You are invited to join Chicago Civic Harambee 2017
Harambee means "Let us all pull together" in Swahili. The Harambee is about nation building. It is an ancient process long used in Africa to bring people together in times of strife and conflict.
We are convening Chicago Metro social justice movement leaders, organizers, activists, and social service practitioners for an in-depth dialogue about our current situation. We seek to transform the current campaigns and efforts into a metro/citywide movement that looks, feels and sounds interconnected, unified, viable and impactful across all of our issues, platforms and communities.
Our goal for our Chicago Harambee 2017 is to set a collective and mutually shared practice and politics for organizing and movement building throughout Chicago Metro area.
We seek to change the civic narrative from one of scarcity and limitation to one of abundance and unlimited possibility.
Chicago has incredible assets and resources that can be brought together to address our most salient issues. It’s time now to come out of our silos and connect with each other to build the counter-narrative that we know is possible through our collective effort.
Please join us and engage with authors from the “Chicago Is Not Broke. Funding the City We Deserve” book in an in-depth conversation about how our public and private funds and resources can be best applied to transform Chicago. We seek to support our children, youth and families across Chicago. We seek to build greater unity and cohesion amongst our myriad campaigns and movements.
Our first Harambee took place on Saturday, October 29th, 2016 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Here are the notes from the group work from the meeting:
Question 1 - Vision: What makes Chicago great from your perspective?
Group A:
· City Services - We can handle it, Can get there “ public transit”, 911 Response – “We Work”
· Lakefront – Free Spaces
· Neighborhoods - Diversity, Art, Music, Food, Parks, Playgrounds, Libraries (public)
· People - Diversity in Vocation,
· Artists - Talent, Theater
· Educational – Higher Education, Continuing Education
· Religious – Diversity
· Business – Opportunity
Group B:
· Arts
· People (Resiliency)
· Movements/Legacy – BPP, Jane Addams, Labor
· Architecture
· Higher Education Institutes
· Founding ( DuSable – Strategic Trade)
· Working Class City
· Lakefront (+)
· Museums
· Food
· Potential to build a new city based on our divisions/past experiences
· Ability to share stories + connect the dots
Group C:
· Diversity of Chicago’s Economy:- Tourism, - themed Neighborhoods, - Viable Economic Drivers, - Benefit [Institutionalize the things that work], Detriment – Segregation
· History of Political Organizing
· Strong Public / Alternative Media
· Local Newspapers
· Religious Institutions – History
· Social Justice work thru Universities
· Arts Eco system that give youth a voice and outlet to discuss issues, politics, etc. ( Chicago Hip Hop)
· The Lake (Open Space): Environment, Culture as a driver for innovation, African American Southern Culture, The Great Migration, Town/Village, Generations, Customs, Synergy, Challenges – Bad Policies, Segregation
Question 2: Strategies and Assets: What are the key strategies and assets that need to be brought to bear in order to make Chicago great?
Group A:
Note: Gov seen as negative, evil
- put crooks in office because we expect corruption
- fight Gov “Propaganda” - push back – shared – citizens, this is your city – Civic Education, Civic Action.
- empower people – Church – Get masses and cross sector ask more of your city
- theaters & Music Venues
- beauty Shops
- Let Us Breath – Police “Abolitionist” Org. – { … to rebuke this money referring to money being spent on police}
- small strategic = e.g. Lawndale – looking at 8 blocks at a time
- industry in Chicago – e.g. Train Fleet, training employment, Chicago Made
- CTU – major asset
- Firefighters
- Gate Keepers – Reaching leaders; elevator speech to leaders ones up and coming
- messaging
Assets
– artists – For the People and Artist Collectives “Zine”
– social worker associations – NASW, NABSW
– retired people from human service fields – AARP – local chapter – progressive wing
– teenagers – for youth audience – Best minds to address this……
– technology – Format for social media
– Teachers for Social Justice
– civic education network - Mikva Challenge, Chicago Votes, etx.
– UJIMMA Medics
Group B:
Strategies + Assets ( Who Controls Determines)
- building communities : supportive media – social media, alternative media,
- media allies – Democracy Now, Chicago Reporter, Labor Beat, CAN-TV, low power radio,
- grassroots led agenda
- schools - need progressive tax for school funding delink to property tax
- re-purpose community school to focus on job readiness, life skills training, providing meeting space, GED training, health & wellness
- use progressive curriculum - Grassroots Teachers Collab & non traditional pedagogy, “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”
- transportation lines – rail, buses
- libraries
- water
- airports
- churches as historical & cultural community spaces
- seniors & youth
- major interstate highways
- Community Coalition To Re-purpose Vacant Space
- Streets+Sanitation
- participatory budgeting
- reform the Board of Elections – access to ballot
__________________________________________________________
Group C:
· communication media strategy
· civic Engagement / education initiatives - Skills building at the familial and community level. Train parents, canvassing – surveys, social media
· Use film as discussion vehicles – using young media voices to galvanize community members to action. Transforming public image and perception – built relationships
· The organizing acumen of Chicago organizations may be overblown
· One size fits all policy, analyzes that may not be tailored to community needs or realities on the ground
· There are battleground communities in Chicago just like there are battleground states
· Bring peace ambassadors to Harambee
· Use school environments to connect kids and families to existing organizing work
· Train the Trainer on organizing method “ Quinn”
· Break down next Harambee by neighborhood and by specialty (organizing)
· Activist speed dating (break down by region; w- side, sw-side, ne side, nw – side, se side)
· Building sustained engagement and infrastructure for sustained political participation. Candidate training groups.
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR NEXT CIVIC HARAMBEE - ON THE WEST SIDE - SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 12PM TO 4PM.
Harambee means "Let us all pull together" in Swahili. The Harambee is about nation building. It is an ancient process long used in Africa to bring people together in times of strife and conflict.
We are convening Chicago Metro social justice movement leaders, organizers, activists, and social service practitioners for an in-depth dialogue about our current situation. We seek to transform the current campaigns and efforts into a metro/citywide movement that looks, feels and sounds interconnected, unified, viable and impactful across all of our issues, platforms and communities.
Our goal for our Chicago Harambee 2017 is to set a collective and mutually shared practice and politics for organizing and movement building throughout Chicago Metro area.
We seek to change the civic narrative from one of scarcity and limitation to one of abundance and unlimited possibility.
Chicago has incredible assets and resources that can be brought together to address our most salient issues. It’s time now to come out of our silos and connect with each other to build the counter-narrative that we know is possible through our collective effort.
Please join us and engage with authors from the “Chicago Is Not Broke. Funding the City We Deserve” book in an in-depth conversation about how our public and private funds and resources can be best applied to transform Chicago. We seek to support our children, youth and families across Chicago. We seek to build greater unity and cohesion amongst our myriad campaigns and movements.
Our first Harambee took place on Saturday, October 29th, 2016 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
Here are the notes from the group work from the meeting:
Question 1 - Vision: What makes Chicago great from your perspective?
Group A:
· City Services - We can handle it, Can get there “ public transit”, 911 Response – “We Work”
· Lakefront – Free Spaces
· Neighborhoods - Diversity, Art, Music, Food, Parks, Playgrounds, Libraries (public)
· People - Diversity in Vocation,
· Artists - Talent, Theater
· Educational – Higher Education, Continuing Education
· Religious – Diversity
· Business – Opportunity
Group B:
· Arts
· People (Resiliency)
· Movements/Legacy – BPP, Jane Addams, Labor
· Architecture
· Higher Education Institutes
· Founding ( DuSable – Strategic Trade)
· Working Class City
· Lakefront (+)
· Museums
· Food
· Potential to build a new city based on our divisions/past experiences
· Ability to share stories + connect the dots
Group C:
· Diversity of Chicago’s Economy:- Tourism, - themed Neighborhoods, - Viable Economic Drivers, - Benefit [Institutionalize the things that work], Detriment – Segregation
· History of Political Organizing
· Strong Public / Alternative Media
· Local Newspapers
· Religious Institutions – History
· Social Justice work thru Universities
· Arts Eco system that give youth a voice and outlet to discuss issues, politics, etc. ( Chicago Hip Hop)
· The Lake (Open Space): Environment, Culture as a driver for innovation, African American Southern Culture, The Great Migration, Town/Village, Generations, Customs, Synergy, Challenges – Bad Policies, Segregation
Question 2: Strategies and Assets: What are the key strategies and assets that need to be brought to bear in order to make Chicago great?
Group A:
Note: Gov seen as negative, evil
- put crooks in office because we expect corruption
- fight Gov “Propaganda” - push back – shared – citizens, this is your city – Civic Education, Civic Action.
- empower people – Church – Get masses and cross sector ask more of your city
- theaters & Music Venues
- beauty Shops
- Let Us Breath – Police “Abolitionist” Org. – { … to rebuke this money referring to money being spent on police}
- small strategic = e.g. Lawndale – looking at 8 blocks at a time
- industry in Chicago – e.g. Train Fleet, training employment, Chicago Made
- CTU – major asset
- Firefighters
- Gate Keepers – Reaching leaders; elevator speech to leaders ones up and coming
- messaging
Assets
– artists – For the People and Artist Collectives “Zine”
– social worker associations – NASW, NABSW
– retired people from human service fields – AARP – local chapter – progressive wing
– teenagers – for youth audience – Best minds to address this……
– technology – Format for social media
– Teachers for Social Justice
– civic education network - Mikva Challenge, Chicago Votes, etx.
– UJIMMA Medics
Group B:
Strategies + Assets ( Who Controls Determines)
- building communities : supportive media – social media, alternative media,
- media allies – Democracy Now, Chicago Reporter, Labor Beat, CAN-TV, low power radio,
- grassroots led agenda
- schools - need progressive tax for school funding delink to property tax
- re-purpose community school to focus on job readiness, life skills training, providing meeting space, GED training, health & wellness
- use progressive curriculum - Grassroots Teachers Collab & non traditional pedagogy, “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”
- transportation lines – rail, buses
- libraries
- water
- airports
- churches as historical & cultural community spaces
- seniors & youth
- major interstate highways
- Community Coalition To Re-purpose Vacant Space
- Streets+Sanitation
- participatory budgeting
- reform the Board of Elections – access to ballot
__________________________________________________________
Group C:
· communication media strategy
· civic Engagement / education initiatives - Skills building at the familial and community level. Train parents, canvassing – surveys, social media
· Use film as discussion vehicles – using young media voices to galvanize community members to action. Transforming public image and perception – built relationships
· The organizing acumen of Chicago organizations may be overblown
· One size fits all policy, analyzes that may not be tailored to community needs or realities on the ground
· There are battleground communities in Chicago just like there are battleground states
· Bring peace ambassadors to Harambee
· Use school environments to connect kids and families to existing organizing work
· Train the Trainer on organizing method “ Quinn”
· Break down next Harambee by neighborhood and by specialty (organizing)
· Activist speed dating (break down by region; w- side, sw-side, ne side, nw – side, se side)
· Building sustained engagement and infrastructure for sustained political participation. Candidate training groups.
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR NEXT CIVIC HARAMBEE - ON THE WEST SIDE - SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 12PM TO 4PM.