BLOGS

Notes and cases for:

Events and meetings

read the news, oh, boy

Links:
ecology
social justice
grassroots
peace/nonviolence

local area political directory

 

 

 

The GREEN HOUSE
AND THE NURTURING OF GRASSROOTS LEADERSHIP

There is no specific social reform that is as important as creating the climate in which authentic grassroots leadership can blossom.
---Marian Wright Edelman

(The first African-American woman to be admitted to the bar in Mississippi and the founder of the Children's Defense Fund.)

If one reads today the Green House Ten Year Plan 2003-2013, by then Tom Ness, the Green House ultimately had creating such a climate for authentic grssroots leadership to blossom as its basic purpose. Ultimately there was the very general goal of moving American democracy beyond the blind alley of the two party political duopoly, but that was to be accomplished by creating precisely the kind of climate to develop grassroots leadership that MWE talks about above

REFORM EFFORTS INITIATED.

Several pilot projects: M-FORE (Michigan-Focus on Reforming Elections), the GH Peace Project, and GHUHCI (Green House Universal Health Care Initiative) were important pilot projects that were formed. There were weekly meetings, with speakers from other activist groups coming in, as well as the GH members themselves speaking (and gaining experience doing so). There were pizza parties and group work sessions, as well as door to door canvassing sessions. In the end, we were only able to keep it open for about four years. Just keeping the rent paid for that length of time was an accomplishment; but we may have created the general outlines of a model for a local activist group. And, that's certainly no small accomplishment.

About a year after the demise of the Green House, some of us began holding meetings at the Innate Center, (known less formally as Dr. Bob's), which is located three blocks So. of Seven Mile on the East side of Woodward
c/o Innate Healing Center
18700 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI. 48203-1965
313.336.2247

The photo is of The Innate Center
The guy standing in front is Dr. Bob
(The hippy chiropractor)

Our organization from March, 2006 to around the same time in 2007 was called the GH Outreach Local. The idea behind it was really quite simple, but harder to accomplish than it initially seemed. We wanted to put on programs and have speakers and draw guests who might in turn want to become Greens or at least become politcally active. The promotional work was more than most of our membership was actually willing to take on, and at the current time the local is defunct or at least inactive.

Update: there is currently another organization, meeting at the Phoenix Cafe, 24938 John R, in Hazel Park. (Just south of Ten Mile).
It meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Map link:
mapquest.com/maps?city=Hazel+Park&state=MI&address=24918
+John+R.

The name of the group is Southeast Michigan Progressives, and it hopes to work on contemporary issues, such as health care, militarism, the economy, and the environment, and still develop roots in the local community.

Please see the new blog, called Dance Macabre, my take on debt ceiling debate and how far beyond that debate we need to go to grow a healthy economy.

Email the webmaster with your questions, suggestions, and comments regarding this site. Other questions, e.g. about our events, membership, etc. should be directed to information.