Icarus Community Conference Call
March 16, 2008--12noon (pacific)/3pm (eastern)

Present in order of appearance: Will (Portland, OR), Eris (Minneapolis, MN), Inel (Asheville, NC), Astra (Asheville, NC), Sven (Richmond, VA), Zacho (Philadelphia), Caprice (Brooklyn, NY), Sandpiper (San Antonio, TX), Tygrlilie (Oakland, CA), Marta (St.Louis, MO)…please, don’t let me forget anyone…

(Awesome) Facilitation Team: Eris, Will, Zach

Notes: Inel & anyone who wants to fill in the blanks…

Coming onto call/talking about how the call feels:
It’s like we’ve all taken some kind of designer drug.
Kinda like some psychotic episodes I’ve had.
It’s starship enterprise.
Like we’re all learning a new language together.

Check Ins/How are you? Where are you? What’s going on in local communities? What do you want out of this call?

Inel: Excited about things in local group, excited about working with icarus owl collective this past month, honored to be in women’s encuentro. Trying to see the overlap. Nice day in Asheville. Excited about spring.

Zach: These calls help me. Calls are psycho-therapeutic/being in the presence of others. Healthy for me to be here/feel less alone.

Sandpiper: Compelled to organize in my town. Been surveying what is up. Involved in a meet up group exploring natural ways to experience bi polar, etc. also Alliance of Mental Health Consumer Rights, started by a peace activist. Currently planting seeds of inspiration for Icarus group.

Eris: Has been sick. Getting better. Has not been super involved in TIP organizing. Getting MSW wants to include viewpoint of radical mental health in that work. Is curious about the women’s encuentro.

Sven: Currently connected with 3 people in the Richmond area looking to start a group. Wants/is waiting on materials from TIP. Has read Friends Make the Best Medicine, Harm Reduction Guide, Navigating the Space…
New in area, this is something to do, connecting with others locally.

Will: New to Portland from North Hampton, MA. Icarus has been a rollercoaster with diverse community, excited to hear other voices. Has been stressed out recently, remembering things like food/eating not just drinking water. In this moment feeling good, spring weather. Recently spoke to over 60 people at school with Mouse from Reed Icarus.

Caprice: Wants to clear up questions about the Encuentro. Is currently doing a lot of the same work as Icarus on own, trying to see an overlap. Concepts like “Friends Make the Best Medicine” raise expectations we can’t meet.

Marta: Awesome today. St Louis Icarus is having a business meeting about expanding beyond the support groups and doing more activist activities.

Stuff Previously Posted As Suggested Agenda:
Update on women’s encuentro
Update on TIP organizational structure
Local Groups Report Back
Discuss ways of opening up work groups and getting more people involved.

Women’s Encuentro:

Inel: Feeling uncomfortable speaking for the whole encuentro. Had hoped other women from that group were present. I can speak only of the process. This is where I see we’re at and where I see this going, from my experience.

We began as a listening space, inspired by Madigan’s visit with the Zapatistas and coordinated by Alex and Madigan at the beginning of February. Women who were previously involved in the project and left hurt, returned to tell their stories in a safe supportive group. After sharing those stories, common behavioral themes were discovered (and posted). Where we are now and what we are moving towards is individuals directly and specifically addressing others involved and actively seeking resolution. Through this process recommendations to implement change will be made. At that time, the encuentro hopes to open up and include more voices to get involved in actual work groups that will work towards creating policy guidelines to address these concerns in the future. Ideally in this process, other sharing circles/listen spaces may form to look at other forms of oppression.

Eris: Following the thread, I wonder how this is changing the organizational structure right now?

Will: We’ve set up an ombudsperson, Molly, because she has the most distance from the project, to take grievances, hear stories, make sure something happens as a result. I’ve talked with Molly and Madigan who are Owls in the encuentro. The slow process may be frustrating to some people. It’s hard with 100’s of people involved, stepping on toes, every now and then there needs to be space for airing grievances, seriously and patiently.

Inel: People can bring up concerns and grievances by contacting me via, supportATtheicarusprojectDOTnet.

Zach: It seems Icarus favors inclusion over hierarchy. I was dissatisfied with TIP until I rearranged what I thought or expected. I see Icarus as receptive and nurturing.

Will: A community of caring and wellness. Creating support for one another.

Eris: So many people/means different things to different people.

Will: Yeah, there’s no TIP Central telling people what to do. Force from the top/holding together.

Zach: I like the networking. You are not alone.

Astra: Not to look at it as static. When concept isn’t confined. Set rigid expectations limits you and all involved.

Zach: There is a difference between a sword and a cup. TIP is a cup.

Inel: I like seeing structure as a bowl not a box.

Eris: Reminder, folks can jump in and bring things up as they want to…
Sandpiper: Lots to reflect on here. Appreciates space for voice.

Astra: What TIP means…How do locals interact with national if you put support aside?

Will: History of Sascha and Ashley traveling around getting discussions going on, support with org. logistics, resources (guides, etc), media work that includes more voices, radio show. Bowl not sword. Money is coming in via connections Sascha has and being a great front man, used to pay for background stuff. Moving towards more people involved in decision, how resources are spent, work on small gathering inclcuding others. Post encuentro opening up to larger decision making body maybe 8-12 collective. Balance total decentralization and use resources effectively.

Eris: How do people see structure expanding.

Inel: (didn’t take notes while talking…what did I say?)

Will: Are people voted, invited, is it a community discussion, face to face gathering??? It’s a chicken and egg situation. The idea is that a transition team would jump start the process, before being more broad. Nothing is cast in stone, it is an organic process.

Marta: What seems easiest/makes most sense until we can have a face to face for consensus—Currently owls invite others into working groups.

Will: A big national gathering up to 200 people. We’d need a plan.
What is the structure? Working gathering/business plan.

Eris: Points out, there was a more explicit past conversation on this topic.

Will: No specific planning.

Inel: It was talked about at January conference call. I did some preliminary looking into the potential of a national gathering.

Eris: Idea of camping is good, but may bring up issue of inclusion for those not comfortable camping. Bring back to working groups/self-selected groups.

Will: Good point, need resources, planning, democratic decision making, how to set up resources raised/distributed. Maybe we should start a discussion. We need many voices.

Sven: Chat room may be a place to spark ideas.

Marta: Chat is difficult. People who want to talk may be better on phone.

Proposal:
Zach will start thread getting conversation about a national gathering going.
Inel will send Zach links to other past conversations about a gathering and/or will post in thread.
After the discussion is rolling on thread, folks may wish to pick a date/time for a meeting about a national gathering.
Zach, Marta, Inel expressed explicit interest in being in a work group to help make a national gathering actualize.

Check Outs:
GREAT CALL EVERYONE!!!
Thank you thank you thank you!

Hear you all next month (if not sooner)! Anyone up for doing outreach for the 4/20 call?

Silverelf, you were with us in spirit for sure. You should have shouted out. Hope the move is going well. Thanks for planting seeds for this call.