I represented the GPI last night at a meetingfor the US Social Forum. The outreach said Movement  Building in  DC so I had attended thinking it might be similar to past initatives attempting to bring together the DC Community. While that is true, it was also about bringing together people to 1) attend the forum in 2007 2) conduct activities as outreach leading up to the forum and 3) plan DC's engagement in the event. From their flyer, the US Social Forum will bring together 20,000+ grassroots organizers, workers, union members, people of faith, community members, immigrant and indigenous populations and displaced folks and evacuees.  Sounds pretty good, ey?  It's self-organized, so folks will get out what they put in- GPI could do a workshop maybe?? There were about 50 people attending at its largest point – representing lots of organziers – including several organizing to protect Franklin's Shelter. Jeff, fellow guerrilla, has been out there supporting that cause (maybe he should blog about it!).  The group broke out into small groups and I joined one about black-brown alliance building.  Lots of engaging conversation, and the group agreed to put together a community forum to open a dialogue.  One particularly interesting comment during our smaller discussion was to look at who benefits from keeping the groups divided–basically a hard look at the role of economics and capitalism.  It was a interesting dialogue and I'll definitely be learning more about the US Social Forum, which isa part of the World Social Forum – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Social_Forum.  Imagine people all over the world coming together to demonstrate the POWER OF THE PEOPLE!  I, for one, am ready to reclaim it from all these world leaders who wage war and kill innocent people.

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