Agenda-at-a-Glance

Please refer to workshop details here
Refer to Presenter Bios here

Thursday, July 25
All events in Bertolon

8:00-9:00 am Breakfast
10:00 am-7:00 pm
Registration Opens 11:30 am-1:30 pm
Lunch 1:30-2:30 pm
Workshop: session #1 2:30-2:45 pm
Break 2:45-3:45 pm
Workshop session #2
3:45-4:00 pm Break
4:00-5:00 pm Workshop session #3
5:00-6:30 pm Dinner
6:30-7:30 pm ANM 101 (Room 112)
7:30-10:30 pm Opening Event (Recital Hall)

“It’s all on the same chain”: Immigrant Detention, Prisoner Solidarity, and the Crisis of Mass incarceration  –
Dr. Toussiant Losier, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

In the spring of 2018, Jailhouse Lawyers Speak (JLS), a network of imprisoned legal advocates and organizers, released a list of ten demands in advance of nationwide prisoners strike later that year. These demands largely touched on issues ranging from sentencing reform and legal rights to opportunities for rehabilitation and an end to what they termed modern day slavery through work stoppages, hunger strikes, sit-ins, or other forms of non-violent protest.
While these demands and the 19-day strike that followed that summer gained unprecedented media attention, largely unnoticed was JLS description of these as national demands, made on behalf of men and women in not only state and federal prisons, but also those held in immigrant detention facilities shared. This sense of shared struggle is reflected in the announcement that a group of asylum seekers being held at the notoriously inhumane Northwest Detention Center had gone on hunger strike as part of the nationwide protest.
“It’s all on the same chain, there’s no difference there,” offered one JLS prison organizer. “Outside of the fact that there are a few obvious differences, but the fundamental essence and nature of ICE, it’s no different from where I’m at now. It’s all slavery.”
Drawing on the sense of solidarity shared between prison organizers and immigration detainees, this talk will look to put the ongoing “border crisis” within the decades-long crisis of mass incarceration. It will point to the way in which the U.S. prison system, which now holds over 2 million men and women behind bars, anticipated the recent rise in immigrant detention, not only in scale, but also on the reliance of cages and bars to fix broader social and economics problems. Lastly, it will examine the way prisoner organizers, like those in JLS, point to the ways those behind bars and their allies on the outside can fight to end mass incarceration, close detention facilities, and change our society for the better.

Friday, July 26

8:00 am Registration Opens
8:00-9:00 am Breakfast
9:00-10:00 am Workshop session #4
10:00-10:15 am Break
10:15-11:15 am Workshop session #5
11:15-11:30 am Break
11:30-12:30 pm Workshop session #6
12:00-1:30 pm Lunch
1:45-2:45 pm Workshop session #7
2:45-3:00 pm Break
3:00-4:00 pm Workshop session #8
4:00-4:15 pm Break
4:15-5:15 pm Workshop session #9
5:00-6:30 pm Dinner
6:30-8:30 pm Presidential Candidates Forum (Recital Hall)

Saturday, July 27
All events in Ellison

7:45-8:45 am Breakfast (Location TBA)
–Film: Colonization Is Extinction: A Documentary presented by Gualterio Alomar,
9:00 a.m.
Film: Colonization is Extinction: A Documentary presented by Gualterio Alomar,
The film examines the current state of Puerto Rico, its current economic crisis, how colonialism has crippled the island. Film-makers and speakers Gualterio and Jessica Alomar will be present and available for interviews through most of the weekend. Mr. Alomar was recently nominated for the BLFC’s award for Producer-Non Fiction.

The purpose of this film is to shine light on the current state of Puerto Rico, its governmental state, as well as key people involved in the struggle to improve Puerto Rico for its people. The main points of discussion in the film surround the current economic crisis, how colonialism has crippled the island, as well as the current status of Oscar Lopez Rivera. The film portrays this through an interactive and engaging history of major events, such as the beginning of colonial rule, the Ponce Massacre, the bombings of Vieques, the sterilization of Puerto Rican women, and more.

A Panel Discussion on Colonialism as the seed of oppression
Gualterio Alomar, Jessica Alomar, Darlene Elias, Robin Harris, Violet Rose Zitola, Anita Rios

Walter “Gualterio” Alomar, President of The Organization for Culture of Hispanic Origins, (OCHO) and his wife Jessica, who is a licensed therapist, are activists who focus on educating people about the history of Puerto Rico and its current status in the hopes of motivating more people to become involved. They have screened their film, “Colonization Is Extinction” at Columbia University, the Bronx Music Heritage Center, York College, Film Archives, Viva Latino Film Festival, and several other venues in and around New York City.

12:00-1:00 pm Lunch
1:00-2:00 pm Keynote: Ajamu Baraka
2:15-3:30 pm Breakout Discussions
–Running more and better campaigns
–2020 Presidential Race
–Ballot Access
–Organizing by issues
3:30-3:45 pm Break
3:45-5:00 pm Breakout Discussions (Repeat offering)
–Running more and better campaigns
–2020 Presidential Race
–Ballot Access
–Organizing by issues
5:00-6:30 pm Dinner (Bertolon Café)
6:30-8:30 pm Fundraising event w/ special guest Lee Camp Gerry No. 5 Veteran Fireman’s Association 210 Beacon Street, Marblehead, MA

Sunday, July 28
All events in Bertolon
7:30-9:00 am Breakfast
9:00 am Welcome and framing of the morning
9:10 am Steering Committee Report Back
9:25 am Workshop Report Back – PCSC, CCC, BAC
10:30 am Presentation of potential sites for 2020 PNC
10:45-12:00 pm Defying Empire, Defending Democracy, & Powering Up with RCV
Panelists: Jill Stein (2012 and 2016 GPUS presidential nominee); James Lane (journalist, activist, and member of GPUS Black Caucus); Kyle Bailey (Maine RCV campaign manager and president/owner of Peachtree Strategies LLC).
Presenter materials here.

As empire doubles down with endless war abroad, it’s also undermining the foundations of democracy at home, from the integrity of elections, to our rights to press freedom, protest, privacy and political dissent – in addition to the overall militarization of society. We’ll discuss the vital role Greens & allies are playing in these arenas – including recent victories for election integrity, resistance to the McCarthyism of Russiagate, courageous actions in the peace and social movements, and wins for Ranked Choice Voting lthat are putting an end to spoiler hysteria and fear mongering – making it possible to address the crises we actually face. We’ll hear from the manager of Maine’s astounding RCV victories, & about the explosive 2020 RCV referendum in MA. Hear how you can bring similar victories to your state and liberate our votes across the nation at a time voters are clamoring for a new political force for people, planet and peace.

12:00-1:30 pm Lunch