Post: Recommending the Future of Occupy e-Newsletter, February 2012,

Hi Charley and readers of my open letters at http://dadamac.posterous.com
Charley - You said something recently about wanting some more updating on occupy. I wonder if you've come across this newsletter (and anyhow, better to know twice than not at all).
You can subscribe via http://thefutureofoccupy.org/
It includes this post by George Por which gives a London update - Achievements of Occupy London’s Working Groups
Pamela

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Future of Occupy collective <team@thefutureofoccupy.org>
Date: 12 February 2012 19:38
Subject: The Future of Occupy e-Newsletter, February 2012

Future of Occupy

February, 2012

"Occupy will never die; Evict us, we multiply!"

Welcome to The Future of Occupy newsletter!
sitting
Hello from the crew at FoO!

Over the last month we’ve been reading, analyzing, and honing in on the most vibrant conversations taking place in the Working Groups. Our February issue, the ‘Focus on Working Groups’ presents you with a number of blogs and essays highlighting exciting strategic ideas, specific proposals, and LOTS MORE bubbling up from the WGs. It is our hope that they will catalyze the cross-fertilization of innovative practices and ideas between the WGs, and evoke your comments and news that can benefit all of us!

The order we have presented our articles run from the macroscopic perspective of sense-making and strategy to the specific implementations of WG practices such as the art of blocking. If you are more interested in the concrete specifics of the WGs perhaps you could start reading the issue from the bottom, while if you’re more of a big-picture thinker, who has a fine taste for the integrated whole, then reading from the top holds the most fruit for you. In truth whichever way you read this issue of the newsletter, we trust you will find rich pickings in each and every article. Read, comment, share and enjoy!

The FoO collective

How (r)evolution carries itself forward by the Working Groups of Occupy

occupy What can Occupy learn from the evolutionary dynamics of differentiation-integration-transformation? What can that triad bring to the epic question, how can the 99% win? In this essay, George Pór guides us through how we can make use of the understanding of that triad for discovering the answer.

Can Occupy occupy strategy?

occupy strategy How can a leaderless movement devise a strategy? Drawing on the work of the Strategy Planning WG Occupy Venice (California), this article explores the uses of strategy in internal coordination, collective self-education, and embracing the Commons, as an economic and social paradigm of a fair society worth championing.

Occupy the solutions

key Here’s an article packed with ideas for moving the Working Groups out of the realm of mere discussion and into concrete solutions that harness the talents of professionalism whilst retaining communal participation. Furthermore it suggests the solutions are already out there, simply needing to be researched and introduced. It’s time for stage two: implementing them.

Working Groups: the self organising revolution

ants "Working Groups reveal the desire for a new manner of building community..." With them we could in fact be witnessing new systems of self-organisation that are creating an alternative to the current disempowering, unrepresentative democracies. This article points to various examples innovative practices introduced by Working Groups.

Is Occupy leaderless or leaderful: insights from some Working Groups

leaders Can we inspire the leadership qualities in everybody to manifest, without having to have “followers”? This article explores the need for all of us to become leaders in a movement without hierarchy, and some suggestions for achieving this.

A responsible Occupation? the fun and hard work of Pittsburgh's Working Groups

“It’s not that OP doesn’t challenge authority (many people have been arrested at OP actions) but perhaps it’s that they do so in ways that are seen as creative, thought provoking, and most of all, decidedly non-violent” This blog tells about how the Working Groups of Occupy Pittsburgh are creating actions that bring smiles to even the police and local council.

The dangers of Working Groups

leaders How do we make sure that working groups are in a state of function rather than dysfunction? Here you will find some useful suggestions from Occupy London including WG health checks, the value of online forums and how to deal with the misconceptions on what the responsibilities of a Working Group should have.

Working Groups are sowing the seeds for a healthier healthcare infrastructure

Working Groups can be seen as social laboratories where new ways of doing things are tried out and improved. In the US, a number of active healthcare WGs have been built on the need for health systems that put people before profits. Collaborative efforts such as Occupy Healthcare and Health Justice for All are pioneering initiatives which stress the importance of listening to every voice in providing healthcare services.

A homeless and a businessman in the meeting of a Corporations WG

Occupy is life affirming! This beautiful account inspires a sense of gratitude with scenes from a Working Group in Occupy London. It bears witness to the participants’ incredible effort, the magic and sheer human fraternity transcending social barriers.

The community art of working with “blocking”

"Blocking" in Working Groups and GAs is the power of a single person to veto a consensus. What are the appropriate circumstances in which it should be used? When does this power get abused? This blog is dedicated to all Occupiers, who want to become wiser about "blocking" and how to relate to it.

Monthly Downloads

This month's download is a bonus chapter of: The Empowerment Manual: A Guide for Collaborative Groups, by Starhawk, published in November 2011, by New Society Publishers.
Download PDF

Explore snapshots in time with our photographic anthology on working Groups and Occupy Life! Here.

List of Upcoming Events

Stop ACTA! - February 11, 2012. 2pm to 5pm
Global call to action to defend freedom of the Internet! The ACTA agreement benefits only a fraction of industrial companies such as RIAA and MPAA. ACTA is the result of their lobbying. Read MORE

An OWS Forum on the Commons - February 16 to 18, 2012.
Organizational forms developed by Occupy are already functioning, in many ways, as institutions of the commons. This conference will explore other examples of existing commons we can draw inspiration from and how can new commons be created and expanded in our society. Two of the FoO editors will facilitate a workshop on "Reclaiming the Commons as a Social Theory of Collective Action." Read MORE

Occupy Our Food Supply! - February 27, 2012
End Corporate Exploitation of Our Food Systems! CREATE local, just, fair food solutions. RESIST corporate control of our food supply. National Day of Action: Feb. 27. Get involved and make something awesome happen, this day of action is DIY. :) Spread the word, and share your photos and stories! Read MORE

European Day of Action Against Capitalism - March 31, 2012
During an international meeting in December 2011 in Frankfurt am Main, several left wing organisations and grassroots unions from Greece, Spain, Poland, Austria and Germany decided to launch a joint effort against capitalist reforms under the current crisis. On March 31st, there will be a "European Day of Action against Capitalism", with simultaneous demonstrations in those countries, labeled "M31". Groups from other countries are likely to join. Read MORE

Earth Day Rally, Occupy the EPA - April 22, 10am to April 23, 6pm
For those who care about the well being of our environment. For those who think environmental protection should be a top priority. We will no longer stand for corruption, selective regulation and decreasing human health conditions in the environment where we live, learn and work. Read MORE

Occupy May Day - General Strike - May 1st, noon to 11.30 pm
Occupy Los Angeles are calling on all people of the world to start planning NOW for this Global Strike. The goal is to shut down commerce worldwide and show the 1% we will not be silenced, we will not move until our grievances are redressed. Read MORE

12.M World(r)Evolution - Global Day of Action - May 12th, all day.
Announced on the 12.M World(r)Evolution Facebook page. Read MORE

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A cooperative collaboration of programming & design: Phil DeRossi & Meryl Tihanyi

Recommending the Future of Occupy e-Newsletter, February 2012, February 12, 2012