These past couple weeks have been intense but really productive. It started two Fridays ago with my first solo public action, which some of you saw on Facebook:
It was low key. Bruce and Bella (my ex-student/new studio assistant) hung out with me, but I was the only one with sign. It was a beautiful day, cool with warm sunshine. It felt like the weather signaled its approval by accompanying me on my mission. I got braver as the two hours passed and made more attempts to hand out literature to passing pedestrians. I was mostly content to show off my sign silently to passing traffic.
More importantly, my baby attempts to connect “on social” have borne some fruit and that seems pretty fast to me. I found digital residue from a local September 20th action and was able to dig up contact info. I emailed her cold and (bless her) she wrote me back. I got looped in, and voila! I have community!
I’ve found a group of people who do social justice work and have planned public actions before. They are planning an action for December 6th. I have attended 6 hours of meetings in two weeks. It’s a great, diverse group of good-hearted people with a lot of organizing ability among them. There are issues – after 6 hours we still haven’t settled on the route? But I’m remaining non-judgmental, watching and listening, and learning how this all works.
Here is the flyer for my action on November 29th:
It is not organized with coordinated art, music, speakers and press like the group December 6th , which is focused on DTE rate hikes, fracking and dirty energy:
But I borrowed a bullhorn:
Send me ideas on how to lead a small crowd!