GetOrganizedBK Working Groups

At our second large #GetOrganizedBK meeting last week, 750+ attendees broke out into 15 different working groups. We’ve posted short summary updates from each group, below, and our hope is that many of the groups will continue to work together, on and off-line, in the weeks and months to come. If you are interested in joining the broader effort, please sign up here (if you signed in with a group at an in-person meeting, you don’t need to sign up again here).

In addition, some of the working groups have launched independent google groups, list serves and communities. That information is provided below, where we have it.  

Organizing against Islamaphobia and Anti-Semitism through a Muslim/Jewish alliance:

This group divided into 4 subgroups. Subgroup 1 focused on colleges and campus organizing, and discussed efforts to work with school groups to help vulnerable students. They also plan to connect with CUNY, the Robin Hood Foundation, and Legal Aid to reach undocumented students. Subgroup 2 focused on the Muslim registry, including the legality of how this will be done, and is talking about organizing a demonstration of Muslim and Jewish solidarity either in the form of a march or a cultural performance. Subgroup 3 focused on bystanders including talking about de-escalation training and bystander training. Subgroup 4 focused on creating a rapid response force. To join this work, you can email Ruby Abdul at RAbdul [at] council [dot] nyc [dot] gov. 

Fighting Trump appointments and future Supreme Court nominees:

This group focused on how to address appointments of concern, including appointments that get confirmed (De Vos, Price, Mnuchin), and appointments that do not get confirmed (Bannon, Flynn, etc.) They are identifying actions needed, including reaching out to influence moderate republicans, encouraging Sen. Schumer to be more outspoken, researching the nominations process and timeline for each appointment, connecting to national organizations/interest groups, and more. They will be launching regular letter writing campaigns to Senators, an economic boycott of Jared Kushner’s properties and are actively developing resources and media content to fight Trump’s appointments in the coming months.

Their Facebook page is Indivisible Nation, and you can follow them on Twitter at @indvisible_nat. Please email Lisa Raymond-Tolan at liliraytolan [at] gmail [dot] com if you would like to join this group.

Developing programming in our schools – for students and educators:

The group identified key priorities and projects they would like to work on, and focused on goals moving forward. These include developing approaches to connect schools to form partnerships/projects that would be supportive to school communities and provide a network for student engagement; join and learn from higher ed efforts; create curriculum ideas and share; youth leadership and supportive needs; bullying/hate crimes against targeted groups; and integration.  To join this work, you can email Vicki Sell at vsell [at] council [dot] nyc [dot] gov. 

Women’s Health: Working against attacks on women’s health and reproductive rights:

This group brainstormed a long list of concerns and projects they would like to work on and then divided the list into several umbrella categories including 1) practical access (both in NY and Nationwide) 2) protests/actions 3) Legal/legislative 4) education (both in schools and more generally) 5 reproductive justice and 6) fighting stigma/storytelling. The group also identified some upcoming events, and resources, many of which are listed on Planned Parenthood’s web site: Facebook.com/ppnycaction

Racial justice: Engaging in deep and challenging conversations about race in the context of a Trump presidency:

The group discussed a wide array of racial justice topics following the election, including the threats to the Black Lives Matter movement, the need to continue to recognize systemic racism, identifying racial code words, having discussions about diversity and racism with white privileged students, supporting policies that are anti-racist, and removing whiteness as the default. Recommended books include “For White Folks who Teach in the Hood … and the Rest of Y’All Too” and “Between the World and Me”. Other resources identified include: the Brooklyn Movement Center; SURJ - Showing up for racial justice in New York City and beyond; Jews for Racial and Economic Justice; and Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture.

Art as activism: Working with the creative community to develop tools for resistance:

The group named resources that could be made available to other groups and agreed to create a google doc that could be updated with resources. The group also formed break out group discussions on the following areas: Visual Arts - creating powerful visual symbols; technology; arts education; and healing.

Threats to safety net programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and ObamaCare:

The group brainstormed a long list of areas to work on including: Opposing appointments including HHS Secretary; local/state issues; media/video/communications, reducing stigma, universalizing; mobilizing response; congressional mobilization and support; and identifying potential allies. For next steps, they identified members to create policy background one page overviews. Others will work to research relevant resources to add to the group’s list. One member will bring a training resource on advocating with representatives to the next meeting. Other actions include: reach out to friends in other states/districts; sign up for Bold Progressives; look into survey on Daily Kos; storytelling-look up bills and define what the personal impact would be. To join this effort, you can request to join the Google Group here! 

Electoral working group: Preparing for the December election for Senate in Louisiana, the 2018 midterm elections and 2020 presidential election, including protection of voting rights:

The electoral group identified a number of larger ideas to start with. These include identifying key races for 2018, as well as races in NYC, barriers like gerrymandering, challenging the electoral college, problems facing the Democratic party in the short and long term, voter turn out, working with Sen. Schumer, targeting state legislators, encouraging women to run for office, focusing on millennial apathy, identifying national organizations, financial sources, and increasing faith in government.

The group then broke into smaller breakout groups including 1) Identifying key races for 2018, 2) identifying candidates, 3) Big issues/long term thinking, 4) voter turnout/restriction issues. 

To join this effort, you can request to join the Google Group here! 

Fighting Trump corruption and conflicts of interest:

The corruption/conflicts of interest group identified themes that progressives need to bring up repeatedly to elevate this issue, like the idea that Trump colluding with foreign business interests is unpatriotic. Because oversight rests in the House, prospects of a Congressional investigation are slim. There is the obscure "emoluments clause" to the Constitution that could be the basis for legal action, however. The group also identified seven action items we can work on: 1) calling federal-level electeds, specifically leadership in both parties; 2) engage (thoughtfully, not aggressively) conservative media/blogs; 3) follow and support good government groups; 4) spread the word of this issue in one's daily setting/routine; 5) promote HR. 6340 - Presidential Accountability Act; 6) simplify the message (i.e., "Thanks, Trump!"); and 7) boycott Trump, Bannon, Kushner, and the organizations they do unethical business with. To get involved you can email Jennifer Friedlin: jenniferfriedlin [at] gmail [dot] com.  

Preparing for inauguration day activities/women’s march:
This group discussed the path of the Woman’s March organization so far and potential organizational challenges they hope to address.

 The Women's March started as a small spontaneous Facebook group that quickly grew very large. Once announced, many groups and individuals quickly made plans to attend (alone, in small groups, and large groups through charter buses).

Others made plans for local events, such as Women's March from Union Square Park to Trump Tower on the same day as the D.C. March. One of the biggest questions was doubts about finding a place to either march or rally, given that the initial permits were denied.  Logistics is a big concern.

Other ideas were to contact sister organizations in the DC Metropolitan Area to help with logistics and share resources. There was interest in working to ensure there is no violence at the event – and in gathering together to make signs. There was also interest in creating smaller accountability groups to keep organizing momentum going and to follow up on the work that has been started.

Protecting First Amendment rights, including Freedom of the Press

The First Amendment group first discussed their primary topics of concern and potential areas of focus including protecting libel laws; hate speech; upholding civil rights in schools; protecting freedom of expression like flag burning; combatting Trump’s attacks on the press; protecting the flow of information; figuring out how to use our own voices and our stage, among other topics. They identified three themes to guide their work 1) How do we protect what we already have? How do we disseminate information as needed? How do we support the press and journalists (both the concept and the people)?

Action steps to focus on for the next meeting include: finding out what local and state organizations exist to protect these rights, reaching out to colleges and universities to hold them accountable for protecting professors’ freedom of speech; find out who is being impact by lists and registries and support them, i.e buying their books; find out how to disrupt “lists”; encouraging others to join; putting pressure on Facebook and Twitter to combat fake news; and posting articles on Facebook regarding freedom of the press.

Holding the media accountable for their coverage, including combatting blatantly Conservative media outlets:

The group first discussed shared areas of interest (including protection, access, accountability, media-monitoring and fact checking, social media, and storytelling in the age of Trump). After that conversation the group broke into two small groups, one focused on social media and one focused on traditional media.  The social media group focused on investigating groups that are already active on this front and aligning with them (including MediaMatters.org, Fair.org, Freepress.org, the media page on TellAllYourFriends.org). The traditional media group discussed drafting a letter to the editor.

Outreach and partnerships between municipalities and organizations in more conservative states:

A very enthusiastic and energized group of people came together to discuss outreach to other states. Many people were originally from other states, mostly PA. The group talked a lot about living in a bubble though recognized that our bubble in Brooklyn also has conservative people and places that we can reach out to. There was much talk about breaking down the divide, which meant different things to different people in the group. Some wanted to “share the bubble”, some wanted to really engage in dialogue instead of diatribe, while others expressed still being too angry to talk to Trump supporters but wanted to help in other ways. A common point was that participants want to spend time on strategy on how to enter in a way that was respectful and helpful and productive. 

The group agreed that they wanted to meet again for a 2 hour meeting. An organizing subcommittee was tasked to do the following: Design agenda for follow-up meeting, 2) Find a space, 3) Suggest dates to the larger group, 4) Identify facilitator and note taker. To join this effort, you can request to join the Google Group here! 

Standing up for and joining in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors:

The group had two experts who spoke first. Council Member Carlos Menchaca spoke about the importance of understanding each individual immigrant community’s needs. Then Camille Mackler an attorney for the New York Immigration Coalition spoke about the current level of fear in the immigrant community, and the need to show solidarity. She emphasized the need to call legislators, so that people like Sen. Schumer don’t only hear from the haters.

After this initial conversation, participants proposed a wide variety of ideas including, creating a listing of lawyers and social workers, holding community dinners, creating a craigslist-like listing of translators, certified Adult Education classes for citizenship, fundraising for citizenship fees, conversation buddies and Spanish classes to create more fluent conversation buddies, civil disobedience preparations, and researching the Sanctuary Movement, among many other ideas.