CROWD>> We are the 99%.
We are the 99%.
We are...
>> People ask all the time, 'Who are the leaders?'
None of us are leaders and we are all leaders: exactly the same.
>> Mike check!
Mic check!
[The speaker pauses after every few words so that human microphones relay the speech
through the crowd]
Last week we came to a consensus on a document called the declaration
of the occupation of New York City.
Our process is direct democracy.
We are all part of this movement.
We amplify each others voices so we can hear each other.
There is no hierarchy.
[Cheering]
>>I don’t think this is possible without the process.
The only way that you keep, people involved in a movement like this, is you have a process
in which everyone’s voice can be heard: consensus process.
>>In our movement it’s really important to have our means reflect the ends that we
are trying to create.
We want to have more representation in our government and in our economy.
In trying to create that, every decision has been made through our process of general assemblies,
and through our process of working groups.
>>General assembly is the method and the process that is used.
[crowd repeats]
>>When there is a decision that is given to you from a bishop or a president, your investment
in it, usually relies on how much you profit from it.
Here, everybody works together to come to a decision.
>>Because it’s not top down, it can take much more time.
But in the end, the decision being voted on is so much stronger because everyone has worked
out all the little kinks; to come up with the best thing, that everyone can support
together.
>>And that’s the beauty of direct democracy.
Being able to say, ‘Okay, we need to come as a group and adjust so that everyone is
on board with what is happening.’
Because, if we leave one person out, that starts to jeopardize up the chain, leaving
people out of the larger movement.
>>Mic check.
We are now opening stack for point of information.
[crowd repeats]
>>Stack is the order in which people speak.
So if you have something to say, you get on stack.
Eventually what you have to say will be heard.
Because you will be on a list, that someone is very carefully keeping.
>>Right now, for this meeting, I am actually taking stack.
People raise their hand, and I will come up to them and put them on stack.
I got here Wednesday.
I was walking with open arms.
I just went to a facilitation training and now I am taking stack for the General Assembly.
I want to actually facilitate the General Assembly but my voice is gone.
I've been a human mic for the last four days straight.
>>All of this is overseen by a group that anyone can join, called facilitation.
They do trainings on how to be part of sharing this process, in a way where it’s unopinionated,
allowing all of the voices to be heard.
>>But you don’t have to come here to be part of this.
You could start it wherever you are.
Which is a great thing, and yeah, this is amazing.
>>I don’t know where this is going.
It will be on us to welcome them, to educate, to give them their strength.
[crowd repeats]
>>We have these hand signals, instead of clapping, or yeas, or nays, to ovoid interruption.
>>When you want to show support for something that you are hearing you twinkle.
>>I’m okay with it, but not really
I disagree.
>>This is a point of process for when someone is getting off topic.
>>Louder: means we can’t hear you.
Clarifying question.
[giggles]
>>If someone has a point of information, they’ll throw up a finger.
>>This is a block.
>>If you make a block it means that you are so disagreeable to it that you will actually
leave the movement, or the working group if that’s agreed upon.
>>I actually stood up in front of the entire general assembly and did block a proposal
that was going through.
Blocks are a serious thing.
You should probably only block something once or twice in your life.
The declaration of Occupy Wall Street was being discussed.
I was reading it over with my friends, who are also South Asian, and we were like, this
isn’t going to be something that we’re going to be able to take back to our communities,
and say: 'Hey, come down here.'
because we know a lot of people who are going to feel alienated by this.
It was one of the scariest moments I’ve had, because I was in front of hundreds of
people who are on my side.
But it was taken on.
We changed the line to something that I think reads a lot more inclusively.
>>Now we are going to move into small breakout groups.
15 minutes.
[crowd repeats]
>>People come to a consensus meeting in the attitude of, I want to make a decision that
everybody is comfortable with.
I want us to all agree on something.
>>Because I know what it is like when someone honors my viewpoint, even when it comes from
an unpopular place, I rejoice the opportunity to honor somebody else’s very different
viewpoint.
There have been some decisions made that, I don’t agree with, but because I was part
of the process, because I saw how it was made, and I saw how good the intentions were:
I honor the decision even if I don’t agree with it.
>>We are all good?
No?
No more concerns?
Are there anymore concerns?
>>What?
[Elated elongated]
>>Okay, I just want everyone to know that it is 5:06 right now.
We have a lot more stuff to get through.
Everyone please keep that in mind.
Anybody else have anything to say?
>>I just want to put out two points...
>>It is messy, it is complicated and it’s slow sometimes, but you have to be willing
to take that on.
It is in the nuance of things, in the deep hashing out of things, where everyone feels
represented and heard.
This is the only way that we can actually change a system.
>>This is an entirely different way of thinking, that is more inclusive, and it’s working.
[drumming]
>>And I believe that, even if we are not at the right place now, the process of consensus
will bring us to the right place in the future.
>>The process is meant so you can be empowered to go to your own communities, wherever you
are, and hold general assemblies.
To talk about the issues that concern you.
We are all in this together.
Occupy everything!
[crowd repeats] [cheers]
[ambient guitar music]
[traffic noise]