Occupy Olympia (WA) and the Alliance for Global Justice are hosting an Occupy Solidarity Social Forum Feb. 18-19 in the Washington State capital city. The self-organized, social forum-type gathering is open to all occupiers and allies. Occupy Olympia agreed by consensus at General Assembly to host a self-organized gathering of the Occupy Wall Street Movement to network, build unity, share tactics, host and attend workshops, develop strategies, share our diversity and discuss how to develop action plans. Olympia is near the Seattle Tacoma airport, a travel hub. Free shuttle service will be available for participants. Olympia has a strong history of organizing. Occupy Olympia is a natural choice for hosting one of the nationally organized conferences springing forth from this movement because of its temperate weather, strong organizing history, overwhelming local support, proximity to a national airport and it’s local college support.
Details are posted at ossf2012.org. Participants should come prepared for tent camping or sleeping on church basement floors. Alliance for Global Justice (the fiscal sponsor) national coordinator, Chuck Kaufman, said, “Our interest is to create a space where the many local Occupations can network and share problems and solutions, begin to know each other and figure out how to support each other. There is no other agenda. It will be up to the Occupiers themselves to seize this opportunity and turn it into a Movement Building experience.”
People have joined the Occupy Express which began in Los Angeles this morning, and is on its way to Olympia. The conference will be a unique blend of processes used at the social forums and general assemblies, created by the participants. Some of the worshops, presenters, singers and speakers include David Korten, Bob Poteat, Bill Moyer, Margaret Flowers, Kevin Zeese, Mic Crenshaw and David Rovics.
Bruce Wilkinson, a primary local organizer, shares his story of the evolution of the forum, the participants, workshops, their vision, hopes, and recent developments. Bruce is a Kentucky son now living in Olympia Washington were he graduated from the Evergreen State College. Board member and volunteer for Media Island International and the Alliance For Global Justice, he also organizes extensively with Occupy Olympia and a number of other groups. As an itinerant organizer, free radical and social movement reporter he works on a wide range of issues with a focus on networking, coalition building and weaving together a diverse social movement. Two years in Americorps facilitating kids and adults in the joy of constructing trails and performing environmental restoration work solidified his commitment to service. Preferring summers in the mountains out of a backpack, his calling to service often keeps him in the cities.
He does hope people will extend their stay to join in the actions planned for President's Day in the state capitol.