Event:2023/09/07 Delegates

Omni Delegates' Meeting - 7 September 2023 7pm-9pm

Meeting Details

• Talk at https://meet.google.com/diw-hszw-msr or 515-428-1108 (PIN: 465814905)
• Type at https://omnicommons.org/notes
• Send proposals to consensus@lists.omnicommons.org prior to the meeting

Roles

• Facilitator/s: Silvia
• Stacktaker: Geraldo
• Timekeeper:
• Notetaker/s: Patrik
• Next meeting's facilitator(s):

Delegates

• ANV:Inactive
• BOGSS:Geraldo
• CCL: Patrik
• CLP: Silvia
• CSC: Inactive
• FNB:Joe
• GWS: Inactive
• LL: John
• MOP: Inactive
• SM: Inactive
• SR: Jonathan
• Quorum (2/3 of active groups):

intros

BRIEF INTROS MAY INCLUDE: name, pronouns, groups you're in, land you're on, if you're a delegate, unmet access needs, meeting roles you'd like to help with, discussion topics or proposals to add to agenda, announcements/updates/report-backs from your groups, safe space issues or updates

• Silvia - CLP
• Geraldo - BOGSS delegate
• John - LL delegate, wants to discuss fundraising
• Kai - with CLP
• Rafiq - with CLP; has proposal
• Joe - FNB
• Amirah - member of screen printing group, part of media lab forming
• Daniel - coordinating TANC membership proposal, asked a few other TANC members to join around 7:30
• Carlos - possible future TANC delegate
• Kip - with CLP

Peoples Programs Partnership with Omni Commons

• Rafiq: CLP proposal. Omni in financial difficulty; owe $900k, existential threat. Flagging enthusiasm. 1. Need to have professional management for building / events. Shortfall of volunteer labor. 2. Cash poor - lack money to execute, and meet loan obligations. Can improve connection to local community, esp. Black community. Need to change culture at Omni. Structural change or building goes away. Need to bring in a partner: a) significant infusion of labor and capital; b) black community leadership. CLP identified People's Programs as very successful org in Oakland: https://www.peoplesprograms.com/ Have been building relationship for past 6-7 mo. Grassroots org, pan-african, black liberation, free breakfast program, community health clinic, strong proven track record. N Oakland has been historically Black neighborhood that heavily gentrified. Impressive fundraising & marketing success. Currently renting warehouse space in W Oakland, for about the amount all our collectives pay in rent. Excited partnering with existing member collectives. Excited partnering with Sudo, CCL, other cexisting collectives. Experience with events w professional security. Lots of grants available for black-led organizations (see previous convo w EastBayPREC) - opens up new fundraising options for Omni. Strong community ties, have lots of expertise we need. Labor & organizational excellence; fresh energy.
• Proposal is equal partnership between current Omni board and People's Programs. Planning to invite PP leadership to figure out how this would be structured. Hope to get initial concrete proposal by next delegates mtg.
• Patrik - says it sounds exciting, wants to hear more. CCL has always wanted to be a resource for the local community but has had trouble connecting with the community so this would be great
• Joe: we've had some good connections with the black community already. Not clear why we are hearing about this so late if CLP has been reaching out to PP for months.

TANC Membership/Move to Omni

• Daniel: initial proposal 2mo ago; $750/mo to occupy room vacated by CSC/GWS. Not sure interviews by BOGSS with members has happened, but TANC brought several members to the meeting.
• TANC proposal: https://omnicommons.org/wiki/Event:2023/07/06_Delegates
• John: LL in support, need to support efforts to prevent people from becoming unhoused.
• Geraldo for BOGSS: been out with illness past several wks. Some Q from last mtg: how does TANC leadership deal with conflict within TANC, prioritization of BIPOC membership,
• Patrik: would love to hear from TANC members
• Ellie: language access coordinator for TANC, outreach to non-English speakers: spanish, chinese. Access to resources, helping them to organize.
• Margaret: co-organizing coordinator for TANC
• Katie: communications coordinator for TANC; partnering with tenants in Fruitvale; meeting w people from all walks of life.
• Shimmy: TANC member; BIPOC priority in TANC
• Silvia in Chat: I also was wondering how many people in TANC are in DSA? CLP's main concern is that Palestinian Youth Movement is boycotting DSA right now because they barred their BDS working group (Palestinian Working Group) from national leadership. I know that TANC is founded by all DSA folks and I don't know how the Palestinian community would feel if we let in an organization that is so tied to DSA. https://www.dsausa.org/democratic-left/new-tenant-movement-blooms-in-oakland-and-the-east-bay/: "Although a resolution to create the tenants union within EBDSA failed at the chapter’s annual convention in 2018, some 15 EBDSA members decided to form TANC as a completely autonomous group, eventually expanding it to nearly 80 members by the time the pandemic hit in March 2020. "
  • Shimmy: not true that TANC was started by all DSA folks
• Matt: chicano person in TANC; meet people where they are at, rather than forcing
• Rane: involved organizing w low-income veterans building. Many older black vets. Strong tenant organizing programs, fight evictions
• Carlos: Banning Palestinion WG by DSA national leadership broadly unpopular within membership. WG still operational AFAIK.
• Matt: East Bay DSA brought resolution for Palestinian WG to continue. Local DSA in support. Most members in TANC not in EB DSA.
• Jonathan: representing Sudo Room
• Rane (chat): TANC is also very serious about being internationalists and recently sent delegations to Cuba and Venezuela to learn from movements there and strengthen international ties
• Amirah: does TANC have relationship with Palestinian Youth Movement? have been meeting in Omni. As Palestinian, want to respect PYM's position. https://palestinianyouthmovement.com/support-dsa-working-group
• Geraldo: point person for a lot of PYM events at Omni. Note that Daniel Tutte part of EB DSA steering committee. Carlos previously in EB DSA as well. Want to respect PYM.
• Matt: TANC is not a DSA project, this discussion should be about TANC
• Rane: majority of TANC members are not DSA. One of founders of TANC. Founded TANC out of strong disagreements with DSA. Completely autonomous.
• Jonathan (chat): In that case, shouldn't we be addressing TANC's policies with regards to Palestine rather than DSA's?
• Kai (chat): among *actively voting members* and TANC leadership, roughly what portion are members of EBDSA? if we don't factor inactive or non voting members, is it still the majority of TANC not being DSA?
• John echoing Ramirah's Q: does TANC have relationship w PYM?
• Rafiq: Q about TANC's internal democratic process; was Carlos voted to be TANC delegate?

IN FAVOR: LL/John, CCL/Patrik, Sudo/Jonathan, FNB/Silver OPPOSED: CLP/Silvia ABSTAIN: BOGSS/Geraldo

• Patrik/Matt: What would need to happen next? TANC issue a statement in favor of Palestinion rights?
  • Rafiq: Mediate a meeting between PYM and TANC, make sure PYM does not consider this breaking their boycott. Statement from TANC in opposition to DSA banning Palestinion WG. Make sure TANC people involved in Omni have no DSA affiliation.
    • Daniel: TANC doesn't really issue proclamations, or track their member's membership in other organizations
  • Joe: Requests CLP take a stepwise approach in their block. let TANC meet with PYM leadership first
  • Matt: CLP should send TANC a proposal on what needs to happen to move things forward
• Silver: To demand PYM give blessing to tanc without any of them being present dosent seem right
• amirah (chat): PYM is an organization that is front line organizing in the response to an active genocide against our people. It is not fair to demand them to get involved in this thing

Report of the Fundraising Committee

• John: have short list of grant opportunities; drafting donor letter. Need everyone to chip in asking for money for Omni!
• Silver: started doing grant writing, not much experience.

Building repair quotes

• Philip Bell got quotes from Standard & Kings (bonded genral contractor, CA. Gen B Lic# 1000370)
  • reduced price for getting the skylights done 3 at a time would be $11,000 total
  • $2454 for sudo room roof repair, plus $4K installing extra drain. Jake from Sudo had already offered for Sudo to do some of this work
    • No separate quote for CCL roof repairs - CCL may try to do some separate fundraising
  • $4100 for Foundation sealing vermin and rodent barriers. Omni had already allocated $2500 for this purpose