Meeting Notes 2015-04-01

Sudoroom Meeting April 1, 2015

Intros

icebreaker question: what have you broken lately?

• remote yar: i hurt my leg muscle which is why i'm not actually there-there
• remote ryan: my brain
• remote jessie: a kombucha bottle. it exploded marvelously, and i got +50 mad scientist cred
• april: my faith
• nic: my door
• kyle: faith as well
• matt: formatted the harddrive of the radio streaming by breaking windows, linux saves the day
• drew: in oakland for the month, formatted phone in a broken way
• rachel: broke the contraints of her home barriers, hacked the house
• elliot: half way in a union meeting; reccently broke trust with entitled guests of the omni
• steve: broke the law a little bit
• rob: two months into hanging out at sudoroom;

Matt: something you broke recently? Rob: did i? <<laughter>> Ian: I've seen rob fix more things than ive seen him break Rob: The vice broke over there, i'm not sure if it was me, but the vice broke

• Ian: breaking a css facelift for my app, colors, divs broken, ... everything, borders non existent
• Brooke
• Lesley
  • the sudoer's agreement to answer the icebreaker first-- ffaust
• Jenny
• Egon: A pidgeon "broke in" to Sudo/CCL. Still in the rafters...

• ==announcements==
• the board of directors all signed the engagement letter with Kyle, the lawyer, who is present today
• hardware hacking tuesday has a website! sudohacknight.org !
• drew, would like to help in any way he can, specifically front end design, communications infrastructre, visual organizing artist (email me at dhornbein at gmail)

April: you are almost out of buzzwords <<laughter>>

• Matt: the plotter printer: you can print open street map, it's gonna run out of ink soon thought

 ** it just runs on any software

• Matt: the southern european culture is more politicall engaged; let's be inspired by that. Building and maintaince working group meets every Monday. Find calendars in the main space of La Commune
  • Join the omnidiscuss list!
  • See Omni Readiness wiki page [1]
• Rob was doing some research and the Omni used to be owned by the Oakland Scavengar Company; people are thinking of starting a band
• David: on May 1st, we are trying to get people to donate art to display and sell to benefit the cost of the moving walls in there.
  • we are asking all groups to get involved
• Rob: has art to donate, where do we put art donations, <<pulls out large 3.5ft by 3ft package of things>>
• We need front desk people at the Omni

  **ffaust would like to propose-- signal me on side

Black Hole Proposal

• The proposal is on the Wiki not yet modified with sudo feedback.
  • https://omnicommons.org/wiki/Black_Hole_Collective_Lab

Motion picture, still photographic, and development for film. Collective includes both filmmakers and photographers. Everyone's stoked on celluloid, it's different from computers, not that there's anything wrong with that ;) THIS IS AWESOME I KNOW THE FOLKS FROM BLACK HOLE AND THEY ARE GREAT.

Feedback from sudo last time:

• Reduce months of free rent for build-out from 2 months to 1 month.
  • Can do.
• $400 is enough for the wet room alone, need more $ for the dry room (Bunker 2) and the use of common space (tables in Bunker 1).
  • David suggests that they could do $500 - $600 if they have to.
  • Phat Beets is paying $750 for the smallest basement room
• We all (including BHL) expect that Black Hole Labs, in the future, at an appropriate time, in an expedient fashion, will seek to utilize the South East hallway and storage room in the basement, by building appropriate walls and other modifications (with all appropriate contingencies addressed). This would utilize currently (mostly) unusable space in a clever,creative, and excellent way that we hope can work for everyone.
  • BHCL considers this an option, once the space is usable. Bigger priority is moving into some space now.
• We all (including BHL) expect that any investment in mold abatement, drywalling, ventilation, insulation, or other modifications to rooms in the basement (especially those made in a general-purpose fashion like a drain/sink) will be contributed by BHL, even if BHL ends up moving into another location in the omni commons building or elsewhere.
  • Collaboration between Phat Beets, BHCL and Material Print achine
  • This "tri-fecta" would be "killer" ;P ;)
• How do members of BHL see folks in the community utilizing the space? Specific examples should be given,such as "person X comes to section Y of the space to do Z at cost of $ with materials A, B, and C". Further, does BHL plan for the public or folks in the community to come to full-fledged course,workshops, one-on-one instruction, do-it-yourself (DIY) usage,do-it-together (DIT) usage, open hours,

or something else?

• • Some members are already engaged in various forms of community media projects with people in the local community, that they would bring to the space, but it is not clear what specific activities this includes.
  • People in the community interested in the aesthetic process of motion picture would pay a monthly due and bring in their own or donated materials
  • Equipment lending library for photographic use out in the field
  • Brooke intends to use the lab and dry room as a host for youth with an incarcerated family member to come and express themselves through artistic media, essentially as a non-profit project after finishing her theses. BHCL generally aware and supportive of this, but no one is practicing this now, waiting for space, with the emphasis on Brooke taking responsibility for it.
  • Would come in when they had been trained or with an expert present - mutual aid community-driven art production space
  • Taping a film and projecting it
  • Printing a photograph and stewarding its processing
  • Collaborative processes of cocreation
  • Organizing shows of photography and film
• How does BHL see itself as a collective of stakeholders in the omni commons and the local community?
  • Some members are already engaged in various forms of community media projects with people in the local community, that they would
  • Art production
  • already sees itself as part of omni commons project as some folks have been involved since the beginning, with pedagogy of DIY / DIT collaboration.
  • Providing facilities, hosting events, doing art practice
• Perhaps informed by discussions or conclusions from the Commons Working Group, what does BHL think about(not exclusively designating), but generally prioritizing common spaces in the basement for arts (including music, drawing/painting,and other forms of art)?
• In terms of the "dry"space, what are the precise needs that BHL has for (a) lockable space, (b) protection for sensitive equipment, and (c) space for hanging / cutting / editing film (including descriptions of the specific items and how often they are expected to be used)?
  • one of the small offices would need to be used to lock up sensitive equiptment with an area of shared space outside that room, like a light table and matting equiptment;
  • this is the minimum amount of space needed to have a lab like this, as the equiptment is big
  • the space will be utilized in the most conservative way
  • it's not loud, what they do
• Also in terms of the "dry"space, is there any way to reduce the overall footprint of this space?
  • No.

Other comments:

• Jake is willing to help with plumbing.
• Yar suggests a rent credit if they move to the east hallway since nobody else would pay for that. would reimburse for the $$ they spent plumbing the west basement
• Some sudo room members expressed excitement for BHL stewarding a community dark room, especially because of the dual use of developing not just celluloid, but film photography (still image film).
• David: some practical points
  • the build out will take two months;
  • one of the small offices would need to be used to lock up sensitive equiptment with an area of shared space outside that room, like a light table and matting equiptment;
  • this is the minimum amount of space needed to have a lab like this, as the equiptment is big
• Ian: $600 is a reasonable price for that amount of space
• April: Let's offer 2 months free and $600/month, perhaps put a time limit on it
  • No precedent for this - CCL, BAPS, and Rise Above have paid in full from the start even though not built out or no designated space
    • DK: re precedent - Not really true; CCL, BAPS, Sudo and every collective did get a month of free rent shortly after moving in precisely and specifically due to the projected costs of improvements and renovation.
• Matt: 1 month free rent (but utilities), 2nd month $400, 3rd month $600
• Egon: Sudo kiosk? Rob and I upgraded the computer and monitor. Spoke of keeping it in La Commune for calendar/front desk...

How do people feel about 2 months free?

Consenso: 1 month free rent (but utilities), 2nd month $400, 3rd month $600

• Consenso from sudoers: Matt, Jenny, April, Ian, Rachel, Steve, Shawn, Elliot(?), Jake, yar (abstain), Ryan (abstain)

board of directors

• What do we need to do to have a more responsive board of directors? There has been a problem in our ability to coordinate and respond in a way that's respectful of everyone's time.
  • Communicate to board members that they need to be responsive this year, or to rescind responsibility
  • Marc, Marina, Matt, Hol, Troy in particular
• Can Kyle explain what will be needed from the board of directors?
• Can the board of directors be smaller?
• What are the next steps for becoming a 501c3?
  • Egon: What about a B/Benefit corp?
• april and jenny are cat herders
• hats off to april for clarifying and pushing forward our process
• any questions about taxes, ask kyle!

new members

• I would like to clarify my membership to the sudo room being that I hold a sudo key. I would like to be a member and work trade for my dues... -Elliot
  • Has tried to shut down the space and been questioned
  • Cleans the space, cleans the kitchen, offering worktrade
• Why sudo?
  • I've been here, do computer work here, specifically with my union and also organize events and demonstrations etc; want to help facilitate radical activities happening in this space (in non-risky ways of course);
  • what share? Help with organizing protests and events; graphic design skills; maintaining/cleaning/organizing the space; holding down the fort; safety and security
  • what hack? the government; welding; trades and skills generally
  • are you an undercover cop? hell no, i've been beat up and tortured by the cops multiple times; called out undercovers in activist communities.
  • are you an undercover cat? yes. wildcat.
  • have you been banned from another hackerspace? no
  • do you see violence as a last resort when interacting with conflicts in sudo room? yes, absolutely, especially after this incident (when elliot was defending the property of someone in the space and acted physically)
  • do you believe people can change? yes, but depends on where they're at - it's a hard process, to facilitate change in someone
  • in a competition between adam and jake to see whose gadgets could do more damage, who would win? lightning over robot [lghtng]
• initial pondering:
  • jenny: seen active change from violent confrontation to seeking collective nonviolent resolution
  • ian: lots of nonmembers in the space late, great to have elliot as a member. then again, how would elliot resolve a conflict when left alone in the space with other nonmembers? yet i trust they have our back and other sudoers backs. +1
  • yar: takes us seriously enough that he knows how to behave here. one of the first times i met him, overheard him talking about beating people up. hypocritical to push for xavier's ban. good faith that he won't pull that shit here, or possibly even again.
  • matt: keeps pyutting us in peril, but is committed to the community
  • rachel: i believe people can change. ask elliot, 'do you not feel up to being responsible for other people? that's cool, we mob out'

finances

• your pockets will be emptied before you leave the room jkjkjklol
• +$500 from the Don't Spy On Us/Restore the Fourth event
• Still no deposits from Gratipay since 2/20
• Remedied rent for April (including accidental $870 deposit + the internet we've been paying for since july at $135/month) is now ~$48
• We are still fairly fucked, but not until June (rather than May)
• Fundraiser party, yes yes! - April is down to help with this
• New member system with due payment accountability, huzzah!

conflict mediation

• • • I would like this to be a members only discussion so that I can feel safe discussing my experience.***

• I would like to propose to ban Nick indefinately (here at the table) from the Omni on the grounds of theft and violation of the safer spaces policy (( Due to his agressively sexist language and threatening behaivor.)

So basically after months of distrust and hearing from other omni/sudo members that they distrust/ feel unsafe around Nick, I caught Nick stealing Ian's purple phone chord with tape on it. When I asked Nick if it was Ian's phone chord "It's my chord." I didn't trust him so I took pictures and posted it to the sudo list and later talked to Ian who confirmed that it was his chord that he taped to the computer. I wouldnt have been so upset about a chord but because Nick claimed that it was his chord he violated my already small amount of trust.

"I asked Nick to leave and leave the chord behind and Nick responded by calling me a bitch and misgendering me calling me a "him" "he" pronoun intentially. He backtracked an made a claim that I was "Bitching"

Omni Commons Safer Spaces Policy: These are some examples of unacceptable behavior. This list is by no means exhaustive. Harassment includes but is not limited to: Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion

Deliberate misgendering or use of ‘dead’ or rejected names

Unacceptable‭ ‬behavior‭ ‬from‭ ‬any‭one at the Omni,‭ ‬including‭ ‬sponsors‭ ‬and‭ ‬those‭ ‬with‭ ‬decision-making‭ ‬authority,‭ ‬will‭ ‬not‭ ‬be‭ ‬tolerated. Anyone‭ ‬asked‭ ‬to‭ ‬stop‭ ‬unacceptable‭ ‬behavior‭ ‬is‭ ‬expected‭ ‬to‭ ‬comply‭ ‬immediately.If‭ ‬someone‭ ‬engages‭ ‬in‭ ‬unacceptable‭ ‬behavior,‭ anyone at the Omni‬‭ should feel empowered to take action to address the situation (i.e., talk to the person involved, point out violent or threatening behavior, ask them to leave the space, etc.). In cases where someone's safety is at risk, a temporary ban may be put in place until the Omni's conflict resolution process can be followed to resolution."

He backtracked lying even more later claiming that he just "borrowed" it from the space. I also deeply distrust him because when he originally applied for membership when asked if he was a indercover cop he said " I might be a collaborator" When I had him temp banned from the space I asked him to clarify that and he said he wanted to be a "Police Liason". This affirmed my suspision that he has intrest and may be collaborating with the police. An additional affirmation for is that he constantly looks over my shoulder and has been caught by pulling back windows on the internet that I have closed already. Looking specifically at radical content. When I confronted him later about this he admitted that windows were pulled back up. He then asked me if "I had anything to hide."

I also constantly witness him attempting to take on infastructural roles and when he gets them he mishandles them.

Additionally when I hosted the Herbin Native's event I left my phone in the mainroom and my phone was stolen I suspected that it was Nick because he was one of the few people in the space.

If we do not have quarum I am requesting that Nick leave until next week's meeting to maintain a safer space. ( Due to his agressively sexist language and threatening behaivor.)

If‭ ‬someone‭ ‬engages‭ ‬in‭ ‬unacceptable‭ ‬behavior,‭ anyone at the Omni‬‭ should feel empowered to take action to address the situation (i.e., talk to the person involved, point out violent or threatening behavior, ask them to leave the space, etc.). In cases where someone's safety is at risk, a temporary ban may be put in place until the Omni's conflict resolution process can be followed to resolution. ‬"

To get to the point I feel with the amount of stuff stolen from this 

omni proposal #1

• An awesome rad local venture capitalist and hi-rise developer wants to be part of the cool omni community. They are called "Oakland: Meet Your Density". Their goal is to replace all the single-family homes with luxury hi-rises which will be reasonably affordable in 40 years after the singularity. But only in poor neighborhoods. They will use the ballroom to host fancy dinners and set up a sweet office and/or videogame dungeon in one of the basement rooms for $50/month (including utilities). They can move in one month from today, on May 1. They don't have time to attend meetings but they'll pay someone else to do it. Also they don't believe in consensus or safe space. They also don't believe in community or sharing. Or hacking. They HATE hacking.

discussion

• yar: +1 seems legit
• egon: ^ This!!!
• april is down