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<td><strong>Via InterOccupy.net</strong></td>
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<p> <strong><img moz-do-not-send="true" alt=""
src="http://interoccupy.net/natgat2/files/2013/07/natgat-gasmask-bird-guitar-ows-de1.jpg"
style="width: 414px; height: 586px; float:
right;">MEDIA ALERT<br>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<br>
July 12, 2013<br>
PRESS RELEASE FOR THE Occupy Wall Street
(Inter) National Gathering: decolonize the
99% </strong></p>
<p> <strong>AUGUST 21-25<br>
KALAMAZOO MICHIGAN</strong></p>
<h3> </h3>
<h3> <strong>Who/What</strong></h3>
<p> <strong>Occupy Wall Street (Inter) National
Gathering: decolonize the 99%</strong></p>
<p> <br>
Attendance encouraged by all Occupiers and
interested parties. From August 21 to 25,
2013, Occupy Kalamazoo will be hosting the
second annual Occupy National Gathering,
building on last summer’s historic Occupy
National Gathering in Philadelphia, PA. This
first gathering culminated in a visioning
session based on the question “what does a
democratic future look like to you?” on July
4, 2012. This year, there is a focus on
bringing together the Occupy movement with
people of color, indigenous peoples, and those
too often marginalized, even within the
movement. Even our name is
controversial—Occupying Wall Street is one
tactic, but we recognize that America was
occupied by colonizers and the struggle for
liberation from colonization continues. We
believe that it is time to figure out how to
work together against “the 1%”—those
unreconstructed corporatists who refuse to
acknowledge the harm that has been done to the
Earth and her residents, and that is ongoing.
To that end, we came to consensus on a new
name for our event: the Occupy Wall Street
(Inter) National Gathering: Decolonize the
99%. This name recognizes our roots with
Occupy Wall Street as well as acknowledges the
injustice the United States' forbears brought
to this continent and our solidarity with
decolonization.<br>
<br>
The National Gathering Working Group 2013
(NGWG2013); a coalition of Occupy movements
from cities around the world, uniting in
solidarity with Occupy Wall Street and with
Occupy and peoples’ movements worldwide is
planning an InterNational Gathering of
peoples’ movements worldwide, in Kalamazoo,
Michigan. We aim to assemble collectively and
embrace our different ideologies and
perspectives; to find our common visions; to
share our strategies and actions; to learn
from each other, and to leave this gathering
with steps we can all take in both agreement
and diversity for ourselves, our communities,
our nations, and for all of us across the
world.<br>
<br>
Our convergence will begin on Aug. 21 and
continue for five days of
Community-and-Movement building exercises, and
free-flowing open discussions.Turtle Soup
Kitchen of the Rainbow Family of Living Light
will be feeding the people and being the peace
in Kalamazoo—we expect Rainbows from other
tribes as well. Speakers include Cindy
Sheehan, David Cobb, Bill Moyer and Julia
Trigg Crawford. There will be structured
teach-ins, presentations and activities
throughout the week as well as space for
Occupy-style self-organized activities each
day.<br>
<br>
We believe that the people of the world need
to speak openly to each other about how to
make a better world. We ask you to join with
us, bringing your ideas, your struggles, and
your voice—come to Kalamazoo! There will be a
special focus on indigenous peoples, race,
gender, and class throughout the convergence,
considering the particular perspectives of
these communities on each of the main topics
of the individual days.</p>
<h3> <strong>Where</strong></h3>
<p> We are pleased to announce our host venue
for the week is the Lamplighter Inn in
Kalamazoo. This venue has everything - indoor
space, outdoor space, a large parking lot. We
have also been offered safe space by the
Quakers, as they so graciously did last year
in Philly.<br>
<br>
<strong>Venue Facebook Video from <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67768&qid=2679504"
target="_blank">Occupy Natgat</a></strong><br>
<br>
Many people ask why Kalamazoo? Very simply, as
Bill Moyer said, Michigan is a hotbed of
activist activity at this moment in history.
Environmental issues plague the state and the
Great Lakes; the political situation rallied
tens of thousands as Governor Rick Snyder
eroded the state’s unions; there are Drones
bases and a solid anti-war base, and Kalamazoo
has a reputation for being the sixth-meanest
city in the country towards its homeless
population. A homeless Bill of Rights is being
worked on by Occupy Kalamazoo.<br>
<br>
On July 25th, 2010, the Kalamazoo River was
destroyed as more than 1 million gallons (as
publicly stated) of Tar Sand Oil, along with
40% of that volume in benzene, was pumped into
our river at high pressure for more than 17
consecutive hours, killing everything in the
river for almost 40 miles. Tar Sand Oil
(literally the most harmful kind of oil
possible) is so dense that it sank to the
bottom of the river. There most of it still
sits, loosely covered by sand in the bed of
the Kalamazoo.Countless animals and plants are
dead, and several deadly health complciations
are arising. The Canadian oil company
Enbridge found a cover-up to be more cost
efficient than addressing their mess. Enbridge
employees were covered in protective gear and
would be sent home the spill breached a
500-yard perimeter, whereas residents of
trailer parks and homes within 500 yards were
simply told to shut their windows.<br>
<br>
There will be a Tour of the Kalamazoo River -
Home of the Enbridge Oil spill in 2010, “The
Largest inland oil spill in U.S. History”.<br>
</p>
<h3> <strong>Why/Theme</strong></h3>
<p> The focus of the Occupy National Gathering
will be leadership building and people-powered
training, education, and actions, to empower
people with trainings to take back to their
community and spread positive and effective
change in their communities. There is
emphasis on Local struggle and how all our
struggles connect on a global level.<br>
<br>
Aug 21st: Renew Kalamazoo and your community.<br>
Aug 22nd: Making and Supporting Free,
Unfettered Media<br>
Aug 23rd: Fixing Fossil Fuels and Creating an
Environmentally Sustainable Future<br>
Aug 24th: Economic and Trade Justice, Equal
Access and Ending Corporate “Personhood”,
Asserting the People’s Sovereignty<br>
Aug 25th: Ending War and Our Police State,
Building Peace and Cooperation</p>
<h4> <strong>A Global Conversation</strong></h4>
<p> A multi-month building action, starting with
the Plant Three Seeds solidarity action on
Earth Day, working collectively with
international groups like Via 22, the <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67769&qid=2679504">GlobalSkillsXChange</a>,
and participating in the recent How can we
connect now our struggles and squares to
create a global change? 27 June 2013
transnational meeting of 80 activists on
mumble.Each day will also have a global
component and conversation based on the needs
and issues of the global community, roughly
paralleling, but by no means restricted to,
the daily themes. A more structured digital
conference, with room for presentations and
skillshares will take place August 22nd. The
Global work, like NatGat2 itself, is a work in
progress and will be developed by
participating groups. Please join our global
partner, Via22, for monthly mumble meetings
22nd of each month on the occupytalk.org
server, Via22 room.<br>
<br>
More info on<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67770&qid=2679504">
facebook</a> and the<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67771&qid=2679504">
Via22 website</a> and<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67772&qid=2679504">
Hub on InterOccupy</a>.</p>
<h4> At the Gathering:</h4>
<h5> <span style="font-size:12px;">Housing/Transport</span></h5>
<p> <span style="font-size:12px;">We hope to be
offering multiple housing and recreational
spaces.<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67773&qid=2679504">
Sign up if you need either or have housing
or a ride to offer</a>. We encourage
Occupys, individuals and organizations to
self-organize Occupy Caravans from your city
or region to Kalamazoo.<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67774&qid=2679504">
Join the Team</a> to help with organizing
Housing and Transport.</span></p>
<h5> <span style="font-size:12px;">Food</span></h5>
<p> <span style="font-size:12px;">We are
donating time on Co-op farms, and
outreaching with local business and farmers,
gathering natural and healthy food to
provide during the event. Food and Support
teams forming!<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67774&qid=2679504">
Join the team! </a>Already signed up are
Turtle Soup Kitchen of the Rainbow Family of
Living Light, who will be feeding the people
and being the peace in Kalamazoo—we expect
Rainbows from other tribes as well</span></p>
<h5> <span style="font-size:12px;">Entertainment</span></h5>
<p> <span style="font-size:12px;">There will be
nightly entertainment, including featured
artists, poets, musicians, and DJs, as well
as a campfire and drum circles. Also
planning a benefit concert, and encourage
artists of all mediums to inquire for space
for expression.</span><br>
<br>
<strong>Occupy Wall Street (Inter) National
Gathering</strong>: decolonize the 99%, like
all Occupy events, strives to be as cost-free
as possible and to provide Mutual Aid for
essentials like food, water, sanitation,
housing, transport, media, and support. All
services are provided free by volunteer teams
and participants.<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67775&qid=2679504">
Donations</a> to defray unavoidable costs
accepted through our fiscal sponsor, AfGJ.<br>
<br>
<strong>Watch the conference on Livestream</strong>:<br>
<strong>OccupyDetroitOfficialChannel</strong>:<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67776&qid=2679504">
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/occupy-detroit</a><br>
<strong>Occupy Kalamazoo</strong>:<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67777&qid=2679504">
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/occupykalamazoo</a><br>
<br>
<strong>Join One of Our Weekly Planning
Conference Calls</strong>:<br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67778&qid=2679504">Every
Wednesday at 8pm EDT until the
Occupy(Inter)NatGat2013</a><br>
<br>
Every Monday at NOON EDT until further notice.
One registration gives you a personal
identification number (PIN) for both calls.<br>
<br>
<strong>Help Plan Events and Activities, Offer
to Speak, Teach, Run a Workshop</strong>.<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67774&qid=2679504">
<strong>Join the Team</strong></a> to help
with one of the many aspects of Support.<br>
<br>
<strong>Participants/Endorsements So Far</strong>:<br>
Alliance for Global Justice | The A9 Network |
Battle Creek Oil Spill | Bill Moyer and the
Back Bone Campaign | Code Black | Dept. of
Peace | Earth First | Food and Water Watch |
Global Revolution Media | Idle No More
Michigan | Kalamazoo City of Compassion |
Kalamazoo Non-Violent Opponents of War (KNOW)
| Louisiana Shrimp Alliance | March against
Drones | The Media Consortium | Michigan Ban
Fracking | Michigan Home Defense | Michigan
Tar Sands | Move To Amend Coalition/David Cobb
| Mutual Aid Dcats | National Homeless
Coalition | National Law Center on
Homelessness and Poverty (NLCHP) | New York
Against Fracking | Air Occupy | Occupy Bergen
County | Occupy Boston | Occupy Buffalo |
Occupy Ohio Cozhocton | Occupy Chicago I
Occupy Detroit | Occupy Enbridge | Occupy the
Environment I Occupy Frederick I Occupy Global
Media (GOM) | Occupy Grand Rapids MI | Occupy
Hilo | Occupy Homes | InterOccupy | Occupy
Love | Occupy Petaluma | Occupy Raleigh NC |
Occupy the Roads | Occupy Royal Oak | Occupy
Sandy NJ | Occupy Sandy NYC | Occupy Staten
Island | Strike Debt | Occupy Traverse City |
Occupy Tucson | Occupy Vision I Women Occupy |
#OpOK | Dr. Ricki Ott | People United for
Sustainable Housing (P.U.S.H Kalamazoo) | The
Poor Peoples Campaign | Public Citizen Global
Trade Watch: Stop the TransPacific Partnership
| Road to USSF 3 | Shut Down Palisades |
Unfuck The World, Featuring the Summer
Support/Love Takeover Tour | United States
Social Forum | Via 22 | Wesleyan Peace Center<br>
<br>
<br>
<strong>More Info:</strong></p>
<p> <br>
<strong>Websites:</strong><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67779&qid=2679504">http://occupynationalgathering.net/</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67780&qid=2679504">http://interoccupy.net/natgat2/</a><br>
<br>
<strong>Social:</strong><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67781&qid=2679504">Occupy
National Gathering on Facebook</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67782&qid=2679504">National
Gathering 2013 in Kalamazoo Facebook
Planning Group</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67783&qid=2679504">@Ng2Kzoo</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67784&qid=2679504">@NATGAT2013</a><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67785&qid=2679504">RebelMouse</a><br>
<br>
<br>
<strong>Email:</strong><br>
Join the<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://crm.interoccupy.net/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=67786&qid=2679504">
email lists</a> for discussion and planning!<br>
<br>
<strong>Contact:</strong><br>
Chris Whamoff, OccupyNatGat2, Occupy Kalamazoo<br>
Email: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Natgat2013@gmail.com"
target="_blank">Natgat2013@gmail.com</a><br>
Phone: 269-910-6495<br>
<br>
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