United States Social Forum

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United States Social Forum

• Another World is Possible!
• Another U.S. is Necessary!

June 27 July 1, 2007 Atlanta, Georgia
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What is the Social Forum?

• An annual gathering held by grassroots, social
  movements in response to the dominant neo-liberal
  agenda. The Social Forum was created to
• Coordinate world campaigns
• Share and refine organizing strategies
• Inform each other about movements and issues
  from around the world.
• This was also a response to the World Economic
  Forum that meets every year in Davos, Switzerland.

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An International Council coordinates the World
Social Forum.

• Under the banner Another World is Possible the
  first World Social Forum (WSF) was held in Porto
  Alegre, Brazil in 2001. It brought together more
  than 20,000 individuals and organizations
  committed to social, racial, gender,
  environmental and economic justice.

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World Social Forum (WSF)

• The mission of the social forum is to create an
  open space that allows social movements to
  intersect across all lines and boundaries.
• It is a global process that provides
  international social movements a space to
  deliberate, strategize and unite to confront the
  burning issues of our time.

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Self-Organized Events

• Social forums are made up of thousands of
  self-organized events, panels and workshops that
• Build bridges between organizations, movements,
  countries and continents.
• Strengthen a shared vision of systemic social
  change.

World Social Forum, Venezuela, 2006
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Opening March of WSF-Venezuela 2006
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Bringing Global Justice to the U.S.

• The Grassroots Global Justice Alliance initiated
  the U.S. Social Forum process. An initial
  National Planning Committee (NPC) was formed in
  August 2004.

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Why is the U.S. Social Forum important?

• The USSF will provide a process to allow
  organizations and individuals from diverse
  backgrounds to voice their views and opinions -
  especially voices of the grassroots and those
  most affected by U.S. and global injustices.

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Goals of the U.S. Social Forum

• Create a space for social movement convergence.
• Advance individual social movements strategic
  agendas.
• Build stronger relationships within the
  movements.
• Meet our international obligations to the Global
  South.

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On the Road to Atlanta,Regional Forums were
organized
Southeast Social ForumJune 17-19 2006Durham, NC

• More than 600 people came from all over the
  Southeast Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama and
  Florida. The majority people of color and working
  class.

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• More than 70 self-organized workshops.
• 1000 people from the U.S. Mexico.
• 2 marches led by farmworkers, braceros,
  maquiladora workers.

Border Social Forum Juarez, Mexico Oct. 13-16,
2006
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National Planning Committee for the U.S. Social
Forum

• Assures that the USSF is carried out in adherence
  to WSF principles.
• Provides a collective analysis of the global and
  national political environment to help shape the
  USSF.

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• USSF Organizational Chart

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Regional Committees
National Planning Committee Representatives from
each
Atlanta Organizing Committee
Working Groups
USSF Staff
USSF Structure
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Tentative Schedule for USSF
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(No Transcript)
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To Make Another World Possible, Another U.S. is
Necessary!

• The USSF comes at a significant time when
  resistance is critical.

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Anti-War, Militarism Prisons Occupation at
Home and Abroad

• The people are struggling against the affects of
  militarization occupation in the community
  around the world.
• Strengthening the resolve of the people to call
  an end to the domestic international U.S. War
  Machine.

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Reconstruction the Right to Return Internally
Displaced People are Fighting Back

• The disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the
  failure of the federal government to respond is
  one of the biggest crimes of this century.

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The Impact of Neo-Liberalism on the Working Class

• Extreme poverty, lack of affordable housing, no
  access to basic services has the working class
  suffering and barely surviving.
• This has deepened race and class divisions.

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Indigenous Sovereignty, Global Warming and Energy

• The historic genocide of indigenous peoples.
• Destruction of the land, contamination of the
  water.
• The global impact of climate change on the earth.

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Immigrant/Migrant RightsAre Human Rights

• Creating a national space to share ideas and
  strategies with various groups from different
  states to build off the momentum of the
  immigrant/ migrant rights movement.

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Women and Queer Liberation

• The Religious and Political Right uses the
  issue of gender and sexuality to divide our
  communities and movements.
• This will also be the 38th Anniversary of the
  Stonewall Rebellion

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Movement Building Another World is Possible.
Another U.S. is Necessary!

• Strategizing across issue, language, geography,
  age, religion, race, sexuality, and gender
  towards a New Vision.

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How to Register for the USSF

• You can register online
• www.ussf2007.org
• Individuals 15-100 (sliding scale)
• Organizations 125-300 (sliding scale)
• Information on transportation, hotels and
  accomodations, vendor tables is on the website or
  you can talk to you regional organizing committee
  members.
• Or send your registration form and check to
• US Social Forum
• 9 Gammon Ave. SE
• Atlanta, Georgia 30315

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How To Submit a Proposal (workshop, action,
activity, cultural performance or exhibit)

• Fill out your workshop proposal online
• www.ussf2007.org
• Or send in by mail to
• US Social Forum
• c/o Program Working Group
• 9 Gammon Ave. SE
• Atlanta, Georgia 30315
• Submission Deadline April 27, 2007

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On The Road to Atlanta June 27 to July 1, 2007
Begins Today! For more informationwww.ussf20
07.org