March 21, 2007 Los Angeles Greens Meeting Minutes

Los Angeles Greens
Meeting Minutes, March 21, 2007

Marx Gutierrez, Community Organizer, Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy:
LAANE is a labor advocacy group.
LAANE works on all the things it takes to organize the labor in the region.
Hospitality, ports, security guard sectors – HERE’s organizing them.
Many of these workers are making close to minimum wage, don’t have health care.
Also buildings & trades, supermarket workers.
May be a supermarket strike soon.
Forming a think tank called “The Partnership for Working Families.” Max Gutierrez of LAANE addressed the meeting:
Remember ongoing boycotts of the LAX Hilton and the Glendale Hilton—don’t stay there!
LAANE is starting a thinktank called Partnership for Working Families (not sure what specific website yet)
Congratulated LA Greens on contributions to Hotelworkers Living Wage Campaigns

Question asked: How to we get Unite Here to endorse Greens: we need to support labor issues (do we?) Can we win realistically? Start early if you want to get LAANE endorsement
Kevin McEuwen was endorsed as a Green by LAANE


Earth Day Committee

Lisa Taylor Update:
We haven’t really brainstormed on the speakers
Ed Bagley?? (would outdraw Peace Center, maybe LAANE for him) (Bill Paparian has a connection to that)
Director of Inconvenient Truth (Denise knows him)
Lisa: we like to think big but it’s late in the game and can we get a bigger venue??
Derek: knows SpongeBob creator
Alexis: what are chances of having an event associated specifically with an LA-based environmental event?
Erin: we don’t necessarily need a “celebrity” if it’s an issue that resonates with people


South Central Greens

KCM Curry:
We’ve had problems trying find a place to meet—our 15 Greens has dwindled down to 3
Wants to plan some Joint events with the LA Greens
We were talking about how to turn 4th of July into a Green event
Would also like to integrate a 19th Amendment commemoration event
We need 3 “little things” from the green parties:
1.suggestions of ideas for speakers for a lecture series over the next 13 years
2.agree on who we can get as mc’s for these events
Bean: what about a walk-a-thon in addition with million trees initiative in conjunction with this
Rochmes: Would it be better to do something more timely?
Alex: Santa Clara County Greens had a lot more joint events—this is a great idea
KCM: launching her candidacy for Vice Presidency of America
GPCA Retreat Highlights

Rochmes points:
Cynthia McKinney spoke—people were trying to encourage her to run--it’s pretty likely that she’s going to run
A lot of discussion about getting the Green Party to 5%

Discussion of state-wide vs. localized IRV initiatives
Possible the Bay Audience at GPCA was optimistic about state-wide initiative because of their successes in Oakland, etc.
Sebastopol: 3 out of 5 city council are Green
McKinney is really down-to-earth and approachable

Derek: what if Ralph decides to run?
Linda: Elaine Brown has decided to run as well
Dave: Re: McKinney, skeptical of her qualifications (she’s a civil rights leaders but what makes her a Green?) should we have an official discussion about her as a chapter?
Linda: She transcends civil rights because she deals with electoral issues


Speak Out

Alexis Gotera: his interest is Electoral Politics
Alex: is here at least partially as a response to disorganized anti-war march presence


Goals Update

IRV update
Dave: I’m working with Dave Holtzman
We’ve identified short list of public officials to pursue endorsements, beginning this process in April
I’m “going after” Richard Alarcon, Dennis Zine, Michael Antonovich, Barbara Boxer
Dave H. is pursuing Adam Schiff, Yvonne Burke, Zev Yaroslavsky, John Transvina (MALDEF President)
Pasadena Unified School District is seriously considering use of IRV and we’re applying pressure on its members too (as well as Pasadena City Council, secondarily)
Important Public Forum:
“Alternative Voting Systems for Pasadena Unified School District and Pasadena City Council”, Thursday, April 26th 7:00-8:30, Pasadena City College, Circadian Room, 1570 Colorado Blvd., Building “CC”, Parking @2 in Lots 1 and 2 (pay at kiosks)
Sponsored by New America Foundation, League of Women Voters Pasadena, Common Cause and Invest in PUSD Kids


Fair Trade Event

Goal is to make people aware of all the options out there for buying fair trade products and to demonstrate to companies that there is a market.

Will probably be attached to the Hollywood and Vine farmer’s market somehow.


Announcements

SOUTH CENTRAL FARMERS @ TIANGUIS
When: Every first Sunday of the month, 10:00 am to sunset
Where: On 41st between Long Beach Ave. & Alameda Ave., South Central L.A.
Metro Blue Line - exit Vernon Station, walk 4 blks. north


ATTENDEES

Michael Rochmes
KCM Curry
Alexis Gotera
Nina Chang
Marx Gutierrez
Erin Schmidt
Linda Piera-Avila
Lisa Taylor
Thurston Seaton
Derek Iversen
Christine Pinto
Raam Kaur
Alex Walker
Dave English