Decolonize To Liberate
A Working Group of Occupy/Decolonize Boston
Decolonize to Liberate seeks to shed the dominator ethos and systems of oppression that come from colonization, to stand in solidarity with indigenous resistance worldwide and to help restore our relationships to Mother Earth.
[To join the email discussion group] To join the low-traffic "announcements only" list, send a request to: Decolonize-subscribe@lists.occupyboston.org
Regular IN-PERSON Working Group Meetings
Cambridge, MA 02138
All are welcome to our regular weekly meetings. In general, half of the meeting is discussion/self-education/to help us decolonize ourselves (see our resources section). Half of each meeting is for planning events and actions to help decolonize the movement.
Below are the upcoming Decolonize to Liberate working group activities planned, including for this Friday. Remember that we are continuing to utilize Andrea Smith's analysis of the intertwining of heteropatriarchy with the three pillars of white supremacy
UPCOMING EVENTS December 7 - the beginning of the meeting will be dedicated to an exploration of an indigenous peoples' views on climate change and "mother earth" disturbances, particularly in response to the 350 movement. After this section, DTL will meet to continue to plan for its Winter event calendar.
December 21 - TBA
Friday, Sept. 28th: Connecting the pillar and logic of genocide/colonialism and the pillar and logic of slaveability/capitalism in the arc of U.S. history and institutional racism, we will begin a 3-part once a month series of watching "Race: The Power of an Illusion," beginning with Episode One: "The Difference Between Us," which dispels the myth of any genetic basis to race (http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-about-01.htm). Regular Friday meetings take place at the First Parish in Cambridge, 6-8PM normally, 10 Church Street, accessible via the Harvard Square T-Stop, go to the far church entrance on Church Street and ring the bell for entrance.
For Friday, Sept. 28th, try to read the below five short links for more information on misconceptions of a biological basis to race:
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-01-x.htm
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-01-11.htm
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-01-y.htm
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-01-02.htm
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-01-12.htm
If you want even more to read, see the below link as well:
http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-background-01.htm
Friday, Oct. 26th - We will continue with the second episode of "Race: The Power of an Illusion," which is titled "The Story We Tell" (http://www.pbs.org/race/000_About/002_04-about-02.htm). Yamilla will again facilitate and she is asking that we read the attached chapter one from White By Law
Our November activities and dates are to be determined, but the main meeting dates will be Nov. 9th and Nov. 30th (the latter because of the holiday the previous week). There are other activities we should discuss, such as celebrating/honoring "The Day of the Dead" early in the month and the "National Day of Mourning" at Plymouth. One film that Ricardo has suggested viewing is "A Class Apart: A Mexican American Civil Rights Story" and, of course, we'll need to schedule a viewing of the final episode of "Race: The Power of an Illusion."
See Upcoming Events page for more details
Calls to Action!
See Calls to Action page for more details
Getting Connected with the Working Group
To sign up on our new announcements-only (low traffic) list, please send an email to: Decolonize-subscribe[at]lists.occupyboston.org
Feel free to contact decolonizeboston[at]gmail.com with any questions or to get involved.
Please Follow us on Twitter!: @DecolonizeBos
And now we have a facebook page, too!
Decolonize Resources
What is "Decolonization"? A collection of definitions and explanations
Decolonize To Liberate resource page Links, articles, videos and 'zines!
Decolonizing Declarations from Occupies Across the Continent
Past Events
Many thanks to everyone who joined us for the Decolonize to Liberate Occupy Boston Community Gathering. Check out the recap of the event on OccupyBoston.org:
http://www.occupyboston.org/2012/03/06/decoolonize-99-liberate-100/
Many thanks to all who were able to join us in Plymouth for the 42nd National Day of Mourning!
The Boston Globe produced an article and a video about our visit to Plymouth.
You can read the article,"In Solidarity, Occupy Group Joins with Native Americans" also a video, "Occupy Boston Protesters in Plymouth"
A member of the working group was also interviewed in a Democracy Now! special on the event:
Native Americans Mark Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving: 'We are not Vanishing, We Are Not Conquered'
See Also