Greenline August 2019

Hello Greens! Our 2019 Annual Meeting was great! There were over 250 attendees with us for long weekend at Salem State University in Massachusetts. This is the largest Annual Meeting we’ve had in at least a decade and we’re very happy about that! If you were there, thank you for coming. If you weren’t there, we hope you were able to watch some of our livestreams and hope you’ll come to our 2020 Presidential Convention next summer.

This August issue of GreenLine is dedicated to reporting back on what happened at the Annual Meeting and to share lots of photos and links to videos that you can watch. I hope you enjoy the articles, photos and videos!

Peace,
Starlene Rankin
GreenLine Editor

The Green National Committee just decided that the 2020 Green Party Presidential Nominating Convention will take place in Detroit, Michigan, from July 9-12.

The Detroit Green Party, Wayne County Green Party and the Green Party of Michigan will host the Convention at Wayne State University.

Stay tuned for more information!

Thursday Opening Event

“It’s all on the same chain”: Immigrant Detention, Prisoner Solidarity, and the Crisis of Mass incarceration – Speaker: Dr. Toussaint Losier, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Dr. Toussaint Losier, Assistant Professor in the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, was the opening keynote speaker Thursday evening. Dr. Losier eloquently and forcefully made the connection to the decades long crisis of mass incarceration to the current on-going detention of migrants at the Southern border of the United States. In the summer of 2018, large numbers of those incarcerated in prisons across 17 states participated in work stoppages, hunger strikes, sit-ins to protest the “modern day slavery” treatment of those living in prisons.

Dr. Losier illustrated the way in which the U.S. prison system, which now holds over 2 million men and women behind bars, anticipated the recent rise in immigrant detention, not only in scale, but also on the reliance of cages and bars to fix broader social and economic problems. He presented the ten demands from the Jailhouse Lawyers Speak (JLS), a network of imprisoned legal advocates and organizers that touched on issues ranging from sentencing reform and legal rights to opportunities for rehabilitation and an end to the exploitation of those imprisoned as slave labor. Dr. Losier highlighted the particularly egregious plight of seniors who have been incarcerated for decades and are now in need of medical and other supportive services preferably received back into the community.

Lastly, Dr. Losier facilitated a lively question and comment session that examined the way prisoner organizers, like those in JLS, and we as Green Party candidates and organizers can fight to end mass incarceration, close detention facilities, and change our society for the better.

Thursday and Friday Workshops

The Coordinated Campaign Committee presented an overview of their work covering everything from the roles and responsibilities of committee members to current and future projects. At the ANM, the CCC also unveiled a new website as well as a new brochure, both designed to be resources for state and local parties as well as candidates.

Here is a sample of a few of the workshops: (click on the title to watch the video on Facebook)

The One Reform to Save America: Ranked Choice Voting at the Green Party 2019 National Meeting in Salem

Building a Mass Working Class Third Party at the Green Party 2019 National Meeting in Salem, MA

War is the Central Issue with Ajamu Baraka, Carol Coakley, Linda Thompson & Bahman Azad

Media, Messaging and Marketing for Greens at the Green Party 2019 National Meeting in Salem, MA!

Organizing Tools for Political Party Building

Organizing for an EcoSocialist Green New Deal

Saturday Plenary Day

Saturday morning kicked off with a showing of the film Colonization Is Extinction: A Documentary.

The filmmakers Gualterio and Jessica Alomar held a Q& A after the film and talked about the process they went through in making it. The film examines the current state of Puerto Rico, its current economic crisis, how colonialism has crippled the island. It shined light on the current state of Puerto Rico, its governmental state, as well as key people involved in the struggle to improve Puerto Rico for its people. The main points of discussion in the film surrounding the current economic crisis, how colonialism has crippled the island, as well as the current status of Oscar Lopez Rivera. The film portrays this through an interactive and engaging history of major events, such as the beginning of colonial rule, the Ponce Massacre, the bombings of Vieques, the sterilization of Puerto Rican women, and more.

Here is a link to information about the movie: http://www.theocho.net/colonization-is-extinction--documentary.html

A Panel Discussion on “Colonialism as the Seed of Oppression” with (left to right) Anita Rios, Violet Rose Zitola, Darlene Elias, Robin Harris, Jessica Alomar and Gualterio Alomar followed the film.

Here is a link to the video of “A panel discussion on Colonialism as the seed of oppression:

https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyUS/videos/2649064798439264/

Plenary Keynote Address by Ajamu Baraka

Ajamu Baraka, is the Director of Black Alliance for Peace and 2016 GPUS vice-presidential nominee.

Click here to watch the video of the Keynote Address by Ajamu Baraka.

Sunday Morning Plenary

Defying Empire, Defending Democracy, & Powering Up with Ranked Choice Voting

The 2019 GPUS Annual National Meeting was concluded with a presentation and panel discussion titled: Defying Empire, Defending Democracy, and Powering up with Ranked Choice Voting. This presentation began with former GPUS Presidential Nominee, Jill Stein, discussing the role of the Green Party in fighting for electoral reforms/integrity and standing up for the right to democratically participate as a party for the people. This introduction was then followed by Activist/Journalist, James Lane, who discussed the history of Ranked Choice Voting reform in the US and the importance of moving to an electoral system with Ranked Choice Voting, to allow people to vote in their best interests without the fear of "spoiling" elections.

The final segment of this presentation featured a screening of the short documentary "The Battle for Ranked Choice Voting", produced by Scotty Vercoe and directed by Julie Mallozzi. This film captured the historic victory for Ranked Choice Voting in Maine. The film screening was then followed by a panel discussion on Ranked Choice Voting including Jill Stein, Kyle Bailey (director of the campaign for Ranked Choice Voting in Maine), Adam Friedman (executive director of Voter Choice Massachusetts), James Lane, and the film's producer - Scotty Vercoe. The panel discussion provided status on the efforts to get Ranked Choice Voting established around the nation and gave Greens in attendance a direct way to get involved in direct action in their own state to pursue electoral reform for Ranked Choice Voting. Watch video on Facebook here.

New Steering Committee Members were elected at the Annual Meeting!

The National Committee of the Green Party of the United States has announced the election of four co-chairs and secretary. Trahern Crews and Kristin Combs were newly elected as co-chairs, joining Gloria Mattera and Tony Ndege who were re-elected to a second term. David Gerry was elected secretary. The election results were announced at the National Committee meeting in Salem, Massachusetts, on July 27. The new Steering Committee members were elected to replace steering committee members whose terms had ended, and join continuing members Anita Rios, Margaret Flowers, Justin Beth and Hillary Kane.

The co-chairs serve as the spokespersons of the party and execute the day-to-day administration and operations. The co-chairs, secretary and treasurer form the party's Steering Committee, and are elected by the 239 members of the Green Party's National Committee, which consists of delegates from state Green Parties and Green caucuses. Read more here.

Click here for the Steering Committee page.

Fundraiser and Party

We had a great fundraiser at the Gerry FVA event facility. Woody Caceres, a Maryland Green, was the first act to entertain us. He got the crowd on its feet with his spoken word/performance art. You can see part of his act here. Ben Grosscup from Massachusetts played his original songs.

Our featured entertainer was comedian Lee Camp, host of Redacted tonight. He had us laughing for over half an hour. We really missed David Cobb as our fundraising “pitchman”. But Hillary Kane, GPUS Treasurer, helped us raise more than $9,000. All in all, everyone had a great time and we raised money.

Press Conferences

Press Conference Videos on Webpage: https://www.gp.org/press_conferences_held_at_the_anm

THURSDAY, JULY 26, 4PM - PRESS CONFERENCE WITH MEETING ORGANIZERS - GLORIA MATTERA HOSTED
https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyUS/videos/1286569351530869

FRIDAY, JULY 27, 9AM – PRESS CONFERENCE WITH GREEN PARTY CANDIDATES FOR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICE - ERIN FOX HOSTED
https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyUS/videos/399604204008645

1) Janis Richards, Mayor, Houston (Texas)

2) Carol Pryzbylak, Cheektowaga Town Council (suburb of Buffalo, New York)

https://www.facebook.com/CarolSandyPrzybylakforCTC/ @CarolSandyPryzbylakforCTC

3) Craig Cayetano, Hawthorne Town Council, Ward 3 (New Jersey)

https://www.facebook.com/pg/cayetano4council/community @cayetano4council

4) Hal Ridley, jr., US House of Representatives, District 38 (Texas)

FRIDAY JULY 26, 10:30 AM - PRESS CONFERENCE WITH GREEN PARTY MEMBERS ELECTED TO PUBLIC OFFICE - DAVID DOONAN HOSTED
https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyUS/videos/2355890701346996/

1) Charlene DiCalogero, Library Trustee, Berlin (Massachusetts)

https://charleneisgreen.nationbuilder.com

2) Tar Larner, Housing Board, Concord (Massachusetts), at the GP meeting in Salem

https://concordma.gov/1096/Housing-Authority

3) Michael Stewart, Greenville County Soil & Water Conservation District Commissioner (South Carolina)

https://www.greenvillecounty.org/SoilAndWater/Directory.aspx

2019 Annual Meeting Photo Gallery


Greens are happy to see other at the 2019 Annual Meeting! — with Philena Irene Farley, Brendan Phillips, Chris Blankenhorn, Sadie Fulton and Justin Beth.	Lee Camp with Meeting Organizers, Dee Taylor and Sheri Miller, who were both celebrating their birthdays!	Jody Grage, outgoing National Secretary. Jody was our Treasurer for a few years also. Thank you Jody for your many years of service to the Green Party!


The busy Registration Desk Volunteers! Sheri Miller, Dace Epps and Jacqui Deveneau	Volunteers putting Registration packets together. Thank you to everyone who helped!	Several Green Party US leaders checking in on how the meeting is going. Justin Beth (National Co-Chair), Sadie Fulton (NC Delegate), Tamar Yager (ANM Co-chair) and Violet Rose Zitola (Outgoing National Co-chair)


PA Greens taking a group selfie!	Holly Hart and Erin Fox, Co-chairs of the National Coordinated Campaign Committee	Green friends having lunch! Jennifer Sullivan, Paula Overby and Darlene Elias


John Andrews, Co-chair of the Presidential Campaign Support Committee, gives a workshop.	Tony Ndege and Brendan Phillips give a workshop on the plans of the Ballot Access Committee.	Hillary Kane, Coordinated Campaign Committee member, gives a workshop on the work on the CCC and their plans for the coming year.