OE 6-Month Strategic Campaign Plan Proposals

Occupy Eugene has consensed to select one or more strategic campaigns to put substantial energy into for the next six months. Six proposals are under consideration now that the two BofA proposals have merged. We’ve had some great conversations about them so far, and imagine a couple more G.A. conversations to come to consensus.

Submitted Proposals

  1. BofA: BANKrupting America Campaign
  2. BofA: FightBAC Campaign (this and the above have merged)
  3. Community Bill of Rights Campaign
  4. Cooperative Production Campaign – this project continues, but not as a strategic campaign
  5. Foreclosure Campaign (aka “Our Homes Over Wall Street” – also see the updated presentation)
  6. Healthcare for All Campaign
  7. Homeless Solutions Task Force Campaign

There’s also a spreadsheet with useful information about each campaign that makes it easy to look at and compare them all together. You can pick up copies at OEV, or see the spreadsheet online. We’ll be updating it over time, so check back once in a while to see what’s new. Also, click here to watch the livestream of week  8 of occupation education, where we discuss the spreadsheet results in detail.

Proposed schedule

  1. Friday, May 4th G.A.: This proposed schedule will be announced at the G.A. and there will probably some q&a about the process and specific proposals.
  2. Tuesday, May 8th G.A.: Conversation about the proposed campaigns, especially the capacity realistically required for each campaign, and how each will build our movement.
  3. Tuesday, May 15th G.A.: More conversation and if possible, consensus on one or more strategic campaigns.

Past conversation

  1. Tuesday April 17th @ 5:30 pm There was a special legal/research meeting at OEV to review submissions and prepare for presentations.
  2. April 24th, G.A.: Proposals were presented and livestreamed: 5 minute presentation, 5 minute Q&A if necessary. There was also some conversation about whether OE wants to have focus, goals or a strategic campaign at all.
  3. April 27th, G.A: Further conversation about whether OE wants to have one or more strategic campaigns
  4. May 1st, G.A.: Further conversation, and consensus that OE does want to select one or more strategic campaigns

For questions, please contact campaigns@occupyeugenemedia.org.

 

Initial Announcement

Members of Occupy Eugene have endeavored to democratically develop a strategic campaign plan.  As part of that process, and as a result of a six hour strategic campaign workshop OE participated in, we will be discussing and deciding whether we should select a certain campaign or campaigns to focus the majority of our time and attention on as the Occupy Eugene movement.  Any committee or individual that would like to propose a campaign for Occupy Eugene to work on for the next 6 months should submit their proposal by Friday, April 13th.  Submissions should be in word or pdf formats, 2 pages or less using 12 pt font.  All submissions must be emailed to campaigns@occupyeugenemedia.org by April 13, 2012 (arrangement can be made for hand delivery if necessary).

Please address the following in your proposal submission:

  1. Details of the Campaign:
    • Working name of Campaign
    • Your name and contact info (including email and phone if possible)
  2. Describe what the goal of your campaign is. What do you hope to accomplish?  Short-term or long-term?
  3. Does OE have the resources (human and otherwise) to achieve this goal in the next 6 months?  Why/why not?  How many people will you need to achieve this goal?
  4. Does the Campaign go to a root issue or concern?  How?
  5. How does the campaign grow the movement or draw in new people? Describe with examples.
  6. Describe who/what this campaign will benefit?
  7. Are there existing allies or groups working on this/these issue(s)?  Do you think these existing groups will support this campaign? Why/not?

Other criteria you may consider or reflect upon:

  • Is the campaign tied to national Occupy Wall Street campaigns/goals
  • Does it include multiple short term pay-offs (mini-successes)
  • Create links with marginal or communities of color
  • Addresses issues not being addressed by existing local groups
  • Addresses issues that cause most harm
  • Holds participants’ interest
  • Can it be linked somehow with the activities of all, or nearly all, committees now active in Occupy, and doesn’t exclude anyone
  • What is the range of tactics you foresee that might be used in this campaign?

PROCESS FOR CHOOSING OE CAMPAIGN PLAN

The deadline for submissions must be received by Friday, April 13th , 11:59pm. The Legal/Research committee will review all submissions to determine if any proposals can/should be combined, or eliminate clearly inappropriate proposals. If proposals are similar in nature, authors of the submissions will be contacted by email and informed that they will need to jointly present their proposal at the G.A. Inappropriate proposals, or proposals that do not meet the submission criteria will be removed from the selection process (but will be posted online for transparency purposes)

OE members will be able to view all the proposals on our website.  If you have questions or concerns about a submission that you hope to have the author address at the G.A., please send your inquiry to campaigns@occupyeugenemedia.org and we will forward your question to the author with the idea that they will attempt to tailor their 5-minute presentation to address member questions or concerns.

Important Dates
(see above for what actually happened)

  1. Tuesday April 17th @ 5:30 pm there will be a special legal/rsch meetingOEV to review submissions and prepare for presentations.  Presenters shall be contacted to review presentation process—5 minutes to present, 5 minutes for Q&A.
  2. On April 24th  G.A. proposals will be presented and livestreamed:  suggest 5 minute presentation, 5 minute Q&A if necessary.
  3. April 27th G.A: should OE select a ceratain number of campaigns in the next 6 months?  If so, how many can we realistically achieve?
  4. May 4th G.A.: make decision on choosing campaign plan(s)

For questions, please contact campaigns@occupyeugenemedia.org. Begin work on new campaign plans as soon as possible!

—Legal/Research Committee

Occupy Your Local Governments

City and County governments rely heavily on local Boards and Commissions for direction and public input. These boards and commissions are comprised of people like us, who volunteer their time. People who serve on them not only get to ask questions that will be answered, they also get to have a voice in policy decisions. It’s very powerful, individual direct action. Please consider getting involved in these advisory functions. Your participation is valuable!

There are currently several openings for both Lane County and the City of Eugene. Positions are filled by appointment; they do require ongoing commitment and participation. The application process is simple and easy. Go the the websites noted.

Lane County:

There is a current opening on the County Action Advisory Committee, which “Advises the Lane County Human Services Commission on budget planning, allocations and policy issues for state and federal anti-poverty programs, including housing and homeless programs; participates in program activities, project review, selection, and is involved in monitoring the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness.”

http://www.lanecounty.org/Departments/BCC/AdvisoryCommittees/Pages/CommunityActionAdvisoryCommittee.aspx

Check the Lane County website regularly for more openings as they become available.

City of Eugene:

There are several current openings on Eugene’s Boards and Commissions. Any resident of Eugene may apply. The application process is open until March 30.

There are openings for the following positions:

• Budget Committee 3 vacancies
• Civilian Review Board 3 vacancies
• Human Rights Commission 3 vacancies
• Planning Commission 1 vacancy
• Police Commission 4 vacancies
• Sustainability Commission 5 vacancies
• Toxics Board 2 vacancies 1 advocacy, 1 industry
• Lane Regional Air Protection Agency 1 vacancy
• Library Board 2 vacancies 1 at-large, 1 youth
• Neighborhood Matching Grant Dept. Advisory Committee 1 vacancy
• Whilamut Citizen Planning Committee 6 vacancies

For more information, or to apply, go to:
http://www.eugene-or.gov/portal/server.pt?space=CommunityPage&control=SetCommunity&CommunityID=745&PageID=3860

The City of Springfield also has volunteer positions for residents of Springfield on boards and commissions. Their website does not note whether there are current openings. Contact the City Manager’s Office to inquire. 541-726-3700, or e-mail cmo@ci.springfield.or.us.

http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/menujobs.htm

Opinion: From Leaderless to Leaderful

Author: Reid Kimball
Editor: OE Communications
This opinion piece was approved by the OE Communications committee by receiving the minimum number of at least 6 votes needed for publication.

The Register Guard’s front page article “Protest Pioneers” written by Edward Russo, stated that people within Occupy Eugene (OE) “dislike calling themselves leaders.”

This is true for the most part. I have heard on numerous occasions talking with my brothers and sisters within OE that “there are no leaders,” and “we are a leaderless movement” because Occupy Wall Street was founded on the principles of being a people-powered, leaderless, non-hierarchical movement.

However, I have a differing opinion I would like to share with you all now. Rather than OE being a leaderless movement, or a movement with a few key people who are regarded as leaders, both inside and out, I suggest the following: Occupy Eugene is a protest movement in which everyone who participates is a leader.

We are not a leaderless movement. We are a leaderful movement. You, myself, and everyone in between are leaders. Think about it for a second.

We are making many sacrifices of energy, finances, and time. The sacrifices we make require leadership.

We are taking a proactive initiative to speak our rage against the economic injustices surrounding us; that takes leadership.

We are actively working on solving today’s most pressing problems; that takes leadership.

I joined Occupy Eugene because for once I felt empowered to do something about the governmental and systemic problems. Our energy and momentum depends on creating and maintaining that feeling of personal empowerment.

Calling ourselves a leaderless movement does not feel empowering to me. When we say, “there are no leaders,” I have to ask, who then takes responsibility for the mistakes that we have made?

Without leaders, how do we make ourselves accountable? How do we push ourselves to improve, to grow, and to win this fight against reckless capitalistic greed?

I don’t believe calling ourselves a leaderless movement gives us the personal power we all deserve. Nothing short of leadership is required of us if we are to improve our healthcare, our global economy, our government, our environment, and more. The job we have willingly accepted is daunting, but we can do it if we all believe that each and every one of us is a leader.

Every single day, each one of us commits a plethora of acts that demonstrate leadership. Some of us may commit more than another, but the quantity matters little. There are no ranks, no ladders, no silly job titles, just you and I, working together as equal leaders.

What if you don’t want to be a leader? That’s fine. But know that when I look you in the eye, what I see is a leader because your presence in the same room as I, tells me you have the passion, the smarts, and the leadership qualities we need. We need more people like you.

Occupation Education Day-long Training

Dr. Gordon Lafer, political economist and associate professor at the U of O’s Labor Education and Research Center, will lead a training session focused on strategic planning. The training will assist organizers and activists determine our movement’s goals for 2012 and how we can successfully reach those goals.

When: Sunday, March 18, 10am – 5pm

Where: OE V, 1274 W. 7th, Eugene

Contact person: Mary B.      marib.eugene@gmail.com