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Organizing Resources May 14, 2009

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General Organizing

Training Agendas

Group Process

Training Agendas

Facilitation

Training Agendas

Consensus

Training Agendas

Campaigns

Fundraising

On Police & State Repression

Other Resources on this website:

Anti-Oppression Resources & Exercises May 13, 2009

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In this section:

Power & Liberation
Creating Liberation
Fear
Exercises on Power
Other Resources

Articles & Tips

Exercises

Training Groups

For more about putting anti-oppression work into practice, check out Resources for Ally & Coalition Building

Spirit & Sustainability May 13, 2009

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envirojustice

The Importance of Spirit and Energy Work

When I learned to make a distinction between religion and spirituality, I was able to open myself to the great forces/energies at work in our worlds. With the help of many I have learned the importance of breathing and staying grounded and connected to the earth. Of being anchored to my core self and being authentic in my voice and practice.  I’ve learned about the power of intention and the importance of working with allies – seen and unseen.  These are powerful tools and practices when one is in the midst of struggle – especially conflict with the State.

I have learned to trust my instincts and my intuition and am training my eye to better see the dynamics of power in any given situation. I have watched again and again, in the midst of heated protest, the pull of spirit and the hunger of so many people to be connected to themselves and each other and to the energy we generate together in the streets. When we are in the midst of all that power, energy and chi we are most fully alive. People are desperate to feel alive.

This work with spirit naturally lead to a consciousness and interest in protecting the earth and all living things – I love the animals, the winged creatures, the plants and trees way more than people really ! : )

Over the years and through the protests, my primary collective – ACT, the Alliance of Community Trainers, has been weaving together magic, activism and ecological sustainability.   We have been learning and working and incorporating permaculture, natural design and bioremediation it into our resistance and liberaton work.  Whether it be greywater filter handwash stations in Cancun, to a mobile toliet in Miami, to toxic clean up in Brunswick, GA and in New Orleans, to composting toliets in Scotland, Texas and California.  We are promoting sustainabile systems and practices that pre-figure the a world we desire.

Below are some resources and groups we work with.

What is Permaculture?

I like how the Austin Permaculture Guild describes it…

Permaculture is a worldwide movement for sustainable design. It was founded in the late 1970s by two Australians: Bill Mollison and David Holmgren.

Mollison defines permaculture as “adesign system for creating sustainable human environments.” Another definition, coined by Austin area permie Selwyn Polit, is “practical sustainability.”

The cornerstone of permaculture design is observing and mimicking patterns found in nature. People often arrive at permaculture through an interest in gardening. And certainly, growing food where people live is an essential component of creating a more sustainable society. But permaculture isn’t a gardening system per se, and it isn’t (necessarily) about growing your own food or living out in the country. In fact, the worldwide permaculture movement is as much about co-designing more sustainable cities, towns, villages, neighborhoods, workplaces, professions, companies, schools, economic arrangements, financial institutions, and social organizations as it is about making our agricultural practices more sustainable.

Permaculture design draws on natural patterns to create human systems that are healthier and more productive. Using this design approach, human beings can actually have a positive impact on the land and on all other species (as opposed to merely reducing our negative impact).

Ever feel hopeless about all the bad news you hear, and powerless to address the problems of the world? Study and practice permaculture. You’ll come to know that making positive change is much easier and closer to home than you think.

Basic Content of a Permaculture Course

A permaculture design course consists of classroom instruction, field trips, hands-on projects, and a site design project. Intensive courses include rustic accommodation (camping or other simple arrangements), supplementary evening programs (videos, guest speakers, etc.), and communal meals.

Topics covered include:

– Orientation; introductions; state of the world — and our typical responses
– Introduction to Permaculture ethics and design principles
– Designing from patterns to details
– Observations, pattern, and design
– Methods of design (hands-on site observation)
– Ecosystems, bioregions, climate, bio-geography
– Soils, water (incl. ponds, rainwater, greywater), earthworks
– Forests & trees; food forests
– Edible landscaping; use of edible perennials
– Small-animal systems
– Small-scale, intensive cultivation
– Techniques and strategies for the urban environment
– Broadscale (rural/large-site) design
– Wildlife management
– Ponds, aquaculture, mariculture
– Energy production and use
– Appropriate technology
– Natural building
– Greenbuilding
– “Waste” management; treatment; re-use
– Biological “pest” control
– Designing/retrofitting your home
– Designing your landscape
– Invisible structures (laws/norms; institutions); toward more sustainable arrangements
– Alternative business/economic/financial structures; right livelihood; attitudinal principles
– Intentional community; eco-cities; eco-villages
– Tools for the designer
– Finding your right livelihood
– The global permaculture organization; how you can get involved

Permaculture & Sustainability Resources

Magical Resources & Writings

Links May 12, 2009

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Here are some links to other great resources and groups.

General Resources

  • Centre for Applied Nonviolent Action & Strategies, from the folks who help create Otpur, the people power movement that overthrew Slobadan Milosevic, the brutal Serbian dictator.
  • Gipfelsoli, based in Europe,  news, resources, and archives from the global justice  movement.
  • Handbook for Nonviolent Campaigns, War Resistors League International, excellent online manual
  • Pace e Bene,resources for nonviolent action and living
  • People’s Global Action,website and archive, a worldwide co-ordination of radical social movements, grassroots campaigns and direct actions in resistance to capitalism and for social and environmental justice. PGA is part of the anti-globalization movement.
  • Starhawk’s Activist Resources, this web page you’ll find resources for nonviolent direct action and anti-oppression trainers/preparers and magical activism workshop facilitators. You’ll find sample agendas, exercises, wall charts, handouts, and notes on how trainings went.
  • Social Movements & Culture, a resource website for the study of social movements from Washington State University
  • The Vernal Project, a project by Randy Schutt, offers lots of great resources and training agendas
  • Nonviolence International
  • Seeds for Change, trainers collective from the UK with lots of great resources
  • The Virginia Organizing Project, great articles and advice for organizers
  • Turning the Tide. Program of Quakers for Peace and Social Witness to advance the understanding of active nonviolence and its use for positive social change.

Art and Action

  • Bread and Puppet Theater, based in Vermont, this group offers amazing political performances, marches in protests, offers trainings in their base in Glover, Vt.  Great puppet museum and stencil art!
  • Laboratory of Insurrectionary Imagination, European-based site of interesting culture jamming, artistic actions and more
  • Clandestine Insurgent Radical Clown Army, CIRCA
  • Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, has been using water, flour, newspaper, paint, and unlimited imagination to tell stories that explore the struggles and celebrations of human existence.
  • The Puppeteers’ Cooperative Home Page , Boston, includes sketches to show how to make large puppets and ideas for puppet processions.
  • Puppet Uprising in Philly presents performances by puppeteers from all over the world. Some are full-length theatrical works that utilize puppets, other events are cabarets of several short puppet shows.
  • The Puppetry Homepage is a very comprehensive puppetry resource.
  • Theatre of the Oppressed , uses interactive theater and stories.  Developed by Augusto Boal, Brazilian theatre director  during the 1950’s and 1960’s to move a “dialogue” between audience and stage.  The workshops are virtually a training ground for action not only in these performance forms, but for action in life.
  • Wise Fools Community Arts Bay Area Puppeteers that uses art and theatre as vehicles for community building, self-determination, social and political change.  Great puppet-making manual!

Collective Liberation

Fundraising

Health

Legal

Magical Activism

Media Activism

  • Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), the national media watch group, advocates for greater diversity in the press, and scrutinizes media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints. FAIR has been offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986. As an anti-censorship organization, FAIR exposes important news stories that are neglected and defends working journalists when they are muzzled.
  • FAIR’s Media Activist Kit includes “how-to” guides for identifying, documenting and challenging inaccurate or unfair news coverage, along with information about how to promote independent media.
  • Free Press– Free Press is a national nonpartisan organization working to increase informed public participation in crucial media policy debates, and to generate policies that will produce a more competitive and public interest-oriented media system with a strong nonprofit and noncommercial sector.
  • Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation engages in media activism, media analysis and provides resources.
  • Media Alliance is a San Francisco-based training and resource center for media workers, activist and community organizations. Promotes a diverse, accountable and ethical media.
  • Progressive Communicators Network – great online tools for media activists
  • Project Censored maintains a large list of media activist organizations.
  • The Mainstream Media Project is a resource for access to talk radio and for trainings in how to be successful in that curious medium that reaches into the midlands and mainstream. They call this training “From Advocate to Expert.”
  • The Spin Project – is dedicated to working with social justice organizations ready to deploy communications strategies for social change.
  • Smartmeme – buils movement and amplifies the impact of grassroots organizing with a new strategy and training resources, values based communication, collaborations and meme campaigning.

Permaculture

Trainers Groups and Resources

  • Alliance of Community Trainer – based in Austin Texas, provides trainings on environmental sustainability, permaculture, bioremediation, strategic campaigns, nonviolent direct action and organizer skill-building.
  • Seeds of Peace Collective, A dedicated group of people who formed a collective to support non-violent direct action after the Great Peace March in 1986
  • The Action Mill – based in Philadelphia,
  • The Change Agency– an Austrialian group with a lot of great resources!
  • Nonviolence International – works to build nonviolent movements around the world.
  • Rainforest Action Network based in San Francisco, good activist resources
  • The Ruckus Society based in the Bay Area, this site has training manuals for action planning, media, climbing, scouting, video taping, and hanging from a billboard.
  • SmartMeme –  resources on strategic messaging and campaign work using the power of story
  • Tools for Change – based in Seattle, TFC provides consulting, facilitation, mediation and training services.  25 years of help individuals and organizations address issues of power, embrace cultural diversity and tap into intuitive and creative resources.
  • Tool for Change – Canada -A project of OPIRG Toronto, Earthroots, and Greenpeace Canada, Tools for Change helps people develop skills to advocate for social, economic, and environmental justice.Tools for Change also posts resource guides, case studies, and other useful material on their website at Toolsforchange.net.
  • Training for Change This training organization, led by George Lakey, has descriptions of exercises to be used during trainings.