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A truly important article by Bruce Dixon of the Black Agenda report nails it. We need to build carefully, mentoring new members for gradual building of leadership, reach out in non-traditional ways to potential black, brown, LGBTQ members who have or may be groomed to obtain organizational leadership skills. Not everyone has it, and though everyone is valued, organizational leadership success is dependent on a clear and well run strategy. I am so glad I will be able to see it’s author, Bruce Dixon, a GP leader and managing editor of Black Agenda Report speaking on panels with Glen Ford, Chris Hedges, and others thisRead More →

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TOWARDS A NEW STRATEGY FOR THE LEFT #LEFTFORUM2018  JUNE 1ST to 3RD, 2018  JOHN JAY COLLEGE, NYC A multitude of speakers well-known and lesser known from all stripes of economic and social justice causes will converge on New York city for the annual Left Forum this weekend. The Theme is Towards a New Strategy for the Left. It starts on Friday at 4pm with a opening discussion — W.E.B DuBois: What His Life and Work Can Teach Us Today. Featured Speakers: Tim Schermerhorn, Richard D. Wolff, Chris L Hedges, and Kim Westcott. On Friday the opening plenary at 6pm features Jane Sanders (spouse of Bernie), Jumaane D. Williams, GayleRead More →

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In: Articles, General, Madison, Opinion

It is a work in progress, but much progress made in Madison in recent weeks in stopping the sale of 5 acres of town green property for condos/ luxury condo development. The future of Academy School itself as  well will hopefully be safeguarded as we continue to muster an outpouring of engaged citizenry to voice their democratic interest in keeping valuable public space for public use! See recent article below. Next steps include first selectman reissuing RFP to request bids on only the school building (not likely a good solution) and hopefully an ad hoc committee being formed to re-open consideration of the best publicRead More →

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To the Editor (the Source, zip06): Let’s not rush to referendum on a development bid regarding the Academy site, now targeted for this November by the First Selectman. At his urging, we are barreling down a one-way street toward development. In the driver’s seat is the false belief that a developer is the expert we need.  Note to all: A developer is an expert at development, but we are the experts at how we live our lives, the shared values this community holds, and most important, how we envision our town’s future. To the Board of Selectmen’s credit, they’ve called for three recent public hearingsRead More →

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To the Editor (the Source, zip06): The next steps in the process of deciding the future of Academy School were advanced by many who spoke at another very well attended public hearing last week: Let us now re-open the public discussion on how best to use this space. As the importance of this process has struck home, people are now very engaged. It is important we do not move ahead quickly to a referendum (that will be sure to lose) on a condo development proposal, but re-open a process of facilitated workshops to truly empower the many voices of Madison who are just beginning toRead More →