Functioning Community Based Occupy Assemblies In New York City
(from website: http://occuevolve.com)
Community Based Occupy Assemblies
Occupy Astoria/Long Island City
We are O.A.L.I.C., a democratic and non-violent movement in solidarity with the Occupy movements across the country and justice movements around the world. As a local movement, our aim is to to take positive action here in Astoria/Long Island City to help build a more just, vibrant, empowered and democratic community together. This means putting the power to make decisions about our community directly into the hands of the people who live and work here. – See more at: http://www.occupyastorialic.org/mission-statement-oa-lic/#sthash.LgJRpudX.dpuf
Next Meetings/Actions: None planned, focusing on building OALIC Café
Website: www.occupyastorialic.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/334562823237626/
Listserve: occupyastorialic@lists.occupy.net
Occupy Kensington
Occupy Kensington is an autonomous community based movement that stands in solidarity with the Occupy movements, popular uprisings, and justice movements around the world. As a local movement, our aim is to help mobilize Kensington by using our collective wisdom, skills, and energy to take positive action in our community. This means putting the power to make decisions about our community directly into the hands of the people who live and work here. We will willingly accept the responsibility of co-creating a more vibrant, welcoming, empowered and truly democratic Kensington. Not in a decade, not in a year, but today!
Meetings Planned: community assemblies planned for July 14 and August 4, 2013 7:00pm Corner of 5TH AND Church Avenue-Kensington Brooklyn
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Kensington
Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/381317025244534
Google Group: occupykensington@googlegroups.com
Occupy Queens
Occupy Queens is an autonomous non-violent community based movement that stands in solidarity with the Occupy movements, popular uprisings, and justice movements around the world. As a local movement, our aim is to help mobilize the Queens (Jackson Heights) community by using our collective wisdom, skills, and energy to take positive action in our community. This means putting the power to make decisions about our community directly into the hands of the people who live here. We willingly accept the responsibility of co-creating a more vibrant, welcoming, empowered and truly democratic Queens (Jackson Heights). Not in a decade, not in a year, but today!
No meetings or actions planned-as of July 3, 2013
Website: http://www.occupyqueens.net
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Queens/
Google Group: oqcontact@googlegroups.com
Occupy Staten Island
No meetings or actions planned-as of July 3, 2013
Website: http://www.occupystatenisland.org
Twitter: twitter.com/OccupySI
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-Staten-Island
Google Group: occupystatenisland@googlegroups.com
Regular OPEN meeting dates of OWS working and affiliated groups:
Monday–Voters Occupy-6:00pm Voters Occupy WG 60 Wall Street New York City, NY , OWS S17 2013-6:30pm(Locations vary check http://www.nycga.net or http://www.occuevolve.com)
People’s Puppets– 7:30 til late. Dumbo, Brooklyn. Please write to powertothepuppets@gmail.com for more info
Tuesday-Labor Outreach Committee of OWS-6:30pm -60 Wall Street New York City
Trade Justice of OWS– Conference calls Conference Dial-in Number: (559) 546-1000 Host Access Code: 616911* Participant Access Code: 616911#
Wednesday–Occupy The Pipeline –Brecht Forum 7:00pm
Thursday: People’s Puppets of OWS-7:30 til late. Dumbo, Brooklyn write to powertothepuppets@gmail.com for more info
Friday: Environmental Justice of OWS– 6:00pm-60 Wall Street New York City, NY
Occu-Evolve(OWS) 6:30pm (Locations vary-check http://www.nycga.net and or http://www.occuevolve.com for updates)
Sunday: Alternative Banking Working Group of OWS- Columbia University’s International Affairs Building on the corner of 118th and Amsterdam in room 409 or room 410 3:00pm-5:00pm
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List Updated: 1/29/13:
As some of you know…I have been attending not all but MOST meetings, assemblies and actions Occupy Wide and there are about 9 groups or so who are still ACTIVE and CRUCIAL to Occupy…and they would be:
OWS groups:
OWS PUPPETS-Outreach-Monday and friday
Occupy The Pipeline-wed
Environmental Solidarity-Friday
Labor Outreach-TUES
Occu-Evolve-Friday
Direct Action-rotating Saturday and Sunday
99 Pickets-every other wed
Alternative Banking-sunday
Health Care-every other tues
There are also 5 Community Occupy Assemblies in NYC which include:
Staten Island
Queens
Astoria/Long Island City
Sunset Park
Kensington
Occupy Affiliated Groups
Occupy Sandy
Strike Debt
Money Out/Voters-(Affinity Group) -No ESTABLISHED days of meeting
Meeting groups:
OWS Process/Facilitation
OWS Movement Mondays
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Current List of Neighborhood Peoples Assemblies in NYC – Note: If you don’t see one for your neighborhood, come to one of the larger assemblies in downtown Manhattan and/or start your own!
Occupy Astoria/Long Island
Astoria Park
2:00pm
Sundays
Queens, New York 11102
www.occupyastorialic.org
Occupy Queens
Wednesdays
Queens Pride House
76-11 37th Ave., Suite 206
Jackson Heights, Ny 11372
www.occupyqueens.net
Occupy Red Hook
7:15 PM – 9:00 PM
Wednesdays
370 Vanbrunt street
Brooklyn, New York
http://www.occupyredhook.org/
Occupy Bushwick
Thursdays
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Maria Hernandez Park/(Rain/Weather Location) The Loom
Occupy Sunset Park
Saturdays
10:00am-12:00pm
Sunset Park
occupy-sunset-park@googlegroups.com
Occupy Staten Island
Saturdays
1:00pm-3:00pm
St. George Ferry Terminal
1 Bay Street
Staten Island, NY 10301
occupystatenisland.org
Occupy Williamsburg
Tuesdays 7:30pm
Meeting Location TBA
occupywilliamsburg.org
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UPDATE: 7/23/12
State of Occupy Movements in New York City
At the present time there are 7 functioning community based general assembly movements in New York, at the height of the Occupy Wall Street Movement there were 12, but due to internal dissension, lack of structure and supports from the community and the larger Occupy Movement as well as a variety of ideological and other reasons the other 5 General Assemblies eventually would fail. In terms of ‘needs’ nearly all GA’s are in need of better outreach strategies and infastructure functioning.
What follows is the state of currently functioning Community Based Occupy General Assemblies within the Five boroughs of New York City (excluding Occupy Wall Street), based on my work and observations. For more information on the work I and others have been doing with the Occupies in the city INCLUDING ‘Actions to Date’ click here:
http://occuevolve.wordpress.com/
Occupy Astoria Long Island City (Queens)
This General Assembly along with Occupy Queens (Jackson Heights) is perhaps the largest General Assembly in the City. It has bottomlined several important actions including: Occupy the Citi, Rally Against the Flouridation of New York City waters, Action against NDAA (which included :a meeting with US congresswoman Carol Maloney, a petition drive, outreach and coordination with ALL Occupies around the country). They also sponsored the first ‘Occu-Picnic’ and have collaborated with Occupy Queens on several actions around Bank Foreclosures. They played a key role in May Day mobilizations in Astoria/Long Island. They have talented and highly capable people working in their media working groups, direct action and Open Forum Film serieswhich consists of political education and contemporary documentary films, which are shown every Tuesday in July and August 2012.
They like all other community based movements are in need of more participation from the community and stronger Outreach working group to make that happen. They are close to consenting on a Community Agreement and have discussed a Mission/Values Statement. At their high point 25-30 people attended their General Assemblies that number varies now between 10 and 20.
Important Dates: August 11th Occupy Town Square
For more information go to their website:
OCCUPY BUSHWICK (Brooklyn)
OBW has been very active around several key actions and both local and city-wide, they held the largest march outside of Manhattan on May Day and the most successful community based Occupy Town Square to date. While its membership is primarily white male in a predominately Latino community there was a successful General Assembly at their Town Square and now there are translators and more participation from the Latino (Largely Mexican) community at its GA’s.
This GA regularly has hosted several films and teach-ins on several points of interest and impact to Bushwick and beyond . Some of their members also play a key role in other groups such as Health Care for the 99% andFood not Bombs which is a program that feeds the community and provides them with political literature. OBW has a mission statement and is considering Community Agreements and using Values Based Consensus.
They also have a strong media working group,effective direct action group and improved facilitation. They have also been effective at Outreach to get the community involved in its actions But more efforts are needed in this area to build momentum and membership.
Important Dates: July 8th Occupy Town Square
Occupy Kensington (Brooklyn)
Occupy Kensington (OK) is the newest Occupy Movement within the 5 Boroughs and has already begun organizing workers at Golden Farm and are working with the nearby community of Windsor Terrace around the campaign ‘Green Beans NOT Walgreens’ which is a action against the Walgreens corporation’s refusal to become a full service grocery store that the community is in desperate need of. Predominately women OK has very capable bottomliners for Direct Action and those with previous organizing experience. OK also has consented on a mission/values statement as well as community agreements. This community currently has no open public space for the people that live there.
Important Dates: July 26th General Assembly in front of Walgreens in Kensington (Brooklyn).
occupy_kensington@googlegroups.com
Occupy Queens
Queens (Jackson Heights)-Similar in size to Astoria/Long Island City this General Assembly has remained steady in terms of attendance this group and has been very active in its community participating in several anti-foreclosure actions and shown solidarity for small business owners as well as the LGBTQ community. They had a heavy presence at November 17th Action, Spring Awakening (Central Park) April 14th May Day andOccupy The Citi along with Astoria/Long Island City GA.
They also collaborate with Hollis for the 99% (A Group out of Hollis (Queens) that organizes for housing and against foreclosures in their community. Their Outreach and Direct Action groups along with their media group are particularly strong based on the talented bottom liners in it. However, the diversity of Jackson Heights calls for this GA to improve its Outreach efforts. The failure to consent on a Mission/Values Statement or Community agreements are some of its biggest sticking points.
Important Dates: July 22th Occupy Town Square
Occupy Red Hook (Brooklyn)
ORH is one of the more diverse GA’s in the city and it is heavily involved Anti-Stop and Frisk Actions, Transportation issues, and is working to improve Police/Community Relations. It also works with other local organizations and has a store front where it holds many of its General Assemblies. Geographically isolated on the west side of Brooklyn, it is a small but organized and active GA with a website and very talented and capable members serving in developing working groups.
It participated in May Day along with Occupy Sunset Park where it ‘Occupied’ a subway into Manhattan May 1, 2012. Presentely is working on a Community Agreement and Mission/Values Statement.
Important Dates: Upcoming Occupy Town Square (no date determined at this point)
Occupy Sunset Park (Brooklyn)
Another relatively small GA at the present time, but it has had perhaps the most impact on its community of all Occupies. OSP has been actively involved with Cop Watch Efforts and Anti-Stop and Frisk Actions. It has also led Actions against closing of Beacon and After School Programs and shown Solidarity and support for Parents fighting to keep those programs. OSP has also worked with other organizations and movements in the community and has sponsored ‘Food for Thought’ which is a community outreach forum and action that facilitates engagement and discussion with local residents.
This GA also participated in the only full day community based action Unity Day Celebration for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and march during May Day through the community with stops and speak outs at corporations, schools, a police precint and former courthouse. Presently OSP is organizing daily vigils and sleep-ins with other community residents against a slumlord whose three building has hundreds of reported building and health and safety violations.
Important Dates: Occupy Town Square August 22, 2012
www.facebook.com/OccupySunsetPark
Occupy Staten Island
While one of the smaller General Assemblies OSI also one of the most active despite its size. OSI has led or been a part of several environmental actions, and its members played a key role in the Occupy National Gathering, Spring Awakening (A Gathering of Occupies City-Wide in Central Park) as well as May Day.
They also had several effective teach-in at its Occupy Town Square. This General Assembly has both a community agreement and mission statement. A Strong Environmental WG, The People’s Democracy, and Media Group. It is currently in need of stronger outreach and is seeking to reconstitute itself.
Important Dates: Occupy Town Square June 14, 2012.
Occupy Union Square 