The PH:ACTS people's history collective invites you to attend our upcoming event about activist research, 3-5 PM Sunday afternoon, 24 June 2007. It will be held at the Madratz Infoshop, 840 Dekalb Ave Suite C, 4 blocks west of the Inman Park MARTA station.

For more information about the program and speakers please see announcement (below and attached). We hope to see you on Sunday!

PH:ACTS PEOPLE'S HISTORY COLLECTIVE
INVITES YOU TO JOIN US

TOWARD THE UNITED STATES SOCIAL FORUM:
ACTIVISM, RESEARCH, THEORY, DIALOGUE

FRANCESCA COIN
"Pickles and Pickets after NAFTA: Globalization, Agribusiness, the U.S.-Mexico Food-Chain, and Farmworker Struggles in North Carolina"

IAN FLETCHER
"Beyond the United States Social Forum: A Popular University of the Social Movements?"

3:00-5:00 PM, SUNDAY 24 JUNE 2007
MADRATZ INFOSHOP
840 DEKALB AVENUE SUITE C

FOUR BLOCKS WEST OF INMAN PARK MARTA STATION
BEHIND THE NEON COMPANY AND IFO SIGNS
PARKING AVAILABLE

For more information www.myspace.com/madratzinfoshop

 

Hello Beautiful People,


As you know, the US Social Forum is less than a month away! The USSF will take place at the Atlanta Civic Center and surrounding areas between June 27th and July 1st. Don't forget to register online! (http://www.ussf2007.org)


Just in case you thought nothing queer was going on, here's an update of all the queer-specific things I know about that are happening. It's going to be an exciting week, so be sure to get involved! {Specific requests for your involvement are in brackets in blue below.}


Local Organizing...


QPA and SONG are organizing local and regional queer groups to ensure a local queer presence at the US Social Forum. If you'd like to volunteer for any of the activities listed below, or have ideas you'd like to share, be sure to come to our next QPA USSF Planning Meeting on Thursday June 7, from 7-9pm. To stay updated about the whereabouts of the planning meetings, join our planning list at http://...com/278ujx


Welcome and Solidarity Statement
QPA's Badili Jones, Brooke Campbell, and Jamie Roberts are putting together a welcoming and solidarity statement for local queers to sign, to give a grand queer welcome all the folks coming into town for the US Social Forum. {We'll put this online so people can sign it soon.}


Stonewall Reenactment!
QPA is organizing a Stonewall Reenactment as part of the US Social Forum's Opening March. (We'll have a dress rehearsal at Pride.) It will be one of multiple rallies at different points of the march. Cheryl Courtney-Evans, an organizer from the TPOC Workers Project, is organizing this reenactment. {We are looking for volunteer actors and artists to create the props.} If you are interested, look out for a separate email about that, or email us at qpa@mindspring.com!


USSF Contingent in the Atlanta Pride Parade
Looking for a progressive group of queers and allies to march with in the Pride Parade? {Come march with the USSF contingent!} Let's move the LGBTs to the Left and make this year's Pride parade something to remember!


ZAMI Party
ZAMI, Atlanta's Premiere Organization for Lesbians of African Descent, (http://www.zami.org) is throwing a party for queer women of color on the Saturday of the US Social Forum. More details to come! {We are still looking for men of color to host a similar event for our queer male guests of color.}


Mondohomo Events
In addition to hosting a queer chill space at Madratz Infoshop, Mondohomo is organizing a number of social events at various locations all around town during the US Social Forum. Mondohomo will also be hosting an outdoor kiosk at the Social Forum. For a full list of what's going on, visit http://www.mondohomo.com/content/blogsection/9/87/


Calling all Queer-Friendly Hosts
QPA would like to put you on a list so that we can offer some Southern hospitality to our queer friends who are coming into town for the Forum. {If you are such a host, please send your name and info to Kel Drake, at Kdrake613@aol.com}, and we'll let our queer guests know.


The TPOC Workers Project Workshop at the USSF
Among many queer-related workshops, QPA's TPOC Workers Project is hosting one that will bring together folks working with transgender people of color's employment rights all over the nation. We'll be learning from each other, sharing our stories, and creating strategies to move forward in our work. For a more detailed description of this workshop, please visit the following url: http://www.ussf2007.org/en/node/3901




National Organizing...


Building A Queer Left: Pre-Conference Convening
Southerners On New Ground and Queers for Economic Justice are hosting a shared gathering the day before the US Social Forum. At this convening, radical queer organizations will begin to organize ourselves into a national coalition of groups doing work that makes links between economic justice, racial justice, sexual identity, gender, and liberation. This is an exciting first step towards a new national radical queer left!


USSF Queer Visibility Working Group
The Queer Visibility Working Group was formed as part of the US Social Forum planning process to ensure the visibility and safety of queer people at the Forum. It includes folks from all over the country. Among other things, we are making sure the USSF will have gender-neutral bathrooms, Trans 101 training for the USSF volunteers and security folks, a queer visibility symbol to wear (somewhere) on your body, and decent queer representation in the week's program. {We may need volunteers locally to help increase trans sensitivity among local Atlanta hotel owners/managers.} If you would like to volunteer to do this, please send an email to qpa@mindspring.com.


Queer Visibility Table
QPA, Southerners On New Ground (SONG), FIERCE!, and the Audre Lorde Project will host a Queer Visibility table at the US Social Forum. At this table, we will have things like the Welcoming and Solidarity Statement (see above), a list of queer-related workshops and events, and a display about queer human rights, donated to us from the US Human Rights Network.


peace and solidarity,

Deepali
Founder, Queer Progressive Agenda
Board Member, Southerners On New Ground
Participant, USSF Queer Visibility Working Group

http://www.intersexion.org/?q=node/7

List of Workshops: Accepted or In Review

Check out the link below to see the accepted proposals

https://www.ussf2007.org/en/submitted_proposals

FOR PRESENTERS:

The schedule for Accepted Proposals for the US Social Forum will be posted online starting the week of June 18. This will include information on exact location, time and day your proposal was scheduled for. Some quick points of interest related to all Accepted Proposals that you might like to know:

• 95% of accepted proposals were scheduled for the day that the proposal submitter requested
•  60-70% of the accepted proposals submitted by the same organization have been placed in the same building or in very close proximity to each other
• Accepted proposals submitted by the same organization were NOT schedule for the same day and time
• Each major site will have a SITE MANAGER who can help in answering questions and trouble shooting when necessary

And finally, please remember that the USSF will NOT be providing any equipment for workshops or events, such as any Audio or visual needs (e.g. LCD projector, screen, tv/dvd), any administrative needs (e.g. flip charts, easels, clip boards, or markers). Each Accepted Proposal submitter and workshop organizer should be prepared to bring these things in advance.

Thank you all for your understanding, patience and great ideas for proposals on this long road to ..:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />Atlanta where another US is necessary and another world is possible!

Welcome to the US Social Forum 2007!

REGISTRATION/CHECK-IN INFORMATION

Primary on-site registration/check-in will take place at the ..:NAMESPACE PREFIX = ST1 />Atlanta Civic Center (395 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta), located on the Plaza Level. Days and Hours: ..:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O />

§         Tuesday 6/26 4-8pm

§         Wednesday 6/27 8am-1pm, 5pm-8pm

§         Thursday 6/28 8am-5pm

§         Friday 6/29 8am-5pm

§         Saturday 6/30 8am-12pm

Satellite Check-In is  also available at the following location:

Location: The Westin Peachtree Plaza (210 Peachtree St . Atlanta, Georgia 30303), located in the Lobby

Important: This site is only for individuals and organizations who are pre-registered and pre-paid.

Days and Hours: Wednesday 6/27-Friday 6/29 8am-12pm

When you check-in you will receive your USSF name badge, which will serve as your ticket to USSF events, and the program. We strongly encourage you to register online and pay with a credit card in advance to avoid long lines for registration on-site!

If you have already registered and have any questions, please contact Ross Glover at registrarussf@gmail.com.  Thanks from the USSF Registration Team! 

*ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE! ANOTHER US IS NECESSARY! ATLANTA, JUNE 27 – JULY 1* www.ussf2007.org

United States Social Forum

Youth Working Group Update

June 9, 2007

18 DAY count down!

The Youth Working Group has been working very hard these last few months to ensure youth have both a space to call their own (the Youth Tent) and also a space through out the Forum to create an intergenerational feel.  I must give some shout outs to those that have been holding it down and working extra hard: Christy and the Project South Youth, Carlos with SLAP, Fred with Youth United for Change and all of you mobilizing large delegations!!  As of now Project South has 9 young people dedicated to the Tent: 6 that will be working to run it and 3 that will be working on documentation.  SWOP, including Monica and the SWOP interns Rodrigo and Juliana, are on the ground in ATL to provide support to the Project South youth and the local host committee.  We will, along with Project South, be throwing it down for the youth but we can't do it alone.  YOU all gotta plug into the process these last two weeks! Please volunteer, propose programming, make this space your space and make this Forum your Forum!

Youth Tent

The call for proposals for the Youth Tent is out!  The deadline is this coming Monday June 11^th to get those proposals in so please help us get the word out!!  We need young people to own the space by presenting, speaking, organizing discussion, art, music, poetry, signing up for USSF Idol.  In general this is the space for young people to step up and show what we got.  Please do not miss this opportunity to make history.

Logistic is being coordinated by Project South with the support of SWOP youth.  We have a 40X40 tent that fits 100 people.  It will be located at the Civic Center next to the other 4 40X40 tents.  It will have a stage, sound, tables, chairs, a bulletin board for updates and flyers, a mural to take part in, tables for leaving info on your organization and an information booth. 

Programming will be again set by presentations sent in by youth.  We will also create open space for young people to use if ideas for activities come up or if space is needed for further conversations.  There will be a few things planned by the Youth Working Groups such as evening debrief for youth to come and talk about issues and what went on in their day, also USSF Idol for young people to show case their talent, a DJ party and an Opening on Thursday morning for youth to come together and meet each before the Forum starts (food will be provided).

Volunteers will be needed for everyday of the Forum, a call out will be sent out next week.  We will have specific roles young people can play, as well as specific shifts.  It is important for young people to also own the space by running it so please begin to line up your youth to volunteer. We will also need volunteers through out the Forum as a whole to again ensure an intergenerational space.  How and where to plug in will be sent out.

Intergenerational

The Forum is dedicated to ensuring youth have a place through out the Forum.  For the evening Plenaries youth will be speaking on the War and Militarism, Katrina and Women and Sexuality panels please make it a point to show up and support your fellow young leaders.  There will also be youth performers in the Opening and in Cultural events.  Please step up and find out other places you can plug in to helps us make sure there is youth visibility at the Forum.

Outreach

The youth flyer has been complete and sent out to key regional groups.  If you would like some please contact Monica at monica@swop.net so she can plug you into the person you should go to regarding getting flyers. 

Buzz creation is key these next few weeks.  We need young people posting blogs, putting comments on the myspace page, writing articles and in general thinking of any way you can get the word out!  This is key, please update us on any ideas or things you have done to get the word out.  Also forward this update to others that might not be on the list serve.

We had a meeting of youth organizations in the DC area Wednesday 6^th.  It ROCKED thanks to all those who showed up.   Over 15 organizations were represented and all are involved in the Forum through workshops and delegations!  A lot of great ideas came out and the notes of the meeting will be sent out soon.

Youth Camp

The youth camp is on a Land Trust in the ATL area close to a MARTA stop.  There is a new camp coordinator and we will be meeting with them soon.  Many young people are thinking of doing programming there.  The camp has space for 75 youth 18-24.  It also has showers, bathrooms and a makeshift kitchen.  There is also a stage there.  The registration form will be out very soon and will be first sent out to youth that are a part of the youth working group then to the general public.  We will also be working closely with the USSF security to ensure a safe friendly space for youth.  Rodrigo@swop.net.

Workshops

GREAT job everyone who submitted!! Youth represented there are a variety of workshops for youth to attend.  Please check out the web site to see them all.  You can narrow the search by saying you want all workshops that use youth as one of their key words.

March

The March will begin the first day Wednesday June 27^th between 1pm and 2pm.  The location is still being worked out.  There will be a youth rally before hand so young people can stand together.  Time and location of the rally will be sent out.  There are going to be times to make signs and banners for the march at the Task Force for the Homeless please contact us if you are interested.

Culture

There is going to be a ton of culture and music through out the Forum.  Youth are encouraged to submit any activities to the program of the Youth Tent.  You can also plug into the general Cultural Working Group to perform if you are interested please contact us.

Greetings from Beautiful HotLanta! Ground Zero of a history making event that is less than 19 days away, the FIRST EVER United States Social Forum.

This past week has been an adventure for 3 Swopistas, Monica Cordova, Juliana Lujan,
and Rodrigo Rodriguez(Me). Our first leg of our adventure was the National Planning Committee Meeting in Washington D.C. The NPC touched base one last time before the forum so that we could all go home with finalized plans of action and get ready to hit the ground running for the forum. We also attended a really good meeting with youth from the D.C. area(Pictured above) that are planning on attending the USSF. Almost 30 young people an representing 20+ youth groups were there and rocked it like always!!!

After the meeting we continued on to Atlanta to join the Atlanta Organizing Committee here at the home base.

SWOP has put a lot of resources into the USSF, the three of us are of course evidence of SWOP's commitment to the forum and social justice. We will be here through the forum, organizing the Youth Tent, the Youth Camp, the People's Freedom and Solidarity Tent, and plugging in wherever else the brothers and sisters here in the ATL need.
We will also be getting ready to welcome the SWOP delegates and everyone else coming in on the People's Freedom Caravan.

We will be meeting Saturday the 9th with the folks organizing the opening march, and on Monday we will be diving into the work head first!
We are all extremely excited and grateful to be here.

We've already been on the radio talking about SWOP's involvement in the USSF and will be on again on Monday, Tune in online to www.wrfg.org to peep it.
We'll be updating you guys again soon. LOVE/PEACE.
Swopistas Represent!
Rigo
Monica
Juliana

Invotation to the U.S. Social Forum Youth & Student Meeting in Washington DC

Wednesday June 6^th, 2007, 3pm – 5pm

UFCW International Union  

1775 K Street, NW

Dear Ally/Participant of the first U.S. Social Forum:

With only 5 weeks to go before our historic convergence in Atlanta, GA, and with the final meeting of the National Planning Committee (NPC) set to take place in Washington, D.C. from June 4^th – 6^th, we'd like to take advantage of this opportunity to bring together the many student and youth networks and organizations in a face to face meeting on Wednesday, June 6^th, 2007.

It is our intent to bring together representatives from a wide array of organizations that are attending the Forum to discuss the many workshops, activities, and events that will be taking place during the week, as well as a chance to meet and discuss their level of participation prior to the Forum.  The U.S. Social Forum is an opportunity to connect, network, teach, and learn from hundreds of other organizations that are also working to create positive change in this country  

Youth and students have a unique opportunity at the Forum to make our voices heard and be a part of the broader movement for equality and justice in this country.  One of the best ways to ensure that this happens is by connecting prior to the Forum and come into the gathering with great energy and excitement with a coordinated effort.

We are excited and looking forward to using the meeting on June 6th and the U.S. Social Forum as an opportunity to begin and continue connecting youth and students to the many different areas of work that we each focus on.  Please feel free to forward this invitation to other participants in the US Social Forum as well.

If you are interested in attending or would like more information, please contact SLAP coordinator Carlos Jimenez at slap@jwj.org

Sincerely,

Jennifer S. Pae                                                  Carlos Jimenez

President                                                          SLAP Coordinator

Youth! Let's make history, like we were born to do.

The US Social Forum youth tent will be an amazing space for youth to connect, build, strategize the future, party & capture the voice of young people.  It's easy: you just gotta gather your ideas + sign up + create a plan + fill out one of these simple forms + send it to the Project South Youth Council (christi@projectsouth.org by 6/11/07) so we can put it all together and make the schedule.

Youth Tent Schedule

The focus areas are a way to introduce and connect youth work nationwide through conversations about education, violence and misogyny, the prison system, and militarism. Rep your work! We kept the focus areas broad and the schedule open so there would be plenty of room for all of us to take ownership, intersect issues and add on the format. Some things will happen everyday (like the collage, the debriefing session, and so on) but there is still space to propose new activities.  Also, this is an opportunity for youth to facilitate specific activities, highlight organizations nationally working on focus areas, lead group activities, rep your hood and actively participate to make the USSF a place for creativity and leadership development.

In Story Circles sessions, we will share and listen to each other's stories around the focus areas and connected issues. USSF Idol is a talent show based on the "American Idol" TV show example. Sign up to perform & volunteer judges and the audience will weigh in on who is the best (while celebrating all the contestants, cuz we're nice like that).

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

o         Registration

o         Represent! Organizations, bring posters to hang in tent and organizational information for tables

o         Youth rally before the USSF march (Location to be announced)

o         Mural/ collage project

o         Story Circles

o         Evening activities: icebreakers, games, music and evaluation of the USSF march

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Focus Area: The Education System

o         with food, music & speakers

o         Open space for proposed activities

o         Mural/ collage project

o         Story Circles on 'The Education System'

o         Evening debriefing session

o         USSF Idol: Come perform!

Friday, June 29, 2007

Focus Area: Obsession with Violence and Misogyny

o         Open space for proposed activities

o         Mural/ collage project

o         Story Circles on 'Obsession with Violence and Misogyny'

o         Evening debriefing session

o         DJ Party for 20 and under [youth workers/ chaperones are requested to accompany their youth]

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Focus Area: Prison Industrial Complex and Militarism

o         Open space for proposed activities

o         Mural/ collage project

o         Story Circles on 'Prison Industrial Complex and Militarism'

o         Evening debriefing session

o         Cultural sharing - Open mic- singing, dancing, spoken word, comedy, and more

o         Family ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Reunion for Youth of Incarcerated/Formerly Incarcerated Friends & Family

Sunday, July 1, 2007

o         Youth speakout to propose future strategic work

o         View pictures of the week and complete the mural/ collage

o         Evaluation of USSF

o         Cultural sharing: Open mic- singing, dancing, spoken word, comedy, and more

 

USSF Youth Tent 2007

   Call 4 Proposals

Contact Person:                            Contact Number:                                 E-mail:                        ______

# of Participants/Presenters Names(s): _______________________________________________
Presenting Organization(s):                                _______________________________________

Organizational Description: Please provide a short description of your organization(s)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                _______________________________________

..> ..> ..>..> ..> ..> ..>..> ..> ..> ..>..> ..> ..> ..>..> ..> ..> ..>..> 

Arts           Music        Facilitate Activity        USSF Idol      Poetry/ Spoken Word                      

                                    ie: Story Circles,                 

                                                Icebreaker, Games

Presentation Description: (please provide a brief description of the presentation or function that you are planning for the USSF, as well as an example of a time or way in which you have used this form of presentation)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Which of the following days do you think your presentation will fit best?

..> ..> ..>..> ..> ..> ..>..> ..> ..> ..>..>     Wednesday, June 27           Thursday, June 28                     Friday, June 29

..> ..> ..>..> ..> ..> ..>..>          Saturday, June 30                    Sunday, July 01

Estimated time of the presentation: ____________________________________

How much space will you require? _____________________________________

Will you be bringing your own equipment/supplies? If so, please list:

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Will you need equipment? If so, please list:

Note: Equipment is not guaranteed on site. Please plan and make accommodations accordingly and with reasonable time if set-up is necessary.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                _____________________________________________________

Additionally, please provide disclaimers in advance should the nature of the presentation/workshop not be suitable for audiences of all ages for legal reasons (i.e. profanity, nudity, the nature of the presentation involves audience participation, or any other foreseeable reasons)

Some good reading for today:

AlterNet: May Day Alert: Only Global Unions Can Stop the Race to the Bottom

AlterNet: May Day Alert: De-Unionization Hurts Women, Especially Latinas

Chávez pulls Venezuela out of World Bank, IMF