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Resist Newsletter, Nov-Dec 2011
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Recommended Citation Resist, "Resist Newsletter, Nov-Dec 2011" (2011). Resist Newsletters. 385. https://digitalrepository.trincoll.edu/resistnewsletter/385 ISSN 0897-2613 • Vol. 20 #6 A CALL TO RESIST ILLEGITIMATE AUTHORITY November - December 2011
By Pam Baldwin we soon had over 2,000 "likes" on Facebook n September 17, Occupy Wall and showing up to vari Street began in New York City. ous events. O Ten days later, Tahirih Cahill, Transformational so mother of two young children here in cial change, what The Boise, Idaho and wife of one of my son's Interfaith Alliance of childhood friends, logged into Facebook, Idaho has been work set up a page, named it OccupyBoi, and ing toward for the past sent it to a dozen friends. 13 years, has been us Tahirih heard about Occupy Wall Street ing all the tried and (OWS) through a Wisconsin friend and true tools of organiz wondered why she heard nothing about ing: measuring progress something this big and exciting in the lo by expanding our base cal or national news. She decided to set of civically active folks up a meeting on Friday in her home. Her who understand what brother-in-law, Travis, connected with it means to be inclusive, students at Boise State. democratic and progres Overnight 600 people had signed on. sive. While OccupyBoi An organizer with Food Not Bombs/Snake might have started just River Alliance called, they reserved the a few months ago and band shell at Julia Davis Park, got together grown rapidly in that for four hours, and planned the agenda time, we know much for the meeting. We borrowed ideas from of its energy has been OWS and tapped into classic organizing built on the foundation tools such as the strategy chart from the of organizing. ;,... Midwest Academy. And suddenly we ~ were off and running. Base-building work continues losing all the civil rights and social prog- Folks showed up with blankets and In mid-September I had just finished ress folks have made over the last 60 years, chairs and we began plotting democ The Interfaith Alliance's fall newsletter. of the dismantling of democracy and of racy right then and there in the park. We The year has been filled with plenty of losing hope for a life that never existed. formed public education, direct action, activity as we all scurried around hoping Over the years we have traveled the media, legal, general assembly (GA) and to transform public policy for the common state and held dozens of workshops. We other committees. On October 5, we held good, which to us means a sane and bal have held vigils and rallies for human and a march and rally on the statehouse steps, anced fiscal policy, safe places for children civil rights. We organized local "Democ which despite the rain, out-shined events of all ages, human rights, fair employment racy Action Circles," hosted candidate in larger cities. practices, protecting the last vestiges of forums, organized get out the vote efforts Things grew quickly. One hundred our public education system, protecting and held fabulous annual gatherings with fifty people joined that first General As our First Amendment rights of freedom great speakers and trainers. sembly. Over 400 attended the October to worship as one wishes or not. The year continued on page 2 5 rally & march to the Capitol steps. And has also been filled with fear: the fears of From the Editor's Desk: From Occupations to Victories By Saif Rahman using old and new methods to build a base renew one another for the marathon ahead of support around issues of reproductive and imagine together the kind of world we ry,he end of the year is naturally a time justice in Wyoming . are working to create. .l to reflect, and 2011 has provided all As we acknowledge our inspirations of us in the US with much to ponder. As and victories, all of us at RESIST are also Saif Rahman is the incoming editor of the a movement we often focus on where we diving a bit deeper into the Occupy Wall RESIST Newsletter. might have fallen short, but at the heart of Street phenomenon. Many of our grantees this issue of the Newsletter are a few of our are successfully challenging the conven victories-and how victories come in dif tional narrative about the movement. We <.!JSQCIAL CHANG E~ ~ ;:o ferent shapes and sizes. have groups in land-locked states chal Cl ,,, What is ahead is unwritten, but what z :i lenging the notion that it is just "east coast ::> l> we do know is that the remarkable series liberals banging on drums" who comprise LJ.. z LL. J::l, of "Occupy'' gatherings sparked by New this movement. We have indigenous O 0 Cl) -< York's Occupy Wall Street has captivated groups pushing all of us to rethink the use the world. The more than 1,400 occupations of the the term "occupy." We have com ~ RESIST i > Cl) have brought together an unlikely group munities who have been working tirelessly 0 o of people-from urban youth to farm reminding us that this movement was not ~ .,, z Tl ers to unionized workers to retirees. The immaculately born on September 17 in
2 RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011 Occupy continued from page 2 intergenerational base and leadership.
Movement interrupts And then it happened-in the midst of our busy schedules and continuing programs. As Naomi Klein put it in an article title, "Occupy Wall Street: The Most Important Thing in the World Now." I watched Occupy Idaho on Facebook as Occupy Idaho Falls, Sandpoint, Coeur d'Alene, Rexburg, Moscow, Pocatello, Sun Valley, Ketchum, Nampa began popping up. In Idaho Falls, the largest city in eastern Idaho but still a small one with a population of just over 50,000, organizers told of 150 people at their At Occupy gatherings around the country, participants have relied on "General Assemblies" rally, General Assembly meetings, com for direct democracy decision making. mittees formed. In smaller Pocatello, as in high _schools and 2Great4Hate when How will The Interfaith Alliance work in other towns, many of the folks joining the Aryans reappeared. They reactivated with these new organizations trying the movement haven't been part of any the Idaho Young Democrats in a sea of on democracy and consensus? We will organizations and have never partici ultra-conservatism. The young leaders listen and honor the hard work they are pated in any form of direct action. mentored more young leaders, and the doing as they create a new movement, "The most inspiring, encouraging history of progressive organizing on cam offer to share skills and facilitate popular thing," said Tahirih, one of the organiz pus and beyond exponentially expands. education workshops on the issues they ers of OccupyBoi, "is the number of my I listened incredulously to talking want. We will learn from each other peers who had been apathetic, unaware, heads on the news asking why Occupy about creative new ways to transform finally seeing the validity in be our institutions, to change our world as ing active in a social movement we know it into the communities that are that will affect their lives and good and nurturing for our children, our the lives of those around them." i ~ elders, ourselves-so eager and hopeful j to salvage our democracy. Strong foundation ~ As for the future? Well, we are already E: The foundation Occupy Idaho ] looking towards our annual gathering stands on has been built in large -~ in January, "Building an Inclusive In- ~ part by the trained leaders we v5' tergenerational Movement," and things have in communities across the ~ couldn't be corning together any better! state who have, step by step, -5' And we will continue to support and brick by brick, been building this ~ be involved in the exciting work of Oc- o': new progressive movement from Marches and demonstrations have been one of the cupyBoi. its amazing beginning. In Poca tel- many tactics Occupy Wall Street has used to express And as Tahirih, my intuitive young lo, The Interfaith Alliance had collective outrage, recruit more people and keep mo- friend who used her social networking mentored students at Idaho State mentum going. skills to spark the Occupy movement University, helped send them to in the most unlikely of places puts it, "I WesternStatesCenter'sActivistsMobiliz- Wall Street has so many issues. John can't even begin to speculate where this ing for Power (AMP) Camp, shared in Nichols from The Nation summed it will lead, but I feel certain this is a turning training at Camp Wellstones and United up perfectly on Countdown with Keith point in the landscape of the US and the Vision for Idaho's Camp Democracies in Olbermann, "Well, when you've got Oc- world-this first global political awaken- Idaho Falls, Nampa and Coeur d'Alene. cupy Pocatello going on, in Idaho, you ing in history, which I find phenomenal." These trained leaders then managed po- know something is happening. And this litical campaigns, created new organiza- is Idaho, and it's tough. You're a brave Pam Baldwin is the Executive Director of the tions, including Gay-Straight Alliances protester in Idaho." Interfaith Alliance of Idaho, a RESIST grantee.
RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011 3 Can the #Occupy Movement Be a Turning Point? by Doyle Canning since August 2007, right after the housing bubble burst. s the Wall Street occupation continues, ''Across the country, we are seeing the ABoston residents are sitting in to save same story: the mortgage bubble created their homes-and providing a lesson in by Wall Street pushed predatory lending on how to sustain the powerful spark of the urban communities, and since the bubble Occupy movement. burst the fallout has been catastrophic," Presley Obas~han is fighting foreclo said Rachel LaForest, executive director of sure on his home by Bank ?f America. Mr. the Wght to the City Alliance, which led the Obasohan lives in Dorchester, Massachu protests. Unemployment and foreclosure setts-the most diverse neighborhood in have hit communities of color first and Boston -where building values have sunk worst. But it is urban communities who are to half or less of mortgage loan debt. Presley at the forefront of the movement to fight is trying to save his home for his daughters. back. We took this direct action to demand He has petitioned; he has pled. He has wait payback from Bank of America." ed on hold and stood in line. But on Friday, Presely decided enough was enough and Building an alliance he joined the Right to the City Alliance in a This confrontation with Bank of America mass action of civil disobedience. came at the end of a raucous march of over Along with 23 other Boston residents, 3,000 people carrying colorful banners and Bank of America has foreclosed. on more homes than any other bank in Boston. 24 he was proudly arrested for siting in at the banging drums to confront the natio~'s Boston residents were arrested in a mass Boston headquarters of Bank of America. largest lender over its role in the economic action at Bank of America. "I blocked the doors at Bank of America crisis. The march was led by members of so that my neighbors, and me, can stay in City LifeNida Urbana, a former RESIST umbrella MASSUNITING, with progres our homes," Presley told the press. "So grantee, who carried signs that told their sive organized labor, the Green Justice many people have been thrown out of their stories of predatory lending and foreclosure Coalition, the Youth Jobs Coalition, the homes or lost their jobs needlessly because in Boston. As the rowdy procession snaked immigrant rights movement, and a diverse of mistakes made by Wall Street banks. through downtown, they were joined by array of progressive groups. A number of Yet it's the banks who are now rewarded members of UNITE/HERE picketing at Right to the City member groups are cur with billions in tax refunds. It's time to the Hyatt Hotel, and the Communcations rent or former RESIST grantees. fight back!" Workers of America picketing at Verizon Wireless. Take back the block, Occupy Why Bank of America? When the march arrived at the Massa the Hood As of March 2011, Bank of America had chusetts headquarters of Bank of America, On Saturday, Right to the City took more homes in foreclosure than any other the crowd chanted "The banks got bailed their message into the neighborhood. The bank in Boston, with two-thirds of these out, wegotsoldout'' and ''Bank of America, Four Comers area of Dorchester has been in "majority minority" neighborhoods. Bad for America" as nervous bank em ravaged by foreclosures. Led by the com Sixty-one percent of Bank of America's ployees peered through the glass. The civil munity organizing powerhouse City Life/ subprime mortgages were concentrated disobedience team managed to block the Vida Urbana, the group staged an occupa in these same neighborhoods, revealing a entrances to the building and to occupy tion of a wrongly foreclosed home, hoping pattern of pushing bad loans on people of the lobby of the bank itself. As they were to return it from the hands of Deutsche color and the poor. arrested one by one, they were led through Bank to its rightful owners-a family that In late September, Bank of America an rows of cheering demonstrators shouting, was evicted and has left the area. nounced that it would begin charging cus "We stand with you!" The action team cleaned the home, tomers $5 per month to use their debit cards. The Right to the City Alliance is a na brought in donated furniture, hung art [Editor's note: a decision they later backed tional movement of urban economic and on the walls and a banner off the porch. from due to intense public pressure]. This racial justice organizations, deeply rooted in Hundreds toured the house and cheered comes after receiving a $4.2 billion dollar the neighborhoods that have been hardest from the street, while music played and tax refund and ramping up foreclosures hit by the implosion of the economy, and children danced. on distressed homeowners in recent weeks, where centuries of economic and racial op Meanwhile the youth of Roxbury' s according to new data from the foreclosure pression compound the crisis. Right to the Alternatives for Community & Environ listing firm RealtyTrac. August 2011 saw City built an impressive coalition of over 50 ment took over an abandoned lot and the largest monthly increase in foreclosures organizations including the SEIU-inspired continued on page 10
4 RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011 Decolonizing the 99% Indigenous leadership in occupy movements provides strong foundations By Christy Pardew circulating around the internet since i:: <::s the beginning of Occupy Wall Street, 7hiJ.e Occupations are exploding in ~ ~ challenging popular ideas about what l A ~ ~ V V communities all over the country, ~ ] occupation means and the homogeneity i:: l:l... indigenous people are both playing a ~ -.le: ofthe99%. 's-] critical role in the organizing efforts and ;::-, ~ On Facebook, Ian, who lives in Van ~ <::s t:'. LJ.. also challenging underlying assumptions ~ ,V> couver, British Columbia, posted a photo of what it means to "occupy." In Denver, 8~ of himself, holding his typed story (see .8 ~ Colorado, indigenous people have played £a photo to the left). The text he holds a critical role in organizing efforts. In the Photographs have been spreading across the reads, "I am Indigenous. My peoples' lead-up to Columbus Day, a holiday which internet of people holding up pieces of paper and my lands have been occupied illegally many around the country have renamed with their personal stories ofbeing in the 99%. for decades by a government and society "Indigenous Peoples' Day," indigenous which tries to rob me of my identity and leaders from the Colorado American Indi insecurity-are the ones that the Occupy lands. They have attempted genocide on an Movement brought a moving proposal campaigns are addressing now. my people and culture in order to control, to Occupy Denver, which was adopted ''As Colorado American Indian Move dominate, and exploit my lands for profit through the group's decision-making ment (AIM) leaders said," stated Mi in order to fund their attempt to control, process, the General Assembly. chaelynn, "while indigenous people are dominate, and exploit the human species. "As indigenous peoples, we welcome supportive of the Occupy movement that "My people have a suicide rate 10 times the awakening of those who are relatively is looking for social, racial and economic the national average. My people make new to our homeland," the statement be justice, we ·want to remind our allies that up 40% of the prisoners incarcerated and gan. "We are thankful, and rejoice, for the indigenous nations have been 'under oc only 3% of the population in what is now emergence of a movement that is mindful cupation' for decades, if not centuries." called canada. Over 100 communities of of its place in the environment, that seeks In Montana, approximately 6% of the my fellow Indigenous people in canada economic and social justice, that strives for population is Native American. And 16% can't drink the water that comes their taps an end to oppression in all its forms, that of Natives formerly in reservation bound because it is toxic. demands an adequate standard of food, aries have moved to urban areas. In Butte, "I am subjected to racism and stereo employment, shelter and health care for there is a 15.8% poverty rate and 20% of typed as being lazy, stupid, inferior, un all, and that calls for envisioning a new, school-age children live in poverty, which grateful, hostile, drunk, don't pay taxes, respectful and honorable society. is higher than other counties and higher and I get everything given to me. "We have been waiting for 519 years than national averages. "My lands are being occupied by a pub for such a movement, ever since that fate Michaelynn tells us that as the congres lic which largely remains ignorant or silent ful day in October, 1492 when a different sional Super Committee is looking to cut about the injustice I live with every moment worldview arrived-one of greed, hierar $917 billion dollars of federal spending of every day. I am silenced or minimized in chy, destruction and genocide." over the next ten years, indigenous people the "occupy" movement frequently as my We recommend reading the full text in Montana know this means that they can issues of injustice transcend mere financial at www.resistinc.org/occupyindigenous. expect even more job loss, less access to concerns. health care and even more people losing "I am Indigenous and I am the 'un-%."' Under occupation for centuries their homes. RESIST grantee Indian People's Action Indian People's Action is a part of the Spreading fire in Montana brings a broad analysis to their Occupy Butte movement. In October, organizers of the local Oc organizing work, which focuses on build "We know that if Indians don't speak cupy movement in Albuquerque, New ing the voice of Native American people in up, we will continue to suffer at the hands Mexico decided to alter the "Occupy'' name Montana's urban areas, with a special con of the wealthy and the United States gov out of respect for the area's indigenous centration in the border towns of the seven ernment," says Michaelynn, "a govern communities, which have been forcibly federally recognized tribes of Montana. ment which acts like it helps us with their occupied by the United States for centu Michaelynn Hawk, Program Director programs that in reality shove us deeper ries. There, organizers are calling their of Indian People's Action and a longtime into poverty." gatherings "(Un)occupy Albuquerque" community organizer, reminds us that the to connect economic justice and corporate issues that Indian people have been dealing The "un-%" accountability demands with the ongoing with for decades-unemployment, pov In late October, Ian Ki1aas Caplette put erty, foreclosure, homelessness and food his own twist on the "I am the 99%" meme continued on page 10
RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011 5 Working Smart and Local Nebraskans for Peace makes global connections in their own backyard By Tim Rinne activists everywhere, feeling alienated and inviting abuse from hostile passers-by. ebraska may be an agricultural state, But then- right out of the blue- Re Nbut it's far from fertile ground for publican US Senator Chuck Hagel began peacemaking. Trying to sustain a dissent publicly voicing reservations about the ing voice in this reddest of "red states" Bush administration's war policy, is a nonstop political and economic chal .r virtually handing us a tangible, local lenge. That Nebraskans for Peace (NFP) t-~ strategy on which to focus our anti-war has survived 41 years to become what is l energies. Senator Hagel' s outspoken - $ f now the oldest statewide peace and justice 3 comments quickly isolated him rom organization in the entire country can be ~ his Republican colleagues in Nebraska's ~ credited to equal parts pluck and luck. § congressional delegation and infuriated We've learned to "work smart," prioritiz ..ti the party faithful in the state. Naturally, -~ ing issues in line with changing conditions ~ peace activists loved it. O<) and opportunities. J~ The last thing the embattled Sena- Peace and justice issues are abstract and .....:i tor needed at that moment was to be global. We're for world peace. We're for J pubiiC!y linked to a political "fringe" justice. We're for equality and against rac --6" group like Nebraskans for Peace. So ism and sexism. We're pro-disarmament .a NFP surreptitiously coordinated an and anti-war. But it's not enough to merely ~ "Email Hagel" campaign in which our stand for abstract principles. To be relevant Many Nebraskans bravely spoke out continu members-without referencing their and effective in peace work, it's essential ally against the Iraq War despite being in one ties to us- wrote the Senator to thank him ofthe most conservatives states in the country. to localize abstract and global concerns. for his leadership and encouraged him to command in America's heartland was up keep speaking out. A staffer subsequently The war comes home to in the wake of September 11. told us that these messages and phone Our work exposing the war making Most Americans are unaware that Strat calls emboldened the Senator to continue role of the US Strategic Command is a Com was integrally involved in planning his public criticism of the White House's case in point. This command center for and coordinating the assassination of Osa war despite the wrath of the state party waging the international "War on Terror" ma bin Laden. The command center has establishment. is headquartered in our state. It is poten eight "missions" dedicated to high-tech Senator Hagel' s relentless hounding of tially the most dangerous place on earth, and other forms of warfare: nuclear deter the Bush Administration on its war policy charged with everything from offensively rence, space, cyberspace, full-spectrum succeeded in fracturing the Republicans' waging nuclear and cyber-warfare to cold global strike, intelligence/surveillance/ unified stance on the war, but at great heartedly killing human "targets" with reconnaissance, missile defense, informa personal cost to the Senator, who retired remote-controlled drones. tion operations, and combating weapons in 2008 ra~er than face a bruising primary Our state's preeminence in the War of mass destruction. battle with the state leadership's chosen on Terror is a point of pride for most Ne Nebraskans for Peace began by jointly successor. braskans, who tend to feel underrated by organizing an international conference in the rest of the country. Located at Offutt Omaha with the Global Network Against Local linkages Air Force Base near Omaha, US Stragetic Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space in Other aspects of our work have a Command (StratCom) annually pumps 2008, drawing participants from 12 coun decidedly more "homegrown" quality, $2.5 billion into the local economy. Most tries and 28 states. We're presently at work with a straightforward connection to local Nebraskans wouldn't dream of bad on an internet documentary about Strat concerns. mouthing it. Com to alert people around the globe of For over a decade now, our organiza Because of this support, the local hook the unprecedented mandate and enhanced tion has been a leading supporter of Oglala to challenging StratCom' s growing menace war-fighting prowess this command now Lakota Sioux tribal leaders and activists in was not, it turns out, in mobilizing popular possesses. their ongoing efforts to end alcohol sales in opposition in Nebraska, but in educating Sometimes finding a local hook for the border town of Whiteclay, Nebraska. the broader national and international international peace work requires seizing Four beer stores in this unincorporated community to Nebraska's role in modem opportunities at hand. In the early months village of 14 people sell over 11,000 cans of warfare. This community had no idea what of the Iraq War, for example, we stood continued on page 7 the newly retooled and ever more deadly on street comers with signs like anti-war
6 RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011 Nebraska Legislature modeled on Arizona's notori ous anti-immigrant SB 1070. NFP played continued from page 6 a leading role in defeating this hate-based legislation - for the time being, at least. beer per day to Indian residents of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, two miles away. Climate change comes home While the sale and possession of alcohol Our more recent effort to creatively on the reservation itself are banned, an esti localize global issues is NFP' s work mated 80 percent of the population suffers on climate change. For decades, NFP from alcoholism. Liquor industry lobbyists consciously left environmental issues to In the background is a recycled trailer from have opposed all legislation aimed at tar environmental organizations. But climate the anti-Yucca Mountain demonstrations geting regulatory violations in Whiteclay, change is an altogether different mat which was used to haul a fake nuclear which include selling alcohol to minors ter-threatening as it does to undermine waste casket around the country. When the and to intoxicated persons, selling beer the very conditions necessary to preserv trailer retired from its political activity, it on credit and in exchange for food stamps ing life on this planet. If we haven't got a was used on a farm as the base for a mobile and sexual favors and sales to bootleggers. healthy planet to live on, peace and justice chicken house. NFP has given sustained support over issues become moot. As polls repeatedly the years to the liquor license challenges, show, however, making the case for action 41-year history is that 'Ye've got to be will legislative initiatives, demonstrations and on climate change is a tough sell. And in ing to reinvent ourselves as an organiza roadblocks mounted by Indian activists, a red state chock full of climate skeptics tion in response to new conditions. including the production of a documen that gets 65 percent of its electricity from The end of the Vietnam War forced an tary film to raise national awareness of this coal and boasts the ownership of the two earlier generation of NFP' s leadership to ongoing struggle. Our advocacy with Ne largest coal-hauling railroads in North adjust its goals, as did the end of Cold War braska's Native peoples on the Whiteclay America, tackling the issue of climate 15 years later. September 11 and the War issue ultimately earned us an Organization change is a still tougher challenge-even on Terror brought yet another shift in our of the Year award at the Second Annual for environmental groups. priorities. And most recently, the economic Chief Standing Bear Commemoration. NFP has taken on this issue virtually by recession and the imminent danger of Another local social justice issue we've default. We've begun working to alert our climate change have prompted a further tackled is immigrant rights. When the public officials and publicly owned utilities transformation of our focus. More changes town of Fremont, Nebraska held a special about the science of climate change and are certain to come in the days ahead. But election in 2010 over an anti-immigrant the urgent need to get off coal, with the by working as smart as we can, with a·little ordinance, we waded into what has be help of a 350.org group that we're incubat luck, we'll continue to meet them. come a national showdown over federal ing-part of an international grassroots Tim Rinne has served as the State Coordi immigration policy. The local ordinance campaign to reduce world CO2 emissions sought to prohibit the employment and to 350 parts per million. It's slow work. But nator for Nebraskans for Peace, a RESIST housing of undocumented workers in the then, peacemaking generally is. grantee, since 1993. A native Nebraskan who community. The political momentum from There are no foolproof formulas for has lived in the state almost all his life, he has the Fremont ordinance in turn spun off a working smart and local. Every situation worked as a political organizer for progressive number of explicitly anti-immigrant bills is different and circumstances change. But causes for nearly three decades. in the succeeding session of the Nebraska what we've found over the course of our
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RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011 7 Pro-Choice Organizing in "The Equality State" Derailing attacks on reproductive rights in Wyoming By Sharon Breitweiser
yoming's small but powerful pro Wchoice community is doing its best to make the state live up to its nickname. Known as the "Equality State," Wyoming was the first state in the nation to grant women the right to vote, to serve on ju ries and to hold public office. In keeping with this early tradition of respect for women's rights, pro-choice advocates have defeated every legislative attack on reproductive choice since 1990. We beat back two such attacks in the 2011 legislative session alone: House Bill 118, requiring that abortion providers offer women an ultrasound image of their "un born child" in advance of scheduling an abortion and lecture them on "fetal pain," and House Bill 251, a modified version of the same law. In a state with a less than 25 percent Democratic minority in both House and Senate, defeating these bills One in three women in the U.S. have abortions; although 1/3 rely on government-funded was no small task. health services for reproductive health care, 33 out of 50 states refuse to pay for abor tions. Above, Mia Mingus, former Co-Executive Director of SPARK Reproductive Justice Don't get me wrong, Wyoming still Now!, vigils in Georgia. has plenty of anti-choice laws on the books-NARAL's national office gives it prosecution of women who use drugs for justices on the Court had voted to reaffirm a D+ grade for the burdens it imposes on "unborn child" abuse. Roe's basic framework. access to reproductive healthcare. As in Every victory has been hard won. The Wyoming National Organization many states, we have laws limiting abor How do pro-choice advocates work this for Women (NOW) had a few hundred tion access for poor women and for young magic year after year? Our organizing dollars in its checking account, the local women, and 96 percent of Wyoming's success derives from our ability to build National Abortion Rights Action League counties have no abortion provider at all. grassroots alliances and leverage personal (NARAL) affiliate had a few hundred But the last anti-choice bill to be signed relationships in a vast, sparsely-popu names on its mailing list but wasn't very into law in Wyoming was its onerous lated state where personal connections active, and members of the Wyoming parental notification and consent require are paramount, including those among American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) ment in 1989. activists, everyday people and citizen offered help. We pooled resources and Since then, the Wyoming legislature legislators. began organizing marches, putting a new has considered bills limiting reproductive pro-choice coalition together and sending rights in 20 of the last 24 years. Pro-choice A small but mighty coalition out coalition newsletters several times a advocates have battled so-called "Human The 1989 US Supreme Court decision year. Over time, we built a successful alli Life Protection Act" bills, "partial-birth" Webster v. Reproductive Health Services ance of activists willing and able to speak abortion bans, "informed consent" bills galvanized pro-choice activists across the out on pro-choice issues and engage local mandating 24 and 48-hour waiting pe nation, including Wyoming. In Webster, candidates and elected officials. Our infor riods, reporting requirements and other the Court upheld provisions of a Missouri mal pro-choice coalition grew to include measures to discourage women from statute prohibiting the use of "public fa NARAL Pro-Choice Wyoming, Planned seeking abortions. We have successfully cilities or personnel" to perform abortions Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, trounced a host of proposed "fetal per and imposing viability-testing require Wyoming ACLU and Wyoming NOW. sonhood" initiatives-laws classifying ments on physicians treating women 20 My mantra is "small but mighty:" NARAL the fetus as an additional victim in vio weeks or more into their pregnancies. For Pro-Choice Wyoming may be a small lent crimes committed against pregnant the first time in the 16 years since the Court women-as well as measures permitting decided Roe v. Wade, only a minority of continued on page 9
8 RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011 NARAL Wyoming the state legislature's house districts con the road. NARAL Pro-Choice Wyoming tains only about 8,300 residents. Each sen used road trips with Planned Parenthood continued from page 8 ate district has just 16,500 residents. The of the Rocky Mountains and the Abortion high constituent to representative ratio Access Project to expand women's health organization, but we are living proof that means that candidates for office can, and services in Wyoming and Colorado. Our a small and committed group of activists in many cases do, go to every door in their first trip took us through Fort Collins, Col can have a powerful impact on legislative districts to seek support and get to know orado, and Caspar, Jackson and Laramie, outcomes, especially in a state like ours. their constituents personally. Constituents Wyoming over the course of four days. and activists can use these relationships This entailed as much as seven hours of Far apart but connected to impact the way their legislators view driving to get to one cocktail party, with Locals describe Wyoming as "one pro-choice issues. another seven hours the next day for the town with one, long road." With just At the height of organizing against an next meet-and-greet-with no guarantee 563,626 inhabitants, Wyoming is the least earlier "ultrasound" bill in 2009, NARAL that anybody would even show up at populous state in the country and also the Pro-Choice Wyoming board member our events. The road trip allowed us to tenth largest. It's a full eight-hour drive Lorraine Saulino-Klein emailed members connect with doctors, clinicians, political from the southeast to northwest comers of the House Labor, Health and Social activists, elected officials, major donors, of the state. Our state legislature convenes Services Committee to contest the medical students and others who continue to help 40 days per year in even-numbered years assumptions of the bill. "I've been a nurse us with our work-one city councilwoman and just 20 days in odd-numbered years. for 38 years," she wrote, "and I can't read ultimately joined our board of directors! The legislative session takes place during an ultrasound. It is hard to make out an the worst winter months, historically the early term ultrasound [even] when a doc A measure of hope season when rancher-legislators were tor or highly trained technician is telling Wyoming's 2011 legislative session freed from daily tasks and could travel you what you are looking at. What makes brought other regressive social legisla to Cheyenne. Road closures are common; anyone think a non-medically trained tion to the fore, too. Progressive activists road-closing weather has hit the state person could get anything out of looking narrowly defeated an anti-gay "validity of every month of the year. Even the 45- at an ultrasound is beyond me." The com marriages" bill, which defined valid mar- · mile drive between our office in Laramie mittee chair referred to this email during riage as between a man and a woman, as and the Capitol building in Cheyenne is the hearing. Episcopal clergyman Rever well as a proposed amendment to the state frequently impassable. These conditions end Tim Solon testified that "the seven constitution denying recognition of gay create unique challenges and opportuni times the word 'child' is used makes the marriages. Wyoming Equality and Wyo ties for organizing. bill an establishment of religion in that it ming ACLU worked hard on these issues For example, while geographic chal codifies a religious doctrine. There [are] a with many thoughtful legislators, includ lenges make it difficult for constituents to wide variety of teachings about when the ing Republicans. Some of our Republican get to Cheyenne, they also make it hard for conception of a human being becomes ... a legislators oppose any kind of government the legislators to get out of Cheyenne. Leg person." On the House floor and in com interference with personal freedoms, islators who live within an hour or two of mittee hearings, Republican Representa whether these concern reproductive free the Capitol try to get home on weekends, tive Sue Wallis shared her story of how she dom, same-sex marriage or government but those who don't generally stay in town chose an abortion in order to better care regulation of guns. And as with pro-choice for most of the session. This makes them for her existing children.The committee organizing, personal relationships influ more likely to read their constituents' chair referred to Saulino-Klein's email in enced the result. Republican legislators emails, take phone calls and meet one-on the course of hearings on the ultimately have daughters and wives, as well as gay one with activists at legislative receptions defeated bill. The basic concept of freedom family members, friends and constituents and other events. underlying reproductive choice is not who were targeted by regressive social Similarly, Wyoming's small population hard to grasp, especially when offered bills. The experiences of Wyoming activ creates opportunities for activists to capi by involved and articulate pro-choice ists should provide a measure of hope to talize on personal relationships, with legis advocates. organizers everywhere. Don't despair. If lators and with each other. When I moved we can organize in a conservative state to Wyoming as a high school junior I was Staying low-tech and personal like Wyoming, so can you. Onward and stunned to discover that everyone seemed Some of our strategies are decid upward, fellow organizers! to know everybody else. Now the state's edly low-tech in an increasingly high-tech six-degrees-of-separation culture seems world, but they get results. If volunteers Sharon Breitweiser is the Executive normal to me-and useful. When you know don't use the internet, we get on the tele Director ofNARAL Pro-Choice Jifyo you may well see someone again around phone with updates, requests and a word ming, a RESIST grantee and statewide the next bend, you want that person to be of thanks. Those volunteers don't hesitate organization which works to protect and a friend, or at least not an enemy. to pick up the phone themselves and call promote the full range ofreproductive Our legislators know this too. Each of their legislators. We are also willing to hit health care options.
RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011 9 Turning Point action, they11 continue that work. Two days later, the Greater Boston La continued from page 4 bor Council appeared at the General As created a community garden. They asked sembly of Occupy Boston. They pledged people to stand with them for a blessing their solidarity and invited the group to ceremony of the garden, and asked for meet with them to discuss how to build food to grow strong and the land and com together. munity to heal and be healthy. They told At smartMeme, we have always been the story of their journey to the 2010 US interested in "Psychic Breaks:" moments Social Forum, and how they had toured when the dominant narrative unravels a community garden created by young and there is an opening for a new story to people in Detroit, and been inspired to take hold on a massive scale. We saw this create a similar project in Boston. Right to opportunity come and go in 2008 when the City supported their vision and tied it the stock market collapsed and $700 bil to a movement building action about the lion was given to financial giants. Under banks and the political moment. It was prepared and shell-shocked progressives indeed a powerful occupation. mostly stayed home and kept quiet while the Tea Partiers harnessed common sense Movement momentum: opposition to bailing out the rich into a harnessing the psychic break , movement that was cynically designed movement that could unite behind real What was different about this action to support the status quo. solutions to the economic and democratic was that it was organized and led by But we believe that Occupy Wall Street crises we face. The actions by Right to the community-based organizations, led by is re-opening that window and provoking City at the end of September in Boston people of color, and rooted in communi another such psychic break moment, one offer us an instructive model on the kind ties of color. This leadership shaped the that can amplify common sense progres of analysis and organizing strategy that message, the coalition building strategy, sive demands for structural change. At is necessary now. and the demands on Bank of America and least we hope so. But we must be agile and graceful and other corporate targets. The march was We have an opportunity to offer a bold enough - like the ballerina on the organized long before the occupation of narrative explaining what has happened, bull of the Occupy Wall Street poster. Wall Street or the hastily planned take how we got here, and how we can move We must be visionary and courageous over of Dewey Square next to the Federal forward together. We are faced with the and tenacious enough- like the youth Reserve Bank of Boston. The community potential of rooting this insurrectional of Roxbury blessing their occupied gar organizations that planned it are deeply energy into a strong social movement den. And we must be brave enough, like rooted, with long experience uniting that can rival the Tea Party and change Presley Obasohan, to put our bodies on people around similar issues. After this the story about our economic system - a the line and commit civil disobedience against the banks and for the people and Decolonizing planet that we love. continued from page 5 If we can do this, and build in good faith together to harness this moment fight for indigenous land rights. and channel the momentum towards fun- As in Albuquerque, there have been damental, structural change in how our beautiful actions of solidarity around the § economy and political system function, country, but now is a critical time for us to j we just might be witnessing the stirrings move from questions of representation to ~ of the new world that beats in our hearts. ask, as president of the Applied Research J.[<> Ledt us danchce toththat beat, sing to the beat Center Rinku Sen writes, "How can a racial -i:::s · an mar toge er to the beat, all the way analysis, and its consequent agenda, be down to Wall Street. #OccupyTogether! woven into the fabric of the movement?" f We look forward to continuing to hear ~ ~ Doyle Canning is co-director of the nar more stories of how RESIST grantees and .[<> rative strategy center smartMeme and supporters around the country are grap Q is co-author of Re: Imagining Change pling with these issues in their own orga .E" loo.. - How to Use Story-based Strategies nizing work and in their local (Un)occupy 0£1,CN & u.ao11 DON ATa.D aY OUINIDA DIIE. l'LDLctlM WITN Mf"NIIT '1IOM COMMUNITY · ~•c•• uaa: YOU -.::c: lNDICUfOU I J'l:OPU'I R(IIITANC( DAY ZOU to Win Campaigns, Build Movements, movements. Poster for the launch of Occupy Oakland and and Change the World. She lives in Indigenous People's Resistance Day Boston. This article was adapted from Christy Pardew is the outgoing editor of the YES! Magazine. RESIST Newsletter. 10 RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011 Welcoming Saif Rahman to RESIST By Christy Pardew this month, RESIST really focuses on how we as a move where he spent ment tell the stories with and about people D ESIST is delighted to welcome Saif Rah his childhood on the front lines." .l'-man as our new Director of Communi years and "It' really nice to come to a place where cations. Saif brings a strong background in where his fam you feel like your beliefs and politics are at both communications and organizing work ily still lives. home-and whose beliefs you respect," he to his new position here at RESIST. Now living added. Saif spent years working for the Institute in Somerville, Saif is filling a position left empty by my for Policy Studies (IPS) in Washington, DC, a short dis transition this summer. I was honored to where he served as the Movements Coordi tance from the serve as RESIST s part-time Communica nator before becoming an Associate Fellow. RESIST office, tions Director from January of 2008 until He was also an editor of Foreign Policy in Saif noted, "It's this past August. Saif will join RESIST as a Focus, IPS' s esteemed online publication. incredible to move from the backyard of full-time staff member. Saif and I have been "It was fascinating to look at the nexus Occupy Oakland to Occupy Boston Exciting able to work closely together on this issue of between organizing and communications," things are happening. It feels like all of the the Newsletter (in other words, trial by fire!), says Saif of his years at IPS. "My work there amazing work people across the country and we both look forward to continued col focused on trying to find ways to work with have been engaged in for years is coming laboration I'm thrilled to be connected to the allies to improve not only the way we orga together in innovative and ground-breaking ongoing work of RESIST. nize, but the way we communicate about ways." "This is an exciting time in history," says how we organize." Saif has known of RESIST since 2004, Saif. '½nd the work of RESIST is needed Over the past year, Saif lived in Oakland, when an organization he worked heavily now more than ever. As we watch the con California, where he coordinated research with, the National Youth and Student Peace tinued growth of the Occupy movements, with author Antonia Juhasz for Black Tide: Coalition, received a grant from RESIST. RESIST is steadfastly there, doing what it The Devastating Impact of the Gulf Oil Spill, Since then, he has steered many friends does best: funding grassroots organizing." the compelling and heartbreaking look at involved in organizing towards RESIST. the human failings and human impact of the "Movements need to continue to im Christy Pardew is the outgoing editor of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon BP Gulf oil spill. prove organizing strategies and tactics," RESIST Newsletter. Reach Saif Rahman The son of immigrants from Bangladesh says Saif. "I'm excited about and inspired at [email protected] or here in the office at and Pakistan, Saif relocated to New England by how this communications position at 617-623-5110. Support grassroots social justice organizing today. I Your contribution to RESIST supports hundreds of progressive groups across the country. The groups we fund count on us, and we count on you. Our Pledge program lets you send what you can, as often as you can. I Become a Pledge-a sustaining donor-today! Pledges give RESIST a reliable base of support and keep us going. In return for your pledge, we will keep you up to date on the work of the groups your contributions make possible. Tote bags: $12 each (price includes shipping) • I want to become a Pledge! I'll send you my recurring gift every month quarter six months year. • Yes! I'd like a RESIST • • • • Enclosed is my first pledge contribution of $_. tote bag(s). Enclosed is $ __ for __ bags. • Please automatically deduct my pledge from my credit card (note how much? how many? card information below).
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Inside this issue: Occupy Idaho and beyond
GRANT RECIPIENTS RESIST awards grants six times a year to Carolina Justice Policy Center are living it every day, organized in 2000 to groups throughout the United States engaged PO Box 309, Durham, North Carolina change state policy regarding welfare and in organizing for social, economic and environ 27705. www.justicepolicycenter.org higher education. mental justice. In this issue of the Newsletter A $500 emergency grant from RESIST we list a few grant recipients from our most will enable DAWG to organize poor people recent allocation cycle in October of 2011. For The Carolina Justice Policy Center (QPC) more information, visit the RESIST website at works to restrict the use of death penalty and to actively participate in the Occupy move www.resistinc.org or contact the groups directly. build a community corrections infrastruc ment events in West Virginia. ture that can decrease recidivism and reduce reliance on prisons. Some of the activities of Courage to Resist 9 to 5 Los Angeles the CJPC range from advocating and sup 484 Lake Park Ave. #41, Oakland, Califor 630 Shatto Place, 4th Floor, Los Angeles, porting pre-trial programs to reforming the nia 94610. www.couragetoresist.org California 90005. www.9to5california.org death penalty. Courage to Resist was formed to support RESIST s $3,500 grant will help CJPC' s 9 to 5 Los Angeles was formed in 2006 work with local leaders in multiple districts troops in the military refusing to fight the to build a movement for economic justice to assess the impact of budget cuts, work wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. By support ing GI resistance, counter recruitment and by and for low-wage and no-wage women with coalition partners to increase the juve impacted by the lack of living-wage jobs, nile age and continue support for the Racial draft resistance, they hope to diminish the number of troops available for unjust wars benefits, rights and respect in the work Justice Act. place. Their history of working to improve and occupation. Today, _they are taking on conditions for low-income women has cen Direct Action Welfare Group critical campaigns - some very public, such tered around an understanding that they PO Box 20079, Charleston, West Virginia as that of accused Wikileaks whistleblower must first eliminate the roots of poverty 25362. www.wvdawg.org Army PFC Bradley Manning t_o the behind and oppression. the scenes day to day of work of supporting RESISTs grant of $3,500 will help 9 to A small group of welfare mothers who conscientious objectors and others refusing 5 Los Angeles' work demanding paid sick met to discuss concerns in their own lives as to fight the unjust wars. days for all Californians, expanding paid they struggled with the realities of welfare RESIST s grant of $3,500 will help Cour family leave, protecting caregivers from reform and the "work first'' model birthed age to Resist continue building campaigns workplace discrimination and strengthen the Direct Action Welfare Group (DAWG). to bolster the GI resistance movement, raise ing laws against the widespread practice The group, the only organization in West support for resisters and continue the work of wage theft by passing a statewide Wage Virginia working on poverty and welfare of supporting resisters as their needs arise. Theft Prevention Act. issues from the perspective of people who
12 RESIST Newsletter, November - December 2011