NOTES AND MINUTES FROM 2001 GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING OF LINC		LINC HOME
		At the LINC GA workshop, representatives from each of the five organizations spoke about the history of LINC and gave other background. Then participants were asked to break into groups where they were asked a series of questions. Each group took notes. After the small group sessions, the whole group brainstormed together on "why should LINC exist" and "how can LINC achieve these goals." The notes from the small group sessions are combined below under each question. The notes from the large group brainstorm are at the end. Please note that some notes were illegible and are not recorded. Share your own identity Most groups did not record this section, and answers are not reproduced here. However, this sharing was important to getting the conversation off on the right track. It is a step that should not be skipped or assumed in similar meetings. What resources could LINC have for yourself and for the UUA that would be useful? Educate and agitate Building beloved community, for youth, e.g. Really press point that oppressions are linked Be really outrageous and radical Opportunities to share stories Light bulb: way to keep people in power; myth of limited resources CUUPS as part of the Coalition? Develop coalition statements Ask for formal Hold LINC identified Address economic and class oppressions in each of our groups When will these organizations actually come together? What will be the structure of LINC? How will it maintain itself? When can we come together? Let each other know about conferences, events. Help each other know what are the best ways to communicate with each other's members. Integrating our issues. Basics in radical organizing: strength in numbers. Where are class issues at this table? Important to the approach. We can all learn how to be healthier, more whole organizations from each other to increase our power. Points of unified concern union strike; support each other. That would totally rock. Welcoming congregation Anti-racism programming Spend more time in our own groups educating ourselves about each other. Leadership training program in anti-oppression. Curriculum development; bibliographies. Networking/LINC listserv Agenda building. Common agenda Info sheet on each group for circulation. YRUU safe space for questioning youth. Could provide information for youth advisors to help deal with questioning youth. Future minister. List of lay professional leaders in LINC who could do. Model for coalition work. Bring forward the various groups needs. What does it mean to have a larger voice in the UUA? Regular meetings. In what ways can caucusing of these five radical groups change the face of the UUA? Attention missing from congregations Affinity groups Creative staffing: Coalition, creative ways to share resources (including fundraising). Leadership development (example: Youth of color conference). UUA Election Reform. Address question of allies early. Conflict. Compete oppressions. UUA chosen to forget UUWF around. Compete for money? Able to get solidarity behind an action "Bi" issues. A seat at the table Get to know people to work with to help the UUA be a more just organization Place to share what I have to give Help UU's do more social action How can other radical revolutionaries who aren't members of LINC's partner organizations support and be supported by LINC (especially as a political radical in a liberal faith)? Helping prevent intergroup squabbling/competition. Turning talk into action. Voice at the table. Something that works. Caucus together to form more inclusive training. Whole picture. Dialogue about meshing of minorities. Identity groups. LINC: catalyst of walls of institutional oppression. The status quo is all talk and no walk. Increasing open-mindedness. Strength in numbers. Collectively advocating for social change. Erase tensions/divisions between these groups to allow authentic relationships to emerge. Cosponsoring resolutions. Bylaws work for LINC Political strength—one group instead of five separate. To the extent that all five groups shift their thinking and culture around oppression in response to each other, the culture of the UUA will start to shift. In will come back to the local congregations (we need to be institutional about this linking of identities getting back to local congregations). These groups need more financial support and more support from UUA. Training resources. How can the voices of these groups be amplified when unified by LINC? Theme, Song, Chant. How can it not? Silent witness (interior within UUA) Front and center at Plenary Signs in aisle. Grassroots at home stand up and support local within communities. Outreach person/PR person. Volunteer elected position. UUA position? Effective lobbying. LINC Rep for every district. Every board has one position with a link portfolio who works on planning for GA. Power in numbers. Bringing concerns backed by five groups can be more powerful. Use common ground and join together. If oppressed under knows there is a group out there in existence they will fell more supported. Voice for people with disabilities? in UUA. What common threads bind all of these groups together? Associate and Affiliate. Need to get to know each other better. Fear. Take time; fragile. Too easy to run away. Common feeling of oppression. Want to see us being the best Unitarian Universalists we can be from learning from and supporting each other. Not recognized equally with white male patriarchy Lack of adequate training Lack of support and development of training Power in numbers is needed. Lack of institutional power. Marginalization from power structure within the UUA system. Care about justice. Wanting to open people's minds that we are all equal. We all want to influence the culture of the UUA. Seeking paradigm shifts is part of each of our identities. We are all really good looking. Gorgeous in fact. We all have constituencies that face economic/class oppression. Hardcore GA reality. We all have members who find if difficult, if not impossible, to attend GA. We make up the majority. Easily silenced. All human beings. Self-advocacy is needed. You feel your need to justify who you are. Why should LINC exist? Class oppression and economic accessibility of GA common to all member organizations. Wrongs to right and all voices heard. Relation with each other and transformations through relationships Multiple wisdom to share Break down the myth of limited resources. Celebrate life! Learn how to do action of the UUA. We are the majority. Sharing the pie. Internal reform (clean our own house.) Information sharing (program sharing). Develop broader and deeper leadership. To press the point that oppressions are linked. Fulfilling the promise. Working together rather than competing. 5 is louder than one. How should LINC work? Put items on Agenda. (GA). Know and understand process to facilitate goals. LINC position on Board and GA planning committee. Change decision making structures to be more inclusive. Grassroots organizing. SAI's in LINC organizations to make LINC position. Be inclusive LINC GA workshop. Keep connected during the year. Represent accessibility issues and economic issues. LINC portfolios. Include CUUPS $$$$ Rework and re-work and work it! Training and education. Serve as allies and support for each other, learn about each others causes. UUA election reform.