National Organizing Monthly Collective Call

folks present: Madigan (in San Francisco), Alex (in NYC), Will (in SF), Seven (in Portland, OR), Dan (NYC), Mollie (Northampton, Mass.), Ashley (Hudson Valley, NY) and Eddy (SF)
facilitator: Madigan
notetaker: Ashley

personal check ins

local/national projects:

Wellness Guide/Zine – Mollie proposed spearheading a project to compile a zine that could be useful to family members, providers, and those struggling with mental health issues themselves. The zine would include different alternatives for perceiving extreme emotional states and treating them. Rather than assembling people's individual stories of how they take care of themselves (another project Icarus wants to take on in the next year), this zine would be more of a resource guide summarizing different options that are available, and how to find them. Ideally would be a collaboration between the Freedom Center and The Icarus Project. A work group was formed, which includes Mollie, Ashley, and Seven. The core group will hatch content, assemble first draft, then put out to TIP and FC communities for feedback. This project could get proposed as a seed grant project to get some funds from Icarus, and it could fit into the collection of popular education materials that Icarus is hoping to put together. We want to continue being media makers, not just media consumers. Assembling materials that can be used at events, for outreach, in local groups, etc.

Website: Empties and Seven have taken on the admin job. We are very grateful. Jonah is still working on some tech stuff. Will working on tech and admin stuff as well. A team of folks collaborate on the website, not just one person.

Madness Radio: The Freedom Center's radio show has been renamed Madness Radio, and Icarus is going to start collaborating with funds and input. Madness radio is looking for ideas, guests, performers, etc, and invites Icaristas to get involved.

Portland: lots going on. solid group, Will gives props.

National Tour: Radical Mental Health Roadshow to take the US by storm in Fall '07!
Madigan is lead organizer right now. Work group was formed including Madigan, Eddy, Alex, Seven, and Ashley. Will is going to set up a listserv on riseup so we can all communicate with each other, and we're going to try to start having a monthly phone call to check in about logistics and progress.
The idea with the tour is that there will be regional pockets of activity – in the west, east, mid-west, etc – and that we will try to visit a variety of venues, like bookstores, clubhouses, community centers, activist spaces, colleges/universities, etc., and bring some mix of skillshares, performances, cabaret, workshops, abundant creativity and circus o' madness? Collaborating with local organizers. people can sign on to join different portions of the tour. Have a rotating crew.
Question: do we want to work with some kind of radical booking agency, like Evil Twin, who could help us get booked at colleges and other venues?
Next step may be to set up some deadlines, dates, think about the kinds of events we want to offer, the materials we want to bring with us.
(Transportation question? How are we going to get around?)
Mel, from the UK, may want to join in with us and screen her amazing film Evolving Minds. (for more info on the film look here: http://www.undercurrents.org/minds/)

And then my cell phone died, and I ceased to be note-taker...