RSC Corner #8: From Omari Fox
In this Address:
STRATEGIC ROOTS
In a nutshell, the strategic plan has many layers but the most intense for RSC is to graduate from a body of ten plus members working when there is a call, to any and all Rooters. How can any Roots member be a Resource for Social Change? To elevate the consciousness of the members from regional affiliates working in alignment with the mission statement but perhaps independently of Roots… to creating a circular culture of inertia in how we work in our craft and communities extending Roots resources to the field beyond grants and networking; really having a hands on partnership where the intentions of our principles come back to the organization for the benefit of all, then back out in a much more assertive way. SHARED POWER!! PARTNERSHIP!!!
This is nothing new in our collective thinking I do believe, but perhaps now the intentions of the last strategic plan that essentially had the vision, will now meet the mechanical aspects of making it more real and visual to us like never before. Again, what a time and opportunity for this body to be leaders in partnership with the executive committee and all of the workgroups and ensembles to be the change we want to see. The strategic plan is just that: a plan. It has to be brought to the regions in a manner that's as equally assertive as the intentions it has for the organization, and there are plans and structures being developed to do so almost immediately. On one hand the membership must buy in and ratify it, on the other, as a part of a participatory democracy that I have always known the organization to be, I don’t believe that everyone stepping up as Rooters to optimize our mission statement is new, contradictory or revolutionary; it simply has commitment and intentions like never before in a formal way. The fact that we've lasted for 36 years shows we have organically done so from our founders. All of our strengths and programs will be needed and called upon to partner in that process. However it manifests to transition all Rooters to being an RSC advocate in their communities, a brain trust, a counsel of wisdom and elders, and teams of trainers and facilitators will always be necessary and with this plan I believe our role hasn’t changed, the call is just greater and will be dispatched organization-wide. The existing RSC body can be the Jedi Knights, if you will, ‘unhooding’ (God bless the dead) our enclosed secret society reputation that we may or may not still have and define what we believe that can look like.
RED WINE & Aesthetics
Uh…Aesthetics. For succinct communication of our RSC principles, I think it would be beneficial to have an agreed upon base definition of what that means when we say it overall to the field and then to the specifics of the engagement it is being used in by the facilitators. We can even communicate that it is always a ‘principle in progress.’ For the principles overall, I have found them to be equally as important to be observed internally, even if they aren’t overtly posted in an engagement. Every group has pillars and principles that they hold near and dear, and in many communities they are simply known in the collective consciousness and not necessarily posted or communicated until a situation needs to be addressed. Sometimes they are held in the meeting contract, it just depends. Gwylene Gallimard and I just concluded an engagement using our comprehensive RSC facilitation toolkit of experience and not all of it was necessary, but we certainly practiced our principles naturally and deliberately. Right down to inadvertent shadows of my nephew and another New Danger member who weren’t limited to a performance capacity. From working with Gwylene, I have learned the value of red wine and discourse. Seriously. What I mean by that is aesthetics can and probably always will be an ongoing debate for us internally, and we should dedicate and allow ourselves the time and space to address it in house, but still have a clear and unified way of articulating our value system to the world when we present our artistry and community engagement process. We can self-organize at any time without lead from the office, chairperson or coordinator but we should certainly promote such an aesthetic gathering and document the notes for our archives. Not all of our commitments and practices have to be limited to what the ROOTS office sponsors to be there especially when ‘there’ is where we are our in our RSC clusters a la Rhizome style.
RSC RHIZOMES?
In thinking about our self-directed aesthetics retreats, I am hopeful that regional RSC rhizomes can happen periodically throughout the year of our own accord and in conjunction with other ROOTS gatherings. Looking at the map of RSC regions, we are heavily pocketed in GA/SC and the Maryland Tri-State region plus WVA. My schedule is flexible and I can make myself available to attend with enough notice and coordination especially as we move forward with engaging the membership with the strategic plan.
I know Mat Schwarzman and John O’Neal are in New Orleans, as well as Don Harrell in Orlando who has been interested for a long time as well. If I’m missing a hot spot or interested member, please come forward and let it be known. Some of the original 5 or 6 who committed to attend the earlier RSC retreats will already be there in other capacities and as we intersect with the ExComm and Strategic Planning committee it should make for an intense and exciting time. As the Office and ensembles engage the regions there will be a bevy of regional rhizome activity for us to partner with and activate as our own RSC rhizomes as well.
I DO DECLARE!
In closing, I know we have all been back in the saddle doing our own things so please share your regional activism and artistry with the group to keep us all posted. I would like to have a solidified list of declared RSC members in our current form and make up for 2012 so please respond to this announcement accordingly but definitively “Hello My name is_______________ I am a declared RSC facilitator, shadow, member etc email, phone number, and if you wish 2011 reflections and 2012 goals.” Email me directly if you do not want it in the listserv. This will help so I know who to communicate to and how to communicate that to the office until our body is reconstituted for this year. As you know we are our without a coordinator so until the strategic plan comes to fruition we must self coordinate.
Peace and Love,
Omari Fox
RSC Chair
- RSC and the Strategic Plan- “All Rooters are Resources for Social Change”
- Aesthetics-????
- RSC Rhizomes and Regional Activity
- RSC Declarations 2012
STRATEGIC ROOTS
In a nutshell, the strategic plan has many layers but the most intense for RSC is to graduate from a body of ten plus members working when there is a call, to any and all Rooters. How can any Roots member be a Resource for Social Change? To elevate the consciousness of the members from regional affiliates working in alignment with the mission statement but perhaps independently of Roots… to creating a circular culture of inertia in how we work in our craft and communities extending Roots resources to the field beyond grants and networking; really having a hands on partnership where the intentions of our principles come back to the organization for the benefit of all, then back out in a much more assertive way. SHARED POWER!! PARTNERSHIP!!!
This is nothing new in our collective thinking I do believe, but perhaps now the intentions of the last strategic plan that essentially had the vision, will now meet the mechanical aspects of making it more real and visual to us like never before. Again, what a time and opportunity for this body to be leaders in partnership with the executive committee and all of the workgroups and ensembles to be the change we want to see. The strategic plan is just that: a plan. It has to be brought to the regions in a manner that's as equally assertive as the intentions it has for the organization, and there are plans and structures being developed to do so almost immediately. On one hand the membership must buy in and ratify it, on the other, as a part of a participatory democracy that I have always known the organization to be, I don’t believe that everyone stepping up as Rooters to optimize our mission statement is new, contradictory or revolutionary; it simply has commitment and intentions like never before in a formal way. The fact that we've lasted for 36 years shows we have organically done so from our founders. All of our strengths and programs will be needed and called upon to partner in that process. However it manifests to transition all Rooters to being an RSC advocate in their communities, a brain trust, a counsel of wisdom and elders, and teams of trainers and facilitators will always be necessary and with this plan I believe our role hasn’t changed, the call is just greater and will be dispatched organization-wide. The existing RSC body can be the Jedi Knights, if you will, ‘unhooding’ (God bless the dead) our enclosed secret society reputation that we may or may not still have and define what we believe that can look like.
RED WINE & Aesthetics
Uh…Aesthetics. For succinct communication of our RSC principles, I think it would be beneficial to have an agreed upon base definition of what that means when we say it overall to the field and then to the specifics of the engagement it is being used in by the facilitators. We can even communicate that it is always a ‘principle in progress.’ For the principles overall, I have found them to be equally as important to be observed internally, even if they aren’t overtly posted in an engagement. Every group has pillars and principles that they hold near and dear, and in many communities they are simply known in the collective consciousness and not necessarily posted or communicated until a situation needs to be addressed. Sometimes they are held in the meeting contract, it just depends. Gwylene Gallimard and I just concluded an engagement using our comprehensive RSC facilitation toolkit of experience and not all of it was necessary, but we certainly practiced our principles naturally and deliberately. Right down to inadvertent shadows of my nephew and another New Danger member who weren’t limited to a performance capacity. From working with Gwylene, I have learned the value of red wine and discourse. Seriously. What I mean by that is aesthetics can and probably always will be an ongoing debate for us internally, and we should dedicate and allow ourselves the time and space to address it in house, but still have a clear and unified way of articulating our value system to the world when we present our artistry and community engagement process. We can self-organize at any time without lead from the office, chairperson or coordinator but we should certainly promote such an aesthetic gathering and document the notes for our archives. Not all of our commitments and practices have to be limited to what the ROOTS office sponsors to be there especially when ‘there’ is where we are our in our RSC clusters a la Rhizome style.
RSC RHIZOMES?
In thinking about our self-directed aesthetics retreats, I am hopeful that regional RSC rhizomes can happen periodically throughout the year of our own accord and in conjunction with other ROOTS gatherings. Looking at the map of RSC regions, we are heavily pocketed in GA/SC and the Maryland Tri-State region plus WVA. My schedule is flexible and I can make myself available to attend with enough notice and coordination especially as we move forward with engaging the membership with the strategic plan.
I know Mat Schwarzman and John O’Neal are in New Orleans, as well as Don Harrell in Orlando who has been interested for a long time as well. If I’m missing a hot spot or interested member, please come forward and let it be known. Some of the original 5 or 6 who committed to attend the earlier RSC retreats will already be there in other capacities and as we intersect with the ExComm and Strategic Planning committee it should make for an intense and exciting time. As the Office and ensembles engage the regions there will be a bevy of regional rhizome activity for us to partner with and activate as our own RSC rhizomes as well.
I DO DECLARE!
In closing, I know we have all been back in the saddle doing our own things so please share your regional activism and artistry with the group to keep us all posted. I would like to have a solidified list of declared RSC members in our current form and make up for 2012 so please respond to this announcement accordingly but definitively “Hello My name is_______________ I am a declared RSC facilitator, shadow, member etc email, phone number, and if you wish 2011 reflections and 2012 goals.” Email me directly if you do not want it in the listserv. This will help so I know who to communicate to and how to communicate that to the office until our body is reconstituted for this year. As you know we are our without a coordinator so until the strategic plan comes to fruition we must self coordinate.
Peace and Love,
Omari Fox
RSC Chair