----Original Message-----
From: Pacific-NW-Social-Forum-Work-Group@googlegroups.com [mailto:Pacific-NW-Social-Forum-Work-Group@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of David Cobb
Sent: Monday, September 15, 2014 11:23 AM
To: Pacific NW Social Forum Work Group
Subject: Bringing our PMA's together to make the plan

Howdy folks,

Tomorrow we will be going over the Sat agenda, with specific emphasis on what we will do in the last 2-3 hours of our time together Saturday at the PNWSF - bringing our PMA's together to make this plan.

Below is the write-up to explain the structure and process for how make the plan.  In fact, after it is edited and approved, maybe this should go into the program so all attendees see it. What do y'all think?

Ever onward,
David

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FACILITATOR’S GUIDE (PROPOSED)

How PMAs are the plan to get us to “The Plan”

The goal of doing the PMA sessions is to engage in a shared, participatory process where every attendee of the PNWSF grapples with a series of questions designed to build political alignment about our understanding of the urgency of this moment, a vision of the world that we want, and a plan (as concrete as we can make it) to get there.
The culmination of the process is to collectively create a “Peoples Plan for Social, Economic and Environmental Justice” for the Pacific Northwest that is connected to the larger US Social Forum movement process.

Of course, each PMA topic/issue area has unique perspectives and experiences, but the desire to culminate in a shared plan is why we ask each PMA session to follow the same basic agenda. (NOTE: We understand that Indigenous Peoples have a different culture of how to have conversations and how to make and implement plans.  So we ask that this PMA use the agenda as a suggestion only, and that they try to conclude with 2-3 concrete actions and 3-4 movement demands that they will present during the evening plenary).

PMA AGENDA

1)     Introductions/Ground Rules (15 minutes)

Do a go-around having everyone introduce themselves with their name and with what organization (if any) they do their movement work. Go over the ground rules (written up in advance): raise hands, no interrupting, active listening, move back/move up, use “I” statements, stay on topic, respect the facilitator’s role and responsibility etc.
Remember, we want to have the opportunity to hear from everyone through the course of the PMA.

2) What is happening and why? (45 minutes)

a) Economic Crisis (late stage capitalism)
b) Political Crisis (emerging blatant fascism)
c) Ecological Crisis (Earth is being destroyed)
d) The Legal Crisis (Constitution as Supreme Law

NOTE: These subcategories are not exhaustive, but we feel are key areas to cover.  There is no need to divide the discussion into separate topics, but please make sure the conversation includes discussion of these themes.
The facilitators will listen for key ideas and record SHORT concepts.
At the end of the discussion we will ask the facilitation team to suggest a 1-2 short sentence answer to the question with which the group agrees.  (NOTE: If a group cannot achieve unanimous agreement on the answer, a vote of 2/3 of the participants will be sufficient.
Please report whether the answer was unanimous or adopted by vote).

3) What is our vision for the world we want? (45 minutes)

This is where we invite ourselves to truly imagine what the world could look like. We want to push ourselves beyond campaigns and tactics, even beyond what seems likely. The first part of the discussion can be free flowing and free form, but try to move towards concrete descriptions.

The facilitators will again be listening for key ideas and recording SHORT concepts. At the end of the discussion we will ask the facilitation team to suggest a 1-2 short sentence answer to the question with which the group agrees. If a group cannot achieve unanimous agreement on the answer, a vote of 2/3 of the participants will be sufficient. Please report whether the answer was unanimous or adopted by vote.

4) What is our plan to get to that world? (45 minutes)

a) Note the need to imbed our demands in constitutionally recognized rights
b) Note the role the USSF III can play

Here is where we start to share some of our own existing work. Discuss what strategies and tactics you are already using and try to use the prior discussions as a way to imagine how you might deepen existing work.  Explore possible synergies with other groups in your own PMA.
We also encourage thinking about the other PMA topics and how they might be connected.  Through the course of this section, we are preparing ourselves to be able to collectively decide on the “Action Opportunities” and “Movement Demands” which will be covered in the next two sessions.

NOTE:  Sometimes the difference between an “Action Opportunity” and a “Movement Demand” is obvious, sometimes they may be very similar. So we want to be as intentional and deliberate as we can be without getting hung-up on distinguishing one from the other.

5) Identify 2-3 "Action Opportunities" for folks to join (Examples:
Marches, Teach-Ins and PMAs, Initiatives, Direct Actions, etc) THESE SHOULD BE THINGS ALREADY IN PROCESS (30 minutes).

We will begin with a go-round to harvest suggested “Action Opportunities.” Every proposed action should be as specific as possible, relate to the issue/topic of the PMA, and there should be some organization or group of people already working on it (or at least planning to work on it). The group should try to merge/combine items where it makes sense. There will then be discussion, and folks can try to persuade one another of why a particular action should be highlighted (try to stay focused on being positive about why you think one action is really good rather than why you think one isn’t).
The facilitators will strive to see if we can get to unanimous agreement on the top 2-3 items. If there isn’t unanimity, there will be a cumulative vote held.  Each participant will be able to vote for three of the proposed actions, and the top three actions will be reported to the full plenary.

NOTE: The Action Opportunities will only be presented to the plenary, we will not be approving or adopting them. Please include the contact info for the organization that is working on it.

6) Identify 3-4 short movement demands (ie, Dismantle the School-to-Prison Pipeline, Housing is a Human Right, End Deportations,
etc) THESE THINGS NEED NOT ALREADY BE IN PROCESS. (30 minutes)

We will begin with a go-round to harvest suggested “Movement Demands.”
 The facilitators will record each suggestion.  Every proposed demand should relate to the issue/topic of the PMA. It is not necessary that an organization or group already be working on such a demand (although it would be good if it were).  The group should try to merge/combine items where it makes sense. People can try to persuade one another of why a particular demand should be highlighted (try to stay focused on being positive about why you think one demand is really good rather than why you think one isn’t).

The facilitators will strive to see if we can get to unanimous agreement on the top 3-4 items. If there isn’t unanimity, there will be a cumulative vote held.  Each participant will be able to vote for three of the proposed actions, and the top three actions will be reported to the full plenary.

NOTE: The Movement Demands will be presented to the group as proposals. We will go through a process (described below) to create our “Peoples Plan for Social, Economic and Environmental Justice.”



Compiling & Synthesizing

Over dinner all the facilitation teams will meet together to compile the results of the PMA.  They will be tasked with creating a joint “Report back” to the plenary. This will include proposed 1-2 short sentence answers to the questions “What is Happening & Why?” and “What is our vision for the world we want?”

The facilitator will then ask the group for clarifying questions on each short answer to make sure there is shared understanding. (Please don’t try to wordsmith here). The facilitator will ask if anyone has concerns about the proposed answer.  If there are no concerns, that answer is adopted as part of our Plan.

But if anyone has a concern they can share it.  After hearing concerns (if any) we will have one of the core organizers respond with either an amendment to resolve the concern or an explanation of why the proposal should stay as-is.  There will then be a vote taken, and if
2/3 of the plenary votes yes the proposed language is adopted as part of our Plan.

All of the "Action Opportunities" will be presented to the group with a SHORT explanation of what it is and what group is already working on it. The facilitator can entertain short clarifying questions (if there is time).

The synthesized “Movement Demands” will be presented to the Plenary one PMA at a time. The facilitator will then ask the group for clarifying questions on the demands to make sure there is shared understanding. (Again, please don’t try to wordsmith here). The facilitator will ask if anyone has concerns about the proposed demand.
If there are no concerns, that answer is adopted as part of our Plan.

But if anyone has a concern they can share it.  After hearing concerns (if any) we will have one of the core organizers respond with either an amendment to resolve the concern or an explanation of why the proposal should stay as-is.  There will then be a vote taken, and if
2/3 of the plenary votes yes the proposed language is adopted as part of our Plan.

So at the end of this process we will have created and adopted a fairly short, written plan that reflects our shared understanding of the urgency of this moment and a vision of the world that we want. It will also include concrete actions that are coming up that folks can plug into, as well as Movement Demands.

We will then have a short explanation of how folks can plug into existing US Social Forum work, including Working Groups, upcoming PMAs and Movement Schools, and USSF III (San Jose, Philly, and Jackson).

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