SpokesCouncil

Occupy Portland Structure Proposal

Submitted by the Facilitation Team and Ad Hoc SpokesCouncil/GA Working Group (A Living Document) - [DRAFT 11/2/11]

BACKGROUND: BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SPOKESCOUNCIL MODEL

A SpokesCouncil is a structure that has been used widely by democratic movements since the Spanish Revolution. It draws inspiration from many indigenous struggles, such as the Zapatistas in Chiapas, Mexico. It was used effectively and for many years in the Women's Movement, the Anti-Nuclear Movement, and the Global Justice Movement in the US. It was also used effectively for years in China in the movement that grew out of Tienanmen Square.

WHAT DOES A SPOKESCOUNCIL LOOK LIKE?

OPEN ACCESS AND TRANSPARENCY

• Anyone may witness a SpokesCouncil.
• Anyone may participate in a SpokesCouncil by joining any Committee or Caucus in the SpokesCouncil. Non-affiliated individuals may also participate, without decision making powers, in the Open Caucus.
• The SpokesCouncil will take place in a wellpublicized location.
• Amplification and signing will allow everyone to follow the discussion, participate through their Spoke, and ensure that their Spoke correctly communicates the sentiment(s) of their group.
• Each SpokesCouncil will be broadcast over the Livestream.
• Budget details and complete minutes from each SpokesCouncil will be posted on the OccupyPortland.org website.
• All decisions made in the SpokesCouncil are reported back to the GA.

A SpokesCouncil is structured similar to the spokes of a wheel. It is designed to combine large group participation with small group discussion and consensus process. Each committee or caucus selects a “Spoke” to sit with the other Spokes in a circle in the middle of the meeting space, with the rest of the spokes group sitting right behind them so they are available for consultation and discussion.

Committees are groups that are contributing to the operations of Occupy Portland on a consistent basis. They are open and accessible for people to join and can only exclude people for either repeatedly disrupting the group's process or behaving in such a way that violates any of the GA’s agreements.

Caucuses are self-determining groups of people that share a common experience of being systemically oppressed in society at large. This oppression may be based on, but not limited to, their real or perceived race, gender identity, sexuality, age, economic status, or ability.

A Spoke is a spokesperson for their committee or caucus. This role is filled by a different person at each meeting.

HISTORY OF THIS PROPOSAL

The SpokesCouncil model adopted by Occupy Wall Street was used as a starting point for this proposal. It has undergone many revisions since it was announced at the Portland General Assembly on October 26th. It has gone through consensus processes at several publicly announced meetings, in 4 working group meetings, and 2 All-Committee meetings.

Contact this ad hoc group at: pdxspokescouncil@gmail.com Available online at: www.occupyportland.org/spokes-council occupyportland.org/spokescouncil-model

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH AND EVOLUTION BEYOND THE CHALLENGES FACED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Since October 6th, Occupy Portland has grown in solidarity with similar movements nationally and globally. The General Assembly (GA) is at the heart of this movement, as it provides a critical forum for political discussion and for the full expression of our ideas. It is, however, struggling to meet some of the day-to-day needs of Occupy Portland. In order to expand and evolve, we propose, in addition to the General Assembly (GA), to create a directly democratic SpokesCouncil of Committees and Caucuses.

• Access: The GA is a difficult place for new people to find a committee or caucus they want to join. The SpokesCouncil provides an easy way for individuals to find working groups or caucuses they want to join and participate in decision making.
• Transparency: The SpokesCouncil creates a space for all of Occupy Portland to understand the roles, responsibilities, and work of all the committees and caucuses
• Participation: There is little space within the GA for committees or caucuses in the community to effectively communicate their needs, either to the broader movement or with each other. Many of the groups doing the day-to-day work of the occupation no longer regularly attend the GA. The SpokesCouncil intends to bring together members of all active working groups and caucuses into a direct dialogue about implementing actions to achieve our goals.
• Functionality: Decisions take so long to be made in the GA that there is insufficient time to address the many logistical needs, and those working on committees are often left feeling unsupported. The intention of the SpokesCouncil is clearly delineated as dealing with the logistical needs of the camp and occupation, giving the meetings a clear focus, with opportunity for understanding and supporting the needs and aspirations of committees and caucuses.
• Decision Making: Attendance at the GA fluctuates from night to night, which makes it difficult to make well-informed, consistent, and strategic decisions. SpokesCouncils encourage more focused participation.
• Financial Accountability: There is no accountability for the spending of finances granted by the GA. The SpokesCouncil would be responsible for approving major spending decisions.
• Marginalization: The existing structure has not been an empowering space for marginalized voices. Seats for Caucuses as spokes in the strategizing and decision making creates opportunity for our movement to include the voices of oppressed people as an equally necessary perspective as the voices of people engaged in specialized work for the movement.
• Time for Visioning: Broader political and community visions are rarely discussed in the GA because it gets boggeddown with logistical decisions. Having a dedicated space for the nuanced and detail-oriented discussions of managing logistics in a SpokesCouncil will free up the GA for movement building and political discussion.
• Trust and Solidarity: The GA does not currently offer its participants the time to get to know each other and build meaningful relationships. More open movement building discussions in the GA can help us know each other’s visions better, while the transparent collaborations of the SpokesCouncil will build trust among our committees and caucuses through continued interaction.