Welcome/What Is This About/For?

[Nicky]

Have been having so many individual conversations with likeminded
writers, artists, intellectuals, etc., wanting to involve their
abilities and desires in the Occupy Portland movement, and have been
thinking of how to bring all these isolated convos into a common
space. Went to GA meeting and the Occupation library (really wonderful
layout!) to see what was up, and saw readings and literature are
currently going on, although I couldn't exactly figure out how it was
all being oriented as a larger body. Saw others felt this way and
decided we needed a forum to figure out how to better collectivize our
energy.

Going off OccupyOaklandPoets google group model (where lots of
generative discussions are taking place and leading to action, protest
publications, etc), I thought this might be a productive way to
organize a poetry committee of sorts that, once formed enough, can
present itself to the GA or work on integrating into/cooperating with
the Occupation's organizational structure. Of course this group is
inclusive and what it is/does/can be is up to all of us.

There's been talk of creating a Poetry Corner (like goes on at Zucotti
Park?), as a dedicated space within the Occupation Site where poetry
readings and events can happen; having a weekly public reading/open
mic assembly; host zine writing workshops/create Occupation
Publications where we write and make stuff together, which can then be
disseminated; who knows! Certainly working with the existent library
and in cooperation/communication with their google group <http://
groups.google.com/group/pdx99library> makes sense.

I will also be working with the IPRC about getting its zinesters
involved in this, so expect momentum will build.

So, if you have thoughts about this or an idea of your own please
respond or start your own discussion topic!