A couple of hours at OccupyLA
I finally had a bit of time to myself, now that last week’s performances, papers and mid-term dance are behind me, so I finally made it back down to OccupyLA. I haven’t been there in over a week, maybe 2, and it was amazing, inspiring. Walking into the plaza area by city hall, I immediately heard the music and was surrounded by tents as far as I could see. It really is a bustling little city, even at 10pm-12am at night. I had a lovely time in the University tent because I rant into Nancy Popp, and some of her friends. We talked about the Art Bloc’s plans while she and her friend shared essential oils with people to relieve stress. On my way out I dropped off some groceries and tampons from the needs list, but the welcome tent was closed so I took it to the media tent. In the media tent I had another great conversation with someone who told me that she’s from out of town now, trying to live off of the grid of capital, so OccupyLA is her home now.
I do want to mention one difficult moment, though. Dear media committee, please try to educate people who are using your resources about not assuming people’s genders without asking them. While I was in there, someone working on one of the computers called me “he”. I know it was kind of dark, but I thought that dress I was wearing was pretty cute. If you’re unsure about the next transgender or genderqueer person’s gender who comes into your tent, a little non-gendered pronoun use like “they” goes a long way. Here is a list of resources about creating welcoming spaces for gender non-confirming people that you could post in your tent or discuss in your meeting.
Still, I’m excited to get back down to OccupyLA. It’s amazing to me how they are actually opening a space for new kinds of dialog and collective process, or new from much of what I’ve seen in the US context. Very exciting.
Occupying Editor at OccupyEverything.org
I’ve been the visiting blogger / editor over at Occupy Everything this month. I’ve posted a few times and have one more cooking before I exit my occupation. Check out what I’ve been up to there and leave a reply with what you think!
Thoughts on the Short Lived Occupation of the UCSD Chancellor’s office
While yesterday was beautiful, inspiring and invigorating in many ways, it seemed like it ended very problematically. I’m just going to copy here some of the discussion I’ve been having with people online about it…
Right now I think that our demands for Monday need to be 1. meet bsu demands 2. meet mach 4th strike demands 3. close the lit bldg. We have 2 act in solidarity to win!
Here’s a thread between me (azdel) and some friends on Facebook:
Azdel Slade
I feel totally betrayed, there was no collective process, no decision made, just mob fear, the cops couldn’t get us out, but the activists did, the plan is to come back Mon morn, I hope ppl come…
Yesterday at 9:19pm
Marcela Fuentes
What would you have liked to see happening, what kind of process or result?
Yesterday at 10:43pm ·
Azdel Slade
at the end, someone just came in and made an announcement and everybody left, there was no collective discussion of “what do we all want to do? who wants to stay? who wants to leave? how can we make this space our own space and a model of the kind of world/school/education we’re creating?” there was just an announcement “they think you should go now and come back monday” and a unity clap preventing discussion, and then everyone walked out. i want someone to have acknowledged the people who were trying to say “wait, lets discuss this, i want to hold this space and not give it up”, someone to have asked me what i wanted to do and acted in solidarity instead of just bailing asap…
Yesterday at 10:54pm ·
Autumn Hays
We talked at noon about what to do, and we decided we needed to keep our forces strong for March 4th.
5 hours ago ·
Azdel Slade
Who did? Where? I totally disagree with that decision, but no one asked me or any of my friends our opinions or informed us of that decision that was made.
3 hours ago ·
Autumn Hays
I think it’s important to understand that we are in this together. Sorry you didn’t feel the same way and that this hurt you. I don’t think they were trying to ignore you.
“We” was just a large group of the protest including many of the leaders of different groups in the middle of the crowd inside the office. They seemed to have a lot of reasons and be open to talk from anyone, sorry you didn’t get to talk. But lets be strong and be ready for next time.
Love you!
3 hours ago ·
Azdel Slade
Its not just me either, there were a lot of people in the room who were confused and tried to raise questions and concerns, but the small group of organizers near the door made the decision on their own without taking the time to actually ask all the people who had decided to stay and get arrested what they wanted to do. I saw multiple people try to say “who’s they?”, “wait? can we all make a decision together” and they all got overrun by the “unity clap” (ironically) and ignored. I think you may have lost the support of a lot of your most dedicated supporters in that moment. There has to be a collective process in the future if any serious action, beyond a daytime picnic in the chancellor’s office funded by donations, is going to happen.
3 hours ago ·
Autumn Hays
agreed. I understand. It’s not mine. I don’t own it. I was just there. I didn’t even say how I felt about it or was in on the process. But I didn’t have anything to say, unlike you.
I’m not happy your voice didn’t get heard. But it was confusing and tense times.
It’s good you had something to say.
and like I said, I don’t think anyone meant to cut you out. and i do agree that all must be involved. The only reason i’m saying something is i honestly believe though this is an important issue, and it should be addressed, I hope you don’t lose your faith over it.
all I mean is it’s not a time to fall apart..
Not that your voice/ideas should be hushed.
They is complicated as i think this was all just crowd behavior and hard to understand. But I don’t think anyone was trying to cut you off and I am sad you have been.
but please don’t lose your faith in this. This is not a time to divide.
55 minutes ago ·
Autumn Hays
and do remember we were all confused and tired. I think that was all it was.
and I heard them walking around the whole time we were there asking people, I am so sad you and others got skipped.
just know I don’t think it was personal or an attempt to control your ideas.
44 minutes ago ·
Azdel Slade
hey, well thanks, thats good to know. but i’m not just talking about myself, it seemed like lots of people i was talking to were seriously preparing to stay the night, to get arrested, calling their friends/family to walk the dog, people were talking to lawyers so they’d be ready, etc, so there were a lot of people who were not consulted. there just needs to be more effort to have an open, transparent process where everyone is involved and doesn’t feel, like i heard multiple people saying, that they’re being given orders. and yeah, it was definitely stress, we just need to learn to hold our space and take care of each other, all of us!
6 minutes ago ·
Autumn Hays
agreed. 
And here are some earlier tweets during the situation…
everyone left, the administration produced timetable and a plan, we’re going to analyze it and come back
Yesterday at 9:16pm
people are discussing not resisting arrest to minimize police violence
Yesterday at 5:17pm
police have said that anyone here past 5 will be arrested, ppl r not moving, plz come support!
ucla cuancellors complex is now occupied in solidarity w ucsd
Yesterday at 2:49pm
we need as many ppl as possible here by 5pm when the cops come to evict us, to be witnesses and to help us control the doors!
Yesterday at 2:12pm
rally @ 2:30 outside the occupation @ chancellprs office
Yesterday at 2:10pm
we need a megaphone in here
Yesterday at 12:58pm
the occupiers demand that ucsd be shut down because of the racial state of emergency
Yesterday at 12:18pm
Demand Nothing, Occupy Everything, a film series
Demand nothing, Occupy everything: a Primer on Neoliberalism and its
Discontents
“Demand Nothing, Occupy Everything” is a film series examining
neoliberalism, one of the roots of the current economic crisis affecting
universities around the world, and the strategies that social movements
have been using to respond to and push back against neoliberalism. The
series considers the possibilities for political action today, as well as
its limitations. The films in the series range from documentation of
political actions to examinations of political theory and fictional
accounts of important moments of political unrest. The topics range from a
historical view of student actions in the 60′s to an international view
considering actions around the world and a selection of recent videos
spread virally through social networks online.
Each film night will begin with a short talk by Micha Cárdenas or a guest
speaker to situate the film in the context of the current social situation
across the University of California, but also at universities around the
world. Specific focus will be given to personal experiences with these
movements, the effects of neoliberalism on education and to efforts to
reimagine what education could be.
All screenings will take place at the Visual Arts Facility (VAF) Performance Space from 7-9pm.
Tuesday, Jan 12 -
And the War Has Only Just Begun by Tiqqun
Excerpts from La Haine by Kassovitz
Excerpts from If… by Lindsay Anderson
Los Angeles UCLA Student Protest
Student Occupation of New School
UCSC Occupation – Friday Night
ASTRONAUTS SEE UC STRIKE FROM SPACE
Tuesday, Jan 19 -
Excerpts from Un Granito de Arena
The Potentiality of Storming Heaven – on the Greek Student Occupations
Excerpts from Tout Va Bien by JP Gorin and Jean-Luc Godard
UC Berkeley Protests at Wheeler Hall Part 2
UC Berkeley Budget Protest. The Wheeler Frontlines
Occupied Berkeley: The Taking of Wheeler Hall
Tuesday, Feb 2 -
Semiotics of the Kitchen by Martha Rosler
Excerpts from the Fourth World War
Excerpts from The Take
Okupa! by Micha Cárdenas
Can Dialectics Break Bricks? by René Viénet
UCSC Occupation #4 – Kerr Hall – Fri
“Why No Demands?
First, because anything we might win now would be too insignificant. Countless times past student struggles have worked months and years – striking and occupying buildings and mobilizing thousands upon thousands of people – only to win back half of what they had already lost, a half that was again taken away one or two years later… If we set our horizons higher – free education, a maximum salary differential of, for instance, 3 or 5, a university managed by faculty and students and workers – then we must realize, immediately, that nothing short of full-scale insurrection could ever achieve this. And if we were strong enough to bring the existing order tumbling down around us, why would we stop short and settle for the foregoing list?
…This is why we make no demands. Because we want to be in solidarity with all who are oppressed and exploited. We will not say who they are in advance. They will define themselves by rising up and standing with us.”
- Anti-Capital Projects: Questions and Answers
http://anticapitalprojects.wordpress.com/2009/11/19/anti-capital-projects/
Organized by Micha Cárdenas, Ricardo Dominguez
and Elle Mehrmand of the b.a.n.g. lab.
Occupy Everything! Today in LA at 2pm, and DAC tomorrow
If you’re in LA this weekend, I’m doing two events that you may want to attend! Today at 2pm I’m helping facilitate a class/workshop/discussion at The Public School about the occupations and strikes against the budget cuts. The class is free and open, join us! Then tomorrow, I’m speaking on the Sex and Sexuality panel at Digital Arts and Culture 2009: After Media about Becoming Dragon, my 365 hour durational performance in Second Life.
If you’re in LA today, check these events out… (so sorry for the short notice!)
http://la.thepublicschool.org/class/1856
The UC strikes and beyond
proposed by sparkle
Part 1
Reading and analysis and strategy discussion. This session took place on 12/05/06.
Part 2 – Occupy Everything! [scheduling]
A continuation of the UC Strikes and Beyond discussion. There seems to be a lot of energy for these discussions, so lets keep them going! We just scratched the surface of a discussion on what we might do collectively, so lets start there next time. Perhaps we should do this twice more and continue the trajectory of half theory discussion and half organizing discussion… Communiques and texts continue to pour out daily as situations unfold, such as the Irvine occupation of the library where the administration changed their policies in response to only an announcement of an occupation: http://studentactivism.net/2009/12/04/uc-irvine-library/ Some of the issues brought up today that we should follow up on: future workshops at tent cities, the public school going on strike, critiques of the occupation strategy and other possible actions, exiting the university, the end of liberal humanism…We still have yet to get very far with a discussion of how to branch out of the UC system.
-azdelSlade
class tags: insurrection // occupation // praxis // strike // wildcat
Dates:
December 5, 2009 at 12:00pm
December 12, 2009 at 2:00pm
Location:
The Public School, 951 Chung King Road
Teacher:
Marc Herbst, Cara Baldwin, Micha Cardenas, Ken Ehrlich
/////
also, this sounds awesome and i’ll be attending this:
Artist Curated Projects presents
THREE WOMEN
Performances by
DAWN KASPER TAISHA PAGGETT NANCY POPP
DECEMBER 12th, 4-8 pm
@ the home of Eric Kim
2200 BRIER AVENUE, SILVER LAKE CA 90039
UCLA Occupied
just putting my last few tweets here…
- rt @apophantic “We ask nothing. We demand nothing.” Tres Deleuzean http://bit.ly/3hOF01 [statement by ucla occupiers]
-
rt @apophantic Police gassing protesters at UCLA outside Regents meeting
-
Occupation begins at UCLA, Campbell Hall, http://bit.ly/43ZGYl
