widespread, and it is going to affect us. We will meet resistance, and it’s necessary for us to recognize that that resistance is going to be a learning experience for us. If we’re going to transform OB into an anti-oppressive organization, we’re going to have to communicate with the many, many people who don’t accept the existence of systemic oppression.

More anti-oppression voices are needed at GA. They need to be heard again and again and again. Group added this to agenda for discussion at next meeting.

We agreed that we did okay on the remaining ways of being.

==Appreciations==

Group members spoke their appreciation to various members. Thanks everyone!

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012

2012-01-10T05:42:43Z

Possiblybhavin:

[http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/WG/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression Home]
'''Anti-Oppression Working Group Meeting'''  
'''Arlington St Church'''  
'''January 7, 2012'''  
'''5:30-8:30 pm'''  

==Agenda==

Opening 5:30 – 5:50
Internal work 5:50 – 6:50
External work 6:50 – 7:45
Admin stuff 7:45 – 8:00
Assessment of ways of being 8:00 – 8:20
Close 8:20 – 8:30

Attendance:  Shannon, Salma, Corry, Mathew, Greg, Clyde, Cathy, Michelle, Marueen, Katie, Angela, Chris, Carl, Jacob, Andrea, Bhavin

==Opening==
share one wild, crazy, or fun thing that you’ve done.

==Review of our Ways of Being.==

==Discussion of the “territory” of our work==

We looked at a visual representation.

/// image///

The graphic categorizes the group’s work into two:

''Internal work:''
*''Circle labeled AOWG: internal''
**Crafting purpose/vision statement
**Learning
**Building community
**Reflecting on our own work
**Supporting each other

''External work:''
*''Radiating outward: proactive''
**Organizing, e.g.,
***Vision Workshop
***Coalition building
***Movement building
***Work around 3-strikes
**Education, e.g.,
***Movie series
***Feb 13 OB Community Gathering
**Organizing & Education à leading to ''Participation in other working groups''
***Many of us are involved in other spaces/WGs at Occupy Boston.
***In addition, we have been asked to participate in other WGs.
*''Radiating outward: reactive''
**Self-directed
***Teachable moments
**Responding to requests, e.g.,
***Letter to the Banner
***Hosting a community gathering
***Houseless proposal
***White allies response at GA

==Presentation by visioning group==

(Last meeting we broke out into two groups, one to discuss our vision, one our mission/statement of purpose. The former group continued its work on e-mail between meetings, so they presented their thinking. The vision group will continue working outside the meeting.)

There was some disagreement about what a vision statement should be. Some people said it should be very concise; Sebel sent one by e-mail: “Our vision is to build a community that constantly aspires to creating a sustainable, just and a safe society for everyone, which is free from all forms of oppression (sexism, national origin, religion, sexual orientation . . .).”

Others felt that the longer statement we worked on last meeting was a good place to start but some things needed clarifying:
* Could we ever get to a space where there is no oppression?
* What is the difference between a vision and a mission?
* Is this vision for us or for OB or everyone? We hope to become an agent of transformation for OB as well as the larger community.
* Why is our focus on oppression? We need to explain this.
* Why must the work be intergenerational? Intersectional?

The group came up with a multilayered, interrelated group of statements:

“Our vision is to create a ''beloved community'' that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination.”

Comments: How about disability, age, immigration status?

“A ''beloved community'' is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts.  It is a sustainable community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning, transformation and critical creative thinking.”

Comments: Issue of the origins of the phrase “beloved community”: African-American women, Sufi tradition.

“We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and interpersonal practice, that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive values. Our vision for that is the tools and practices learned and applied in our community to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the Occupy movement and our community at large.”

Comment: Is there a working definition of “oppression” for the purposes of this group?

* The exercise of power over a group.
* Arises by violence and is maintained by violence.
* Sustained over time.

Comment: Why is it “our vision is to build a beloved community” rather than “our vision is a beloved community?” Because our work is a practice, constantly ongoing.

Comment: Recommendation that we clarify what we’re talking about with “oppression” – there will be a lot of resistance from other groups even within Occupy. Speaker had objections, but doesn’t wish to go into them here, merely recommends we address it at a future meeting.

Response: Speaker feels oppression is white supremacy, heteronormativity, classism . . . it’s very clear to him. This is work that will take a long time, and he’s not naïve about how people outside the group will respond.

Response: We want to grow as a group, and to do that we have to learn. If it were easy to build a beloved community, human beings would have already done it.

Members volunteered to work on the “click-through” presentation of these statements.

==Visioning workshop==

Linda Stout, a respected thinker with a strong anti-racist/anti-oppression lens, will lead a visioning workshop next weekend. She will not only help us with collective visioning for OB, but teach us how to do the work. We would like to get the word out to people in two rough groups:

(a) Those from historically marginalized communities, who don’t have access to a certain level of power within Occupy (or elsewhere): e.g. Women’s Caucus, Houseless, POC, GLBTQ, Immigration, Decolonize, Mutual Aid.

(b) Those who do have access to power but tend not to be included in this type of conversation: Media, Ideas, Direct Action, Inter-Occupy, Facilitation, Logistics, Space, Finance, Safety.

Comment: What about Faith & Spirituality?

Comment: Look at the Free School University model—they get the word out by taking advantage of the OB “media machine”: stuff posted on website, etc.

Comment: The way the e-mail was framed was a little off-putting. Framed as “professional”—academic. One thing that might help to bring people in is to connect it with ongoing, “real” oppressive stuff that’s been happening; or to include a personal explanation of what it is. It’s hard to get people to buy into a framework that isn’t theirs. At the same time, people are excited about collective efforts, because they want this to work—they want a space where people can be together.

Comments: People may not know who Linda Stout is and the amazing work that she’s done. – An organization without visioning isn’t going to go very far. We need to communicate the “why” of it.

Ways of getting our messaging out:
* E-mail groups
* Twitter
* Going to other WG meetings
* Get to top of OB website page (now possible!)
* Personalize the e-mail blasts
* Send a short video of Linda Stout’s work

We’ll communicate our discussion to the workshop organizers.

Group members will reach out to various working groups.
* Women’s Caucus, Mutual Aid, GLBTQ, Houseless, Logistics -  Angela
* POC – Bhavin, Carl, Chris
* Casa – Maureen
* Immigration, Decolonize – Clyde
* Ideas – Susan
* Media – Katie
* Direct Action – Jacob
* Facilitation, Space, Finance, Safety – Greg
* OBIT - Bhavin

==6. ''Banner'' letter==

This is an example of the work we are asked to participate/intervene in. Context: ''Bay State Banner'' editorial on the economy that included vague reference to OB. Draft of letter, possibly to be signed by Ideas WG, went out for comment. Angela and others asked that the process slow down, and were met by various feedback, some intensely negative.

Comment: Letter reads as, “We agree with what you say. People from your community should come join us.” There’s a problem with this analysis. Also, about half the POC group has such strong connections with the ''Banner'', that they could call Yawu Miller and get us a half-page photo spread—which would be much more productive in terms of bring the ''Banner’s'' readership closer to OB.

Comment: “Urgency is an aspect of white supremacy.” The ''Banner ''is a weekly paper. Urgency leads to not doing things in relationship, which is fundamentally oppressive. This is a teachable moment.

Comment: Hard to get out of the sense of crisis, especially when we feel called to intervene.

Ideas for response:
* When and how to add distribution lists?
* Post open letter to OB re: “the letter”?
* Use teachable moment to give specific, clear explanation of what was oppressive about letter’s approach. People on the e-mail chain have owned that they don’t know what is problematic about the letter.
* Respond on e-mail chains?
* Can we use this incident to promote the visioning workshop?
* Guidelines we can use to check ourselves – offer this as a first step? (See George’s e-mail.)
* Opportunity to promote and explain what we’re doing (importance of inreach).

Comment: Speaker has an “ouch.” She has extended herself to get our message/lens out to other working groups and feels unsupported.

Response: Her work is not lost. Difficult to be a white ally—you’re expected to do the work, and it’s easy to feel unappreciated. We appreciate her!

Response: How do we create an intentional process for supporting each other? Maybe start each meeting by thanking people in the group who stuck their necks out. Or close with appreciations.

==Admin stuff==

Two more people stepped up to be financial liaisons. Brief discussion of how FLs can do their work.

==Evaluation of ways of being==

Step up/step back: People who were quieter spoke to their feelings—learning, maybe a bit intimidated.

In formulating our vision, can we incorporate an acknowledgement of the fact that many white supremacist groups often have false perspectives of victimization and oppression, for the purposes of differentiating ourselves from that?

The “colorblindness” belief is out there (we do not need to do systematic anti-oppression work) and widespread, and it is going to affect us. We will meet resistance, and it’s necessary for us to recognize that that resistance is going to be a learning experience for us. If we’re going to transform OB into an anti-oppressive organization, we’re going to have to communicate with the many, many people who don’t accept the existence of systemic oppression.

More anti-oppression voices are needed at GA. They need to be heard again and again and again. Group added this to agenda for discussion at next meeting.

We agreed that we did okay on the remaining ways of being.

==Appreciations==

Group members spoke their appreciation to various members. Thanks everyone!

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011

2012-01-10T05:42:08Z

Possiblybhavin:

[http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/WG/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression Home]

'''Arlington St Church'''  
'''December 28, 2011'''  
'''5:30-8:30''' 

== Attendance ==

Kendra, Maureen, Susan, Salma, Clyde, Ester, Cathy J., Bhavin, Michelle, Meck, Seble, Chris, Andrea

== Introductions ==

Penny Exercise – pick a penny and share a story related to the year of the penny you picked.

== Agenda ==

Opening

Vision and Statement of Purpose Break-out Groups

Logistics and Immediate Next Steps

Ways of Being Evaluation

== Vision and Statement of Purpose ==

Bhavin and Ester shared a draft vision statement that compiled the work done by the group several meetings before.  Jude and Andrea worked on a draft statement of purpose. The group split up into two working groups to edit and refine the drafts of each.

=== Vision Statement Report Out ===

Proposed Vision Statement: ''Our vision is to create a beloved community that furthers greater consciousness of systemic, interpersonal, internal ad cultural oppressions that keep us apart. To create a movement which is sustainable and welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions. To promote a culture where liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion are the core values and to do so through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning , transformation and critical and creative thinking. We envision doing this work through the building of deep meaningful relationships and with the well-being of those most oppressed always at the center of our efforts.''

There is a vision and a mission statement in this….a vision should be 1-2 sentences at most. This has the elements that need to be unraveled. Is it vision for world? OB? WG?  For our working groups – we are catalysts and transformative agents for OB. We need to include intergenerational because we’re building a movement for generations. We don’t really know what “beloved community”  - utopia when talking about oppression? Talking about systemic oppression. We can work to create laws, communities free of systematic oppression.  Collective liberation – keep it!

Mission, values, vision, practices sections – Why do we need to write all of this? Because of Monday meetings!

Next steps – Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble will go back to previous statements from exercise and continue working on it.

=== Anti-Oppression/Liberation Working Group Statement of Purpose Report Out ===

===== <ins>''How we came to be''</ins> =====

We articulated what so many people were feeling – great thrust for inquiry and commitment. We reverberate how many people are feeling, experiencing , struggling with a liberatory movement.

We are a group of people diverse in a multiplicity of identities…..

Comment: This needs to be further fleshed out

===== <ins>''Vision''</ins> =====

Comment: This is the work of the other working group to be pulled into a cohesive document once we each complete our respective sections.

:''Comment: This section was added''''-> What we believe/value'''''
:Outstanding questions
:*What is oppression? Role of privileged people?
:*About how people change? Which would inform how we do our work….
:*What are the assumptions that we carry in our heads?

:Values
::*What are our shared values?
::*Do we build agreement on values up front? Do we build agreement as we go along?
::*This could take a long time….we have to balance having these and getting to work

:Comment -> maybe we can try to build agreement on what are our “Bottom Lines” are….what is at the core of what we believe as a group…for example….

::*Oppressions are intertwined, they have to be faced to move forward, and to not face them is to replicate them, to do nothing is oppressive. Dealing with oppression is crucial for our movement to have moral credibility, real spirit, or lasting liberatory possibility or space for those who want to be participate.
::*Understanding the intersectionality of multiple oppressions – some people are affected
::*We will continue to learn about new forms of oppression that we may not be aware of…..
::*We don’t get to choose one form of oppression over another…..
::*Harmony of action and reflection

===== <ins>''What we do''</ins> =====

We want to create and sustain a liberatory culture –  a beloved community.  We know that to achieve this, we must work on many levels –within ourselves to liberate our souls (intrapersonally) and amongst ourselves  as individuals (interpersonally and institutionally) as well as at the level of policy and culture – to make visible the oppressive  behaviors, practices and structures that affect us or of which we are inadvertent agents.

*Comment: WHAT DO WE MEAN BY LIBERATORY? Not holding onto what we know doesn’t work, holding onto our wisdom, what does work, - reconnect to things that are ancient and that work for us as people, e.g. meeting in circles, reconnect with things that help us go deeper, slow down and breathe,

Our work reflects the many tiers of effort -

''Build Beloved Learning Community''

We build our understanding of how these privileges play out in our movement building work and increase our skill in intervening when such dynamics surface within our group as well as within OB.  In this way, we build a learning community of people committed to liberation.

*Comment: Tap the wisdom of ancestors of earlier liberation movements.

''Political Education''

We also build awareness about the history of present day oppressive societal arrangements.  We learn with progressive and front-line communities as well as with OB movement builders about how the origins and legacies of privileges that have been systematically granted to some groups and denied to others so that we can diligently build more just communities and spaces, inclusive of:

*Comment: Flesh out activities

''Planning and Strategizing'' We collectivize our wisdom to actualize ways of being effective in the short and long-term within and beyond OB, inclusive of:

*Comment: participating in other Working Groups

 Comment: Format: Are these the right parts of a document? Is there a way of communicating this that is more interesting? Maybe told as a story

Next Steps - Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea will continue to work on this draft

== Logistics and Immediate Next Steps ==

#Financial forms and reimbursements –
#*3 Liaisons – Cathy, Bhavin or Carl, Meck
#*Responsibilities: will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.
#Time & Date of Next Meeting – 5 min
#*Carry on with work of group at Saturdays 5:30-8:30
#*Send delegates to GA’s when we want a presence at the Saturday GA’s (one of 4 GA’s)
#*Ask for $25 for Arlington St. Church donation from FAWG – Cathy
#Movie Series – 10 min
#*In addition to our regularly scheduled meetings,
#*Subcommittee: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble
#*Race the Power of an Illusion, Bell Hooks (Clyde),
#Monday Night Community Building -  5 min.
#*Planning Committee: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea
#*Email facilitation team (Greg) about Feb. 13  -  Michelle and let us know
#Visioning Workshop – 10 min
#*Cathy Hoffman (Non-Violence Working Group) is trying to bring Linda Stout to Boston, founder of first multi-racial justice organizations. Jan. 14th 12:00-3:00 for Occupy Boston WG and active OB folks for 50 people. From 3:30-5:00 (when GA starts) anti-oppression for smaller T4T training. People from Facilitation and Ideas WG are also interested.
#*Content? Visioning
#*Implications for AOWG – decision to host workshop, contribute that week’s $100 stipend towards budget for Linda Stout’s visioning work. 
#OB Theme Watchers/Big Picture Themes – table
#List of ideas for 2012 [for next year]
#*movies, post on youtube

== Ways of Being Evaluation ==

Step Up/Step Back –  could have done better in our statement of purpose small group, had a hard time with the energy and space

Both/And – saw a lot of it in visioning small group

Don’t Shame, Blame, or Attack –

Room for Disagreement – Oops, Ouch, What’s Up with That

Can Use Hand Signals – oh yes

Use I statements – OK

Active Listening -  I had trouble with active listening tonite

Progressive Stack –  not aware of stack today

Take 30 seconds for people to think every 20 min – did that well today

Diversity of structuring meetings – pennies, car drawing, scooter great; small groups as before;

No screens – guilty!

== Next Steps ==

{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
'''What'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''Who'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''By When'''

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting vision statement (go back to previous vision statements from exercise)

| style="width:212px;" |
Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble

| style="width:212px;" |
1/8/12

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting statement of purpose

| style="width:212px;" |
Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea

| style="width:212px;" |
1/8/12

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.

| style="width:212px;" |
Cathy

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
Ask for $25 donation for Arlington St. Church from FAWG

| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
Cathy

| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Flesh out movie series proposal

| style="width:212px;" |
Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Design Community Meeting Night – Feb. 13

| style="width:212px;" |
Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Email Greg about Feb. 13

| style="width:212px;" |
Michelle

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Facilitation for upcoming meetings

| style="width:212px;" |
Jan. 7th – Bhavin and Andrea

Jan. 14 – Bhavin and Ester ??

Jan. 21 – Meck & ??

| style="width:212px;" |

|}

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011

2012-01-10T05:41:38Z

Possiblybhavin:

[http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/WG/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression Home]

'''Arlington St Church'''
'''December 28, 2011'''
'''5:30-8:30'''

== Attendance ==

Kendra, Maureen, Susan, Salma, Clyde, Ester, Cathy J., Bhavin, Michelle, Meck, Seble, Chris, Andrea

== Introductions ==

Penny Exercise – pick a penny and share a story related to the year of the penny you picked.

== Agenda ==

Opening

Vision and Statement of Purpose Break-out Groups

Logistics and Immediate Next Steps

Ways of Being Evaluation

== Vision and Statement of Purpose ==

Bhavin and Ester shared a draft vision statement that compiled the work done by the group several meetings before.  Jude and Andrea worked on a draft statement of purpose. The group split up into two working groups to edit and refine the drafts of each.

=== Vision Statement Report Out ===

Proposed Vision Statement: ''Our vision is to create a beloved community that furthers greater consciousness of systemic, interpersonal, internal ad cultural oppressions that keep us apart. To create a movement which is sustainable and welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions. To promote a culture where liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion are the core values and to do so through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning , transformation and critical and creative thinking. We envision doing this work through the building of deep meaningful relationships and with the well-being of those most oppressed always at the center of our efforts.''

There is a vision and a mission statement in this….a vision should be 1-2 sentences at most. This has the elements that need to be unraveled. Is it vision for world? OB? WG?  For our working groups – we are catalysts and transformative agents for OB. We need to include intergenerational because we’re building a movement for generations. We don’t really know what “beloved community”  - utopia when talking about oppression? Talking about systemic oppression. We can work to create laws, communities free of systematic oppression.  Collective liberation – keep it!

Mission, values, vision, practices sections – Why do we need to write all of this? Because of Monday meetings!

Next steps – Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble will go back to previous statements from exercise and continue working on it.

=== Anti-Oppression/Liberation Working Group Statement of Purpose Report Out ===

===== <ins>''How we came to be''</ins> =====

We articulated what so many people were feeling – great thrust for inquiry and commitment. We reverberate how many people are feeling, experiencing , struggling with a liberatory movement.

We are a group of people diverse in a multiplicity of identities…..

Comment: This needs to be further fleshed out

===== <ins>''Vision''</ins> =====

Comment: This is the work of the other working group to be pulled into a cohesive document once we each complete our respective sections.

:''Comment: This section was added''''-> What we believe/value'''''
:Outstanding questions
:*What is oppression? Role of privileged people?
:*About how people change? Which would inform how we do our work….
:*What are the assumptions that we carry in our heads?

:Values
::*What are our shared values?
::*Do we build agreement on values up front? Do we build agreement as we go along?
::*This could take a long time….we have to balance having these and getting to work

:Comment -> maybe we can try to build agreement on what are our “Bottom Lines” are….what is at the core of what we believe as a group…for example….

::*Oppressions are intertwined, they have to be faced to move forward, and to not face them is to replicate them, to do nothing is oppressive. Dealing with oppression is crucial for our movement to have moral credibility, real spirit, or lasting liberatory possibility or space for those who want to be participate.
::*Understanding the intersectionality of multiple oppressions – some people are affected
::*We will continue to learn about new forms of oppression that we may not be aware of…..
::*We don’t get to choose one form of oppression over another…..
::*Harmony of action and reflection

===== <ins>''What we do''</ins> =====

We want to create and sustain a liberatory culture –  a beloved community.  We know that to achieve this, we must work on many levels –within ourselves to liberate our souls (intrapersonally) and amongst ourselves  as individuals (interpersonally and institutionally) as well as at the level of policy and culture – to make visible the oppressive  behaviors, practices and structures that affect us or of which we are inadvertent agents.

*Comment: WHAT DO WE MEAN BY LIBERATORY? Not holding onto what we know doesn’t work, holding onto our wisdom, what does work, - reconnect to things that are ancient and that work for us as people, e.g. meeting in circles, reconnect with things that help us go deeper, slow down and breathe,

Our work reflects the many tiers of effort -

''Build Beloved Learning Community''

We build our understanding of how these privileges play out in our movement building work and increase our skill in intervening when such dynamics surface within our group as well as within OB.  In this way, we build a learning community of people committed to liberation.

*Comment: Tap the wisdom of ancestors of earlier liberation movements.

''Political Education''

We also build awareness about the history of present day oppressive societal arrangements.  We learn with progressive and front-line communities as well as with OB movement builders about how the origins and legacies of privileges that have been systematically granted to some groups and denied to others so that we can diligently build more just communities and spaces, inclusive of:

*Comment: Flesh out activities

''Planning and Strategizing'' We collectivize our wisdom to actualize ways of being effective in the short and long-term within and beyond OB, inclusive of:

*Comment: participating in other Working Groups

 Comment: Format: Are these the right parts of a document? Is there a way of communicating this that is more interesting? Maybe told as a story

Next Steps - Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea will continue to work on this draft

== Logistics and Immediate Next Steps ==

#Financial forms and reimbursements –
#*3 Liaisons – Cathy, Bhavin or Carl, Meck
#*Responsibilities: will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.
#Time & Date of Next Meeting – 5 min
#*Carry on with work of group at Saturdays 5:30-8:30
#*Send delegates to GA’s when we want a presence at the Saturday GA’s (one of 4 GA’s)
#*Ask for $25 for Arlington St. Church donation from FAWG – Cathy
#Movie Series – 10 min
#*In addition to our regularly scheduled meetings,
#*Subcommittee: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble
#*Race the Power of an Illusion, Bell Hooks (Clyde),
#Monday Night Community Building -  5 min.
#*Planning Committee: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea
#*Email facilitation team (Greg) about Feb. 13  -  Michelle and let us know
#Visioning Workshop – 10 min
#*Cathy Hoffman (Non-Violence Working Group) is trying to bring Linda Stout to Boston, founder of first multi-racial justice organizations. Jan. 14th 12:00-3:00 for Occupy Boston WG and active OB folks for 50 people. From 3:30-5:00 (when GA starts) anti-oppression for smaller T4T training. People from Facilitation and Ideas WG are also interested.
#*Content? Visioning
#*Implications for AOWG – decision to host workshop, contribute that week’s $100 stipend towards budget for Linda Stout’s visioning work. 
#OB Theme Watchers/Big Picture Themes – table
#List of ideas for 2012 [for next year]
#*movies, post on youtube

== Ways of Being Evaluation ==

Step Up/Step Back –  could have done better in our statement of purpose small group, had a hard time with the energy and space

Both/And – saw a lot of it in visioning small group

Don’t Shame, Blame, or Attack –

Room for Disagreement – Oops, Ouch, What’s Up with That

Can Use Hand Signals – oh yes

Use I statements – OK

Active Listening -  I had trouble with active listening tonite

Progressive Stack –  not aware of stack today

Take 30 seconds for people to think every 20 min – did that well today

Diversity of structuring meetings – pennies, car drawing, scooter great; small groups as before;

No screens – guilty!

== Next Steps ==

{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
'''What'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''Who'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''By When'''

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting vision statement (go back to previous vision statements from exercise)

| style="width:212px;" |
Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble

| style="width:212px;" |
1/8/12

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting statement of purpose

| style="width:212px;" |
Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea

| style="width:212px;" |
1/8/12

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.

| style="width:212px;" |
Cathy

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
Ask for $25 donation for Arlington St. Church from FAWG

| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
Cathy

| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Flesh out movie series proposal

| style="width:212px;" |
Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Design Community Meeting Night – Feb. 13

| style="width:212px;" |
Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Email Greg about Feb. 13

| style="width:212px;" |
Michelle

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Facilitation for upcoming meetings

| style="width:212px;" |
Jan. 7th – Bhavin and Andrea

Jan. 14 – Bhavin and Ester ??

Jan. 21 – Meck & ??

| style="width:212px;" |

|}

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012

2012-01-10T05:40:37Z

Possiblybhavin:

'''Anti-Oppression Working Group Meeting'''
'''Arlington St Church'''
'''January 7, 2012'''
'''5:30-8:30 pm'''

==Agenda==

Opening 5:30 – 5:50
Internal work 5:50 – 6:50
External work 6:50 – 7:45
Admin stuff 7:45 – 8:00
Assessment of ways of being 8:00 – 8:20
Close 8:20 – 8:30

Attendance:  Shannon, Salma, Corry, Mathew, Greg, Clyde, Cathy, Michelle, Marueen, Katie, Angela, Chris, Carl, Jacob, Andrea, Bhavin

==Opening==
share one wild, crazy, or fun thing that you’ve done.

==Review of our Ways of Being.==

==Discussion of the “territory” of our work==

We looked at a visual representation.

/// image///

The graphic categorizes the group’s work into two:

''Internal work:''
*''Circle labeled AOWG: internal''
**Crafting purpose/vision statement
**Learning
**Building community
**Reflecting on our own work
**Supporting each other

''External work:''
*''Radiating outward: proactive''
**Organizing, e.g.,
***Vision Workshop
***Coalition building
***Movement building
***Work around 3-strikes
**Education, e.g.,
***Movie series
***Feb 13 OB Community Gathering
**Organizing & Education à leading to ''Participation in other working groups''
***Many of us are involved in other spaces/WGs at Occupy Boston.
***In addition, we have been asked to participate in other WGs.
*''Radiating outward: reactive''
**Self-directed
***Teachable moments
**Responding to requests, e.g.,
***Letter to the Banner
***Hosting a community gathering
***Houseless proposal
***White allies response at GA

==Presentation by visioning group==

(Last meeting we broke out into two groups, one to discuss our vision, one our mission/statement of purpose. The former group continued its work on e-mail between meetings, so they presented their thinking. The vision group will continue working outside the meeting.)

There was some disagreement about what a vision statement should be. Some people said it should be very concise; Sebel sent one by e-mail: “Our vision is to build a community that constantly aspires to creating a sustainable, just and a safe society for everyone, which is free from all forms of oppression (sexism, national origin, religion, sexual orientation . . .).”

Others felt that the longer statement we worked on last meeting was a good place to start but some things needed clarifying:
* Could we ever get to a space where there is no oppression?
* What is the difference between a vision and a mission?
* Is this vision for us or for OB or everyone? We hope to become an agent of transformation for OB as well as the larger community.
* Why is our focus on oppression? We need to explain this.
* Why must the work be intergenerational? Intersectional?

The group came up with a multilayered, interrelated group of statements:

“Our vision is to create a ''beloved community'' that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination.”

Comments: How about disability, age, immigration status?

“A ''beloved community'' is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts.  It is a sustainable community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning, transformation and critical creative thinking.”

Comments: Issue of the origins of the phrase “beloved community”: African-American women, Sufi tradition.

“We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and interpersonal practice, that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive values. Our vision for that is the tools and practices learned and applied in our community to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the Occupy movement and our community at large.”

Comment: Is there a working definition of “oppression” for the purposes of this group?

* The exercise of power over a group.
* Arises by violence and is maintained by violence.
* Sustained over time.

Comment: Why is it “our vision is to build a beloved community” rather than “our vision is a beloved community?” Because our work is a practice, constantly ongoing.

Comment: Recommendation that we clarify what we’re talking about with “oppression” – there will be a lot of resistance from other groups even within Occupy. Speaker had objections, but doesn’t wish to go into them here, merely recommends we address it at a future meeting.

Response: Speaker feels oppression is white supremacy, heteronormativity, classism . . . it’s very clear to him. This is work that will take a long time, and he’s not naïve about how people outside the group will respond.

Response: We want to grow as a group, and to do that we have to learn. If it were easy to build a beloved community, human beings would have already done it.

Members volunteered to work on the “click-through” presentation of these statements.

==Visioning workshop==

Linda Stout, a respected thinker with a strong anti-racist/anti-oppression lens, will lead a visioning workshop next weekend. She will not only help us with collective visioning for OB, but teach us how to do the work. We would like to get the word out to people in two rough groups:

(a) Those from historically marginalized communities, who don’t have access to a certain level of power within Occupy (or elsewhere): e.g. Women’s Caucus, Houseless, POC, GLBTQ, Immigration, Decolonize, Mutual Aid.

(b) Those who do have access to power but tend not to be included in this type of conversation: Media, Ideas, Direct Action, Inter-Occupy, Facilitation, Logistics, Space, Finance, Safety.

Comment: What about Faith & Spirituality?

Comment: Look at the Free School University model—they get the word out by taking advantage of the OB “media machine”: stuff posted on website, etc.

Comment: The way the e-mail was framed was a little off-putting. Framed as “professional”—academic. One thing that might help to bring people in is to connect it with ongoing, “real” oppressive stuff that’s been happening; or to include a personal explanation of what it is. It’s hard to get people to buy into a framework that isn’t theirs. At the same time, people are excited about collective efforts, because they want this to work—they want a space where people can be together.

Comments: People may not know who Linda Stout is and the amazing work that she’s done. – An organization without visioning isn’t going to go very far. We need to communicate the “why” of it.

Ways of getting our messaging out:
* E-mail groups
* Twitter
* Going to other WG meetings
* Get to top of OB website page (now possible!)
* Personalize the e-mail blasts
* Send a short video of Linda Stout’s work

We’ll communicate our discussion to the workshop organizers.

Group members will reach out to various working groups.
* Women’s Caucus, Mutual Aid, GLBTQ, Houseless, Logistics -  Angela
* POC – Bhavin, Carl, Chris
* Casa – Maureen
* Immigration, Decolonize – Clyde
* Ideas – Susan
* Media – Katie
* Direct Action – Jacob
* Facilitation, Space, Finance, Safety – Greg
* OBIT - Bhavin

==6. ''Banner'' letter==

This is an example of the work we are asked to participate/intervene in. Context: ''Bay State Banner'' editorial on the economy that included vague reference to OB. Draft of letter, possibly to be signed by Ideas WG, went out for comment. Angela and others asked that the process slow down, and were met by various feedback, some intensely negative.

Comment: Letter reads as, “We agree with what you say. People from your community should come join us.” There’s a problem with this analysis. Also, about half the POC group has such strong connections with the ''Banner'', that they could call Yawu Miller and get us a half-page photo spread—which would be much more productive in terms of bring the ''Banner’s'' readership closer to OB.

Comment: “Urgency is an aspect of white supremacy.” The ''Banner ''is a weekly paper. Urgency leads to not doing things in relationship, which is fundamentally oppressive. This is a teachable moment.

Comment: Hard to get out of the sense of crisis, especially when we feel called to intervene.

Ideas for response:
* When and how to add distribution lists?
* Post open letter to OB re: “the letter”?
* Use teachable moment to give specific, clear explanation of what was oppressive about letter’s approach. People on the e-mail chain have owned that they don’t know what is problematic about the letter.
* Respond on e-mail chains?
* Can we use this incident to promote the visioning workshop?
* Guidelines we can use to check ourselves – offer this as a first step? (See George’s e-mail.)
* Opportunity to promote and explain what we’re doing (importance of inreach).

Comment: Speaker has an “ouch.” She has extended herself to get our message/lens out to other working groups and feels unsupported.

Response: Her work is not lost. Difficult to be a white ally—you’re expected to do the work, and it’s easy to feel unappreciated. We appreciate her!

Response: How do we create an intentional process for supporting each other? Maybe start each meeting by thanking people in the group who stuck their necks out. Or close with appreciations.

==Admin stuff==

Two more people stepped up to be financial liaisons. Brief discussion of how FLs can do their work.

==Evaluation of ways of being==

Step up/step back: People who were quieter spoke to their feelings—learning, maybe a bit intimidated.

In formulating our vision, can we incorporate an acknowledgement of the fact that many white supremacist groups often have false perspectives of victimization and oppression, for the purposes of differentiating ourselves from that?

The “colorblindness” belief is out there (we do not need to do systematic anti-oppression work) and widespread, and it is going to affect us. We will meet resistance, and it’s necessary for us to recognize that that resistance is going to be a learning experience for us. If we’re going to transform OB into an anti-oppressive organization, we’re going to have to communicate with the many, many people who don’t accept the existence of systemic oppression.

More anti-oppression voices are needed at GA. They need to be heard again and again and again. Group added this to agenda for discussion at next meeting.

We agreed that we did okay on the remaining ways of being.

==Appreciations==

Group members spoke their appreciation to various members. Thanks everyone!

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012

2012-01-10T05:39:50Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Presentation by visioning group */

'''Anti-Oppression Working Group Meeting'''

'''Arlington St Church'''

'''January 7, 2012'''

'''5:30-8:30 pm'''

Attendance:  Shannon, Salma, Corry, Mathew, Greg, Clyde, Cathy, Michelle, Marueen, Katie, Angela, Chris, Carl, Jacob, Andrea, Bhavin

==Agenda==

Opening 5:30 – 5:50

Internal work 5:50 – 6:50

External work 6:50 – 7:45

Admin stuff 7:45 – 8:00

Assessment of ways of being 8:00 – 8:20

Close 8:20 – 8:30

==Opening==
share one wild, crazy, or fun thing that you’ve done.

==Review of our Ways of Being.==

==Discussion of the “territory” of our work==

We looked at a visual representation.

/// image///

The graphic categorizes the group’s work into two:

''Internal work:''
*''Circle labeled AOWG: internal''
**Crafting purpose/vision statement
**Learning
**Building community
**Reflecting on our own work
**Supporting each other

''External work:''
*''Radiating outward: proactive''
**Organizing, e.g.,
***Vision Workshop
***Coalition building
***Movement building
***Work around 3-strikes
**Education, e.g.,
***Movie series
***Feb 13 OB Community Gathering
**Organizing & Education à leading to ''Participation in other working groups''
***Many of us are involved in other spaces/WGs at Occupy Boston.
***In addition, we have been asked to participate in other WGs.
*''Radiating outward: reactive''
**Self-directed
***Teachable moments
**Responding to requests, e.g.,
***Letter to the Banner
***Hosting a community gathering
***Houseless proposal
***White allies response at GA

==Presentation by visioning group==

(Last meeting we broke out into two groups, one to discuss our vision, one our mission/statement of purpose. The former group continued its work on e-mail between meetings, so they presented their thinking. The vision group will continue working outside the meeting.)

There was some disagreement about what a vision statement should be. Some people said it should be very concise; Sebel sent one by e-mail: “Our vision is to build a community that constantly aspires to creating a sustainable, just and a safe society for everyone, which is free from all forms of oppression (sexism, national origin, religion, sexual orientation . . .).”

Others felt that the longer statement we worked on last meeting was a good place to start but some things needed clarifying:
* Could we ever get to a space where there is no oppression?
* What is the difference between a vision and a mission?
* Is this vision for us or for OB or everyone? We hope to become an agent of transformation for OB as well as the larger community.
* Why is our focus on oppression? We need to explain this.
* Why must the work be intergenerational? Intersectional?

The group came up with a multilayered, interrelated group of statements:

“Our vision is to create a ''beloved community'' that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination.”

Comments: How about disability, age, immigration status?

“A ''beloved community'' is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts.  It is a sustainable community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning, transformation and critical creative thinking.”

Comments: Issue of the origins of the phrase “beloved community”: African-American women, Sufi tradition.

“We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and interpersonal practice, that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive values. Our vision for that is the tools and practices learned and applied in our community to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the Occupy movement and our community at large.”

Comment: Is there a working definition of “oppression” for the purposes of this group?

* The exercise of power over a group.
* Arises by violence and is maintained by violence.
* Sustained over time.

Comment: Why is it “our vision is to build a beloved community” rather than “our vision is a beloved community?” Because our work is a practice, constantly ongoing.

Comment: Recommendation that we clarify what we’re talking about with “oppression” – there will be a lot of resistance from other groups even within Occupy. Speaker had objections, but doesn’t wish to go into them here, merely recommends we address it at a future meeting.

Response: Speaker feels oppression is white supremacy, heteronormativity, classism . . . it’s very clear to him. This is work that will take a long time, and he’s not naïve about how people outside the group will respond.

Response: We want to grow as a group, and to do that we have to learn. If it were easy to build a beloved community, human beings would have already done it.

Members volunteered to work on the “click-through” presentation of these statements.

==Visioning workshop==

Linda Stout, a respected thinker with a strong anti-racist/anti-oppression lens, will lead a visioning workshop next weekend. She will not only help us with collective visioning for OB, but teach us how to do the work. We would like to get the word out to people in two rough groups:

(a) Those from historically marginalized communities, who don’t have access to a certain level of power within Occupy (or elsewhere): e.g. Women’s Caucus, Houseless, POC, GLBTQ, Immigration, Decolonize, Mutual Aid.

(b) Those who do have access to power but tend not to be included in this type of conversation: Media, Ideas, Direct Action, Inter-Occupy, Facilitation, Logistics, Space, Finance, Safety.

Comment: What about Faith & Spirituality?

Comment: Look at the Free School University model—they get the word out by taking advantage of the OB “media machine”: stuff posted on website, etc.

Comment: The way the e-mail was framed was a little off-putting. Framed as “professional”—academic. One thing that might help to bring people in is to connect it with ongoing, “real” oppressive stuff that’s been happening; or to include a personal explanation of what it is. It’s hard to get people to buy into a framework that isn’t theirs. At the same time, people are excited about collective efforts, because they want this to work—they want a space where people can be together.

Comments: People may not know who Linda Stout is and the amazing work that she’s done. – An organization without visioning isn’t going to go very far. We need to communicate the “why” of it.

Ways of getting our messaging out:
* E-mail groups
* Twitter
* Going to other WG meetings
* Get to top of OB website page (now possible!)
* Personalize the e-mail blasts
* Send a short video of Linda Stout’s work

We’ll communicate our discussion to the workshop organizers.

Group members will reach out to various working groups.
* Women’s Caucus, Mutual Aid, GLBTQ, Houseless, Logistics -  Angela
* POC – Bhavin, Carl, Chris
* Casa – Maureen
* Immigration, Decolonize – Clyde
* Ideas – Susan
* Media – Katie
* Direct Action – Jacob
* Facilitation, Space, Finance, Safety – Greg
* OBIT - Bhavin

==6. ''Banner'' letter==

This is an example of the work we are asked to participate/intervene in. Context: ''Bay State Banner'' editorial on the economy that included vague reference to OB. Draft of letter, possibly to be signed by Ideas WG, went out for comment. Angela and others asked that the process slow down, and were met by various feedback, some intensely negative.

Comment: Letter reads as, “We agree with what you say. People from your community should come join us.” There’s a problem with this analysis. Also, about half the POC group has such strong connections with the ''Banner'', that they could call Yawu Miller and get us a half-page photo spread—which would be much more productive in terms of bring the ''Banner’s'' readership closer to OB.

Comment: “Urgency is an aspect of white supremacy.” The ''Banner ''is a weekly paper. Urgency leads to not doing things in relationship, which is fundamentally oppressive. This is a teachable moment.

Comment: Hard to get out of the sense of crisis, especially when we feel called to intervene.

Ideas for response:
* When and how to add distribution lists?
* Post open letter to OB re: “the letter”?
* Use teachable moment to give specific, clear explanation of what was oppressive about letter’s approach. People on the e-mail chain have owned that they don’t know what is problematic about the letter.
* Respond on e-mail chains?
* Can we use this incident to promote the visioning workshop?
* Guidelines we can use to check ourselves – offer this as a first step? (See George’s e-mail.)
* Opportunity to promote and explain what we’re doing (importance of inreach).

Comment: Speaker has an “ouch.” She has extended herself to get our message/lens out to other working groups and feels unsupported.

Response: Her work is not lost. Difficult to be a white ally—you’re expected to do the work, and it’s easy to feel unappreciated. We appreciate her!

Response: How do we create an intentional process for supporting each other? Maybe start each meeting by thanking people in the group who stuck their necks out. Or close with appreciations.

==Admin stuff==

Two more people stepped up to be financial liaisons. Brief discussion of how FLs can do their work.

==Evaluation of ways of being==

Step up/step back: People who were quieter spoke to their feelings—learning, maybe a bit intimidated.

In formulating our vision, can we incorporate an acknowledgement of the fact that many white supremacist groups often have false perspectives of victimization and oppression, for the purposes of differentiating ourselves from that?

The “colorblindness” belief is out there (we do not need to do systematic anti-oppression work) and widespread, and it is going to affect us. We will meet resistance, and it’s necessary for us to recognize that that resistance is going to be a learning experience for us. If we’re going to transform OB into an anti-oppressive organization, we’re going to have to communicate with the many, many people who don’t accept the existence of systemic oppression.

More anti-oppression voices are needed at GA. They need to be heard again and again and again. Group added this to agenda for discussion at next meeting.

We agreed that we did okay on the remaining ways of being.

==Appreciations==

Group members spoke their appreciation to various members. Thanks everyone!

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012

2012-01-10T05:39:25Z

Possiblybhavin:

'''Anti-Oppression Working Group Meeting'''

'''Arlington St Church'''

'''January 7, 2012'''

'''5:30-8:30 pm'''

Attendance:  Shannon, Salma, Corry, Mathew, Greg, Clyde, Cathy, Michelle, Marueen, Katie, Angela, Chris, Carl, Jacob, Andrea, Bhavin

==Agenda==

Opening 5:30 – 5:50

Internal work 5:50 – 6:50

External work 6:50 – 7:45

Admin stuff 7:45 – 8:00

Assessment of ways of being 8:00 – 8:20

Close 8:20 – 8:30

==Opening==
share one wild, crazy, or fun thing that you’ve done.

==Review of our Ways of Being.==

==Discussion of the “territory” of our work==

We looked at a visual representation.

/// image///

The graphic categorizes the group’s work into two:

''Internal work:''
*''Circle labeled AOWG: internal''
**Crafting purpose/vision statement
**Learning
**Building community
**Reflecting on our own work
**Supporting each other

''External work:''
*''Radiating outward: proactive''
**Organizing, e.g.,
***Vision Workshop
***Coalition building
***Movement building
***Work around 3-strikes
**Education, e.g.,
***Movie series
***Feb 13 OB Community Gathering
**Organizing & Education à leading to ''Participation in other working groups''
***Many of us are involved in other spaces/WGs at Occupy Boston.
***In addition, we have been asked to participate in other WGs.
*''Radiating outward: reactive''
**Self-directed
***Teachable moments
**Responding to requests, e.g.,
***Letter to the Banner
***Hosting a community gathering
***Houseless proposal
***White allies response at GA

==Presentation by visioning group==

(Last meeting we broke out into two groups, one to discuss our vision, one our mission/statement of purpose. The former group continued its work on e-mail between meetings, so they presented their thinking. The vision group will continue working outside the meeting.)

There was some disagreement about what a vision statement should be. Some people said it should be very concise; Sebel sent one by e-mail: “Our vision is to build a community that constantly aspires to creating a sustainable, just and a safe society for everyone, which is free from all forms of oppression (sexism, national origin, religion, sexual orientation . . .).”

Others felt that the longer statement we worked on last meeting was a good place to start but some things needed clarifying:

* Could we ever get to a space where there is no oppression?
* What is the difference between a vision and a mission?
* Is this vision for us or for OB or everyone? We hope to become an agent of transformation for OB as well as the larger community.
* Why is our focus on oppression? We need to explain this.
* Why must the work be intergenerational? Intersectional?

The group came up with a multilayered, interrelated group of statements:

“Our vision is to create a ''beloved community'' that constantly pursues (aspires to) collective liberation by progressively eliminating and challenging systems of internal, interpersonal and cultural oppression, that are manifested in race, class, gender, sexual identity, and physical, cultural and religious domination.”

Comments: How about disability, age, immigration status?

“A ''beloved community'' is one that is welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions; a community where the well-being of those most oppressed is always at the center of its efforts.  It is a sustainable community with core values that reflect a culture of liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion, and a community that does all this through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning, transformation and critical creative thinking.”

Comments: Issue of the origins of the phrase “beloved community”: African-American women, Sufi tradition.

“We envision that we can accomplish this by employing an intergenerational, inclusive and interpersonal practice, that holds its members accountable to a set of liberatory anti-oppressive values. Our vision for that is the tools and practices learned and applied in our community to become a transformative catalyst agent for the rest of the Occupy movement and our community at large.”

Comment: Is there a working definition of “oppression” for the purposes of this group?

* The exercise of power over a group.
* Arises by violence and is maintained by violence.
* Sustained over time.

Comment: Why is it “our vision is to build a beloved community” rather than “our vision is a beloved community?” Because our work is a practice, constantly ongoing.

Comment: Recommendation that we clarify what we’re talking about with “oppression” – there will be a lot of resistance from other groups even within Occupy. Speaker had objections, but doesn’t wish to go into them here, merely recommends we address it at a future meeting.

Response: Speaker feels oppression is white supremacy, heteronormativity, classism . . . it’s very clear to him. This is work that will take a long time, and he’s not naïve about how people outside the group will respond.

Response: We want to grow as a group, and to do that we have to learn. If it were easy to build a beloved community, human beings would have already done it.

Members volunteered to work on the “click-through” presentation of these statements.

==Visioning workshop==

Linda Stout, a respected thinker with a strong anti-racist/anti-oppression lens, will lead a visioning workshop next weekend. She will not only help us with collective visioning for OB, but teach us how to do the work. We would like to get the word out to people in two rough groups:

(a) Those from historically marginalized communities, who don’t have access to a certain level of power within Occupy (or elsewhere): e.g. Women’s Caucus, Houseless, POC, GLBTQ, Immigration, Decolonize, Mutual Aid.

(b) Those who do have access to power but tend not to be included in this type of conversation: Media, Ideas, Direct Action, Inter-Occupy, Facilitation, Logistics, Space, Finance, Safety.

Comment: What about Faith & Spirituality?

Comment: Look at the Free School University model—they get the word out by taking advantage of the OB “media machine”: stuff posted on website, etc.

Comment: The way the e-mail was framed was a little off-putting. Framed as “professional”—academic. One thing that might help to bring people in is to connect it with ongoing, “real” oppressive stuff that’s been happening; or to include a personal explanation of what it is. It’s hard to get people to buy into a framework that isn’t theirs. At the same time, people are excited about collective efforts, because they want this to work—they want a space where people can be together.

Comments: People may not know who Linda Stout is and the amazing work that she’s done. – An organization without visioning isn’t going to go very far. We need to communicate the “why” of it.

Ways of getting our messaging out:
* E-mail groups
* Twitter
* Going to other WG meetings
* Get to top of OB website page (now possible!)
* Personalize the e-mail blasts
* Send a short video of Linda Stout’s work

We’ll communicate our discussion to the workshop organizers.

Group members will reach out to various working groups.
* Women’s Caucus, Mutual Aid, GLBTQ, Houseless, Logistics -  Angela
* POC – Bhavin, Carl, Chris
* Casa – Maureen
* Immigration, Decolonize – Clyde
* Ideas – Susan
* Media – Katie
* Direct Action – Jacob
* Facilitation, Space, Finance, Safety – Greg
* OBIT - Bhavin

==6. ''Banner'' letter==

This is an example of the work we are asked to participate/intervene in. Context: ''Bay State Banner'' editorial on the economy that included vague reference to OB. Draft of letter, possibly to be signed by Ideas WG, went out for comment. Angela and others asked that the process slow down, and were met by various feedback, some intensely negative.

Comment: Letter reads as, “We agree with what you say. People from your community should come join us.” There’s a problem with this analysis. Also, about half the POC group has such strong connections with the ''Banner'', that they could call Yawu Miller and get us a half-page photo spread—which would be much more productive in terms of bring the ''Banner’s'' readership closer to OB.

Comment: “Urgency is an aspect of white supremacy.” The ''Banner ''is a weekly paper. Urgency leads to not doing things in relationship, which is fundamentally oppressive. This is a teachable moment.

Comment: Hard to get out of the sense of crisis, especially when we feel called to intervene.

Ideas for response:
* When and how to add distribution lists?
* Post open letter to OB re: “the letter”?
* Use teachable moment to give specific, clear explanation of what was oppressive about letter’s approach. People on the e-mail chain have owned that they don’t know what is problematic about the letter.
* Respond on e-mail chains?
* Can we use this incident to promote the visioning workshop?
* Guidelines we can use to check ourselves – offer this as a first step? (See George’s e-mail.)
* Opportunity to promote and explain what we’re doing (importance of inreach).

Comment: Speaker has an “ouch.” She has extended herself to get our message/lens out to other working groups and feels unsupported.

Response: Her work is not lost. Difficult to be a white ally—you’re expected to do the work, and it’s easy to feel unappreciated. We appreciate her!

Response: How do we create an intentional process for supporting each other? Maybe start each meeting by thanking people in the group who stuck their necks out. Or close with appreciations.

==Admin stuff==

Two more people stepped up to be financial liaisons. Brief discussion of how FLs can do their work.

==Evaluation of ways of being==

Step up/step back: People who were quieter spoke to their feelings—learning, maybe a bit intimidated.

In formulating our vision, can we incorporate an acknowledgement of the fact that many white supremacist groups often have false perspectives of victimization and oppression, for the purposes of differentiating ourselves from that?

The “colorblindness” belief is out there (we do not need to do systematic anti-oppression work) and widespread, and it is going to affect us. We will meet resistance, and it’s necessary for us to recognize that that resistance is going to be a learning experience for us. If we’re going to transform OB into an anti-oppressive organization, we’re going to have to communicate with the many, many people who don’t accept the existence of systemic oppression.

More anti-oppression voices are needed at GA. They need to be heard again and again and again. Group added this to agenda for discussion at next meeting.

We agreed that we did okay on the remaining ways of being.

==Appreciations==

Group members spoke their appreciation to various members. Thanks everyone!

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012

2012-01-10T04:57:59Z

Possiblybhavin: Created page with "coming... check back later today."

coming... check back later today.

WG/Anti-Oppression

2012-01-10T04:55:02Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Meetings */

A group to discuss what we can do about dominant-culture-privilege and its effects on dynamics at Occupy Boston, having grown out of an outreach meeting about such things, in a largely-though-not-exclusively racial context.

==Proposals==

== Meetings ==
*January 7, 2012: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - January 7, 2012]]
*December 28, 2011: 5:30 pm, Arlington St Church. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011]]
*December 3, 2011: 5:30 pm, Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 3, 2011]]
*November 26, 2011: 5:30pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 26, 2011]]
*November 12, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 12, 2011]]
*November 5, 2011: 5pm, Encuentro5. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - November 5, 2011]]
*October 30, 2011: Met at Community Change. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 30, 2011]].
*October 23, 2011: Met at Community Church Boston. [[Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - October 23, 2011]].
*October 13, 2011: The first anti-oppression working group meeting was held Thursday, October 13, at 6 PM.
*October 9, 2011: The Outreach committee met with Cynthia Peters to discuss issues that arise while trying to engage with the community at large. Ideas from this meeting generated a new anti-oppression working group. Notes from the meeting can be found here: [[Anti-Oppression Minutes CP Teach-in]].

==Workshops==
* October 16, 2011: Anti-Oppression Workshop held during 7pm GA.
** Agenda: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Agenda - October 16, 2011]] 
** Notes: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Notes - October 16, 2011]] 
** Participant comments: [[Anti-Oppression Workshop Participant Feedback - October 16, 2011]]

==Contact==
Google Group: [http://groups.google.com/group/check_your_privilege_ob check_your_privilege_ob]

----

link to law enforcement de-escalation tips: [[Safety - Law Enforcement]]
-------
''Based on: [http://occupyboston.wikispaces.com/Anti-Oppression Anti-Oppression at wikispaces]''

[[Category:Speculations]]
[[Category:Working groups|Anti-Oppression]]

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011

2012-01-04T03:40:25Z

Possiblybhavin:

'''Arlington St Church''' '''December 28, 2011''' '''5:30-8:30'''

== Attendance ==

Kendra, Maureen, Susan, Salma, Clyde, Ester, Cathy J., Bhavin, Michelle, Meck, Seble, Chris, Andrea

== Introductions ==

Penny Exercise – pick a penny and share a story related to the year of the penny you picked.

== Agenda ==

Opening

Vision and Statement of Purpose Break-out Groups

Logistics and Immediate Next Steps

Ways of Being Evaluation

== Vision and Statement of Purpose ==

Bhavin and Ester shared a draft vision statement that compiled the work done by the group several meetings before.  Jude and Andrea worked on a draft statement of purpose. The group split up into two working groups to edit and refine the drafts of each.

=== Vision Statement Report Out ===

Proposed Vision Statement: ''Our vision is to create a beloved community that furthers greater consciousness of systemic, interpersonal, internal ad cultural oppressions that keep us apart. To create a movement which is sustainable and welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions. To promote a culture where liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion are the core values and to do so through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning , transformation and critical and creative thinking. We envision doing this work through the building of deep meaningful relationships and with the well-being of those most oppressed always at the center of our efforts.''

There is a vision and a mission statement in this….a vision should be 1-2 sentences at most. This has the elements that need to be unraveled. Is it vision for world? OB? WG?  For our working groups – we are catalysts and transformative agents for OB. We need to include intergenerational because we’re building a movement for generations. We don’t really know what “beloved community”  - utopia when talking about oppression? Talking about systemic oppression. We can work to create laws, communities free of systematic oppression.  Collective liberation – keep it!

Mission, values, vision, practices sections – Why do we need to write all of this? Because of Monday meetings!

Next steps – Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble will go back to previous statements from exercise and continue working on it.

=== Anti-Oppression/Liberation Working Group Statement of Purpose Report Out ===

===== <ins>''How we came to be''</ins> =====

We articulated what so many people were feeling – great thrust for inquiry and commitment. We reverberate how many people are feeling, experiencing , struggling with a liberatory movement.

We are a group of people diverse in a multiplicity of identities…..

Comment: This needs to be further fleshed out

===== <ins>''Vision''</ins> =====

Comment: This is the work of the other working group to be pulled into a cohesive document once we each complete our respective sections.

:''Comment: This section was added''''-> What we believe/value'''''
:Outstanding questions
:*What is oppression? Role of privileged people?
:*About how people change? Which would inform how we do our work….
:*What are the assumptions that we carry in our heads?

:Values
::*What are our shared values?
::*Do we build agreement on values up front? Do we build agreement as we go along?
::*This could take a long time….we have to balance having these and getting to work

:Comment -> maybe we can try to build agreement on what are our “Bottom Lines” are….what is at the core of what we believe as a group…for example….

::*Oppressions are intertwined, they have to be faced to move forward, and to not face them is to replicate them, to do nothing is oppressive. Dealing with oppression is crucial for our movement to have moral credibility, real spirit, or lasting liberatory possibility or space for those who want to be participate.
::*Understanding the intersectionality of multiple oppressions – some people are affected
::*We will continue to learn about new forms of oppression that we may not be aware of…..
::*We don’t get to choose one form of oppression over another…..
::*Harmony of action and reflection

===== <ins>''What we do''</ins> =====

We want to create and sustain a liberatory culture –  a beloved community.  We know that to achieve this, we must work on many levels –within ourselves to liberate our souls (intrapersonally) and amongst ourselves  as individuals (interpersonally and institutionally) as well as at the level of policy and culture – to make visible the oppressive  behaviors, practices and structures that affect us or of which we are inadvertent agents.

*Comment: WHAT DO WE MEAN BY LIBERATORY? Not holding onto what we know doesn’t work, holding onto our wisdom, what does work, - reconnect to things that are ancient and that work for us as people, e.g. meeting in circles, reconnect with things that help us go deeper, slow down and breathe,

Our work reflects the many tiers of effort -

''Build Beloved Learning Community''

We build our understanding of how these privileges play out in our movement building work and increase our skill in intervening when such dynamics surface within our group as well as within OB.  In this way, we build a learning community of people committed to liberation.

*Comment: Tap the wisdom of ancestors of earlier liberation movements.

''Political Education''

We also build awareness about the history of present day oppressive societal arrangements.  We learn with progressive and front-line communities as well as with OB movement builders about how the origins and legacies of privileges that have been systematically granted to some groups and denied to others so that we can diligently build more just communities and spaces, inclusive of:

*Comment: Flesh out activities

''Planning and Strategizing'' We collectivize our wisdom to actualize ways of being effective in the short and long-term within and beyond OB, inclusive of:

*Comment: participating in other Working Groups

 Comment: Format: Are these the right parts of a document? Is there a way of communicating this that is more interesting? Maybe told as a story

Next Steps - Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea will continue to work on this draft

== Logistics and Immediate Next Steps ==

#Financial forms and reimbursements –
#*3 Liaisons – Cathy, Bhavin or Carl, Meck
#*Responsibilities: will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.
#Time & Date of Next Meeting – 5 min
#*Carry on with work of group at Saturdays 5:30-8:30
#*Send delegates to GA’s when we want a presence at the Saturday GA’s (one of 4 GA’s)
#*Ask for $25 for Arlington St. Church donation from FAWG – Cathy
#Movie Series – 10 min
#*In addition to our regularly scheduled meetings,
#*Subcommittee: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble
#*Race the Power of an Illusion, Bell Hooks (Clyde),
#Monday Night Community Building -  5 min.
#*Planning Committee: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea
#*Email facilitation team (Greg) about Feb. 13  -  Michelle and let us know
#Visioning Workshop – 10 min
#*Cathy Hoffman (Non-Violence Working Group) is trying to bring Linda Stout to Boston, founder of first multi-racial justice organizations. Jan. 14th 12:00-3:00 for Occupy Boston WG and active OB folks for 50 people. From 3:30-5:00 (when GA starts) anti-oppression for smaller T4T training. People from Facilitation and Ideas WG are also interested.
#*Content? Visioning
#*Implications for AOWG – decision to host workshop, contribute that week’s $100 stipend towards budget for Linda Stout’s visioning work. 
#OB Theme Watchers/Big Picture Themes – table
#List of ideas for 2012 [for next year]
#*movies, post on youtube

== Ways of Being Evaluation ==

Step Up/Step Back –  could have done better in our statement of purpose small group, had a hard time with the energy and space

Both/And – saw a lot of it in visioning small group

Don’t Shame, Blame, or Attack –

Room for Disagreement – Oops, Ouch, What’s Up with That

Can Use Hand Signals – oh yes

Use I statements – OK

Active Listening -  I had trouble with active listening tonite

Progressive Stack –  not aware of stack today

Take 30 seconds for people to think every 20 min – did that well today

Diversity of structuring meetings – pennies, car drawing, scooter great; small groups as before;

No screens – guilty!

== Next Steps ==

{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
'''What'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''Who'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''By When'''

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting vision statement (go back to previous vision statements from exercise)

| style="width:212px;" |
Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble

| style="width:212px;" |
1/8/12

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting statement of purpose

| style="width:212px;" |
Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea

| style="width:212px;" |
1/8/12

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.

| style="width:212px;" |
Cathy

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
Ask for $25 donation for Arlington St. Church from FAWG

| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
Cathy

| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Flesh out movie series proposal

| style="width:212px;" |
Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Design Community Meeting Night – Feb. 13

| style="width:212px;" |
Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Email Greg about Feb. 13

| style="width:212px;" |
Michelle

| style="width:212px;" |
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Facilitation for upcoming meetings

| style="width:212px;" |
Jan. 7th – Bhavin and Andrea

Jan. 14 – Bhavin and Ester ??

Jan. 21 – Meck & ??

| style="width:212px;" |

|}

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011

2012-01-04T03:28:00Z

Possiblybhavin: /* Agenda */

'''Arlington St Church'''
'''December 28, 2011'''
'''5:30-8:30'''

== Attendance ==
Kendra, Maureen, Susan, Salma, Clyde, Ester, Cathy J., Bhavin, Michelle, Meck, Seble, Chris, Andrea

== Introductions ==
Penny Exercise – pick a penny and share a story related to the year of the penny you picked.

== Agenda ==
Opening

Vision and Statement of Purpose Break-out Groups

Logistics and Immediate Next Steps

Ways of Being Evaluation

== Vision and Statement of Purpose ==
Bhavin and Ester shared a draft vision statement that compiled the work done by the group several meetings before.  Jude and Andrea worked on a draft statement of purpose. The group split up into two working groups to edit and refine the drafts of each.

=== Vision Statement Report Out ===
Proposed Vision Statement: ''Our vision is to create a beloved community that furthers greater consciousness of systemic, interpersonal, internal ad cultural oppressions that keep us apart. To create a movement which is sustainable and welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions. To promote a culture where liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion are the core values and to do so through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning , transformation and critical and creative thinking. We envision doing this work through the building of deep meaningful relationships and with the well-being of those most oppressed always at the center of our efforts.''

There is a vision and a mission statement in this….a vision should be 1-2 sentences at most. This has the elements that need to be unraveled. Is it vision for world? OB? WG?  For our working groups – we are catalysts and transformative agents for OB. We need to include intergenerational because we’re building a movement for generations. We don’t really know what “beloved community”  - utopia when talking about oppression? Talking about systemic oppression. We can work to create laws, communities free of systematic oppression.  Collective liberation – keep it!

Mission, values, vision, practices sections – Why do we need to write all of this? Because of Monday meetings!

Next steps – Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble will go back to previous statements from exercise and continue working on it.

=== Anti-Oppression/Liberation Working Group Statement of Purpose Report Out ===

=====<ins>''How we came to be''</ins>=====

We articulated what so many people were feeling – great thrust for inquiry and commitment. We reverberate how many people are feeling, experiencing , struggling with a liberatory movement.

We are a group of people diverse in a multiplicity of identities…..

Comment: This needs to be further fleshed out

=====<ins>''Vision''</ins>=====

Comment: This is the work of the other working group to be pulled into a cohesive document once we each complete our respective sections.

: ''Comment: This section was added''''-> What we believe/value'''''
: Outstanding questions
:* What is oppression? Role of privileged people?
:* About how people change? Which would inform how we do our work….
:* What are the assumptions that we carry in our heads?

: Values
::* What are our shared values?
::* Do we build agreement on values up front? Do we build agreement as we go along?
::* This could take a long time….we have to balance having these and getting to work

: Comment -> maybe we can try to build agreement on what are our “Bottom Lines” are….what is at the core of what we believe as a group…for example….

::* Oppressions are intertwined, they have to be faced to move forward, and to not face them is to replicate them, to do nothing is oppressive. Dealing with oppression is crucial for our movement to have moral credibility, real spirit, or lasting liberatory possibility or space for those who want to be participate.
::* Understanding the intersectionality of multiple oppressions – some people are affected
::* We will continue to learn about new forms of oppression that we may not be aware of…..
::* We don’t get to choose one form of oppression over another…..
::* Harmony of action and reflection

=====<ins>''What we do''</ins>=====

We want to create and sustain a liberatory culture –  a beloved community.  We know that to achieve this, we must work on many levels –within ourselves to liberate our souls (intrapersonally) and amongst ourselves  as individuals (interpersonally and institutionally) as well as at the level of policy and culture – to make visible the oppressive  behaviors, practices and structures that affect us or of which we are inadvertent agents.
* Comment: WHAT DO WE MEAN BY LIBERATORY? Not holding onto what we know doesn’t work, holding onto our wisdom, what does work, - reconnect to things that are ancient and that work for us as people, e.g. meeting in circles, reconnect with things that help us go deeper, slow down and breathe,

Our work reflects the many tiers of effort -

''Build Beloved Learning Community''

We build our understanding of how these privileges play out in our movement building work and increase our skill in intervening when such dynamics surface within our group as well as within OB.  In this way, we build a learning community of people committed to liberation.
* Comment: Tap the wisdom of ancestors of earlier liberation movements.

''Political Education''

We also build awareness about the history of present day oppressive societal arrangements.  We learn with progressive and front-line communities as well as with OB movement builders about how the origins and legacies of privileges that have been systematically granted to some groups and denied to others so that we can diligently build more just communities and spaces, inclusive of:
* Comment: Flesh out activities

''Planning and Strategizing''
We collectivize our wisdom to actualize ways of being effective in the short and long-term within and beyond OB, inclusive of:
* Comment: participating in other Working Groups

Comment: Format: Are these the right parts of a document? Is there a way of communicating this that is more interesting? Maybe told as a story

Next Steps - Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea will continue to work on this draft

== Logistics and Immediate Next Steps ==

# Financial forms and reimbursements –
#*3 Liaisons – Cathy, Bhavin or Carl, Meck
#*Responsibilities: will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.
# Time & Date of Next Meeting – 5 min
#*Carry on with work of group at Saturdays 5:30-8:30
#*Send delegates to GA’s when we want a presence at the Saturday GA’s (one of 4 GA’s)
#*Ask for $25 for Arlington St. Church donation from FAWG – Cathy
# Movie Series – 10 min
#*In addition to our regularly scheduled meetings,
#*Subcommittee: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble
#*Race the Power of an Illusion, Bell Hooks (Clyde),
# Monday Night Community Building -  5 min.
#*Planning Committee: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea
#*Email facilitation team (Greg) about Feb. 13  -  Michelle and let us know
# Visioning Workshop – 10 min
#*Cathy Hoffman (Non-Violence Working Group) is trying to bring Linda Stout to Boston, founder of first multi-racial justice organizations. Jan. 14th 12:00-3:00 for Occupy Boston WG and active OB folks for 50 people. From 3:30-5:00 (when GA starts) anti-oppression for smaller T4T training. People from Facilitation and Ideas WG are also interested.
#*Content? Visioning
#*Implications for AOWG – decision to host workshop, contribute that week’s $100 stipend towards budget for Linda Stout’s visioning work. 
# OB Theme Watchers/Big Picture Themes – table
# List of ideas for 2012 [for next year]
#*movies, post on youtube

== Ways of Being Evaluation ==

Step Up/Step Back –  could have done better in our statement of purpose small group, had a hard time with the energy and space

Both/And – saw a lot of it in visioning small group

Don’t Shame, Blame, or Attack –

Room for Disagreement – Oops, Ouch, What’s Up with That

Can Use Hand Signals – oh yes

Use I statements – OK

Active Listening -  I had trouble with active listening tonite

Progressive Stack –  not aware of stack today

Take 30 seconds for people to think every 20 min – did that well today

Diversity of structuring meetings – pennies, car drawing, scooter great; small groups as before;

No screens – guilty!

==Next Steps==

{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
'''What'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''Who'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''By When'''

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting vision statement (go back to previous vision statements from exercise)

| style="width:212px;" |
Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble

| style="width:212px;" |
1/8/12

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting statement of purpose

| style="width:212px;" |
Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea

| style="width:212px;" |
1/8/12

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.

| style="width:212px;" |
Cathy

| style="width:212px;" |

|-
| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
Ask for $25 donation for Arlington St. Church from FAWG

| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |
Cathy

| style="width:212px;height:48px;" |

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Flesh out movie series proposal

| style="width:212px;" |
Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble

| style="width:212px;" |

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Design Community Meeting Night – Feb. 13

| style="width:212px;" |
Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea

| style="width:212px;" |

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Email Greg about Feb. 13

| style="width:212px;" |
Michelle

| style="width:212px;" |

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Facilitation for upcoming meetings

| style="width:212px;" |
Jan. 7th – Bhavin and Andrea

Jan. 14 – Bhavin and Ester ??

Jan. 21 – Meck & ??

| style="width:212px;" |

|}

Anti-Oppression Meeting Minutes - December 28, 2011

2012-01-04T03:26:36Z

Possiblybhavin:

'''Arlington St Church'''
'''December 28, 2011'''
'''5:30-8:30'''

== Attendance ==
Kendra, Maureen, Susan, Salma, Clyde, Ester, Cathy J., Bhavin, Michelle, Meck, Seble, Chris, Andrea

== Introductions ==
Penny Exercise – pick a penny and share a story related to the year of the penny you picked.

== Agenda ==
Opening

Vision and Statement of Purpose

Logistics and Immediate Next Steps

Ways of Being Evaluation

== Vision and Statement of Purpose ==
Bhavin and Ester shared a draft vision statement that compiled the work done by the group several meetings before.  Jude and Andrea worked on a draft statement of purpose. The group split up into two working groups to edit and refine the drafts of each.

=== Vision Statement Report Out ===
Proposed Vision Statement: ''Our vision is to create a beloved community that furthers greater consciousness of systemic, interpersonal, internal ad cultural oppressions that keep us apart. To create a movement which is sustainable and welcoming, where people feel inspired to understand their power, share their gifts and build tools and practices for confronting oppressions. To promote a culture where liberation, empathy, accountability and compassion are the core values and to do so through the creation of spaces for reflection, learning , transformation and critical and creative thinking. We envision doing this work through the building of deep meaningful relationships and with the well-being of those most oppressed always at the center of our efforts.''

There is a vision and a mission statement in this….a vision should be 1-2 sentences at most. This has the elements that need to be unraveled. Is it vision for world? OB? WG?  For our working groups – we are catalysts and transformative agents for OB. We need to include intergenerational because we’re building a movement for generations. We don’t really know what “beloved community”  - utopia when talking about oppression? Talking about systemic oppression. We can work to create laws, communities free of systematic oppression.  Collective liberation – keep it!

Mission, values, vision, practices sections – Why do we need to write all of this? Because of Monday meetings!

Next steps – Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble will go back to previous statements from exercise and continue working on it.

=== Anti-Oppression/Liberation Working Group Statement of Purpose Report Out ===

=====<ins>''How we came to be''</ins>=====

We articulated what so many people were feeling – great thrust for inquiry and commitment. We reverberate how many people are feeling, experiencing , struggling with a liberatory movement.

We are a group of people diverse in a multiplicity of identities…..

Comment: This needs to be further fleshed out

=====<ins>''Vision''</ins>=====

Comment: This is the work of the other working group to be pulled into a cohesive document once we each complete our respective sections.

: ''Comment: This section was added''''-> What we believe/value'''''
: Outstanding questions
:* What is oppression? Role of privileged people?
:* About how people change? Which would inform how we do our work….
:* What are the assumptions that we carry in our heads?

: Values
::* What are our shared values?
::* Do we build agreement on values up front? Do we build agreement as we go along?
::* This could take a long time….we have to balance having these and getting to work

: Comment -> maybe we can try to build agreement on what are our “Bottom Lines” are….what is at the core of what we believe as a group…for example….

::* Oppressions are intertwined, they have to be faced to move forward, and to not face them is to replicate them, to do nothing is oppressive. Dealing with oppression is crucial for our movement to have moral credibility, real spirit, or lasting liberatory possibility or space for those who want to be participate.
::* Understanding the intersectionality of multiple oppressions – some people are affected
::* We will continue to learn about new forms of oppression that we may not be aware of…..
::* We don’t get to choose one form of oppression over another…..
::* Harmony of action and reflection

=====<ins>''What we do''</ins>=====

We want to create and sustain a liberatory culture –  a beloved community.  We know that to achieve this, we must work on many levels –within ourselves to liberate our souls (intrapersonally) and amongst ourselves  as individuals (interpersonally and institutionally) as well as at the level of policy and culture – to make visible the oppressive  behaviors, practices and structures that affect us or of which we are inadvertent agents.
* Comment: WHAT DO WE MEAN BY LIBERATORY? Not holding onto what we know doesn’t work, holding onto our wisdom, what does work, - reconnect to things that are ancient and that work for us as people, e.g. meeting in circles, reconnect with things that help us go deeper, slow down and breathe,

Our work reflects the many tiers of effort -

''Build Beloved Learning Community''

We build our understanding of how these privileges play out in our movement building work and increase our skill in intervening when such dynamics surface within our group as well as within OB.  In this way, we build a learning community of people committed to liberation.
* Comment: Tap the wisdom of ancestors of earlier liberation movements.

''Political Education''

We also build awareness about the history of present day oppressive societal arrangements.  We learn with progressive and front-line communities as well as with OB movement builders about how the origins and legacies of privileges that have been systematically granted to some groups and denied to others so that we can diligently build more just communities and spaces, inclusive of:
* Comment: Flesh out activities

''Planning and Strategizing''
We collectivize our wisdom to actualize ways of being effective in the short and long-term within and beyond OB, inclusive of:
* Comment: participating in other Working Groups

Comment: Format: Are these the right parts of a document? Is there a way of communicating this that is more interesting? Maybe told as a story

Next Steps - Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea will continue to work on this draft

== Logistics and Immediate Next Steps ==

# Financial forms and reimbursements –
#*3 Liaisons – Cathy, Bhavin or Carl, Meck
#*Responsibilities: will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.
# Time & Date of Next Meeting – 5 min
#*Carry on with work of group at Saturdays 5:30-8:30
#*Send delegates to GA’s when we want a presence at the Saturday GA’s (one of 4 GA’s)
#*Ask for $25 for Arlington St. Church donation from FAWG – Cathy
# Movie Series – 10 min
#*In addition to our regularly scheduled meetings,
#*Subcommittee: Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble
#*Race the Power of an Illusion, Bell Hooks (Clyde),
# Monday Night Community Building -  5 min.
#*Planning Committee: Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea
#*Email facilitation team (Greg) about Feb. 13  -  Michelle and let us know
# Visioning Workshop – 10 min
#*Cathy Hoffman (Non-Violence Working Group) is trying to bring Linda Stout to Boston, founder of first multi-racial justice organizations. Jan. 14th 12:00-3:00 for Occupy Boston WG and active OB folks for 50 people. From 3:30-5:00 (when GA starts) anti-oppression for smaller T4T training. People from Facilitation and Ideas WG are also interested.
#*Content? Visioning
#*Implications for AOWG – decision to host workshop, contribute that week’s $100 stipend towards budget for Linda Stout’s visioning work. 
# OB Theme Watchers/Big Picture Themes – table
# List of ideas for 2012 [for next year]
#*movies, post on youtube

== Ways of Being Evaluation ==

Step Up/Step Back –  could have done better in our statement of purpose small group, had a hard time with the energy and space

Both/And – saw a lot of it in visioning small group

Don’t Shame, Blame, or Attack –

Room for Disagreement – Oops, Ouch, What’s Up with That

Can Use Hand Signals – oh yes

Use I statements – OK

Active Listening -  I had trouble with active listening tonite

Progressive Stack –  not aware of stack today

Take 30 seconds for people to think every 20 min – did that well today

Diversity of structuring meetings – pennies, car drawing, scooter great; small groups as before;

No screens – guilty!

==Next Steps==

{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
| style="width:212px;" |
'''What'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''Who'''

| style="width:212px;" |
'''By When'''

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting vision statement (go back to previous vision statements from exercise)

| style="width:212px;" |
Salma, Susan, Clyde, Seble

| style="width:212px;" |
1/8/12

|-
| style="width:212px;" |
Continue drafting statement of purpose

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Michelle, Jude, Mariama, Andrea

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1/8/12

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Will fill out form, making sure the form and receipts get to FAWG, and find out how money gets back to AOWG members.

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Cathy

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Ask for $25 donation for Arlington St. Church from FAWG

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Cathy

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Flesh out movie series proposal

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Clyde, Bhavin, Salma, Susan, Chris, Ester, Michelle, Andrea, Seble

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Design Community Meeting Night – Feb. 13

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Meck, Bhavin, Michelle, Andrea

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Email Greg about Feb. 13

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Michelle

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Facilitation for upcoming meetings

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Jan. 7th – Bhavin and Andrea

Jan. 14 – Bhavin and Ester ??

Jan. 21 – Meck & ??

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