submitted anonymously
What is an anarchist assembly?
An assembly is simply a set place and time for anarchists to come
together and discuss issues and ideas with other anarchists. The purpose
is not to just form a larger organization, or any sort of
decision-making body, but to provide an open forum to announce events,
present projects, and find other people to organize with outside of the
assembly space. It’s also an opportunity to stay informed and connect
with other anarchists.
Why the neighborhood?
Neighborhoods have been sites of resistance throughout history.
Neighborhoods are where the real work of political organizing begins.
Neighborhoods are the places we know best, where we can make direct
connections with people who face the same immediate issues. Constant
displacement in a rapidly gentrifying city like Seattle can be
alienating, and it’s not always possible to organize with people who
live nearby, so our neighborhoods might be where we work, or go to
school, or wherever we have built a relationship with the land and the
other people living, working, and learning there. The intention is not
to organize around a traditional model of the neighborhood when it
doesn’t make sense, but to provide an opportunity for people to organize
in the communities they are most connected with.
Why anarchist?
We are calling for anarchist assemblies because we need our own spaces
where we can be intentional about some of our baseline political and
ethical commitments. Calling for specifically anarchist assemblies does
not negate the value of organizing outside of our political milieu, but
authoritarian leftists, electoral leftists, and liberals are firmly
entrenched in many aspects of organizing in this city, and they have a
long history of exploiting and abusing anarchists. We don’t need them,
and we don’t need to share space with them.
Why now?
Assemblies have always been a valuable form of organizing, but the
growing threats of climate disasters, ICE raids and mass deportations,
state sanctioned far-right violence, police violence, and the constantly
escalating war on homeless people are just a few of the urgent issues
facing us and our neighbors right now. The situation is undeniably
extreme, and it may seem overwhelming and hopeless, but that’s all the
more reason to connect with and support each other in spaces where we
have more control, and can be most effective. We have seen many valiant
efforts to respond to every sweep and far-right threat, no matter how
far away, but this can be a huge drain on resources, and there can be
misunderstandings about what those other neighborhoods really need. What
if there was a basis for communication and mobilization with the people
we see every day? Would it be more efficient and effective to explore
the ecology of mutual aid projects, organizations, and crews that are
closest to us?
The Call:
Plan the space:
Find a space that works for the number of people you expect to attend.
Smaller assemblies have more flexibility about where they can meet, but
larger groups should make the effort to find adequate space. Get
creative, but don’t forget about the basics like seating, and bathroom
access. Accessibility is essential. This includes choosing an accessible
location, masking, mobility requirements, transit access, and language
translation, as well as general safety and security.*
Do the promotion:
Be intentional about promoting the assembly. Whether its a flyer, a
zine, or a website, remember that your medium limits who can see it, so
multiple formats can be more inclusive. Put a poster up in the cafe, but
also bring handbills to your local mutual aid distro, and share the
graphic on a signal chat.
Agree on some ground rules:
It’s good to discuss people’s expectations at the first assembly. What
are your goals? What can you do? What won’t you do? Although assemblies
are not a decision-making body as such, they are a container for
decisions made outside of that space. There might be many different
topics to be discussed, so some basic procedural agreements can help
keep the conversation focused, respect people’s time, and give everyone
an opportunity to participate. Consider setting an agenda, and roles
like facilitator, or note-taker.
Be clear about who is welcome… and who is not:
Anarchists are not afraid of a little confrontation. Of course it’s
essential to confront and remove anyone with non-negotiable values, i.e.
fascists, racists, abusers, cops, etc. but all too often, anarchists
have set aside core principles in an effort to include everyone who
could possibly be included on the broadly defined left. This stifles the
conversation, and allows political opportunists to take advantage of the
group. It’s ok to ask that those coming have a vested interest in what
happens in the neighborhood, and aren’t showing up because they think
it’s a new venue for selling papers and winning votes. It’s also ok to
exclude people based on their interest in hierarchical, electoral,
statist, and authoritarian political structures. They have nothing to
offer us anyway.
Report Back:
People want to hear about your assemblies! What has been working, and
what hasn’t? Are there other people working on projects of interest in
your neighborhood? Write down what you can and share it widely. We learn
collectively from each other’s successes and failures.
What’s next?
Plan the next assembly. How often do you need to meet? Once a month?
Every two weeks? It will be different for each assembly, and it can
change in the future. It’s also ok if people can’t make it every time.
Assemblies don’t make ongoing decisions, so a quorum is not required.
*Notes on Security Culture:
Anarchists are frequently targeted for state repression, and many of us
are vulnerable in other ways, so we don’t have to make it more dangerous
for ourselves by revealing personal details, or talking about projects
in too much detail. Assemblies should be treated as public events, not
niche spaces limited to discussing the details of specific organizing
efforts among a select group. Continue to practice general safety around
what you say publicly to others, and move to exclude anyone who refuses
to respect the boundaries agreed upon. If you have the capacity for
printing, zines and handouts about security can help new people
acclimate to a culture of security and safety, and we can all use
reminders and updates. We have to keep ourselves safe so we can keep
each other safe.
submitted anonymously
What is an anarchist assembly?
An assembly is simply a set place and time for anarchists to come
together and discuss issues and ideas with other anarchists. The purpose
is not to just form a larger organization, or any sort of
decision-making body, but to provide an open forum to announce events,
present projects, and find other people to organize with outside of the
assembly space. It’s also an opportunity to stay informed and connect
with other anarchists.
Why the neighborhood?
Neighborhoods have been sites of resistance throughout history.
Neighborhoods are where the real work of political organizing begins.
Neighborhoods are the places we know best, where we can make direct
connections with people who face the same immediate issues. Constant
displacement in a rapidly gentrifying city like Seattle can be
alienating, and it’s not always possible to organize with people who
live nearby, so our neighborhoods might be where we work, or go to
school, or wherever we have built a relationship with the land and the
other people living, working, and learning there. The intention is not
to organize around a traditional model of the neighborhood when it
doesn’t make sense, but to provide an opportunity for people to organize
in the communities they are most connected with.
Why anarchist?
We are calling for anarchist assemblies because we need our own spaces
where we can be intentional about some of our baseline political and
ethical commitments. Calling for specifically anarchist assemblies does
not negate the value of organizing outside of our political milieu, but
authoritarian leftists, electoral leftists, and liberals are firmly
entrenched in many aspects of organizing in this city, and they have a
long history of exploiting and abusing anarchists. We don’t need them,
and we don’t need to share space with them.
Why now?
Assemblies have always been a valuable form of organizing, but the
growing threats of climate disasters, ICE raids and mass deportations,
state sanctioned far-right violence, police violence, and the constantly
escalating war on homeless people are just a few of the urgent issues
facing us and our neighbors right now. The situation is undeniably
extreme, and it may seem overwhelming and hopeless, but that’s all the
more reason to connect with and support each other in spaces where we
have more control, and can be most effective. We have seen many valiant
efforts to respond to every sweep and far-right threat, no matter how
far away, but this can be a huge drain on resources, and there can be
misunderstandings about what those other neighborhoods really need. What
if there was a basis for communication and mobilization with the people
we see every day? Would it be more efficient and effective to explore
the ecology of mutual aid projects, organizations, and crews that are
closest to us?
The Call:
Plan the space:
Find a space that works for the number of people you expect to attend.
Smaller assemblies have more flexibility about where they can meet, but
larger groups should make the effort to find adequate space. Get
creative, but don’t forget about the basics like seating, and bathroom
access. Accessibility is essential. This includes choosing an accessible
location, masking, mobility requirements, transit access, and language
translation, as well as general safety and security.*
Do the promotion:
Be intentional about promoting the assembly. Whether its a flyer, a
zine, or a website, remember that your medium limits who can see it, so
multiple formats can be more inclusive. Put a poster up in the cafe, but
also bring handbills to your local mutual aid distro, and share the
graphic on a signal chat.
Agree on some ground rules:
It’s good to discuss people’s expectations at the first assembly. What
are your goals? What can you do? What won’t you do? Although assemblies
are not a decision-making body as such, they are a container for
decisions made outside of that space. There might be many different
topics to be discussed, so some basic procedural agreements can help
keep the conversation focused, respect people’s time, and give everyone
an opportunity to participate. Consider setting an agenda, and roles
like facilitator, or note-taker.
Be clear about who is welcome… and who is not:
Anarchists are not afraid of a little confrontation. Of course it’s
essential to confront and remove anyone with non-negotiable values, i.e.
fascists, racists, abusers, cops, etc. but all too often, anarchists
have set aside core principles in an effort to include everyone who
could possibly be included on the broadly defined left. This stifles the
conversation, and allows political opportunists to take advantage of the
group. It’s ok to ask that those coming have a vested interest in what
happens in the neighborhood, and aren’t showing up because they think
it’s a new venue for selling papers and winning votes. It’s also ok to
exclude people based on their interest in hierarchical, electoral,
statist, and authoritarian political structures. They have nothing to
offer us anyway.
Report Back:
People want to hear about your assemblies! What has been working, and
what hasn’t? Are there other people working on projects of interest in
your neighborhood? Write down what you can and share it widely. We learn
collectively from each other’s successes and failures.
What’s next?
Plan the next assembly. How often do you need to meet? Once a month?
Every two weeks? It will be different for each assembly, and it can
change in the future. It’s also ok if people can’t make it every time.
Assemblies don’t make ongoing decisions, so a quorum is not required.
*Notes on Security Culture:
Anarchists are frequently targeted for state repression, and many of us
are vulnerable in other ways, so we don’t have to make it more dangerous
for ourselves by revealing personal details, or talking about projects
in too much detail. Assemblies should be treated as public events, not
niche spaces limited to discussing the details of specific organizing
efforts among a select group. Continue to practice general safety around
what you say publicly to others, and move to exclude anyone who refuses
to respect the boundaries agreed upon. If you have the capacity for
printing, zines and handouts about security can help new people
acclimate to a culture of security and safety, and we can all use
reminders and updates. We have to keep ourselves safe so we can keep
each other safe.