In this moment of rising fascism, where we stand defines our integrity.
In our daily lives, we see those willing to step forward, to courageously voice dissent and to enter into solidarity together. Conversely, we witness those who have been cowed by fear; or the cynical, bargaining on a short-sighted accommodation they hope will save them from perceived threat; or the weak, who have succumbed to a social permission to hate, unleashing latent, often long-simmering, prejudices and violence into the world.
For each of us, our character will be tested and defined as we enter this moment in history. It might inevitably become an era of intimate internal warfare because it will show us who we are to ourselves as the avenues of denial and escape close out.
Undoubtedly, we have become privy to the previously private positions of friends, family and neighbors as society polarizes allowing no neutral ground to hide. We are all being laid bare.
In this context of intensifying political crisis and compelled by moral demand, the Central Valley Partnership (CVP) is changing the structure of our monthly meetings—a change from traditional top-down programs to something more powerful: convening a regional assembly where we vote with our bodies to realize our values through action.
Over the last 10 years, the CVP has met in union halls to build a progressive network in the Fresno region. Our meetings have been programmed, positioning the audience as passive observers. And while significant progress has occurred in these spaces, that format is not sufficient to meet the current moment when we need to strategically plan actions and quickly coalesce communities for mutual aid and protection.
Starting in September, we will convene regional assemblies to spur community action by adapting open space and popular assembly practices in creating an environment where all voices can be heard, leaders can step forward and nonviolent actions can be lifted through broad-based validation, agreement and consensus.
Key features of these Valley Solidarity Assemblies include the following:
- Discussion topics driven by participants
- Breakout groups organized around policies, geographies or urgent issues
- Co-created solutions shared back in the full group
- Real-time documentation and commitment to next steps
- Strategic nonviolent action prioritized
These Valley Solidarity Assemblies are dynamic, participant-driven gatherings where individuals create their agenda, lead discussions and collaborate on solutions to shared issues.
An open space assembly empowers participants to generate action.
It is our commitment to harnessing community power by opening a democratized space for collaboration, solidarity and movement building. The structure will directly impact the issues, campaigns and geographies most pertinent to our progressive network across the Valley.
In launching this open space model, we are piloting a method that could be adapted to other settings and communities. We are building facilitation teams to share and disseminate the empowerment model, and inviting residents and leaders from across the Valley to shape the space.
The inaugural Valley Solidarity Assembly will be held on Sept. 16 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 118 of the Old Administration Building at Fresno City College.
