Music by The Refusers

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

NORTHAMPTON, MA: Move to Amend New England! Regional Convergence

http://movetoamend.org/

NORTHAMPTON, MA: Move to Amend New England! Regional Convergence

Friday, September 28, 2012 - 6:00pm to Sunday, September 30, 2012 - 12:00pm
First Churches of Northampton
29 Main Street
Northampton, MA 01060

See map: Google Maps
Move to Amend is holding seven regional gatherings across the United States in 2012. These events will bring you together with Move to Amend activists and supporters from throughout your region of the country. Let’s amplify and multiply the power of all that great local organizing by building deeper organizational connections. Let's kick it up a notch!
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Convergence Agenda
Session 1: Friday, September 28, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (Laying the Foundation)
*The State of the Global & US Democracy Movement This session will lay the groundwork for our weekend together. We’ll address the state of our movement(s) on a national and global scale and discuss the political climate for systemic social change in the United States.

Session 2: Saturday, September 29, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM (Organizing Skills Focus)
*Getting Involved with Move to Amend (Starting a MTA Group) Introductory level. We’ll cover how to get started working with the Move to Amend campaign including forming a group, beginning public outreach and growing your capacity. You’ll hear from Move to Amend organizers who are leading successful local groups in the region who will share best practices and strategies that have worked in their communities.
*Running a Move to Amend Community Campaign Advanced level. You’ll hear from experienced grassroots organizers who have run political campaigns at the local level. We’ll discuss MTA’s 2012 Resolve to Amend campaign and how your community can get started running a resolution effort that maximizes public engagement and capacity building potential.

Session 3: Saturday, September 29, 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM (Strategy)
*Engaging Your Community on Corporate Constitutional Rights & the MTA Campaign Introductory level. We’ll cover how to engage and educate individuals and organizations in your community about the campaign to amend the Constitution. You’ll learn best practices and talking points for reaching out to diverse constituents in your community and increase your comfort level talking about Corporate Personhood and explaining how it impacts communities and individuals.
*Imagining a New Democratic Framework for Corporations & Artificial Entities Advanced level. We’ll cover how the Move to Amend amendment will effect corporations, unions, non-profits and other organizations. You’ll learn the ramifications of the amendment and how the US legal and political system will adjust once corporations and other artificial entities cannot claim rights under the Constitution.

Session 4: Saturday, September 29, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Strategy & Organizing Skills)
*Building a Multi-Racial Democracy Movement for Social Justice & Constitutional Renewal
This session will address why the emphasis of our movement(s) must be on confronting racism and other oppressions in order to win real democracy. The means are the ends in our struggles for social justice, and this session will provide a framework for why an anti-racism orientation is critical for our movement and how to instill that ethic and commitment within ourselves and our organizations. We will cover theory and practice.
Social Mixer opportunity Saturday evening - Location TBA

Session 5: Sunday, September 30, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Capacity Building/Infrastructure)
*Building Capacity for the Work to Come: Strategy Discussion for MTA Organizers
We’ll brainstorm and discuss tools and infrastructure needs to better aid MTA organizers in the Northwest region. We’ll cover networking and capacity building infrastructure needs as well as steps toward Move to Amend organizing at the state level in the region.

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