Please spread the word and participate throughout March 2, 3, & don't miss the parade on the 4th!

Related Workshops and Events March 2, 3, & 4 - Don't miss this amazing opportunity!

The Backbone Campaign and our movement partners present the Procession for the Future, a creative organizing tool to inspire, educate and train youth and concerned citizens to be more effective activists in this crucial election year AND beyond.

Many have been inspired by the spirit of "Yes we can" and "Si Se Puede," and the Procession for the Future compliments that message by raising the bar on what we as citizens of this country and planet can do. At noon, Tuesday March 4th, 2008, for the first time ever, a progressive platform is taking parade form as the Procession for the Future, and it is doing so in the forward looking community of Portland, Oregon.

March 4th is not just the name of a great Portland area marching band. It is also the date that the US Constitution went into effect in 1789, the date of Thomas Jefferson's first inaugural address, and it is the only date on the calendar that inherently calls forth We the People to rededicate ourselves to creating a more perfect union. So take the day off and March Forth!

Campus progressives at PSU and other Portland area schools are collaborating with grassroots movement progressives from the Backbone Campaign, Portland Jobs with Justice, Corporate Accountability, Ruckus Society, and the Organic Consumer's Association to com together for three days of training, education and spectacle in the streets of Portland with a Procession for the Future.

Below is the overall schedule including a Sunday Arts for Social Change workshop, the Monday evening Panel Discussion, and the many opportunities on Tuesday March 4. You can download a draft poster here or click on the image to the right.

Please spread the word and participate throughout March 2, 3, & don't miss the parade on the 4th!

Schedule:

March 2, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Art Workshop
Art for Social Change Workshop & Parade Rehearsal
Location: PSU - Smith Memorial Student Union Building room 294 and 296.

March 3, 7:00 PM, Panel Discussion
We the People - Building a Movement for the Future We Want, Featuring: Antonia Juhasz, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, David Cobb and more.
Location: PSU - Smith Memorial Student Union Building room 228.

March 4, 11:00 AM - Evening, MARCH FORTH!
Parade, Theme Park, Activist Trainings

* 11 AM Meet at parade staging area in Pioneer Square Park
* 12 Noon Procession for the Future launches on 1 mile parade through Downtown Portland arriving at PSU at 1 PM
* 1-1:30 Rev. Yearwood and others address the crowd. Ring Master orients participants & intros theme Park Guides.
* 1:30-2:45 Activist Theme Park and Music
* 3:00-4:30 Training Session #1 Bird-dogging by Ruckus Society, Corporate Campaigning by Corporate Accountability in the Smith Memorial Student Union Building
* 4:45-6:15 Training Session #2 NVDA 101 - by Ruckus Society, Freeway Bannering Building by Backbone Campaign in the Smith Memorial Student Union Building

Workshop & Training Descriptions:

Art & Sound for Social Change Sunday, March 2, 11AM- 4PM
Presented by Puppet Farm Arts of Minneapolis and the Backbone Campaign
This workshop will focus on the use of spectacle imagery to communicate a message and attract earned media. We will demonstrate a variety of building techniques from inflatables, to backpack puppets, and more. During the music for demonstrations we'll teach multi-part rhythms, and instrument building. This will end with a rehearsal for manipulating the many icons to be deployed on March 4th.

Bird-Dogging Candidates - Tuesday, March 4, 3:00-4:30, Activist Training section #1
Presented by Ruckus Society
Bird-Dogging is a key tactic to pressure elected officials into taking more progressive stances on the issues we care about -- and into taking those stances publicly, so that they can be held accountable. Bird-dogging is always an effective tactic, but becoming increasingly effective during campaign season, and especially during primary campaigns when candidates are particularly concerned about taking the right positions.

Non-Violent Direct Action Training - Tuesday, March 4, 4:45-6:15, Activist Training section #2
Presented by Ruckus Society (From the description of the workshop at the US Social Forum)
This training provides an interactive introduction to Nonviolent Direct Action and Civil Disobedience. Participants identify the benefits of using NVDA, explore what makes an action effective, and clarify their personal beliefs about what nonviolence means. This workshop will help groups prepare for an upcoming action. It'll start by looking closely at the action scenario, making sure the group has solid plans for direct action roles, decision-making processes, safety, and messaging. After assessing the action, the group uses role-plays to practice de-escalation skills and street tactics.

Corporate Campaigning: Challenging Corporate Abuse & Limiting Corporate Power - Tuesday, March 4, 3:00-4:30, Activist Training section #1
Presented by Corporate Accountability
History and tactics of corporate campaigning. (more description later)

Freeway Bannering - Tuesday, March 4, 4:45-6:15, Activist Training section #2
Presented by the Backbone Campaign - FREE Banners for all participating organizations!
Build a giant, changeable, reusable banner for safely and legally getting your message out at overpasses. Materials provided, donations accepted. See this page for example.