WeROC First 2016 Meeting Summary

WeROC Leaders and Supporters…More info below on these topics…please read on!

MOSES MLK Day Banquet, next Monday Jan 18 — Hoping you can join us at the WeROC table!
Action Team meetings need you (and others from your congregation or organization) to help put “meat on the bones” of the commitments we got from officials at our November Public Meeting.
Local Trainings in the works.
Formalizing and stregthening WeROC as a power organization for the long haul,

FIRST: Just a note on Flint: The human-caused horror that our sisters and brothers in Flint have been suffering, and the creative push-back by the community and their allies that is finally beginning to force the Governor and State officials to be open and honest and do their jobs, will be a source of lessons for WeROC and MOSES for a long time to come. We don’t have a direct connection with the Flint organizing right now, but our prayers and solidarity, at least, are going to be welcome. (This video gives a powerful summary and update, with interviews with key people):

http://www.democracynow.org/shows/2016/1/8?autostart=true

There’s a rally in Ann Arbor Monday 1/18 at 4 PM related to Flint and the Governor: Facebook event

BANQUET: If you possibly can, go to mosesmi.org right away and buy a ticket for next Monday’s annual MOSES Banquet in Southfield. Many organizations have dinners, but those who have been to past MOSES banquets know these are special. Special mostly because the room is filled with MOSES folks who’ve doing what WeROC has been doing with MOSES support and advice…strategically building relationships, alliances, and community power. Plus, great speakers AND a chance to socialize with fellow WeROCers. (Let Tad know if you’re coming or have questions, including carpooling and possible help with ticket prices.)
Where the ACTION is: Action Teams! WeROC leaders are encouraging each of us to pick an Action Team (or more than one!) and plan to participate in their meetings…probably even more important than the Meetings of the Whole. We want to move toward each participating congregation or organization to have someone on each Action Team. Here’s what’s coming up…many hands make big things happen, yes?
- Education Action Team (Reducing suspensions/expulsions in area school districts) TUESDAY JAN 26, 7-8 AM, Lord of Light Lutheran/Intersection, 801 S Forest Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104.
- Economic Dignity for Working Families Action Team (Earned Sick Time and Regional Transit) THIS THURSDAY JAN 14, 6-7:30 pm, First Congregational UCC, 218 N Adams, Ypsi.
- Ban the Box Action Team (Building on our BtB successes, possibly including new organizing led by returning citizens aimed at reducing recidivism and welcoming people back into productive participation in the community.) Strategy meeting to be announced soon…).
Local Trainings in the works: There was widespread support at Thursday’s meeting for WeROC leaders to organize local community organizing trainings — to make sure we’re all sharing the powerful lessons learned in the run up to and implementation of the November Public Meeting. Whether you’ve been involved for some time, or are just recently experiencing the WeROC phenomenon, creating opportunities for high quality organizing and leadership training is fundamental to building the long-term, healthy collective power that really changes policies and structures. Stay tuned, and plan to put the date(s) on your calendar early!
Organization-Building for the Long Haul: As we build on our successful issue campaigns, our staying power as an important player in our region depends on building the foundations of WeROC. In addition to the Action Team work, don’t be surprised if you find yourself being asked to part of short-term committees to plant those long-term roots, including:
- Completing the bylaws, including clarifying how congregations, organiziations, and individuals can become formal members of WeROC together.
- Electing formal leadership.
- Developing more relationships with potential local and regional funding institutions.

As several of you reflected at last week’s meeting, WeROC’s exciting successes so far are only really valuable if we keep building this unique organization — we need to multiply our numbers, involve and develop new grassroots leaders, get smarter, make sure that our broad, unified voice becomes even louder. No other local organization is filling this role quite like WeROC is, and you’re the reason. Let’s keep supporting each other as we launch WeROC toward bigger and better things in 2016, yes?

Next WeROC Meeting – Thurs Jan 7 5:30

Hello, WeROC Leaders and Supporters….

WeROC Meeting of the Whole, Thursday Jan 7, 5:30-7:15, Ekklesia Fellowship Ministries, 123 N Adams, Ypsi (Park on street, in city lot across the street, or mid-block on Adams at First Congregational UCC).

After our amazing success together at the November 15 Public Meeting, we need to make sure we keep that good momentum going in this new year. Our first Thursday “Meetings of the Whole” are where we “cross-pollinate” among the Action Teams and other work, to keep us on the same path and learning from each other. Then as we gravitate to the Action Teams or other committees to do the actual community organizing work on our key issues, we can all have the bigger picture in mind.

Looking forward to beginning 2016 with you (and your congregation/organization, as appropriate) as we continue to build healthy community power in effective new ways!

Videos of Nov 2015 Public Meeting

WeROC’s November 15, 2015 Public Meeting – Part 1

WeROC’s November 15, 2015 Public Meeting – Part 2

WeROC Public Meeting Pictures

Upcoming WeROC Meetings

If you weren’t able to be with us for the Big WeROC public meeting last Sunday, stay tuned here for more about the most successful event ever for our still-young organization. Over 300 of us who are never in same room together, including people from over 30 congregations, unions, and organizations, joined in a spirited reminder of how grassroots democracy can powerfully work when we make the effort to join our voices. We walked away with new relationships, important commitments from local decision-makers, and a lot of energy that can keep the momentum going.

Please return to this site often, and put these upcoming events on your calendar as we map out what WeROC and our grassroots Action Teams will do next to build on the commitments we won and the joyful energy that filled Emmanuel Lutheran!

WeROC Meetings of the Whole, First Thursdays
Next meeting: Thursday December 3, 5:30, First Congregational UCC, 218 N Adams, Ypsi.

Education Action Team
Next meeting: Wednesday December 2, 7-8 AM (in the morning!), New Beginnings Church, 4859 Ellsworth, Ypsilanti

Economic Dignity for Working Families Action Team
Next meeting: Wednesday December 9, 6-7:30 pm, First Congregational UCC in Ypsi

Ban the Box/Pipeline to Prison Action Team
Next meeting To Be Announced

Caught the Buzz? Last Call for WeROC’s Major Public Meeting THIS Sunday

You know what to do! Make sure you are with hundreds of kindred souls on Sunday afternoon to experience what real grassroots democracy feels like for yourself. And bring along some members of your congregation, organizations, family, and network to experence it with you (and make sure the room is full to impress our local decision-makers!).

THIS SUNDAY, Nov 15, 3:00-5:00 pm, Emmanuel Lutheran Church ELCA, 201 N. River St, just east of downtown Ypsilanti near Michigan Av.

Flyer and Letter
Facebook event

NOTE we need all WeROC participants and volunteers who are on the Agenda or have roles for Sunday to come for the “Dry Run” Rehearsal: Noon tomorrow, SATURDAY Nov 14. Also at Emmanuel Lutheran.

We’re so proud of our Public Meeting Planning Committee, who have been working non-stop for weeks to create a meaningful and memorable program for the community, and to help all of YOU to help US fill the room!
Our speakers, presenters, and musicians are excited (including Mark Fancher, the “You Can’t Stop Us” Project, Darius Simpson, Marilyn Watson White and Ahmid Alexander.
And our amazing WeROC Action Teams are ready to go with their “asks” for our public officials and decision-makers and their future plans on Earned Sick Time, regional transit, keeping our students in school, eliminating mass incarceration and mass deportation, and supporting early childhood development.

ALL WE NEED IS YOU! See you Sunday!

Contact: Tad Wysor, tadwysor@gmail.com, 734 883 3225
Facebook: facebook.com/werocmi

Last Steps Before Public Meeting

** First, a correction to the address in our last post for this week’s final Planning Committee meeting — First Congregational is at 218 N Adams in Ypsi (NOT River St) at 5:30 Thursday Nov 12. EVERYONE PLEASE PLAN TO COME!

** Also, a reminder about the dry run rehearsal Saturday Nov 14 starting at noon at our host church building, Emmanuel Lutheran ELCA at 201 N. River St (yes, River St!) — all WeROC participants need to be there if at all possible.

With our big Public Meeting coming up in just over a week, the WeROC Planning Committee has identified several “Day-of-Event” Tasks — easy but important things that you and/or members of your congregation or organization could take on to help make Nov 15 an even bigger success. Please email Pat Jackson at msullivanlady@yahoo.com with any slots you can help fill…and please stay flexible in case a task is already filled — there are others!

One more thing…Our Planning Committee is excited — and also nervous — about reaching our target of 300+ in attendance. So….in addition to the day-of-event tasks, your ability to get commitments from as many people as possible in your congregation/organization, networks, neighborhoods, and families to be a part of the Public Meeting — will help tilt the balance for our leaders away from nervousness and toward excitement. (And please take a moment to report your progress or any concerns to Pat.) The flyer and letter are here to help you help us all!

Day-of Event Tasks:

Registration Table (and prior preparation of materials, sign in sheets, etc)
Floor Team
Runners for Stage Manager (Kandia)
Ushers
Technology Team (projector, sound, etc)
Setup
Take-Down
Timekeeper
Microphone Holder
Offering basket holders
Earned Sick Time Petitioners
Identify/Usher Public Officials
Parking attendants

Just two More Planning Meetings before November 15 — All Hands Requested For the Final Push!

Hello, WeROC Leaders and Supporters…

This month’s WeROC Meeting of the Whole is serving as one of our two final “all hands” planning meetings this Thursday (Nov 5), as well as next Thursday (Nov 12). Both are at First Congregational UCC at 218 N Adams ~~River~~ in Ypsi at 5:30 pm. (Construction is over, parking is easy, hooray!)

If all of us can find a bit of focused time over the next 12 days, especially to be at these two meetings, we’ll stay on track to fill Emmanuel Lutheran with hundreds of Washtenaw residents, and have a tight, powerful action program waiting for them. Please come and be a part of the many hands that will make our 2015 Public Meeting a big success, winning real, meaningful improvements for everyone — everyone — across our region.

And now, more than ever, whether you can make the meetings or not, your word-of-mouth personal invitations are our secret weapon — for the all-important turnout of hundreds of unified, caring folks to help our public officials make the right decisions. In person. And in public. Use the flyer and the recruitment letter as you talk to other organizational leaders and individuals and help fill the room to overflowing.

Again, the 2015 WeROC Public Meeting is Sunday afternoon, November 15, 3:00-5:00 pm, at Emmanuel Lutheran Church ELCA, 201 N. River St, just off Michigan Avenue in downtown Ypsilanti. (Our “dry-run” rehearsal will be noon-3pm Saturday, November 14, at Emmanuel — all participants please plan to attend.)

We hope you are as excited as we are about what we’re doing together!
Pat and Carissa for the WeROC Public Meeting Planning Committee

For more information, contact Tad Wysor at tadwysor@gmail.com or 734 883 3225.

WeROC Update

Hello, WeROC Leaders and Supporters…

You may have gotten the letter below from Pat and Carissa, the chairs of WeROC’s Public Meeting Planning Committee. There’s a lot of excitement as a large group of us keep building momentum for filling Emmanuel Lutheran on Sunday afternoon, November 15 and achieving together some real steps forward for all Washtenaw County area residents. See attached flyer [PDF].

Please read and use the the letter below. But first, consider putting all or any of the next 3 Thursdays on your calendar for our all-important final planning meetings. (Note that our monthly Meeting of the Whole for November 5 has morphed into one of the large planning meetings.)

Each of the Thursday meetings are at 5:30 pm at First Congregational UCC in Ypsi, 218 N. Adams…

October 29
November 5
November 12

….plus Saturday November 14 for our “dry run” rehearsal at Emmanuel.

In addition to attending the planning meetings, please join the Planning Committee in constantly talking to other organzations and individuals about the most important thing for this kind of Public Meeting — TURNOUT! Please use the following to help you help us fill that room!

On behalf of the local faith, labor, and community organizations of WeROC (Washtenaw Regional Organizing Coalition), we warmly invite you to a very special event Sunday afternoon, November 15, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm, in Ypsilanti.

By helping us fill the beautiful sanctuary of Emmanuel Lutheran Church ELCA (210 N River St.) with a broad range of caring people and organizations who are united around the basic shared value that “we’re all in this together,” you will directly contribute to achieving a rare thing in today’s fragmented world…real changes that improve the lives of everyone in our area.

With a commitment of less than 2 hours that day, hundreds of us will be able to signal by our actual presence that we expect our public officials and other decision-makers to take concrete actions on several meaningful issues that the WeROC Action Teams have been busy working on:

Reducing school suspensions and breaking the school-to prison pipeline.
Broadening the number of businesses in our area that offer employees earned sick time for themselves or to care for a family member, instead of losing a paycheck or their job.
Expanding public transit options, locally and between Washtenaw and Detroit.
Building on the very real public health consequences of our unacceptable level of incarceration, especially as communities of color have been affected.

Tying all of these issues together — and the theme of the Public Meeting — is the need for all of us to work more powerfully together to dismantle the structures that preserve and expand racial and economic disparities right here in Washtenaw County. Whether we are called by our faith traditions, time-honored labor values, or a commitment to stronger community, the need to find new ways of using our precious democracy to break down institutional racism and other divisions may be more urgent than ever.

We respectfully ask that you try to organize your busy life to personally be a part of the Public Meeting November 15, and to bring others from your congregation, organizations, families, and networks to what promises to be a meaningful, productive, educational – and fun — event.

Our latest flyer is attached, which we hope you will help distribute. And please let us know if there’s anything we can do to make your participation – and thus our ability to show our numbers and win together — more possible.

Sincerely,
Patricia Jackson (msullivanlady@yahoo.com), Carissa Collins Watson (queenwatson2@yahoo.com), and Sonya Alvarado (salvarado@aftmichigan.org) for the WeROC Public Meeting Planning Committee

Upcoming WeROC Meetings – UPDATED

Join us for our November 15 Public Meeting: “We All Do Better When We ALL Do Better!”:

WeROC November 15 Public Meeting
Sunday, November 2015, 3:00 – 5:00 PM
Emmanuel Lutheran Church ELCA
201 N. River St, Ypsilanti, MI 48198
See attached flyer (PDF)

We’re working along two pathways, and hope that you and your organization will want to help it happen:

One is our Action Teams, which are off and running as they develop the campaigns that will be the “meat” of the November meeting.
The other pathway is our large and growing Organizing Committee, charged with comprehensively planning all the tasks we need so we leave the meeting with big successes under our belts.

Join WeROC by attending one of these meetings:

Organizing Committee: Third Thursdays 5:30-7:00

Thursday October 15, 5:30-7:00, First Congregational UCC, 218 N Adams, Ypsilanti (avoid construction by entering from Washington and Emmet streets).
Planning the agenda for November 15 and the necessary preparations.

WeROC Meetings of the Whole: First Thursdays, 5:30-7:15 pm

November 5 (location TBA)

And here’s what’s shaping up for the Action Teams, who are working on specific issues for the November 15 meeting:

Education Action Team

Chair: Rev Jeff Harrold
The Education Subteam works on reducing school suspensions.

Next Meeting: TBD

The “School-to-Prison Pipeline” Subteam

Chair: Lois Richardson
The “School-to-Prison Pipeline” Subteam connects school attendance with avoiding the criminal justice system.

Next Meeting: TBD.

Economic Dignity for Working Families Action Team

Chairs: Mark Coryell and Tad Wysor

Next meeting: Thursday, October 8, 6:30-7:30, First Congregational UCC, 218 N Adams, Ypsilanti (avoid construction by entering from Washington and Emmet streets)
Earned Sick Time Subteam (statewide ballot initiative and local connections)
Regional Transportation Subteam

For more information or to get on our email lists for any of these teams:
Tad Wysor, tadwysor@gmail.com
Pat Jackson msullivanlady@yahoo.com