Another Midwest Social Forum is Possible!

Freedom Now! Milwaukee, 06.07.2006 00:32

July 2, 2006

An Open Letter to the Midwest/Radfest Social Forum from the Freedom Now! Milwaukee Collaborative, Education For The People!, the Latino Student Union and others.

An Open Letter to the Midwest/Radfest Social Forum from the Freedom Now! Milwaukee
Collaborative, Education For The People!, the Latino Student Union and others.

July 2, 2006

We are People of Color of conscience, of independent political views who believe in the destruction of white supremacy within social movements and who demand equal respect.

The Midwest/Radfest Social Forum will take place July 2006 at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, but it is not about building a movement for a more just Milwaukee..  A Social Forum should make a commitment to the struggles of the local area where the event is held. Last year, the Midwest Social Forum was named RadFest and held in posh Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  RadFest historically has been a retreat for white activists to examine and discuss social movements, and prospects for white student and white activist
collaboration.  The current incarnation of the "Forum" did not grow collectively out of the social forum movement, it was just renamed the Midwest Social Forum.

This year, it was decided that RadFest?s name be changed and the location be moved to a "more accessible" place such as UW-Milwaukee, ironically, one of the most inaccessible
institutions in the City for Black and Brown folk.  Radfest Social Forum Colonizers believed that if the retreat was held in an "urban" setting, more people of color and poor people would attend.

In addition to moderate attempts to recruit more people of color, the language of the retreat was changed to create the illusion that it would be truly multiracial and more closely aligned to a social forum.  But rather than learn from work that is already being
done in Milwaukee?s communities, organizers imposed their vision of what their urbanized retreat would look like, then invited people of color to join in.  Sounds familiar, right?

The Radfest Social Forum is again illustration of the kinds of struggles people of color deal with when confronting white supremacy.  Rather than move toward discussion before
claiming the Midwest Social Forum, Radfest proceeded to bypass a process of mutual respect and dialogue between our communities of social justice advocates.

The Midwest/Radfest Social Forum used a tired dynamic that we as people of color know well: wealthy white people who have no investment in our communities came in, drew the blueprints, gathered the materials, and then invited us to do the work so it?s done right and benefits them.

According to the World Social Forum website, "The World Social Forum is also characterized by plurality and diversity, is non-confessional, non-governmental and non-party. It proposes to facilitate decentralized coordination and networking among
organizations engaged in concrete action towards building another world, at any level from the local to the international, but it does not intend to be a body representing world civil society. The World Social Forum is not a group nor an organization."

We do not believe the Radfest Social Forum sees the efforts of people of color as rrelevant, but we do believe it sees people of color who are politically independent, consciously strong and politically capable as a threat.  The threat we believe they see is the inability to control people of color who are working independently to create and
promote the Social Forum Movement to reflect the World Social Forum and to be at the table as equals and not subordinates.

Our activities should not be seen as a threat but as a strength in the cause of social justice.  We will work with those who are truly committed to forging partnerships that are built with mutual respect and who believe in a sincere and honest effort to advance
the conditions of people or color and will stand shoulder to shoulder with us.  We will work within a framework of a grassroots democratic movement and partner with those who will work to that end.  The Midwest Social Forum is not a slogan or something someone can
claim as their own.  It is not something to be conquered or in which a flag can be stuck.

South African Freedom Fighter Steve Biko said that, "We can never wage any struggle without offering a strong counterpoint to the white races that permeate our society so effectively".

We as people of color working to build a Milwaukee free of colonialist and neo-liberal mentalities need to continue building our own counterpoints to racist forces that experiment in our neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, and on our streets without being
diverted by well-meaning white liberals that want to tell us they know best.

We as people who fight everyday for people?s dignity, safety and opportunity in Milwaukee must make alliances that respect and focus on building connections within the Black and Brown, Native and Asian communities in Milwaukee, without waiting for liberals or
neo-liberals to create a space for us to do it.

We as people of color need to also recognize the totality of the neo-colonialist, neo-liberal, neo-conservative power structure: We are told that that the killings, beatings, and mass incarceration of our brothers and sisters are justified, we are told that we deserve to be deported or imprisoned, we are told we don't deserve good schools,
heath, or jobs, and then we are told how to best respond to the problem.

Another Midwest Social Forum is Possible!  And it will be ours.  It will be created and attended by those that fight everyday for Milwaukee?s people our neighborhoods.  It will move us forward together and develop a multiracial, multigenerational effort that transfers and redirects our city toward racial and economic justice, human rights, and freedom from oppression.  Join us, engage us.  We will meet on Saturday July 8  during the event to continue to unite.  Contact: 414.322.0032 for meeting details and more information.

!Juntos Adelante!