GA Minutes – Sunday, April 22, 2012

AGENDA
Announcements
Working Groups
May Day Events
Statewide GA
Follow-up on Yale Park arrests
Action on RNC, Bobby Jindal

Attendance:  Anthony, Maria, Amalia, Sean, Leila, Andy, Randy, David, Garreth, Barbara
Facilitation: Maria
Notes: Barbara

Announcements:

WE ARE WOMEN, Rally and March, Santa Fe, April 28, 10AM at the Roundhouse
Natalie has room for 3 riders in her car, people are planning to take the Railrunner, weekend schedule: AM train leaves ABQ downtown at 8:30 AM, arrives Santa Fe, 10:16, returns 3:28, leaving Santa Fe depot, arrives ABQ approx. 4:15. Conversation about trying to hook up with others who can give more information regarding agenda at the proposed statewide GA in Arroyo Hondo on May 6th.

MAY DAY events, Tuesday, May 1
4:30 PM Central and University, by Lobo statue, (un)Occupy speakers and march to downtown
5:30 PM, join with May Day coalition downtown, march to Robinson Park, speakers, music

Puppets available for (un)Occupy for this event, please contact rcorrit@unm.edu

Working Groups:

Foreclosure Group, meeting set for Friday, May 4, 6:30 PM, Yale Park
Mock Wall: 
the event was successful in promoting conversation/dialog, there was some defacement of panels but no physical violence against participants.  The police may have given an order to disburse on Wednesday afternoon, maybe Summer knows about this.  There was theater and counter-theater regarding “the American Dream,” some individuals tried to censor the message and engaged in some racist banter, a letter to President Schmidley was written by a student who opposed the wall, copy was sent to Desi Brown. (un)Occupy was thanked for participating.
May Day/Worker’s Festival:  A permit is being requested for the use of electric power for music at UNM, some question as to whether the only access to power is at Yale Park, not at Central and University.  One of the student groups is looking into it, (un)Occupy not seeking permit.  We are having a tight speaker’s schedule for the UNM start point since the main event is at Robinson Park downtown.  There is still a need to make and distribute flyers for the event.  Members are currently at the Nob Hill Earth Day activities distributing info for this event.  Maria is working on a pinata for the event, people who want to help can contact her.  There is also sign making Sat. at El Centro, 714 4th SW, drop by  El Centro if you can help.  The Anti-Capitalist Alliance is also making signs/banners, see their updates under the A/C working group.  We also need to coordinate re-cycling and medical supplies for the event at Robinson Park.  Maria will bring boxes, Barbara will bring bags, Amalia has a table, Lila will bring medical supplies.
State-wide GA:  Taos has suggested a State-wide GA for May 6.  There is a bit of uncertainty about what they are suggesting related to the event, how much is being charged to participate and what events are actually being proposed.  Lila will be going to Taos next weekend and will try to dialog with them to get more clarity on their proposal and raise some concerns that have been expressed about the costs and specific activities we have heard about.  Members expressed reservations in part because we have had difficulty communicating with Taos about their proposal.  We will wait to have a report from Lila.

In general, the group is supportive of the idea of holding GAs around the state, it is important to have joint activities.  Everyone recognizes that our state is large and transportation/coordination/cost is an issue in general.  We find that the events should be compelling to bring people together.  (The women’s event next weekend a good example of this.)  Perhaps we can meet with other groups at the event in Santa Fe to discuss this next weekend.  We do want to work together.

Follow-up on Yale Park Arrests:  There is on-going legal strategy related to the last arrests.  Each of the arrested persons seems to have a different set of legal actions directed against them.  Lila and Jessica are interested in meeting with lawyers, they have been given public defenders and no other lawyers have stepped forward at this time.  Of course money is an issue. Lila’s appearance is scheduled for May 2, she will post an event on our FB page and requests support from members at the courthouse.  Jessica’s date was suddenly changed and has been moved to May 24.  Her PD requested a jury trial, this was done w/o Jessica’s knowledge, but it also has to be requested right away or the potential for a jury is lost.  We do not have information about Manny.

Mary Lou, who was assaulted at the Noni Darwish event, suffered short term memory issues from her assault.  The offender has been identified, and Mary Lou has tried to make her studies her most important priority.  We are hoping to be able to support her to get her records from the hospital and the police, and we want to help her in any way that she needs.

RNC event:
  Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana, is headed to New Mexico on Friday to raise money for Susana Martinez and Heather Wilson.  We are seeking information on this event.

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