Owl Collective Meeting     4/9/08    12n Pacific/3pm Eastern

Will, Sascha, Molly, Madigan

Sascha-Facilitates
Molly-Notes

Agenda:
Check Ins
Women’s Encuentro Update
Transition Team Planning

Women’s Encuentro:

Concerns expressed by MK via email about organizational accountability and responsibility to fiscal sponsors/funders.  Issues/accusations of sexual harassment need to be addressed.  Process is disservice to community.  Outside mediator was suggested.  Process needs to move towards organizational guidelines.  Need timeline, who, and how to involve/inform community in process. 

It is not true that we don’t have policy or have not responded.  The process can be improved.  Because people don’t like the policy/process does not mean we don’t have one.


Accountability is really important.  Gratitude that the TIP community holds us accountable. 

The process began when Madigan returned from Mexico and Seven was leaving the collective.  Why have women left?  Encuentro began so those who were hurt could heal and be heard and tell why they’re not here now. 

The “Us verses them” feeling is distressing. 
We need to mend this together.  We are a community here. 
These issues reflect upon all in leadership.  We need to create a way for more leadership to come forward. 

There is a spectrum of interpretation of what is happening/has happened.  Enormous danger in recreating drama.  We need to support listening. 

2 years of conflict is being rolled together.  Not the best way to do process.  Need to go through one by one.  Come up with proposals. 

We all want to create space where others want to step up.  There are plenty of people who want to get involved. 

What do we think of outside mediation? 

Encuentro Update/where we are in the process:

Women are currently considering the potential to move thread/home page post into open plans for collective memory after a summary statement is drafted and put up on forums by the women. 
Women are pulling together organizational structure recommendations from encuentro conversations/notes and from the web forum thread/community feedback. 
We are trying to figure out the best, most healthy and productive way to have intentional conversations with Will and Sascha, each individually, to bring forth direct concerns women want shared by the encuentro.  Other women in the process will self determine how/if to proceed with individuals in their own ways. 

Full history and facts are missing on the web thread.
Encuentro process is confusing.
Responsibility to address sexual harassment and legal issues.

There is faith in us as a community that we can move forward by putting things on the table not normally talked about. 
We need to hear what women have to say. 


Proposal:
We should not move owl staff to 5 hours a week at this time.
Encuentro thread should be moved off site. 

Members of site want to know how history will look back on this time. 


Perspective/urgency from community pushed into legalese.
We need to make a commitment to collective process.  There are a lot of ideas and feedback already. 

How will people be able to listen, hear, not lose sight of transition, become partners and collaborators collectively? 
Find center.  Take steps together. 
Learn to be constructive while being critical.
Outside world doesn’t see us working together.   

What step is next?
Intentional conversations need to be had with Will and Sascha and Encuentro women. 

How do we do it?

Need to prioritize face time, which is difficult with travel schedules.
Not sure how it will look.  Potential conference call? 

Proposal/Intention:
Women will meet and talk directly with Sascha, Sunday 4/13 and bring forth Encuentro feedback. 

Will is willing to hear encuentro feedback via teleconference if there is a clear form and agenda.  To be scheduled. 

Travel Schedules:
Sascha in bay area 4/11-13
Madigan back to NYC 4/14
Will in bay area 4/18-19

FJC Issues:
Will just checked in with FJC about March paychecks. 
Will has submitted paperwork on checks.  Sascha will check in with Katie at FJC, call Will and report.  Will, will send a clarifying email to all.  Madigan physically goes into FJC office when working in NY.  There is confusion at FJC about who is the TIP contact person. 

Transition Team:

5 hours a week for owls beginning 5/08 does not seem possible. 

Recommend folks initially contacted about transition team be included in process. 

Kiran made contact with Madigan about proposed involvement in transition and help with budget.  Asked is there a budget to look at?  Suggested checking out “The Revolution Will Not Be Funded”. 

Budget is not a political quest, it is a program quest. 

Teams+Work Groups=Hub and Spoke

Current owls need to be available for history, focus on one thing at a time, create space and free funds for more paid roles.  We need to equalize others. 

Past idea of owls paid a base of 5 hours plus paid per project in addition was proposed/revisited. 
Does that plan again puts the burden of work/responsibility on too few people?  Madigan and Sascha both want to step back and get more people involved. 

What is the role of larger body of voices/advisors? 
Will and Madigan made list of potential people back in Jan. 
Traditional Board structure discussed/bring money, does outreach, meet regularly, take on tasks, etc. 
Switching from collective to nonprofit models is confusing/calling it one thing while enacting another. 
We need to try to create a hybrid, a mix somewhere between board nonprofit and revolutionary structure. 

Vision/Fantasy-to take this situation we are in and turn it into proposal for organizational development grant.  Sascha has ideas of who to approach on this. 


Revisiting Encuentro Thread Issues:
(meeting running late/note-taker losing steam)

Concerns about charges of wrongful discharge need to be addressed.
We need to stand by policy that exists.
This has to do with past conflict.

Proposal:  Women want to talk to Will and Sascha individually.  From there bring in outside mediator to resolve the unresolved and look at policy. 
No consensus reached on need for outside mediator at this time.

We need to trust decision process and clarify what that is.
Come up with best we can and stand by it.
There was consensus in past on how to deal with issues that arose.
Current personal posts on web forums are in hindsight.  People’s feedback on W.E. thread is opening up all sorts of stuff.
Concern is people putting it out there creates confusion about how past issues were handled. 
In the past limited options and sense of urgency influenced choices and decisions made.
There is a bigger picture now.  Yes, it is exposing this. 

How do we actualize policy?  Example:  Our wellness policy? 

We’re in a difficult place.  We will have time to talk about all this.

Madigan and Will agree to talk about past organizational policy and decisions made.  They will schedule with one another. 

LOVE MUTUAL RESPECT MOVING IN RIGHT DIRECTION…

Next meeting Wednesday 4/16/08 7pm (eastern) 4pm (pacific)