US Social Forum
Encyclopedia
The United States Social Forum is a gathering of social justice activists in the United States
which grew out of the World Social Forum
process, bringing together activists, organizers, people of color, working people, poor people, and indigenous people from across the United States
. The goal of the gathering is to build unity around common goals of social justice
, to build ties between organizations present at the event, and to help build a broader social justice movement. Planning for the first event was spearheaded by Project South, but dozens of other organizations from around the US were involved in the process. The US Social Forum defines itself as "a movement building process. It is not a conference but it is a space to come up with the peoples’ solutions to the economic and ecological crisis. The USSF is the next most important step in our struggle to build a powerful multi-racial, multi-sectoral, inter-generational, diverse, inclusive, internationalist movement that transforms this country and changes history."
in Porto Alegre
, the US Social Forum National Planning Committee was formed with the group Grassroots Global Justice. The National Planning Committee includes over 45 groups, who oversee the fiscal and political responsibilities of the US Social Forum.
The National Planning Committee for the US Social Forum includes a number of big labor rights
and social justice
organizations, including the AFL-CIO
, Amnesty International USA
, AFSCME, Center for Third World Organizing, Indigenous Environmental Network, Jubilee USA, Sociologists Without Borders
, and a host of other organizations.
, Georgia
, USA on June 27 - July 1, 2007. Planning for the forum began in 2005. In June 2006, the Southeast Social Forum
took place in Durham
, North Carolina
. One of the main priorities of the Southeast Social Forum was to plan for and build momentum for the US Social Forum.
On June 27 an opening march from the Georgia Capitol building to the Atlanta Civic Center took place. Organizers estimated the crowd to be at 15,000. Organizers had hoped that 10,000 people would attend.
The goal of the first US Social Forum was to assist a movement that will end harmful US practices against all people by coordinating local US activists into a nation-wide movement.
The National Domestic Workers Alliance was formed as a result of the event, a group working toward a Domestic Workers' Bills of Rights in various states.
Activist librarians from the Progressive Librarians Guild
https://www.ussf2007.org/en/node/3887 and Radical Reference collected materials that were sent to the Labadie Collection at the University of Michigan.
from the June 22–26 in the North Goldberg area. More than 20,000 people attended. Detroit was chosen in part because of its activism in community building because of lack of social support from the federal government, leading to its partial divestment from the US government. Organizers hoped that half of the 15,000 participants they had predicted would be from the Midwest.
Organizers planned on supporting and beautifying the neighborhood. Thousands of bicycles used during the forum were to be donated to the residents afterward. Some attendees bought vacant homes that were donated to a local organization after the Forum. Supporters of the Forum were encouraged to create Peoples Movement Assemblies in their own communities.
Activists at the gathering participated in more than 1,000 self-organized workshops. One of the most well attended events was a conversation between Grace Lee Boggs
and Immanuel Wallerstein
. Thousands of Social Forum participants marched to occupy Chase Bank Detroit headquarters, resulting in a national Chase Bank official speaking with church leaders in Detroit about foreclosures.
Progressive religious groups played a larger role in the 2010 US Social Forum than at the 2007 event.
. Their mission is defined as "A gathering of people to discuss and analyze our conditions, to come up with demands, commitments, and visions for how things could be different. The PMA is a facilitated space to decide and coordinate, actions that will bring us closer to those visions."
The People's Movement Assemblies are informally organized groups of activists to coordinate and come up with solutions to various social problems. At the 2010 US Social Forum, over 200 organizations participated in 52 PMA's with 4 people to a group. In all, 45 resolutions for action were confirmed at the US Social Forum adding to another 24 created before the forum.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
which grew out of the World Social Forum
World Social Forum
The World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
process, bringing together activists, organizers, people of color, working people, poor people, and indigenous people from across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The goal of the gathering is to build unity around common goals of social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
, to build ties between organizations present at the event, and to help build a broader social justice movement. Planning for the first event was spearheaded by Project South, but dozens of other organizations from around the US were involved in the process. The US Social Forum defines itself as "a movement building process. It is not a conference but it is a space to come up with the peoples’ solutions to the economic and ecological crisis. The USSF is the next most important step in our struggle to build a powerful multi-racial, multi-sectoral, inter-generational, diverse, inclusive, internationalist movement that transforms this country and changes history."
National Planning Committee
After the 2005 World Social ForumWorld Social Forum
The World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
in Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, the US Social Forum National Planning Committee was formed with the group Grassroots Global Justice. The National Planning Committee includes over 45 groups, who oversee the fiscal and political responsibilities of the US Social Forum.
The National Planning Committee for the US Social Forum includes a number of big labor rights
Labor rights
Labor rights or workers' rights are a group of legal rights and claimed human rights having to do with labor relations between workers and their employers, usually obtained under labor and employment law. In general, these rights' debates have to do with negotiating workers' pay, benefits, and safe...
and social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
organizations, including the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
, Amnesty International USA
Amnesty International USA
Amnesty International USA is one of many country sections that make up Amnesty International worldwide.Amnesty International is an organization of more than 2.2 million supporters, activists and volunteers in over 150 countries, with complete independence from government, corporate or national...
, AFSCME, Center for Third World Organizing, Indigenous Environmental Network, Jubilee USA, Sociologists Without Borders
Sociologists Without Borders
Founded in Madrid in 2001, Sociologists without Borders/Sociólogos Sin Fronteras is a Non-Governmental Organization that advances a cosmopolitan sociology and its activities are considered to be Public sociology. The organization has active chapters in Brazil, Chile, Italy, Spain and the U.S., and...
, and a host of other organizations.
Activities of the US Social Forum
- Self-Organized Workshops
- People's Movement Assemblies
- Plenaries
- Work Projects & Work Brigades
- Detroit Expanded (DEX)
- USSF Village & Canopies
- Arts & Culture - Performances, Exhibitions, Film Festival
- Children's Social forum & Youth Camp
- Detroit Local Organizing
- International Participation
- Direct Action
- Open Spaces
- Tours
- Grassroots Fundraising
2007 US Social Forum
The first US Social Forum took place in AtlantaAtlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, USA on June 27 - July 1, 2007. Planning for the forum began in 2005. In June 2006, the Southeast Social Forum
Southeast Social Forum
The Southeast Social Forum was a gathering of about 550 people that took place in Durham, North Carolina, from June 16 to June 18, 2006, at North Carolina Central University. The attendees were people of all ages, and were mostly members of organizations from around the Southeastern United States...
took place in Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. One of the main priorities of the Southeast Social Forum was to plan for and build momentum for the US Social Forum.
On June 27 an opening march from the Georgia Capitol building to the Atlanta Civic Center took place. Organizers estimated the crowd to be at 15,000. Organizers had hoped that 10,000 people would attend.
The goal of the first US Social Forum was to assist a movement that will end harmful US practices against all people by coordinating local US activists into a nation-wide movement.
The National Domestic Workers Alliance was formed as a result of the event, a group working toward a Domestic Workers' Bills of Rights in various states.
Activist librarians from the Progressive Librarians Guild
Progressive Librarians Guild
The Progressive Librarians Guild was founded in New York City in January 1990 by librarians concerned with library profession's rapid drift into dubious alliances with business and the information industry, and into complacent acceptance of service to an unquestioned political, economic and...
https://www.ussf2007.org/en/node/3887 and Radical Reference collected materials that were sent to the Labadie Collection at the University of Michigan.
2010 US Social Forum
The 2010 US Social Forum took place in Detroit, MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
from the June 22–26 in the North Goldberg area. More than 20,000 people attended. Detroit was chosen in part because of its activism in community building because of lack of social support from the federal government, leading to its partial divestment from the US government. Organizers hoped that half of the 15,000 participants they had predicted would be from the Midwest.
Organizers planned on supporting and beautifying the neighborhood. Thousands of bicycles used during the forum were to be donated to the residents afterward. Some attendees bought vacant homes that were donated to a local organization after the Forum. Supporters of the Forum were encouraged to create Peoples Movement Assemblies in their own communities.
Activists at the gathering participated in more than 1,000 self-organized workshops. One of the most well attended events was a conversation between Grace Lee Boggs
Grace Lee Boggs
Grace Lee Boggs is an author, lifelong social activist and feminist. She is known for her years of political collaboration with C.L.R. James and Raya Dunayevskaya in the 1940s and 1950s. She eventually went off in her own political direction in the 1960s with her husband of some forty years, James...
and Immanuel Wallerstein
Immanuel Wallerstein
Immanuel Maurice Wallerstein is a US sociologist, historical social scientist, and world-systems analyst...
. Thousands of Social Forum participants marched to occupy Chase Bank Detroit headquarters, resulting in a national Chase Bank official speaking with church leaders in Detroit about foreclosures.
Progressive religious groups played a larger role in the 2010 US Social Forum than at the 2007 event.
People's Movement Assemblies
The People's Movement Assembly was present at the 2010 US Social Forum in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. Their mission is defined as "A gathering of people to discuss and analyze our conditions, to come up with demands, commitments, and visions for how things could be different. The PMA is a facilitated space to decide and coordinate, actions that will bring us closer to those visions."
The People's Movement Assemblies are informally organized groups of activists to coordinate and come up with solutions to various social problems. At the 2010 US Social Forum, over 200 organizations participated in 52 PMA's with 4 people to a group. In all, 45 resolutions for action were confirmed at the US Social Forum adding to another 24 created before the forum.
Sources
"PLG – ¡Presenté! Report from the United States Social Forum." Progressive Librarian 30. Winter 2007/2008, pp. 79–102.See also
- World Social ForumWorld Social ForumThe World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
- European Social ForumEuropean Social ForumThe European Social Forum is a recurring conference held by members of the alter-globalization movement . In the first few years after it started in 2002 the conference was held every year, but later it became biannual due to difficulties with finding host countries...
- Southern Africa Social ForumSouthern Africa Social ForumThe Southern African Social Forum is a Social Forum conference held in a different Southern Africa county each year.It is organised in the spirit of the World Social Forum but is not organized by the WSF Secretariat or the International Council...
- Boston Social ForumBoston Social ForumThe Boston Social Forum was the first North American social forum to use the methodology of the World Social Forum process and adhere closely to its Charter of Principles...
- Midwest Social ForumMidwest Social ForumThe Midwest Social Forum is an annual gathering that creates a space for grassroots organizations, community activists, educators, students, and others committed to social justice to come together to exchange experiences and information, strengthen alliances and networks, and devise strategies for...
- Southeast Social ForumSoutheast Social ForumThe Southeast Social Forum was a gathering of about 550 people that took place in Durham, North Carolina, from June 16 to June 18, 2006, at North Carolina Central University. The attendees were people of all ages, and were mostly members of organizations from around the Southeastern United States...
- World Economic ForumWorld Economic ForumThe World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
External links
- 2010 US Social Forum
- 2007 US Social Forum
- Media from the 2007 US Social Forum
- Grace Lee Boggs on the 2010 US Social Forum - video report by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...