By boy@riseup.net

One major issue anti-authoritarian activists struggle with in the US is engaging low-income and minority communities in the process of horizontal organizing leading to specific actions or broad based movements. I work with Direct Action to Stop the War (www.actagainstwar.net) in San Francisco, and was involved in the 5th anniversary of the war protests this past March.  Like many anti-authoritarian organizations, our loose network has difficulties engaging and maintaining relationships with low-income communities.  I spent the last month of July in Oaxaca to learn about how community and organizational relationships exist here, and was fortunate to work with the people at, and live in, CASA Chapulin.

The day I moved into CASA Chapulin the serious reality of an active movement revealed itself to me. I had gone out for a drink and returned home late to find a note at my door. A member of VOCAL (David) was receiving threats because of his open activism in bringing people together to speak about their struggles and articulating the demands and reasons for the struggle to audiences of all sorts, amongst other things. The threat here is real, as many Oaxacan social activists have been jailed, disappeared, or worse. Because of the threats, David was in a safe space in Oaxaca City and I was to accompany him to leave before dawn for a far away pueblo. I immediately recognized the signs of good security culture as I had no real idea where we were going or why. My having been recommended by a friend got me invited, but after that building trust was up to me.

Six hours later we arrived at our destination to meet with some students studying to be teachers in Oaxaca. The teachers showed deep respect for David and many students came to see the presentation and discuss social issues, specifically the roles of teachers in struggle. It was a full day of long conversations with everyone invited to speak at an equal footing, given as much time as needed to express opinions. The day even included a dinner break and people came and went as they pleased durin the meeting. To broaden the perspective, David showed videos such as The Fourth World War and Plan Puebla Panama. Students discussed topics such as neoliberalism, autonomous organization, capitalism, and corruption with relative ease far surpassing the general public (or even the university educated) of the US. At the end of the exhausting meeting no decisions were made and no specific actions called for, but a conversation was had, perspectives were shared, and relationships were created; all things essential to movement building. The day was formative and impressive to me. It was the first in a series of experiences that led me to understand that the movement's development here far surpasses that of any region in the US I have experienced. It made me recognize my relative inexperience, and realize how far we have to go in the SF Bay Area.

Since then I've been to a pueblo assembly based on usos y costumbres (indigenous self-governance practices) and other meetings, and begun to see a pattern of long, horizontal, and inclusive meetings addressing an array of issues.

Oaxaquenos have an indigenous tradition of this form of communication, and many communities here organize themselves in assembly fashion. This tradition aids activists in engaging poor communities through assembly-based communication, but is not the only reason for the success of assembles like APPO in being inclusive. Activists such as David take assertive steps to contact communities, organizations, and schools that would be willing to have discussions where people listen and speak. This relentless pursuit of dialogue fosters personal relationships and trust that greatly aid in the engagement of low-income communities within the social struggle.

This month there have been numerous marches, such as the Zaachila march, the July 16 remembrance march, the two pre-Guelaguetza Popular marches in Oaxaca City and many others in surrounding communities and pueblos. There have been vehicle barricades, small plantons, and of course the Guelaguetza Popular. All these activities could seem like a series of separate one-off actions like most actions in the US are. However, having the contacts through CASA Chapulin to scratch the surface and get a taste of the extensive amount of communication and affinity underlying the sentiments of these actions reveals the heart of the popular social movement below. It is a movement based on relentless community dialogue, horizontal organizing, listening, patience, and traditional values in struggle for dignity, liberty, and justice.

I've only been here for one month and I'm positive that I don't fully understand the political situation here, but I have learned something about engaging low-income communities and movement building. It takes relationships that can only be fostered by constant horizontal community dialogue. So what does that mean in practice for me? For me it means not throwing my heart and soul into months of organizing that lead to single days of action (at least, not as my primary way of organizing). I will change my form of organizing into a more constant and steady form, based on community dialogue and building meaningful relationships with those most affected by US oppression at home. Hopefully, with patience and time, that dialogue will lead to affinity through understanding, more community involvement in mass action, and more involvement in community action by activists. Though the conclusion seems vague now, the lesson is new, and I return to SF to figure out what that means on the ground. I will work my hardest to see if communication and engagement is possible in the alienated, distracted, and mal-educated communities in the Bay Area in absence of the traditions of usos y costumbres. It can and must be done if we are to realize our vision of a better world.

Thank you for reading the rants of a budding activist as I try to find the path. See you at the RNC.