[Dialogue] The Occupy Crowd Meets the ToP Crowd: a Short Video

[marilyncrocker at juno.com]

Hey there, Gordon, you ole rabble-rouser.  

What a terrific video that certainly captures the passion and energy of
the ToPs and Occupy facilitators.  'Twas good, indeed, to see your
familiar countenance and presence amidst those gathered, although I can't
say I spotted other ICA colleagues.  (The passage of years does change
some of us.)  

I loved the comment one of the young men made about the Occupy gatherings
usually attracting a younger crowd, and that he appreciated seeing a
"wider age spread" (or something to that effect.)  I sensed a brief pause
as he spoke, and expected him so say something like "so many grey and
white heads" -- but he was quite gracious.  Good for you in sparking this
engagement.  

We recently heard the new head of the MA Council of Churches speak, and
she admitted the church leadership (herself included) missed the boat in
not being more fully involved in this movement from the beginning.  Let's
give thanks for the young, sensitive and responsive ones in our society! 
(And to those courageous elders who join them.) 

Cheers,  Marilyn

 
Dr. Marilyn R. Crocker
123 Sanborn Road
West Newfield, ME 04095


On Thu, 17 May 2012 00:45:00 -0700 Gordon Harper
<gharper1 at mindspring.com> writes:
I know that many of us are engaged in some way with the Occupy movement,
and it's a subject worth talking about.  We've had Occupiers in our
facilitation training here in Seattle, and Molly Shaw and I have worked
with several of their projects.  

I caused something of a disturbance in the Force (who, me?) this January.
 I announced at the annual ToP conference in Sacramento that I thought we
might have some things to learn as well as to share about grassroots
facilitation through dialogue with the Occupy movement--and that I had
therefore invited about fifteen Occupiers from Seattle and UC Davis to
our gathering for an interchange session.  

This came about because I had mentioned to some of my troublesome friends
here in Seattle that I would be attending this conference and then
learned that a number of them would be on a trek visiting other Occupy
groups along the Pacific coast during that same time.  It became very
clear to me that God intended for our two groups to connect.

The ToP leadership team put this on the schedule as a small Open Space
option on the last afternoon of our conference.  It would be while most
attendees would be completing action planning in their task forces for
the year ahead.  

However, when I asked that morning for how many were interested in being
part of this Occupy encounter, over 90% of the hands in the plenary shot
up.  The leadership team died: there went the prime working time for all
that planning.  (I may never be invited to another ToP conference.)

Nonetheless, despite shooting me looks that would have dropped a more
sensitive soul in his tracks, our leaders rebounded gracefully, declared
it a consensus that the whole conference would adjourn to the hotel
veranda outdoors for this event and that the scheduled planning would
simply start earlier, over lunch that day.

As you'll see from the video, I had a ball doing this.  This included
participating in a little direct action after the session, led by the
Occupiers, at the Capitol Mall a few blocks away (what's called a
Guerrilla Mic Check, to use the technical term--not something included in
this clip.  The marching that opens the video is of us on our way to
cause that trouble).  No, no one got arrested doing it.

Joanna Kohler was our videographer, and Marti Roach and I worked with her
on the editing.  You'll recognize a number of Order colleagues in the
group, as well as interesting ritual activity, a great witness, clearly
stated rubrics for participation and team facilitation being created on
the spot by people who have just met one another.  

Enjoy--and, if you share my sense of its importance, let's talk more
about just what is going on with this movement and why we maybe should
pay attention to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnjmWcJjET4

Gordon 


Dr. Marilyn R. Crocker
123 Sanborn Road
West Newfield, ME 04095
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