Below is a brief summary of the New England Convergence held
at Union United Methodist Church, 485 Columbus Ave, Boston MA from Friday
evening 11/16 through this morning 11/18.
OVERVIEW
II. Saturday AM - the panel topics above, plus "Fee and Dividend", were covered via ~25 person groups and rotating SME speakers that allowed all participants interaction on all topics. Speakers: Adi Nochur (Shale Gas), David Stember (Tar Sands), Shea Riester (Divestment), Gary Ruzinski (Fee and Dividend), Shanna Cleveland (Coal)
III. Saturday Mid-day - Planners evaluated morning experience and identified campaign themes for the afternoon
IV. Saturday PM - After briefing on campaign planning, participants self selected into one of these campaign "rough out" groups: No new natural gas infrastructure, Stop tar sands from reaching the Atlantic, Divestment (Colleges/Universities), Divestment (Pensions/Community), Putting a price on carbon, Other via Open Space
V. Saturday PM - Reconvene all participants to share results of afternoon
VI. Sunday AM - Detailed campaign planning
OVERVIEW
- The concept of "convergence" was used to bring expertise, knowledge, experience from across New England, to build relationships, to educate, and to create action plans/campaigns
- Planning, organized by 350MA.org and other 350 state organizations, included preparatory conference calls for weeks prior with finishing touches and facilitator training on Friday night.
- There were 150 participants from across New England, with representation from every state, plus subject matter experts coming from New England, Louisiana, and Upstate New York.
ORGANIZATION/TIMELINE
The event was organized primarily via a set agenda for
plenary sessions and breakout modules, with planned "just in time"
topic decisions to direct working sessions for Saturday afternoon Here's a step by step:
I. Saturday AM - panelists provided front-line reports from
their fields of action: Somerset MA coal plants (David Dion), Westfield MA Natural
Gas Plant (Mary Anne Babinski), Binghamton NY fracking resistance (Issac
Silberman), Lafayette LA environmental justice (Cherri Foytlin), East-west
corridor Maine resistance (Sydney Mitchell)
II. Saturday AM - the panel topics above, plus "Fee and Dividend", were covered via ~25 person groups and rotating SME speakers that allowed all participants interaction on all topics. Speakers: Adi Nochur (Shale Gas), David Stember (Tar Sands), Shea Riester (Divestment), Gary Ruzinski (Fee and Dividend), Shanna Cleveland (Coal)
III. Saturday Mid-day - Planners evaluated morning experience and identified campaign themes for the afternoon
IV. Saturday PM - After briefing on campaign planning, participants self selected into one of these campaign "rough out" groups: No new natural gas infrastructure, Stop tar sands from reaching the Atlantic, Divestment (Colleges/Universities), Divestment (Pensions/Community), Putting a price on carbon, Other via Open Space
V. Saturday PM - Reconvene all participants to share results of afternoon
VI. Sunday AM - Detailed campaign planning
NEXT STEPS
- Continue to work divestment in Pioneer Valley and stretch the TIAA/CREF effort to include/coordinate with others from across the region
- Stand by for communication on detailed campaigns
- Anticipate day of action on Martin Luther King Weekend 1/19-1/21
- Anticipate more pan-New England activity
