Schedule of events, Social Forum Starts at 11 AM on April 12th

 

Workshop A12.5: Battle in the Pacific: The 99 Percent against the Trans-Pacific Free Trade Agreement (TPAA) Track 1 Now, after 18 years of offshoring jobs and growing public opposition to the same failed trade NAFTA model, U.S. trade officials are pushing a NAFTA with Asia  that not only replicates the worst of the past, but champions outrageous new corporate proposals that would cost  jobs, drive down wages, decrease access to medicine, worsen labor conditions and keep the same policies in place that caused the global economic crisis. Once again the 99 percent from the streets of Wall Street to Vietnam will pay the price. Join the movement and join those determined to fight corporate globalization and the Trans-Pacific Free Trade Agreement (TPAA). Brooke Harper Patterson, Global Trade Watch

Workshop A12.6: Ethics of Live Streaming in Direct Action Track 3 To address the internal confusion and danger that live streaming presents in direct action situations.  The concept of transparency vs solidarity will be addressed. This would be "most" benificial for those engaging in live streaming events but could also help participants determine if a particular live streamer is to be trusted.  Flux Rostrum

Workshop A12.7: Transformational Strategies: Occupy Politics, Shifting Toward A New Society Track 1 "The Occupy Movement: Demonstrations of Discontent,  Linking Goals and Strategies: Reopening the Dialogue: Why Vote?The Teach-In will include plenty of time for discussion, Q&A and productive debate on each of these areas." People For A New Society (PFANS)

Workshop A12.8  Natural Law and Anarchy Track 2 Exploring the Native american roots of anarchism, the need for the occupy movement to acknowledge the contributions of anarchists.  Louise Thundercloud, the Anarchist Coalition

 

Workshop A12.9: Alternative Currencies: Time Banks Track 4 Local currencies, supplemental forms of money which circulate in local communities, 1.) create more social and financial capital in local communities, 2.) keep local resources in communities, and 3.) grow monetary decision-making access in communities while facilitating the revaluing of unpaid work.  Time Banks ensure that value held locally will remain a Store of Value (SoV) in the local community over a long period of time. Shira Jones (Anacostia Time Bank)

Workshop A12.10: State, County and City-Owned Banks and How They Can Fund the Sustainable Economy Track 1 "How could local governments reduce their borrowing costs and insure against interest rate volatility without putting themselves at the mercy of this Wall Street culture of greed?  One possibility is for them to own some banks.  State and municipal governments could put their revenues in their own publicly-owned banks; leverage this money into credit as all banks are entitled to do; and use that credit either to fund their own projects or to buy municipal bonds at the market rate.  It will include a review of the systemic peril of compound interest, the money creation powers of depository banks, and a review of the only public bank in the USA -- the Bank of North Dakota.  " Marc Armstrong & Ruth Caplan Public Banking Institute

Workshop A12.11: Re-Envisioning Our Future: Models & Values For A Cooperative New Society Track 4 "Understanding The Present: Economic/Cultural/Political Basis and The Meme of Capitalism;

Envisioning An Alternative: Re-thinking Everything;  Build  A Meaningful Movement: Evolution Now!

Set the Goal: A New World To Win " People For A New Society (PFANS)

Workshop A 12.13 Organic Direct Democracy: Philosophy and Tactical Plan Track 4  The primary objective is to describe the philosophy and model for an “Organic Direct Democracy,” which is essentially a form of online, open source governance. The secondary objective is to provide a tactical plan for actualizing it, or a similar system.  Presenter: Chappell Howard

 

 

Workshop A13.1: Campaign to Boycott Wells Fargo and End the Prison Industrial Complex - the Root of Mass Incarceration in the US Track 3 "The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population and 25% of the world’s prison population.The private prison industry, financed by Wells Fargo and other Big Finance, wrote laws that keep 2.3 million people behind bars each day, nearly 60% people of color. Join the campaign to boycott Wells Fargo and end mass incarceration and abuse of people." Christopher Glenn, PEERS: Promoting Empowerment Education and Re-entry Solutions

Workshop A13.2: Occupy Our Democracy This project asks students and citizens to consider how the Occupy Movement should deal with the upcoming election.  It asks them to share their views on the strengths and weaknesses of the Occupy Movement and where they think it should go from here.  An open Facebook group was created to house the project:  http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/groups/195912153850266/ . Dr. Timothy McWhirter Montgomery College, MD

Workshop A13.3: Work not War. Track 1 Gene Bruskin

 

 

 

Workshop A13.6: Occupy Longview (WA) and the IWLU: How Occupy and Labor Can Help Each Other Track 5 "To establish and strengthen the link between Labor and Occupy, several issues will be discussed, including how to present your idea to your local GA, inter-Occupy communications, speaking to Union Officials and the rank and file, dealing with the media and realizing the strength of the Occupy movement.·         Accepting and dealing with the politics of Unions

·         Realizing the basic connection between Occupy and Organized Labor : We both want a better standard of living for the middle class.

·         Understanding Unions, and the law, Taft-Hartley, and the importance of Occupy

·         Picking the battle that we can all fight:  goes back to messaging too.

·         Public outreach, attending labor council meetings, flyer's, even door to door canvassing" Paul Nipper

Workshop A13.7: Creating an Impressive Banner Drop Track 3 We will create large banners and learn how to successfully create an impactful banner drop in the most unexpected places. Tarak Kauff

Workshop A13.8: From Tahrir Square to Liberty Square: Building a movement to end war for empire Track 1 This workshop will examine organizing strategies to build a mass movement within the United States that fights for equality and economic justice, and defends those struggling for independence around the world. Our organizing panel and discussion will explore common ties between the Occupy movement in the United States, and the struggle against U.S. imperialism. "Heather Benno ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism)"

 

 

Workshop A13.9: Capitalism is Organized Crime & Socialism is the Alternative Track 1 This workshop will discuss what socialism looks like and how it would address some of the most pressing issues facing the working class today, including unemployment, homelessness, mass incarceration, police brutality and the rising costs of health care and education.  Strategies for how workers can join the struggles to fight to shift power from the 1% ruling class to the 99% will be included.  The workshop will discuss the question of whether a revolution is possible in the United States. Radhika Miller 

Workshop A13.10: BioDemocracy: Using the Tools of Direct Democracy – Ballot Initiatives, Local Laws and Direct Action -- to Throw the Bums Out & Heal the Planet Track 4 OCA explains use of grassroots tools of Direct Democracy – Ballot Initiatives, Referendums and Recalls – to effectively challenge the hegemony of the "one percent," with examples of historic successes and explanation of the process behind the ballot initiative in CA to require the labeling of GMO foods – a move that poses a direct, meaningful threat to the power of Monsanto and Big Food Inc. Alexis Baden-Mayer Organic Consumers Association

Workshop A13.11: Occupy Food Justice Track 4 A discussion of the actions done by OWS Occupy Food Justice working group such as the Seed Exchange and how to create community gardens in the city, compost and more! Dee Dee Maucher

Workshop A13.12: Work, not War: The Fund Our Communities Campaign Track 1 Fund Our Communities, Bring the War Dollars Home is a coalition of community groups in Maryland. It is part of a growing nationwide movement to cut military spending and fund domestic needs.

 

Luther Place Methodist Church

1226 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005

 

The 99% Deficit Proposal: How to create jobs, reduce the wealth divide and build a peaceful, just and sustainable society Track 1 Bill Hartung of Project for Defense Alternatives, Gar Alperovitz of the Democracy Collaborative, Kevin Zeese of ItsOurEconomy and Margaret Flowers of Physicians for a National Health Program.