A new North American network emerges from the grassroots

 

Symbiosis, an expanding network of revolutionary organizers and local initiatives, is assembling a confederation of democratic community institutions across North America. This project has been gathering support over the past year and will be launched at a continental congress in Detroit from September 18-22.

The emerging network consists of diverse groups and member organizations, from Cooperation Jackson in Mississippi to Olympia Assembly in Washington, who are participating out of a recognition of the need to carry the movement for radical democracy beyond the local level. “It is imperative that any groups or organizations moving in a social or economic sense on the vision we share for a democratic and ecologically sound world not struggle on their own, but instead under a global support system aimed at both dismantling our exploitative socioeconomic system (Capitalism), and building a democratic, cooperative system in its place. Symbiosis is in a position to build this support system,” said Z of Black Socialists of America (BSA), one of BSA’s co-founders.

On January 7, Symbiosis released a launch statement announcing the congress, initially signed by 14 organizations. “Over the course of the past year,” it stated, “our organizations have been strengthening our relationships with one another, learning from each other, generating shared resources, and honing a common vision of how to create together the genuinely democratic world that we need.”

Beyond the shared vision of radical democracy and egalitarianism, what unites these groups is a common political strategy, of building institutions of popular power from below to challenge and replace the governing institutions of capitalist society. “We have to move beyond the limitations of bourgeois democracy, particularly its representative forms, which intentionally limit the agency and power of communities and individuals in our societies. To get beyond these limitations we have to build democratic formations and practices in every facet of our lives—where we work, live, play, and pray—and utilize these formations to exercise dual power, that is utilizing our own power and agency to govern our own lives beyond the limitations imposed upon us by the state and the forces of capital,” says Kali Akuno, co-founder and co-director of Cooperation Jackson. A shared commitment to building ‘dual power’ unites the member organizations of Symbiosis.

At the 2019 congress, delegates from grassroots organizations across North America will gather to form a confederation between their groups, to grow and coordinate a movement that can bring about a just, ecological, and free society.

“The problems we face today require a bold and unified response,” said Brian Tokar of the Institute for Social Ecology, a member organization and sponsor of the event. “We face the rising threats of authoritarianism and inequality, structural forms of domination between the haves and the have-nots, and the scapegoating and oppression of immigrants and people of color. And we also know that the destabilization of the climate and the fossil-fueled destruction of the Earth’s life support systems play a central role in all the problems we face.”

The idea behind the confederation is that these formidable challenges are insurmountable for individuals and small groups. “By coming together, we can better recognize and organize the changes necessary to secure our future more than what any of us can do at the local level,” said Kelly Roache, a co-founder of Symbiosis. A common platform would also allow this growing movement to pool resources, raise their public visibility, and seed new organizing initiatives.

The congress will prioritize local, democratically-run movements and organizations that are building new economic and political institutions, such as people’s assemblies, tenant unions, and cooperatives. Local groups are invited to join the congress and sign on to the launch statement, and individuals can also join as members.

In April 2017, members of the Symbiosis Research Collective published the essay, “Community, Democracy, and Mutual Aid: Toward Dual Power and Beyond”, which won first prize in the Next System Project essay competition. Journalist and author Naomi Klein, who reviewed the essay, said that the Symbiosis vision “sketches out a flexible roadmap for scaling up participatory democracy”.

Over the past year, the network has grown to over 300 individual members, in addition to the 14 member and partner organizations who have signed onto the launch statement thus far. The Symbiosis Research Collective has also published an ongoing series of articles reaching an audience of over 23,000 readers. In July 2018, Symbiosis co-coordinated the Fearless Cities North America conference (NYC), which convened 300 municipalist activists from the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Europe, and Latin America. In December 2018, they started a crowdfunder to fund the congress.

Currently, members are working on developing resources and information for people who wish to begin organizing where they live and work. “By the time of the congress, the Symbiosis Research Collective will have put together an in-depth primer on community organizing and dual power institution-building, including important historical examples, practical guides, and the theoretical underpinnings of our revolutionary project,” said Mason Herson-Hord, another co-founder of Symbiosis and co-coordinator of the research collective.

In their launch statement, these authoring organizations write that the congress is only the beginning. “Ultimately, we will need such a confederation to carry our struggle beyond the local level. Ruling-class power is organized globally, and if democracy is to win, we must be organized at that scale as well. As this project advances, the possibilities are endless.”

Symbiosis is a network of community organizations across North America, building a democratic and ecological society from the ground up. We are fighting for a better world by creating institutions of participatory democracy and the solidarity economy through community organizing, neighborhood by neighborhood, city by city. Find out more and contact us at symbiosis-revolution.org or info@symbiosis-revolution.org.

Uneven Earth summer party

https://www.facebook.com/events/796210917170628/

Date: August 16th, 6p.m.

Location: 185 Van Horne, apt. 5, Montréal, QC

Le magazine en ligne Uneven Earth publie des articles et analyses sur des enjeux de justice sociale et environnementale depuis 2015. En août, nous nous rassemblerons pour célébrer :

  • Le lancement d’une anthologie faite de nos articles préférés
  • Le lancement du nouveau site web
  • Le lancement d’une nouvelle section du site alliant science fiction et utopie, “Not afraid of the ruins”

The website Uneven Earth has been publishing stories on environmental and social justice issues since 2015. This August, we are gathering to celebrate:

  • The release of an anthology magazine of our favorite pieces
  • The launch of a new and improved website
  • The launch of a new section on utopian sci-fi and imaginaries, “Not afraid of the ruins”

 

~~Français si-dessous~~

Featuring…
Elliot Blomqvist

Shahir Qrishnaswamy, Priya Jain, Diego Pacheco and Why Chiron

Kaie Kellough

A screening of “Accidental Anarchist: Life Without Government” and “She falls for ages”

A vegetarian meal

And a DJ set by Marie Lies!

 

$12 before 10pm

Cover price includes a copy of the magazine and a full meal

No one turned away

$5 After 11pm (no magazine included)

Schedule

6pm Screening of “Accidental Anarchist: Life Without Government”

A UK career diplomat becomes a key whistleblower against the Iraq War and travels to Rojava to witness the Kurdish Revolution. Followed by discussion

7:30pm Vegetarian meal (contact us if you’d like to help out with cooking)

9pm Performance by Elliot Blomqvist

Elliot Blomqvist writes and performs songs that connect everyday life with political contexts, the earth, and the cosmos. They released their debut album, “Of This and Other Worlds,” on their own label in April 2017. rutblomqvist.net/

9:45pm “Dancing gardens”, A performance by Shahir Qrishnaswamy, Priya Jain, Diego Pacheco and Why Chiron
A death dance ritual spiraling through karmic tendrils of ancestral egoic energy and into the subtle passion vibrations of coral fauna. We are thirsty for peace and delicate health, we struggle to maintain balance within the chaos of capitalism’s hyper-reactive greed based empire. An attempt to transform isolated grief for our oceans into collective empathy.

10:30pm Electronic narrative by Kaie Kellough

Kaie Kellough is a poet, novelist, and sound performer who often works with modular synths, threading voice and narrative through electronic soundscapes. His most recent novel is Accordéon. www.kaie.ca

11pm Screening of “She falls for ages”

Skawennati makes art that addresses history, the future, and change. Skawennati’s work includes CyberPowWow and TimeTraveller™. She is Co-Director, with Jason E. Lewis, of the research network Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace (AbTeC). http://skawennati.com/

11:30pm Marie Lies DJ set

The event space is collectively-run and has a zero-tolerance policy for oppressive behaviour. It has two bathrooms and is up a single flight of stairs.

Please contact the event organizers ahead of time if you have any accessibility requirements, including food allergies, help with access to space, and/or childcare.

////////////////////////////

Le magazine en ligne Uneven Earth publie des articles et analyses sur des enjeux de justice sociale et environnementale depuis 2015. En août, nous nous rassemblerons pour célébrer :

Le lancement d’une anthologie faite de nos articles préférés

Le lancement du nouveau site web

Le lancement d’une nouvelle section du site alliant science fiction et utopie, “Not afraid of the ruins”

Avec…
Elliot Blomqvist

Shahir Qrishnaswamy, Priya Jain, Diego Pacheco et Why Chiron

Kaie Kellough

La projection de “Accidental Anarchist: Life Without Government” et “She falls for ages” (en anglais)

De la bouffe végétarienne

Et un DJ set par Marie Lies!

 

$12 avant 22h

L’entrée inclut une copie imprimée de l’anthologie et un repas

Personne ne sera refusé

$5 après 23h (sans anthologie incluse)

Programme

18h Projection de “Accidental Anarchist: Life Without Government”

Un diplomate anglais devient lanceur d’alerte contre la guerre en Irak et va à Rojava pour connaitre la révolution Kurde. Suivie d’une discussion.

19h30 Repas végétarien (contactez nous si vous êtes disponible pour aider à cuisiner)

21h Représentation par Elliot Blomqvist

Elliot Blomqvist écrit et interprète des chansons qui relient la vie de tous les jours à son contexte politique, à la terre et au cosmos.  Ille a lancé son premier album “Of This and Other Worlds,” au sein de son propre label de disques en avril 2017. rutblomqvist.net/

21h45 “Dancing gardens”, une représentation par Shahir Qrishnaswamy, Priya Jain, Diego Pacheco et Why Chiron
Un rituel de danse relié à la mort évoluant à travers les mèches karmiques de l’énergie ancestrale de l’égo, et dans les vibrations passionnelles subtiles de la flore des récifs coralliens. Nous avons soif de paix et de santé délicate, nous luttons pour maintenir notre équilibre dans le chaos de l’empire d’avidité hyper-réactif du capitalisme. Ceci est une tentative de transformer nos préoccupations individuelles pour les océans en empathie collective.

22h30 Narrative électronique Kaie Kellough

Kaie Kellough est un poète, romancier et artiste son qui travaille beaucoup avec des synthés modulaires, entrelaçant voix et narration dans ses créations sonores. Son dernier roman est Accordéon. www.kaie.ca

23h Projection de “She falls for ages”

Skawennati fait de l’art qui interroge l’histoire, le futur et le changement. Son oeuvre inclut CyberPowWow and TimeTraveller™. Elle est la codirectrice, avec Jason E. Lewis, du réseau de recherche Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace (AbTeC). http://skawennati.com/

23h30 DJ set Marie Lies

L’espace où la soirée aura lieu est organisé de manière collective et ne tolère en aucun cas les comportements oppressifs ou inappropriés. Il possède deux toilettes, et il est nécessaire de gravir un escalier pour y accéder.

Merci de contacter les organisateurs de la soirée à l’avance si vous avez des besoins particuliers en termes d’accessibilité au bâtiment, d’allergies alimentaires ou de gardiennage d’enfants.

Uneven Earth est un magazine en ligne qui offre une analyse politique de problèmes environnementaux. Nous croyons au pouvoir de la narration, au journalisme accessible et de qualité sans souci de productivité, au fait d’analyser les relations de pouvoir. Nous publions sur des sujets comme les luttes autochtones, les mouvements anti-extractivistes, la gentrification, l’art engagé et la théorie politique.

Uneven Earth is a magazine with a political take on environmental issues. We believe in narrative storytelling, accessible and slow journalism, and an analysis of power. We cover issues such as: Indigenous struggles, anti-extraction movements, gentrification, activist art, and political theory.

www.unevenearth.org

 

Announcing the Uneven Earth writing grant

water mirror image

At Uneven Earth, we believe in writing that avoids sweeping generalizations, intellectual shortcuts, and academic jargon. We would like to see more writing that speaks from personal experience and is engaged with the world politically.  Our goal is to develop a conversation that is accessible, critical, and not afraid to deal with complex issues. You can read our mission statement here.

We are excited to announce the Uneven Earth Writing Grant. Through this grant, we have the possibility to fund two articles every month at €100 per article. While anyone can apply, we hope that this funding would go to those who might not otherwise have the ability to find resources to fund their work. Applications are on a rolling basis, and we aim to publish the first two pieces in March 2016.

We’re looking for content in any of the following formats:

  • Storytelling and narratives
  • Interviews
  • Reports from the field: stories about research told in an engaging and accessible way
  • Book reviews
  • Opinion pieces
  • Photo essays

And hope to focus on the following issues:

  • Environmental justice
  • Indigenous struggles
  • Rural and peasant struggles
  • Feminist and queer issues
  • Gentrification and urban inequality
  • Social movements and alternative politics
  • Food politics
  • Climate change

In order to apply, please send us an email including:

  • Your topic and motivation
  • A paragraph about yourself and why you’d like to write this piece
  • Previous experience writing, including a writing sample if you wish to include one (we also encourage new writers and lack of experience will not disqualify your application)

If you would like to contribute but would like some feedback before submitting a proposal, or would like some ideas about what to write about, please do not hesitate to send us an email.

We value the contributions that individuals who identify as members of marginalized communities bring to our website. We encourage, among others, Indigenous people, people of colour, disabled people, people identifying as LGBT*QI, women, formerly incarcerated or institutionalized people, immigrants, and people from working class backgrounds to apply. This list is not exhaustive, and we encourage applicants to describe other experiences that have affected them. We also understand that applicants may experience a number of these identities simultaneously in ways that reinforce and complicate their experience. We encourage these individuals to send in a proposal and to describe their unique contributions and perspectives in their applications.

 

Regards,

the Uneven Earth team

info@unevenearth.org

@unevenearth

facebook.com/unevenearth

 

 

Annonce de la bourse pour projets d’écriture et de photojournalisme Uneven Earth

L’équipe d’Uneven Earth veut contribuer aux médias écrits qui évitent les généralisations, les raccourcis intellectuels et le jargon académique. Nous souhaitons encourager l’écriture d’articles reliés à l’expérience vécue des auteur.e.s et engage une conversation politique. Notre but est de développer un dialogue accessible et critique, sans crainte d’interroger des sujets complexes. Lien vers notre déclaration de mission (anglais) ici.

Nous sommes heureux d’annoncer le lancement de la bourse pour projets d’écriture et de photojournalisme Uneven Earth. Grâce à cette bourse, nous avons la possibilité de financer deux articles par mis, à hauteur de 100$ par article. Tout le monde peut soumettre un projet, même si nous espérons aider des personnes qui n’auraient autrement pas les moyens de financer leur travail d’écriture ou de photojournalisme. Les candidatures peuvent être envoyées en tous temps, et nous voulons publier les deux premiers projets en mars 2016.

Nous cherchons à publier des projets, en français ou anglais, sous n’importe lequel des formats suivants :

  • Histoires et récits
  • Entretiens
  • Récits de terrain: histoires sur le monde de la recherche racontées de manière accessible et engageante
  • Critiques de livres
  • Articles d’opinion et éditoriaux
  • Essais photo

 

Et nous concentrons sur les sujets suivants:

  • Justice environnementale
  • Luttes autochtones
  • Luttes rurales et paysannes
  • Luttes féministes et queer
  • Gentrification et inégalités urbaines
  • Mouvements sociaux et politiques alternatifs
  • Politique de l’alimentation et de l’agriculture
  • Changements climatiques et justice

 

Si vous êtes intéressé.e, merci de nous envoyer votre candidature, incluant:

  • Le sujet et format que vous souhaitez développer
  • Un paragraphe sur vous et ce qui vous pousse à vouloir développer ce projet
  • Vos expériences passées en matière d’écriture ou de photo, ainsi qu’un exemple de vos travaux si vous le souhaitez (nous encourageons toutefois les personnes sans expérience préalable à appliquer, ceci ne disqualifiera pas votre candidature)

Si vous souhaitez contribuer mais souhaitez obtenir du feedback avant de soumettre une application, ou cherchez un sujet à développer, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter.

 

Nous attachons une grande valeur aux contributions d’individus faisant partie de communautés marginalisées. Nous encourageons, entre autres, les personnes autochtones, les personnes de couleur, les personnes handicapées, les personnes s’identifiant comme LGBT*QI, les femmes, les personnes anciennement incarcérées ou institutionnalisées, les migrants, les réfugiés et les personnes issues des classes populaires à appliquer. Cette liste n’est pas exhaustive, et nous encourageons les candidats à raconter d’autres expériences qui les ont affectés. Nous comprenons de plus que certain.e.s candidat.e.s  fassent l’expérience de plusieurs types d’oppression et d’identités, d’une manière qui renforce et complique leur expérience. Nous encourageons ces individus à envoyer une proposition de projet qui décrive leurs perspectives et contributions uniques dans leurs candidatures.

 

Cordialement

L’équipe d’Uneven Earth

info@unevenearth.org

@unevenearth

facebook.com/unevenearth