Thursday, June 30, 2011

[SDCPJ] Fw: [isn] War Resisters Inject Truth into Military Recruitment by Eleanor J. Bader

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----- Original Message -----
From: <a.beltran@ymail.com>
Cc: "recipient list not shown:"
Sent: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 4:34 AM
Subject: [isn] War Resisters Inject Truth into Military Recruitment by
Eleanor J. Bader

> On The Issues Magazine
>
> The Progressive Woman's Magazine Summer 2011:
>
> War Resisters Inject Truth into Military Recruitment
>
> by Eleanor J. Bader
>
> ***
>
> War Resisters Inject Truth into Military Recruitment
>
> by Eleanor J. Bader
>
> The setting changes but the scene does not: Men and women in crisply
> pressed uniforms enter public high schools across the country and cajole
> the teenagers they meet into signing on the dotted line to serve Uncle
> Sam.
>
> Thanks to Section 9528 of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, recruiters
> from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps and Navy have the same
> access to secondary school students as college recruiters or potential
> employers.
>
> This, in concert with mandatory Selective Service registration for all
> 18-year-old males and the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery
> [ASVAB] exam that is given to nearly three-quarters of a million high
> school juniors and seniors each year, has prompted many domestic peace
> activists to organize opposition to the militarization of youth.
>
> They advocate "truth-in-recruiting," arguing that lofty promises made at
> the time of enlistment -- extensive travel, scholarships or an easy route
> to U.S. citizenship -- often fail to materialize once service begins.
>
> ©Elise Engler
>
> What's more, these peace activists say that they are paying particular
> attention to female recruits, warning them of potential pitfalls: The
> risks associated with wartime service even in "non-combat" positions, as
> well as the too-common experience of sexual harassment and assault by unit
> supervisors and peers.
>
> Little-Known Facts
>
> The War Resisters League, an 88-year-old national group with more than 25
> chapters across the U.S., targets students and, when possible, tables at
> schools to provide little-known facts about the military: One in four
> soldiers gets a less than honorable discharge, making them ineligible for
> college money; nearly one-third of females seeking health care from the
> Veteran's Administration report experiencing a rape or attempted rape
> while conscripted.
>
> "Up until the economic recession began, the military had a hard time
> finding recruits," says Kimber Heinz, National Organizing Director of the
> War Resisters League. "But now the military is not only meeting its quota,
> it's a de facto jobs program and you have recruiters preying on students
> who can no longer afford college or find work."
>
> One of its brochures, Know Before You Go, offers this information for
> those thinking of signing up: "The military contract states, 'Laws and
> regulations that govern military personnel may change without notice. Such
> changes may affect pay, benefits, and responsibilities as a member of the
> Armed Forces regardless of the provisions of the enlistment document.'"
>
> In other words, beware: Even though a recruit has signed a contract, the
> terms can be modified at the military's discretion. "We let people know
> that if we're at war a recruit can be stop-lossed and might end up on
> multiple tours," Heinz continues. "The recruit has no control over this.
> We always remind people that the military is the only job where if the
> worker quits, he or she goes to jail."
>
> The organization also provides data on what it means to be a conscientious
> objector and outlines the penalties for failing to register for Selective
> Service. Other truth-in-recruiting messages are also hammered. For one,
> despite promises to the contrary, Heinz reports that skills learned in the
> military are rarely transferable to the civilian world. "We make it clear
> that many, many people come out of the military traumatized or disabled,"
> Heinz continues. "We ask people to think about what it means to be an
> occupier of someone else's land and we try to get people to consider
> whether they'll be able to live with killing someone or seeing someone
> killed." It's a heavy message, and it is repeated by more than 75 local
> organizations throughout the 50 states. Joanne Sheehan is an adult
> advisor to YouthPeace, a student-led social justice group at the Norwich
> Free Academy, a public, regional high school in eastern Connecticut. Since
> 1998 YouthPeace has raised issues including military recruitment and
> Islamophobia with the student body.
>
> Students Can Opt-Out For the past seven years, members have also
> coordinated an annual opt-out campaign to inform students that the law
> allows them to request that their contact information be withheld from
> recruiters. "Schools typically send student names, addresses, and phone
> numbers to the military in October, so we have about a month once school
> starts to publicize the opt-out provision," Sheehan says. "A few years ago
> we pushed the superintendent to put information about opting-out in the
> first paragraph of a letter that is sent to parents at the beginning of
> the year. We want to be sure they understand that their children don't
> need to provide data to recruiters, that it's something they can opt-out
> of." In some schools recruiters have free rein in the hallways The peace
> groups also broach a broader anti-militarist agenda, even in places like
> San Diego with a heavy military presence and 110,000 military employees.
> There, the school board recently voted to ban students enrolled in the
> Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps [J-ROTC] from taking in-school
> marksmanship classes. "Fifteen of the 18 high schools in San Diego have
> ROTC. One of them, Lincoln, was temporarily closed for rehabbing and when
> we saw the plan for the renovation, we saw that it included a firing
> range. We brought this to the community's attention and formed the
> Education Not Arms Coalition," says Rick Jahnkow, coordinator of Youth and
> Non-Military Opportunities, known as Project YANO. The consensus, Jahnkow
> says, was to focus on ending gun classes rather than campaigning against
> ROTC more generally because group participants felt an anti-ROTC campaign
> would fail. Education Not Arms pointed to the pervasive gun violence
> already plaguing the Lincoln area and denounced planned cutbacks in
> Advanced Placement classes needed by college-bound pupils. The efforts
> paid off: The school board ended all in-school gun training. Boosted by
> this victory, Project YANO and Education Not Arms next turned their
> attention to school-based recruiters. In late 2010 San Diego activists
> succeeded in restricting recruiters to two school visits per year, similar
> to policies in New York City, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco
> and Oakland. As a result, recruiters must schedule specific times to meet
> with potential conscripts and cannot disrupt "normal school activities."
>
> "In some schools the recruiters eat lunch with the kids, hang out and
> chill in the parking lot, and have free rein in the hallways," says Pat
> Elder of Maryland's PeaceAction Montgomery. "In most places, what they get
> to do depends on the principal. I've seen schools where male recruiters
> are always around, playing one-on-one basketball with kids who don't have
> fathers." This scenario led New York City's Youth Activists-Youth Allies
> Network to monitor recruiters to ensure that they obey the regulations
> that circumscribe their access to individual students.
>
> This scenario led New York City's Youth Activists-Youth Allies Network to
> monitor recruiters to ensure that they obey the regulations that
> circumscribe their access to individual students. YA-YA Network staff --
> all but one of whom are between 15 and 19 -- also lead workshops about
> U.S. foreign policy and the costs of war and militarism.
>
> "Several years ago I asked participants what their peers thought about the
> wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," says YA-YA advisor Amy Wagner. "The wars
> were not very present for them. I talked about how during the Vietnam War
> when you turned on your TV you always heard the number of dead soldiers.
> They thought about this and concluded that facts were being hidden from
> them on purpose. They did a lot of research and the result was a short
> video now up on YouTube, called The War Will Not Be Televised. Terms can
> be modified at the military's discretion
>
> The YA-YA Network is presently focused on making sure that schools abide
> by regulations that mandate that a school staff person be appointed to
> provide guidance on military recruitment in each high school.
>
> "We first want to investigate and see if this is being done," Wagner says.
> "If not, why not. If it is, we want to know where these people are getting
> their info and who's training them. We want to give students the
> information they are entitled to so that they fully understand their range
> of options."
>
> Indeed, it is this idea of options that propels organizing against
> militarism. Take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, a
> four-hour recruiting tool used in nearly 12,000 high schools nationwide.
>
> To date, Maryland is the only state to require schools to select a
> provision that stops student scores from being sent directly to
> recruiters. "Look, if you take even moderate Democrats and sit them down
> and ask them who they think should give student data to the military --
> mom and dad or the Pentagon – they'll all support parental decision
> making," says Pat Elder of PeaceAction Montgomery.
>
> They want students to understand that becoming a soldier is not
> necessarily the best way to show personal strength or valor. "A lot of
> people want to be tough and powerful, so they enlist," says the War
> Resisters League's Kimber Heinz. "They ultimately learn that enlisting is
> not a good way to test how strong they are."
>
> Eleanor Bader is a freelance writer, teacher, and activist. She writes for
> The Brooklyn Rail, The L Magazine, RHRealitycheck.org, and other
> progressive and feminist publications.
>
> http://www.ontheissuesmagazine.com/2011summer/2011summer_bader.php
>
>
> ***
>
>>> War Resisters Inject Truth into Military Recruitment>> by Eleanor J.
>>> Bader June 20, 2011>> On The Issues Magazine>>
>>> http://www.ontheissuesmagazine.com/2011summer/2011summer_bader.php>>
>
> This scenario led New York City's Youth Activists-Youth> Allies Network to
> monitor recruiters to ensure that> they obey the regulations that
> circumscribe their> access to individual students.>> YA-YA Network
> staff -- all but one of whom are between> 15 and 19 -- also lead workshops
> about U.S. foreign> policy and the costs of war and militarism. "Several>
> years ago I asked participants what their peers thought> about the wars in
> Iraq and Afghanistan," says YA-YA> advisor Amy Wagner. "The wars were not
> very present for> them. I talked about how during the Vietnam War when>
> you turned on your TV you always heard the number of> dead soldiers. They
> thought about this and concluded> that facts were being hidden from them
> on purpose. They> did a lot of research and the result was a short video>
> now up on YouTube, called The War Will Not Be> Televised.>> The YA-YA
> Network is presently focused on making sure> that schools abide by
> regulations that mandate that a> school staff person be appointed to
> provide guidance on> military recruitment in each high school. "We first>
> want to investigate and see if this is being done,"> Wagner says. "If not,
> why not. If it is, we want to> know where these people are getting their
> info and> who's training them. We want to give students the> information
> they are entitled to so that they fully> understand their range of
> options.">> Indeed, it is this idea of options that propels> organizing
> against militarism. Take the Armed Services> Vocational Aptitude Battery
> test, a four-hour> recruiting tool used in nearly 12,000 high schools>
> nationwide. To date, Maryland is the only state to> require schools to
> select a provision that stops> student scores from being sent directly to
> recruiters.>> "Look, if you take even moderate Democrats and sit them>
> down and ask them who they think should give student> data to the
> military -- mom and dad or the Pentagon -> they'll all support parental
> decision making," says Pat> Elder of PeaceAction Montgomery.>> They want
> students to understand that becoming a> soldier is not necessarily the
> best way to show> personal strength or valor. "A lot of people want to be>
> tough and powerful, so they enlist," says the War> Resisters League's
> Kimber Heinz. "They ultimately learn> that enlisting is not a good way to
> test how strong> they are.">‬______________________________

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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An Activist-Run Video Sharing Page!

===================================================================
National Immigrant Solidarity Network
No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights!

webpage: http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org
e-mail: info@ImmigrantSolidarity.org
New York: (212)330-8172
Los Angeles: (213)403-0131
Washington D.C.: (202)595-8990

Please consider making a donation to the important work of National
Immigrant Solidarity Network

Send check pay to:
National Immigrant Solidarity Network/AFGJ

and mail to:
National Immigrant Solidarity Network
P.O. Box 751
South Pasadena, CA 91031-0751
(All donations are tax deductible)

*to join the immigrant Solidarity Network daily news litserv, send e-mail
to: isn-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
or visit: http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/isn

*a monthly ISN monthly Action Alert! listserv, go to webpage
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**Please join our following listservs:

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information and alerts
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US-Mexico Border Information: No Militarization of Borders! Support
Immigrant Rights!
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[SDCPJ] U.S. Boat to Gaza - San Diego's Emergency Response Rally!

U.S. BOAT TO GAZA

Emergency Response Plans

In late June, a U.S. flagged ship called The Audacity of Hope will join the 2nd Freedom Flotilla - Stay Human as people from 22 nations set sail to Gaza challenging the Israeli naval blockade. Though the flotilla has the right under international law to do exactly what it is doing and has made abundantly clear its commitment to nonviolence, the government of Israel has publicly stated that they are prepared to act illegally and violently and take severe, even potentially life-threatening, action against the boats and their passengers.

The U.S. Boat to Gaza organizing committee urges people throughout this country to plan now for Emergency Response actions. The power of such actions will be the number of cities they are held in and the numbers of people who participate. Now is the time to start planning.

The San Diego Coalition for Peace and Justice will hold an EMERGENCY RESPONSE RALLY from 4-7pm the day following any attack by Israel on the Freedom Flotilla. Gather at the Federal Bldg., 880 Front Street, downtown San Diego.

Emergency Response Rally for the Freedom Flotilla

When: from 4-7pm the day FOLLOWING an attack by Israel on the Flotilla

Where: San Diego Federal Building, 880 Front Street

--
Lynn
San Diego Military Counseling Project
www.sdmcp.org

Saturday, June 18, 2011

[SDCPJ] Join in community and labor coalition

Dear Peace and Justice activist

Join us in a Community-Labor Coalition with the San Diego Labor Council. The Labor Council is holding an economic summit at the end of August near Labor Day, and is reaching out to community groups, organizations, and individuals.

I'm trying to organize the "community" part of this coalition - which is just a couple of weeks old.

Please let me know if you and/or your organization is interested. Send me an email or phone call (619-962-4804) if you'd like to discuss this or if you have any questions.

I think it's great that our local San Diego and Imperial County Labor Council is currently headed by a progressive person, Lorena Gonzales, and that the Council sees a significant priority to align with community groups.

So, please let me know.

Frank Gormlie, Editor and Publisher, OB Rag

Friday, June 17, 2011

[SDCPJ] Fw: Know Your Rights with the Police Workshop / Sus Derechos con La Policia Taller

----- Original Message -----

From: A Carter

To: Andrea Carter

Sent: Friday, June 17, 2011 8:33 PM

Subject: Know Your Rights with the Police Workshop / Sus Derechos con La Policia Taller

Please distribute widely. We will have Spanish interpretation for this workshop.

If you would like to see the full schedule or more details about the National Lawyer's Guild Conference that this is a part of, please visit: www.sandiegonlg.org.

[SDCPJ] Activist Summit - Mon, June 20 - 7PM - Activist San Diego's 12th Anniversary General Meeting

Activist San Diego's 12th Anniversary

MONDAY, June 20th at 7 PM

General Meeting and Activist Summit

For the last 12 years Activist San Diego has sought to be an information, communications and mobilization hub for left-progressives in the border region. From humble beginnings and a big vision ASD set out to be a catalyst for more grassroots activism and to grow the movement for social change. All of what we accomplished was thanks to you and the Network for Social Justice; organizations and individuals willing to unite for common cause.

Celebrate the past, Prepare for the future!

ASD wants you to be part of our next stage of development and is calling on activists of all stripes to help us envision the next 12 years.

ASD has an impressive record of having initiated or co-sponsored 375+ community events, forums, rallies, campaigns, teach-ins, workshops, educationals and speakers (including Michael Moore, Greg Palast, Amy Goodman). We sustained a weekly email newsletter, the Activist Update, for 550 issues. ASD and the PRC initiated the SD Coalition for Peace and Justice. The Activist Film Series showed more than 100 films in the community. ASD purchased and maintained the Activist Center and provided community meeting space, a housing coop and office space for many emerging non-profits including: TranscenDance Youth Arts Project, SD Military Counseling Project, Fernando Suarez's Guerrero Azteca Peace Project, (Salvadorean Women's Coop), Just Garments, City Heights Free Skool, Bike Kitchen, Collective Memory Project, Activist Youth of SD and several other initiatives.

Most recently ASD landed a Construction Permit from the FCC to launch a new 'full-power" FM, listener-supported, educational radio station to be run by the SD Community Radio Project!

Nevertheless ASD is a long way from being able to transform the political landscape in San Diego County -- that is why we need your vision and your help.

Join us for a change! June's General meeting will be:

1-part Celebration of our accomplishments (Add your 30-60 second blurb from the floor).

1-part Introduction and election of our new board members; come cheer them on.

1-part Activist Summit to rethink ASD's future, done in the style of the Peace Cafe (small tables followed by collective presentations).

Snacks and tabling opportunities will be available
MONDAY, June 20th at 7 PM
Joyce Beers Community Center
in Hillcrest (4065 Vermont St. San Diego, CA 92103).
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join us!
For more information call: 619-871-9354 cell, office 619-528-8383 Info@ActivistSanDiego.org

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

[SDCPJ] Keep Miramar Landfill PUBLIC!

This issue is important to ALL SAN DIEGANS for many reasons... environment, labor/jobs, local control, economy, services, quality, etc.

If you can possibly attend Wed morn 6/22, please join the fight to keep Miramar Landfill managed by the city.
If you cannot attend, contact Norma (info below) to see how else you can help!

June 22nd is one of the last chances to speak out on the proposed outsourcing of San Diego's only public landfill. Will you be there? Join a broad coalition of community, civic and environmental groups at the Rules Committee hearing on the landfill outsourcing.

Last month, in response to public concerns, the City Council Rules Committee voted to have the mayor's staff address a number of concerns about safety, environmental and financial issues before the outsourcing moves forward.

Join us at the next Rules committee hearing to ensure that these questions were answered:

When: 9am, Wednesday, June 22

Where: Rules Committee, 12th floor

San Diego City Hall, 202 C St.

The outsourcing of the Miramar Landfill through the managed competition process poses serious issues and concerns for San Diegans including:

What are the environmental safeguards required of a private operator?
How will greenery services including free or reduced cost compost and mulch for city residents be affected?
Will service quality levels be maintained?
How much is the outsourcing process costing taxpayers? The city just wasted $500,000 on consultants in a failed effort to sell off Miramar Landfill.
How will strong contract oversight be ensured? The city has a history of contract mis-management. Recent examples include contracts for ambulance service, computer and IT systems, and fire debris removal.

If you are interested in giving testimony or attending this meeting, please contact Norma Rodriguez, nrodriguez@onlinecpi.org or at (619) 584-5744 ext: 62

Norma Rodriguez

Organizer

Center on Policy Initiatives

Office: 619-584-5744 ext. 62

Cell: 619-957-3557

www.onlinecpi.org

Monday, June 13, 2011

June 2011 LEFT HOOK - East County Magazine

See Walter Davis' Left Hook Column here for June 2011.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

[SDCPJ] SlutWalk San Diego - Be There THIS Saturday!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Joni Craig <hellojoni@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jun 9, 2011 at 6:16 PM
Subject: SlutWalk San Diego - Be There THIS Saturday!

The name is trashy, purposefully designed to draw attention, and based on the following serious incident:

"On January 24th, 2011, a representative of the Toronto Police gave shocking insight into the Force's view of sexual assault by stating: "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized".

As the city's major protective service, the Toronto Police have perpetuated the myth and stereotype of 'the slut', and in doing so have failed us. With sexual assault already a significantly under-reported crime, survivors have now been given even less of a reason to go to the Police, for fear that they could be blamed. Being assaulted isn't about what you wear; it's not even about sex; but using a pejorative term to rationalize inexcusable behavior creates an environment in which it's okay to blame the victim."

The first Slutwalk was held in Toronto on April 3, and the movement has now grown to dozens of cities worldwide. There will be a Slutwalk in San Diego this Saturday to speak out against victim-blaming and to promote the following message:

"It's time to stop teaching 'Don't get raped' and start teaching 'Don't rape'!"

Here is some additional information:

Press Release, Mission, & Related Pages: http://slutwalksandiego.blogspot.com/p/press-release.html

Activist San Diego Page: http://activistsandiego.org/node/2910

Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=181231141927498&notif_t=event_invite

LGBT Support Link: http://sdgln.com/causes/2011/06/09/lgbt-community-join-saturdays-slutwalk-san-diego

If you believe that perpetrators, NOT victims, should be blamed for sexual violence, please forward this message far and wide, and please attend the event at 1:30 pm, Saturday, June 11, at San Diego's City Hall (202 C Street in 92101).

Thanks for your support,

Joni

P.S. This is the BEST list of Sexual Assault Prevention Tips I have EVER seen!: http://slutwalksandiego.blogspot.com/2011/05/sexual-assault-prevention-tips.html

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

[SDCPJ] Community Gardens SUCCESS!

It's not technically "official" yet, but yesterday was a BIG WIN!!
So, start planning your gardens! If each step goes smoothly (confirmation meeting, mayor signature, then into effect 30 days after), we will BY RIGHT be able to have community gardens in the city by late July!

Below is a little more detail and links to coverage... Please spread the GOOD NEWS!

And the PRC would love to see one behind the Friends Center, so contact us if you're interested in joining a planning team!

Mariah Gayler
Peace Resource Center of SD
SD Food Not Lawns & 1 in 10 Coalition

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: A.L. ANDERSON-LAZO <annie.lorrie@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jun 8, 2011 at 8:58 AM
Subject: [sdfoodshed] (1in10) All Good News

Dear Community Garden Supporters,

I hope you have heard the great news, but here's a recap with a few links to this morning's media coverage.

The Big Win!! San Diego City Council voted unanimously to allow community gardens by right in commercial and residential zones, everywhere outside coastal areas. (We may need to do some community-based advocacy with the coastal commission in the near future.) Looks like the new ordinance should be in effect within 45 days, but we'll keep you posted!

Congratulations to all of you, and thanks for all your support, letters, phone calls, and meeting attendance over the last two years, we have an unambiguous win! And a special thank you to MANY people and all of the members of the One in Ten CG Permit Committee for persistence, research, and showing San Diego what grassroots democracy can accomplish!

See News here: The Voice, The Tribune, and channel 10

and the City Council Meeting Video is here (June 7, Item number 31):

http://granicus.sandiego.gov/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=4787

Best,

Annie Lorrie

General Committee Coordinator

One in Ten Healthy Food Policy Coalition

P.S. Let us know if you are planning a garden and look forward to an invitation to several garden openings and a One in Ten Party soon! (We need to celebrate and then it's on to urban ag (chicken, bees, goats?, sustainability issues, etc.) !!!

This email is from the "SD Food Shed" (1 in 10) Google group.
More options at http://groups.google.com/group/sdfoodshed?hl=en

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

[SDCPJ] Tijuana Exhibition "What Are you bringing back?"

EXHIBITION AT SAN YSIDRO PORT OF ENTRY BRINGS TOGETHER ARTISTS,

COMMUNITY

May 11, 2011

Tijuana, BC, Mexico-Cog*nate Collective invites the San Diego and Tijuana community to itsvbInaugural exhibition at the Mercado de Artesanías de la Línea at the San Ysidro Port of EntryvbJune 10th and 11th.The exhibition called, "What are you bringing from Mexico?/ Que traes debvMexico?" brings together artists from both sides of the border at the Mercado, which is nestledvbbetween the lanes at the border crossing, for a site specific exhibition, reflecting on the

exchange, hybridity and flux that characterizes the border.

As a consequence of lack of tourism, the Mercado de Artesanías de la Linea's retail spaces are

approximately 80% vacant, the exhibition is part of a larger project of using these closed down

spaces for the benefit of the community by transforming them into cultural exhibition spaces.

The market is accessible walking via the footbridge as one crosses into Mexico. "What are you

bringing from Mexico?/Que traes de Mexico?" will open be open to the public Friday, June 10th

from 2pm to 8pm, and Saturday, June 11th from 12pm to 8pm.

For more information regarding the event please contact cog*nate collective at

cognate.collective@gmail.com or curator Amy Sanchez directly at aysarteaga@gmail.com

Cog*nate collective, is a bi-national art collective headed by Misael Diaz and Amy Sanchez.

The collective seeks to engage the various groups that inhabit the San Diego/ Tijuana border

including vendors, both formal and informal, and the thousands crossing between the two

nations. Projects aim to create conditions for exchange between these groups and activate

the site as a space for dialogue and as a public forum. For more information about cog*nate

collective please visit: cognatecollective.tumblr.com

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modification-date="Tue, 07 Jun 2011 21:01:09 GMT"

Thursday, June 2, 2011

[SDCPJ] Timebank? Community via Alternative Currency -- Meeting this Sat 6/4

Time banking is a pattern of reciprocal service exchange (related to bartering) that uses units of time as currency.
If you haven't heard of this, now is the TIME to check it out!

A new group in San Diego has just started gathering and discussing how to create a system locally. Join in and make change in a new way!

Hope to see you there!
Mariah

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The San Diego Time Bank <sdtimebank@gmail.com>
Subject: Potluck Meeting SAT @ 10am & Last Week's Notes

Hello SD Timebankers!

Our next meeting will be a BRUNCH POTLUCK held @ the North Park Community Park
(You're invited to bring a dish to share, but we want you to still join even if you can't!)

SAT. June 4, 10:00 AM

Howard Ave & Idaho St

San Diego, CA 92104

The agenda for this meeting will include the following:

Overview of research of other timebanks
Establish facilitator, notetaker and timekeeper at start of meeting.
What will our organizational model, specifically as it pertains to voting and decision making, look like?

Please invite people to this google group -- https://groups.google.com/group/sdtimebank
or to the facebook invite event -- https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=221088601252239

Notes from last week follow and are also posted in the FB group.

Time Banking Mtg. Notes

Sunday, May 29th 10am

Grant Hill Co-op

Members present: Andrea Carter, Praba, Holly Hellerstedt, Cathy Mendonca, David Krimmel, Paul, Penny, Cara Cadwallader, Joan, Joseph, Fred, Mariah Gayler

Meeting Facilitator: Andrea Carter

Notetaker: Cara Cadwallader

Timekeeper: Mariah Gayler

10:10am Agenda for meeting discussed/set:

"Who" will the timebank serve?
What is our timing and benchmarks along the way?
We agreed to meet for no more than two hours on this day.

Andrea referred to the "TimeBanks USA" Resource Book for addressing a visioning strategy for our local timebank:

People: Who will the timebank serve?
Purpose: Why? What are our desired benefits & outcomes?
Situation: Specific context for San Diego. What is the landscape here? What are our opportunities and challenges? What are the needs that this can be a vehicle to serve?
Strategies: Different exchanges between groups and organizations. 1 to 1 and many to many varying models.
Design: Organizational design and what kind of partnerships are we seeking? Non-profit status or group? Fiscal Partner(s)? Paid staff?
Resources: What do we have in this group right now?
Finances: What are they?
Timing: Benchmarks, timelines and plan.

As a group, we also discussed: our initial first steps; how we will ensure responsibility and accountability along the way; what our organizational leadership model will look like; and how to prioritize our goals.

Our collective interests in creating a local timebank included: community building; face to face connections; the destructive nature of a dollar-based capitalist system; individual and collective disconnection; creating alternative economical models; and creating a tool for group and personal incentive.

Mariah shared her experiences with "Berkeley BREAD" - a smaller timebank group can equate to less services offered. Less services = less incentive. Also, there needs to be a core group putting the time into making the timebank happen and the commitment must be long-term in order to ensure longevity of the program.

We agreed that:

a core group is an important key to our local timebank while Holly suggested that this core group will self-select under Andrea's initiative.
our timebank will be inclusive of all San Diego County residents. However, we will organize and focus within the mid-city/central area.
our purpose is to establish an alternative economic system while building community (which will include regular check-ins/meetings).
community involvement goes hand in hand with individual empowerment.
a local timebank promotes community and individual PARTICIPATION, while offering a solution to the current economic crisis and high rates of unemployment.
a lack of fair wages does not value people's time.
and that, culturally, Americans are afraid to ask for help but we give, give, give. A local timebank sets a model for giving and receiving.

We questioned:

Do we want to include bartering goods for services?
How do we include parts in services bartered?
Is the involvement in the timebank a conflict of interest for for-profit businesses?
How can we be fully inclusive of all people and not polarizing of those who love a money-based capitalist system?

Solutions offered:

Mariah suggested that we start out as a pure service exchange which is easier and more straight forward and then build towards bartering for goods which is more difficult to manage.
Holly believes that setting an across-the-board wage/hour is a great idea. (In the late 90s, Berkeley Bread set their "wage" at $10/hour.)
Andrea asserted that there in no conflict of interest with for-profit businesses since what one puts into the timebank is what one gets out of the timebank. (i.e. a business can not take advantage of the system by using volunteers and not giving back in exchange.)
In regards to 'ethics,' business owners who aren't interested in our system won't participate. Again, this is a self-selecting program.
We will wield language that is in inclusive of everyone and promotes an alternative system that we can all believe in and participate within.

Other thoughts/ideas:

We will need to create a listserv of who can give and receive what.
We will use a software log-in, but with who/what?

Resources:

Online Timebanking Software "Community Weaver" free initial download.
Timebanking system in Ithaca that is a hybrid timebank with an alternative currency.

Members present, who they represent, what skills they bring to the table and where their interest in being a part of the core group lay:

Joan lives in University Heights. She is a mother and art teacher, associated with the SD Cooperative School and ARTS: A Reason to Survive. She has skills in grant writing, marketing & public relations and she is interested in being a part of the core Timebank team.
Fred lives in Golden Hill/Sherman Heights. He works part time in La Jolla and is highly skilled in computer technology.
Mariah lives in Azalea Park/City Heights and works at the Peace Resource Center. She is interested in being a part of the core Timebank team.
Penny lives in North County, San Diego part time. She will be available for timebanking meetings and organizing this summer. She is involved with the largest Jewish Congregation Center in the county.
David resides in University Heights and is affiliated with the local visual arts and museum communities.
Holly lives in North Park and is a recent SDSU graduate. She is involved in the cyclist community and would like to be a core member of the timebank team.
Joseph lives in Imperial Beach and can offer screen printing and art work skills to the group.
Praba resides in North Park and is affiliated with the Couch Surfing community. He is skilled in computer technology and financial planning.
Cathy lives at the Pennsylvania and 1st Street Cooperative in Hillcrest. She is involved with the faith-based SD organizing project and can offer finance, book keeping and accounting skills. She is interested in participating in the core team.
Paul lives in College Park and works as a CNA/Physical Therapy assistant. He also volunteers with the National Park Service. He has physical limitations and needs assistance with carpooling to our meetings. He is interested in joining the core team.
Andrea lives at the Grant Hill Coop and is on the board of the Sherman Heights Community Center. She is involved in the local law scene as well as the coop network and is interested in being a part of the core team.
Cara lives in East Village and works in the Art Center, behind the New School of Architecture. She is interested in joining the core group for the timebanking team.

Memorable quotes:

"The more people we have, the more power." --Praba

"This is a capitalist system with the currency taken out." --Praba

"People vote with their feet." --Andrea

"Our time is all equal." --Mariah

"Local economies can and do support capitalism." --Mariah

"Everyone is an activist today but doesn't necessarily know it." --Mariah

12:00pm Adjourn meeting

Action items for next meeting:

Holly is creating a google group
Everyone perform background research on other timebank models and basic timebank info (Andrea posting video and introduction to google group)
Everyone talk to others, get them on board and invite them to the next meeting.

THE NEXT TIMEBANK MEETING will take place this Saturday, June 4th at 10am at the Water Tower Park in North Park (in case of rain, we'll meet at Joan's). Bring food to share and invite more people!

Agenda for next meeting:

Establish facilitator, notetaker and timekeeper at start of meeting.
What will our organizational model, specifically as it pertains to voting and decision making, look like?

Thanks all, and please invite friends and allies so we can establish our very own San Diego Timebank!

[SDCPJ] Save the Date! Tues 6/7 - FINAL vote for COMMUNITY GARDENS!!

Please attend if at all possible -- this is THE MOMENT we've waited for!!

On Tuesday June 7, 2011, the San Diego City Council will be voting on a major code revision for community gardens… We Support the New Draft Language in the Municipal Code for Community Gardens and to make it a NO PERMIT process!

Time TBA: between 2-6pm, exact depends on the agenda

For more info: http://sandiegocommunitygardennetwork.org/

Please attend if at all possible!
But IF YOU CANNOT ATTEND... (or even if you can!)

Call and ask your council member to vote in favor of CHANGING the Municipal and Zoning Codes and in favor of

-a NO FEE community garden permit, or NO PERMIT REQUIRED for Community Gardens.
-allowing gardens in Commercial Zones, with on site sale of produce allowed.
- the new draft language to the Municipal Code revising outdated rules and regulations that need to be changed.

Find your Council Members' Contact info here and and call or write.
http://sandiegocommunitygardennetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Council-Members-Contact-info.pdf