Sunday, May 12, 2019

Meraki Meeting Notes- April 16, 2019


 Attendees
Diedre, Deb, Kendra, Jason, Martin, Mellen, Judy, Neil, Steve, Lindy, Jenna

In-gathering Wage peace poems


Aligned Agenda:


1. Proposal template – 20 minutes
   b) Meraki Process Proposals (all docs)

2. Consent - 60 minutes
   a) Proposal 1
   b) Proposal 2

3. Spring retreat - 15 minutes

4. Container - 5 minutes

1. Proposal template


Judy: summarized proposal, checklist is already in use.

Feedback: How we roll will be added as an agenda item 

Discussion: 

Diedre: felt it was already helpful to use in crafting a recent proposal 

Lindy: Confirmed is a proposal to accept
Judy: Explains a proposal can be voted on after it’s brought forth and doesn’t need to go through multiple rounds of cycles of reviews
Mellen: would like to see this voted on today and agrees this is a good proposal
Lindy: Would like to vote on it but wanted to check into it a few months later on how it’s going
Jason: Wondering if background on proposal could be previous discussions at Meraki to supplement
Judy: Background is the thinking behind the proposal , capturing supporting information, context of the proposal

Initial discussion may lead to a proposal 

Deb: Doesn’t love print outs for one time use, 1 printed out may be enough.

All: Question on who prints out proposal, person sharing it can do it and bring to Sunday dance to share if desired. This will be a soft guideline.

Kendra: Wondering if we print out for Meraki. Alignment is that we don’t need to.

Vote: 
Proposal approved and we will revisit in September 

2. Consent


Reread background and comment: 
We feel it’s our responsibility to be proactive about issues
Issue are complex

Proposal 1 review: Introducing calm language to express personal boundaries

Want to help give clarity to people to communicate. Goal: Celebrate power of no on both sides
2 ideas:
1.    Solo bracelet: Armstrong/livestrong like bracelet, stays with wiz, only use when there
Celebration of being on your own Sunday dance 
2.    Heartful no, one had on heart, one hand up. 

response is to do it back, honoring it.

Would request display at entry way, and do an announcement at closing ceremony, 1x/week for first month and then 1x/month in the future moving forward

Mellen: Likes it , wanted to confirm if the person has to do it back
Kendall: Confirmed the person doesn’t have to do it back but they can
Deidre: This is clear language for folks to want to be more comfortable in space. 

Deb: Importance of how it gets placed out is good. Doesn’t want to see 50 bands but maybe 10 and backup. One concern is creating a rigid culture. Important to rehearse on how this is communicated, people can do this at closing circle

Neil: Gesture is clear language, on how to say no. Feels this gives great clarity 
Nasamste would be good too but this is very distinct 

Martin: Originally against bracelet. Some people have a hard time saying now so this method will take away some stigma people have with them that they bring into dance. Feels this will empower expression of what people need.

Jason: Encourage updating signage with a graphic that’s conveys succinctly. To throw a wench, does this mean people will think someone with bracelet wants to dance

Diedre: There will be most people in grey area that aren’t hard no, but aren’t hard yes and those folks will use the gesture if things get intense.

Steve: Forgets these moments occur for people. Thinks it will be great to have a clarifying signal that can’t be misinterpreted.

Kendall: Emphasizes that empowering people to practice this on dance floor. Practice saying no in general and world. 

Jason: For how it’s integrated: emails, website, closing circle. Requests language is consistent and all at once. This will reinforce the message. Also, money may need to be larger amount due to cost of printing out posters.

Deb: Confirmed money can be a separate proposal

Steve: Wondering how he should act around others that are wearing bracelets

Deb: Appreciates thought and feels this is a cultural shift that would be made. Thinks this will be a shift at first but we’ll get comfortable with it soon.

Neil: Corresponding way to invite a dance, figuring out way to ask for consent. Do you want to dance with me? Is still part of the conversion but no definition.

Martin: People are used to feeling hurt and heartful gesture is a stronger no and a good learning place on floor is to begin. Would like us to give thought about hurt of rejection that begins with hostility. Glad gesture of invitation is separate.

Vote on proposal #1:
Agreed! Approved!

Approves: Cost is an estimate, Meraki approves they can spend wisely for the budget.

_________

Proposal 2 review:  
Deidre: reads proposal about what to do if something happens. 
Proposal about bringing restorative justice to PCD. Would like to adopt processes for issues that arise on the dancefloor. Will be 2 part training with someone.
2, 4-5hr trainings. 1 is a restorative circle . 1 is 1-1 healing 
Cost is $250 for each of the trainings. 8-12 people total. Up to 15 people.
Members of consent, leadership and meraki meetings
Requests that it is a diverse group of folks
Once trained, we can hold a community circle as a kick off.

Restorative method can be used for many issues in addition to consent. 

Each person would pay 10-15$ each and then Meraki would cover the rest of it.

Mellen: Gives background there were some major issues in past, not as much now that she’s aware of and feels this will be really valuable to have in case this happens again. 

Martin: Points out he’s seen issues on the floor before of hostility so this would have been helpful. Not yet clear if this is supposed to be a group that’s an augmented group of PCD or an independent group

Diedre: This would be in house only format to do.

Martin: Worries about attachment of who is harmer vs. who is victim. Wondering how it’s determined for discomfort and who is person.

Diedre: It’s about hearing and receiving another person’s point of view, not so much about the language. It’s a place for emotion to come out, not a punishment place, it’s a community healing place. 

Kendall: Creating an opportunity for someone who felt violated. It’s about reinstalling safety.

Deb: Suggests working with language about not harmer vs. harmed but around anyone that felt harmed. Perception of harm.

Steve: Wondering if breakout groups would happen in small room. 

Neil: Recognition when anything happens it creates rupture in community and not having a way to deal with it perpetuates that. This is going to restore and be a community building process.

Judy: Wants to recognize human beings have messiness. Speak to a trust and spiritual sense of each person being sacred. Feels individuals should also be empowered to deal with their own conflicts. Wouldn’t want that to be lost. 

Conversation will be continued at next meeting.

Diedre is available to chat with anyone in between now and the next meeting.

Neil: Feels what Judy is saying and feels individual solutions are most valuable. This response is out of things that have happened with no real vehicle to resolve. 

3. Spring retreat


Nicole: 
Close to full, 30 people have signed up already

Proposal for Meraki to purchase snacks, tea to be able for people to have for dancing.

Potluck on May 5th, perhaps adding more to food budget in case folks don’t bring enough.

Deb: Day long workshops are around $100 for 30 people snacks so recommends $200 for budget. 

Lindy: We’ve been flexible in the past that these are covered. 

Judy: First time at this place so this learning curve makes sense. Feels it’s a no brainer and would be unfortunate to make people bring stuff. 

Mellen: Recommends in future budget it’s padded for miscellaneous items.

Retreat budget request:
$200
Will be accounted for in the final report.

 Vote approved
Budget request for Potluck to supplement
$150 or approval for a higher number based on previous spending
Nicole to confirm what we’ve spent in the past with John

4. Container


Jason: Emphasis for Greeter and wiz to take a solid count. Will try and take more active monitoring of dance. Step now is to monitor and get feedback.

Neil: What is background?

Jason: Explains that dance size is increasing and want to be considerate to folks on capacity and container is part of that discussion as container is how things feel and are gelling together. We’ll have data so if we have to do something at some point, we will have the tools available to make an educated decision.

Judy: Updates that we’ll make sure to use same scale to measure 

Jason: Confirms he’s still working on this one. And that the discussion is happening still on DJ committee and Wiz as it’s related to other topics.

Deb/Jason: Confirms checklist method will be available for next meeting.


Tentative Agenda for next time:

·      Restorative Justice 
·      Container
·      Spring Retreat 
·      Survey
·      Legal Update


Evaluation: 

·      Lindy: 2 points, 1. helpful to hear the summary and detail of proposal. 2. Felt like we closed discussion on something but it was tried to be open and felt tension in the process. 
·      Deb: As facilitator wonders when to stop/start and is fluid and is interested in that. Wonders if there were any feelings of pressure on timing to get through topics.
·      Kendall: Challenged with heart and head. Respects our structure and leans into it. One idea for future is to use up all time if possible. Can feel tension from wanting to get deeper into certain topics
·      Mellen: Didn’t feel time pressure as much. Proposals were well done and clear. In order Meraki we’d grind things down so far to nothing. Feels what we have in place is making good use of time. Deb is master facilitator.
·      Martin: Time is boundary and we feel the edge. Deb is agile. 
·      Neil: Felt like his turn to speak came towards end and was challenging to feel like he was being honored on what to bring. Confused on balance of committee and proposal process. 
·      Nicole: Wants to recognize everyone’s contributions to Meraki and supporting it and honoring it as valuable
·      Diedre: Feels glad with how everything works and how proposals were passed. Likes the feeling of moving forward and perspectives to be heard.
·      Judy: Impressed with all of the intelligence in room. Intention with everyone in room is an invisitble knitting that’s a heartspace connecting us and wants to take a mint. Felt everyone was respectful

Martin: Closing.