Occupy Oakland
General Assembly
December 7, 2011
Start Time: 7:00pm
Head Count: 125+
Notes by G.
At OO, the Facilitation Committee (FC) aims to establish a direct democracy where everyone is treated equally and has equal participation. The bulk of the work we do does not happen in the General Assembly (GA), it happens in various committees that report back to the GA. Everyone participating in OO should be a part of at least one committee. My name is Jayo by the way. This is Nicole and she is also facilitating.
WELCOME GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Smoking section is to the South Side of the Plaza. If you need legal support, contact the National Lawyers Guild at 415-285-1011. Write this number on your body or memorize it. For OO updates, text the word bayaction to 41411. Please stay off the stage unless you are welcome to the people’s mic. by one of the facilitators. This is to prevent side conversations that disrupt GA and the participatory process. We practice respect by allowing people to speak with out interruption. Now meet the Facilitation Committee: Jayo, Nicole, stack balance is Dave. Crowd advocates are Sista, Rachel and Sierque(sp?). We have one more stack balancer, Ali. Our note taker is Gricelda.
I am going to go over the agenda! The forum question is really long, so just read your agendas.
FORUM
At Occupy Oakland (OO), our major actions keep our movement alive. Imagination and creativity are the life-line of all of these actions. Consider how your contribution and participation in the December 12th West Coast Port Blockade will energize the movement, build solidarity, and propel OO into the future.
FC: Now we will have ten minutes to break-up into groups of ten or so people. After that, we will open stack for 5-10 comments.
My group: following our model to shut down the East coast
-Reclaiming our homes and unused spaces for the common good
FC: We are going to give you 2 more minutes to wrap-up and then we will open up stack. I just want to remind everyone that in order to vote, we need at least 100 people. We are at 110 right now, so we need everyone to stay.
Stack:
-Joe and Sylvia: Our group talked about using OO to energize and survive the Winter by creating an expectation of a gigantic venue that all of America can identify with. Imagine a sea of protesters holding a giant banner that reads, “The West Coast Today, Congress Tomorrow.”
-The importance of Art. So if you make art, which everybody should, then you should contribute. It is really not that hard. If you have supplies, please bring them with you, especially to the Port Blockade. And also, somebody in our group mentioned the idea of having some sort of Circus.
FC: We are missing a lot of people.
-“I have started calling myself an Occupangelist. I have invited people to come down here with me. Today, I brought five new people. I ask how many people you have brought with you? The next time you come to the GA, bring people even if they don’t agree with you.”
COMMITTEE REPORTS
-Medic (Elle): Phone number for medic dispatch not intended to replace 911. If you have a non-emergency at one of our actions and need a medic, you may call or text 510-712-8129. Additionally, please carry water and tell everyone you know to carry water. Thank you.
-Kittens Action (Gabrielle): Proposal that was passed on Monday regarding the West Coast Shut Down. Will be meeting here at the plaza on Saturday, at 12:00pm to hold an hour-long training and to distribute fliers in the span of Oakland. “Leave no stone unturned.”
-Occupy the Hood/ Oakland Action: Liberation of the home on 15th and Mandela yesterday. The home is owned by Fannie Mae and they stole it from of one of our members by the name of Margarita Ramirez. They stole the home from under her. We are holding a home on 10th and Mandela as collateral until they give her back the title of her home. Primary residents of the home will be opening it up for community use, from 11am-8pm. We need supplies, workshop materials, markers and writing supplies, computers and laptops for organizing research, tables for meetings and group sessions; file cabinets, plumbers, someone to look at the gas, materials for household maintenance, and tools. The list of things that we need is on the Occupy the Hood Facebook page, also known as the Oakland Action Committee. Contact Information: 10thstreethomes@gmail.com
-Local Business Liaison: Next week Tuesday, December 13th, we are having a fundraiser at the Grand Lake Theater. We invite each and everyone of you to come and support the movement. Please bring others and share this wonderful event with your friends, neighbors, family and fellow employees. The movies are at 7:35pm and 10:00pm. It is ten dollars for each ticket. Now, we have our fellow camp people here who don’t have ten dollars. We are asking any of you who can buddy up with an extra ten dollars to help someone from the OO to attend the movie. If you can do that, please check with Ali at the food area and let him know that you are donating ten dollars for a guest. The name of the movie is V for Vendetta.
-West Coast Port Shut Down Finance Committee (Laura): Last week, in our generosity, you approved our proposals with a lot of money. Today, I am happy to report that we have received donations through the website for $840.
-Inter Faith Tent (Kurt): Tent is both a location and an identity. We have been on the N.W. corner of the plaza everyday since we were arrested. The city has told us that they will not give us a permit to have a canopy. Right now, we have what is called an umbrella. I don’t know if you have seen it, but you should come and see it Friday, at which point, if we have not heard the reasons for the city’s refusal to issue a permit, we are going to put our tent back up.
-We have been occupying OG since last Tuesday. We have been told that at some hearing or meeting, people said the vigil is dying. It’s the opposite; we have a twitter, are building a website, had about 40 people today, which included people of color.
-Zachary Running Wolf: The people in the tree never left the occupation. It seems that we have been disrespected. Did not seem to get money and this is an insult. We need to be able to reflect on our own actions, opening the door for our one day port, little glamor event, and the occupation is going on right here. So, we have voted against the emergency proposal, not because we disagree with port actions, but because we disagree with the GA. We are the ones who are raising the money because we are here. If you want to count the amount has come through since the attack, the $3,000 that we are asking for should be coming through.
-Kitchen: Looking for resources for large amounts of food donations to be cooked or already cooked. If you have suggestions or restaurant resources as friends, you can contact us at occupyhungeroakland@gmail.com and let us know. We are also looking for people who can bike trailer around food for Monday. If you have a bike trailer or a bike you can lend, that is great, but if you want to bike yourself, that is better. Thanks.
-West Coast Port Shutdown: I just want to let you know that we are getting more support from around the country and the world. There will be a lot of solidarity statements and actions. Denver is going to shutdown the Wal-Mart distribution center. NY is talking about having a party in front of Goldman Sachs. Where we stand is in the center of all of this, it is our personal responsibility to OO to get as many people down here for the 12th. There are mad fliers out there, go ride BART with them or something.
-Housing Action (Cece): OO supported a woman to get back into her house in West Oakland yesterday. It went really well, but the work has just begun because we need to continue defending her and her home until the banks give in to her demands. You can connect with the people who are organizing this in a few different ways: text housing00 to 41411; you can also call or text 510-423-2452 to take a shift defending that West Oakland home. Thank you.
-Arts and Crafts: Is back and want to meet tomorrow for anyone who wants to help support arts and crafts again here in the plaza, starting on the 12th. Are looking for supplies and volunteers.
-Finance now meets weekly, with a change to Thursday’s at 6:00pm, at SF Pizza on 15th and Broadway. Contact information, including donations: finance@occupyoakland.org
-Supply meets weekly on Thurs at 5:00pm, OGP. Contact information: supply@occupyoakland.org
-Occupy Police: Tell Mayor Lee enough is enough: 415-554-6141. SF is still under attack right now.
-Facilitation: Welcomes everyone to meetings on MonWedFri at 12:00pm and at 4:00pm on Sat. Sunday GA’s are at 2pm. Proposal section is now online. They are posted as they are cued and as they pass. If you want to email facilitation, do so at: occupyoaklandfacilitation@gmail.com .
-Pair of keys were lost a week ago, we have them.
FC: Quick count to see if we still have quorum, so we can do consensus for a couple of proposals tonight. We have quorum and can now go forward with proposals.
Proposal process: Proposers will present and open up to clarifying questions, not pros and cons; next we will have pros and cons. Afterwards, they will restate the proposal and meet for consensus. If a proposal does not meet 90% consensus, we will open it up to the amendment process. At least one amendment needs to be included by the proposers at a 70% vote.
PROPOSALS
Emergency proposal for kitchen committee which is a finance proposal for the port shut down; Kitchen Group
-Desperately need some funds to feed the people on the day of the port shut down as well as have food in bulk sizes to feed people here everyday. We are proposing an emergency $800 to buy enough food for the port shut down and to feed people everyday. We will now take 5 clarifying questions at 30 seconds each.
Questions: None
Pro’s and con’s: None
Vote: 111 yes
1 stand aside
No no’s
100% consensus
Another emergency proposal from the events committee related to the port shutdown
-Events Committee: On Saturday, at 10:00am, we are having a massive outreach, door knocking, and cook out extravaganza. Door knocking is free. Cook outs cost money. We need $300 so we can buy hella food to feed people that door knock to get people to blockade the port. That is our proposal. Thank you. And now for clarifying questions (5):
Q: Are we only going to serve vegan food because that will not get people of color to any kind of BBQ? A: We will have vegan, non-vegan and everything else in between food.
Q: Another clarifying question about this event was the location. It will be in West Oakland, either at Fremery Park or at one of the homes that was re-occupied yesterday. The details are still to be determined.
Vote:
87 yes
3 stand asides
2 no’s
Re-count for forum – still at quorum
98.7% approval
Rent strike proposal- In Queue
Peoples mic vs sound proposal – In Queue
Buy local proposal – In Queue
ACTION ANNOUNCEMENTS
-Riot police still harassing and hurting people at Occupy San Francisco. One injured by baton in the neck. Get to BART station and go over there.
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
-Propose a City Wide and Nation Wide Strike. If you are interested, come to the next GA and before that find Nathan or Laura.
-This Saturday and Sunday, there are going to be some presentations, workshops and discussions about tactics, and in particular, the question of non-violence and resistance in social movements.
–Sat. 4:00pm-5:00pm: A former Black Panther will discuss the Civil Rights movement and Black Liberation
–Sat. 5:00pm-6:00pm: Workshop on non-violence in the context of diversity of tactics
–Sat. 6:00pm-7:00pm: Video of Gandhi and non-violence
–Sun. 5:30pm: Historical uses of diversity of tactics in United States movements
–Sun. 6:30pm: Black Bloc tactics ten points and presentation
FC: If you would like to learn how to facilitate, like we did today, go to the hold out at 4:30pm on Sunday. Address: 2313 San Pablo Ave.
-Make sure you take fliers. Have a good evening.
End: 8:16pm
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