Message to the AWARE-LA community from Chris Crass of the Catalyst Project

[Jeb Middlebrook]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chris Crass <ch...@collectiveliberation.org>
Date: Wed, Dec 14, 2011 at 8:33 AM
Subject: Hey Jeb, can you share with AWARE
To: Jeb Middlebrook <jebmidd...@gmail.com>

Howdy AWARE,

It has been really inspiring to hear some, through Jeb, about what you all are doing in LA with Occupy.  I am writing with an update about the book I've been working on - off and on - for the past 6 years called Towards Collective Liberation: Anti-Racist Organizing, Feminist Praxis, and Movement Building Strategy.  I'm sure many of you have no idea what I'm talking about, cuz it has been so long.  You did an interview with me for the book.  I am sad to say that as the book is finally going to be published, the chapter you all wrote is not going to be in the book.  It is a powerful essay, however, the publisher needed to cut 150 pages, and rather then an interview where you respond to my questions, it became an essay you wrote, it doesn't work.  All the essays and interviews are by me, so suddenly having an essay written by other people doesn't flow.  If I didn't  have to cut so many pages I think we could have figured something out.  This is the same situation for an essay that a member of Catalyst Project wrote, that began as an interview I was doing.  I'm also cutting 8 of my own essays.

I'm really sorry it won't be in the book.  I know you all have circulated the essay, but please feel free to share it in any way you'd like.  Here is the essay as it was prepared for the book.  I might start a blog, in which case, I will share it that way.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Lots of love to you all, and I'm sorry for any disappointments or hard feelings.  

-Chris Crass