TIP in CT

Submitted by MadMiddletown on Wed, 10/07/2009 - 12:19am

Related topics:

Shit that you should know if you're interested. Post some fucking comments!

Mission:

-In light of WSDR hosting a safe social space for disability-id'ed and mad folks and Active Mind's educational mission, we're thinking that we'll promote TIP as focusing on mutual aid and other forms of direct action. Of course, once we're a group with members, the agenda and focus will be completely up to the group.

Process:

-We're not waiting for the listserv to promote the group, we're just going to send out an email to the shitton of people who signed up at the fair announcing an initial date and time. It'll be BCC, so no one will be able to see who else is on the list. [How we got here: Nick and I want to get started ASAP and another interested person agreed - and we have no idea when, if ever, we're getting the listserv. So far, there's a strong consensus BCC is the way to go; I was undecided at first, thinking the number of people on the list could be encouraging, but now I'm convinced that the pros of BCC and confidentiality are much more important.]

-Meeting space is TBD. Myself and another person are in favor of asking the person who founded WSDR and knows a lot about on-campus spaces for suggestions. Nick thinks that this person might be flooded with work and would like to ask others who have expressed interest in person first - if there's no response in 2 days, we'll ask the WSDR founder.

-Time is TBD. Ask in-person contacts for ranges of availability first, and then give a list of options in the first email.

-Once we've got an idea of a time and space that works for most people, we'll send out an official announcement email, encouraging folks to post it to every listerve they're on, and flyer the fuck around campus.

--- The first meeting will be on campus and not advertised publicly in the community (word of mouth is fine) simply because that's where people signed up and Wesleyan is not a safe space for everyone. If the group decides to promote and meet off campus after the first meeting, we'll go from there.

--- Nick and I have some graphics and ideas for the flyers/email, but nothing is set in stone. Instead of attaching our pre-made shit and asking for input in the first message to just the signed-up folks, there'll be a blurb that people can copy and paste to their listservs, or change if they'd like - only requirements are that the time and date is the same as what we've worked out and that it gets at what TIP's about (for example, it shouldn't say that we're a bird watching group or that we're trained mental health professionals). For posters, Nick and I are each making our own to plaster everywhere, and we encourage everyone else to do the same (with the same requirements as above).

Mad Love,

Nic

Response to TIP in CT

Submitted by MadMiddletown on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 4:31pm.

Hi, this is Chris Dubey.

Nic:

You stated,

“-Meeting space is TBD. Myself and another person are in favor of asking the person who founded WSDR and knows a lot about on-campus spaces for suggestions. Nick thinks that this person might be flooded with work and would like to ask others who have expressed interest in person first - if there's no response in 2 days, we'll ask the WSDR founder.”

I still think the WSDR founder would be the best person to ask about an ideal meeting space. As I stated by email 10/06/09 8:56 PM, I suppose we could use the physics lounge or a room in Fisk Hall. However, those are not ideal meeting spaces. The lounge is open to the public and we would need to compete with whomever else gets there. I have had problems with this in the past, as sometimes people are unwilling to move. As for Fisk Hall, at night it sometimes has empty classrooms, but the seats are not entirely comfortable and suitable for physically disabled people.

I already gave you my times of availability.

I want to add that, on October 22, I will have foot surgery. Subsequently, I will be incapacitated and probably homebound for a few weeks.

I have another comment. This is low priority, but I would like the Middletown chapter of the Icarus Project to have its own name, similar to how chapters of honor societies have unique names. I want us to discuss this more later, maybe at a meeting.

Chris Dubey

Response

Submitted by MadMiddletown on Mon, 10/12/2009 - 4:26pm.

Hi, this is Chris Dubey.

Nic:

You stated,

I already gave you my times of availability.

I want to add that, on October 22, I will have foot surgery. Subsequently, I will be incapacitated and probably homebound for a few weeks, and might also have trouble getting to a computer, although I should still be contactable by telephone. We should meet before then.

Chris Dubey