In the Middle of a Whirlwind: 2008 Convention Protests, Movement and Movements

A one-off online journal of theory, art, activism and organizing to be released May 15th!www.inthemiddleofawhirlwind.info

Coordinated by: Team Colors (Militant Research Collective) Published by: The Journal of Aesthetics & Protest Press

In the Middle of a Whirlwind (Whirlwinds) inquires into current organizing efforts in the United States, and through that process, assembles a strategic analysis of current political composition as a tool for building political power.

Whirlwinds’ strategic context is this summer’s RNC and DNC protests; through these documents and the discussions that erupt from them we hope to directly impact the anti-Convention organizing. In a larger sense, and in the long-term, Whirlwinds is intended to provide a set of useful documents for contemporary radical organizing. Each essay and interview addresses the issues of movement, working class power and composition, and/or gives strategic insight into organizing, and the strengths and weaknesses of current movement/s in the U.S.

Contributions From: Jen Angel | Bay Area Radical Health Collective | Bluestockings Books, Café and Activist Center (NYC; written by Malav Kanuga) | George Caffentzis | Chris Carlsson | Maribel Casas-Cortest & Sebastion Cobarrubias (Counter Cartographies Collective) | Centro de Jornaleros de Freeport (Long Island) | Emma Cosse (Precarity Map Europe) | Crimethinc | Direct Action to Stop the War (San Francisco) | Domestic Workers United & Right to the City Alliance in dialog (facilitated by Harmony Goldberg) | Family Farm Defenders | Silvia Federici | Michael Hardt | The Icarus Project | IWW Starbucks Workers Union | The Journal of Aesthetics and Protest | Just Seeds | El Kilombo Intergaláctico (Durham, NC) | Latino Health Outreach Project (New Orleans; written by Jennifer Whitney) | Peter Linebaugh | Daniel McGowan | Philly Stands Up (written by Esteban Kelly) | Restorative Justice Community Action (Minneapolis; written by Stevie Peace) | Gigi Roggero (Edu-Factory) | Maggie Schmitt (Precarias a la Dervia) | Ben Shepard | Basav Sen | smartMeme | Team Colors | Brian Tokar | Dan Tucker (AREA Chicago) | US Federation of Workers Cooperatives | United States Social Forum (Documentation Committee; written by Marina Karides) | Interviews with: Ashanti Alston and various anti-RNC/DNC organizers & groups | & additional contributors to be announced shortly.

An Open Call to Artists:

We are circulating an open call for artwork, photography, sounds, videos and maps to appear online and in the pages of Whirlwinds as stand-alone work and to accompany articles on contemporary political movements and struggles.Click for the Open Call.

An Appeal for Donations:

While Whirlwinds is a free online publication there are still serious costs involved, and with no outside resources or sources of funding, we still need your help to make this a reality. Whirlwinds will be printing and shipping posters and postcards (designed by Just Seeds) to nearly 400 radical spaces (infoshops, bookstores, workers centers, food coops, zine libraries, bike spaces & other community centers) across the U.S. Your contribution toward Whirlwinds ensures making this project a success. Click to Make a Donation.

Sign Up for the Email Announcement List:

Sign up for a low traffic announcement list for information and bulletins pertaining to Team Colors Collective, Whirlwinds, and upcoming related events. Click to Sign Up.

Whirlwinds Flyer:

Participate by circulating this announcement and posting our flyer in infoshops, radical bookstores, community spaces and the like. A poster designed by Just Seeds will be distributed to spaces all across the U.S. in early May, and will be made available on our website. Click for PDF copy of the flyer (11x17) ; Click for a PDF version of this announcement.

Journal: whirlwinds(at)inthemiddleofawhirlwind(dot)info Team Colors: teamcolors(at)warmachines(dot)info