Community Alliance for Global Justice, UFCW 21 & Town Hall Seattle present
Another World is Possible! WTO+20
How a People’s Uprising Shut-Down the World Trade Organization in ‘99 & Why it Matters for Today’s Movements for Justice
SAT NOV 30, 2019: 10AM – 4PM; Doors open at 9AM
Location: Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101. FREE EVENT: Please register so we know how much food to order!
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Town Hall Parking & Transit info. Town Hall Access info.
Today in Seattle, and around the world, social movements are taking to the streets, striking, locking down, and engaging in multiple forms of direct action. These tactics build collective power to transform the intersecting crises of our times into opportunities for equity, healing, and sustainability.
1919-1999-2019
In 1919 over 65,000 workers with held their labor during the Seattle General Strike; in 1999 over 50,000 people took to the streets of Seattle, and shut down the World Trade Organization’s conference.
WTO+20!
In 2019 we gather to honor this history, and the power of non-violent direct action, through story-telling, trainings, and movement-building workshops, to make another world possible. Activists who were part of the mobilization will share stories and lessons learned from the people’s movement which made history by successfully preventing the WTO – one of capitalism’s most powerful global institutions – from further consolidating its power.
And we will hear from leaders of today’s movements for justice, from Washington farmworkers to global alliances. Join the WTO+20 gathering for hands-on direct action training, arts workshops, story-telling, and opportunities to plug into local organizing! Let’s inspire action to change the world!
PROGRAM
9AM Doors Open: Community Tabling Fair, Live Music with Correo Aereo and a Cantastoria will be performed, a musical giant painted-picture story: “WTO to GND: WTF!”, by David Solnit & musicians
10:00 – 10:30 WELCOME!
Music with Correo Aereo
10:30 – 12:00 Dialogue on significance of 1999 WTO protests, and stories of direct action, from 1999 to today
Ramon Torres & Edgar Franks, Familias Unidas por la Justicia
Paul Cheoketen Wagner, Founder of Protectors of the Salish Sea
Nancy Haque, Labor/Direct Action Network organizer in ’99, Executive Director of Basic Rights Oregon
Lisa Fithian, Author of Shut It Down: Stories from a Fierce, Loving Resistance
Deborah James, coordinator of Our World Is Not for Sale Network
12:00 – 12:45 LUNCH
12:45 – 3:45 TRAINING & MOVEMENT-BUILDING WORKSHOPS
Simultaneous:
Training:
Escalating Resistance, Mass Rebellion Training with Lisa Fithian
Movement-building workshops:
- Seattle’s Green New Deal with Matt Remle (Lakota) Co-founder of Mazaska Talks, and Alec Connon, 350Seattle
- Campaign to permanently shut down the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington, with Ashley Del Villar and Fletcher Christie, La Resistencia
- A new global economic constitution written by Amazon? What’s happening in the WTO and what can we do about it, with Deborah James
Throughout the day: Screen-printing with David Solnit, Direct Action Network organizer in ’99, North American Arts Organizer, 350.org
3:45 – 4:00 BREAK
4:00 – 5:00 CLOSING: Commitments to Building Another World and Music with Jim Page
Hosted by Community Alliance for Global Justice, UFCW 21 & Town Hall Seattle
Thank you to our Generous Sponsors: UFCW 21, SEIU 925, WA State Labor Council, 350Seattle, and Sustainable Ballard
Thank you to our Co-Sponsors: 350Seattle, American Federation of Teachers, Clean Greens Farm & Market, Earth Care not Warfare, Economics for Everyone, Faith Action Network, Familias Unidas por la Justicia, Greenpeace USA, Health Alliance International, LELO, Mazaska Talks, Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace (OMJP), PSARA, Puget Sound Sage, Real Change News, Red Noses, Seattle Education Association, SEIU 925, Sunrise Movement Seattle, Tools for Change, UAW 4121, US Women and Cuba Collaboration, WA Fair Trade Coalition
Thank you to our Community Partners: Backbone Campaign, Community to Community Development, EarthCorps, Edible Seattle, Evergreen Center for Community Based Learning and Action, Green Plate Special, JUUstice Washington, NAMA-Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance, National Family Farm Coalition, Northwest Harvest, Seattle CISPES, Social Justice Fund, UW Anthropology, UW Geography, UW Nutritional Sciences Program, UW School of Social Work, Village Volunteers
GET INVOLVED!
Email Heather Day (heather@cagj.org) or call 206.405.4600
Join Organizing Committee:
- Be part of developing the program and outreach plan
- Join weekly calls on WED at noon as often as possible.
- AND/OR commit to reading weekly notes, and replying to asks by email as often as possible.
Co-Sponsor:
- Indicates your organizational endorsement of the purpose of the event
- Agree to be listed as Co-Sponsor
- Agree to help publicize through social media, your newsletter, website ETC.
Community Partner: For groups who decide to not Co-Sponsor:
- Commit to help publicize through social media, your newsletter, website ETC.
RESOURCES
About the 1999 WTO Protests
Also see WTO Resources page
Short Article: 7 Ways the Battle of Seattle Changed the World: Ten years later, the protests of 1999 are still having an impact, by Fran Korten, Yes Magazine
Longer analysis of protests: Black Flag Over Seattle, by Paul de Armond, WA Researcher and political commentator
Longer analysis including WTO background: WTO Meeting & Protests in Seattle, by Kit Oldham, HistoryLink
Documentary film: This is What Democracy Looks Like, cut from the footage of over 100 media activists; Film website.
Direct action resources:
Beautiful Trouble: Direct Action as Tactic
Why Direct Action? by 350 Seattle
A Manual for a New Era of Direct Action, George Lakey
The Ruckus Action Strategy Guide
About the slogan “Another World is Possible”
“Another World is Possible” is the primary slogan of the World Social Forum, a process of global convergence founded in Brazil in 2001. Learn more about World Social Forums: Grassroots Global Justice Alliance
About the 1919 Seattle General Strike