Decisions Made:

• ​2020-06-25 Minutes are approved by consensus.
• Darlene, Eileen and Chris are approved by consensus to be GRP Alternate Delegates to the GPUS PNC. Josh will forward the minutes of this meeting to JPF tonight or tomorrow, so that she can send along to GPUS for PNC.

Attendance: John Blumenstiel,  Brian Cady, Charlene DiCalogero, Danny Factor, Lois Gagnon, Joshua Gerloff and David Keil. Quorum achieved with 5 (of 7?).

Guest: David Gerry

Facilitator: Charlene

Minutes: Joshua

Time: Lois

2020-06-25 Minutes are approved by consensus.

Chapter Reports: Has the conversation about Racism and White Supremacy started?

• Assabet River Valley Chapter (ARVC): Lost some members, Karen and her husband moved out of state. Barbara Clancy stepped aside due to concerns about Statecom behavior re David Rolde. Resuming prison vigil. Danny discusses more radical changes than Democratic legislature. Cops out of schools. Etc.
• Central Mass Green Rainbow (CMGR): Charlene: 2 members on PNC. Last meeting, it's time to look at how we personally recognize our whiteness (for those of us who are white--we have 3 members of color) and how racism affects us. How to be more welcoming. 1 Black member, 1 Latina member and 1 Middle Eastern member. 21 day racial equity habit challenge. My Grandmother's Hands, book. Busy with Charlene's campaign. Working on getting a candidate forum. Endorsement interviews coming up. Next chapter meeting July 22.
• Greater Boston Chapter. (GBC) John, the next meeting is next Tuesday. GBC wants to keep the Rainbow in the GRP name. GBC trying to address diversity in their ranks.
• Metrowest: David Keil: Diversity for racial justice. Participating in vigils. Met a woman forming a BLM chapter. We should reach out to them. Chapter now includes Wellesley so towns are contiguous, as required in the bylaws.
• North Shore Chapter (NSC): Joshua No news right now. (This chapter needs at least 2 more members meeting regularly if it is to continue being certified.)
• Pioneer Valley Chapter (PVC): Lois: Belchertown BLM on the town common. Jamie reporting on what happened in Northampton. They had military and riot police at the ready, CONCERNING! Working on Ranked Choice Voting. PVC will create a video about RCV to activate people. Jamie reaching out to a progressive candidate.

Approve list of PNC Alternates​

• ​Darlene Elias has the most points. First alternate. Will be the first chosen if needed.
• Eileen Sheehan from the South Coast Chapter. And Chris LeDuc from GBC.
• DF: Darlene is a Hunter delegate, so can she only replace Joshua who is also a Hunter delegate? She has so many points, but maybe it means uncommitted should replace uncommitted.
  • David Gerry: First round delegates are fixed. Second round makes me nervous.
  • Charlene: Possible to vote uncommitted? David G: yes.
  • ​Danny: The delegate you are replacing. So Darlene could vote Hunter if she replaced a Hunter delegate and someone who is uncommitted. Danny is uncomfortable assigning a committed delegate. Motion: Follow the DSP, but if silent on this issue, the delegation should look to see if there was a ruling in the party. Motion that LIKE replace LIKE. No committed delegates subbing for uncommitted delegates. LIKE replace LIKE.
  • Joshua and Lois agree with Danny: Problematic.
  • Brian: Can anyone speak to the guiding document, DSP. Does it say anything?
  • Charlene: Reads through DSP. Finds relevant passages.
  • Danny: Interpret: Seems that DSP speaks only to people assigned to delegates but what about uncommitted delegates.
  • David Gerry: DSP clear: Alternates are uncommitted until... Darlene has to follow the rules of the DSP.
  • Danny: An Alternate, actively involved in a campaign, should not be allowed to replace an uncommitted delegate. They can replace a delegate that supports the same candidate. DSP only refers to delegates that are committed to candidates, not uncommitted. Does this alter the plan or not. DSP is silent on uncommitted delegates.
  • Charlene: Blocking concerns. DSP was  submitted to SOC in Fall 2019. According to the DSP, all alternates must vote as the delegate they are replacing was assigned. Darlene is appointed to a seat, she has to vote how that seat was assigned.
  • cd: no
  • bc: abstain.
  • lois: yes.
  • john: abstain.
  • df: yes.
  • dk: no
  • jg:yes
  • Not 2/3. Motion fails.
• Concerns with appointing Darlene, Eileen and Chris LeDuc as GRP PNC Alternate Delegates? With no concerns, Darlene Elias, Eileen Wheeler Sheehan and Chris LeDuc are approved by consensus to be GRP Alternate Delegates to GPUS PNC.

​

​​Participation fund: Brian: Two applicants. Completely funded both requests for a total $110. Charlene thought there was a third, will discuss it with Brian.

​Announcement: ​Upcoming (Summer) StateCom Telecons (7/21 and 7/30 from 6-8pm). Upcoming AdCom Meetings (7/23 from 7-8:30pm)

​​

State Convention Planning

• John: Tweaked the Convention Theme
• ​Josh: Workshops throughout the month and possibly introduce candidates earlier with RCV throughout the month before sept 26.
• Charlene: Candidates for state party office (Officers, Directors, National Committee Reps and Alternates) need to collect signatures to get on the Convention ballot. Timely outreach about these workshops. Candidates need to be recruited. firm up schedule for workshops and start advertising for interested candidates.
• John: Nomination papers. [Missed it.]
• Charlene: Make sure that any nominees nominated by people other than themselves want to run. ​

Report from John B. on MDVR response to BLM addressing white supremacy in its members and activities

• C​harlene: We must address how racism works in our own lives. We will mess up if we don't confront it.
• John: I believe this must happen at the chapter level. Will add to the next MDVR meeting.
• Charlene: each GRP body must look at this.
• John: MDVR has discussed the name change. The committee is against the name change, which anchors us firmly with our roots and diversity of the Rainbow Coalition Party.
• Danny: Privilege workshops are illuminating. Maybe have this on the party level. Working with BLM group. Working on chapter diversity. Working on bringing more low income housing  to the area.​

John B. Letter

• ​John: Awareness of our own privilege. Lack of racial balance in our lives. Letter is about respect for GRP membership.​ Institutions default into fixed positions and lose sight of. Covid-19 statement, worked on by a few people, submitted and rewritten into a completely different statement. Who has responsibility for putting up information to the party and the public?
• Brian: Must recognize: emphasis on what the membership wants and needs. we can reach beyond us active members. ask them what is important and what we should work on as a party.
• Danny: Eloquent letter, tying things together. The more responsibility someone has, they will have more work. We have a responsibility to advocate and model democracy. We are grassroots. Hierarchical privilege. We are representatives. Remind ourselves to keep listening.
• Lois: Rank and File: But we elect leadership to make decisions and use good judgement. What's the balance?
• Josh: Co-chairs need to sign statements, but understand that people put some effort into what was ultimately changed. The people who put their names on a statement have to be in agreement with what that statement says.
• Charlene: Important to recognize who’s criticizing and who being criticized. What about white male privilege? Cochairs are Black hindu man and white Jewish female queer. Maha and I both approved the crisis statement, and others worked on the final version. 
• John: Don’t speak on behalf of Maha.

There was a request to extend the meeting to continue the discussion. Charlene as facilitator noted that the 15 min assigned to this topic was completed, all members had spoken, and the meeting was at that point running over. She wished to proceed to a Round Robin and  adjourn the meeting in order to respect all AdCom members’ time.

Round Robin 

​Charlene: thanks to Josh for taking minutes and Lois for timekeeping. We did a lot of good work.

John: This is point 5 about how dismissive of problems in the party.

Danny: 

Lois: Missing in conversation:, people talking about respect ... It's a two way street.

David Keil: Difficult internal period. Appreciate everyone trying.

Josh: The conversation continues.

​​Adjourn 8:37 PM.