About
"One must remember that in choosing the lesser of two evils, one still chooses evil." --Hannah Arendt, Philosopher, Activist


Important: To read about the The Sixth Annual International Social Uprising Resistance and Grassroots Encourage (SURGE)Film Festival please click here.


To read about the A World Beyond Capitalism Conference, which is a different event, please continue reading below.




Mission Statement

Peace, Equality and Solidarity. Although political protests give us the opportunity to unite our thoughts in opposition to the route which our governments are taking us, many of us all over the world have come to the realization that the lack of peace in the world and the problems that we see increasing every day have a foundation deeper than the Republicans, the Democrats, or a few select multinational corporations. What we face are institutionalized problems, problems which can only be confronted at the root, researched and solved by imaginative and broad based, non-violent social movements - not ballot boxes.




A Forum of Unparalleled Access and Outreach
Access, Horizontalism and Outreach. The Annual A World Beyond Capitalism began in 2005 and has always aimed at contributing to the process of Access, Horizontalism and outreach by providing a space for activists - to reflect on the importance of long term vision, strategy, face-to-face relationship building and the realization that a worldwide multi-racial struggle for true universal equality must pro-actively work to include all races and classes of people, differently abled people, and even those who do not speak English. We also seek to bring together and give voice to people working for a better world: a world of equality, a world of peace.

With this in mind, A World Beyond Capitalism is a conference that is now moving to the next level by organizing the AfricaNeedsFreeJustice Mobile Event and Intentional Community. 

 

There has been so much talk about what kind of ‘charity’ third world countries and immigrants ‘need.’  But there is little talk about the need for self-empowering justice beyond capitalism and more capitalism.  [At the end of this packet please see the articles listed under the ‘Articles of Interest’ section in regards to Haiti and Africa.] 

 

AfricaNeedsFreeJustice is being organized with hopes of not replicating the style and approach of traditional conferences, which are often alienating and racially homogenized with little attempt to create outreach and universal accessibility to non-English speaking people and to the disabled people of our society. These segments of our society are often the most vulnerable populations victimized by the oppressive characteristics of capitalism. Rather, AfricaNeedsFreeJustice is an attempt to use outreach to create an inclusive gathering.

Our Vision
Those of us who have collectively worked together to make the ‘AfricaNeedsFreeJustice’ month long event and intentional community a reality share the vision below, one that we imagine is also shared by many who have agreed to participate, facilitate, present, translate, or involve themselves in some active way.

We envision a space in which all voices are heard, and see the concept of "horizontalism" as a goal and a tool. It implies directly democratic discussions where theory meets non-violent practice, seeing and hearing one another in our full humanity, and confronting the power hierarchies that we observe amongst ourselves. Given that we all still live under the shadow of capitalism and the consequences of how it affects our behavior and psyches, we know that it is necessary for us to put great amounts of energy and thought into structuring egalitarian and provocative conversations, ones in which all of our voices and ideas can thrive. This at times may mean putting aside our defensive egos which often may inadvertently defend our lifestyles of privilege. At some level, we all have privileges in the United States, and these privileges of our capitalistic society have been gained by exploiting millions of the most vulnerable people throughout the world.

Diverse Perspectives
All of us participating in the conference have various experiences and thoughts on all the topics being discussed, from those of us who have spent most of our adult lives contemplating a particular subject, to those of us who are now just thinking about certain things for the first time. There are those of us who are creating alternative energy in our communities, and those of us who are still very much in the dreaming and questioning stage.

We would greatly like for you to help us work towards the goal of education and peaceful, universal alliance building. The best event and intentional community is the one we build in solidarity. Bring a friend, offer housing or a ride, post flyers in your community, volunteer or just be imaginative!

Goals
"Once people understand the strength of non-violence - the force it generates, the love it creates, the response it brings from the total community - they will not easily abandon it."

--Cesar Chavez, Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers of America, Union Activist, Ethical Vegetarian, Philosopher, Activist


You have probably attended many meetings and conferences which speak about building Multi-racial alliances. Here are a few of the many ways in which conferences that you have attended in the past greatly differ from AfricaNeedsFreeJustice Mobile Event and Intentional Community.

• We desire to help attendants not only discuss their ideas, but actually implement and get that idea started by the time they leave AfricaNeedsFreeJustice.  That means we will build their websites, help create flyers, email lists, fundraising plans and so much more.
• We offer an event within an event.  Why?  Because we feel it is easier for people to learn how to organize an event... by actually helping to organize an event.
• We greatly welcome the help of not only face-to-face volunteers but also volunteers who can only help from out-of-state, or out of country who work-from-home with or without the internet.
• We intend to give people who attend the conference the option of placing contact information into a list which we will later transform into a free Alliance building directory.
• The directory will also have a list of the languages that each person or organization is able to speak so that even activists or groups that do not speak English can form new alliances.
• We acknowledge that lack of transportation is a race, class and gender issue. We desire to co-ordinate volunteers to drive to Native American reservations, migrant farm and labor camps, and other extremely low-income communities, to give a free ride, back and forth from the conference, to people living in those communities.
• To learn more about lack of transportation issues that face Native Americans, please read the American Indian Relief Council's resource information on obstacles to prenatal care.
• It is the goal of AfricaNeedsFreeJustice Mobile Event and Community that the workshops presenters are not members who are part of Corporate Front Groups.  This is very important because there has been an incredible increase throughout the world of organizations and groups which are deceptively posing as social justice groups and they have increasingly been able to achieve the goals of their government and multinational corporate sponsors.

[To see a list of corporate front groups and corporate-backed groups please go here. Go here to read about the international usage of corporate front groups in an Australian Science article titled 'ecological double agents.' Or go to your local library and find a very detailed list of corporate front groups found in article written by Co-op America titled: 'Unmasking Corporate Front Groups: Will the Real Grassroots Groups Please Stand Up.']

We have many more innovative ideas to build real and lasting multi-racial alliances amongst people who are truly working for world peace. But we can only do it with your help. Volunteer or just make sure you come to the conference! The most important part of the AfricaNeedsFreeJustice Mobile Networking Event and Community.

Indigenous Elements of Educational Style
"Once people understand the strength of non-violence - the force it generates, the love it creates, the response it brings from the total community - they will not easily abandon it."

--Cesar Chavez, Co-Founder of the United Farm Workers of America, Union Activist, Ethical Vegetarian, Philosopher, Activist