IMPORTANT

I've been doing a lot of thinking on this newsletter and our approach. Up til now we have decided it best, and to some extent more efficient, if we refrain from acknowledging anarchism as a pillar of this publication, both ideologically and subsuqently in action. While it's unfortunately true that we may have a worse reaction from potential readers( if not rejection altogether due to the still-present fear of anarchism in south florida) if we come out as a self-described anarchist newsletter, it's just as detrimental if we opt for the "safe" alternative and don't voice the full message and stop at reporting and exposing problems without offering even the slightest glimpse of an alternative and generating interest in a different way of achieving real change. I feel this is precisely why we should strive to educate and familiarize our community with anarchism. With the current state of the economy and government, and in the midst of several crisis as a result of capitalism's failure to meet the needs of people around the world and locally, it is very important and politically relevant to present an alternative through our newsletter. What better time than now? Rather than fear rejection from miami residents who are unfamiliar with anarchism we should work to dispell the negative notions that are unfortunately associated with it. What do you guys think?

FIRST ISSUE

I think we can start collecting content for the first issue. We have a month until the benefit, so I thought it'd be beneficial and would make us seem more legit if we had the first issue ready by then. We definitely have the time to get it done. So......let's get to work!

WRITING SUBMISSIONS

Anyone that is planning on contributing any writing, should start thinking about what it is they want to write, let us know and begin as soon as they can. Last meeting we discussed having a theme for this first issue. The theme is miami history/ neighborhood history/ local radical history. This is simply to have a more cohesive publication, however it doesn't limit the writing to this theme only, just in case anyone is having a hard time deciding what to write. 

If anyone has any questions let us know.

Statement edited

Oi kids,

I did a little chopping down and editing of the Statement. Let me know what you guys think. I think it could use a closing statement of some kind, so if anyone has any ideas post 'em!:

The purpose of this newsletter is to inform Miami citizens about local issues affecting working class people, students, tenants, immigrants, homeless, GLBT community, activists and others facing oppression within the community. We intend to emphasize the impact these issues have on the local environment, neighborhoods, and economy holding true to a D.I.Y. ethic and horizontal, autonomous organization. We strive to portray a Miami beyond that of designer sunglasses and lattes, a Miami where injustices are being committed on a daily basis and where there are very real victims of systematic oppression whom are otherwise kept silent, but also a Miami where there is tremendous talent, creative force, caring open-minded people and a potential for community-building and resistance. Through our publications we will encourage people to take control of their own lives, reject the complacency and conformity encouraged by mass, corporate media, and reclaim the news by providing their own information, participating in the process of acquiring and sharing information through reporting and investigating all in order to find new ways to solve common problems through organizing and direct action. We seek to present a new, alternative source of important information, events, issues and struggles regardless of whether they are what have been traditionally considered "newsworthy material". Our goal is to present material from a point of view that encourages the reader to make up his or her own mind. We do have an anti-authoritarian view, however we do not simply reverse the bias of mass, corporate media. We encourage a safe discussion ground that is open for anyone to debate the ideas we publish. We hope to generate a sense of community amongst our readers by calling for solidarity, providing a medium in which to expose undocumented issues and struggles and constantly encouraging critical thought, activity, and creativity. It is also our goal to support grassroots organizations by recounting their struggles and victories, yet without letting the newsletter become an extension of their affinity groups. This is primarily a local newsletter and being such seeks to provide space for Miami artists and writers who might not have opportunities elsewhere to express themselves by submitting any writings, essays, poems, music reviews, personal stories, rants, recipes, how-to's, etc. We also mean to use this medium to provide support and stand in solidarity with local creative efforts such as the D.I.Y. music scene, bike scene, community gardening, arts etc.

There it is.

thanks to niko for the contacts!!!!!

EARTH FIRST

E-mail

evergladesearthfirst@gmail.com

Web Page

http://www.evergladesearthfirst.org

Phone

(561) 588 9666

TAKE BACK THE LAND

Address

6819 NW 15th Ave. Miami, FL 33147

Phone

(305) 722 7307

Fax

(786) 318 1112

E-mail

takebacktheland@gmail.com

Web Page

www.takebacktheland.org

Power U

Address

164 NW 20th st, #104 Miami, FL 33127

Phone

(305) 576 7449

Fax

(305) 5733 8772

E- mail

Info@poweru.org

Workers Center

Web Page

http://www.theworkerscenter.org

Emerge Miami

E-mail

brucestanley@gmail.com

Web Page

http://emergemiami.com

CIW

P.O. Box603

Immokalee, FL 34143

E-mail

workers@ciw-online.org

Web Page

http://www.ciw-online.org/

Phone: (239) 657-8311

Fax: (239) 657-5055

Seed 305

Myspace

http://www.myspace.com/seed305

The Black Mangrove Collective

E-mail

info@theblackmangrove.com

Web Page

http://www.theblackmangrove.com/

Critical Mass

Myspace

http://www.myspace.com/305criticalmass


also...
i sent our ideas to donny the eef! editor. i thought maybe he could come up with a good statement with all the shit we have been proposing.

also, also... how about strange for a name?sinkhole?oven?heat?wtf?climate?news?last thing i heard?the situation?what had happened? gator?overdue? i dont know anymore. half of those names were out of my ass.

-cara

Arooooooo !

Im guessing this is here for people that are contributing and this is not the actual newsletter .

This thing needs a better name, than Miami Radial Newsletter. Please I implore you my bretheren. Nobody goes for the generic ass can of beans marked "beans" they go for the fucking can that shoots fireworks and slaps you in the brain with promises of savory fulfillment . I'm not suggesting taking a used car salesman approach to selling lemons,but i do feel like just slapping a name on the fucking thing will make it more appealing. Also, i would think it should not be the top priority, and the focus should be on content and collecting content.It would be a waste of time, in my humblest of opinions, to spend too much time planning meetings and debating over something as trivial as a name. What do you all think ?

Miami's a fucking strange place, and I've experienced it via multiple roles on its chessboard. This is what I'll be writing about. People, facts, fucked up situations,things ive experienced there that noone saw except me and maybe a few others,but happen all the time right under many a condo-dwelling nose. Are people cool with this ?

how is this shit going to be distributed and whats the layout like ?

is this pretty much a zine that we're aiming for ?

How many eyebrows do i have in my pocket?

statement (EDITING NEEDED)

so here's what we had roughly. We still need to shorten it. Any other things that y'all feel shoudl be changed please feel free to mention it. But keep in mind the deadlines. a final statement needs to be done by wednesday.

The purpose of this newsletter is to inform miami citizens of local politics and policies and how they are affecting the working class people, students, tenants, immigrants, homeless, gay/lesbian/trans community, activists and others facing oppression of miami, as well as the impact it has on the local enviroment, neighborhoods, and economy and doing so in a manner that holds true to DIY ethic and horizontal, autonomous organization that we believe in. To see a miami beyond that of designer sunglasses and lattes. A miami where injustices are being committed on a daily basis and where there are very real victims of systematic oppression, whom are otherwise kept in shadow and are never heard from. But also a miami where there is tremendous talent, creative force, good people and a potential for resistance and community-building. Through our publications we encourage people to take control of their lives and reject the position of spectators they are forced to take on by mass, coporate media, and call for them to be active and reclaim the news by providing their own information and being involved and participating in the process of acquiring and sharing information, through reporting and inverstigating or whatever task they want to take upon in reaching this goal, as well as get involved in finding a solution to their common problems through organizing and direct action. We seek to present a new, alternative source of important information, events, issues and struggles regardless of whether they are "news" or not. It's important to us that we present our material from a point of view which encourages the individual readers to make up their own mind. We do have an anti-authoritarian view, however we do not simply reverse the bias of mass, corporate media. This allows a safe discussion ground open to anyone to debate the ideas we publish and how they feel about them, or regarding any issue. We hope to generate a sense of community amongs our readers by calling for solidarity, providing a way to expose our issues and struggles, constantly engaging and encouraging critical thought, activity, and creativity and through this realize we are all in this together and have the same enemies. It is also our goal to support grassroots organizations and helping their causes by exposing their struggles and victories, without letting the newsletter become an extension of their affinity groups, all the while expanding their potential volunteer base and widening the exposure of their projects in a safe manner. This is primarily a local newsletter which means it's a space for miami artists and writers or just anyone to give us a little piece of their mind by submitting any writings, essays, poems, music reviews, personal storeis, rants, recepies, how-to's, etc. We also mean to use this medium to provide support and stand in solidarity with local creative efforts such as the DIY music scene, local bike scene, gardening, art scene, etc.

idea for fundraiser

instead of show, there is a reading of something that will be in the newsletter? and maybe another reading of scary stories??!
also, i like creating a theme for each issue ...atleast to start off with. miami history sounded like a discussed idea. i like it!
just some thoughts, see ya at the meeting tomorrow.

-cara

other emails

Hey hey!

I don't think I can make the meeting tonight because I have to meet with my boss, but I would love to work on the newsletter and I think it would be cool if there were a feature on a different Miami activist movement or organization in every issue. I also think some Miami history would be cool.

-Serafima

Subject: Newsletter
From: Richard Benitez <richbenitez@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, August 26, 2009 6:42 am


I heard you guys are looking for contributors. I do photography-- photo journalistic/street. I also am interested in local government and can write. Can I get some more information on what you guys are putting together?

phaedra emailed to me

Hello firefly. and kara, Juan, Tara more...

I just left the newsletter meeting-- am looking forward to discussing it more and seeing its development. I also left my steel waterbottle behind-black with white flowery pattern. I'll drop by again to see if it is still around.

Also i had a couple ideas already including: if there was a changing format each issue which corresponded to a topic/theme so as to create a dialogue and also to use the newsletter itself as a creative item. (the leaves that Danny (?) used as flyers would be a good example of a jumping off point for one theme/format). This idea really appeals to me and I think that submissions would be easier to edit (it might inspire contributors as well) and a cohesive product would emerge a lot easier. Another aspect of one issue, for example, could be asking for nascent writers and artists to submit writing about their family...maybe an issue about immigration and people could write about their experiences, as well as reporters writing on the political climate currently etc.

Just some immediate thoughts.

lemme know what you think.

Thanks!

phaedra

WELCOME

Hello all,
this is the blog we can use until we have a better, more private way of communicating and our listing is set-up properly.

-juan