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Hello and welcome to the Mutual Aid, Activism, and Organizing Thread Are you often frustrated, disappointed, or disillusioned by mainstream electoral politics and want to channel your energy into more tangible, impactful, and fulfilling work? Do you wish you could make connections with your neighbors in a way that is focused on improving material conditions and addressing the needs of the local community? Have you been burning with a restless desire to get involved, to get your hands dirty, to really be a part of something bigger than yourself but just don’t know where to start? Does watching unfolding events give you a sense of dread and worry about your precarity and vulnerability as an individual? Do you want to address that in a way that builds community and creates the conditions through which we can manifest a better world for everyone? Then this thread is for you! What this thread is for: - Amplifying ways for people to become directly involved in their local community and in larger efforts. - Connecting people to groups that organize direct actions, mutual aid campaigns, or relief efforts, as well as other resources that can be of use during this time of precarity and uncertainty. - Sharing our own experiences of volunteering, organizing, and other methods of activism. Even if the story is embarrassing or things didn’t work out how you intended, that is useful. - Cultivating a space where people can get informed about important causes and how they specifically can contribute to or benefit from them in real life. - Seeking or offering constructive criticism about how to get involved, common roadblocks to avoid, solving problems within a specific group/project/context, etc. What this thread is not for: - Belittling anyone’s involvement in organizing, volunteering, etc. We all have to start somewhere, we will all make mistakes, it’s important to hold space and compassion for each other throughout this process. Don’t be a dick. - Slagging a specific group, organization, cause, etc. because you don’t agree with their methods or their framework of approaching an issue. Criticism is fine - there are activist and organizing groups that have serious problems and facilitate harm or violence and we should discuss that when it arises. But don’t pillory a group baselessly. - Complaining about how your local org won’t let you take the lead on this great project you came up with and how their inability to recognize your genius is the real problem. - Soliciting volunteers, voters and/or donations for your preferred candidate who is running in an election. This thread is specifically about how to be engaged politically outside of electoral politics - there will be some overlap or mention of politicians because they tend to be involved with their own pet causes but this is not the place to proselytize in the hopes that people will become junior campaigners. Seriously, don’t do it. Before we get started, please read an excerpt from this excellent piece by Dean Spade (all emphasis mine): Now Is the Time for 'Nobodies': Dean Spade on Mutual Aid and Resistance in the Trump Era posted:The Trump moment is different from the Obama moment in many ways, but there are also important similarities. We’re under a lot of the same conditions, but not under any illusions that we can negotiate at the federal level to transform them. We’re all pretty aware that the levels of danger that vulnerable people (people in public housing, people on benefits, immigrants, prisoners) are in are very high already and worsening under Trump. A lot of people are scared and many are getting mobilized by that fear, whether they are the ones in the most direct line of fire or whether they are concerned for the people they care about. From Now Is the Time for 'Nobodies': Dean Spade on Mutual Aid and Resistance in the Trump Era Who am I? Just your friendly neighborhood data and privacy researcher. But in a previous life I worked for several prominent nonprofits that did all manner of advocacy and outreach work around a variety of issues - sustainable energy, environmental sustainability, veteran support, racial justice, economic inequality, and more - and all the intersections thereof. I have been on the ground in places like Flint, Michigan to help set up fundraising and relief efforts as part of community organizing in the wake of the lead poisoning disaster. I have done digital campaigning, designing those annoying emails you get asking you to sign a petition and figuring out the optimal tweet format to get you to amplify a call to action. I’ve done field organizing and volunteer recruitment, pounding the pavement in the Texas summer heat. And I’ve sat with people at the highest levels of government and industry as part of negotiations that resulted in positive, tangible, lasting change for millions of people. On the personal side, I’ve done field organizing and recruitment for community orgs and local groups focused on meeting specific needs in their community. I helped the local DSA chapter get their tenant’s union up and running by training people how to do door-to-door canvassing and then leading a months long campaign of outreach in low income, mostly minority and immigrant communities. I did volunteer work for more corporate causes like SXSW, overseeing crews that ran the show behind the scenes. I’ve sat on the board of a housing cooperative, formulating long-term plans for operational improvement and organization growth while also training tenants to develop their ability to run properties and self-organize. All of that to say, I ain’t done it all but I’ve done a lot. While that doesn’t make me an expert, it does allow me to have the perspective to know how to productively introduce some of these concepts to folks and help y’all figure out where you fit in. But I still have a lot to learn too. This thread is as much to educate myself as it is to share what I know with the community here. What is Mutual Aid? What is Activism? What is Organizing? These terms are thrown around a lot these days and as such often get conflated or misused. My hope and intent is to do the following: 1. Clarify the meaning of those terms in the context of U.S. politics 2. Offer resources that allow you to continue your own education. 3. Provide on-ramps and touchpoints for you to decide where you fit in best and how to get involved in a way that is productive and fulfilling. It’s important also to keep in mind that none of these strategies are mutually exclusive; more often than not they overlap as priorities shift, political landscapes change, and opportunities arise. If you find yourself doing something that feels more like activism in the course of a mutual aid project it is important to take a moment to discuss things with your comrades and figure out collaboratively how you want to move forward. Being intentional and considerate about your goals and your capability are more important than trying to do everything at once. So without further ado, let’s dig in! MUTUAL AID Chances are you’ve heard of some of the more famous examples of significant, influential mutual aid programs or networks - The Black Panther programs around free breakfast and healthcare, the Young Lords taking over a Bronx hospital and turning it into a detox unit to disrupt working class drug use, the Food Not Bombs movement, Occupy Sandy, etc. Let’s lay out a working definition and some key points. What do we mean by “mutual aid” posted:Mutual aid is a term to describe people giving each other needed material support, trying to resist the control dynamics, hierarchies and system-affirming, oppressive arrangements of charity and social services. Mutual aid projects are a form of political participation in which people take responsibility for caring for one another and changing political conditions, not just through symbolic acts or putting pressure on their representatives in government, but by actually building new social relations that are more survivable. From here: What do we mean by mutual aid That sounds like a lot! But mutual aid at the core is really about building capacity among the people to collectively address the systemic issues that oppress them or that constrain their material conditions. A good thing to remember is that you can be more effective by starting small and focusing on something that is really specific to your community - Are there a lot of elderly people in your neighborhood facing increased social isolation or economic precarity due to the pandemic? A door-knocking group that checks on the elderly and helps them navigate daily challenges can be an effective low-effort way to keep them connected and avoid more serious issues. - Do the parents in your community need support in making sure that their kids have what they need for school? Maybe your social circle is made up of grad students or people with advanced degrees who could provide tutoring and other academic assistance at no cost. - Does everyone in your neighborhood know each other and have a way to communicate and support each other that isn’t reliant on social media platforms? Setting up a neighborhood Slack channel or Discord can be a great way to facilitate communication and coordinating efforts. Those are all issues that you can build a mutual aid network around! So how do you get started? Here’s a guide to starting a mutual aid group in your community. Here’s an AOC-endorsed step-by-step toolkit to building a mutual aid network in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. posted:
A couple of things to keep in mind: 1. There might already be networks operating in your community or neighborhood. If so, that’s great because it means you don’t have to start from scratch or reinvent the wheel. Chances are that they will be happy to help you get involved and make space for you to work in whatever area that you feel best suits your talents, skills, and interests. 2. With that in mind, be considerate if you join a group and find that they don’t have a dedicated team around X issue that you really feel is important. Even if you’re willing to take charge on it, suggesting new projects right out of the gate isn’t a way to make a good impression. Be willing to take the time to contribute before bringing new ideas to the table. 3. If you are starting from scratch you might find that managing a group of people larger than 15-20 individuals is really tough! Or that there are natural distinctions in the group that make it difficult to align schedules - for example half the group is young singles and half is older with kids. You can organize large groups in smaller “pods” that build stronger relationships based on their background and needs but still remain active and engaged in the work of larger community network It’s okay to start small, or to focus on a recent crisis that is connected to larger issues. The key to be consistent and keep at it. Check out the Mutual Aid Toolbox at Big Door Brigade, pick an issue that you feel is relevant to your community and do your best! ACTIVISM There are a lot of convoluted definitions of activism, but at the root it is building connections and power in order to bring about a specific political or social change. Awareness raising & educational campaigns, boycotts, direct actions like marches or protests, petition drives, strikes or work stoppages, etc are all common examples of activism. Anyone can be an activist! Activism isn’t just storming the barricades and braving tear gas. A lot of activism is actually very mundane, repetitive, and unglamorous work that goes on behind the scenes. However that work is equally as important to the flashy stuff, if not more. - Are you good at doing boring administrative and organizational work? - Do you enjoy filing permits and learning the intricacies of local or state laws? - Is providing childcare and support for working parents something that you enjoy? - Does your work schedule allow you the time to go to city council meetings and other inconveniently scheduled government hearings? - Can you take concise, thorough notes during the course of a meeting or event and then transcribe them to send out to attendees and interested parties? - Can you provide training on basic skills that allow other people to get involved and increase the capacity of an organization or a project? - Do you know a second language well enough to translate documents? Can you create art assets or provide graphic design help that results in unique, memorable signs or displays?  IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MEN TO STEP UP AND PROACTIVELY VOLUNTEER FOR THESE SPECIFIC GENDERED LABOR ROLES THAT WOMEN OFTEN GET STUCK SHOULDERING THE BURDEN OF These are all activities that can be considered activism! It’s important to remember that even if you can’t attend every protest or direct action that there are many many ways to be involved and build connections around the particular issue or political outcome you want to advocate for. You can host a teach-in around prison & police abolition or anti-racist education that challenges white supremacy or disability justice. Some folks ascribe to the Bill Moyer model of the Four Roles of Social Activism, where everyone fits into an organization in a specific role: advocate, helper, organizer, or rebel. Often each of us fits into more than one role, but the idea is that there are certain aspects of activism that suit us best and where we can maximize our involvement. What role were you born to play in social change? posted:
From here: Bill Moyer's Four Roles of Social Change Again, these are not hard or fast rules. However, they can be useful if you’re just starting out in getting involved in activism and are trying to figure out where you can fit in and what role you’d like to play. If you ask a lot of experienced folks, they will have some very fair criticisms of activism, especially the sort of issue- or lifestyle-based activism that doesn’t really cultivate a base or focus on sustained power building. For example: ORGANIZING VERSUS ACTIVISM posted:Activism is usually scattered politically, reactive and unfocused. For example, Google sets up shop in a city, and pushes the local government to destroy cheaper housing to make room for luxury condos; activists answer this by parachuting themselves, as militants, into the neighborhood, postering and leafleting for a bit, organizing one or two demos… and then move on when a policeman shoots a teen in the back, dropping the “old” issue for the new one, and so on. From here: Organizing versus Activism This doesn’t mean that activism is bad - activism is often the most accessible and common way to agitate for social or political change. However, it is the method of engagement that is most often framed in a narrow, reactionary, and temporary way, increasing the risk of fragile, incremental gains that are easily lost as people are shuffled from one cause to the next. If we want our activism to be durable, adaptable, and powerful that means we have to bring people we don’t necessarily agree or identity with into the project, building connections and democratic processes that ensure no person, group, or struggle is left behind. Which brings us to... ORGANIZING posted:A political project centrally focused on building the capacity of oppressed people to become central actors on the stage of history or in the drama of emancipation. The socially marginalized are placed in organizational situations where they are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitude to work for their own freedom and the construction of a transformed social reality. It’s useful here to take a moment to establish and clarify the difference between organizing and mobilizing - understanding mobilization as the “temporary spectacles of resistance that rely on mass actions coordinated from the top-down, such as rallies, demonstrations, pickets, strikes, and voter registration drives but do not create sustained action or political involvement.” Don’t take it from, take it from Kwame Ture. Ferguson, Mobilization and Organizing the Resistance posted:In the 1988 summer issue of the publication Breakthrough: Political Journal of Prairie Fire Organizing Committee, the late Kwame Ture (formerly Stokely Carmichael), who served a term as chairperson of SNCC and a stint as Prime Minister of the Black Panther Party, had this to say about organizing and mobilization: From here: Ferguson: Mobilisation and Organizing the Resistance. With that in mind, let’s continue. Organizing is about base building around clear long-term objectives aimed at extracting gains for the people. Sometimes organizing will lend itself to addressing a specific issue that broadly impacts people from a wide range of backgrounds, identities, and contexts. For example: Does your community suffer from a lack of ISP options and can’t get better service at a price that they can afford? Build a community ISP. Do you live in a city with lots of immigrants that might be vulnerable to ICE harassment or arrest? Establish a community defense zone. Do you and many of your neighbor rent your homes from unscrupulous or predatory landlords? Organize a tenant’s union. Do you suspect that you and your co-workers are getting screwed by the bosses? Unionize your workplace. Do you oppose the endless wars carried out in the name of U.S. imperialism and the predatory recruitment practices that supply the bodies that carry them out? Begin a counter-recruitment campaign. Has your community experienced high rates of interpersonal violence that the police are uninterested in addressing without causing more harm? Set up a bystander intervention and de-escalation group. However, you can organize without having a clear issue in mind, and sometimes it is better to approach organizing this way. Let’s explore this further. Base-Building: Activist Networking or Organizing the Unorganized? posted:A political group which takes a “base-building” approach toward organizing a constituency approaches “issue” work a bit differently. The first step involves a canvassing the “base” where the group is attempting to organize: talking to coworkers, knocking on doors in a neighborhood, or chatting with commuters on the train or at the bus stop. Since the vast majority of individuals in our society are not members of a particular political group or even a union, we say that recruiting someone from a working class constituency into a mass organization is an act of “organizing the unorganized.” From here: Base Building: Activist Networking or Organizing the Unorganizied What this means is that the idea you start with when organizing might be very different from what you end up with after you’ve actually done the work of talking to people, working through the process of deliberation and democratic decision making, and then moving forward to plan and strategize around winning a particular campaign. You shouldn’t be demoralized by this! It can be arduous and frustrating but the end result is a base of political power that is driven by the people and rooted in their needs and perspectives. We don’t want a movement run by one leader, we want a movement FULL of leaders. There’s more I could say but I’ll stop there. I hope this thread can act as a resource and a space for fruitful discussion for anyone who wants to get involved and find ways to contribute to making things better. As one of my favorite activists and organizers, Mariame Kaba, likes to say - “Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair.” Alternatively - "Our job is to build power to take what the gently caress we want." Mat Cauthon fucked around with this message at 22:51 on Oct 26, 2020 |
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Oct 9, 2020 02:01
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RESOURCE LIST (TO BE UPDATED AND ORGANIZED REGULARLY)If you have resources that you would like to be added to this list, leave them in the thread or PM me and I’ll get them in here GOON-RELATED DONATION FUNDS Timeless Appeal's school supply drive got fully funded!  GENERAL DONATION FUNDS List of Bail Funds for Protestors across the Country https://bailfunds.github.io/ National Bail Out Fund https://secure.actblue.com/donate/national-bail-out-1?amount=$100 State and Local level Abortion Funds https://www.thecut.com/article/donate-abortion-fund-amy-coney-barrett-how-to-help.html?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=s1&utm_campaign=nym Community Justice Exchange https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/donate National Network of Abortion Funds https://abortionfunds.org/ Trans Lifeline https://translifeline.org/ Toys for Tots https://www.toysfortots.org/ Navajo Water Project https://www.navajowaterproject.org/ Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund https://www.navajohopisolidarity.org/ National Indigenous Women's Resource Center https://www.niwrc.org/ Feeding American Local Food Bank Locator https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank IMMIGRATION RESOURCES Black Immigrants Bail Fund https://www.blackimmigrantsbailfund.com/ Minority Humanitarian Foundation - https://www.minorityhumanitarianfoundation.com/ VorpalBunny posted:They literally pick up newly released migrants released from ICE detention out on the street with nowhere to go. They partner with http://miles4migrants.org/ to then fly the migrants to their final destinations. It is a husband/wife team based in San Diego, they have a donated minivan and a mobile phone they answer 24/7, their number is shared among people in ICE detention and with local business owners who spot recently released folks wandering around trying not to be preyed upon by scumbags. Freedom for Immigrants - https://www.freedomforimmigrants.org/ STREET MEDIC RESOURCES Boston Area Liberation Medic (BALM) Squad resource for Street Medics http://www.bostoncoop.net/~balm/ Street Medic & Protester safety http://streetmedicqc.blogspot.com/ Rosehip Medic Collective offers street medic training https://www.rosehipmedics.org/trainings/ Riot Medicine street medic guide https://riotmedicine.net/ COVID-19 SPECIFIC RESOURCES Mutual Aid Pandemic Disaster Relief Compendium (organized by subject and state, updated daily) https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/collective-care/ Quarantine Educational Resources https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...K3_3yyXTw#gid=0 How to Create your own Hyperlocal Group during the COVID-19 Pandemic https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ys6crbTIDSN0QxPe-SQOiO0bdZlqHmqAG79RKtLMDDE/edit?mc_cid=ed76736592&mc_eid=ccc4de9965 GENERAL DISASTER RELIEF RESOURCES Disaster relief mutual aid resources https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/growing-deeper-roots-in-mutual-aid-a-list-of-reflections-inspiration-resources/ Crisis Safety Plan Guide https://truthout.org/audio/planning-for-disaster-a-writing-exercise/ DIGITAL PRIVACY AND ANTI-SURVEILLANCE RESOURCES Defend Our Movements DIGITAL SELF-DEFENSE KNOWLEDGE BASE https://defendourmovements.org/ Digital Security Tips for Protesters https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/11/digital-security-tips-for-protesters SURVEILLANCE SELF-DEFENSE - https://ssd.eff.org/ RESTORATIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE RESOURCES Transformative Justice frameworks and models https://transformharm.org/ ISSUE-CENTERED ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) https://bdsmovement.net/ Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization/Pastors for Peace https://ifconews.org/ Eyewitness Palestine https://eyewitnesspalestine.org/ National Network on Cuba http://nnoc.info/ BYP100 https://www.byp100.org/ The Debt Collective https://debtcollective.org/ Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression https://naarpr.org/ Black Alliance for Peace https://linktr.ee/blackallianceforpeace Mijente https://mijente.net/ FURTHER READING - MUTUAL AID “How to Set up Mutual Aid For your Area” Resource Collection https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rJhGg9OZ4tFFGYRuvXnNaCTkWSCQP5I1 FURTHER READING - ORGANIZING DSA guide to canvassing https://www.dsausa.org/democratic-left/how_to_canvass_door_to_door/ Introduction to Community Organizing for Occupy Midwest https://www.slideshare.net/tomtee/introduction-to-community-organizing-for-occupy-midwest L.A. Tenants Union Handbook https://latenantsunion.org/en/2017/11/08/la-tenants-union-handbook/ Developing Leadership Qualities in Organizations that Support Mutuality and Collaboration http://www.deanspade.net/2019/09/25/leadership-qualities-that-support-mutuality-and-collaboration/ Build Organizational Culture that Benefits the Work We are Trying to Do http://www.deanspade.net/2018/12/18/what-it-is-like-inside-our-organizations/ FURTHER READING - ACTIVISM Police divestment & community defense toolkit https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5ee39ec764dbd7179cf1243c/t/5f85c35e177b56179c78495c/1602601833821/Defund+Toolkit.pdf Abortion clinic escort volunteering https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-north-central-states/get-involved/volunteer-clinic-escorts Mat Cauthon fucked around with this message at 20:23 on Nov 9, 2020 |
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Oct 9, 2020 02:01
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I hope this is the right place for this: https://www.minorityhumanitarianfoundation.com/ They literally pick up newly released migrants released from ICE detention out on the street with nowhere to go. They partner with http://miles4migrants.org/ to then fly the migrants to their final destinations. It is a husband/wife team based in San Diego, they have a donated minivan and a mobile phone they answer 24/7, their number is shared among people in ICE detention and with local business owners who spot recently released folks wandering around trying not to be preyed upon by scumbags. I donate soap, diapers, formula and toys when I can as they also connect with shelters in Mexico for families waiting for their cases to go through the immigration courts, and they have been doing lots of outreach to immigrant and homeless families in San Diego during the pandemic. It is awesome, boots-on-the-ground work directly affecting people in dire need. I give them as much as I can, these guys are literally saving lives. The stories they hear from detention are heartbreaking.
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Oct 9, 2020 02:19
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Hey out of curiosity, could people post personal fundraising efforts for their community? Like I'm a teacher and currently struggling to get money for a project I'm funding on Donor's Choose for my school? Would that fit the purview of the thread? Or is it more big picture? I do understand if it's the latter.
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Oct 9, 2020 02:36
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Now that lots of community input meetings have moved to zoom, they're a lot easier to attend. If there's any kind of affordable housing development in your area (ironically the easiest way to find out about these things is usually giant posters put up by people opposing it), find out when the community input meeting is and attend if you can. It's on zoom so you can just do something else while you wait to get your chance to speak, so it's not a huge time commitment. I guarantee you that there will be boomer homeowners shouting about the need to stop the project (depending on the political climate of your area, they may concern-troll about neighborhood character or environmental impacts, or they may just straight up say they don't want poor people near them) but you'd be surprised by how much impact the voice of a person speaking in support can make. Local city council members do actually listen to this poo poo.
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Oct 9, 2020 02:37
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Timeless Appeal posted:Hey out of curiosity, could people post personal fundraising efforts for their community? Like I'm a teacher and currently struggling to get money for a project I'm funding on Donor's Choose for my school? Would that fit the purview of the thread? Or is it more big picture? It's both. I wrote the OP with a big picture perspective to try give folks lots of ideas and insights into ways to get involved but the discussion doesn't have to stay at that level. I definitely want people to share links to local good causes that are in of donations, since smaller orgs and individuals in need tend to get overshadowed by the big national ones. So please share links! If you can type up a small blurb about the work they do and your experience or connection to them that would be even better! Stuff like a Donor's Choose fund for your school definitely fits the bill.
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Oct 9, 2020 02:46
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Awesome, thank you! I set up a Donors Choose to get copies of The 57 Bus for my school. My school is a small school in Canarsie. Our kids are mostly very high performing Black and Brown students. Despite their high performance, our school has fallen into just using the free curriculum the city provides instead of trying to meet the high levels of our students. Our kids often get into pretty competitive New York City Public Schools, but struggle with the initial transition. My principal was all in on me getting new books, but Covid devastated our budget. I was able to fund one project, but sort of exhausted a lot of the contributions I might find from friends in the process. The 57 Bus is an incredible book that tells a dual narrative of a young Black teenager who set a non-binary teen's dress on fire. It explores gender identity, the criminal justice system, the school to prison pipeline, and restorative practices. I was very proud of how my kids last year reacted to the death of George Floyd, even setting up their own Racial Justice clubs. I'm hoping that the book can be a good springboard to push my current students towards self-motivated activism and debate. We also have a lot of kids questioning sexuality and gender identity. It's a tricky thing at my school, and I'm starting the process of coming out as trans non-binary. If I can get the order in, my science teacher is also going to use the book as a reference point for her Health classes.
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Oct 9, 2020 04:43
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Fantastic work OP! It's wonderful to see a thread like this, especially one so well put together! I don't have a page to link to but we over in the UKMT have set up our own mutual aid fund for UK Goons in trouble that's been running since covid lockdowns began here. We call it the "Solidarity Fund". If anyone is interested up to date details on the fund and how to donate or apply for assistance can be found in the OP of whatever of the currently running UKMT thread is.
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Oct 9, 2020 17:41
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Glad this thread finally exists, it is WAY overdue. I mostly lurk but I might be a little more involved in this thread. I've accumulated a lot for experience across the PNW doing lots of horizontal community organizing (queer peer activist and support groups mostly) and protest action this last summer. I've seen some poo poo, but I've learned a ton. Most of which the value in creating lasting support networks that ideally will last years and are ready for crisis, activism or collapse (let's work so the last one don't happen.) Personally I'd like to see some riot-medicine related links to the op, like rosehip medics class schedules (a basics page here https://www.rosehipmedics.org/trainings/ ) and at least one decent street medic guide (like "Riot Medicine" here https://riotmedicine.net ) If you care about your neighborhood and the people around you buy an IFAK, learn how to tourniquet, read up on the basics of treatment and find a activist medic collective offering classes in your state!!!
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Oct 9, 2020 19:40
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This video is a great casual interview/chat with a guy who's been figuring this out in Seattle for years to introduce the concepts and purposes of mutual aid and I suggest anyone who is trying to get to grips with the "rules of the road" check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkKFqH7yf0Q&t=262s But if you are a relatively affluent (probably male probably white probably cis/het) person as is frequently the type reading this dead comedy forum, here are a few key takeaways:
The Oldest Man fucked around with this message at 22:09 on Oct 9, 2020 |
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Oct 9, 2020 22:06
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Okay, updated the links in the reference post. Kicked in $100 for Timeless Appeal and shared it in the USPOL thread, hopefully we can get you funded before the end of the month. DeliciousPatriotism posted:Glad this thread finally exists, it is WAY overdue. I would love for you (and anyone else with direct experience) to do a post on your perspective, lessons learned, etc as a result of your time doing organizing, direct action, etc if you're so inclined. I will probably do a write-up on my experiences, both from the nonprofit industrial complex side and from my own personal organizing later this week/month. In the middle of job interviews and stuff right now so time is a little time but I'll get to it before end of month for sure. If you have any things you'd like to hear about specifically or just general feedback about this thread just let me know! Mat Cauthon fucked around with this message at 01:39 on Oct 12, 2020 |
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Oct 12, 2020 01:36
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Mat Cauthon posted:I would love for you (and anyone else with direct experience) to do a post on your perspective, lessons learned, etc as a result of your time doing organizing, direct action, etc if you're so inclined. I'm a street medic active in Texas. Joined up after George Floyd was murdered. Every time I go out I am reminded that most people will never talk to a protester and will only get caricatures or fabrications from their chosen entertainment stream. The police came out swinging hard and haven't really suffered for it... not that anyone expected them to suffer for it. Austin managed to pass a defund bill that mostly just moved spend authority around, and APD is probably going to use it as an excuse to under-serve most of the city. There's nowhere near enough coordination between groups and between cities yet. I expect that should begin to change around or right after the elections, and that's assuming that the Republicans don't find a way to steal the election. Boogaloo has been all over, and there are more guns, per capita, at each deployment I go on. A lot of the medics have or are acquiring armor. And central Texas has been sedate all things considered...
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Oct 12, 2020 02:59
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Mat Cauthon posted:Okay, updated the links in the reference post. Kicked in $100 for Timeless Appeal and shared it in the USPOL thread, hopefully we can get you funded before the end of the month. A lot of my direct action is involved in my job in schooling where outside of just doing my job, I try to push for the end to the school to captivity pipeline, a phrase borrowed from Monique W Morris and her amazing book, Pushout that I highly recommend. I also recommend The Predictable Failure of Education Reform by Seymour Sarason. It's very light reading, but it goes over issues like buy-in and maintaining buy-in when reforms inevitably hit unforeseen roadblocks. A lot of the ideas are applicable to other reform efforts. And you get to be depressed that it was written thirty years ago. Through the recent protests, I've been there as a body and have not been part of direct organization. I think the one piece of advice I will give for folks who want to get involved in the BLM and other racial justice endeavors is to really try to listen, especially if you're not involved in the organization. It's important to understand that these protests didn't really start in March. In Brooklyn for example, marches might be new in front of the Barclay Center, but were incredibly regular in Bed-Stuy or East New York. There have been groups like SOS that have been there for years laying the groundwork and creating the organizational infrastructure that drives these marches. A huge part of the culture around racial justice movements is testifying. It's a great opportunity to really get to understand people's lived in experiences and people to step up. But I'll be honest, I've seen instances of primarily white men who don't really get it and are a bit too quick to yell stuff out, well intended, but stuff that distracts from the speaker. I think especially in terms of racial justice, if you're new and especially if you're white try to learn the community, try to learn the feel, and remember there are folks who have been doing this for a long time. Timeless Appeal fucked around with this message at 14:55 on Oct 12, 2020 |
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Oct 12, 2020 14:34
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Reserving for an effortpost on the London activist scene and how to get involved, who's good, who's poo poo, what's out there, etc. etc. etc.
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Oct 13, 2020 12:53
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Mat Cauthon posted:Okay, updated the links in the reference post. Kicked in $100 for Timeless Appeal and shared it in the USPOL thread, hopefully we can get you funded before the end of the month. Hey I just wanna follow up (pardon the delay) on this. My experience has been very much an example of spontaneous peer group and neighborhood organization. If anything all of this has taught me the value of forming linkages, sharing knowledge and basically getting your world in such a way that when protests spike up or come to your neighborhood, you're ready to get involved and know how to help. I've also witnessed a lot of direct action and have had the good fortune to spend a lot of time communicating with and occasionally helping medic groups of various kinds. You're welcome to PM me if you like as well if you have any questions or just want to chew the fat on this subject.
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Oct 15, 2020 06:18
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real talk it seems like covid has definitely had a really bad kneecapping effect on people trying to build community networks. myself and friends included does anyone have advice for making progress networking despite covid?
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Oct 18, 2020 01:31
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Kanine posted:real talk it seems like covid has definitely had a really bad kneecapping effect on people trying to build community networks. myself and friends included It's going to be tough depending on how bad cases are in your area but it is possible. There are a couple of COVID specific resources in the OP. How to Create your own Hyperlocal Group during the COVID-19 Pandemic https://docs.google.com/document/d/..._eid=ccc4de9965 COVID-19 Mutual Aid 101 Toolkit (AOC endorsed) https://gdoc.pub/doc/e/2PACX-1vRMxV...c2vtZ074ez1o5Lg Edit: To expand on this a bit more, my community group had luck this summer holding outdoor meetings that were properly socially distanced with everyone wearing masks, but obviously that's not so much of an option now unless you live in the South or West I guess. Even if all you can manage to do is set up a comms network that can go a long way and in the course of doing so you might get tipped off to an issue that can be addressed even while keeping everyone safe. Mat Cauthon fucked around with this message at 23:39 on Oct 21, 2020 |
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Oct 21, 2020 01:51
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Thanks for the folks who donated. I got fully funded today. Thanks Mat for the extra advocation that you did in USPol!
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Oct 22, 2020 00:58
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Congrats on making your goal! Looking forward to hearing about how the students engage with the reading. On the topic of finding ways to get engaged during the pandemic, there's one thing that I forgot to talk about in the OP. ZINES Going to borrow a definition from the Zine thread in CC: Time Cowboy posted:What's a zine? I'd loosely define a zine as a self-published or small-press magazine, often with an alternative or DIY aesthetic. I associate them with genre fiction, fandom, and poor quality photocopies, but lots of people nowadays turn them into serious art pieces, printed in professional quality on glossy paper. There are also lots of online zines, or e-zines, which can run the gamut from professionally-paying fiction markets to blogs that will print literally anything, so long as you don't expect to get paid for it. Zines are a really great way to produce something that introduces people to a new subject or updates them on recent developments and doesn't take a huge amount of time, energy, or resources. Activists have re-embraced zines recently (either in print or digital form) because they provide a platform through which to facilitate political education on complex subjects with a broad audience through collaboration and community. For example: https://twitter.com/ClaudiaStellar/status/1318660774991187971 That said, zines don't have to be serious all the time. You can make your zine more of a community bulletin, recruiting neighbors to do a small segment on [insert subject here] or even use them as outreach tools for people who might not be plugged into social media and other digital platforms. The most important thing to remember is that it doesn't have to be perfect! A zine is not a glossy 500-pg magazine - whatever art you can doodle up or format you think works best will do fine, and you can improve as you go. Some resources: A guide to ideating, publishing, and distributing a DIY zine How to make a zine from a single sheet of paper So if you're looking for ways to engage your community despite pandemic precautions, this might be a way to do that and also being to create an archive for your community that can be used to figure out what issues are really most important when the time comes for more proactive organizing.
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Oct 24, 2020 03:23
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Sorry to double post but this is a great thread that someone sent to me recently on the increasing spread of community fridges, which are becoming much more common as material conditions become more precarious and families are unable to rely on the usual support systems (like schools providing 1-2 meals a day). https://twitter.com/TheCounter/status/1319665705042776066 https://twitter.com/TheCounter/status/1319665919048765442 https://twitter.com/TheCounter/status/1319666201002467332 https://twitter.com/TheCounter/status/1319666528015536128 https://twitter.com/TheCounter/status/1319666953435402240 These sort of basic mutual aid projects are really important and vital right now. They require a bit of set up but once they get going they're pretty easy to maintain and not too expensive if you can spread out the costs between 5-10 people. The hardest part is probably acquiring a fridge and finding a spot where you can run an extension cord out to it, but if my neighborhood FB group is any indicator seems like someone is throwing out/giving away a fridge like once a month. Some models advocate finding local partners to help shoulder the costs and management, however this sort of arrangement often comes with strings attached that might interfere with the project actually meeting the needs of your community. Doesn't hurt to explore options (like a local CSA org or food bank, or groups that are already active in your community) but just really do your homework before you partner with anyone. Some guides and resources. How to set up a community fridge Start a 'Friendly Fridge' to Feed Your Neighbors How to set up your own Community Fridge 5 Step Guide to Community Fridge How to Start Your Own Community Fridge
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Oct 24, 2020 23:09
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Thank you for the thread. There are a lot of greats reads and resources to pour over. Does anyone have any advice or stories on fundraising for their mutual aid organization? Funds have been a constant concern for my group. We've been working on ways to get a consistent amount coming in that lets us be sustainable even when times are lean. We got a budget and are making donation pitches both locally and on social media. I'm not primarily involved with fundraising and I imagine it can vary depending on your area.
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Nov 4, 2020 17:27
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I owe this thread a couple of effort posts on various topics but for now here are some very basic fundraising guides. https://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2020/05/05/nonprofit-fundraising-plan https://www.everyday-democracy.org/tips/10-step-guide-fundraising#.VYxCLvlVhHw These are more focused at established nonprofits than ground level mutual aid groups, but most of the fundamentals still apply. Budget smart, think about where you can take advantage of in-kind donations and/or volunteers, know when to ask for big one-time windfalls versus small, sustained donations, etc. I'll dig up more stuff this week. Also going to crosspost this here: Mat Cauthon posted:I enjoy a bit of spiraling as much as anyone else, but feels like things are getting a bit far out ITT. If you're really that worried that something bad is going to happen with regards to the election that might cause violence, precarity, etc then the best way to head that off is to get plugged into your local community organizations that are doing mutual aid, self-defense, etc RIGHT NOW and see how you can help. Don't know where to start? This offer stands for as long as this thread is up and/or I'm around. If you need help finding ways to plug into your local community just DM me with your city/state and what issues or areas you think you'd be most interested in, I will do the research for you. A handful of goons have taken me up on this and I love doing it, so don't hesitate if you're on the fence. Mat Cauthon fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Nov 4, 2020 |
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Nov 4, 2020 17:47
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DeliciousPatriotism posted:Glad this thread finally exists, it is WAY overdue.
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Nov 6, 2020 04:41
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I don't have much to offer right now, but I'd really like to know about any groups working in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul Twin Cities area. No PMs but you can reach me at my username (no spaces) @ Gmail.
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Nov 8, 2020 17:10
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Jin Wicked posted:I don't have much to offer right now, but I'd really like to know about any groups working in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul Twin Cities area. No PMs but you can reach me at my username (no spaces) @ Gmail. I went ahead and queued you up for plat so you'll have them as long as an admin approves.
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Nov 8, 2020 20:03
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Jin Wicked posted:I don't have much to offer right now, but I'd really like to know about any groups working in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul Twin Cities area. No PMs but you can reach me at my username (no spaces) @ Gmail. PM'd. Edit: Also added a bunch of links to the resource post, including some very good funds that are in need of donations right now as we hit the holidays and people are still navigating the pandemic. If you can spare it, please donate. Mat Cauthon fucked around with this message at 16:51 on Nov 9, 2020 |
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Nov 8, 2020 22:44
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Mat Cauthon posted:PM'd. Thank you both!!!
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Nov 9, 2020 01:02
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If anyone wants some initial pointers for Seattle, feel free to PM me. I am not an organizer but I do spend way too much time following local organizers on Twitter.
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Nov 9, 2020 01:20
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Jin Wicked posted:I don't have much to offer right now, but I'd really like to know about any groups working in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul Twin Cities area. No PMs but you can reach me at my username (no spaces) @ Gmail. Hi friend, this might be of interest: https://twin-cities-mutual-aid.org https://tcmap.org
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Nov 9, 2020 06:08
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manero posted:Hi friend, this might be of interest: Thank you as well!
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Nov 10, 2020 03:51
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If I'm donating clothes to a mutual aid group, should I put them in transparent garbage bags or inside cardboard boxes once I've washed and folded them?
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Jan 3, 2021 01:58
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Kanine posted:If I'm donating clothes to a mutual aid group, should I put them in transparent garbage bags or inside cardboard boxes once I've washed and folded them? Ask them. Also, receiving used clothes is the bane of many mutual aid groups and you should make 100% sure they actually want them.
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Jan 3, 2021 07:00
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The Oldest Man posted:Ask them. Also, receiving used clothes is the bane of many mutual aid groups and you should make 100% sure they actually want them. of course, also yeah i assumed so since a lot of homeless shelter sites seem really specific about clothing donations. im waiting on a reply on facebook from one of the people running the group. if the mutual aid groups and homeless shelters im asking around dont need clothes, are there any other good places that sweaters, t-shirts, socks, jackets could end up obviously the salvation army and goodwill arent great, maybe another organization? would it make sense for me to include clean sweaters, socks and underwear in some packages including food and medical supplies or would it just make more sense for me to donate the money i would have used on that and throw away the clothes
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Jan 3, 2021 07:39
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The Oldest Man posted:Ask them. Also, receiving used clothes is the bane of many mutual aid groups and you should make 100% sure they actually want them. I'd also say, consider why you're getting rid of them. Is it because they're lovely and you don't want to wear lovely clothes? Well, guess what: poor people don't either.
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Jan 16, 2021 23:33
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PT6A posted:I'd also say, consider why you're getting rid of them. Is it because they're lovely and you don't want to wear lovely clothes? Well, guess what: poor people don't either. Yeah, any time I go through my clothes I make two different "get rid of" piles. One of them is "these clothes are so gross/pitted out/falling apart" and those become rags or garbage. The other pile is "oh dear lord how am I still getting fatter I will never fit in these again" and if I can't find a local place that wants them they just go to the goodwill (yes I know how lovely goodwill is but I consider them my last resort rather than throwing away nice clothes that someone else might want).
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Jan 17, 2021 00:06
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I've taken to offering extra fruit from my trees on our local Buy Nothing group, through Facebook. I have a robust neighborhood exchange group, and it's kind of awesome to see so many people gifting things to each other. We are going to do a massive purge of all baby stuff soon (our youngest turned 4 during this pandemic) and instead of a yard sale or donating to Goodwill, we're just going to offer everything up for free to our neighbors. Maybe offer up your extra clothes there?
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Jan 19, 2021 09:11
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I've been remiss in contributing and updating this thread due to starting a new job recently plus potty training my toddler, many apologies. Appreciate everyone that has been chiming in and I will get some updates in here soonish that will address shifts in the political landscape and also hopefully create more opportunities for folks to learn about or discuss getting involved where they can. Kanine posted:would it make sense for me to include clean sweaters, socks and underwear in some packages including food and medical supplies or would it just make more sense for me to donate the money i would have used on that and throw away the clothes Socks, underwear, hygiene products (personal, dental, & feminine) , seasonal clothing (i.e. winter coats, gloves, raincoats, etc), and reusable containers (tupperware, water bottles, etc) are usually among the most needed and least donated items for various charities that give away clothing or other essentials to folks in need. So if you're really in doubt that your spare clothes are going to be useful, it is sometimes a better option to sell them and then donate the cash or at the very least call the charity in question and ask them if what you want to donate could be useful for the population they serve. Worse case scenario they say no but often they will at least redirect you to a charity that can put your used items to good use. Primer on things that homeless shelters and clothing charities often need. Tips on what to do before you donate your old clothes Clothing donation is one of those things that seems like an easy action but can often contribute to a lot of waste and/or extra work for charities. If you're going to do it make sure that all your donations have been cleaned (washed with hypoallergenic detergent and dried with scent free dryer sheets if possible), fold them, bag them up (ziplock bags are an easy option here that also helps with labeling), sort them as much as possible (size, kid vs adult, seasonal apparel, etc) because that will make it much easier for those donations to be sorted, stored, and allocated efficiently.
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Jan 20, 2021 05:31
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VorpalBunny posted:I hope this is the right place for this: I'm quoting myself, as Biden has made clear the Remain in Mexico policy will be repealed and this group is trying to prepare for families that will be making it over the border. They help place migrants with their sponsors or family members once they cross the border and/or are released from detention. Cash is best for now, but I am betting they will need specific help as Biden's policies bear fruit. It's a very exciting time!
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Jan 22, 2021 09:44
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Speaking on some mutual aid work I've helped done or worked with during Inauguration Week my DSA chapter did coalition work with our local John Brown Gun Club and Pittsburgh Mutual Aid when we realized "Yeah doing a rally downtown would be unsafe and unwise" https://twitter.com/SteelCityJBGC/status/1353779989678858241 More specific to my chapter we've been stocking this pantry for over 3 years and recently raised 1,000$ for it. https://twitter.com/SabrinaSpiher/status/1357411617701572608 We have thought of doing a free community fridge, but location is an issue; a really good idea from the person behind the pantry is that we could ask our members to each make a thing of soup and then host a day at our HQ to give out free soup while also utilizing the fridges at our HQ to give folks milk, meat, cheese, etc.
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Feb 8, 2021 17:54
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achillesforever6 posted:*doing cool poo poo for Pittsburgh* My family is from outside Pittsburgh, it’s a place that’s near and dear to my heart. I appreciate what you’re doing.
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Aug 4, 2021 01:01
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