conference

This will be a conference of many firsts. For starters, it's the first national conference I've ever heard of, past or present, dealing exclusively with student power. It's also the first conference of this scope and size I've seen that doesn't have a large sponsoring organization (e.g. USSA, Campus Progress, Young People For, even SDS).

No matter what comes out of this Convergence, it will be important, and it will help shape the terms of student struggle for years to come. So come to Ohio this weekend, August 10-14, for as much time as you can.

I'll be there (leading this workshop). Will you?

Click here to register! >

The 2010 U.S. Social Forum is almost upon us! The USSF is the next most important step in our
 struggle to build a powerful multi-racial, multi-sectoral, inter-generational,
 diverse, inclusive, internationalist movement that transforms this country and
 changes history.

When I first started compiling this list, I originally wanted it to be all student- & youth-related workshops at USSF. Then I looked at the list. There are literally hundreds of workshops that fall under that category: a hassle for me, but a wonderful sign for the left. In the interest of brevity and precision, I've listed here all the workshops that are focused at least partially on higher education issues and organizing.

As you can see, there are workshops looking at higher ed and students from just about every imaginable angle (and sadly you can also see how much scheduling overlap there is).

All the workshops are listed in chronological order, from Wednesday to Friday - the sole exception being the first entry, the Friday workshop I'm co-facilitating (blogmaster's prerogative!). Let me know if I've missed one, thanks!

See you all at USSF!

The awesome folks who put on the Rethinking the University conference are at it again! Mark your calendars, to either attend or contribute to what should be a very important gathering.
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Reworking the University: Visions, Strategies, Demands
April 24-26, 2009, University of Minnesota
Call for Ideas - Please Distribute Widely!

It's March, so you know what that means: time for NCOR!

The National Conference on Organized Resistance is being held this Saturday and Sunday at American University in Washington, DC. Like last year's conference, folks interested in radical change at their universities have several workshops to choose from (click to view descriptions):

• Beyond '68: Anarchy in the Academy
• Youth & Student Organizing
• Anarchist Revolutionary Strategy: Getting Free (run by James Herod, a participant in the '68 Columbia occupation)
• Strategies to counter military recruitment in the public high schools

Groups like SDS will have tables at the conference; The Albany Free School will also be tabling; they are a phenomenal school based in upstate New York founded on principles of complete freedom and participation for the student (we've covered the Albany Free School at NCOR in 2006).

(Originally written for YP4's blog.)

I hope to see you all there this weekend! I'll be driving up with some friends Friday afternoon/evening. If you still need a ride, there are still some seats available if you live near large cities (NYC, D.C., etc.).

The first-ever United States Social Forum is rapidly approaching, going on from June 27 - July 1, in Atlanta.