April 21, 2007 - AFU in the Trinity-Bellwoods Park!

Present: Ryan, Mike, Rachelm, Enda, Sharmeen, Tobie

Minutes: Tobie

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Agenda:

1. Sharmeen (anti-oppression workshop)
2. Venue
3. Money
4. Date
5. Refreshments
6. Sessions
7. Promotions

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1. Sharmeen: she usually works with 3 hours but will be ok with two for her workshop. She would like to come from the beginning of the day. She asked us what we thought the issues were and how she could help us.

a. Rachelm - felt AFU was dominated by educated, white men. Felt that the courses offered were education based. Concerned about not scaring people away. Wanted to attract youth and other people not going to university. She brought up an issue others have mentioned to her about the courses seemly to be social/dating spaces. She also brought up the example of the masculinity course – wondering Sharmeens anti-oppressive outlook at exclusionary groups.

b. Mike - Agreed with attracting youth and those not on an academic track and that those involved are mostly white men. He wants to get outside of the anarchist getto and not to replicate power dynamics. Is interested in AFU getting involved with other communities in a reciprocal nature. And wants to make AFU widely relevant.

c. Ryan - unsure of what is possible in two hours. Is interested in the possibility of more formal workshops with Sharmeen and would like her to introduce anti-oppression concepts and ideas. Was concerned that the name itself was a block for getting people involved.

d. Tobie - feels that in LAP the facilitators were able to bring groups and people from other communities, specifically in the Latin American community, although those that stayed in the course where mainly young educated (although not a majority white or men). Was concerned about what made these people stay and the others come just for relivant days. Was also concerned with comments that are offensive in classes in an non aggressive or ignoring manner, feels that this is a problem in both the classes and the meetings.

e. Enda –Is interested in continuing the discussion that we are having here, and moving to what we can do. Feels that these discussions about what type of group we want to be are important. Hopes the workshop can help us become what we want to be. Feels that we need to have a commitment to deal with the long term. And needs a new person to be the contact person with Sharmeen as he is ditching us for Italy.

f. Sharmeen - Sharmeen will bring handouts with readings and further things for us to look up. She will also write a final report with the notes that are created in the workshop so we can carry this forward. Her plan is to do a constructive brainstorming session that can lead to decision making with attempting to have a critical legacy of the past. She doesn’t feel that she will have much time to discuss anti-oppression concepts but the handout will cover much of this. Her idea is to have flip chart paper on either side of the room. The first for problems and the second for everything we want to see. Then we will work on getting from on to the other by making goals and timelines. She will unpack many of the things that we come up with. There will also be an extra sheet called “parking lot” for all other issues that come up that we can deal with at another time. She thinks that having clear politics is important and is also interested in bring up the name in her session. There was a minor drilling of Sharmeen’s politics in a slightly joking manner and we all agreed that we like her and that she could pnly be an asset for the group.

2. Venue: Centre for Social Innovation (at Spadina and Sullivan). It holds 40-80 people. Access is an issue, ideas of shifts at the door, cell phone to get in, or having people there between sessions to let people in were all ideas that came up. There was a possible buzzer but mike recalls that it was an issue other times he has used the space.

3. Money: Ryan and Enda looking into magical CUPE funding and ryan is still collecting student numbers for U of T funding. There will be a passing of the hat and donation box next to the food.

4. Date: June 9th

5. Refreshments:

Coffee: Rachelm is going to see if I Deal coffee can donate.

Food: there was an offer after the call out by a women named Edith, she offered to make a vegan lunch for 20-30. We said that we can make extra salads and such to compliment.

6. Sessions: no one came forward from the call out to facilitate the workshops. We have put ourselves down for the moment and if there is no interest in the next few weeks then we will be the ones to do it. There was a general feeling that if people have not shown interest up to this point then they might not be the best people to facilitate the sessions.

10:00-10:45: History of the AFU (facilitated by Enda) Rachelm brought up an idea about a panel, having people from the past present and future to talk about AFU. Since this session is short we decided we can’t have too many speakers. Alan, Luis and Sandra were all names that were brought up. Rachel to contact them. Enda to facilitate

10:45-11:00: Break coffee, juice and water

11:00-12:00 Why are we here? Why people are interested in anarchist u, what do you want from it. Find out peoples involvement in this and other projects, used as an ice=breaker. Mike to facilitate.

12:00-1:00 Eats

1:00-3:00 Diversifying the AFU (facilitated by Sharmeen) see above discussion

3:00-5:00 Where we would like to go (facilitated by Rachelm and Tobie) People felt that this would be the most contentious of the workshops. There was a discussion about where this workshop might go. ”manifesto”, sub committees, etc. The next meeting is going to concentrate on this session and everyone is going to bring notes. There was a brief discussion on the “manifesto” – we read Robs email and agreed with much of the sentiment--although the basis of his critique was based on a misreading of our minutes. We also said that it would be good for conflict resolution(respectful and discussion based)make us clearer who we are and for new people.

7. Promo: We were hoping that the party poster could add out bit on the bottom (who is looking into this?) Mike is still up for doing our poster. This will be done to have them up for the a month before.

• I talked to Ashar about adding something to the party poster. He seemed agreeable. --Mike

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Next meeting: Friday May 4th 1:30 . . . location TBA.