[Seattle-editorial] Re: [imc-seattle-media] Future of the IMC -

[sheri at speakeasy.org]

Thanks for responding Paul.  The attendees were not picked, per se.  Emails went out to the lists (perhaps not imc-seattle-media)letting folks know we were having this meeting.  Bill Aal also sent out a kind of convening notice alerting people about what to expect.

There was also some folks who did some talking behind the scenes to get others to attend the meeting, who otherwise would not have known about the meeting and don't follow the lists.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.  I happen to agree completely with your last statement!  Wish you could join us tonight.

Sheri

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Paul Richmond [mailto:paulr_urbanwarrior at yahoo.com]
> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 12:35 AM
> To: sheri at speakeasy.org, imc-seattle at indymedia.org, 
> seattle-editorial at indymedia.org, seattlectc at indymedia.org
> Cc: seattletech at indymedia.org, seasc at indymedia.org, 
> imc-seattle-media at indymedia.org
> Subject: Re: [imc-seattle-media]  Future of the IMC -
> 
> Thanks  for forwarding this.
> 
> I don't know how the attendees were picked - maybe
> missed an email telling me.
> 
> I think the two last proposals make the most sense. 
> If there are people interested in keeping this
> organization going, it doesn't seem to be hurting
> anyone if they do it.
> 
> My 2 cents as one of the people who called the meeting
> that started this project prior to WTO.
> 
> 
> --- "sheri at speakeasy.org" <sheri at speakeasy.net> wrote:
> > IMC SEATTLE GENERAL MEETING NOTES - January 13, 2004
> > (second in a series)
> > 
> > Present: Benjamin, Meadow, Rick, Jill, Joyce, Devin,
> > Susan, Walt, Judy, Jonathan, Brenna, Sheri, Brandon,
> > Jason
> > Facilitators: Bill and Margo
> > 
> > NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, January 28, 2004
> 
> UNH, TIME, LOCATION...
> > 
> > BACKGROUND
> > This meeting is the second in a series of
> > ???Mediation??? Meetings
> > The first one was December 16, 2003:
> > - Convening email by Bill Aal
> >
> (http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-seattle/2003-December/004586.html)
> > - Immediate next steps and short term planning
> >
> (http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-seattle/2003-December/004616.html)
> > - Minutes
> >
> (http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-seattle/2004-January/004644.html)
> > 
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > 
> > TWO HANDOUTS
> > 
> > 1. Proposal for Continuing an Active IMC - see
> >
> http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-seattle/2004-January/004660.html
> > (people were to come to this meeting with proposals
> > for how to move forward; this was one of several
> > different proposals - see below for more about the
> > other 5 proposals)
> > 2. Helpful Approaches to Conflict by Tools for
> > Change
> > 
> > SMALL GROUP BREAKOUT - 2 QUESTIONS
> > 
> > 1. What were the great accomplishments for Indymedia
> > in 2003 (not necessarily just our local IMC)?
> > 
> > ?? Cancun ??? it was a major media production
> > victory; we showed how we could do great
> > collaboration with our allies; Korean farmers &
> > Zapatistas shows the global movement.
> > ?? Strengths in multimedia
> > ?? Growth in the network of IMCs in the ???global
> > south???
> > ?? February 15 protests ??? internet success story
> > and our potential role
> > ?? Stories aren???t dropped anymore because of
> > Indymedia and alternative media (example: Mad Cow
> > Disease and Urbana IMC)
> > ?? Indymedia Bolivia is growing and an inspiration
> > ?? Groundswell of activism around media
> > consolidation issues
> > ?? More local news happening (IMC Portland great
> > example)
> > 
> > 2. What???s needed for 2004?
> > 
> > ?? IMCs that haven???t seen themselves as community
> > serving organization need to be more aware of that;
> > increase outreach and community relations.
> > ?? Networks of independent media makers which means
> > better collaboration and networking and facilitating
> > of media.
> > ?? Being more accountable to media
> > ?? Umbrella council for independent media ??? like a
> > community advisory group
> > ?? More grassroots groups like Moveon.org
> > ?? More connection with the community
> > ?? Need to take a vacation
> > ?? Show positive stories ??? for increased
> > empowerment
> > ?? North American IMCs need to re-examine our role
> > in the global south
> > ?? Need more teaching skills
> > ?? More accountability to local groups
> > ?? Less time on conventions and being distracted and
> > more focus on local organizing
> > 
> > REFLECTION
> > 
> > We were asked to reflect on what we???d like to see
> > come out of this meeting:
> > 
> > ?? Dignified and selfless resolution
> > ?? Clear direction for the next 3-6 months in terms
> > of ???survival??? strategies
> > ?? Sense of accomplishment and direction toward
> > something specific that people are passionate about
> > ?? Having all options known.
> > ?? Having clearer communication
> > ?? Knowing who is making a commitment toward
> > involvement
> > ?? Pursue healing and not continue the unnecessary
> > conflict
> > ?? "Get rid of the rock I've been carrying around
> > with me"
> > ?? Establish a direction forward that prioritizes
> > shared political goals ahead of survival strategies
> > ?? Meeting of the minds re how to organize ourselves
> > in the future (about direction and having a positive
> > plan)
> > ?? Have a strategy for working with community ???
> > have enough consensus so we can go out and
> > communicate that to the larger community
> > ?? Shared sense of prioritizing the time that is
> > needed to wrap up and move forward and engage the
> > larger community
> > ?? Have an agreement that apologies are needed to
> > many people
> > ?? Clarity to move forward and get behind the people
> > who want to move forward and be active
> > 
> > AGREEING TO DISAGREE
> > 
> > Margo asked whether we could agree that for the
> > purpose of this meeting this group of people would
> > make decisions about the IMC. It was not stated
> > directly, but consensus decision-making was the way
> > we proceeded forward.
> > 
> > (Editorial comment: This is a challenging situation
> > because within the room were people with as
> > divergent perspectives as there can be with regard
> > to the IMC (some want to see it dissolved; some want
> > to start moving ahead with all the lessons learned;
> > some just want a website and no organization; some
> > want to see a break of some kind); this is doubly
> > challenging because many of these people have not
> > been active in the IMC for some time and there are
> > personal conflicts which are getting in the way of
> > being able to actually use consensus
> > decision-making; I shared my concerns later in the
> > meeting when it became clear that there was a
> > problem with the process. This will be discussed at
> > the meeting on January 28, 2004).
> > 
> > Issues to be discussed that are about money:
> > New bank account
> > New bookkeeper for 2004
> > DSL/phone service
> > Proposal to John regarding storage/Segway
> > 
> > Since the last meeting, the things that have been
> > done that we talked about:
> > 
> > 1. There's a sign on the door about leasing the
> > space and the front windows have been cleaned up.
> > 2. The articles of incorporation have been signed
> > and mailed in with a check for renewal.
> > 3. We paid LIHI a big portion of our rent owed;
> > 4. We've been communicating on the general
> > IMC-Seattle list
> > 5. We have taken a break
> > 
> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > 
> > PROPOSALS
> > 
> > We all agreed that we need a lot of trust between
> > individuals to be rebuilt to accomplish anything and
> > to be a more powerful force in the local progressive
> > community.
> > 
> > The conflict resolution piece can be grounded in the
> > proposals on the floor (not sure what this means in
> > concrete terms - hopefully to be dealt with more in
> > the 1/28 meeting)
> > 
> > We were asked to listen for common points. What
> > would be needed for this to be something we could
> > stand behind. Try not to think that your proposal or
> > the one you like the most is the ONLY way; be open.
> > 
> > Proposal 1 - Jill presented (not sure how many
> > people are behind this proposal or would support it)
> > 
> > The IMC started in a reactionary moment and
> > responded to the WTO and had phenomenal impacts. But
> > it's been stuck in a rut and there are dramatically
> > different visions and a serious lack of common
> > vision between all the participants. These multiple
> > visions are in conflict. A majority of local media
> > makers are alienated from the IMC and not
> > participating with media makings; there's a lot of
> > independent media making in this town; GUS, radio
> > IMC, the editorial collective are affiliated with
> > the Seattle IMC. If the Seattle IMC ceased to exist
> > tomorrow, would it open a space for people? For
> > people to be liberated from the chains of process. A
> > coalition of autonomous groups who share a common
> > vision perhaps is what we should be and cease to
> > exist as an organization with structure and
> > processes. The computers and other things should be
> > distributed through the community.
> > 
> > Proposal 2 - Jonathan presented
> > 
> > The philosophical underpinnings to his proposal are
> > similar to Jill's. There are two main parts: (1) The
> > IMC 
> === message truncated ===
> 
> 
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