[Imc-girlscore] RE: [Imc-girls] Meeting Reminder (and Minutes!)
Zoe S.
zoespice66 at hotmail.com
Tue Feb 10 11:21:10 CST 2004
i will facilitate, but i also think we should have some different speakers.
now is the time to really begin working on the forefront events and move
away from vision-planning. i think we can plan the agenda in the beginning
of the meeting, according to people's needs. we have to talk about the
tranny question!
--zoe.
>From: Danielle Chynoweth <chyn at ojctech.com>
>To: "Zoe S." <zoespice66 at hotmail.com>
>CC: imc-girlscore at ucimc.org, anne at webeasel.net
>Subject: [Imc-girlscore] RE: [Imc-girls] Meeting Reminder (and Minutes!)
>Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 17:29:14 -0600 (CST)
>
>Zoe and Anne -
>
>I agree with you Zoe.
>
>I also want to say that I don't think Anne was trying to leave anyone out
>- she just wanted accountability. We don't have any structure really yet
>in place to take care of people so they don't fall through the cracks.
>Anne has been a point person for people and she wanted to just pass this
>on.
>
>Taking care of people is not the same of taking over. We will need to
>develop a structure that is transparent to folks, but we don't have one
>yet.
>
>So, as an example of lack of structure, who is facilitating tomorrow?
>And what is the agenda? I am happy to help facilitate again, but think
>our "tag team" approach worked well. Any takers?
>
>- danielle
>
>
>On Mon, 9 Feb 2004, Zoe S. wrote:
>
> > hi,
> > i feel that questions and concerns should be sent to the
> > imc-girlscore at ucimc.org list instead of just to danielle so that all
>core
> > organizers can have input and aren't ignored.
> >
> > anne and others, in the future please send out minutes as individual
>emails
> > and not as word documents!
> >
> > --zoe.
> >
> > >From: "Anne Odom" <anne at webeasel.net>
> > >To: <imc-girls at ucimc.org>
> > >Subject: [Imc-girls] Meeting Reminder (and Minutes!)
> > >Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2004 16:44:56 -0600
> > >
> > >All:
> > >
> > >REMINDER: The next RAGG meeting is tomorrow night at the IMC from 6:30p
>to
> > >8p.
> > >
> > >The minutes from the last meeting are attached in an MSWord Document
>(THIS
> > >IS NOT TRUE - THE MAILING LIST WOULDN'T LET ME POST A MESSAGE WITH THE
> > >ATTACHMENT, AS IT WAS TOO BIG; IF THE MODERATOR OF THE LIST APPROVES
>THE
> > >MESSAGE, YOU MAY RECEIVE THE ATTACHMENT LATER). If you can't read
>Word, or
> > >you have trouble with attachments, they are also cut and pasted below
> > >(unformatted, so maybe a little difficult to read...). The main points
> > >are:
> > >we selected a mission and chose a name (details of the process are in
>the
> > >minutes).
> > >
> > >NAME: RAGG - Resource and Action Group for Girlz & Womyn
> > >MISSION: RAGG is a local grassroots partnership of girls and women for
> > >girls
> > >and women whose aim is to provide safe spaces, resources and activities
>to
> > >foster creativity, self-expression and empowerment.
> > >
> > >I AM DUE THIS SATURDAY, 2/14!!! Do not respond to this message with any
> > >questions or important information, as I may be out of email contact at
>any
> > >minute. c THANKS!
> > >
> > >Anne
> > >
> > >-------------------------------
> > >NOTES
> > >-------------------------------
> > >INTRODUCTIONS
> > >- We all introduced ourselves, as many of us hadn’t met in person.
> > >- The purpose of this organization is to fill a void in the community
>left
> > >by the closure of GirlZone. However, this is a new organization that
>can
> > >strive to be anything the community needs/wants it to be.
> > >- Why are we part of the Independent Media Center (IMC)? The IMC was a
>big
> > >part of girl space for GirlZone and GrrrlFest, and it offers a valuable
> > >collection of resources for a new and growing organization. As part of
>the
> > >IMC, we already have our 501c3 status and can start raising funds as a
> > >non-profit immediately. Because the IMC supports our efforts, we have
>a
> > >volunteer base that we might not otherwise have.
> > >
> > >Our CORE Group
> > >- Groups have been in town focusing on girls and women for a while, and
> > >GirlZone was the most recent effort to provide for opportunities for
>Girls
> > >in the community. GirlZone focused on giving girls (not women but
>younger
> > >girls) access to activities they don't normally get the opportunity to
> > >learn. When GirlZone ended, it held a community forum to see what what
>the
> > >community might want to do to continue efforts for girls and women in
>the
> > >CU.
> > >- There were many women and girls interested in seeing something new
>grow
> > >in
> > >our community. We created a rather large mailing list of these women,
>then
> > >we asked for core organizers to help us get things off the ground. The
> > >core
> > >organizing group consists of 10 women who are trying to birth this new
> > >organization; core organizers meet at least once a month outside of
>general
> > >meetings, decide on format and discussion topics for general meetings,
>and
> > >likely will head committees to accomplish various organizational goals.
> > >- The core group called this general meeting to:
> > >o Agree on a mission for the organization – the core group has worked
> > >together to come up with a proposition for this mission.
> > >o Agree on a name – the core group has worked together to come up with
>some
> > >initial options
> > >o Brainstorm activities/events/resources that this group should seek to
> > >provide.
> > >
> > >What it Means to be Part of the IMC
> > >- THE GROUP AS A WHOLE has been approved by the IMC as a adhoc
>committee,
> > >which allows us to do non-profit fund-raising and elect spokspeople to
> > >participate in the IMC decision making. We are one of the working
>groups
> > >of
> > >the IMC – a part of the organization, not a child of the IMC.
> > >- One of the requirements of being a working group of the IMC is that
>we
> > >make certain core decisions by “consensus”. Consensus is a decision
>making
> > >process in which everyone present at time of decision making agrees on
>the
> > >outcome of a decision. The process works like this:
> > >o A decision is proposed.
> > >o The group is asked if there are any concerns.
> > >o All the concerns are listed, and each one is addressed by the group.
> > >o If the concerns are successfully addressed, the group eventually gets
>to
> > >the point at which there are no more concerns about the decision. When
> > >everyone is agreed that there are no concerns, the decision is
>accepted,
> > >and
> > >we have reached consensus.
> > >o If there are concerns which cannot be addressed to the satisfaction
>of
> > >the
> > >concerned parties, the decision needs to be altered, and the process
>begins
> > >again.
> > >o Process is repeated until a decision is proposed upon which the group
>can
> > >address all concerns and reach consensus.
> > >- We made all decisions about the mission statement and the name of the
> > >organization using the consensus process.
> > >
> > >MISSION statement
> > >- The core group proposed the following mission statement:
> > >o <<Girlz Org>> is a local grassroots partnership of girls and women
>for
> > >girls and women whose aim is to provide safe spaces, resources and
> > >activities to foster creativity, self-expression and empowerment.
> > >- The following concerns were raised and addressed:
> > >o Concern about exclusivity of “girls”. Does this mean that there is no
> > >place here for activities where boys and girls can interact in a
>supervised
> > >away to encourage the learning of non-sexist behavior?
> > >§ The organization itself is not providing resources for boys.
>However,
> > >that does not mean that a co-ed activity or workshop on non-sexist
>behavior
> > >would not be something the organization could host. In addition, there
>is
> > >a
> > >group of men at the IMC who are interested in starting a group for boys
>and
> > >men; if they do so successfully, then partnering with that group to
>offer
> > >these kinds of events would be something we should encourage.
> > >§ There is nothing in the mission statement that excludes this kind of
> > >co-ed
> > >activity, so the concern was addressed.
> > >- The mission was approved as-is – no changes were required to reach
> > >consensus.
> > >
> > >EMPOWERED SPOKESPEOPLE
> > >- Empowered Spokespeople represent us at the IMC steering committee
> > >meetings
> > >every month. They participate in making decisions that affect the IMC,
>and
> > >they make proposals for our group to the other working groups of the
>IMC.
> > >Currently, Zoe Swords and Shawn Williams are our empowered
>spokespeople.
> > >They volunteered for the responsibility, and are willing to continue
>their
> > >roles unless a concern is voiced.
> > >o No concerns were voiced about Zoe or Shawn.
> > >o Concern was voiced about rotating out empowered spokes, and all
>agreed
> > >that we should rotate spokes. No plan was made for rotating spokes; it
> > >should be discussed at a future meeting.
> > >o What is the specific commitment of an empowered spoke?
> > >§ IMC Steering Committee Meetings are the first thrusday of every month
>at
> > >8pm; the spoke must attend.
> > >§ PLUS the spoke must participate in the core organizing group for this
> > >organization – a committment of up to 2 core group meetings and one
>general
> > >meeting a month-
> > >
> > >NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION
> > >- Many name suggestions were put up on the wall; the paper copies of
>all
> > >the
> > >suggestions have been kept for records, but are not listed in these
>notes.
> > >- We divided into small groups and discussed the existing names. We
>also
> > >allowed ourselves to brainstorm new options. Then we came back to the
>large
> > >group and voted on the new and existing names. This reduced our number
>of
> > >name choices to two: WRAG (Women’s Radical Action Group) and Grrrlz.
> > >- WRAG – Women’s Radical Action Group – we worked to see if we could
> > >consense on this name; it had a lot of support, but also many concerns.
> > >o CONCERNS
> > >§ CONCERN 1 - Doesn't match with the mission statement; it seems like
> > >we're
> > >more activist and political than our mission statement. It doesn’t
>seem to
> > >embrace the “safe space” and “resource providing” that are the center
>of
> > >our
> > >mission statement.
> > >§ CONCERN 2 - Possibly unoriginal; it was suggested because one of the
> > >people at the general meeting had belonged to a group with this name.
>On
> > >further investigation, she had started that group, it had consisted of
>a
> > >handful of her friends, and had disbanded when she moved here. We
>decided
> > >this concern was not a reason to discard this name.
> > >§ “Radical” may turn people off; may exclude people. While creating
>safe
> > >spaces for girls and women is radical work, the social connotation of
>the
> > >word “radical” can be negative. It could be intimidating to girls, and
> > >very
> > >importantly, it could be intimidating to their parents (who will be
>giving
> > >permission for them to attend our events). “Radical Action Group”
>ought to
> > >be a subset of what we’re trying to create, but not it’s whole
>identity.
> > >§ There’s no "girl" in the acronym
> > >o ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS
> > >§ There was consensus on liking the “WRAG” acronym; so why not change
>what
> > >it stands for to address the concerns above? Ultimately, we hit on
> > >removing
> > >“Women” from the front of the acronym and respelling it to include
>Girls:
> > >RAGG – Resource and Action Group for Girls (Girlz? Grrrls? Gyrls?) &
>Womyn.
> > >§ While we had not yet consensed on how to spell Girls, all felt that
>the
> > >new name addressed the concerns above – it keeps the “active” feeling
>of
> > >the
> > >original acronym meaning, but it’s general enough to match our mission
> > >statement. And we get to keep the cool acronym
> > >- FINAL DECISION: RAGG is the name.
> > >
> > >SPELLING of GIRLS:
> > >- Top choices were Grrls and Womyn
> > >o Immediate consens on womyn with "y"
> > >o Concerns with Grrls: too much like GirlZone, looks funny without
>three
> > >“r”
> > >s; concern that with three r’s we look like posers on the riotGrrrl
> > >movement; concern that girls today no longer identify with the
>riotGrrrl
> > >movement. We didn’t feel like these concerns could be easily
>addressed, so
> > >we moved on to other spelling options.
> > >o Gyrls - concerns with gyrls - looks kind of like “guy”.
> > >o Took a straw poll vote on Grrls and Girlz - straw poll turned up
>girlz;
> > >there was no blocking of consensus or concerns raised about girlz, so
> > >that’
> > >s how we’re spelling it.
> > >
> > >OFICIAL NAME: Resource & Action Group for Girlz & Womyn - RAGG
> > >
> > >BRAINSOTORMING:
> > >The list that follows is a massive brainstorming on things we could do
>with
> > >the organization. We didn’t go into detail on these; this list is a
>record
> > >for discussion at future meetings:
> > >-fun fundraising activites - we need money and funds
> > >-guy/girl co-existing group or subset
> > >-all-girl art time (women-owned studios?)
> > >-pink flamingo fund raiser. like rolling with toliet paper, but people
>pay
> > >to have other people "flamingoed"
> > >-leadership workshop
> > >-storytelling workshop for women who earn a living telling stories and
> > >traveling
> > >-workshops on specific careers and life journeys
> > >-theater workshops
> > >-college workshops
> > >-tutoring & mentoring
> > >-managing money
> > >-dj-ing workshnopos
> > >-breakdancing workshop
> > >-self-defense
> > >-classes, as opposed to workshops
> > >-fishbowls - people with something in common stand in the center and
>talk
> > >about what they have in common, and others stand on outside and listen,
> > >then
> > >they switch (race/white, gender, generational, sexuality, etc.)
> > >-things that address segregational community issues
> > >-transgender and gender variance type of class.
> > >-handy class (changing tires, oil, apoxy, plumbing)
> > >-spirituality and religious focuses addresses
> > >-sound engineering and performance stuff
> > >-body image workshop
> > >-sexism in the media
> > >-cooking workshop
> > >-link body image with something like belly dancing
> > >-penny wars for fundraising
> > >-video and/or video editing
> > >-computer technology and troubleshooting computer problems
> > >-clothing - making /sewing
> > >-sports workshops
> > >-health and exercise workshop
> > >-skateboarding
> > >-boxing
> > >- bike repair
> > >- clothing trade
> > >- weight lifting
> > >- silk screening
> > >- stained glass and radio
> > >- include wicca and other alternative spiritual choices in
> > >religious-focused
> > >workshops
> > >- support groups for traumatized girls
> > >- middle school girls talk about their experiences now
> > >- language (sexist)
> > >- web stuff and design program training
> > >- sexual education
> > >- producing radio shows
> > >- media literacy
> > >- performance of self
> > >- RAGG Mag (our own zine)
> > >- Mother and father/parent education
> > >- etiquette workshops and dinner parties to practice etiquette training
> > >
> > >
> > >DISCUSSION TOPICS FOR Next Meeting:
> > >-child care at meetings and events
> > >-transgender issues – should we address them in our mission?
> > >-Next Steps – identifying committees and real tasks for items on our
> > >brainstorming list
> > >-outreach
> > >-rotating dates, times, locations of meetings
> > >
> > >Date of next meeting:
> > >-February 10th, 6:30 - 8p.
> > >RAGG Meeting
> > >
> > >
> > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > >Anne Odom * Product Manager * WebEasel, Inc.
> > >WebEasel - It's that easy!
> > >anne at ojctech.com * www.webeasel.net * 217.344.0444
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >Imc-girls mailing list
> > >Imc-girls at lists.cu.groogroo.com
> > >http://lists.cu.groogroo.com/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-girls
> > >
> >
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> >
>
>--
>| Danielle Chynoweth
>|
>| Art Director * OJC Technologies * ojctech.com
>| City Council Member * Urbana City Council * city.urbana.il.us
>
>_______________________________________________
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