S.O.N.G.

Gaining Clarity and Building Political Unity In Our Collectives

We find it is really hard for groups to work together closely if we do not have some understanding of each other’s stories, political identities and liberation tools of choice. Here is a short tool SONG has used internally with our teams to gain clarity and build political unity as a team or group. Hope it is helpful, let us know what you think…

-SONG Staff

NOTE: This tool developed by SONG and KINDRED (A new! Southern-based Healers Collective)

gaining-clarity-and-building-political-unity-in-your-group.doc

SONG Hiring an Intern!

SONG is seeking a visionary and leader with some organizing experience(events, campaigns, community groups, etc.) for a 6 month internship. The intern will be involved in all the program work of SONG and be mentored by SONG staff. This intern will also be involved in the planning for the historic celebration of SONG’s 15th anniversary!

It is a 15 hour a week position, the pay is $10/hour.

The intern will need to be able to travel at least once a month. Due to cost, at the moment we can only accept applicants who live (permanently or temporarily) within 30 miles of Durham, NC.

People of Color, Working Class People, LGBTQ folks, immigrants, rural people, people OF ALL AGES and people with disabilities are strongly strongly strongly encouraged to apply. We are more than willing to make language accessibility and disability accessibility plans with applicants as well as talk with applicants who are parents about how to make a schedule work for an intern with children!

TIMELINE:
Applications DUE: MARCH 17, 2008
Intern Hired: APRIL 14, 2008
Internship Start Date: MAY 1, 2008
Internship End Date: NOV 1, 2008

Interested? Looking forward to talking with you!!
Here is more information on the details and all the application information (if you have questions after you read this–just give us a call at 919-286-3230!): intern-announcement-content-jan-2008.doc

SONG Spring Campout
Fort Mountain State Park, GA
March 28-30, 2008

YOU are invited. Come join us for a weekend of SONG Kin rest, renewal, fun, and political conversation. Children are welcome and we work to make these retreats as accessible as possible. Please contact SONG to RSVP as we have about 30 spaces available for folks.

Where is it?
Fort Mountain State Park is about 110 miles North of Atlanta, GA. It is mountainous. Check it out here. The group campsite we are renting fits up to 30 people and has no running water or electricity. Cars can be parked 520 feet away from the site. There is a fire ring and shelter. Hot showers and bathrooms are 1/4 of a mile away, and require passes (we will get some). There is also an outhouse adjacent to the campsite. There is a $3 car pass per vehicle to stay in the park for the weekend.

What if I HATE camping?
No worries, sometimes people do internet research, rent a cabin nearby or at the park itself, and join us for full days and evenings of activities, and then go sleep in their cabin. If you decide to do this you are most welcome! The above link can connect you to the park itself to ask about their cabins.

What do I do if I want to come or have more questions?
Call the SONG office at 919-286-3230 or email Caitlin at: Caitlin@southernersonnewground.org. We ask everyone who is able to make a $25 donation to SONG at the campout to contribute to overall costs…

We hope to see you there!!!

This year SONG celebrates 15 years of communities in the South working towards wholeness across race, class, culture, gender, and sexuality! Be a part of celebrating where we have come from and where we are going!

SAVE THE DATE: SEP 19, 2008–SONG FAMILY REUNION EXTRAVAGANZA IN DURHAM, NC

ADDITIONAL GATHERINGS IN…Louisville, KY…..Atlanta, GA……Knoxville, TN…throughout the year

‘WHAT WE KNOW FOR SURE’ Story-collecting project to build shared vision, conviction, and resiliency in our region…

OPEN UP THIS 2 PAGE FLYER FOR MORE INFO ON THE 15th ANNIVERSARY AND ON SONG’S HISTORY TOLD BY SONG FOUNDERS SUZANNE PHARR, MANDY CARTER, AND MAB SEGREST..

15th-anniversary-flyer-with-history.doc

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(Above: Caitlin Breedlove, SONG Staff, and Mia Mingus
at the US Social Forum 2007)

Amazing Atlanta-based SONG member Mia Mingus accepts the Creating Change Award 2008! Read her in her own words below, as she accepts the award last week in Detroit, MI! Congratulations, Mia, we love and honor you!!

mias-2008-award-acceptance.doc

(Above: Participants at 1st SONG Org. School with SONG facilitation team member, Cara Page)

What We Know For Sure: 15 years of LGBTQ living, loving, and organizing in the South

This year SONG celebrates the anniversary of its creation. We began as a dream of 6 African-American and white southern lesbian elders who visioned a movement in the South united across lines of race, class, culture, gender and sexuality. From the beginning, SONG was steeped in the intention to make an organization that looked and worked like the world we want to live in. This year we honor our communities and our work in these ways:

* A story-collecting project conducted by members called ‘What We Know For Sure’ to build resiliency, conviction, and shared values in our region and communities

* An inter-generational family reunion weekend with music, politics, and walks in the gardens SEP. 19-21, 2008 in Durham, NC. ALL OF OUR SOUTHERN AND NATIONAL FAMILY ARE INVITED! SAVE THE DATE!!

* 2 additional parties in Atlanta, GA and Louisville, KY to celebrate the 15th

First SONG Organizing School!
The first Organizing School was just outside Jacksonville, FL in a beautiful state park, and went well. We feel that we are crafting a school that truly unites wholistic political education, skills building, and spiritual practice.
What participants are saying about the school’s curriculum:

“Even for seasoned organizers there is lots to learn and get refreshment from.”

“The dreaming and creating a shared vision was wonderful for opening up new ideas and reframing our work…Spelling out the under-pinnings of shared leadership, facilitation, group work and recruitment will help us to expand, clarify, and further our work.”
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For more information on the first SONG Organizing School, go to the SONG website or contact our staff

SONG at Creating Change Conference

Will you be at the National Creating Change conference in Detroit? If so, join SONG for these events!

-SONG and Queers For Economic Justice will hold a reception on honor and legacy Friday, Feb. 8 at 8:30 pm in the Nicolet A/B room–snacks and cash bar

-SONG will do a workshop on ‘The Body as a site of colonization and liberation’ Sun. Feb 10 from 9:30-11:30 in Ambassador room 3