We meet bi-weekly, using directly-democratic decision-making to build a movement against fascism. We practice organizing that:
Builds a mass movement
Is transparent in its methods and goals
Is accountable to each other
We believe that this city-wide assembly is:
The best way to coordinate the fight against fascism
A way of building the type of communities we want – “a new world in the shell of the old”
The starting point for setting up assemblies in workplaces and neighborhoods
How is The Cleveland Assembly Going To Do This?
By getting together and figuring it out ourselves:
We democratically decide how to move forward together
We believe leadership is developed through our common political activity, not declared by self-appointed individuals.
The assembly is a means to facilitate a shared direction for our work together and harness and sustain our power to fight back.
Our Community Agreements
By being present in the assembly, you are agreeing to the following…
One speaker at a time.
No violence or verbal threats.
No cops, fascists, racists, or bigots.
Take space, make space. Be aware of how much your voice is present in the conversation. Give other people a chance to speak if you’ve already spoken.
Be constructive, rather than destructive.
Be curious, open, and respectful as you engage with other community members. We seek first to understand and assume good intent while also acknowledging impact – if something we say or do causes harm we commit to working through it. We must also be willing to deliver and receive feedback honestly and compassionately.
In addition to the Community Agreements, we would appreciate if you observe these general rules of conduct:
Put your phone on “vibrate” or “airplane mode” during the assembly meeting, and try not to answer calls or texts during the assembly meeting. If you need to take a call, please leave the floor first. It is not rude.
Do not film, audio record, or take pictures during the assembly meeting.
DO talk to each other, ask questions, raise concerns, submit proposals and democratically engage with your peers! If you are not comfortable speaking out loud at the assembly, talk to a Facilitation Team member.
