Earth Democracy at the 33rd Triennial Congress, July 27-30
Published on June, 11 2017
Randa Solick, Judy Geer, and Epi Bodhi at the People’s Climate March, September 21, 2014, New York City. Credit: Nancy Price. Banner Design: Creative Independent Artist Front
By Nancy Price, Earth Democracy
Come to Congress in Chicago to Rise Up as Guardians of Future Generations to Reclaim an agenda for People and The Planet. There is a lot to decide about Earth Democracy’s next steps, and I’d love to hear your voice—in person!
We are at the tipping point of ecological and climate crises. There’s the gutting of the EPA, the administration’s position on global warming and the Paris Climate Treaty, and the accelerated development of fossil fuels and the associated infrastructure that’s scarring the landscape and polluting air, land, and water—and so much more. We are in a state of emergency.
Furthermore, the United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has notified Congress of the intent to renegotiate NAFTA. Additionally, Lighthizer wants to have the still-secret Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), involving 50 countries including the US, completed by late fall. These two agreements will have catastrophic, long-lasting impacts on people and the planet. More on NAFTA and TiSA in a future eNews.
At Congress, one of the issue workshops, “Global Warming: Food Sovereignty and Regenerative Agriculture,” will highlight how food sovereignty—that is, democratic decision-making over our food systems—is a way to oppose the corporate/industrial/chemical GMO–pushing food regime. In addition, the “Going Local: Democracy Tool Kit” and “Election 2018” workshops will offer opportunities to discuss the tools available to communities to assert community rights and rights of nature over corporate rights by passing local ordinances, and also what we must do to ensure election integrity, protect voting rights, and end gerrymandering.
These topic workshops complement the Issue Committee roundtables, when we’ll have the chance to evaluate past accomplishments and present challenges, opportunities, and next steps for Earth Democracy: how do we broaden the impact of our Climate Justice+Women+Peace and Human Right to Health and Safe Food campaigns?
How shall we create materials for the Earth Democracy subcommittees on the Human Right to Water and Health; Rights of Nature/Future Generation Guardianship; Food Democracy/Local Economy; and Global Warming/Renewable Energy? Will more people step up to chair these subcommittees? How can we use our listserve for better communication and involvement of members?
The skill-building workshops, especially “Effective Advocacy,” “Story-telling to Change the Narrative toward Peace and Freedom,” and “Creative Communication,” give us the chance to discuss how to be more effective with our election officials and with our messaging, using a variety of media in different situations and actions. In the WILPF US 101 workshop, the ONE WILPF CALLS and Solidarity actions will be discussed as ways to move forward the Earth Democracy agenda. See more in the program details.
As you can see, this Congress is the perfect time and opportunity to take the next steps to expand and refine our Earth Democracy mission and program . . . and I’d love to have you join us. Register now and I’ll see you there!
We’ll have an Earth Democracy table, so bring materials, pictures, and other items that you'd like to share and have on display.
Please let me know by email nancytprice39@gmail.com if you would like to be a presenter in the issue or skill-buildings workshops. And, I look forward to having you join in the Earth Democracy Issue Committee Roundtable.
