Occupy Together | Background
On September 17th, men and women of all races, backgrounds, political and religious beliefs, began to organize on Wall Street in nonviolent protest. These men and women represent the 99% with the goal of ending the greed and corruption of the wealthiest 1% of America.
As word spread on facebook, twitter, and the various live feeds across the internet, people across America -- and the world -- have joined those on Wall Street, engaging in non-violent civil disobedience and building solidarity based on mutual respect, dignity, and acceptance.
We are the 99% and we have assumed full responsibility for the future of our society, our culture, and most importantly, our own lives. We will only grow stronger in our solidarity and we will be heard, not just in New York, but in echoes across this nation.
General Assembly | How it works
The General Assembly is a gathering of people committed to making decisions based upon a collective agreement or “consensus.”
There is no single leader or governing body of the General Assembly – everyone’s voice is equal. Anyone is free to propose an idea or express an opinion as part of the General Assembly.
Each proposal follows the same basic format – an individual shares what is being proposed, why it is being proposed, and, if there is enough agreement, how it can be carried out.
The Assembly will express its opinion for each proposal through a series of hand gestures (see next panel). If there is positive consensus for a proposal – meaning no outright opposition – then it is accepted and direct action begins.
If there is not consensus, the responsible group or individual is asked to revise the proposal and submit again at the following General Assembly until a majority consensus is achieved.
General Assembly | Working Groups
Within the General Assembly, there are smaller gatherings known as “Working Groups " or "Committees” that focus on supporting specific initiatives or topics relevant to the move ment. These range from Food, Medical, and Legal Committees to Arts & Culture, Direct Action, Principles of Solidarity and many more. All groups are open to anyone interested in supporting them, and report back to the General Assembly.
General Assembly | Hand Gestures
[Omitted for online use because there are more recent, expanded, and easier to understand resources on this available from the Arts & Culture working group]
General Assembly | Roles
At each General Assembly, a few individuals will need to serve in roles that move the discussion forward, while remaining impartial. These roles rotate from one meeting to the next, and are open to anyone interesting in serving the General Assembly.
The roles needed for each General Assembly, and their tasks, are:
Facilitator - usually two individuals serve this role. Explains the process, introduces topics, and keeps the agenda moving forward on time.
Stack Keeper - usually two individuals serve this role. Keeps track of requests to speak, and organizes the list of speakers (the stack). Keeps speakers within a pre-set time limit (usually one minute),
Note Taker - Takes notes to document the process, including all proposals, discussion, and decisions of the General Assembly.
General Assembly | Progressive Stack
During the General Assembly, the Stack Keeper will maintain a list of who is speaking. on each proposal. The stack is actively rearranged in a progressive system, giving priority to those who have not spoken before, as well as traditionally marginalized voices. In this way, access to the process is shared more broadly among the Assembly. This does not mean that we want to silence anyone - we want to encourage those that are not often heard to speak up!
Occupy Together | More Info
Online:
occupywallst.org
occupytogether.org
nycga.cc
http://www.ge.tt/9yybDX8/v/0
Thanks to Jason White for sending me the text version! <3
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