National Student Power Convergence - 2013 Program Guide

NATIONAL STUDENT POWER CONVERGENCE2013 PROGRAM

University of Wisconsin - MadisonMadison, WI

www.studentpower2013.orgtwitter.com/studentpower_13

NATIONAL STUDENT POWER CONVERGENCE 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OUR AGENDA.......................3-4 DETAILED AGENDA.........5-16

SPEAKER''S BIOS................17-24

SOCIAL JUSTICE VOCAB....25-26

gROUnd RULES..............................27





THURSDAY - AUGUST 1ST

SATURDAY - AUGUST 3RD

FRIDAY - AUGUST 2ND

6:30- 8:00 pm Check In at Great Hall Union You will receive your convergence materials and information regarding housing. 8:00- 8:30 pm Norms Discussion with Alexandra Flores-Quilty, Joel Solow, and Nelini Stamp in Great Hall Union8:30-9:00 pm Welcome with Kirin Kanakkanatt, NPSC’13 Project Director in Great Hall Union9:00-9:30 pm Keynote Address from Stephanie Rivera in Great Hall Union9:30-10:00 pm Keynote Address from Carmen Berkeley in Great Hall Union

8:00-9:30 am Breakfast, Social Science 621010:00- 12:00 pm Community Building - Energizer, One On One Training, Anti-Oppression Space in Southeast Recreational Facility12:30-2:00 pm Lunch, Social Science 62102:30-4:00 pm Panels* 4:30- 6:00 pm Plenary in Social Science 6210 Economy of Debt – Heather C. McGhee Immigration- Felipe Sousa-Rodiriguez Labor- Bob Master6:30-7:30 pm Dinner, Social Science 62108:00-10:00 pm Movie screening of “Inequality for All“ in Ingraham 19 Movie screening of “Sing your Song” and Discussion led by Carmen Perez in Ingraham B10 Open Mic hosted by Sarah Schiesz of The Change Project in Social Science 6210 Call 256-627-2679 to sign up.

8:00-9:30 am Breakfast, Social Science 621010:00- 12:00 pm Community Building- Nonviolent Direct Action Training in Southeast Recreational Facility12:30-2:00 pm Lunch, Social Science 62102:30-4:00 pm Trainings Session I* 4:30-6:00 pm Trainings Session II* 6:30-7:30 pm Dinner, Social Science 6210 8:00-9:00 pm Live Interview with the Dream-In by the Dream Defenders in Florida in Social Science 6210 9:30-11:30 pm Social and Performance by Jasiri X, Location TBA

august 1-3OUR AGENDA





SUNDAY - AUGUST 4TH

MONDAY - AUGUST 5TH

8:00-9:30 am Breakfast, Social Science 6210 10:00- 12:00 pm Workshops Sessions*12:30-2:00 pm Lunch, Social Science 6210 2:00-5:00 pm General Assembly in Social Science 62105:30-7:30 pm Dinner, Social Science 6210 8:00 pm Closing and Party, Location TBA

10:00-11:00 am Breakfast, Social Science 621012:00 -3:00 pm Campaigns Fair, Location TBA12:00 - 3:00 pm Action TBA

ONGOING

Friday-Sunday The Change Project Photography in Education Building L173 with Jay LilesFriday- Sunday Next Convergences, Education L150, Friday Education L145 Saturday Ingraham 214, SundayFriday-Sunday Open Spaces - Friday: Education L155, Education L151, Ingraham 113 - Saturday: Education L151, Ingraham 120, Ingraham 223 - Sunday: Ingraham 113, Ingraham 224, Ingraham 225

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august 4-5OUR AGENDA





PANELS

FRIDAY CAMPUS AND STATEWIDE POWER BUILDING

from the Campus and Statewide Power Building Track Frank Lévesque-Nicol of ASSE, Alexandra Flores-Quilty of Oregon Student Association and United States Student Association, Rachel Storch of New Jersey United Students, Dylan Busser of IIRON Student Network, Biola Jeje of New York Students Rising, Vidya Sankra of North Carolina Student Power Union, and facilitated by Bryan Miranda of the United States Student Association

INGRAHM 114

In this panel we will discuss the way in which youth and students around the country, and even around the world, are building organizations and systems of power through unions, networks, and associations. There will be dialogue around successful models and strategies, as well as some of the failures. The-re will also be a focus on the cultural and regional barriers of building power.

2:30 - 4:00 pm

MESSAGING AND MEDIA EDUCATION L185from the Messaging and Media Track Cayden Mak of 18 Million Rising, Isabelle Nastasia of New York Students Rising, David Ramirez of Common Application, Inc. Prank, Muna Mire of OPirg, and James Cersonsky of The Nation. All panelists play crucial roles in running Youngist.org, a young people-powered news outlet.

Movement writers, online organizers and student organizers discuss the strengths, challenges and opportunities facing the student movement as we seek to ef-fectively represent our on-the-ground struggles through digital storytelling.

ART AS MESSAGING EDUCATION L177from the Arts and Culture Track Carmen Perez of The Gathering for Justice, Jasiri X, Eric Kleppe Montenegro of the Kentucky Dream’s Coalition, Victoria Sobel of The Free Cooper Union, Zane Ballard of The Change Project, and moderated by Pat Kennedy of The Ohio Student Environmental Coalition

We want this panel to provide people with a comprehensive look at the role of art in the movement-- specifically art as messaging. We also want to give par-ticipants a taste of what they can look forward to in trainings and workshops.

INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN YOUTH/STUDENT ORGANIZING

INGRAHAM 115

from the Leadership Development Track Weili Zheng of IIRON Student Network, Matthew Gravatt of Young People For, and John Aspray of New Jersey United Students

Leadership development is important to any power-building organization, but is espe-cially significant in the context of students’ lives and timelines for membership in student communities. Leaders from statewide organizations, as well as national mentorship net-works will describe best practices in purposeful leadership development.





PANELS

FRIDAY 2:30 - 4:00 pm

The Student/Youth Role in International Solidarityfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: International Solidarity Sara Fitouri of Colorado Student Power Alliance and Justice for Palestine, Kayla Martin and Lingran Kong of United Students Against Sweatshops, Natalie Yoon of United Students for Fair Trade, Katie Sewell of Amnesty International

Education L159

Students and organizers discuss young peoples’ role in international solidarity and justice, with particular attention on divestment and addressing the Israeli occupation of Palestine, using students’ purchasing power and organizing to support workers across the globe, stu-dents drawing attention to human rights issues, and addressing the dangers of global trade.

Student Debt: Dealing with Existing & Future Debtfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: Student Debt Nelini Stamp as Moderator, Heather McGhee of Demos, Anne Johnson of Gene-ration Progress, Sami Alloy of Oregon Working Families Party, Scott Ross of One Wisconsin, and Sophia Zaman of United States Student Association

Ingraham 122

The millennial generation is the largest generation in American history, the most educa-ted generation in American history and the most indebted. The good news is that young people around the country are pushing for the sweeping changes we need to tackle the $1 trillion in student debt and make college more affordable and accessible for every stu-dent and family.Check out this panel to hear from individuals and institutions involved in the National Student Debt campaign.

Work It: Students in the Labor Movementfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: Labor Michelle Crentsil of Committees of Interns and Residents, Jack Carpenter of SCReW, Austin Thompson of SEIU, Zee Lemke of Starbucks Workers Union

Ingraham 214

This track will offer presentations from folks in various types of labor organizing to explore the following: What has been and could/should be labor‘s role in the youth movement, and vice versa? How do students transition from organizing on campus into their broader communities and workplaces? How do we build leverage against the ruling class to create an opening for a new society?





PANELS

SATURDAYTAKING OVER YOUR STUDENT GOVERNMENT

from the Campus and Statewide Power Building Track Jalina Wayser of United States Student Association and New Jersey United Students

EDUCATION L150

Just like power, student governments can be tools for the expression and manifestation of your values. For this training, students from New Jersey United Students will draw on their experiences of infiltrating and redirecting student governments to serve as hubs for organizing.

2:30 - 4:00 pm

POP, LOCK AND DROP IT FOR POLITICS EDUCATION L155from the Leadership Development Track The Democracy Corps Fellows of Chicago Votes

Check us out! Chicago Votes is committed to partying hard with politics. Learn about a powerful (and fun) way to organize that harness the power of the people being screwed over systematically to transform the democratic process. Party with us...You know we got

MEDIA TRAINING 1 EDUCATION L159from the Messaging and Media Track Cayden Mak of 18 Million Rising and Molly Katchpole of Progressive Change Campaign Commit-tee (PCCC)

From virality and making social media spread your message, to telling a full story for our movement and holding on to knowledge, this session covers the basics of what organi-zers need to know to be effective and skillful media actors.

ART FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION L177from the Art and Culture Track Eric Kleppe Montenegro of Kentucky Dream’s Coalition

A space for the discussion and development of arts for social justice, especially with re-gards to the representation of marginalized communities. A discussion of the historical role of art, the sharing of the participants‘ experiences using arts in their movements, and creating a group project.

VAMPIRE SLAYER TRAININGfrom the Art and Culture Track All in the Red

EDUCATION L196

Join members of All in the Red for a hands-on creative session combining action-plan-ning, banner and prop-making. Participants will work through the steps to design a mass protest action, focusing on visionary art, interactive performance, and mediagenic mes-saging.





PANELS

SATURDAY2:30 - 4:00 pm

ALTA GRACIA AND UNION MADE GEAR ON CAMPUSfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: International Solidarity Kayla Martin and Rachel Tabor of United Students Against Sweatshops

This training will focus on the efforts, tactics, and victories of the United Students Against Sweatshops around getting union-made clothing on campus and specifically Alta Gra-cia. Alta Gracia is proudly made in the Dominican Republic and sold in over 600 college campuses nationwide, Alta Gracia pays its workers a living wage and provides them with a pathway out of poverty.

PALESTINIAN SOLIDARITYfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: International Solidarity Sara Fitouri of Colorado Student Power Alliance and University of Denver Students for Justice in Palestine & Sean Estelle, Students for Justice in Palestine

The purpose of this program is to provide a general overview of US student organizing in solidarity with Palestinians, as well as give students who are more familiar with the tactics used by Palestinian Solidarity organizations a chance to hear what campaigns particular campuses are facing. a key part of the discussion is to focus on the theory of International Solidarity organizing, (particularly acting as an ally, following the lead of those experienci-ng the oppression, etc.) but then apply those theories to the specific tactics that are used.

STUDENTS AND THE FARMWORKER JUSTICE MOVEMENTfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: Food JusticeJoe Deras and Zach Blume of Student Farmworker Alliance-CIW

Student/Farmworker Alliance (SFA) is a national network of students and youth organi-zing with farmworkers to eliminate sweatshop conditions and modern-day slavery in the fields. Students have been at the forefront of student/labor solidarity organizing since we first set our sights on Taco Bell in the 2001 campaign „Boot the Bell“ to now targeting Wendy‘s, the last fast food holdout. „Our struggles may not be the same but they conver-ge“ has been SFA‘s philosophy and a conscious ideal that we strive to achieve in our work every day. Come learn about the farmworker struggle through popular education and how you can organize in solidarity in creating a new day for farmworkers in the Florida tomato fields.

EDUCATION L185

EDUCATION L151

INGRAHAM 114





PANELS

SATURDAYTHE SOLIDARITY ECONOMY

from the Issues and Strategy Track: Solidarity Economy Remy Corso of NASCO and Kenneth Edusei of Solidarity NYC

INGRAHAM 115

We don‘t need to wait for the revolution or the apocalypse. We can build and strengthen grassroots practices of mutual aid, direct democracy, ecological sustainability, and co-operation right now. In this workshop we will talk about an economy that recognizes our inherent interdependence. Known as the solidarity economy in the anti-globaliza-tion movement, this is an economy where we meet our needs together with integrity.

2:30 - 4:00 pm

HOW TO ORGANIZE ON CAMPUS: STUDENT DEBT INGRAHAM 116from the Issues and Strategy Track: Student Debt Nelini Stamp of Working Families Party, Anne Johnson of Generation Progress

Mapping out Wall Street‘s Role on Campus will be a training on how to find the different ways in which Wall Street has taken control of public higher educa-tion. We will map out how to find endowment funds, board of governors/regents/trustees that have ties to Wall St, and Wall Street on campus debit cards. This will help give students tools to analyze the current power structure on campus.

NEW MEXICO AND THE IMMIGRATION STRUGGLE INGRAHAM 122from the Issues and Strategy Track: Immigration New Mexico Dreamers in Action, SouthWest Organizing Project (SWOP) and MEChA (Movimien-to Estudiantil de Chicanos de Aztlan)

New Mexico has been a positive example of possible wins at the local level on immigration issues. From getting undocumented immigrants drivers’ licenses, to tuition equity, to other provisions protecting immigrants’ education, come learn about how New Mexico mana-ged to assert a positive agenda in the face of national back-sliding on immigration issues.

ONE ON ONES, DEVELOPING LEADERS INGRAHAM 214from the Issues and Strategy Track: Labor Austin Thompson of SEIU, Mary Clinton of New York Communities for Change

There are few more critical skills in the organizers’ toolbox than solid relationship-building and leadership-building one on one conversations, and having as many of those one on ones as it takes to develop a strong organizing committee with solid leaders. In this trai-ning, you will learn about these skills in the context of labor organizing, though they can be applied to a number of situations.





PANELS


MAPPING THE WORKPLACE AND THE ECONOMYfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: Labor Jack Carpenter, SCReW

Power mapping- of both communities to organize and the planes of power we organize within, is another critical skill in labor organizing, that can also be applied to the student context. In this session, learn about effective mapping and list-making for organizing our organizing.

BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT STAKE: WHY (state) BUDGETS MATTER & WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT

from the Issues and Strategy Track: Budgets, Policy, and Power Building Gavin DeVore Leonard of One Ohio Now

This training will explain how budget decisions can either help solve major problems like reducing or eliminating college tuition or exacerbate wealth inequality and further de-plete our communities. In this interactive session you‘ll also have the opportunity to hear about examples from states across the country and to strategize about next steps where you‘re at. By the time we‘re done, you‘ll think budgeting is much, much sexier.

INGRAHAM 224

INGRAHAM 215

SELF INTEREST AND DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL STORYfrom the Campus and Statewide Building Training Track Aneesh Nandam and Aija Nemer-Aanerud of IIRON Student Network

Self-interest is about understanding what about your personal story (your significant ex-periences and relationships) drives you to care about social justice and the student move-ment. The ultimate goal of the training is to move leaders to reflect on their personal story to develop an understanding of what their self-interest is, as well as to empower leaders to understand how understanding their self-interest in community with others allows us to work together in advancing a larger vision for change.

INGRAHAM 225

DEFENDING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND STUDENT‘S RIGHTS INGRAHAM 115

from the Issues and Strategy Track: School to Prison Pipeline Voces De La Frontera, Youth Empowered in Struggle

The purpose of the program that YES will present is to share our experiences defending public edu-cation in two cities with the biggest colored population in the state of Wisconsin. We also look to encourage others to take action defending their cities public schools (especially at the high school level). A strategy that we seek to share with other public school defenders is to implement fair and better Student‘s Bill of Rights in order to protect the students educational development, especially students who live under oppression.





TRAININGS II

SATURDAYSTUDENT AND YOUTH MOVEMENT BUILDING

from the Campus and Statewide Building Training Track Ohio Student Association

EDUCATION L150

The Ohio Student Association, rather than operating as a standard student association of student governments, and rather than as a student union, utilizes a hybrid model that in-cludes heavy emphasis on training, network weaving and advocacy in student and youth communities. Learn about the development, and strengths of this model in this training.

4:30 - 6:00 pm

MEDIA TRAINING EDUCATION L159from the Messaging and Media Track Richard Fowler

While millennials made up over 19% of the voting population in the 2012 election, their representation in political TV or radio is close to zero. Richard Media Company (a millen-nial-run consulting firm) is offering a media training that teaches young people how to be camera ready, book talent on local and national radio, TV, and internet outlets, use conservative media outlets for your benefit, and how to engage an on-camera panel. The training will be facilitated by Richard Fowler, host of The Richard Fowler Show, the youn-gest nationally syndicated Progressive and/or African American radio show in the country and member of The Young Turks Network.

INTERNATIONAL LABOR STANDARDS: BANGLADESH

EDUCATION L185

from the Issues and Strategy Track: International Solidarity Lingran Kong of United Students Against Sweatshops

Engage in a conversation about the state of the global garment industry and the deadly race to the bottom that lead to the 1,129 deaths in Rana Plaza tragedy, the worst work-place industrial disaster in history. Learn about students‘ unique position to leverage change in the garment industry and how students‘ international solidarity work have won groundbreaking campaigns against NIKE and adidas, and the crucial work still needed to transform the ruthless nature of global supply chains.

A native of Fort Lauderdale, Richard got his first taste of politics at a young age when he went with his mother into the voting booth to pull the lever for Bill Clin-ton for President. After that auspicious start, Richard began his involvement in po-litics. As a young man he volunteered on numerous local races in Florida, including former Attorney General Janet Reno’s gubernatorial campaign. Currently serving as the Advocacy Director of the Young Democrats of America, Fowler frequently appears on Fox News, MSNBC, C-SPAN and Current TV.





TRAININGS II


FOOD JUSTICE & CORPORATE FOOD ON CAMPUSfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: Food JusticeCarmen Black of Real Food Challenge

Students Uniting for a Just & Sustainable Food System. A dynamic introduction to the injustice and devastation of the industrial food system as they play out in campus Dining Services, and an introduction to the Real Food Challenge, which is uniting students na-tionwide in organizing for a more just & sustainable food system through campaigns for the Real Food Campus Commitment.

STUDENT DEBT: THE LOCAL FIGHT BACKfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: Student Debt Sophia Zaman of United States Student Association, Isaiah Toney of Student Labor Action Project

As student debt skyrockets, we are seeing Wall St. and big banks take larger and larger roles in Boards of Regents/Directors, as college administrators, and in other roles of autho-rity within higher education. In this training, we’ll get into how to fight back against Wall Street’s presence in higher ed.

EXPLORING THE POWER DYNAMICS WITH ARTISTS & THE MOVEMENT

EDUCATION L177

from the Arts and Culture Track Pat Kennedy of The Ohio Student Environmental Coalition

A discussion of the use and abuse of art and artists within the movement for power buil-ding. How can we better utilize, respect and honor our art and artists, the way they ope-rate, and the ways they flourish?

INGRAHAM 114

INGRAHAM 116

ROOT CAUSES OF IMMIGRATIONfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: Immigration Jorge Maya of Voces De La Frontera

In this session, we will go beyond just the symptoms and tragedies of failed immigration policy into the root causes, and systemic reasons for our immigration policy, and discuss how a comprehensive view is necessary for dealing with the issue.

INGRAHAM 225





TRAININGS II

SATURDAYMOVING TO DIRECT ACTIONS

from the Issues and Strategy Track: Labor Robbie of the IWW

INGRAHAM 214

Once you have built relationships and mapped power , it becomes time to move toward ta-king strategic, direct action. This training will detail how to do so effectively and strategically.

4:30 - 6:00 pm

BUILDING STUDENT LABOR COALITIONS: A PRIMER INGRAHAM 224from the Issues and Strategy Track: Labor Nat Sowinski of New Jersey United Students

One of the most valuable relationships a student organization can build is the relation-ship with organized labor on campus. Students have the people power, and labor unions have the money, and this synergy and solidarity creates favorable conditions for success-ful and goal-oriented organizing on both students‘ and workers‘ issues. By the end of this workshop, you will learn how to make a comprehensive plan to forge strong, lasting relationships with labor unions on your campus.

MAKE VOTING EASY: TURBOVOTE EDUCATION L151from the Issues and Strategy Track: Electoral Power Matt Cordeiro of Turbovote

What would it look like for voter registration to be seamlessly integrated into every col-lege campus? How would that change our power building and electoral organizing? In this session, organizers from TurboVote will consider those questions.

RELATIONAL ORGANIZING INGRAHAM 225from the Leadership Development Fundamentals Track Ohio Student Association

The distinction between relational and unilateral power, and relational organizing as op-posed to just mobilizing, or engaging in advocacy, is a critical one. Understanding re-lationships and relational organizing is a key skill in building power, and transforming ourselves and our communities.

PANEL: TAKING CONTROL OF OUR FUTURE AND OUR DEMOCRACY FROM CORPORATIONS from the Issues and Strategy Track: Budgets, Policy and Power Building Austin Thompson, Max Berger, NCSPC

INGRAHAM 215

Our generation is coming of age in an era of unprecedented inequality. How did we get to a place where so much of our economy and political system is controlled by corporations -- and how do we fix it? We will focus on how corporations came to write our laws, suppress the vote, control our schools and our prisons, and dictate what happens in the workplace.





TRAININGS II

SATURDAY4:30 - 6:00 p

WELLNESS AND ORGANIZING: CREATING A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE MOVEMENT

from the Leadership Development Fundamentals TrackNat Sowinski, New Jersey-Based Organizer

Let‘s face it - organizing is draining, both physically and emotionally. Chances are, you‘ve experienced burnout at some point in your organizing career. In this interactive training, we will pinpoint the common causes of burnout - unhealthy practices in organizing spaces and in lifestyle - and how to overcome them and prevent burnout in the future to ensure a healthy student movement that will endure generations of organizers.

PANEL: PUBLIC EDUCATION - ATTACKS & FIGHTING BACK

from the Issues and Strategy Track: Public EducationJacob Chaffin of Ohio University Student Union, Stephanie Rivera of Students Uni-ted for Public Education, Israel Munoz and Ross Floyd of Chicago Student to Save Our Schools, Jaysen Brazile of Newark Students Union, Anthony Ramirez of Voces De La Frontera

College and high school students talk about the attacks on public K-12 education, the fight back mounted by youth, communities, and teachers, and the role of college student solidarity in the fight for public education.

EDUCATION L155

INGRAHAM 113

CO-OPS AS A VEHICLE FOR STUDENT POWERfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: Solidarity Economy Remy Corso of NASCO, Lauryl Berger-Chun of CoFED

While political and community power are important for students to consider, so too is economic and financial. Co-operatives- housing, dining, and others- can serve as an alter-native vehicle for economic and financial student power building. In this session you will learn about techniques for forming co-ops on campus or in your community.

INGRAHAM 115

NOTES:





WORKSHOPS

SUNDAYBUILDING AN ORGANIZATION FROM THE GROUND UP

from the Campus and Statewide Building Training Track Jenna Siegel and Akin Olla of New Jersey United Students and Progressive Stu-

EDUCATION L150

This workshop will be a how to guide for starting an organization from scratch. It will focus on mem-bership outreach and retention, as well as making strategic decisions to create real change.

10:00 am - 12:00 pm

STUDENT UNIONISM: MOVING FROM QUEBEC TO A US CONCEPT

EDUCATION L155

from the Campus and Statewide Building Training Track Erik Foreman

College tuition in the United States has increase by over 1100% over the past 30 years in spite of decades of

issue-based student activism and lobbying, putting tertiary education out of reach for millions of working

class people, with a disproportionate negative impact on communities of color. Through a case study of the

successful 2012 student strike in Quebec and reflection on participants‘ own experiences, this training will

outline a student syndicalist campaign framework that develops a highly-engaged constituency through so-

cial mapping, relational organizing, direct democracy, an intersectional anti-oppression praxis, and escalating

direct action in coalition with community partners.

MEDIA WORKSHOP EDUCATION L159from the Messaging and Media Track {Young}ist

This workshop will be a space for discussion about our role as media producers, sources, and consumers. We

will think about best practices in media production, and begin a conversation about media literacy that atten-

dees can bring home and continue in their own communities.

DISMANTLING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINEfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: School to Prison Pipeline Amatullah Mervin of Alliance for Education Justice

This session introduces and furthers discussion around a National Student Bill of Rights (NSBR). Our hopes are

to introduce the NSBR as being one of the most powerful tools to eradicate the School-to-Prison Pipeline. With

great execution we also hope to have young people create dialogue about where they see NSBR taking flight

on the national level so that all youth have access to their most basic needs.

INGRAHAM 113

HOW OUR GENERATION WILL OVERCOME CORPORATE POWER INGRAHAM 122from the Issues and Strategy Track: Budgets, Policy and Power Building Max Berger

We live in an era of unprecedented concentration of wealth and power by corporations and Wall Street. Between the swelling

private prisons, exploding student loan debt, and ongoing jobs crisis, you could even say they‘ve stolen our future. In this

workshop, we will strategize and share ideas about how to take control of our future from the corporations.





WORKSHOPS

SUNDAY 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

DON‘T LET CORPORATIONS TRADE AWAY OUR FUTURE: THE STUDENT STRUGGLE AGAINST FAIR TRADE

from the Issues and Strategy Track: International Solidarity Natalie Yoon of Unites Student For Fair Trade

The Obama administration and 600 corporate “trade advisors” have been secretly planning a mas-sive new free trade agreement that will drastically change the way the world operates. Also known as “NAFTA on steroids”, the Trans-Pacific Partnership encompasses 40% of the global economy and negotiations are set to conclude as early as October. The TPP threatens national sovereignty, labor rights, the environment, small farmers, affordable healthcare, internet freedom, and any chance at regulating Wall Street. What can your organization do to help stop this assault on our democracy?“

CAMPAIGN PLANNING ON CAMPUS: STUDENT DEBTfrom the Issues and Strategy Track: Student Debt Anne Johnson of Generation Progress

Getting Wall Street off of Campus: through this workshop we will use a specific campus structure as an example and plan through getting Wall Street off of campus. Whether it be divestment of en-dowment funds, Removal of the campus funds from a big bank to a community bank, or planning the removal of Board of Governor members who are embedded in financial institutions that profit off of student debt.

PRESENT THE THEORY OF CHANGE / WAYS TO APPLY THE STRIKECORPS

from the Issues and Strategy Track: Labor Isham Christie of the Writer’s Guild, Mary Clinton of New York Communities for Change

StrikeCORPS is a new radical labor project. However, the strategy is nothing new: StrikeCORPS takes lessons from history and progress of labor struggle, while seeking to train and place a new wave of labor organizers. We will share the strategy of economic disruption rooted in the basic functioning of a globalized economy and ways to plug in to the network.

EDUCATION L185

EDUCATION L151

INGRAHAM 114

CREATIVE SPACE EDUCATION L177from the Arts and Culture Track / Do it Yourself Track

This is an open space for artists and non-artists to come together and create things with the donated art supplies.

THE CHANGE PROJECT INGRAHAM 116from the Arts and Culture Track // The Change ProjectThe Change Project is dedicated to transforming discrimination against marginalized groups into acceptance for all people through the art of photography, social media cam-paigns, and partnerships with anti-bullying organizations. Through an ongoing open shoot, The Change Project will photograph Convergence attendees with words and ima-ges that express your vision for change.

INGRAHAM 122





„For Stephanie it was her starting point of radicalization and realization that this fight for a better world cannot be fought alone“

Stephanie Rivera, Co-Founder, Student United for Public Education

Stephanie Rivera is a 21 y\o senior at Rutgers University in NJ where she is studying Political Science and Education. In January 2012, her activism started small with her blog, “Teacher Under Construction,” where she discusses critical issues facing K-12 public education. Over this time span, her drive for educational justice grew and along the way she helped co founded Students United for Public Education (SUPE), which is a college\university based organization that aims to defend K-12 public education.

She has also been given the opportunity to give talks at events such as TEDxNYED and Socialism 2013, and has been publicly recognized by prominent people in education such as Diane Ravitch, Brian Jones, and Jesse Hagopian.

Stephanie knows for sure that she wouldn’t be even half the organizer, activist, and overall person she is today if it wasn’t for the National Student Power Convergence she attended last August. For her, it was her starting point of radicalization and realization that this fight for a better world can’t be fought alone, and she can’t wait to share her story with you all. You can follow her on Twitter at @stephrrivera

STEphANIE RIvERA, NEw BRUNSwICk, NEw JERSEy

SPEAKERS PROFILE





STEphANIE RIvERA, NEw BRUNSwICk, NEw JERSEy

„Carmen‘s first and favorite job allowed her to serve millions of students as President of the United States Student Association (USSA)“

Carmen Berkley, Executive Director of Generational Alliance

Carmen Berkley currently serves as the Executive Director of the Generational Alliance, a collaboration of 20 youth organizations that builds community and collective power for the emerging majority of young people of color, women, LGBTQ folks, and low-income communities. Prior to her current role, Carmen served as the New Media Specialist at the largest union in the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, where she built websites, wrote emails and ran social media campaigns. Carmen’s love of on-the-ground grassroots organizing allowed her to gain years of experience serving as the National Field Director of Choice USA, Deputy Director of Field and Turnout for the One

Nation Working Together Campaign and Regional Field Director for the NAACP. Carmen’s first and favorite job allowed her to serve millions of students as President of the United States Student Association (USSA), where she fought for access to higher education and led students through the 2008 election and many legislative victories. Her love of training and leadership development allows her to serve as a Trainer for Campus Camp Wellstone and Managing Consultant for Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, LLC.

This Pittsburgh native is proud graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.

CARMEN BERkLEy, wAShINGTON, D.C.

SPEAKERS PROFILE





Heather is a regular guest on MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN. Her opinions, writings and research have appeared in numerous outlets.

Heather McGhee, Vice-President of Policy and Outreach, Demos

Heather C. McGhee is the Vice President of Policy and Outreach for Demos. She helps to set Demos’ strategy o r g a n i z a t i o n - w i d e and oversees the Communications and Advocacy Departments. She is a frequent writer, speaker and media commentator on issues of democracy reform, economic opportunity, racial equity and financial regulation. In 2010, she became a contributor to Countdown with Keith Olbermann on Current TV. She is also a regular guest on MSNBC, Fox News and CNN. Her opinions, writings and research have appeared in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, National Public Radio, the Washington Post,

and the New York Times. She is the co-author of a chapter on retirement insecurity in the book Inequality Matters: The Growing Economic Divide in America and its Poisonous Consequences (New Press, 2005).

In 2009, she co-chaired a task force within Americans for Financial Reform that helped shape key provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

In 2008, she served as the Deputy Policy Director in charge of Domestic and Economic Policy with the John Edwards for President campaign, helping craft that campaign’s agenda-setting policies to end poverty, halt global climate change, reform financial services, and other far-reaching aims.

She holds a B.A. in American Studies from Yale University and a J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley School of Law.

hEAThER MCGhEE, NEw yORk, NEw yORk

SPEAKERS PROFILE





Felipe has a long record of presssuring both Democrats and Republicans for progress on Latino issues.

Felipe Sousa-Rodriguez, Co-Director, GetEqual

Felipe was ranked one of the top 20 community college students in the United States and best student in the state of Florida in 2008 according to the American Association of Community Colleges. In addition to his educational excellence, Felipe also found time to serve his peers as student government president of Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus.

A recent graduate from St. Thomas University, he was born to a single mother in the slums of Brazil, who sent him at age 14 to the United States, where he first dreamed of becoming a teacher. Felipe walked on the Trail of Dreams in 2010 to draw attention to the need for the DREAM Act, and has been organizing for the

past few years with both Presente and United We DREAM. Felipe was awarded the “Freedom From Fear” award from Public Interest Projects in 2011 for his work on the Trail of Dreams.

He has a long record of pressuring both Democrats and Republicans for progress on Latino issues — and now he’s bringing that knowledge and history to the LGBT movement.

You can reach Felipe by emailing him at [email protected].

FELIpE SOUSA-RODRIGUEz, TAMpA, FLORIDA

SPEAKERS PROFILE





Bob Master, Director of Legislative and Mobilization Activities, District 1, CWA

Bob Master is the Director of Legislative/Political and Mobilization Activities for District One of the Communications Workers of America, which represents 160,000 workers in New York, New Jersey and New England. He began his career at CWA in 1986, and his responsibilities now include overseeing membership mobilization activities during contract campaigns, as well as all aspects of legislative and political action for the union. This has included major responsibility for CWA’s contract campaigns at Verizon, where the union represents 22,000 workers throughout the northeast, and for CWA’s New Jersey State Worker bargaining unit, covering 40,000 state workers.

As CWA’s Political Director, Bob played a central role in bringing together the coalition of unions, community organizations, and progressive activists that founded the New York State Working Families Party in June, 1998. Bob has served as one of the statewide co-chairs of the Party since its founding. Bob also serves as the Vice President of Citizen Action of New York.

BOB MASTER, NEw yORk, NEw yORk

SPEAKERS PROFILE





Asean Johnson, student activist with Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools

Asean Johnson was born October 7, 2003 in Chicago, IL to the proud parents of Shoneice Reynolds and Antonio Johnson. Asean‘s leadership skills were promptly noticed by his treachers and classmates when he began school at Marcus Garvey. He was voted Class President by his peers even though he was considered the „new kid“. Asean‘s activism started during the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) strike in September 2012 where he saw the inequality of school funding and resources and immediately joined the fight for education justice. In December 2012, Chicago Public Schools (CPS)

ASEAN JOhNSON, ChICAGO, ILLINOIS

SPEAKERS PROFILE

announced school closures. Asean then took his activism to his neighborhood. He helped organize rallies, informative pickets, and started a petition. Beginning in February 2013, Asean spoke at countless forums and public hearings arranged by CPS where he expressed his love for his school and community. In May, Asean participated in a citywide „3 Day March for Education Justice“ with his school and CTU. At the end of the march, Asean delivered a passionate impromptu speech before thousands regarding his school closing and 54 others. Although, Marcus Garvey was removed from the closure list, 50 schools remain to be closed.

Asean is a member of Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools (CSOSOS) and enjoys playing football with the Blue Island Untouchables. He resides with his mother and brother on the South side of Chicago.





Carmen Perez, Executive Director, Gathering for Justice

For the past 16 years, Carmen has dedicated her life to advocating, providing leadership opportunities and helping transform the lives of young people. As Executive Director of the Gathering for Justice, Carmen travels across the nation and internationally promoting peace, interconnectedness and alternatives to incarceration and violence while collaborating in national policy presentations. She has organized cultural, spiritual and educational events and provides support to individuals incarcerated in juvenile hall and inside California’s and New York’s prisons. In 2011, Carmen supported the development of Purple Gold, a young worker’s program that engages and cultivates the membership of 1199 SEIU’s 35 and under members meanwhile setting the future for the Labor Movement. She directs its operations across New York City. Carmen is deeply grounded in various cultural and spiritual practices that create space for healing, relationship building and reconciliation. She has been featured on several TV programs, articles and is the 2008 recipient of United Ways, “Community Hero Award,” and a Cruz County Women’s Commission, “Trailblazer’s Award in Criminal Justice.” She has been presented a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for Outstanding and Invaluable Service to the Community.

CARMEN pEREz, NEw yORk, NEw yORk

SPEAKERS PROFILE





Jasiri X, founding memeber, One Hood Media Academy

From the controversial viral video What if the Tea Party was Black?, to the hard hitting truth of A Song for Trayvon, Jasiri X cleverly uses Hip-Hop to provide social commentary on a variety of issues. His videos have been featured on websites as diverse as Allhiphop.com and The Huffington Post and Jasiri has been a guest on BET Rap City, The Michael Baisden Show, Free Speech TV, Left of Black, and Russia Today. A six time Pittsburgh Hip-Hop Award winner, Jasiri became the first Hip-Hop artist to receive the coveted August Wilson Center for African American Culture Fellowship.

A founding member of the anti-violence group One Hood, Jasiri recently started the One Hood Media Academy to teach young African-American boys how to analyze and create media for themselves.

Jasiri has performed from New York City to Berlin, Germany and various cities in between, including recently in front of 30,000 at the Our Communities Our Jobs Rally in Los Angeles. He has toured colleges and universities across the country presenting his innovative workshop, How to Succeed in Hip-Hop Without Selling Your Soul, and is working on a book of the same name. He also blogs for Jack and Jill Politics, Daveyd.com, and The Black Youth Project. Jasiri X signed a record deal with Wandering Worx Entertainment and recently released his album, Ascension with acclaimed producer Rel!g!on.

JASIRI x, pITTSBURGh, pENNSyLvANIA

PERFORMER PROFILE





Words about Sexual IdentitiesSexual Orientation: A term used to describe emotional and physical attraction to another personStraight/Heterosexual: A person who is attracted to people of the opposite gender LGBTQ: Shorthand for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer. Often used because it’s more inclusive of the diversity of the communityLesbian: A woman who is attracted to other womenGay: A person who is attracted to people of their own gender, most commonly used for menBisexual: A person who is attracted to men and womenQueer: Identity reclaimed by some people as a word that binds people hurt by homophobia and trans-phobia; identity claimed by some people who do not use the words lesbian, gay or bisexual Words about Bodies, Gender and Gender IdentitiesSex (as a noun): Refers to biological and physiological characteristics of anatomy Assigned Sex: What a doctor determines to be your physical sex at birth based on the appearance of one’s primary sex characteristics Gender: Socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities and attributesGender Identity: Your internal sense of self; how you relate to your gender(s)Gender Expression: The way you present your gender or appear to other peopleTransgender/Trans*: An umbrella term for a range of people, behaviors, expressions, and identities that challenge the gender systemTranssexual: A person who has, or desires to transition to another gender by altering the body using medical methods (hormones or surgery) Genderqueer: A person who has a gender identity that is neither man nor woman, somewhere between two or more gender categories, or as falling completely outside the gender binaryIntersex: People who develop sex characteristics that are difficult to label as “male” or “female” Cisgender: Having a gender identity that is commonly considered to match a person’s assigned sexWords Naming Systems of Oppression & PrivilegeClassism: Prejudice and/or discrimination, either personally or institutionally, against people because of their real or perceived economic status or backgroundHomophobia: The belief that being attracted to the same gender is wrong and the institutional power to enforce that belief; this term calls attention to the ways that prejudice against LGB people differs from prejudice against other peopleTransphobia: The belief that there are two genders- tied to biological bodies- and the institutional op-pression of people for whom this idea does not apply. This term calls attention to the ways that preju-dice against trans people differs from prejudice against other people. This phobia can exist in LGB and straight communitiesXenophobia: Hatred or fear of strangers and foreignersIndividual Racism: Racial bias within individuals- one’s beliefs, attitudes and prejudice about race, which encompasses acts (like using racist slurs), characterizations (like sexualizing people of color), and assumptionsStructural Racism: A type of racism in the United States, is the cumulative effect of history, ideology, and culture and the result of institutions and policies that favor whites and disadvantages people of color Institutional Racism: Racially disparate outcomes, discriminatory treatment and unequal opportunities

VOCABULARY





produced and perpetuated by institutionsPrivilege: Unearned advantages that individuals or groups of people accrue that is denied to, or restric-ted from, other people simply because of the groups they belong to, rather than anything they’ve done or failed to doWhite Privilege: Refers to the rights, advantages and immunities of white people in a culture that values whiteness as the normAlly: Someone who advocates for and supports members of a community other than their own. This includes educating oneself and others, providing support to individuals, challenging oppressive remarks, behaviors, policies and institutionsWords About Racial and Ethnic IdentitiesEthnicity: A group of people who share some common ancestry, traditions, language or dialect Race: is a social construct that artificially divides people into distinct groups based on characteristics such as physical appearance (particularly color), ancestral heritage, and the social, economic, and politi-cal needs of a society at the timePeople of Color (POC)/Communities of Color : An umbrella term that unites underrepresented com-munities who are share the common experience of being targeted and oppressed by racism in the United StatesWhite: People of European descent who benefit from the power of racismUndocumented: Preferred term over illegal/illegal alien because the i-word is dehumanizing, racist, confuses the immigration debate and it’s not legally accurate Immigrant: Any person from one country living in another countryWords About IssuesRacial Profiling: The practice by which people of color are unfairly targeted by law enforcement person-nel because of their raceColorblind: The assumption that we are living in a world that is “post-race,” where race no longer mat-ters, when in fact it is still a prevalent issue. Not influenced by racial prejudice and everyday societyTokenize: Selecting a few people, who are not in the majority group, for participation in order to deflect criticisms of oppressionPrejudice: A positive or negative attitude toward a person or group, formed without just grounds or sufficient knowledge Stereotyping: Generalizations about the “typical” characteristics of people who are a part of a particular groupCultural Competency: The ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures and back-grounds. The integration and transformation of knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific standards, policies and practices Diversity: The wide range of national, ethnic, racial and other backgrounds and identities found in a so-ciety or culture. The term is often used to include aspects of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, class and much moreIntersecting Identities: The recognition that many individuals and communities have multiple identities at the same time, for example queer people of color Racial Justice: A lens of understanding that racism is not just individual beliefs and acts, but also so-cietal, cultural, structural and institutional beliefs and practices that oppress one race for the benefit of another.

VOCABULARY





BASIC GROUND RULES 1. Assume Best Intentions We are all here to learn. Assume when someone is speaking that they have the best intentions. 2.Take care of yourself There might be times during this space when issues come up for you. Be sure to take a moment when you need it and breathe or leave the room. 3. Use only the gender pronouns that people state they prefer (she, he, ze, etc.) for someone only if they’ve stated their preference We recognize that part of the way transphobia works is that it forces us to make assumptions about people’s gender based on our perceptions, and transphobia forces us to assume that there are only two genders. 4. Move Up, Move Back or W.A.I.T W.A.I.T = Why Am I Talking? Or Why Aren’t I Talking? If you usually answer questions or speak up, move back. If you are normally someone who doesn’t speak up, this is your opportunity. 5. Expect unfinished business There are many instances that bring up in depth conversations that won’t be finished in the amount of time allotted. There are opportunities to finish these discussions with folks at another time. 6. Ouch, Oh, Educate If someone says something that hurts you, personally or as an ally, say something, by saying ouch. Give one statement on why that statement hurt & give the other person the opportunity to re-explain what they meant or to apologize. 7. Use I Statements Better to use “I feel, I think” instead of generalizing that everyone thinks the way you do.8. Avoid Gendered Language Example, use: you all, everyone, y’all, folks. Not “you guys.” 9. People First Language Example, people of color, people with disabilities. 10. Mistakes are awesome… when you learn from them Mistakes show us what we need to learn, take this experience/training as a learning experience and challenge yourself to learn things you never knew before. 11. Let’s take vocab breaks Let’s strive to make sure everyone is on the same page, including acronyms. If you need something broken down, or if you think we should break down a word or phrase, ask for it.

***THESE ARE OPEN/EVOLVING and more can/will be added by everyone in this space.

BASIC GROUND RULES





National Student Power Convergence - 2013 Program Guide

Documents

Transcript of National Student Power Convergence - 2013 Program Guide