Thanks for the information. I thought 501(c)3’s can apply for property tax exemption? I wonder why this hasn’t happened? The procure looks and reads great BTW! Thanks Silver (and Paige)! -Kent ----- Kent Leech Illustration http://www.kentleech.com kent(a)kentleech.com +1 (510) 504-0634 -- From: Paige P via sudo-discuss <sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org> Reply-To: Paige P <pgeplan(a)gmail.com> Date: Sat, December 9, 2023 at 2:41 PM To: Romy Ilano <romy(a)snowyla.com> Cc: Sudo Room Discussion List <sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org> Subject: [sudo-discuss] Re: What’s the status on the Omni

Good morning, I realize I don't have much at stake here, and I wish success to Omni though I stepped back after the recent drama. This organization People's Programs are doing really good work and overall seem like probably great people, but I see the same pattern of the recent conflict -- someone who leads their political education is holding up the Iranian regime as an example of freedom -- I don't understand why, apart from its frequent use of "revolution"; Iran isn't socialist and their use of incarceration, torture and violence against all who question them isn't "free." I'd even say they're also neocolonial given their horrifying proxy war in Yemen with Saudi Arabia looks like ugly U.S./Russia history, but I realize that's debatable. From their "Pan Africanism New Afrika Nation Building" ``According to Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1. Everyone has a right to a nationality. 2. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality. Nations are usually either capitalist or socialist. Developing free nations often times use a hybrid model. Nations are either settler colonial..(America/Israel).. *Neocolonial (Nigeria) or free (Cuba, Iran)*`` Just wanted to give a heads up, if you can save Omni with an agreement with an org that is slightly different in ideology that'd probably be a big win vs. the level of ideological differences with an average bank. :shrug: --Sven On Sat, Dec 9, 2023 at 2:42 PM Paige P via sudo-discuss < sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org&gt; wrote: -- ``Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.'' ~ Khalil Gibran

Some things I want to add comment to from Jake's email A lot of people are not aware that Peoples Programs are According to Omni's last delegates meeting: https://omnicommons.org/wiki/Event:2023/12/07_Delegates, Peoples Programs was happy to see TANC present at the meeting.. I heard they've collaborated but have not verified that myself. In this light it seems clear that CLP and PP are collaborating to disrupt Patrik asked PP about their collaboration. PP said they have not been in contact since the boycott, but want to try and do mediation between CLP and Omni. My thought is People's Programs saw the egregious accusations, and wants to learn more from both sides, see what needs to be done to make Omni feel safe. Should they have done a solidarity re-post before trying to fact check with Omni? I'd say no, but I see why they did it (as former collaborators). The founder of PP was at the "callout meeting" that Omni hosted after the I was at this meeting, I did see this person's picture get taken but did not hear "Inshallah" and Yar also didn't hear this. I talked to Silver about this, they know who took the picture and asked them about this. I agree that was not acceptable, hope mediation can happen going forward, but want to be clear that the Omni people who are in conversation with Peoples Programs are not brushing this under the rug. This is up for discussion. Peoples Programs proposed partnership. How ownership would go down depends on what we agree to. We should be talking about that. Basically, I don't think we should equate CLP with PP. I also don't think this is not-complicated given the boycott, the conflict at the CLP meeting, and the political conflict of the few cases of their solidarity with the Iranian regime, but I am against rejecting People's Program's proposal outright. I think we should approach them about our reservations and get clarification/figure out a path forward. Paige On Mon, Dec 11, 2023 at 8:16 PM Jake Watters via sudo-discuss < sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org&gt; wrote: > A lot of people are not aware that Peoples Programs are > Peoples Programs still have their tweet up from October 5th calling on > boycotting Omni Commons: > [image: image.png] > > CLP actually suggested that we allow Peoples Programs to be our new lender > - in exchange for a controlling interest in the Board of Directors (now > made up of our delegates) of course, and they suggested this BEFORE we came > to the conclusion to separate from CLP (remove them by unanimous vote). > > In this light it seems clear that CLP and PP are collaborating to disrupt > The founder of PP was at the "callout meeting" that Omni hosted after the > CLP attack, and when an Iranian woman was speaking about how she was afraid > that she would be killed if she returned to Iran, The PP founder stood up > and said "Inshallah" meaning "it is the will of god" and TOOK HER PICTURE > NONCONSENSUALLY to identify her. Is this the kind of group we want to > donate our building to? Because make no mistake, allowing PP to "bail us > out" means signing over complete control of the building to them. It's a > sale. We only get to stay if they feel like letting us stay. > > In contrast, the Mulberry Trust, which is our present lender, is a > charitable organization that DONATED $1 MILLION toward our purchase of the > building, as well as giving us the loan in the first place which nobody > else would do. If we fail to find a new lender in the time remaining > (which is more than the rest of the month but don't get too comfortable), > the building goes back to their ownership and they will put it toward a > charitable purpose, such as low-income housing. They are our best option > if we are unable to find new financing. > > For anyone who doubts that CLP and PP are partners, here's a link to that > article by Rafiq (leader of CLP) posted on PP's Medium page, praising the > Iranian Regime (aka the Morality Police who kill women for not wearing a > headscarf): > > https://medium.com/@PeoplesPrograms/the-legacy-of-the-iranian-revolution-2c… > > As recently as four days ago, Rafiq or Billy of CLP is apparently emailing > people who try to book events with us, trying to discourage them from doing > so: > [image: image.png] > > and in case anyone needs a reminder, here's the doxxing attack that's > still the first link of CLP's linktree. > <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y5fr9X74MkaNuebZXI1orvpIkYMVufdQY1DBrc5B6dw/edit> > "WO" is TANC, aka Tenants and Neighborhood Councils, a diverse oakland > organization that protests evictions which CLP was vehemently opposed to > for some reason. > > and here's Peoples Programs linktree: > https://linktr.ee/PBO > > and CLP's linktree: > https://linktr.ee/clp_ > > On Mon, Dec 11, 2023 at 8:59 AM Sven Pedersen via sudo-discuss < > sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org&gt; wrote: > >> Good morning, >> I realize I don't have much at stake here, and I wish success to Omni >> though I stepped back after the recent drama. This organization People's >> Programs are doing really good work and overall seem like probably great >> people, but I see the same pattern of the recent conflict -- someone who >> leads their political education is holding up the Iranian regime as an >> example of freedom -- I don't understand why, apart from its frequent use >> of "revolution"; Iran isn't socialist and their use of incarceration, >> torture and violence against all who question them isn't "free." I'd even >> say they're also neocolonial given their horrifying proxy war in Yemen with >> Saudi Arabia looks like ugly U.S./Russia history, but I realize that's >> debatable. >> >> From their "Pan Africanism New Afrika Nation Building" >> ``According to Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: >> 1. Everyone has a right to a nationality. >> 2. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the >> right to change his nationality. >> Nations are usually either capitalist or socialist. Developing free >> nations often times use a hybrid model. >> Nations are either settler colonial..(America/Israel).. *Neocolonial >> (Nigeria) or free (Cuba, Iran)*`` >> >> Just wanted to give a heads up, if you can save Omni with an agreement >> with an org that is slightly different in ideology that'd probably be a big >> win vs. the level of ideological differences with an average bank. :shrug: >> --Sven >> >> On Sat, Dec 9, 2023 at 2:42 PM Paige P via sudo-discuss < >> sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org&gt; wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> The Mulberry Trust gave Omni a loan some years ago to pay off the >>> building. The loan was just meant to be a temporary thing to get Omni up >>> and running, but not supposed to be a long term loan (like that of a >>> bank). From the wiki, these were the terms >>> >>> Mortgage >>>> Starting Jan 1st, 2017 we officially stopped paying rent and started >>>> paying off a mortgage loan! Our loan is for $975,000 at 5.5% interest, with >>>> a balloon payment due Jan 1st, 2021. >>>> $5,365.61 + 5.5% ($312.28) = $5,677.89/mo" >>> >>> >>> >>> The balloon payment ($900k) was supposed to be a way to get Omni to find >>> some other lender in 2021 so that the trust could be off the hook. We >>> couldn't pay it in 2021, and the lender gave 2 years of extension. We were >>> hoping to get another extension this year too, given there was this >>> property tax drama and the boycott, so its hard to find a lender right now, >>> but we just got news that there will be NO extension. So unless we find the >>> funds, a new lender, or a new owner who will lease or let us stay, we will >>> have to leave Omni Commons. >>> >>> So far, some ideas going are - find a big donor to foot the bill, get >>> 20people or so to loan us $50k (idea copied from another hackerspace), find >>> a partner who will let us stay, or find a land trust to own the land and >>> let us use it. >>> >>> A nonprofit called People's Programs has offered to bring in one of >>> their donors to pay off the needed $900k, and keep us on as partners. They >>> made a proposal to delegates about this on Thursday. >>> >>> This is a doc Sarah made to summarize Omni's finances to potential new >>> lenders or owners: >>> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iGTfhoUMEpHH9Nj0NEh4KODPdiU3BZLW/ed… >>> >>> Also attaching an Omni brochure Silver made, and I just made edits to >>> recently that we can share around. But it could use some better info for >>> potential lenders/donors. >>> >>> >>> >>> On Sat, Dec 9, 2023 at 1:37 PM Romy Ilano via sudo-discuss < >>> sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org&gt; wrote: >>> >>>> I just got back from Argentina and. >>>> >>>> Is there a quick summary of what’s going on? I cannot make it this >>>> Tuesday because I have to go to a Noisebridge meetup to ask for >>>> collaboration with another engineering group. >>>> >>>> Is there a Wednesday meeting after 7:45pm >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> sudo-discuss mailing list -- sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to sudo-discuss-leave(a)sudoroom.org >>>> More options at >>>> https://sudoroom.org/lists/postorius/lists/sudo-discuss.sudoroom.org/ >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> sudo-discuss mailing list -- sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org >>> To unsubscribe send an email to sudo-discuss-leave(a)sudoroom.org >>> More options at >>> https://sudoroom.org/lists/postorius/lists/sudo-discuss.sudoroom.org/ >>> >> >> >> -- >> ``Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, >> the philosophy which does not laugh >> and the greatness which does not bow before children.'' >> ~ Khalil Gibran >> _______________________________________________ >> sudo-discuss mailing list -- sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org >> To unsubscribe send an email to sudo-discuss-leave(a)sudoroom.org >> More options at >> https://sudoroom.org/lists/postorius/lists/sudo-discuss.sudoroom.org/ >> > _______________________________________________ > sudo-discuss mailing list -- sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org > To unsubscribe send an email to sudo-discuss-leave(a)sudoroom.org > More options at > https://sudoroom.org/lists/postorius/lists/sudo-discuss.sudoroom.org/ >

She already has, and we are working to resolve this conflict. There is no death wish. The main issues here are fears and tensions among local black, iranian and palestinian communities, and I believe justice can be arrived at with patience and understanding. So you'd rather see the building knocked down, than share it with PP? Are we that petty?? PP made a great proposal with significant overtures and concessions to us. It's legally very open-ended. This is an opportunity for Jesse to write a counter-proposal/MOU with fine print giving protections & guarantees to us and the building, while still honoring everything they explicitly asked for. I strongly disagree with some of PP's politics, but unlike CLP, these are honest people grounded in community with long-standing local ties. They live here, use their real names, don't hide behind anonymous protonmails or sock puppets. Unlike CLP, they have a genuine desire to use restorative justice to resolve petty disputes, rather than just use politics as an excuse to treat people like shit. Unlike CLP, our differences can be resolved with time and good faith. CLP are assholes, and CLP definitely wanted to bring in PP for ideological reasons. PP also took the CLP lies at face value, boosted them, and came in hot on us. This was bad judgement, but doesn't mean conspiracy. Frankly I don't blame them for assuming their comrades' post was true, and if it was, then we'd have deserved it. Of all the options I've seen so far, PP is by far the best. They're not perfect, but nobody is. When I look into folks' eyes at their People's Breakfast program, I see a large community of wonderful radical folks who are ready to do hard work and take ownership of something big. I see us 10 years ago. I would feel good passing the baton to them.

Edwin I wish you wouldn't write quite this way to this list, even though I agree with your point in principle. I know I may have set a bad example in some of my messages to Yar but the wording and theme of your message really doesn't seem appropriate. Please help keep this list non-gross. Also Yar has already acknowledged in another email that PP is not a good fit for us (literally an employee of PressTV) -jake On Wed, Dec 13, 2023, 11:38 Edwinsaurus &lt;plutosaurus(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote:

Paige I think it's fair to say that PP's representative is the same person we're talking about, who is an agent of the Iranian Government and a defender of the Iranian Regime / Morality Police. The fact that there are surely other people involved with the organization who are not necessarily involved with or even in 100% agreement with that political perspective does not change the fact that the basis of the organization (and the position of those in power in that organization) are incompatible with Omni and Sudoroom politics. Please see this email about People's Programs to our list: https://sudoroom.org/lists/hyperkitty/list/sudo-discuss@sudoroom.org/thread… I want to be clear that I vote for Sudoroom to block considering PP or CLP from participating in Omni, or at least block the proposal they've made. I think others have expressed the same sentiment but we should discuss it at the meeting tonight. thank you -jake On Wed, 13 Dec 2023, Paige P via sudo-discuss wrote:

I'm more curious why this is the best option. I remember speaking with EBPREC, they said they came to a meeting and were told Omni had other options and didn't need them, so they left, this was almost a year ago, and i've seen ebprec put money elsewhere, so still wonder if we were crossed off the list and if there's a chance of making something happen there. There's also other person with money's offer, the only condition I heard on that was that the building not be sold. (some people say this is an anonymous donor, so being vague on this until i understand what's going on with that).. And I mean, what it's a million dollars? 500 people at $2k loan each seems like a doable individual loan ask. (still curious what happened with potential bank loans) Equity rather than asks/donations, more work, and, it would really emphasize omni as a community project, community ownership and all that... ajay (in thinking about some of the other messages on the thread i'm replying to, i wonder if the context will make it harder to take my message seriously on a hot thread, and if i should've just started a new thread, but fingers crossed it can spur honest, open, transparent, real and vulnerable convos about alternatives)

I'm open to considering anything, but it has to be phrased between options. Rather than saying 'We shouldn't do X' I'd like to see people say, 'I'd much rather do X than Y'. Also, P.S.: I can't comment in this thread without saying that it's not just continually shocking to me how disrespectfully people talk at Sudo Room, it's totally maddening that we've all just accepted it for years. People do it and the conversation moves on, instead of someone saying, "Hey: do that again and you're suspended for the next month". As always, I appreciate the cooler heads for weighing options, I don't want to be involved, but if anyone wants an extra vote for any reasonable, proactive plans, please @ me. *Andrew R Gross, (he/him)* 412.657.5332 - shrad.org <http://www.shrad.org> On Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 6:21 PM Yardena Cohen via sudo-discuss < sudo-discuss(a)sudoroom.org&gt; wrote:

Gross dude Idek why I ever vouched for you people. Choosing between you all and the Iran govt is honestly a tougher choice than it should be.