Difference between revisions of "2014/05/03 Omni Hackathon/Values"

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Existing list of core values on Wiki:
=Existing list of core values on Wiki:=
*http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Main_Page
*http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Main_Page
*http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Values
*http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Values


The Omni Collective chooses to value:
=The Omni Collective chooses to value:=
*Community over seclusion
*Community over seclusion
*Consent over coercion
*Consent over coercion
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* Create a community where we can be autonomous in a non-alienating environment
* Create a community where we can be autonomous in a non-alienating environment
=Concerns with existing values=
=Concerns with existing values=
    ** feels apolitical
*feels apolitical
    ** casts equal shade on rape and paperwork
* casts equal shade on rape and paperwork
    ** could be more explicit
* could be more explicit
    ** what is the forum?
* what is the forum?
    ** Seeming contradiction between 'consensus over factions' and 'independence over centralization'
* Seeming contradiction between 'consensus over factions' and 'independence over centralization'
    ** Move away from the culture of head-nodding and consensus models where those who have the most privilege / comfort / loudest most persuasive voice in a group influence  
* Move away from the culture of head-nodding and consensus models where those who have the most privilege / comfort / loudest most persuasive voice in a group influence  
    ** What is the motivation / aim of communicating our values?
* What is the motivation / aim of communicating our values?
==How do we develop our values?==
==How do we develop our values?==
* What we want to achieve vs. What our process / philosophies / politics are
* What we want to achieve vs. What our process / philosophies / politics are
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*Adopting practices models - a framework for how we deal with specific situations in non-oppressive manner
*Adopting practices models - a framework for how we deal with specific situations in non-oppressive manner
*These values are ways for people to identify us when "shopping for community" - functioning in a manner similar to hashtags
*These values are ways for people to identify us when "shopping for community" - functioning in a manner similar to hashtags
from last session "safe space dominant culture":
    Sarah - member of collective of dancer's known as "Live Space"
    Noemie - making documentary about sudo room and the omni
    Emgee - Timeless Infinite Light
    Brel - Unaffiliated
    Matt - sudo room
    Jordan - sudo room
    "Challenging Dominant Culture" Working Group met, recap.
    Began conversation about our concerns of current makeup of the Omni Collective.
    Personally, primary concern is that majority of folks involved and leading are white folks.
    Acquiring this huge resource implies it is important to be intentional about how we can fight against gentrification and structures of white supremacist land ownership.
    Needless to say, did not "solve" anything in our discussion. Agreed we need to keep coming back to this topic.
    Not simply how to "reach out" but also how to be self-reflexive of our own collectives, and how those collectives may be inclusive or not.
    Part of it is internal change, and also about continuing to do outreach.
    Beginning to reach out to the neighbors around The Omni, invite them into this process.
    Next meeting for this conversation is Monday May 12, at 3:30-5pm at Kazoo's house http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Event:2014/05/12_Challenging_Dominant_Culture_Meeting
    Reactions to report-back on "Challenging Dominant Culture" meeting
    B: Concern was immediately present at the last meeting, concerns had been aired before that
    There's a lot of potential for an anti-gentrification force, focus on community values, but we have to be active to make that happen.
    This has to happen very very soon, to have groups feel ownership. Can't wait, it will be difficult to "add on" later.
    E: Common space, meeting usage, groups exist to reach out to.
    How do groups who do not represent the dominant culture use the space?
    Especially groups that have been historically marginalized
    N: Kind of tortured about it, wondering if this is going to be homogenous, support gentrification, and become oppressive.
    What are ways to transform these concerns into ideas and projects?
    I am interested in documenting.
    S: Echoing what has been said already.
    Interested in enfusing how to make our process more accountable and more transparent?
    B: Maybe it's "future-tripping" but we're such different people with different perspectives--problems will arise.
    Anti-racism training? Self-reflective, pre-emptive tactics?
    What can we do within our group to educate ourselves and hold ourselves more accountable?
    E: I like the idea of building it in, institutionalizing the process. E.g. trainings, living document, articulation of values, etc
    Different ways that spaces can be unsafe, this requires different interventions.
    Are there mediators?
    Who can help workout disagreements?
    How do we prevent folks from feeling isolated?
    What do we do to address issues of racism, homophobia, transphobia, and make sure you never have to call the police?
    S: Design and infrastructure of building--disability accessibility, gender neutral restrooms?
    Refuge Restroom had a hackathon at sudo -- mapping project, but they may know some ways to get around these things
    J: Feeling a bit pessimistic (about violators of safe space), would like to see separatist corners of building, in case safe space becomes more "theory" than "practice".
Outcomes[edit]
    Today and on-going ourselves: "How are we putting our collective resources behind anti-oppression?" This can make our commitment that much more real.
    Common spaces should include reservable, with reasonable expectation of total privacy, enclosed spaces.
    Draft a Community Accountability Process based on restorative practice.
    Request feedback about whether the "Challenging Dominant Culture" is willing and/or able to create a draft.
    Pool, share our collective resources (monetary, knowledge, etc) to outreach and challenging dominant culture.
    Start an email thread, add items to wik, reach out.
    Supportive of "Challenging Dominant Culture" working group's next meeting (and future meetings), formally or informally.
    Next meeting: http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Event:2014/05/12_Challenging_Dominant_Culture_Meeting
    Last meeting: http://wiki.omni-oakland.org/w/Event:2014/04/28_Inclusion_Task_Force_Meeting


    To inform "Values" discussion by including safe space / etc
Link to Safe Space / Dominant Culture notes:

Latest revision as of 08:14, 4 May 2014

Existing list of core values on Wiki:

The Omni Collective chooses to value:

  • Community over seclusion
  • Consent over coercion
  • Communing over isolation
  • Consensus over factions
  • Do-ocracy over bureaucracy
  • Process over the tyranny of structurelessness
  • Cooperation over competition
  • Commons over private interest
  • Independence over centralization

The Omni Collective chooses to value:

  • Fostering radical discourse and education
  • Maintaining an active, publicly accessible commons
  • Providing a venue for innovative cultural production
  • Striving for social, economic & environmental justice
  • Standing in solidarity with all oppressed people
  • Cultures of consent, against rape, violence & exploitation
    • Safe spaces
  • The survival & thrival of our communities and neighborhoods
  • Create a community where we can be autonomous in a non-alienating environment

Concerns with existing values

  • feels apolitical
  • casts equal shade on rape and paperwork
  • could be more explicit
  • what is the forum?
  • Seeming contradiction between 'consensus over factions' and 'independence over centralization'
  • Move away from the culture of head-nodding and consensus models where those who have the most privilege / comfort / loudest most persuasive voice in a group influence
  • What is the motivation / aim of communicating our values?

How do we develop our values?

  • What we want to achieve vs. What our process / philosophies / politics are
  • Framing things in terms of being for over being against
  • Broad more abstract values that include explicit examples
  • Public-facing vs internal functioning
  • Political vs process

Moving Towards....Moving Away From

  • Activity / Engagement....Passivity / Apathy / Hopelessness / Apolitical
  • Creativity....Productivity
  • Community....Alientation
  • Consent....Coercion
  • Dialectic / Rhizomatic....Programmatic
  • Need to adopt conflict resolution policy
  • Values are often latent, and inform all of the other aspects of our functioning together
  • Broad statements we can all get behind, but from there we need to define what these terms mean
  • Values there as these dyadems we point at each other from across the space, all holding this orb of vague
  • Maybe we should be actively articulating what we *don't* want in the space
  • Definition of safe space at the Omni:
  • How are we putting our collective resources behind anti-oppression?
  • Value of specificity, clearly stating we're antiracist, antihomophobic, etc
  • Plastic vs. non-negotiable values
  • Adopting practices models - a framework for how we deal with specific situations in non-oppressive manner
  • These values are ways for people to identify us when "shopping for community" - functioning in a manner similar to hashtags

Link to Safe Space / Dominant Culture notes:

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