PHOTO/CHERI HONKALA
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Mark your calendars! The Third US Social Forum (USSF) will be taking place from June 24 to 28, 2015. This year, organizations and activists will convene in Philadelphia, PA, Jackson, MS, and San Jose, CA to build stronger relationships, collaborations, and social movements across fronts of struggle for political understanding and strategic direction as a powerful political force.
The USSF is an opportunity for regional and issue-specific social justice projects to work toward broader unity. The goal is to map out action plans for a cohesive movement and to organize to create a better world for all of us.
The Philadelphia USSF will take place June 25-28, 2015 and is anchored by the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign and Disabled In Action. It will be rooted in the themes of immigration, political democracy, disability, and poverty. As a movement, we will create spaces for strategy discussions, political education, People’s Movement Assemblies, local actions, art and culture, convergences, movement schools, marches, housing takeovers, community building, healing, and collective empowerment.
The Philadelphia USSF will occur throughout the Kensington community and North Philly along American Street and at Temple University. It will embody the festival feeling of the World Social Forums and many of the social forums that have been held in the global south. There will be large outdoor gatherings, massive tents, and outdoor stages that will be seen and felt by ordinary Philadelphians. Neighboring churches, halls, organizational headquarters, schools, and underutilized buildings will complement the outdoor venues.
We believe that part of demonstrating that “another world is possible,” is showing what can be done to transform areas of abandonment and neglect into new forms of social organization—less commodified, more humanizing, creative, vibrant and serving human needs.
As organizers, we understand that a “better world” requires a huge and unified social movement in the U.S. with millions of politically conscious people to ensure victory for the arising social motion in the interests of the oppressed, exploited, and dispossessed – to protect the earth and affirm life.
The USSF can play a role in pushing forward strategic US movement development through the dynamic interrelation of local and regional struggles, and the emergence of a national movement in relation to global movements. The USSF process is striving to step up and take its place in history by advancing the interests of working class, low-income, and grassroots struggles. The moment is urgent and the opportunities are great and we need your support!
Learn more on how you can get involved by visiting the Philadelphia USSF website at ussfphilly.org, emailing us at outreach@ussfphilly.org or calling 215-869-4753 for more information.
As a retired trade unionist, grandfather and new member of the League, It is my hope that at these conferences discussion will include the tremendous waste of war and militarism. Our children’s and grand children’s futures are at risk due the current policy of never ending war!
Just my two cents worth.