Registration (Facilitation & Logistics)

[flashmob]

Please declare yourself as being part of this group and provide any info about yourself that you feel comfortable with(i.e. skill-set, visual description, availability, reason for interest and contribution level.

[chrisz]

Hi, My name is Chris.
Attended the two General Assemblies, and looking forward to the third. I've signed up to be in facilitation work group as I have some experience in meeting facilitation and I hope to be able to help out:)

[demodave]

I'm dave, the guy with the nearly shaved hair?

Not sure what skills I have, supposedly a legal education, a lot of experience kicking the idea of a national direct democracy and how it might work around with my buddy austin & others.

I work out of town during the week so I'm only avaliable fri thru sun night. Still, I'd gladly contribute a good chunk of my time throughout the week and most of the weekend to the movement.

I'm inspired by the movement, and in this working group, because of my long-standing belief that a national direct democracy might literally save the world. I'm specifically interested in the process of it --- what would the rules & structure be? Can it even work?

Having considered it for a couple days, my focus for now is just learning the ropes of this amoebic consensus approach that I'm not necessarily sold on in its entirety, but has managed to get us this far and seems integral to many people's current vision and has its idealistic inspirational advantages for this stage of the game.

To those of you who've got the know-how & experience, I hope to be putty in your hands. Show me the way. Tell me what menial tasks you need performed, etc. I'll try to keep my big fat mouth , at least for now...

[chadradock]

Chad Radock here.

Personally, I've been working on progressive issues since I was in High School. I've always loved politics... at least the prospect that we can make positive change. I see that here in our group, and I want change the way we do things in our political system. I've been irritated with both political parties, especially in the campaign finance department.

I was a teacher for 7 years, a school board member for 5, and a former president of my teachers' association. I've got experience with facilitating, although I am new to the consensus approach that we are currently using.

Currently, I am a Campaign Manager for the Alliance for Quality Education's School Cuts Hurt Campaign in my full time job. We are a grass roots parent's organization that is fighting the close to $3 billion in school cuts in the last two years. We are part of a wide coalition of parents, teachers, students, and administrators who are also working to keep the Millionaire's tax that expires on December 31. This will cause another $5 billion hole in the NYS budget, all so the wealthiest 3% of income earners get a tax cut. Our organization is closely affiliated with Citizen Action, and we would love to help to support Occupy Albany in any way possible.

My job allows me to talk with a lot of diverse people from across the state on k-12 educational issues, and I can tell that the time is ripe for us to make a change with what's been going on. I look forward to working with all of you to do just that!!

PS... I was the guy who tried his best to moderate this past Sunday.

[laurelyoung]

My name is Laurel Young. I attended the 2nd Assembly and was unable to stay long at the first working group as I had another engagement. I am 43 and have dark curly hair. If you have seen the channel 10 segment on the last assembly I was interviewed in that segment. I am a MSW Social Worker . It was suggested to me by one of the facilitators at the last Assembly that the need for someone with Mental Health COunseling experience may be needed as they are encountering alot of people in the process of outreach who may have trauma issues. It was even suggested that a seperate working group be formed but to sit in on the facilitation group initially. I am a mental health counselor and have experience with trauma, crisis intervention, and deescalation skills. I also have experience in conflict resolution. In addition I have vast experience in all areas of social work , especially with maginialized populations and those most affected by poverty and a comprehensive understanding of the social service system.I have experience ith outreach and safety issues therin.

[laurelyoung]

Oh I am only currently working part-time at the moment from 10-2 daily so I am availible to contribute quite a bit of time as necessary.

[joshred]

Hello,

My name is Joshua Farina. I'm a state worker in the Department of Labor. I've been involved in progressive issues locally for several years and am actively involved with Citizen Action of New York. I'm also a part-time student. On Sunday I participated in the Comm/Tech workgroup but I'd like to participate in facilitation as well. I plan on attending tomorrow's meeting.

[Colin D]

I'm Colin Donnaruma. I'm the short-bearded guy who facilitated the 2nd half of the first GA. I'm an attorney and a Ph.D. student at UAlbany. I have training as a facilitator and a legal observer. I have spent substantial time at OWS and have been active in organizing student support for the occupy movenment. I'm very excited by this movement and willing to devote substantial time to it.

[joshred]

Hey Colin,

Please login to the forum so that we can add you to the group. We're trying to label people's accounts to control the signal-to-noise ratio on the forums.


EDIT:Delete this and the above post after 10/17/11 to eliminate clutter -Flashmob

[rcdrake]

Hi. I'm Rose. I've been to the last two meetings of this group and the last GA. I have no special skills, but I have time and I'm willing to help out where I can. I'd like to be a member of this working group.

[rebecca]

I'm Rebecca Tell. I attended the GA on 10/9 and facilitated the meeting for this working group on 10/13. I have light brown hair and glasses and am often wearing a baby. I have significant experience facilitating and training for consensus process and it's from years ago and I'm a little rusty but getting back in the groove. The time I can devote to this is somewhat limited but I hope I can be of some help.

[Emma]

I'm Emma. I have no facilitation experience but lots of activism, group dynamics, and education experience (teacher of various types, often in adult ed situations). I'm unemployed & my son just started attending elementary school so I actually have a good bit of time to try to be useful to OA. I'm on the facilitation & logistics working group basically because I cared most about seeing improvement in this area. I'm also involved w/ the "Kid Stuff" working group, and really should talk to the folks over at Arts.

[denmarkvesey]

register me

[marie0331]

Hi,
My name is Marie. I had to leave this Sunday's meeting at a little after 7pm to study for a test today. I wear dark glasses and have brown hair. I took the minutes at the last meeting of the F & L group. I am a student over at RPI and am pretty much constantly studying. I like the way this movement feels and am enjoying being a part of it as much as I can. I'm not sure what skills of mine are applicable to what's going on. I have not problems talking to anyone and so liked being a greeter last meeting. I'm great a math. I managed the shop of a car dealership for a number of years and was told I was a great and understanding boss. Now I'm just rambling...

[mikerancourt]

I am Mike. I attended the 1st and 3rd GAs and spoke briefly with Matthew at the end of the 3rd about being a member of this working group.
Most of my experience with consensus-based collective politics comes from a student organization at UC San Diego, with which I worked for 9 years and had an opportunity to facilitate countless meetings.
I love consensus process, so I'd like to be part of this working group.

[Dan L]

I'm Dan. I've attended the 2nd - 9-23 General Assemblies. On the 9-23 assembly I stepped in and tried to help as a facilitator. I have an Afro. I am capable of being sorta loud.

Most of my experience is with interpersonal communication, but I'm interested in helping out in the process of running a general assembly as I am pumped up about making the process better.

I come at this as a Graduate Student in Science and Technology Studies at RPI who is interested in the dynamics of scientists with the public. That seems less important here, but is important is that I am totally committed to finding productive ways for groups to address conflicts in ways that produce positive outcomes.

[sgoldman78]

Hi,

My name is Shanna. I helped take stack for the 1st and 2nd GA's at the park. I was the statewide organzing director for citizen action of new york and then quit my job to be more radical, more local, more creative and more grassroots. luckilly this revolution came along

I have lots of experience facilitating including creating a train the trainer on how to facilitate. However, consensus decision making is new ish to me.. i always used to roll my eyes at it before. That being said, I am awed and humbled by the process. I hope to be as good as Colin D one day

I am happy to help and be trained. I also would like to know when the next wg meeting is. I would like to attend if possible although my main focus is teach-ins.

Contact info: [e-mail];518 253-7121

[hz]

Hi,

It's Hezzie.

I would like to help out in the working group.
I am concerned about being a regular facilitator and PR as those are both serious tasks. I am happy to help out when needed though, and maybe taking minutes, or helping with discussions about process may be the best place for me.

[reubenshojin]

Hi,

This is Reuben. I co-facilitated the 10/23 GA and would like to be flagged as a member of this working group. I have some experience with group organization and dynamics as a Lay Practice Group leader for a Zen meditation group, but look forward to learning more. I'm about 6', with chipped glasses, and bald, if you can tell under the hat.

[April]

My name is April and I hope to learn and be of help to the group.