The Official Site of the #OccupyCleveland Movement

Digest for Feb. 17 – 19 (Friday & Weekend)

Occupy Pittsburgh Impressions * Warehouse space approved * Petition Roundup * International, national, state news * Today & tomorrow’s events * Today’s quote * GA recap links * February is Black History Month! * New Recurring Event on Saturdays – Occupy Cleveland “Organizer Boot Camp” * Rustbelt Assembly Recap * Update: Help in Canal Fulton * Call for commitment to help people at info tent * Food and other donated items and services needed at info tent * Bank walk-away project * Upcoming events * Meetings / WAGs * More reading / links * Call for information

Weekday Schedule: Today and Tomorrow’s Special Events; 3 PM March (starting at info tent), 6-7 PM GA M-W-F, OPEN FORUM T-Th; 7 PM Community Chat; 8-10 PM Entertainment; 10 PM-2 AM Night Shift #1; 2-6 AM Night Shift #2; Upcoming Events; We are continuously in the NW Quadrant of Public Square 24/7 at the Info Tent

Weekend Schedule: Today and Tomorrow’s Special Events;  10 PM-2 AM Night Shift #1; 2-6 AM Night Shift #2; Upcoming Events; We are continuously in the NW Quadrant of Public Square 24/7 at the Info Tent

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Occupy Pittsburgh Impressions

One person’s experience visiting Occupy Pittsburgh: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/20469948

Warehouse space approved

We’ve lost our office, but we’re getting a warehouse space. It has showers & is zoned for sleeping, has a gated parking lot, too. We can put in washers & dryers. Rent is $300/month and it is on a bus route.

Petition Roundup

Petition to ask Senators to reject the tentative Keystone XL

Please ask your Congressional Representative to vote no on H.R. 7 “Drill and Drive” bill

In an attempt to open our oceans and public lands to oil drilling, House Speaker John Boehner is pushing legislation this week to fund a transportation bill with drilling receipts. This flawed approach to transportation funding is expected to be on the House floor for a vote as early as this week.    Email Congress

Petition to ask Governor Kasich to stop the death penalty in Ohio

This comes on the heels of the release of Joe D’Ambrosio, who had spent twenty years on death row for the death of someone he did not kill.    Info | Petition

International, National, State News & Opinion

International:

• This American Life – Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory - Podcast on the conditions of workers who make Apple products

National:

• 2-16 – ustream – Father and grandmother arrested at Freddie Mac in LA
• 2-15 – Armstrongmywire.com – Jimmy Carter casts Occupy movement as successful
• 2-9 – NPR – Occupy Wall Street – The Future and History, So Far
• 2-9 – Reuters – U.S. banks agree to $25 billion in homeowner help – Some are critical and skeptical of this

Ohio & Cleveland:

• 2-7 – OhioFraction – Governor Kasich ‘Mic-Checked’ at State of State by outraged anti-fracking protestors
• 2-2 – CantonRep.com – Occupy Canton moves its focus indoors
• 2-1 – Plain Dealer – Cleveland Black History Month profiles: People and institutions

Upcoming events and WAGs

In addition to our regularly scheduled weekday events, here are some special events that are happening today! Lots to do! Unless otherwise noted, events are in NW Quadrant (Tom Johnson/Free Speech Quadrant) of Public Square or nearby in the white tent area. More upcoming events after today are here…

Special Events Through Sunday

• Fri. Feb. 17 @ 10 AM – Teamsters are asking for support at 3747 Euclid Ave. Help striking workers from the Red Cross.
• Fri. Feb. 17 – Carlos Jones & the Plus Band playing at the Beachland – this is a benefit for the Free Clinic
• Sat. & Sun. Feb. 18 & 19 - Canvassing – (training was on 2/15)
• Sat., Feb. 18 @ 6 PM – “Occupy Now, But What’s Next?” – Staughton Craig Lynd at the College Club with 20 seats reserved for activists who identify as belonging to the Occupy movement (Otherwise tickets are $35 a seat). 2348 Overlook Rd., Cleveland Heights.
• Saturdays @ 6 PM - Occupy Boot Camp – at Info Tent
• Sun., Feb. 19 @ 6:30 PM - Joint meeting of Outreach and Foreclosure WAGs at Gypsy Bean Coffee House (W. 65 & Detroit) re March activity.  Info: occupyclevelandoutreach _at symbol_ gmail.com, http://www.facebook.com/events/177705542338599/
• More Events

Upcoming GA Votes - see Proposals section

Regular Daily Events

• 3 PM March – Daily – starts from Info Tent west of NW Quadrant of Public Square
• 6 PM General Assembly on M-W-F, Open Foum T-Th- GAs are formal assemblies at the NW corner of Public Square or in white info tent west of this area. At this assembly, proposals and announcements are made. This is where consensus items are decided. Please review stances/thoughts at viewtopic.php?f=32&t=1003 for discussion in today’s GA. Recent GA recaps
• Community Chat Following GA Today & Tomorrow – Informal assembly
• Today & Tomorrow – 10 PM – 2 AM and 2 AM – 6 AM Evening Shifts – Please sign up at the white tent for an evening shift so that we can maintain effective occupancy overnight and relieve people who are overburdened. Dress extremely warmly with lots of layers and bring appropriate gear to keep yourself warm.

Working Group Meetings

• Check for Meetings Here

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“We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.”

~ Angela Davis

Please send poetry submissions to occupyclevelandpoetry (_at symbol_) gmail.com. If you agree, let’s work on keeping things positive and promoting positive perspectives in this space…

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GA recap links

Thanks to all who help with the movement, and thanks to notekeepers and videographers! Please post written GA minutes in the GA portion of forums in written format: http://unju.st/forum.

Wednesday Feb. 15 Minutes | Monday Feb. 13 Video | Friday Feb. 10 Minutes | Archived Minutes and Videos

Recent Concensus Items

• 2-10 CONCENSUS on proposal to rent 2,400 sq. ft. warehouse space
• HAVE BEEN MISSING SOME CONCENSUS ITEMS. PLEASE POST NOTES IF YOU HAVE TIME & IT’S NOT TOO MUCH TROUBLE.
• 2-7 CONSENSUS-PROPOSAL PASSED: Proposal for Occupy Cleveland to sign on to a call for mass action in response to what seems to have been an attempt to suppress the movement, and to do a march in solidarity with a related national day of action on Feb. 28. This might involve some flyers and notification of the media.
• 2-7 CONCENSUS-PROPOSAL PASSED: Proposal for the person who rented a storage unit to be reimbursed for the expenses so far and the monthly rent. He’s already paid $91.59 plus a $25 initial fee.
• 1-6 CONCENSUS REACHED to modify 10% blocking to 5% blocking with granularity of 1 additional person supporting the person who is blocking for it to be a block per each 20 people in attendence at GA
• 1-6 CONCENSUS REACHED to do remembrance ceremony for Nick Christie & peaceful community involvement. Date TBD.

Recent proposals

• 2-15 PROPOSAL – funding/reimbursements on various items to be voted on Friday, 2/17.
• 2-15 PROPOSAL – Partnership with “One Mad Mother Against Vaccinations”
• 2-10 PROPOSAL to order “We are the 99%” stickers.
• 2-7 PROPOSAL in Facebook Open Forum for Warehouse unit rental – proposal will be introduced 2-8
• 2-7 PROPOSAL in forums – “Buy stock in the banks and companies we want to change”
• 1-9 INFORMAL PROPOSAL announced to help the poor with programs
• 1-6 UPCOMING PROPOSAL re “Prommunity”
• 1-2 PROPOSAL for consideration Wednesday, Jan. 4 for event of remembrance of Nick Christie (Ohio man who was pepper-sprayed to death)

February is Black History Month!

Every February I am kind of whapped up the side of the head by my own ignorance, forgetting that February is Black History Month and that I’d planned to spend more time learning about history last year… and failed to do so. I am hoping to seek out and find events and information regarding Black History Month to post in the Digest. The Plain Dealer is printing a month long series of profiles of Cleveland innovators and leaders who have African American heritage.

Cleveland Plain Dealer Intro Article…

Today (Wed., Feb. 13) the Plain Dealer’s running an article about Louis Stokes. He became Ohio’s first black congressman.

Interestingly enough, actor Morgan Freeman recently called Black History month ridiculous, and some black intellectuals have called for the end of black history month as well. I’d like to point out to my friends who have African American heritage that as a person of largely European heritage, I feel rather ignorant about history and so this is an opportunity for me and others to learn more–I don’t think the month trivializes contributions of black people at all but is rather a proactive measure to help raise consciousness. But this is just my subjective perspective as the temporary editor..

New Recurring Event on Saturdays – Occupy Cleveland “Organizer Boot Camp”

OK, folks, time to get busy. Last Saturday at the tent we held the inaugural Occupy Cleveland Organizer Boot Camp, which will be held every Saturday at the tent at 6pm. Anyone can attend, but there are rules.

It’s not a teach-in. It’s a boot camp, which means there is homework. Last night’s homework assignment was (1) participants must read Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals”, and (2) participants must organize to permanently solve the problem of food at the tent long term. If the homework is done properly, next Saturday’s Boot Camp will be conducted over a healthy meal, because healthy meals will always be at the tent at meal hours, every day, reliably, because occupiers have organized to make it so. Part of organizing is accountability, which is why I’m posting the homework assignment publicly.

Now get to work. There are no excuses in a boot camp. Get ‘er done.

Rustbelt Assembly Recap

Members of the occupation attended a Regional GA in Kent Ohio with Occupy Warren, Occupy Youngstown, Occupy Kent State. There is another Regional GA planned in March (dates to be announced). Details for the next assembly are being hashed out in the Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/306042076105493/.

Last meeting’s ideas:

• Growth and Education – How to grow the movement and help inform people
• Diversity – How to foster a welcoming atmosphere and cultivate more participation by people of all races and colors
• Ideas about how to address Governor Kasich
• March 1 call to action in solidarity with Occupy Education
• Activism addressing banking issues
• Workshops on Mar. 13 & 14 in Columbus RE activities worked on by each city’s Occupation group

A weekend of some difficulty

Cleveland activists had a bit of difficulty this weekend with police relations but it ended up OK. But on the wider scene, 400 protesters were arrested in Oakland and protesters in D.C. were asked to stop camping overnight.

According to this article on DailyKos.com, some of the people who were arrested were denied medications, some were beaten, some tear gassed and some kept from restrooms. Please consider contacting the Oakland police department and calmly asking for all people who are arrested to be treated better than this and for ethical procedures to be put in place to ensure such abuse does not happen. Oakland City Hall’s number is (510) 238-CITY and the police department’s general inquiry/comment email address is ocop _at symbol_ oaklandnet.com.

Newsnet5 reports: “Occupy protesters are back in the national spotlight after a weekend of violent clashes. And some people are being told to move out or risk arrest. Like many of the occupy groups around the country, the Occupy Cleveland group is frustrated after a violent weekend for both protesters and police.”

Continue reading Newsnet5 article…

Update: Help in Canal Fulton

The person we were going to work on supporting in Canal Fulton needs help cleaning and presumably packing. She is suffering from cancer and has made arrangements to stay with family (we were going to see what we could do to help her in the case she was evicted). Ask in the Occupy Cleveland NV and open forums for info.

Call for commitment to help people at info tent

The people who have been manning the info tent in Public Square regularly have been suffering from exhaustion. They are calling for more regular commitments from new people, and for people to show up when they do make a promise to do so.

Food and other donated items and services needed at info tent

When visiting the info tent, please think of bringing down some healthy and delicious hot meals and/or some easily preparable food such as tuna, easy mac, healthy choice fresh mixers, soups–things that don’t have to be refrigerated but that can be microwaved… canned fruit. The food situation at the tent has been pretty sparse when it comes to healthy items so hot meals will be much appreciated. Also please consider bringing some dog food as there is at least one dog who stays at the tent much of the time.

Some occupiers have been doing this almost nonstop since the start of the movement here three months ago, and need help. Please consider asking people at the tent if you can take them to your home for a shower or if you can help do some laundry.

Other needed items: foot and hand warmers, warm socks especially! More people volunteering to stay at the tent for regular shifts will be much appreciated.

Bank walk-away project

We’re considering working on a project involving 44 foreclosed properties from which banks have walked away. Any addresses / ideas for properties can still be emailed to occupyclevelandpermanentbasecamp (_at symbol_) gmail.com

According to the article Northeast Ohio Plagued by 30,000 vacant homes awaiting demolition, “Former Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis said he believes the number of condemned homes and buildings in Northeast Ohio has ballooned to 30,000. Rokakis blamed foreclosures and irresponsible banks, investment firms and individuals who have walked away or ignored their distressed properties.”

More upcoming events through February

Events are in the NW Quadrant (Tom Johnson Quadrant) of Public Square unless otherwise noted.

• Fri. Feb. 17 @ 10 AM – Teamsters are asking for support at 3747 Euclid Ave. Help striking workers from the Red Cross.
• Fri. Feb. 17 – Carlos Jones & the Plus Band playing at the Beachland – this is a benefit for the Free Clinic
• Sat. & Sun. Feb. 18 & 19 - Canvassing – (training was on 2/15)
• Sat., Feb. 18 @ 6 PM – “Occupy Now, But What’s Next?” – Staughton Craig Lynd at the College Club with 20 seats reserved for activists who identify as belonging to the Occupy movement (Otherwise tickets are $35 a seat). 2348 Overlook Rd., Cleveland Heights.
• Saturdays @ 6 PM - Occupy Boot Camp – at Info Tent
• Sun., Feb. 19 @ 6:30 PM - Joint meeting of Outreach and Foreclosure WAGs at Gypsy Bean Coffee House (W. 65 & Detroit) re March activity.  Info: occupyclevelandoutreach _at symbol_ gmail.com, http://www.facebook.com/events/177705542338599/
• Mon., Feb. 20 – President’s Day - we will be reading landmark speeches of or relating to our great presidents
• Wed., Feb. 22 @ 7:30 PM - We have been invited to a town hall meeting by the Save Our Benefits coalition–all are welcome to come. This is at St. Paul’s Community Church, 4427 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland. The coalition is concerned about Social Security and Medicare, etc.
• Wednesdays @ 8 PM – Drum Circle at Info Tent
• Wednesdays @ 8 PM – Womens meeting
• Sun., Feb. 26 @ 1-3 PM – Outreach WAG at Lakewood Library
• Sun., Feb. 26 @ 3-5 PM – Occupy the Rust Belt Second Regional Assembly – Oscar Ritchie Hall, Kent, Ohio http://www.facebook.com/events/223924557701212/
• Tues., Feb. 28 – National protest against attempted suppression of Occupy movement.
• Saturdays @ 6 PM – Occupy Cleveland “Organizer Boot Camp.” We’ll most likely have a healthy meal at this boot camp, and there will be homework!
• Thurs., Mar. 15 @ 7 PM – Occupy the Midwest Regional Conference (St. Louis) – http://www.facebook.com/events/264828373580309/

Events for next month and the future can now be found on the Events page of the Occupy Site.

Workgroup/Affinity Group Meetings / WAGs*

This section of the newsletter is under rehab as it had a lot of outdated info – will post WAG meeting times as I see them under the regular events listings. You might be able to find times in the wiki below.

WAGS are located in the northwest quadrant of Public Square by the Tom Johnson statue or in the white tent adjacent to the quadrant unless otherwise noted, and all are welcome to come and participate!

Working Groups and Contact Information Wiki

* WAG: Working/Affinity Group

Check the forums for more info on working groups. There are probably working group meetings that are happening that are not on the above list. Here are some known working groups: Outreach * Phone & Q&A * Arts & Culture * Spirituality * Food * Mission/Vision * Legal * Peacekeeping * Entertainment * First Aid * Sanitation * Nightwatch * Direct Action * Facilitators * Finance * Tech * Logistics * Transportation * Permanent Occupation Base

Current haves and needs

• Still need consistent food donations of prepared meals at the tent along with healthy nibbles for energy throughout the cold days
• Current physical needs are now posted on the Needs page as I now have access to this page
• Donations
• Thought, perspective, respect, representation, tolerance, kindness, listening, family, friends, seriousness, joy, work, kindness, self-critique, community, patience, persistence, dialogue, peace, rationality, health, equality, empathy, civic support, solidarity, idealism, courage, dialogue, mentoring, participation, calmness, respect, compassion for one another, outreach, ethical banks, small business loans from banks, energy, focus, kindness, wholeness,global tribal ethic, fostering leadership in young adults, restoring reverence to older adults, community, focus, patience, lots of love, pride, humility, moving forward, reaching out.

Interesting Links

• Occutrip.com – a chronicle of the travels of a person surveying the Occupy movement in Europe to report back to the U.S.
• The Occupied Wall Street Journal
• Occupy First, Inc. – Banking for the 99%
• OCCUPY CLEVELAND T-shirts

Recurring info

Weekday Schedule: Today and Tomorrow’s Special Events; 3 PM March (starting at info tent), 6-7 PM GA M-W-F, OPEN FORUM T-Th; 7 PM Community Chat; 8-10 PM Entertainment; 10 PM-2 AM Night Shift #1; 2-6 AM Night Shift #2; Upcoming Events; We are continuously in the NW Quadrant of Public Square 24/7 at the Info Tent

Weekend Schedule: Today and Tomorrow’s Special Events;  10 PM-2 AM Night Shift #1; 2-6 AM Night Shift #2; Upcoming Events; We are continuously in the NW Quadrant of Public Square 24/7 at the Info Tent

Info Tent #: (216) 202-4999 | Phone Rules

Wiki: http://wiki.occupycleveland.com

Call for information

Dear Readers/Occupiers:

People who are planning events and work groups–please email these events to occupyclevelandstories (_at symbol_) gmail.com so I can post them rather than having dig and dig every morning through the forums and multiple facebook pages to find these items. It is taking between one to three hours to do this Digest every morning, so emailing info to me will help me get this out more quickly.

For posting to event calender on occupycleveland.com, please email [email protected].

Please continue to post GA notes daily in the forum “General Assembly” here: http://unju.st/forum/. It is vital to post these notes for the larger Occupy community so that we know what items are being consented to and what events are consensus events. Thank you to those who have been posting notes!

Peace,

The Temporary Editor

What Would You Like to See?

Please mail letters to the editor, story ideas, meeting times, articles, etc. to occupyclevelandstories (_at symbol_) gmail.com. Also, the Daily Digest is having a working group meeting Sunday, 10/30 at noon in the Tom Johnson (NW) quadrant of Public Square. If not right in the quadrant, please check the white tent west of the square.

Call for Poetry/Creative Writing/Art Submissions – we’re looking for poetry seeds from the larger poetry community, again, a great outreach action. We’re putting together an Occupy Cleveland poetry zine and I’d like to feature some creative items in the Daily Digest as well. Please send submissions to occupyclevelandpoetry (_at symbol_) gmail.com.

Thank you to all people who are making information available!

Read more at Occupy Cleveland