United States Social Forum Another World is Possible! Another U.S. is Necessary! June 27 – July 1, 2007 Atlanta, Georgia.

United States Social Forum

Another World is Possible!Another U.S. is Necessary!

June 27 – July 1, 2007Atlanta, Georgia

What is the Social Forum?An annual gathering held by grassroots, social movements in response to the dominant neo-liberal agenda. The Social Forum was created to: Coordinate world campaigns Share and refine organizing strategies Inform each other about movements and issues from around the world. This was also a response to the World Economic Forum that meets every year in Davos, Switzerland.

An International Council coordinates the World Social Forum.

Under the banner ‘Another World is Possible’ the first World Social Forum (WSF) was held in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2001. It brought together more than 20,000 individuals and organizations committed to social, racial, gender, environmental and economic justice.

World Social Forum (WSF)

The mission of the social forum is to create an open space that allows social movements to intersect across all lines and boundaries.

It is a global process that provides international social movements a space to deliberate, strategize and unite to confront the burning issues of our time.

Self-Organized Events

Social forums are made up of thousands of self-organized events, panels and workshops that:

Build bridges between organizations, movements, countries and continents.

Strengthen a shared vision of systemic social change.

World Social Forum, Venezuela, 2006

Opening March of WSF-Venezuela 2006

Bringing Global Justice to the U.S.

The Grassroots Global Justice Alliance initiated the U.S. Social Forum process. An initial National Planning Committee (NPC) was formed in August 2004.

Why is the U.S. Social Forum important? The USSF will provide a process to allow organizations and individuals from diverse backgrounds to voice their views and opinions - especially voices of the grassroots and those most affected by U.S. and global injustices.

Goals of the U.S. Social Forum

Create a space for social movement convergence.

Advance individual social movements’ strategic agendas.

Build stronger relationships within the movements.

Meet our international obligations to the Global South.

On the Road to Atlanta,Regional Forums were organized…

More than 600 people came from all over the Southeast: Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. The majority people of color and working class.

Southeast Social Forum

June 17-19 2006Durham, NC

Border Social Forum: Juarez, Mexico

Oct. 13-16, 2006

• More than 70 self-organized workshops.

• 1000 people from the U.S. & Mexico.

• 2 marches led by farmworkers, braceros, maquiladora workers.

National Planning Committee for the U.S. Social Forum

Assures that the USSF is carried out in adherence to WSF principles.

Provides a collective analysis of the global and national political environment to help shape the USSF.

USSF Organizational ChartNational Planning Committee 40 Organizations that have committed to work on chairing and organizing both Regional Committees & Working Groups

Working Groups 

• Resource Mobilization  • Program   • Outreach• Communications • Youth • Logistics• Culture• Women

Atlanta Organizing Committee

Regional Committees 

AlaskaPacific Islands NorthwestWest  Southwest Rocky Mountains/ Plains Midwest/Great Lakes Northeast Southeast/AppalachiaCaribbean Islands

National National Planning Planning

CommitteeCommitteeRepresentatives from eachRepresentatives from each

USSF Staff

Atlanta Organizing Committee

Working Groups

Regional Committees

USSF Structure

Tentative Schedule for USSF

Wednesday, June 27

Thursday, June 28

Consciousness

Friday, June 29

Vision

Saturday, June 30

Strategy

Sunday, July 1

Travel & Registration

9am to 10amOpening

9am to 10amOpening

9am to 10amOpening

10amPeoples’

Assembly and Closing

Ceremony

Self organized activities: 2 or 4 hour blocks of

time

Self organized activities: 2 or 4 hour blocks of

time

Self organized activities: 2 or 4 hours block of

time

Local Tours 

2pmOpening March

6pmOpening

Ceremony

6pm to 9pmPlenaries

6pm to 9pmPlenaries

6pm to 9pmPlenaries

 Festival/Concert:

TBD

     Possible concert:

TBD

To Make Another World Possible, Another U.S. is Necessary!

The USSF comes at a significant time when resistance is critical.

Anti-War, Militarism & Prisons: Occupation at Home

and Abroad The people are

struggling against the affects of militarization & occupation in the community & around the world.

Strengthening the resolve of the people to call an end to the domestic & international U.S. War Machine.

Reconstruction & the Right to Return: Internally Displaced

People are Fighting Back

The disaster of Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the federal government to respond is one of the biggest crimes of this century.

The Impact of Neo-Liberalism on the Working Class

Extreme poverty, lack of affordable housing, no access to basic services has the working class suffering and barely surviving.

This has deepened race and class divisions.

Indigenous Sovereignty, Global Warming and Energy

The historic genocide of indigenous peoples.

Destruction of the land, contamination of the water.

The global impact of climate change on the earth.

Immigrant/Migrant RightsAre Human Rights

Creating a national space to share ideas and strategies with various groups from different states to build off the momentum of the immigrant/ migrant rights movement.

Women and Queer Liberation

The Religious and Political Right uses the issue of gender and sexuality to divide our communities and movements.

This will also be the 38th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion

Movement Building: Another World is Possible. Another U.S. is Necessary!

Strategizing across issue, language, geography, age, religion, race, sexuality, and gender towards a New Vision.

How to Register for the USSF:

You can register online www.ussf2007.org

Individuals: $15-$100 (sliding scale) Organizations: $125-$300 (sliding scale)

Information on transportation, hotels and accomodations, vendor tables is on the website or you can talk to you regional organizing committee members.

Or send your registration form and check to:

US Social Forum9 Gammon Ave. SEAtlanta, Georgia 30315

How To Submit a Proposal (workshop, action, activity, cultural performance or exhibit)

Fill out your workshop proposal onlinewww.ussf2007.org

Or send in by mail to:US Social Forumc/o Program Working Group9 Gammon Ave. SEAtlanta, Georgia 30315

Submission Deadline: April 27, 2007

On The Road to Atlanta…

June 27 to July 1, 2007

Begins Today!

For more information:www.ussf2007.org