June 30, 2007

US Social Forum Blogging

[Exhausted from running from workshop to workshop to discuss this fall's Iraq Moratorium and plagued by a hotel "Internet connection" that moves in geological time, I have asked some friends here at the inaugural US Social Forum to help out by blogging it with me. The first post comes from Jamala Rogers, who started working here as a volunteer days before most of us showed up. I should also mention that the commendable Modern Pitung, who blogs at All Out for the Fight, seems to be live blogging the USSF. Any other blog coverage readers want to recommend?]


Atlanta. I arrived on Sunday afternoon to volunteer in the pre-Forum frenzy. Having coordinated many national conferences and events, I multiplied one of those conferences by 100 and knew I needed to get down here. The USSF is for the movement and by the movement so we each have a responsibility for doing our individual and organizational part to ensure its success.

While putting together the badges for the conference, my small work table grew to four people. Bedsides me, there were two were young, African-American women and one older white male. One sistah was an budding entrepreneur here in Atlanta with a shop in the Five Points area. The other sister had taken a 31-hour bus ride from Connecticut to attend the USSF. She got big props from all of us!

The sole male was from Texas by way of my home state of Missouri so we made a connection based upon common geography. When I found out he is a member of Veterans for Peace, I told him I was invited to participate in the group's opening ceremony for their national conference being held in St. Louis. Although he didn't think he would make the August confab, it was an indication of the kind of networking that allows us to see how connected we really are.
We all expressed our excitement about attending the historic USSF and what events we planned to attend, our expectations, etc. I can only believe that our working table was a microcosm of the thousands of fortunate people able to experience the first such forum in the US.

Adelante!
Jamala Rogers

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the spirit of self-promotion, let me point to my USSF write-up here. I even included some photos, to sweeten the deal.

Anonymous said...

What the hell is the Party Study Group that you guys shared a panel with?

max said...

Hey FotM folks,

I posted a long personal report back on my blog at: www.ideasforaction.org as well as some photos & audion from our "Another Politics is Possible" track.

peace,

-max

ps. The Party Study Group (as i understand it) is an ongoing study group here in NYC initiated by FRSO and friends looking at the concepts of united front strategy and the prospects for party building in the 21st century) -- correct me if im wrong though.

Skwisgaar Skwigelf said...

Actually, Max, just to correct, the mentioned study group was an independent initiative. While there have been FRSO/OSCL members involved in it, there have been participants with other organizational affiliations as well. The guest speakers have also been from both FRSO/OSCL and other sources.