[mgj-announce] MGJ meeting notes for 4/28/04

[Phipco]

MGJ general meeting notes for Wednesday, April 28th

Location: St. Stephens Church
Facilitators: David and Edward 
Notes: Morrigan
Time: Jon

Next general meeting: Wednesday, May 12th, 7-9pm @ St. Stephens
Facilitators: Morrigan and Matt

Working group meetings: 
“Next steps” working group, Wednesday, May 5th, 7pm at St. Stephens

Agenda:
-	Go around: one good and one bad thing about Saturday’s march and festival
-	Discussion and report backs from/about working groups
-	Next steps/proposals

Go around (these are the imputes of individuals in a brief go around, not
nessisaraly the views of all at the meeting)
-	Turn out of region was good, broader out reach not as effective
-	Had great organizations supporting us and we need to seek more of that
support.
-	The march and festival had a great impact internationally but the
anti-globalization movement seems out of step with broader left. 
-	MGJ did a lot without a lot of resources but didn’t gain a lot of new
people
-	Loudest march ever! Working group communications fell apart in the last
few days before the march
-	The march and festival were really fun and energetic but the festival
should have been more structured
-	MGJ made use a small amount of resources and should reach out to more
ogrs. 
-	Lots of dedicated hard work but there simply wasn’t the buzz as in years
past
-	We need to create a buzz through year round organizing
-	Need to work on some more mechanical issues like sound and equipment. 
-	The march route was too long
-	Really creative 
-	60th anniversary should have been bigger deal
-	Communications break down during march was a hazard

Working group discussion:
*media messaging
-	Lots of new press contacts were made
-	We need to learn how to develop independent press to counter mainstream
press impressions of our movement. 
-	Reach out to Indymedia more
-	Women’s messaging was lost, not enough focus on the effects of the WB and
IMF on women.
-	Washington Post article sucked!
-	MGJ should rethink allowing reporters to come to a lot of meetings and
putting a lot of time into working with reporters.
-	We invested a lot of time into the post and got the worst main stream
article out of it.

Arts and Action:
-	Looked great as usual 
-	We need to do more of course
-	The puppets were the stars of the events
-	You can see the flags in a lot of pics.

Fundraising:
-	Year long fundraising is needed
-	Utilizing film screenings and forums to raise money and combine
fundraising with outreach
-	Grants
-	MGJ needs to sort out our fiscal sponsorship issues so we can deal with a
lot of un-cashed checks.
-	MGJ needs to figure out the bank account situation fast! 

Outreach:
-	Wheatpasting was a big hit and helped build local buzz
-	MGJ could have done more fliering and such at busy metros
-	E-mailing the 6800 person list should have been done earlier but it was a
great outreach tool anyway
-	Outreach needs to be year round
-	Web site maintenance is very important and we need to work on that.
-	MGJ should improve how it can coordinate with organizers in other parts of
the country.
-	MGJ organizes people not other organizers, that’s not our place

Logistics:
-	Housing was a nightmare at first but worked out in the end (thanks to Jon
for all your hard work)
-	 St. Stephens is a great bunch of people and we need to give them a big
THANKYOU!
-	Sat. housing turned out ok in the end
-	AU Food Not Bombs THANK YOU!!
-	Legal worked out. Both of those arrested have court dates in May and the
charges were knocked down to misdemeanors. They are asking for people to
turn out for there hearings to show solidarity. 
-	MGJ needs to build more internal capacity to deal with legal issues.
-	There was a massive malfunction with the comms at the march, which
resulted in a few of the march guides being put in danger. Lets work on that
people!

Scenario:
-	Friday- great street theatre in front of the Bank. It got lots of press
and participants
-	Saturday- Beautiful and spirited march full of much fun. Over all it was a
positive experience for everyone. 
-	Hard to communicate from the rear of the march to the front. 
-	MGJ needed more volunteers, should have been sought at spokes councils.
-	MGJ needs to track down our walkie-talkies, which we own and are
somewhere. If you know where they are please e-mail mgj at risuep.net

Next steps:
-	MGJ can’t stop meeting
-	Take on some local campaigns such as clean drinking water and link to the
global movement for water justice. MGJ needs to ask where we can fit in and
how we can be most helpful.
-	Tax the bank and Fund effort
-	MGJ should consider joining the joint working group with DAWN on
conventions
-	Year long actions against the Bank and Fund to keep the pressure on. 
-	MGJ needs to utilize the community connections we have already made
throughout the years.
-	It was proposed that MGJ should take up a statement regarding the
marginalization of the radical voice at the march for women’s lives. The
discussion was moved to the next meeting and the list serve. 

That’s all for now!

PS happy birthday to Morrigan!
-	
-	








-- 
In solidarity
Phipco
"If I were a monkey I would be the baddest monkey in the jungle!"