Latest Posts

GA Clearinghouse – Wednesday 4/25, 6pm

Written by

**
In case of serious rain the clearing house will be across the street from Oscar Grant Plaza indoors at :
Unite Here- Hotel Employees and Restaurant
Suite 208, 1440 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612
It might get a little tight, but it will be dry. See you there.
**
Many Occupy Oakland committees as well as many other groups in the Bay are in the midst of organizing actions and events for this spring and summer that we are all excited about. We have been looking forward to sharing information and getting feedback from one another and believe that the General Assembly is the proper space / time to have this discussion.
This is why we will have an organized process for sharing actions/events on Wednesday April 25nd at 6pm at the Occupy Oakland GA at Oscar Grant plaza (14th and Broadway).
Goals:
  1. Support coordination & communication for Spring/Summer Actions and Events and increase capacity for those projects.
  2. Encourage action feedback and coordinating calendaring of events
  3. Re-vitalize the GA’s process for this spring. The hope is to get a lot of people there, because this is a new approach.
General format:
  • Groups present what they are working on, folks can give feedback, and individuals hear about lots of actions and can find ways to hook up them.
  • Coordinating breakout discussions for groups working on similar themes
  • It will NOT be a decision-making space. No large group decisions made that day.
  • We see this as an experiment and if it works then hope make it happen periodically
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS AND CONTENT:The structure we have come up with so far is that the day will begin with multiple groups giving 5 minute presentations about the current work they are doing followed by some time for questions.
Please send us a description of your work. It does not have to be anything formal, just a few words to give us the gist of your project, so we can facilitate scheduling of the day’s events.
We are asking for your input on how this assembly can benefit the work you are doing. Some questions we would like to ask include: Would you be interested in being a part of a facilitated discussion with other groups who work on projects that fall within a theme you associate your work with?  (For example, if you do work against police brutality, would want to be a part of a breakout centered around that idea). If so, what are some themes you think your work falls under and how does the work you are currently doing fit under these themes?  Do you know any other groups that share similar interests who you would like to coordinate with?Please send your projects to actionclearinghouse@gmail.comby Sunday April 22nd.  All project need to be represented by at least 3 people. Hopefully we can find room in the day to accommodate all proposals but unfortunately we can’t guarantee there will be time in the day for everything. We promise to do our best.Clearing house group

27427

4/13/2012 – 4th Meeting of the Re-Imagine the Occupy Oakland General Assembly Working Group

Written by

The next meeting of the Re-Imagine the Occupy Oakland General Assembly Working Group will be at the HoldOut at 2313 San Pablo Ave in Oakland on Friday, 4/13 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.  This is our 4th meeting but we are still open to new members attending – that will be true throughout this process.  This week we will be breaking into task-oriented subgroups to really step-up the planning of this conference/series of conferences.

The original meeting announcement can be found here: http://occupyoakland.org/2012/03/reimagine-the-ga-working-group-the-holdout-oakland-friday-march-16-2012-600-to-730-pm/

If you have any questions, please email facilitation@occupyoakland.org

27421

Transition Accelerator Tool #1 – Consensus & Local Governance Re-Skilling (Video Prototype). Community Alchemy #9 Willi Paul

Written by

Transition Accelerator Tool #1 – Consensus & Local Governance Re-Skilling (Video Prototype). Community Alchemy #9 Willi Paul

Transition Accelerator Tool #1 – Consensus & Local Governance 
Re-Skilling (Video Prototype). Community Alchemy #9 Willi Paul 4-9-2012

http://planetshifter.com/node/2005

 

A teaching / collaborative web site that does the following:

1. Offers several process models for generating consensus & local governance, including new ideas from Jenny Pell & PermOccupy
2. Features a searchable database of local issues & initiatives at the intersection of local citizen action and their government
3. Welcomes citizen groups and government to collaborate at the neighborhood, district, city and county-levels
4. Includes an online tool kit for virtual participation beyond the local community group
5. Maintains a member supported initiative calendar and news feed

27380

LIBERATE YOUR MONEY by May Day! (Ongoing Bank Divestment Action)

Written by

http://www.facebook.com/events/231658936933022/

Attention everyone who cares about solidarity, re-investing in local communities and sending a message to big banking institutions that we are fed up with their unethical, greedy mismanagement of our money – your money is being held hostage by big banks and IT IS TIME TO LIBERATE IT!!

**Wait, so why move my money?**

* Because your bank makes billions in profits but pays almost no taxes.
* Because your bank gets rich by charging you huge, unnecessary fees.
* Because your bank bribes your politicians.
* Because your bank crashed the economy and made off like a thief while you lost your job, your home and your retirement fund.
* Because your bank builds and profits off prisons and immigrant detention centers, poisons the environment and engages in racist lending practices.

Whatever you feel about profit, banks ultimately are there not to serve their customers but to provide a profit for their shareholders.

But you don’t have to stand for it. Find a local credit union and LIBERATE YOUR BANK ACCOUNT. Divest from the corporations like Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Chase and Wachovia that are lining their pockets with our country’s wealth.

Leading up to Bank Transfer Day (11/5/2011), 700,000 Americans shifted more than $4,580,000,000 from corporate-level for-profit banks to not-for-profit credit unions that strive to promote economic growth in our communities. We sent a clear message that conscious consumers will support businesses that focus on people instead of profit. But we aren’t done. And we won’t be done until we force radically change in the way these corporations work.

**How do I do it?**
– Research your local credit union options. (For help, visit moveyourmoneyproject.org or creditunion.coop)
– Open an account with a credit union.
– Transfer your funds to the account (online or in person) by May 1st.
– Cancel all automatic withdrawals & deposits.
– Follow your bank’s procedures to close your account.
– Tell your friends and family to do the same.

Credit unions are cooperative financial institutions – they are NOT-FOR-PROFIT and an excellent alternative to the corporate banks run by the greedy 1%. They have lower interest rates, lower fees, higher rates of return, and more sustainable lending practices.

**Why by May Day?**

May 1st (May Day) is a day that commemorates the historic struggle of working people throughout the world. It’s a day for rallies, strikes, and consumer boycotts to support the rights of those working and living in the US.

It began on May 1, 1886, when unions across the US went on strike to demand that the standard workday be shortened to 8 hours (down from 10-16 hours). May Day is a day for remembering that people were shot so we could have the 8-hour day; for acknowledging that homes with families in them were burned to the ground so we could have Saturday as part of the weekend; for recalling 8-year old victims of industrial accidents who marched in the streets protesting working conditions and child labor only to be beat down by the police and company thugs.

We understand that our current condition cannot be taken for granted – people fought for the rights and dignities we enjoy today, and there is still a lot more to fight for. The sacrifices of so many people can not be forgotten or we’ll end up fighting for those same gains all over again.

This is why we take a stand on May Day!!

27372

Web Committee Update 4-10-12

Written by

We have been cleaning up bugs, making design improvements and tightening up for the spring actions. We are also working on better outreach to committees for delegate postings.

27370

Kingian Nonviolence Training – Berkeley – April 21st and 22nd, 2012 – 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Written by

Please join us for a 2-day Training in Kingian Nonviolence on April 21st & 22nd, 10 AM – 6 PM, in Berkeley. The fee is self-determined. To register, please email us at: zannevents@gmail.com.

The History of Kingian Nonviolence
On April 3, 1968, Dr. King was in Memphis, Tennessee, where he gave the renowned “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech to a packed audience. After returning to his room at the Lorraine Motel, he was talking with several of his closest advisers when he had a revelation.

He said that the next step that their movement had to take was to “institutionalize and internationalize nonviolence.”

One of the people in the room that night was Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr., president of the Positive Peace Warrior Network. Dr. King and Dr. Lafayette were never able to finish that conversation, as Dr. King would be shot and assassinated outside that very motel the next morning.

Dr. Lafayette took those words, to “institutionalize and internationalize nonviolence,” as Dr. King’s final marching orders.  Working with Dr. David Jehnsen, another King ally, they created the Kingian Nonviolence Curriculum as a way to institutionalize the teachings of Dr. King and develop a strategy for the Civil Rights Movement. This philosophy is often considered to be the closest living legacy to Dr. King’s work.

Since writing this curriculum, Dr. Lafayette and his allies have taken this training all over the world. This philosophy has found a home in schools, prisons, police departments, governments, and community groups throughout the United States and in Colombia, Israel, Nigeria, India, Nepal, and many other countries.

Kingian Nonviolence Defined
Kingian Nonviolence is a philosophy and methodology that provides the knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary for people to pursue peaceful strategies for solving personal and community problems. This approach is critical if the epidemic of violence is to be eradicated. Often mistaken for being simply the absence or opposite of violence, nonviolence is rather a systematic framework of both conceptual principles and pragmatic strategies to reduce violence and promote positive peace at the personal, community, national, and global levels.

In recent history, nonviolence has come to be recognized as a significant alternative for students, communities, and whole societies to effectively deal with the conditions they face locally, nationally, and internationally. During the 20th century, the successful social movements of Gandhi in India and Martin Luther King in the United States have led to the public’s realization of completely new dimensions of nonviolent conflict reconciliation. This approach does not depend on major material or technological instruments, but utilizes skills and methodologies that people already possess.

The core elements of the training are the six principles (the “will”) and the six steps (the “skill”) of Kingian Nonviolence.

Who Is It For?
Class of 2011 Kingian Nonviolence Trainers!!This training and philosophy is useful for anyone who deals with conflict on any level.  It will help you to respond in creative ways to conflicts in your personal life (family, friends, partners, and co-workers), conflicts in your community (school closures, violence in your community), or larger social conflicts (racism, corporate greed). Whether the conflicts you want to transform are personal or global, they play by the same rules.

This training has helped teachers and students, police officers and formerly incarcerated people, regular old folks and activists alike. In 2011, the Annual Summer Institute held at the University of Rhode Island had participants from close to 30 countries, from all walks of life, races, and age groups. Anyone and everyone will walk away with new skills.

Please join us for this 2-day Training in Kingian Nonviolence on April 21st & 22nd, from 10 AM to 6 PM, in Berkeley. The fee is self-determined. To register, please email us at zannevents@gmail.com.

26358

All Out May Day 2012: A Day Without the 99% -General Strike Occupy Boston Working Group

Written by

This draft statement from GSOB was passed on to me for your information-

To link to the Boston May Day Coalition website.

http://www.bostonmayday.org

In late December 2011 the General Assembly (GA) of Occupy Los Angeles, in the aftermath of the stirring and mostly successful November 2nd Oakland General Strike and December 12th West Coast Port Shutdown, issued a call for a national and international general strike centered on immigrant rights, environmental sustainability, a moratorium on foreclosures, an end to the wars, and jobs for all. These and other issues such as political transparency and horizontal democracy that have become associated with the Occupy movement are to be featured in the actions set for May Day 2012.

May Day is the historic international working class holiday that has been celebrated each year in many parts of the world since the time of the Haymarket Martyrs in Chicago in 1886 and the struggle for the eight-hour work day. More recently it has been a time for the hard-pressed immigrant communities here in America to join together in the fight against deportations and other discriminatory aspects of governmental immigration policy.

Some political activists here in Boston, mainly connected with Occupy Boston (OB), decided just after the new year to support that general strike call and formed the General Strike Occupy Boston working group (GSOB). GSOB has met, more or less weekly, since then to plan its own May Day actions. The first step in that process was to bring a resolution incorporating the Occupy Los Angeles issues before the GA of Occupy Boston for approval. That resolution was approved by GA OB on January 8, 2012.

Early discussions within the working group centered on drawing the lessons of the West Coast actions last fall. Above all what is and what isn’t a general strike. Traditionally a general strike, as witness the recent actions in Greece and other countries, is called by workers’ organizations and/or parties for a specified period of time in order to shut down substantial parts of the capitalist economy over some set of immediate demands. A close analysis of the West Coast actions showed a slightly different model: one based on community pickets of specified industrial targets, downtown mass street actions, and scattered individual and collective acts of solidarity like student support strikes and sick-outs. Additionally, small businesses and other allies were asked to close and some did close down in solidarity.

That latter model seemed more appropriate to the tasks at hand in Boston given its lack of a recent militant labor history and that it is a regional financial, technological and educational hub rather than an industrial center. GSOB also came to a realization that successful actions in Boston on May Day 2012 would not necessarily exactly follow the long established radical and labor traditions of the West Coast. Our focus will be actions and activities that respond and reflect the Boston political situation as we attempt to create, re-create really, an on-going May Day tradition beyond the observance of the day by labor radicals and the immigrant communities.

Over the past several years, starting with the nation-wide actions in 2006, the Latin and other immigrant communities in and around Boston have been celebrating May Day as a day of action on the very pressing problem of immigration status as well as the traditional working class solidarity holiday. It was no accident that Los Angeles, scene of massive immigration actions in the past and currently one of the areas facing the brunt of the deportation drives by the Obama administration, would be in the lead to call for national actions this year. One of the first steps GSOB took as a working group was to try to reach out to the already existing Boston May Day Coalition (BMDC), which has spearheaded the annual marches and rallies in the immigrant communities, in order to learn of their experiences and to coordinate actions. After making such efforts GSOB has joined forces with BMDC in order to coordinate the over-all May Day actions.

Taking its cue from the developing Occupy May Day movement, especially the broader and more inclusive messages coming out of Occupy Wall Street, GSOB has centered its slogans on the theme of “Occupy May First – A Day Without the 99%.” GSOB wishes to highlight the fact that in capitalist America labor, of one kind or another, has created all the wealth but has not shared in the accumulated profits. Also to highlight the increasing economic gap between rich and poor, the increasing political voicelessness of the 99%, and the social issues related to race, class, sexual inequality, gender and the myriad other oppressions faced under capitalism is in keeping with the efforts initiated by Occupy Boston last fall.

On May Day GSOB is calling on the 99% to strike, skip work, walk out of school, and refrain from shopping, banking and business in order to implement that general slogan. We encourage working people to request the day off, or to call in sick. Small businesses are encouraged to close for the day and join the rest of the 99% in the streets.

For students at all levels GSOB is calling for a walk-out of classes. Further we call on college students to occupy the universities. With a huge student population of over 250,000 in the Boston area no-one-size-fits- all strategy seems appropriate. Each kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, college, graduate school and wayward left-wing think tank should plan its own strike actions and GSOB suggests at some point in the day that all meet at a central location in downtown Boston.

In the early hours on May 1st members of the 99% are urged to converge on the Boston Financial District for a day of direct action to demand an end to corporate rule and a shift of power to the people. The Financial District Block Party will start at 7:00 AM on the corner of Federal Street & Franklin Street in downtown Boston. Banks and corporations are strongly encouraged to close down for the day.

At noon there will be a city permit-approved May Day rally at Boston City Hall Plaza jointly sponsored by BMDC and GSOB. Following the rally participants are encouraged to head to East Boston for solidarity marches centered on the immigrant communities that will start at approximately 2:00 PM and move from East Boston, Chelsea, and Revere to Everett for a rally at 4:00 PM. Other activities that afternoon for those who chose not to go to East Boston will be scheduled in and around the downtown area.

That evening, for those who cannot for whatever reasons participate in the daytime actions, there will be a “Funeral March” for the banks forming at 7:00 PM at Copley Square that steps off at 8:00 PM and will march throughout the downtown area.

The GSOB is urging the following slogans for May 1st. – No work. No school. No chores. No shopping. No banking. Let’s show the 1% that we have the power. Let’s show the world what a day without the 99% really means. And let’s return to the old traditions of May Day as a day of international solidarity with our working and oppressed sisters and brothers around the world. GSOB says -All Out For May Day 2012!

GSOB meets every Thursday at Encuentro 5, 33 Harrison Avenue, Boston (Chinatown) from 5:15-6:45 PM. April 26th will be an all-inclusive final planning meeting sponsored by BMDC-GSOB. Check us out on Facebook and the Facebook event page- http://www.facebook.com/#!/Occupy.May1.Boston

27359

Workers Assembly – 2000 Franklin St, April 21st

Written by

Sponsored by the Occupy Oakland Labor Solidarity Committee – http://oolabor.org/

When: Saturday, April 21st, 2012 10am–2pm
Where: 2000 Franklin St (CNA Building, at 20th)

 

The working class is facing an unprecedented assault from employers and the state. We must build solidarity in collective struggle. In this spirit we invite all workers – paid and unpaid, employed and unemployed, union and nonunion, full-time and precarious – to join a Worker’s Assembly. We will communicate across sectors – from city workers to the private sector, from domestic and service work to industrial labor – and begin to develop common struggles.

FREE LUNCH PROVIDED!!!

 

27441

Press Release: Stockton march for James Rivera to be joined by Occupy Oakland, Oscar Grant Committee

Written by

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

10 April 2012

 

Contact: Lesley Phillips 510-508-1101

 

10 April 2012. Stockton, CA. The family of a young black man brutally killed by Stockton police, will be joined by the Oscar Grant Committee and Occupy Oakland for a protest to demand justice for James Rivera.

 

On Tuesday, surviving family members, the Oscar Grant Committee, Occupy Oakland, and the Stockton community will rally and march for James Rivera, Jr., a 17-yr-old boy who was brutally murdered by Stockton police in July 2010.

 

Rivera’s parents say the officers were looking for another young man named James accused of robbery, and mistook their son for their suspect. James Rivera, they clarify, was unarmed at the time of his death. Though the teenager was murdered two years ago, Rivera’s parents haven’t received a coroner’s or a police report, despite persistent requests. Carey Down Jr., Rivera’s step-father said the police wouldn’t give them an explanation for withholding the records. Rivera’s body was crushed in a deliberate car accident before being riddled with 15 rounds (out of 48 shot) by the 9mm semi-automatic and assault rifle of Stockton officers Gregory Dunn and Eric Azarvand, and the San Joaquin sheriff over two years ago, Witnesses to the chase and murder say they’ve been pressured by the police to keep quiet. One neighbor was reportedly arrested.

 

While national attention focuses on independent citizen-actors like George Zimmerman, murders-by-police of unarmed young black men often go unpunished, poorly investigated, and under-reported. Since the beginning of the year, 28 young black men and one young black woman have been killed by police officers. At least 19 of them were unarmed. Many of the others were allegedly armed, but some reports conflict. One was an innocent bystander. Like these victims, Rivera’s death disappeared from local headlines as quickly as it appeared. Meanwhile, his parents and his community still seek answers and would like to see an investigation into the incident.

 

“We want to seek justice and talk about other community issues around police conduct,” said Downs. Downs and James’ mother, Dion Smith, visited a recent Occupy Oakland barbeque where they shared their story and asked for the movement’s support. Downs said he appreciates solidarity from Occupy, “[They] shut down the port,” said Downs. “We’re strong with unity and Occupy shows people they can come together and have a voice. We need that spark in Stockton. We need people to see that they can take to the streets.”

 

Lesley Phillips of Oakland’s Oscar Grant Committee said, “We feel that this murder is a blatant police execution of a black teenager who was racially profiled and violently murdered for no reason. The family has been mistreated by the Stockton justice system. We’re outraged; this family is owed the dignity and respect due grieving parents in the face of the loss of their child.”

 

Rivera’s parents are calling on all citizens concerned with the alarming epidemic of murders-by-police, to come out for a rally, free lunch, and march to demand justice. The rally will convene at 2:00 at the Stockton Courthouse at 222 E. Webster St. After the rally, a free lunch will be provided before the 4-6:00 protest marches to the Stockton City Hall. Buses will leave from Oakland’s Oscar Grant Plaza at 11:30 and will bring protesters back in the early evening.

27273