Reportback for MARS on rad projects in North Carolina:

 

1) El Kilombo Intergal‡ctico -- http://www.elkilombo.org/ - Durham, NC

 

 

HereÕs the one line blurb for this rad social center and their many projects: ÒAt El Kilombo Intergal‡ctico, we are dedicated to bringing together people from student, migrant, low-income, and people of color communities to tackle the challenges we face in Durham, NC.Ó

 

On the meaning of their name, see here: http://www.elkilombo.org/about/whats-in-a-name/

 

I found their most inspirational feature to be their community assemblies.  Everyone who participates in the different activities in the space is required to attend a monthly community assembly, which also includes a big meal.  There is simultaneously a youth assembly, led by a 16-year-old community activist.  Around thirty people regularly attend these meetings.  From their mission: ÒEl Kilombo is rooted in our community assembly, the decision-making body of our organization. The assembly evaluates the programs at the center, discusses the needs of our community, makes decisions about program changes and innovations, establishes commissions (e.g. the health commission or community garden commission), and designates tasks. The community assembly is made up of people who have participated in our programs and studied in our seminars for a period of time, and who also have some commission responsibilities.Ó

 

For the rest of their extensive mission statement, see here: http://www.elkilombo.org/about/ 

Particularly, note how they split up the statement into ÒpillarsÓ—Òencounter,Ó Òassemble,Ó Òautonomy,Ó Òterritory,Ó Òcapacitation,Ó and Òour wordÓ—that motivate all of their programs and projects. 

 

Activities in the space include:

á      Lending library

á      Computers (for free use and for classes)

 

 

á      Kids play and learning zone

á      Speaker series

á      Monthly dance parties to pay the rent (salsa dancing)

 

á      Meeting space

 

 

 

 

á      Community garden (note that all of the signs in the space are in Spanish – the following signs are all in the front window of the space—facing inwards—to give participants a clear view of the current projects and programs)

 

 

 

 

á      Weekly calendar of events

 

 

 

 

á      Involvement in local resistance movements - (currently a struggle against gentrification - to save a soccer field on a public park from being taken over by a charter school)

 

 

 

á      Collective houses

á       

 

 

á      Immigrant rights struggles (e.g., May Day parade)

 

 

á      Self-employment – organizing a house-cleaning collective

 

*** [more reportbacks coming soon on Bread Uprising and Firestorm CafŽ and Books]