Feedback and onward!

[Timothy DenHerder-Thomas]

Hi SoSers,

A few things:

1. Its really sad that some of you are not here anymore. But I am sure you are awesome wherever you are!

2. I'm unsure if people just aren't posting, or forgot about our reflections blog (yeah, I haven't posted yet either). You should have access - please post away: http://summerofsolutions.wordpress.com/

3. For the purposes of planning SoS 2009, I'm thinking of creating an official response/ evaluation survey to get take away lessons. I know this is annoying and formal, but if I send one out, will anyone object to responding? Reply if you object by Tuessday the 26th evening, please. I will create one then if I don't hear objections.

4. Okay, the big one. As I have been talking with folks from around the country, I'm getting more and more excited about next year. Several different folks are already excited about starting up local programs and I haven't even started official outreach yet. Moreover, when I met with Kevin Danaher from Global Exchange - and Kristen the ED who gave us lots of help - he got super excited and said he's interested in working together to help fundraise lots of $ so people can actually afford to do this. Current concept is at least 10 programs, and starting the organizing soon because that's the only way we can get lots of $ support for this idea (which is VERY fundable). I spent much of today planning - the first step as I see it (even before we write funding proposals, website stuff, messaging, or anything else) is figure out who wants to lead programs where. We have a number of friends who have already suggested strong interest/ commitment, but I'd like to open opportunities to broader networks through movement lists, so I created a draft summary/ request for local planning teams to send out. It's attached. The purpose of this is not to create a finalized structure but to give folks a sense of what they would be getting themselves into - we should work much more on messaging, planning, and structure with the local coordinators/ tailor fundraising to collective needs/ planning. Ie, this doc is just to identify initial locations/ the people who would run them. Requests from you folks:

• What do you think of this doc for this purpose? Comments/ suggestions greatly appreciated. I'd like to start sending this out on Monday, so feedback in the next day or so would be great. For those of you copied (non SOS 2008) who I know are interested in running local programs, would this doc give you the needed info to know whether you wanted to do it?
• I know some of you are interested in planning local programs - I'll contact you with this form on Monday after the review. Who is interested in what capacity around planning this on the national level? We're far enough ahead that there can be some flexibility in timelines. I know Emily was potentially interested in the January Institute piece? Other roles, other folks? Basically, if we're forming a central planning team over the next couple weeks, who's in and for what? I'm willing to do a bunch of coordinating up front since I have some time and I know you guys are all starting semester.
  
• Kevin from GX was really excited about using the term Solutionaries (as opposed to revolutionaries), and I and several people I've run it by agree. Your thoughts? There's also the tricky issue of trying to be inclusive of other programs (Breakthrough etc.) by somewhat rebranding as some have suggested, as Solutions Summer - which has both positive and negative connotations of Freedom Summer. Not necessary for this doc, but your thoughts on framing will be helpful soon!
• At some point relatively soon, we will need help from whoever can to tell the story from personal experience for the purpose of attracting funders, participants, org. partners, etc. Rio's already helping out with the video stuff, but text/ quotes, audio, blogs etc. help will be very useful. If you're super excited about that, let me know.
• What's up with you? Blog it: http://summerofsolutions.wordpress.com/

We're amazing! That's the big "we".

Timothy DHT

[Matt Kazinka]

I would love to take a silly formal evaluation survey!  I love those!

Yay Summer of Solutions '09!  I would like to help with fundraising/budgeting business.  I think I could get really into that.  I got a really spiffy briefcase from my dad that makes me look totally professional, I could get money from just about anyone now.  Also I think it's really important and I see so much potential in it as well.

Solutionaries is better than Solutionites, although I'm not sure how it stands compared to Solutionizers - it sounds a little less hokey, I suppose.  Works for me.  I don't really understand the benefits or drawbacks of switching the name from Summer of Solutions to Solutions Summer.

The document has good wording and such, but I find Word docs that serve both informational purposes and as applications can get really clunky.  I think it might be smoother to create a web page on the Grand Aspirations / Summer of Solutions website and make a Google Docs form to get people's info.  It's a lot easier to pass a link on than to pass a document on, and it's easier to fill out an online survey than a word doc.  It's a small thing but it could be the difference that gets some interested local planners signed on.  If you need help on how to do that, let me know.

Thanks!
Matt

[Laura Bartolomei-Hill]

can we arrange an sos debrief conf call, preferably before i leave for ecuador? there are some things i would like to talk about so we can learn better. they include:
1) how do we better work include people who have jobs?
2) can we have more structured team-building activities and summer check ins
3) summer long blogging or something
4) umm i'm a little uncomfortable with us adopting freedom summer language. that's a bit presumptuous, don't you think, what;s wrong with SoS? I mean solutionaries is cool i guess, but i don't think i really feel the need to label myself like that. it's a bit manufactured? i mean its cool.
5) emphasis on the community building among ourselves/our project partners as an organizational priority
6) figure out this out as a group and not just some of us making assumptions
7) sometimes toooo much planned stuff, sometimes not enough
8) group debrief?
9) communications! time/date/place etc
10) money money money
11) can ashley and callista live next door to me and kate again? ok thanks.

something to look forward to: Kate's fake 22nd birthday! i can't wait!

also i've already decided that aaron is living in st paul next summer. sorry sos omaha.

love!

--
--
Laura Bartolomei-Hill
Macalester College '10
Laura...@gmail.com
www.itsgettinghotinhere.org
www.wecannetwork.org

[Laura Bartolomei-Hill]

ohh lots of sparkles to what matt said! except hokey is good and i like summer o solutions, esp about the word doc.

[Callista Perry]

This is sooooo exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am wildly enthused by the possibilities!  I also second what matt said about smoothness of websites/docs etc.  and i am definitely down with/up for taking any survey, ever, especially about SoS.  and a debrief call would be great.

hope everyone is excellent! 

peaceandlove
callista

[Ashley Trull]

Hi all,
I got really excited reading this e-mail!
-I would love to see some other people blog on the summer of solutions word press...thoughts, reactions, ideas for the future! Also, if people write stories or memories, that could be helpful for what Kai is trying to do, and also what Timothy mentioned would be useful for attracting funders. I'm going to be working more on writing something for that today, also because my friend Stephanie is interviewing me about my experience with Summer of Solutions for an internship she is doing with a water conservation group about youth activism and climate change. Pretty sweet! I'm really excited to tell her about it!
-I would definitely be down for filling out some sort of response or survey about the summer too. That could definitely be useful for the future.
-I am getting really excited thinking about Summer of Solutions '09! I would love to help out and be very involved with planning or organizing that! And I really liked Laura's thoughts about improving and thinking about things like better summer check-ins, blogging, community-building, communication, debriefing, accessibility, and money.
-I would also LOVE to have a summer of solutions conference call sometime to check-in, talk about how the transition back to school is going, and talk about SoS '09!
I'm getting really excited to start school! I'm sure everyone else is too! Let's talk soon if we can before Laura heads off to Ecuador! Do you think we could get in a conference call some night this week?

Talk to you soon!

Love love,
Ash

[Emily Stiever]

Hi Team!

-Surveys are great!
-I miss you all too
-I want to invite everyone to SoS '09 in Grinnell, IA.  I'm interested in coordinating the January Climate Institute and organizing an SoS in Grinnell.  I thought the document was great and something I would find very useful helping to initiate planning for this (there will likely be an SoS subgroup in our environmental group to plan this and the January Institute).

So, steps moving forward from here?  I support a conference call if we can figure out a time to coordinate.  Can I propose Thursday at 10:00 EASTERN time? (since our meeting wizard isn't working too well).

Peace,
Emily

[Ruby Levine]

10:00 PM EST is 9 CST, and that's the MacCARES meeting. Does 9/8 Central work for people?

Ruby

[Cara Weggler]

I can do 8 pm CST.
- Cara

[Emily Stiever]

Yeah, works for me too.

Peace,
Emily

[Cara Weggler]

What is the number I should call? Are we doing this tonight at 8?
- Cara

[Laura Bartolomei-Hill]

Cara (and everyone)

The call is Thursday at 10pm eastern/9pm central/8pm in denver/7pm west coast.
The number is (712) 432-1690 and the code is
code: 226358

talk to you then!
-Laura

[Ruby Levine]

Hey folks,

Could people maybe RSVP to this email so we can get a sense of who will be there? I will be there.

Ruby

[Matt Kazinka]

I'll be there!  Yay!

[Timothy DenHerder-Thomas]

I will too! TDHT

[Emily Stiever]

Me too!!  Except Ruby suggested 8pm CST and Laura's email says 9pm CST.  Is MacCares still meeting at 9?

[Ruby Levine]

Nope, the MacCARES meeting (for unrelated reasons) will be from 8-9 Central, so it's fine and in fact preferable to have the call from 9-10 Central. Talk to you all then!

Ruby

[Laura Bartolomei-Hill]

meh i might show up. we'll see.

just kidding i'll be there! and i will be calling in at 10pm my time.

WAIT

ohhhhhh ohhhh no. our conference call is at the SAME time as Barack Obama's speech. Yes, I am a late convert to the obama camp, but i am now in a full blown love affair with michelle obama. oh dear. OH DEAR.

[Kate Ballard]

I'm there!
Kate

[Ethan Buckner]

i should be there right after obamas speech :)

--
Ethan Buckner
Will Steger Foundation
Coordinator, MN Powershift 2008
612-718-3847
www.mnpowershift.org

[Cara Weggler]

:( I won't be able to make it. I need to attend the RNC meeting in the Chapel at 9pm to make sure Ripple Effect is mentioned. Today is just not my day I have to miss out on Obama AND you guys.
- Cara

[Matt Kazinka]

Hey everyone -

Timothy and I have been on the call line for a little while now
(9:05~9:20) and it says we're the only people here. I'm not sure if
there's been a slip-up with access codes, if we're on the right line,
or if people are just watching Obama or what, but we're not sure if
the call is going to happen or not, so we're probably going to take
off. Let's plan to reschedule sometime soon - this weekend, perhaps?

Thanks,
Matt