Doo-Occupy - Bail Out America Training

We want to boost the potential of the "American Spring" by bringing training and model actions to push strategic, movement building demands.  Allied trainers, artists and Backbone Campaign staff will lead a weekend of training and action preparation in the DC/Baltimore area.  Then we will execute two days of EPIC actions pushing for universal principal reduction/an end to evictions and student debt relief ("jubilee")/Free higher education.  Political education on systemic causes of current debt crisis and issues of economic justice and democracy will be interwoven with the trainings, as will skills for participants to bring back to their communities.  Though our trainings and creative actions will be in the DC/Baltimore area, our outreach and internal media will reach far beyond those attending to help shape the identity and demands of occupiers and complimentary populist organizing across the country this spring and beyond.  Occupy Our Homes, Occupy Student Debt, New Bottom Line, City Life/Vida Urbana, Towson University activists, and others are already on board in some capacity.  We hope you will consider partnering with us on this, and hopefully future efforts. In brief: (not including prep or wrap-up) Schedule will be: 2 days of training (March 31 & April 1), 2 days of action (April 2 & 3) Trainings/Build would include:

Grand strategy Creative tactics NVDA Community Organizing for Eviction Protection Imagery Build: Giant Debt Ball, Debt Slave chains and costumes, Underwater imagery for Bail Out America Swing Dancing ;-) - preparation for Sock hop occupation of an agency & potential Benefit concert Political education on housing and student debt crisis drawing from allies.  See resource pages and podcasts here: Bail Out America Podcast /Resource Page  - AND - Student Debt Jubilee Podcast/Resource page

Action: Housing-crisis related target for principal reduction with Doo Occupy our Homes theme Student Debt related target for Student Debt jubilee Our Doo-Occupy musical theme combined with compelling Bail Out America imagery for principal reduction/eviction protection for underwater mortgages AND Student Debt Jubilee - Higher Education Ought to be Free giant debt slavery Ball & Chain and Under-water House will confront agencies and corporatins with bold, compelling, and creative nonviolent direct actions.  We hope these will inspire community-based organizers to escalate to stronger actions around the country as well.   Promo Video, Local Action and Follow-up We are producing a call to action video that will be distributed by these allies.  This music video, riffing on the Doo-Occupy musically inspired theme with a re-write of 1950's Doo-wop song will call people to action as well as launch a Doo-Occupy song book and video contest.  Our intent is that the Doo-Occupy - Bail Out America actions in the first week of April happen not only in DC but elsewhere across the country, playing on the themes and using the online tool kits we develop.  We are especially targeting Baltimore and DC area students, organizations and regional Occupiers (some of whom are coming to the NowDC occupy social forum).   I've attached mp3s from the Doo-Occupy recording session and we will soon have our call to action video ready for distribution.Thank you one again for your consideration.   In gratitude and solidarity, Bill Moyer Executive Director Backbone Campaign 206-408-8058 PS - At our website you will see that we have already begun the process of providing activists with organizing tools in these and other areas: Bail Out America Podcast /Resource Page Student Debt Jubilee Podcast/Resource page Recent Supreme Court Rally and Projection Actions on Anniversary of Citizens United Projection Action at US Supreme Court  Here is a video of a recent DC effort we designed: Recent Supreme Court Rally