Hi Sudo Room,
This is a collective statement addressing the CLP boycott, written today
after discussion in this last Thursday delegates meeting. If you are
interested in reading the many previous drafts over the last few weeks, I
can point you where those are, and encourage you to join the omni consensus
email where there is more discussion. We hope to make this public Tuesday
morning (we've talked about sending it to people who rent Omni, but also
may be put on the website? I'm not sure).
Dear neighbors,
We've been accused of racism - sadly, this has some merit. For nine years
omni has tried to include, support and empower communities of color - and
often failed. This has led to continued white dominance. We want nothing
more than to end this feedback loop, repair this harm, and be a project
where all people can take collective ownership of this building and its
resources. We are actively seeking accountability processes with those
who've been directly harmed at omni.
Nonetheless, there are still QTBIPOC and mutual aid groups doing important
work at omni, as there always have been. This is the core of what we want
omni to be, and the movement to improve omni should be led by people who’ve
been doing it all along. We urge the community to stand behind our most
vulnerable members. We are determined for this to be a safe space, so that
QTBIPOC-centered projects can grow and thrive here.
We're also accused of zionism - this we strongly deny. Try to find anybody
here to say anything nice about Israel - you'll have a hard time. While
some of us may have been complicit with apartheid in the past - because its
institutions prey on young Jews especially - all our feelings today range
from deeply critical to abolitionist. We want to embrace and center
Palestinian community, and welcome accountability to that end. We're now
collectively studying the steps to formally comply with BDS and become an
"apartheid free zone".
Some of these accusations were made by a former member collective. We
removed them because their behaviors were causing great harm, actively
driving away members of color. Their public "boycott" was a campaign of
retaliation, harassment, doxxing and lies. Even so, it has brought
attention to our very real mistakes. We wish to focus on those, and center
the majority of our community's concerns - without engaging directly with
this former group, because the harm is just too fresh.
We've taken this opportunity to give long time volunteers a break. Almost
all our groups have new delegates. None of the people mentioned in the call
outs have any formal power, and all of them are stepping back from decision
making roles, to focus on passing institutional memory to new people.
Meanwhile, we have a few vacant rooms - we'd love to share ownership with
more queer, trans, Black and indigenous led groups! Please contact us if
you'd like to help build an anti racist, anti zionist future at Omni
Commons.
happening nowish (1pm) if anyone wants to join
(text copied from omni slack message from natalie/ sketchboard collective
delegate)
we are constructing + finalizing the accountability statement (virtually)
thru the meeting link at 1pm tomorrow: it will take about a few hours, 2-3
at least. @yar + @Paige + myself will be there, and we welcome anyone else
who would like to help finish it in an intentional setting.
https://meet.google.com/qvr-oeqe-uqa
Hi Sudoers,
I hang out at Sudo Room, and I also volunteer with Berkeley NEED, a harm
reduction program. Through NEED, someone heard that we have free laptops
and requested one. Do we have laptops that are ready to hand out?
Thanks,
--Elaine
This member collective wants to join omni. I have worked a bit with Natalie
and trust them and Sketchboard is a great event
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Natalie G. <admin(a)sketchboardco.art>
Date: Fri, Sep 22, 2023 at 3:06 PM
Subject: [omni-discuss] Delegate Application: Sketchboard Co.
To: <consensus(a)omnicommons.org>, <discuss(a)omnicommons.org>
Hello!
- *What do you do that makes a difference in the world?*
At Sketchboard, our mission is to actively resist cultural homogenization
in San Francisco during times of economic uncertainty by fostering an
anticapitalist, intergenerational, and accessible artistic community. We
strive to create a space where diverse voices, perspectives, and artistic
expressions flourish, challenging the dominant narratives and structures
that threaten the vitality and diversity of our city.
We believe that during a recession, cultural preservation becomes even more
crucial as economic pressures often prioritize profit-driven ventures that
erode the unique fabric of San Francisco. Through our initiatives, we aim
to combat the forces of gentrification and commercialization that
contribute to cultural homogeneity.
We are dedicated to promoting an anticapitalist ethos, rejecting the
commodification of art and artists. By prioritizing artistic integrity over
financial gain, we foster an environment where creativity and personal
expression are valued above market demands. Our goal is to provide artists
with a platform to freely explore their artistic visions without
compromising their artistic integrity or conforming to mainstream
expectations.
Intergenerational collaboration lies at the heart of our community. We
believe in the power of bridging generational gaps and fostering meaningful
connections between emerging artists, seasoned practitioners, and
established figures. By encouraging dialogue, mentorship, and knowledge
sharing across age groups, we foster a rich tapestry of artistic
experiences and perspectives, ensuring the preservation of traditional
practices while embracing innovative approaches.
Accessibility is a cornerstone of our organization. We are committed to
breaking down barriers that prevent marginalized communities from accessing
and participating in the arts. By creating inclusive spaces, providing
affordable or free opportunities, and actively seeking out diverse voices,
we ensure that everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, gender,
or ability, can engage with and contribute to our community.
Through these core principles of anticapitalism, intergenerational
collaboration, and accessibility, Sketchboard serves as a beacon of hope
and resistance against cultural homogenization. We strive to be a catalyst
for change, fostering a vibrant and diverse artistic landscape that
celebrates the unique identity and cultural heritage of San Francisco.
- *Briefly recap your history as an organization.*
Started in 2013 between 2 femme identifying individuals, and later, the
baton was passed onto Natalie and Alida. 2023 is the first year with more
than 2 organizers on the team.
- *How do you make decisions? How many people are involved?*
We make decisions democratically, between 3 organizers: Natalie, Alida, and
Ben.
- *Please include links to any organizing documents you may have:
bylaws, mission statement, etc.*
Our mission statement: Sketchboard serves as a creative act of resistance
against cultural homogenization. Born from a shared, community-driven
interest in creating art with both friends and strangers, creating
community and supporting the artistic culture of San Francisco, Sketchboard
is the only known workshop series in the Bay Area reflecting the full
vibrancy of San Francisco, featuring the bodies of people existing at the
intersection of multiple identities, including those who are BIPOC, Queer,
Trans, Intersex, and Disabled. Celebrating diversity and offering
living-wage rates, Sketchboard seeks to honor, uplift, and increase
visibility for people from traditionally marginalized communities. (currently
working on bylaws as we transition to a 501c3/c7)
- *State your goals for becoming an Omni member collective. How would
your presence in the Omni contribute to its purpose and Statement of
Solidarity?*
Our goals as an Omni member collective is to spearhead more visual arts
workshops and classes within the space, and join BOGGS to ensure diversity
within Omni. Our presence contributes to the purpose and statement of Omni,
as we center the perspectives and experiences of poor, BIPOC, women, and
transgender individuals - who have been marginalized from capitalism's
chokehold.
- *What dedicated space do you need? What will you do in it? (For
example: office, work space, etc)*
We would just need space to store our art supplies, which would include 1-2
portable platforms for our models, which would be made and manageable on
wheels. It would be used once a month (said DIY platform). And to have a
plastic storage full of our art supplies, which wouldn't be any bigger than
a 20 quart flat bin. Possibly some horse chairs included, no more than 4.
- *What shared space do you need? What will you do with it?*
N/A
- *Will you need to modify the building? (Include floor plans if that
makes your proposal clearer.)*
N/A
- *How much are you able to pay?*
From our conversation with Silver, we are able to pay $465 for weekly use
of the disco room, and monthly use of the ballroom. We would use the space
every First Sundays from 2-5pm, and Second to Last Thursdays of every
month, between 630-830pm. Each event requires 30 minutes of set up before
and clean up after.
-
*(Budget, balance sheet, P & L), size, incorporation status, space needs,
and reach an agreement with you about your financial contribution and legal
relationship to Omni Commons. *
Our incorporation status is currently an LLC, S-Corp, with Natalie Gvidia
as the sole owner. We are willing to be fiscally sponsored by Omni, as it
would help us reach our goal to become a nonprofit within the next 2 years.
Willing to discuss further about the legal relationship to Omni and
Sketchboard.
- *If you need to make modifications to the building, Finance may ask
you to get preliminary inspections, consult with the Building Working
Group, or provide other information to determine if the changes are
possible and advisable.*
N/A
Looking forward to the next delegation meeting and securing ourselves with
y'all.
*Warmly*;
Sketchboard Co.
@sketchboard.co | www.sketchboardco.art
_______________________________________________
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discuss(a)lists.omnicommons.org
https://omnicommons.org/lists/listinfo/discuss
Hi, it seems like the omni president title I took continues to be mistaken
for a point of power in decision making. Also this is a lot to take on
right now for me, and ideally we would be rotating delegates. Could someone
else volunteer as the SR delegate next meeting? I can help as best I can
and by getting input from other members on how we should vote. I also plan
to attend the meeting. The meeting will be on Thursday, in person with a
remote option, at 7PM.
Thanks,
Paige
I have a proposal to make meetings weekly at Sudo Room (rather than 1x a
month). My idea is 2 of these are structured with agendas, votes, and notes
(maybe the first and third Wednesdays, so we have time to review proposals
that will be voted on in delegates meeting), and other ones would be
informal, but at least focused on some cooperative project (i.e. building
out/fixing up work stations, working on wiki documentation, laptop program
work, or doing some outreach). Hopefully we could pool together some food
for these too for community building.
Context: Last night there was discussion about ways Omni isn't working
right now. One of the complaints that resonated with me is that delegates
aren't really acting like delegates right now (in the horizontal
organizing/anarchist sense), and do have power. Yea by some it was getting
framed that they are power hungry white supremacists who won't step down,
but my perspective is that they reluctantly have power because there is not
an engaged membership that they can represent - they have to do a lot of
the decision making work on their own (not good). At the least, I think
that's true of sudo room right now, and I hope this Wednesday idea could
help foster community and consensus building efforts. Yes I know some of
this happens Tuesday and Mondays night, but for the most part those are
focused on personal project hacking (which is well and good, just
different).
Paige
A couple Hardware Hack nights ago I brought a dual 10Gbe card (10Gb over
copper)
Hp 561FLR-T It has what looks like an offset pcie connector.
Jake thought it wasn't real pcie and he was right. Plug it in and
nothing. lspci shows nothing.
The connector is actually "Flexible-LOM" But someone has reverse
engineered it and designed an adapter:
https://github.com/TobleMiner/HPE-FlexibleLOM-adapter I got an adapter on
Ebay
which was probably copied from that github. And it works. Getting 8Gb up
and down on Sonic Fiber.
These cards are scavenged from old HP servers and you can get them cheap.
Like $20 for 2.
But I found a regular pcie card: Supermicro AOC-STG-i2T which can be found
for about $25 and
doesn't need an adapter.
Thomas
