Plan great meetings (or "assemblies")

A month ago, CrimethInc. published a useful article:

"How to Organize an Assembly: Preparing to Respond in an Era of Disasters and Despotism."
"Cómo organizar una asamblea: Prepararse para responder en una era de desastres y despotismo."

I'll share a few insights. Please read the original article if you'd like more.

Tips for an effective activist meeting

Agree with your core group of collaborators "what kind of assembly you want to organize, who you want to invite, and what you want to achieve together." For confidentiality, you might decide to advertise only on paper by reaching out to other like-minded local groups.

Have a large, accessible space with "enough fliers, zines, snacks, and masks for everyone." Be organized. Deliver opening remarks, like this:

Welcome everyone! We're glad you're here. For everyone's comfort, no filming or recording is allowed here. This is a space to talk about [your goal & a brief definition of it]. We won't [do specific other things that are off-topic]; there are plenty of other spaces for that. Our hope is that, in two hours, we'll understand each other better and have a sense of what we can do together.

Split up the time to address your agenda items. Don't overschedule (avoid disappointing people), and schedule a couple breaks (avoid tiring them out).

"Don’t promise more than you can deliver" and "have a plan to deal with disruption," but also "prepare for success."

Be ready to suggest roles for everyone who comes — they want to be active.