Stop the Bombs: Student Organizing Conference

Starting Date: 03-31-2003
Ending Date: 04-01-2003

Address

Knoxville, Tennessee
United States
215/222/4711

http://www.stopthebombs.org/calendar/conference.html

Description

The Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA)
& the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) present:

STOP THE BOMBS
STUDENT ORGANIZING CONFERENCE
KNOXVILLE, TN
MARCH 31-April 1, 2003

At a time when ordinary people across the country are opposing the continuing assault against the people of Iraq, in a new war with open talk of "usable nukes," it is essential that we draw public attention to the weapons of mass destruction being produced here in the US and the tragic consequences that the use of these weapons would have on innocent civilians in the Middle East and elsewhere. The production center for the US nuclear arsenal, the Y12 "National Security Complex," is in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; we must organize to shut it down.

Just after OREPA's spring action at the Y12 nuclear weapons complex in Oak Ridge (March 29-30), we are hosting an organizing conference to bring together youth and students who are active in the Stop the Bombs campaign and other anti-nuke organizing. The gathering will work toward the long-term goal of developing a sustained youth movement across the country for an end to nuclear weapons production. Participating youth and student organizations will build a relationship with OREPA in which they will work to build the Stop the Bombs campaign on their campuses and in their communities, while OREPA will provide informational, strategic, media, legal, and/or financial support, depending on available resources.
-----------------WHAT THE GATHERING WILL LOOK LIKE----------------
The conference will be co-hosted by OREPA and SEAC. We highly encourage other groups to participate in the planning and implementation of the gathering- it is meant to be a cooperative process! OREPA will share decision-making over the workshops, action, and future campaign strategy with participating organizations. The following outline contains some possibilities for workshops, but we want participants' input as to which trainings would be most useful!

Informational Presentations
Through informational presentations and workshops, learn about:
- The history of nuclear weapons and global proliferation
- The anti-nuclear movement of the 80's: Success stories and lessons for combating the new Nuclear Revival
- The US Nuclear Weapons Complex today and the role of Y12
- Who writes US policy? Washington's "revolving door" and the role of weapons contractors and corporate think-tanks
- Militarism and Environmental Justice

Skills development
Develop your organizing skills in workshops led by experienced trainers.
Some suggestions are:
- Campus organizing skill share and discussion
- Media skills (press releases, interviews, building relationships with reporters)
- Anti-racist organizing (addressing all forms of oppression within our organizations and in how we organize as we work for social change)
- Making links between your University and the Military Industrial Complex
- Puppet-making
- Independent media
- Legislation: lobbying and other tools for grassroots activists
- Consensus decision-making
- Direct Action: civil disobedience, blockades, banner hangs, lock-downs, dealing with tear gas, pepper spray, and police repression

Planning and Strategizing
Lots of time will be reserved for breakout sessions in which students can get together by organization, by region, or however else makes sense. This is a time for you to network across campuses and across regions, using these new connections to further your local organizing efforts and help build a national movement to end nuclear weapons production. We will hear from student groups about their campaigns, discuss strategy ideas, brainstorm actions, and develop a plan for how to work together in the future and bring the Stop the Bombs campaign back to our campuses and communities. This gathering and the action at Y-12 are not ends in themselves; rather, these events will be a kick-off to what will hopefully be a lasting relationship between OREPA and youth organizations working for peace, nuclear disarmament, environmental justice, and a sane U.S. foreign policy. At this conference we will lay the groundwork for this exciting and necessary coalition. Come to Knoxville in March and be a part of it! You can register on our website -- http://www.stopthebombs.org/calendar/conference.html

If you have any questions, comments, or ideas, please respond to abigail@stopthebombs.org
or ncc@seac.org
, or call the Peace House at (865)483-8202. Note: Some financial assistance for transportation will be available, depending on need and available resources (so apply early!)
-- Abigail Singer Abigail@stopthebombs.org
Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance 865-483-8202 Web site http://www.stopthebombs.org
-- Jason Fults ncc@seac.org
Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) 215/222/4711
Web site http://www.seac.org/campaigns/militarism.shtml

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