It was a nice mellow sunday afternoon call after much of my own pent up anxiety and confusion i felt good and comforted and totally supported in the presence of other icaristas on the call and yes...we did laugh a little too.
Here are the notes from my own particular peculiar view:
5/18/08 Icarus Community Call
Present (in order of appearance): mRg, inel, sandpiper, will
Coming on to call.
Let’s wait for 10 minutes and see who comes.
Chit-chat Check Ins.
Let’s ALL facilitate!
Inel says: “I’ll take notes if someone else can fill in blanks.”
Agenda???
Look at notes from last call—lots of talk about proposed gathering and RNC.
Behind the scenes of Icarus. Proposed new structure/work groups.
Last call when talking about gathering and RNC there were some feelings expressed about activist activities vs. support/connecting AND on the ground vs. internet organizing.
Some folks are triggered by large crowds.
Gathering idea came out of need for face-to-face organizing, decision making, organizing—a working retreat. Skill share/trainings.
Some just want to gather first and connect.
Connecting would allow people to feel supported and safe before choosing to get more involved.
Regional/National??? Scope/Scale/Purpose unclear.
Getting together first would help identify what skills people have to offer.
Talk about skills in terms of wellness tools, diy mental health, etc.
MAD MAP MAKING PLEASE!
In “Live Through This” anthology, Madigan has photocopy of part of her map.
Some places people are looking at morphing different ways to create a mad map, some visual, some simple cue cards, some scrapbooks/zines, etc.
Examples are helpful.
“I didn’t realize they could be so simple.” “How do you do it?”
Most people have no map most of their lives. Having one piece of what you want/need can make a huge difference.
WHERE AM I? WHERE ARE WE?
Talk about proposal for natural evolution towards working groups:
Proposal now on table…
Dissolve “Owl Collective” as it is currently. Equalize power and pay. Move towards more inclusion by first positioning coordinators in specific interest areas and form working groups who will identify priorities and include self-identified/stepping up community members.
Break out into 5 work groups:
o Education/Outreach
o Admin/Development
o Website
o Media/Publications
o Support Network
Paid Team Coordinators assigned to each work group.
Work groups open to volunteers.
Coordinators are responsible for identifying volunteers/including diverse perspectives.
Work groups set priorities, assign tasks, and seek support and resources while collaborating and communicating with other teams.
Each group has a budget that reflects Icarus overall yearly budget priorities.
Coordinated teams/areas will allow for grant seeking based on specific programs/proposals and allow for more simplicity in tracking for funders.
Group coordinators have equal decision-making power in collective body and equal pay.
Decisions within work groups and council will be made via consensus.
Proposals come to council already developed by work group.
Subgroups will form out of working groups and leaders will be self selected.
Community call monthly for input/participation.
Look for shout out from work group coordinators in coming days to get involved in icarus organizing in tangible way.
More talk about skill sharing…
Sustainable energy, like wind/solar power.
Yes, the concept of the new Icarus evolution is that of sustainability. Much like harnessing the energy of the wind or the sun. Let the wind be wild and free while still harnessing it’s valuable variable energy. Storing energy and tag teaming.
Butterflies are solar powered.
Biologists can’t explain how insects fly. It defies the logic of flight.
Talk about seed grants for local groups and individuals. How to funnel resources?
Feedback on evolution into workgroups:
There is a shifting of natural energy of individuals on these calls that makes it interesting.
The Icarus organization is largely a mystery. What do folks do?
The idea of work groups in five areas makes sense.
It helps make it more clear.
For a lot of folks website replaces local groups.
Work groups have promise because it is clear and makes sense.
They will magnetize energy.
Sometimes people don’t want to get involved because it feels like “it’s all on me or I’m sucked into things and become the main person...”
Work groups become support groups in that people watch your back support people in doing the work.
Support is a prereq of accountability.
Awesomeness is an asset!!! All together again, AWESOMENESS IS AN ASSET, yes!
Let’s skill share in Awesomeness! Again, yes!
Awakening your inner awesomeness…a potential training.
Make space in work groups for drop-in volunteers who want to do a specific one time time-limited tangible task. Yes.
Idea: Look at things on site, ideas people have brought up before and HELP PEOPLE ACTUALIZE THESE THINGS! Yes!
Check Out!
will, mRg, sandpiper and me…add to these notes as we think of things missing, after thoughts and things not said on call that need to be said. Community…questions, answers, ideas, input…please!
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addendum to the notes by sandpiper...
Inel!!! Thanks for posting today's call notes. You already gave a really nice sketch /outline/summary/ synopsis of the call. But I'll see if there is anything I can add from a sandpiper's breathtaking eye view!
Although I must admit that I'm having a little trouble with spelling today (it's taking extra concentration/brain power); and my thoughts are coming out in fluent and not-so-fluent splutters alike so if I didn't get something quite right or if something I say doesn't make sense, someone please tell me!
I think some of my language skills flew out the top of my head today when I hit that pothole... !
Okay. So first of all I want to say that while I had my normal {{{~ PHONE ANXIETY~}}}, I was quickly put at ease once I got to talking with the other icarus folks on the conference call. Yes, it was a really encouraging and positive wonkavator experience. Y'all are the best! Thanks to all of you for being your caring AWESOME selves!!!
Alright, now to offer some other pieces and patches from the conversation...
Reviewed a bit from the April Ccall...
RNC- Interested Icarus folks sought to collaborate with Northstar Health Collective in providing emotional/trauma support during the RNC in Minneapolis 9/1-9/4. For more information see this thread https://site.icarusprojectarchive.org/fo.....highlight=
I wonder how this is coming along. I should ask Eris. (a sandpiper thought)
National TIP Gathering - one proposal was for a national gathering to be held in Minneapolis to overlap with the September RNC event... that way folks coming up to MN to help with the RNC trauma support could combine the trip with being able to meet up with folks just interested in a national gathering and not the RNC stuff...
What would the purpose of a national icarista convergence be though? for organizing, activism, and skill shares or for (my interpretation) a pajama party and pillow fight with mad comrades? :)
Discussed regional/local gatherings as being more workable than a large national get together.
Regional/local gatherings could be for organizing, activism and skill shares and/or for building camaraderie.
In discussing the 5 working groups:
Support Network - I asked what the role of the support network working group would be.
The role would be for group members to act as liaisons between local groups... to provide support for local groups getting started and connecting them with resources... to act as TIP website hosts/hostesses... to make sure information is updated on the TIP site in terms of what each local group is up to... to cultivate volunteers, to act as ombudspersons/ grievance persons.
Inel shared that if she worked herself out of a position as a coordinator she would know she had done a good job. A coordinator would ideally empower others and get more people involved to share the leadership .... having a few people in leadership is not sustainable...
In discussing where monetary resources have gone in the past...
Mostly resources have been concentrated on the website. With the 5 working groups, though, the resources would be shared among these groups and therefore be used for a wider variety of purposes: education and outreach; administration and development; website; media and publications; support network.
In discussing goals of outreach... do we solidify icarus ground groups already in existence or reach out to plant seeds for new groups/ help support groups just forming...?
And in discussing what Icarus groups and individuals are up to around the globe...
Will mentioned that there are lots of things icarus groups/individuals are involved in or participate in which many of us never hear about... maybe we could create an icarus around the world yearbook/ comic book!
I like this idea!