Meeting notes September 20, 2010
Present: Andrea, Megan, Lydia from Open Door Books
1. Collaboration with ODB
We discussed how Rad Ref and ODB can coordinate to help with research requests received by ODB.(http://opendoorbooks.wordpress.com/research/)
At this point, requests are few (2-3 per month). However, it’s expected that more would be received if the service was promoted more. For now, Lydia will pass along requests to Rad Ref that can’t immediately be handled by ODB. They will be sent to Andrea, who will post them to the email list for Rad Ref members to claim. We will need to notify ODB if the request can be handled. In most cases, answers can then be compiled and sent back electronically to Lydia to be printed and mailed. ODB has a budget for sending materials. If Rad Ref gets funding, we can assess whether any of our budget can go to requests received through ODB.
There is also a possibility that more students will get involved, and perhaps as a CURE project. If this is the case, Rad Ref members can give an information-finding workshop.
One concern might be the parameters around requests and if there are any types of information that won’t be sent. ODB already has guidelines on this, but Rad Ref might need to discuss this if issues arise. ODB could send on requests that fall outside their mandate to Rad Ref for consideration.
Andrea will send Lydia the Rad Ref mandate, and vice versa.
ODB mandate:
Open Door Books is a volunteer run collective which functions on consensus decision making
basis. We seek to provide free reading material to prisoners throughout Canada. From a
standpoint of prison abolition, ODB seeks to support and work in solidarity with incarcerated
communities. We believe that prisons and the (in)justice system act as institutions of social
control and oppression, further targeting marginalized communities as a result of patriarchy,
racism, homophobia/transphobia, classism, ableism and an ongoing history of colonization.
ODB research policy:
-a research request will not be filled if it falls outside of our mandate
-we don’t give out personal contact info though will give out public ones (lawyer’s offices, etc)
-we don’t contact individuals on behalf of those who send us requests
2. Street ref kit
Megan attended the planning meeting on September 18 for the vigil and march to commemorate victims of police brutality. There will be a vigil on October 22 and a march on October 23 at 12:30/1 pm beginning at the Guy/Concordia metro and going to the police headquarters at Saint Urbain and de Maisonneuve. They hope to stop at significant spots along the route. There is a big emphasis on it being a family friendly event. We didn’t get very far into discussing Rad Ref’s involvement, but they were glad that we’re interested.
Andrea will ask Jaggi when the next meeting will be, and a Rad Ref member can try to attend.
Goal: have as much done as possible on the street ref kit before October 22, especially legal, medical, and travel info. Maps would also help.
3. Robin reported by e-mail:
-riseup email- started to do this, but there were a couple questions it asked while i was going through the steps (namely how much $ we plan to donate and how often) which i thought we should discuss as a group. i recommend doing the signing up process together at today's meeting.
Megan and Andrea discussed this. The Rise Up website lists guidelines for donating: https://help.riseup.net/about-us/donate/. We were thinking that we could sign up without donating, but if we get funding, we could choose an amount to contribute. What do others think?
-qpirg mcgill application- sent it off!
-recon - wrote to them, things are looking good!
4. QPIRG Concordia application is due September 29. Megan started pasting in info from the McGill application, but a bit more work is needed. It would be great if everyone could read it over. The questions that are highlighted in yellow especially need work.
Megan and Andrea agreed to be listed as the contact people, but if anyone else wants to be, please speak up!!!
Andrea will bottom-line the application to make sure that it’s submitted before the deadline.