Southeast Social Forum
Encyclopedia
The Southeast Social Forum was a gathering of about 550 people that took place in Durham
, North Carolina
, from June 16 to June 18, 2006, at North Carolina Central University
. The attendees were people of all ages, and were mostly members of organizations from around the Southeastern United States dealing with issues of racism
, economic justice, globalization
, and inequality. About 30% of attendees were black, about 30% were white, and about 30% were Latino or Latina.
The purpose of the gathering was twofold. First, the gathering was designed to plan and build momentum for the first-ever US Social Forum
. An event that was held in Atlanta, Georgia
in June 2007. Second, the gathering was designed to bring together activists, organizers, indigenous people, working people, and people of color from around the Southeast United States
in order to build informal and formal networks that could unite around common goals of social justice. Organizations from about 15 states were represented at the event.
process that began in Porto Alegre
, Brazil
, in 2001. Between 2001 and 2006, the Social Forum
process had spread to numerous countries around the world. However, some organizers in the World Social Forum process had felt that the United States was not ready for a Social Forum—although this belief was contested, and ultimately disproven by the success of the Boston Social Forum
in July 2004. It was eventually decided that there was a definite need to begin a national Social Forum process in the US, since many social justice activists believe that the world's most serious social problems are being continually worsened by the policies of the US government and US companies. The US Social Forum in Atlanta was originally slated for 2006, but following Hurricane Katrina, it was moved to 2007 and organizers decided that a 2006 gathering would take place somewhere in the Southeast to help build momentum toward the 2007 event.
Atlanta, Knoxville, and Durham were considered as sites for the 2006 meeting. A group of organizers in Durham agreed to commit to help host the event. This group, which became known as the North Carolina Local Host Committee, met from January to June 2006 to plan the event. Much of the planning for the event outside of North Carolina took place in Atlanta, where efforts were spearheaded by Project South.
Organizers frequently rejected the designations "event" and "conference" for the gathering, stating that the Southeast Social Forum is most appropriately considered a step in the process of movement-building.
The event included workshops and plenary sessions dealing with topics such as building alliances among groups, combatting white supremacy, organizing against corporate globalization, and many other topics. The 3-day gathering was followed on June 19 by a smaller meeting of about 40 people specifically focused on planning for the 2007 US Social Forum
in Atlanta.
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, from June 16 to June 18, 2006, at North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels....
. The attendees were people of all ages, and were mostly members of organizations from around the Southeastern United States dealing with issues of racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, economic justice, globalization
Globalization
Globalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
, and inequality. About 30% of attendees were black, about 30% were white, and about 30% were Latino or Latina.
The purpose of the gathering was twofold. First, the gathering was designed to plan and build momentum for the first-ever US Social Forum
US Social Forum
The United States Social Forum is a gathering of social justice activists in the United States which grew out of the World Social Forum process, bringing together activists, organizers, people of color, working people, poor people, and indigenous people from across the United States...
. An event that was held in Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in June 2007. Second, the gathering was designed to bring together activists, organizers, indigenous people, working people, and people of color from around the Southeast United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in order to build informal and formal networks that could unite around common goals of social justice. Organizations from about 15 states were represented at the event.
History and Background
The Southeast Social Forum grew out of the World Social ForumWorld Social Forum
The World Social Forum is an annual meeting of civil society organizations, first held in Brazil, which offers a self-conscious effort to develop an alternative future through the championing of counter-hegemonic globalization...
process that began in Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, in 2001. Between 2001 and 2006, the Social Forum
Social forum
A Social Forum is an open meeting place for civil society organizations and individuals opposed to neoliberalism and the domination of the world by capital and imperialism. The first Social Forum was the World Social Forum held in January 2001 in Porto Alegre. It was designed as a counter forum to...
process had spread to numerous countries around the world. However, some organizers in the World Social Forum process had felt that the United States was not ready for a Social Forum—although this belief was contested, and ultimately disproven by the success of the Boston Social Forum
Boston Social Forum
The Boston Social Forum was the first North American social forum to use the methodology of the World Social Forum process and adhere closely to its Charter of Principles...
in July 2004. It was eventually decided that there was a definite need to begin a national Social Forum process in the US, since many social justice activists believe that the world's most serious social problems are being continually worsened by the policies of the US government and US companies. The US Social Forum in Atlanta was originally slated for 2006, but following Hurricane Katrina, it was moved to 2007 and organizers decided that a 2006 gathering would take place somewhere in the Southeast to help build momentum toward the 2007 event.
Atlanta, Knoxville, and Durham were considered as sites for the 2006 meeting. A group of organizers in Durham agreed to commit to help host the event. This group, which became known as the North Carolina Local Host Committee, met from January to June 2006 to plan the event. Much of the planning for the event outside of North Carolina took place in Atlanta, where efforts were spearheaded by Project South.
Organizers frequently rejected the designations "event" and "conference" for the gathering, stating that the Southeast Social Forum is most appropriately considered a step in the process of movement-building.
Details of the Gathering
About 5% of the gathering's attendees spoke Spanish but not English, and translation services were provided at most points in the program for these attendees. While foundations supplied some support for the event, nearly all of the work that went into the process was done by volunteers.The event included workshops and plenary sessions dealing with topics such as building alliances among groups, combatting white supremacy, organizing against corporate globalization, and many other topics. The 3-day gathering was followed on June 19 by a smaller meeting of about 40 people specifically focused on planning for the 2007 US Social Forum
US Social Forum
The United States Social Forum is a gathering of social justice activists in the United States which grew out of the World Social Forum process, bringing together activists, organizers, people of color, working people, poor people, and indigenous people from across the United States...
in Atlanta.