The Story of a Parisian at The U.S. Social Forum

by Haby Dramé, MPT Intern

The US Social Forum 2010 took place in Detroit, Michigan from June 22th to June 26^th and you know what, I was there!

Interning with Michigan Peace Team since the beginning of May, I’ve been invited to participate as a team member in the different peace teams they placed during the opening march and the protest in front of Chase bank.

I have to confess that before I came to the U.S, I didn’t know that a US Social Forum was taking place every

other year. I have heard about the World Social Forum of course but I’d never heard about a US Social Forum and I think a lot of people in Paris are just like me. It was a giant surprise to find myself here for this wonderful event and in some way to be a part of it. If you had asked me to describe my feelings about the events right after the opening march all I would have been able to say is "Wow!"

What impressed me the most during the Forum is the opening march. It was impressive, powerful and so beautiful! As peace team members, we had to walk on both sides of the road to Cobo Hall, where the opening ceremony was to take place. More than 20, 000 folks from all over the United States were in Detroit this day. All those people were united for the same goal, singing, dancing and chanting slogans (a week after the event I still find myself chanting some of them sometimes), young

folks, older folks, whites people, African-Americans, Native Americans, Asians, all ages and all races were there. Detroit people were on the sidewalk taking pictures of the march (I was happy to sit for some pictures too!) and making videos. A lot of people were looking out of their windows and greeting the march. We could see how glad they were that the forum takes place in their city.

Detroit was, from my point of view, such a good choice for the forum because it’s a beautiful city with a lot of diversity and culture; a place where people want to live in peace and justice...and this is the main goal of the Social forum! We took two hours to reach Cobo Hall and I think I smiled for two hours. I didn’t wear the right shoes for the march but when we finally arrived at Cobo Hall my head was full of beautiful pictures, I forgot all about my feet… J

United voices, distanced through the generations

By Chelsea Clark, MPT intern

The opening march to the US Social Forum was my first Peace Team. I was extremely nervous about how the day would go as it was my first time in Detroit. I was impressed by how many people were there and was overwhelmed with pride and emotions as the people around me were chanting. It was difficult to remain neutral and refrain from joining in the spirit of the march.

There was a real spirit of camaraderie and hope that surrounded everyone present. For much of the parade I was marching next to the young anarchist group and the youth voice of Detroit group. Their chants covered everything from immigration to the oil spill, but most revolved around the need for change and the power of the people. There chants filled me with a sense that together we actually do have power. I mean who in Detroit that day could ignore the thousands of shouting protestors? After the parade I went to Greek town with a friend for dinner and literally every single person in the restaurant was wearing an orange USSF bracelet. The waiter was so interested in trying to find out what was going on that he was sitting down at the tables and talking to us about why were there. It just reinforced the feeling that in mass our voices can be heard and can educate others.

Another thing that I kept hearing throughout the week is how great it is that I'm so young and so involved in the social movement and how great it is that so many young people showed up to the forum. The people that I talked to kept telling me how shocked they were that there were so many young people involved in the discussions because at their group meetings only the "grey haired" people show up. But to me I was surprised to see so many older people at the march and at the events throughout the week. To me, and maybe it's because I spend so much of my time on a college campus isolated from any one not in my age group, something like the US Social Forum sounded like an event for the young and radical. I hadn't realized that there were so many older people fighting for the same things as I was fighting for. For me, I realized how large of an intergenerational communication gap exists.

This was again illustrated to me while I was working at the Tent city. There were several tent cities for the event, but they were all divided into age groups. The one I was working at was specifically for the young 20 crowd. As we worked I sat at a picnic table and soon a group of campers came and sat next to me. We talked about our days, what we had learned and what we were involved with back at home. It was a good conversation, but we were all in about the same place in our lives doing nearly the same things, but maybe for different causes. In the meantime, Liz, was also working on the team but she sat alone keeping watch over the shower area. She didn't want to wander the campsite for fear of interrupting the campers fun.

Okay, I understand why the organizers created the tent cities around age groups. It was an effort to create a community and to keep everyone feeling comfortable. However, I believe that the conversation we had around the picnic table could have been more enriching if more than a 5 year age range was present. In groups you learn the most from those that are the most different than yourself. At an event where everybody holds the same ideals, our differences are what will lead to innovative ideas to continue our shared fight. Separating ourselves among generational lines cuts the conversation short and hinders our ability to learn from the past while utilizing the resources of the present. If we really believe in the chants that were yelled during the opening march that united we, the people, can change the world then we must make a greater effort to communicate and combine efforts throughout the age continuum.

MPT at U.S. Social Forum Chase Bank Action

MPT at U.S. Social Forum Chase Bank Action

By: Ray M. Wolfe, MPT Intern

Senior staff at Michigan Peace Team reached out in an attempt to field a large peace team for a march and demonstration at Chase Bank’s headquarters in Detroit during the social forum. They were not disappointed when more than 30 people responded and attended Friday morning the day of the event. I was fortunate enough to spend most of the week in Detroit for the U.S. Social Forum and was honored to be a part of this peace team.

My experience serving on this particular team at this action would prove to be very moving and positive. We broke the larger group into several affinity teams with four or five members each. Sheri was the experienced member in my group and did a great job ge

tting us prepared to be a strong team in the field. I was surprised at how much I found myself caring and looking out for Sheri and the others in my affinity team as the day progressed.

Our team managed to stay together brilliantly throughout the somewhat chaotic rally and march to Chase Towers. One of the hardest things for me was remaining neutral and refraining from chanting and singing with the demonstrators. It took a lot of focus to keep at the task of providing a safe and peaceful space for the people to air their grievances.

Once we arrived at the bank the people all gathered upon the steps and continued their demonstration. The organizers of the event had put together a delegation to try and enter the bank and demand a meeting with senior Chase officers. These were people who were willing to be arrested to draw attention to their struggle. The most humbling and exci

ting part of my day was when our affinity team was asked to surround the delegation in front of the bank’s doors and the legion of police officers defending them.

Sheri consulted the team to be sure we were all okay with providing a barrier between the police and the delegation. We took our places and I was moved to tears at times looking into the faces of those willing to suffer for their principles. One lady in the delegation was 93 years old and she was on the very front lines.

The picture formed in front of those doors was very powerful indeed

with peace team members standing between the police and the protesters and National Lawy

ers Guild members very near by watching diligently. The message seemed to be sent loud and clear to law enforcement and security that they would not be able to trample these people or their rights.

At the end of the day we were successful in providing a safer space for the people to exercise

their right to assemble. The bank agreed to meet with four members of the delegation and committed to a meeting within two weeks to allow the grievances of the community to be expressed and addressed. I am completely convinced that Michigan Peace Team played a critical role in this success and I was very pleased to be a part of it.