About Occupy Houston

October 11th, 2011 · · 17 comments

Come out and be a part of creating a public forum where every person can be heard and every proposal toward redefining and taking back The People’s fair share of resources will be heard by all of Occupy Houston (and the world!).

We’ve only just begun. We are still working out some basic decision making (‘Process’) issues in the General Assemblies, as well as working out many basic supply and demand issues between the occupiers and those contributing or gathering supplies. As time goes on we are now getting time during GAs to also propose Direct Action events and larger picture agendas. It’s an exciting time to be alive and making history! Come join us. Together, WE are the 99%

Newcomers are Welcome!

For those of you first approaching Occupy Houston, and now knowing what to expect, I’d say be prepared to meet some of the most receptive, open-minded and visionary people! Definitely a leaderless movement comprised of many leaders, it’s tempting to come into the new situation looking for direction from those already at the occupation -and certainly for those wishing to donate X amount of time or money, the question “What do you all need most right now?” is a fine question. Yet for those looking to creatively apply themselves and their particular skill set, the running motto of many occupiers seems to go something like “if you see a good way of doing something beneficial to the movement, then by all means, Do it! We’ll support you”. There’s simply SO MUCH TO BE DONE  that we must each find the most effective ways to apply ourselves and then dive in (and oftentimes this means basic community tasks, like washing dishes, emptying trash and recycle bins, help out with Food, Medical, Security, asking who needs help in general… )

If you’re wondering how you might contribute to the movement, one of the best things you can do to get a feel for what Occupy Houston is about and where you can most enjoyably and effectively fit in, is to attend a General Assembly. There are held every day at 7PM, but check the Events page for the latest news just in case something has come up or conflicted with the days’ GA. There are as many ways to contribute to this movement of The People, By The People, and For The People, and everyone is encouraged to decide on their own how they would most enjoy participating. Let’s start with meetings…

Meetings

Check the Events page or Facebook EVENTS for dates, times, and updates of the main assemblies, meetings and direct actions.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY meetings are currently being held every day at the Downtown Central Library at 7:00 PM.

See the Guide to General Assembly

If it’s your first time at a General Assembly, you should review the guide linked above, and/or ask for a Newcomer’s Guide to General Assembly from a facilitator (Welcomer’s should have these documents), and/or show up 1 hour early and inquire about facilitation training if you want to understand the inner workings of a GA or participate as a facilitator.

 

Volunteer Group Meetings

We’ve received a lot amazing feedback from folks who want to know how they can help end corporate dominance. Come join us! Get involved! Our forum has sections for our volunteer groups. Pick a group that interests you, start posting, and get involved! Generally, each group meets after a GA to discuss group-specific tasks and concerns. Many times you can show up at the occupation and find at least someone to talk to from each group.

Whether you can show up and contribute your time and skills in person (optimal!) or contribute from your home (also awesome!), a good first step is figuring out which type of contribution is going to make the most of your skills, time and/or material resources. Take a look at the following groups and consider posting there. For even faster communication with these volunteer groups, come to a GA (General Assembly) or check out the Contact Page as some groups have a direct line to their core volunteers listed on this page.

  • Outreach: Spread the word! Get our message out and get others involved!
  • Media: Help out Occupy Houston’s dealings with the media, in meatspace or cyberspace.
  • Logistics: Event planning, location, staging, and keeping our wheels turning
  • Research: Got a cool idea? Research it and provide info for all the other work groups so they can make better decisions
  • Signs: Make awesome signs to distribute on the street at our events
  • Legal: Keep us and our protests safe and lawful and make sure we’re prepared for law enforcement and government reactions.
  • Public Education: An informed public is an effective public. Post the facts here, and just the facts.
  • Diversity: Reach out to all groups. We are all the 99% regardless of race, sex, creed, or religion
  • Food: An occupation can’t run on solidarity alone. Coordinate food and drink logistics here.
  • Direct Action: Have a specific issue or cause you’d like to see addressed? Post about it here!

A big part of Occupy Houston are the Direct Action events such as marching, giving speeches, protesting. For a preliminary guide to prepare for a direct action see this article (includes Dos and Dont’s  as well as What to Bring).

 

Cant make it to a meeting? Don’t want to hassle with Forums?

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