2025-08-07 Steering Committee Meeting

Meeting Minutes & Weekly Updates Steering Committee Meetings
1

@WCU_Steering did not meet or set an agenda. So we will have to vote to approve this agenda at the start of the General Meeting instead.

2025-08-07Steering Committee Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes

Attendance

Campaign Coordinator: X
Membership Coordinator: X
Education Coordinator: X
Treasurer: X
Secretary: X

General Meeting

Date: 2025-08-07T07:00:00Z

Recording Check

  • Ensure that the meeting is being recorded.

Roll Call & Introductions

  • Steering Committee (state your roles)
  • Quorum
  • Introductions (New Members)

Reports of Members Sick or in Distress

Calendar Related Topics

Old Business

Tenant Union Focus Campaign

Time: [10 minutes]

Recent Activities:

  • Contacted tenants from previous outreach efforts
  • Currently helping one tenant draft a letter to property management
  • Gathering information from a second tenant
  • Distributed flyers at multiple buildings
  • Identified several targets for door-to-door canvassing

Research for Tenant Association Complaints:

  • Database Update: Development continues (see update). New version tracks complaints across changes in landlords, property management, and tenants.
  • Information Organization: Need a system for cataloging state, local, and county codes referenced in letters/communications to build institutional knowledge about effective legal strategies.

Votes / Participation Needed:

  • Vote on canvassing dates (3+)
  • Confirm attendance for August 16th Workshop (10AM-12PM) - Calendar
  • Help with database development + Solidarity.Tech integration
  • Create SOPs for property management follow-up after sending tenant letters
  • Finalize tenant union handbook (stalled for months)
  • Print flyers with phone number for next workshop; post at bus stops
  • Develop better building ranking criteria (current system too subjective)

WCU Community Assembly

Time: [10 minutes]

Background:
At the last General Meeting, we voted to host a community assembly where working class people can share concerns, coordinate plans, and learn from each other. These assemblies will provide a structured space with explicit restrictions preventing establishment players from co-opting events for self-promotion while also allowing us show people how their individual struggles are actually class issues.

Action Items:

  • VOTE: Approve Code of Conduct for assemblies (+ additional section) - Review document
  • Confirm attendance for first assembly: August 9th 10AM-12PM - Calendar
  • Finalize livestreaming decision and/or camera opt-out

Discussion:
Continue planning at: Community Assembly Discussion Thread

Unionization Efforts

Time: [10 minutes]

ICE Raid Workplace Training Toolkit:
@NoraG, @Techify, @HipGnosis, and I discussed developing a toolkit for workers organizing around ICE raid workplace training.

Strategy:

  • Partner with North Valley Labor Federation (offers free(?) training to employers)
  • Place toolkit behind contact form to identify potential worker leaders/organizers
  • Approach allows connection with interested workers without triggering unionization suspicions
  • Creates follow-up opportunities for expanding organizing efforts regardless of training outcome

Action Items:

  • Schedule at least 2 planning meetings this month to do the following: Design the training and the contact form for toolkit access.

New Business

Proposal: ICE Rapid Response Campaign

Time: [45 minutes]

Planned Actions

Educational Materials Development

We will create and distribute materials to help community members recognize and respond to ICE activity:

  • ICE Recognition Guide: Visual materials teaching how to identify ICE vehicles and agents to reduce false reports
  • Recording Safety Guide: Instructions on properly and safely recording ICE encounters
  • Accompaniment Guide: Materials allowing people with appointments to recruit family/friends to accompany them

Details

  • Materials will be available in multiple languages
  • Distribution through printed flyers, digital downloads, and community workshops

Rapid Response Alert System

Implement a dual-track response system to fill gaps in Valley Watch Network’s coverage:

  • Non-emergency sightings: Continue directing to Valley Watch
  • Active arrests/raids: Text alert system for immediate response

Details

  • Technology: Built on solidarity.tech platform
  • Data Collection: Name (not necessarily legal), phone number, zip code
  • Alert Options: Rapid response, when there are new resources, trainings, other assistance requests
  • Geographic Targeting: Alerts sent only to responders in affected zip code
  • Security Note: Platform should be considered compromised since everything is through SMS; but we will try to store sensitive dataon servers outside US

Facility Monitoring Program

Establish permanent presence at Stockton’s ICE facilities to track detentions and assist families:

  • Services Provided:
    • Help navigate detainee locator system
    • Help people identify case officers and contact information
    • Basic accompaniment support
    • Record check-in information (names, A-numbers, emergency contacts)
    • Alert contacts if someone doesn’t emerge

Details

  • Staffing: Minimum two-person teams (buddy system for safety)
  • Hours: During facility working hours
  • Equipment: Tablets/phones for database access, printed resources
  • Security: Volunteers should expect to be identified by authorities

Legal Documentation Support

Create documentation preparation services/assistance:

  • Documents: Power of attorney, emergency contacts, childcare plans
  • Notary Services: Available at some in-person sessions

Community Outreach Campaign

Multiple types of organizing to build participation and awareness:

Door-to-Door Canvassing

  • Track visited addresses and follow-up requests
  • Combine with tenant union materials
  • Document landlord retaliation cases

Network Building

  • Partners: Vendors, churches, workplaces, parent groups, schools
  • Trust Building: Work through existing community relationships

Public Organizing

  • Open Meetings: Every two weeks, hybrid at Odd Fellows
  • Transparency: Public planning sessions for materials and events
  • Multiple Entry Points: Various involvement levels for different comfort zones

Community Safety Patrols

Proactive presence to provide reassurance and early warning:

  • Locations: Grocery stores, schools, community gathering places
  • Purpose: Confirm absence of ICE, provide ongoing reassurance
  • Structure: Regular shifts at high-traffic locations
  • Communication: Check-in system for community to check for safety

Why This Approach?

Valley Watch Network’s current infrastructure (16 people in SJ County Signal chat) cannot adequately cover our geographic area. Most arrests go unnoticed unless videotaped and shared on social media. This proposal fills critical gaps while building community capacity.

Security Considerations

  • ICE actively confronts people recording near facilities
  • All participants should expect identification/surveillance
  • Balance security needs with accessibility
  • Safety in numbers approach for recording

Building Trust

  • Start with educational materials to establish credibility
  • Use existing community networks rather than cold outreach
  • Provide immediate, practical support (accompaniment, documentation)
  • Maintain transparency in public-facing activities

Goals

Month 1 (Side-Quest Approved)

  • Complete KYR/training materials
  • Have them online (Harpreet) and have versions ready to be printed
  • Have business flyers printed

Month 2

  • Develop video versions of the KYR training

August 2025

Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10-12 WCU Community Assembly
10 3-6 TU Canvas 11 6-8 TU Canvas 12 6-8 TU Canvas 13 ICE Materials 14 6-8 ICE Union 15 Luis Meeting 16 10-12 Tenant Union Workshop + 12-2 Organizing Conversations
17 18 Steering Committee 19 20 21 6- 8ICE Union 22 23
24 25 26 New Member Orientation 27 28 ICE Materials 29 30
31

September 2025

Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
1 2 3 4 General Meeting 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Solidarity Con
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30

Non-Calendar Agenda

WCU Article: Why Liberals Lose

Time: [5 minutes]

Current Status:

Action Items:

  • Delay vote to approve article
  • Schedule one more meeting to finalize draft

Reading Group

Time: [5 minutes]

Recent Activity:
@Englishpete08 held reading group on “Looking Backward to Counter Mysticism and Despair” by Adolph Reed, Jr.

Resources:

Organizing Conversation Training

Time: [1 minutes]

Update: First training held last month (thanks to @Englishpete08 and @Sauc3_L1oron_217). Event flow went well.

Resources:

Next Event:

  • August 16th 12PM-2PM | Organizing Conversations Workshop + BBQ - Calendar

Unionizing Workplace Materials

Time: [3 minutes]

Goal: Develop resources for workers organizing their workplaces

Current Status:

  • Union explainer materials in progress - view docs

Action Items:

  • Add useful materials to shared folder
  • Suggest edits on union explainer document

Union of Unions Outreach

Time: [1 minutes]

Goal: Create database of local unions and establish connections for mutual support

Current Status:

  • Some unions contacted (see list)
  • No responses yet

Action Items: