[mgj-announce] MGJ General Meeting notes 7.27.05

[Catherine Benedict]

MGJ General Meeting - Notes
7/27/05


REPORT-BACKS

Scenario
For the Fall will be responsible for:
-conceiving/conceptualizing framework/vision of MGJ events
-being responsible for supply and to-do lists
-writing narratives for events
-reaffirmed commitment to be in touch with other working groups
Ideas for Sept so far:
-guerilla street theater
-feeder march
-MGJ-bottom lined direct actions
-rep on spokescouncil

Outreach
For the Fall will be responsible for:
-welcome packets
-email announcements
-web monitoring
-fliering
-wheatpasting
-keeping event calendar of outreach opportunities
-contacting groups to get them involved, including direct action groups
-creating and mailing outreach kits
-liaisoning with local groups
-being on UFPJ global justice working group conference calls
-interacting with UFPJ DC
-interacting with DAWN
    -ask them to help with materials distribution
    -joint tabling
    -going to the DAWN September working group meetings if necessary
-interacting with spokescouncil if one is formed

Tax the Bank
Will have breakout tonight and separate meeting later to flesh out campaign
more

CAFTA
General description of how things stood at that point in the House.
Outreach day was good, handed out lots of fliers in English and Spanish.
The MGJ factsheet didn't have the edits but most of them had the website
address corrected manually.  And the mgj website had the correct website
addess for Stop CAFTA.

Non-Profit Status
Jeff is doing research.  The possibilities are:
-incorporate as a non-profit in DC
-incorporate as a non-profit in DC and apply for tax-exempt status
-could be a uniform unincorporated non-profit association - Jeff is looking
into this to learn more about it
-partnerships etc.
-maintain the status quo

Structure & Process
Some folks are drafting a proposal for the next meeting
All working groups are writing out what they'll be responsible for - the
proposal will take this into account


DISCUSSION

CAFTA
-MGJ will draft a response to whatever happens - whether it passes or fails
-discussion of what people wanted in the statement
-Morrigan, Hope, Jeff and Catherine to write/edit the statement
-for follow-up we will follow the lead of the Stop-CAFTA Coalition

Campaign to End AIDS
-On October 11 they are having a day of action in DC - calling on groups to
hold events, actions, etc. on that day
-conference call - Thursday 7//28, 4pm - Jeff and Morrigan will be on the
call
-we will decide later if MGJ should do anything

Website
In order to become functional the website has to be revamped and ideally
moved to a new server.  Peter offered to host the website on his server - to
be decided in proposals section.
Working group: Peter, Edward, Hope, Catherine

Discussion/Questions for Peter:
-want the website to be as accessible as possible
-can we keep the same domain name?  Yes.
-Peter won't charge us anything for hosting the website.
-there will be a website specifically for the Sept actions - it can host
ride/housing boards, etc. we can link to it - don't have to have our own

Brainstorm of what we want website to do:
-online scrapbook with photos of events
-downloadable fliers and factsheets
-wikis - facilitate encyclopedia-type info storage
-being able to have separate email addresses for specific working groups or
other things
-public calendar that other people can add to
-internal contacts database
-non-public counter
-ability to add information without knowing html
-link back to home page
-better navigation overall
-links to different working groups; each working group has its own page
-upcoming meetings - instantly visible on home page
-archives
-link when news stories come out/current events page (Bretton Woods Project
does this well)
-good search function
-RSS feed - syndication protocol - allows our website to publish our updates
on other websites
-email to friend/printer view
-graphics - nice look
-the banner at the top of the existing website is good
-A16  protest as back image
-audio from speech
-can do live streaming video and audio (eventually)
-take money donations, maybe sell things on website (unless prevented by
non-profit status)
-internal calendar (not public)
-place to store internal files
-internal email forums
-ride/housing boards

PROPOSALS

Tax the Bank
Looking for consensus on sign-on statement and petition.  It's decided that
we don't need to consense on this because the working group has been
empowered to write it.

Education Working Group
Proposal to have an education working group.
-Wouldn't have to meet a lot
-would be some overlap with Media/Messaging
-It was decided that we don¹t need to consense on this because we don't need
to consense on the formation of a working group.
-Working group: Basav, Jeff, Morrigan, Nicole, Hope, Edward, Catherine

Inclusionary Zoning
Jobs with Justice has asked all its member groups to submit testimony in
support of inclusionary zoning proposal at the DC Zoning Board (says that
developers must include affordable housing in any residential project).
-Consensed on text that Jon wrote.
-Morrigan's name will go on it, since she and Joey originally agreed to
testify.  They can't go in person, so it will be written testimony.
-Catherine will drop it off.

Website
Consensed to accept Peter's offer to host our website on his server.


UPCOMING MEETINGS

Tuesday, August 2, 6:30pm
SCENARIO MEETING
MLK Public Library, 9th & G Streets NW, Room 221
closest metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown

Tuesday, August 2, 6:30pm
STRUCTURE MEETING
Location TBA.  To find out the location contact phipco at riseup.net.

Tuesday, August 2, 7:30pm
WEBSITE MEETING
Location in Dupont Circle TBA
To find out the location email artofempathy at yahoo.com

Wednesday, August 3, 7-9pm
MGJ GENERAL MEETING
St. Stephen's Church
16th and Newton St. NW
>From the Columbia Heights metro walk north on 14th, turn left on Newton and
walk until you reach 16th. Enter on the side.

Thursday, August 4, 6:30pm
OUTREACH MEETING
Jubilee USA
222 East Capitol Street NE
closest metros: Capitol South and Union Station

Monday, August 8, 6:30pm
TAX THE BANK MEETING
MLK Public Library, 9th & G Streets NW, Room 221
closest metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown