Hey all...sorry these have been so long in coming. Lots of good stuff in the works, though. Enjoy!

- Matthew
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Props Crew Meeting Notes - November 23, November 30, and December 7, 2007

1. Speaking tour
A. APOC criticisms
i. Before ideas are spread, infrastructure (perhaps physical) should be in place in order to help with follow-up
ii. A sense of community and struggle are more likely to lead to anarchist initiatives than just ideas
iii. Tour seems evangelical; anarchists shouldn’t tell people what to do or how to think
iv. Concentrating on fewer neighborhoods might be more manageable for a six-month period
v. Addressing people's short-term issues and their long-term issues is a difficult balance
B. Props arguments
i. Speaking tour plants seeds for others to build their own infrastructure; it appeals to d.i.y. ethos in people
ii. Anarchist ideas can act as a brake against the decades of authoritarian conditioning that prevent community and struggle
iii. Speaking tour is about sharing ideas and seeing if they stick; the ideas themselves are not imposed on anyone
iv. The six-month timeframe doesn’t mean we disappear from sight afterwards; if anything, we become more present in receptive neighborhoods and among interested people via concerted follow-ups and support of local initiatives
v. One possible way the tour van address short-term and long-term problems: a categorized, “bread-and-butter” organization list (short-term) + a discussion of more comprehensive approaches (long-term).
C. Possible topics
i. “Anarchism and the Black Community”
ii. “Neighborhood Problems: Immediate and Long-Term Responses”
D. Logistics
i. Late April until late September
ii. Four to six different neighborhoods
iii. Leave room for fluid scheduling
iv. Possible speakers in addition to Ashanti: Arya, Autumn, Elliott, Javi, Jon
v. Possible neighborhoods: Washington Heights, Brownsville, East New York, Rosedale, Spanish Harlem, Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, Red Hook, Kingsbridge, West Harlem, Williamsburg (as control group)
E. Promotion
i. Forward promo material ideas and graphics to Moose (moose [at] riseup [dot] net)
ii. Use distro webs to involve others in promo blitz
iii. Grid out neighborhoods for promotion
iv. Estimated labor power/time: 2 teams of 3, 2 runs per week, 4 hours per run
v. Flyers under apartment doors and on car windshields
vi. Van with PA
F. Public Speaking For Radicals
i. Autumn-designed
ii. January 12, January 19, and perhaps one more in February
iii. Basic outline
a. Introductions
b. Being Present (Activity On Feet)
c. Speaking Your Truth (Icebreaker)
d. Finding Your Center and Organizing Your Thoughts (Exercise)
e. Expressing Your Style (Speaking Activity)
f. Closing & Reflection
iv. Online promotion to wider @ community
v. Dry run “Anarchist Idol” at next GA (Sat., Feb. 2); liaise with N&B for agenda time

2. Props money generation
A. Red-and-black tees are ready for construction; Paulette will liaise with CAE regarding cost and production
B. NYMAA merchandise section on CAE site; Angie to put together
C. Merch money split is worked out
D. CAE need contacts at radical bookstores/spaces in U.S. and other countries
i. AK might take 100-150 t-shirts
E. Pledge drive to fund props projects (launch after speaking tour proposal is more detailed)
F. Redo Spook party in Moose's office; Moose to find out if it’s okay
G. Patrick to send Matthew e-mail regarding how much money Props owes CAE

3. General distro to happen on an informal basis for the foreseeable future.