After two years of work by activists from XR chapters across the country, a Members’ Assembly attended by 47 chapter representatives launched the new national structure for XR US. Participants discussed the types of support chapters need, campaign ideas for chapter circles to initiate a new Strategy and Action Circle, the initial mandates for the new national working groups, and the transfer logistics from the interim national team to the new working groups.
Given that chapters are rebuilding from the pandemic, the initial working groups looking for nominated participants are: Systems Stewardship (temporarily including Finance), Chapter Engagement and Support, and Media & Messaging (temporarily including Art and Tech). Nominees are provided from chapters’ trusted working members and approved by all the local chapters. Three members of XRPDX – Diana Meisenhelter, Kathleen Walsh, and Aaron Schmeckpeper – have been approved as members of national working groups.
In addition to regional chapter circles, initial proposed campaign circles are:
Stopping Fossil Fuel Infrastructure;
Confronting Fossil Fuel Enablers;
Climate and Militarism;
and
Pushing Governments and Corporations for Annual Emissions Reductions
(with concrete steps towards a 10% yearly decrease).
Chapter members are invited to get to know and amplify the voices of other chapters working around these issues across the country by getting involved in coordinated, collaborative campaigns. We also encourage XR members to check out other chapters’ websites or Facebook groups, and social media accounts.
XR rebels from Philly to Phoenix to Seattle (and more, including Portland of course) appreciated hearing a powerful Land Acknowledgement for the entire United States with a focus on the Midwest. We engaged in honest and warmly supportive discussions in breakout rooms, and reflected during a beautiful Regenerative Culture closing ceremony to our first, but certainly not last, Members’ Assembly.
