Syracuse+Peace+Council

Video for presentation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2c1Qhk0Jb4&feature=channel_page under the name "Writing 205 Project"

Agenda

Grant proposal draft

Meri:
 * Founded in 1936
 * Located on Genessee St. in Syracse
 * Grassroots peace and social justice movement
 * Major projects: ending the wars in Iraq and Afganistan and supporting the Onondaga Nation
 * Release a monthly "Peace Newsletter"

Working with an established group or office on campus, such as Imagining America, Connective Corridor, student associations etc.
 * 1) What questions or considerations would you have to take into account (such as: How does this partnership's mission relate to their mission? How will the budget be divided?)
 * 2) What would be the strengths of this model?
 * 3) What would be the weaknesses or concerns of this model?
 * 4) What might this model look like in practice?

- Ricky - ** What questions or considerations would you have to take into account? **

Syracuse Peace Council is a small community group of an antiwar and social justice organization. Its activities are mostly protesting on the streets or holding pickets to inform community people to realize and bring peace to the nation. However, it has very weak impact or influence throughout the society since they are such a small organization with no historical backgrounds that can support their actions or movements towards antiwar or peace related issues. Hence, we suggest that by promoting partnership with Syracuse University organization that is already established well enough to make Syracuse Peace Council to expand their promotions.

There is an organization called “SPAN: Student Peace Action Network” existing currently at Syracuse University which has similar mission compare to the mission of Syracuse Peace Council. The SPAN was initiated to bring the voices of young activists into leadership in the peace movement. The organizers of the student network recognized that many young activists across the country were making the links between unchecked militarism and the declining access of U.S. peoples to basic social services, and the increasing threats to basic social justice. Although, SPAN seems like they are more focused with social justice rather than antiwar or bringing peace to the nation, however they are one of the most well-known organization nationally. Therefore, Syracuse Peace Council can benefit by working with SPAN to go national and concentrate more on activities rather than appealing to community awareness of peace.

Meri One of the biggest strengths of working with an established group would be the fact that Syracuse University programming has the opportunity to offer financial resources, as well as other kinds of support. SU could potentially provide an office space for a program if it worked with an existing group. Any existing group on campus already has access to funding. All student organizations can apply to Student Association to receive funding.
 * What would be the strengths of this model?**

Other than financial strengths, this model might be strong because an existing organization within the university already has momentum. They do not need to establish themselves before the collaboration can begin. All of the necessary steps to being recognized have already been taken, and the group can move more quickly with the group to do work.

The group or office that has already been established on campus may have already also established their own mission and goals. Those established practices may or may not be able to change to include the mission of an off-campus organization. Members of the SU** group may not be interested in reshaping what they have been doing to include a new project.
 * What would be the weaknesses or concerns of this model?

Another problem with working with a student group on campus is that because of the nature of the college experience, students might not be very effective to work with. For example, a partnership that works with undergraduate students needs to account for the fact that students will leave (and therefore suspend work on the project) for all breaks, including summer. Also, the leaders of the group will constantly be shifting as students graduate or move on. While the off-campus organization might maintain the same core members, the student group members will change a lot, even in just a few years. This might negatively effect the communication between the two groups.

Nick In practice, the model used in implementing the partnership could be similar to the one between the university and Connective Corridor, although in reverse. With Connective Corridor, the university uses its influence to get the works of artists and various investments to display in the Connective Corridor. With the Syracuse Peace Council, the university will instead use its influence to connect the council to outside world, by helping the council connect and help participate in national protests, and by also allowing the council to have a wider effect and to help them spread information. This model could potentially help the organization by getting its point across to more people because of the influence the university could have.
 * The Model in Practice**


 * __Statement of Purpose (Ricky)__**

Syracuse Peace Council has been working to bring peace to the nation by promoting antiwar picketing to increase the awareness of the community and social justice acts. However, we do not have enough strength in our voices since we are a small community organization. Hence, we are trying to make a partnership with Syracuse University community to spread our thoughts and voices. There are many Syracuse University organizations which are working nationally and we found an organization called "SPAN: Student Peace Action Network," that has similar mission to our organization. SPAN is national organization with universities and colleges across the nation and has great impact on university communites. By having a partnership with SPAN, it will be necessary to gather thoughts and goals of both organizations and collaborate well to bring great influences through out the community and more over nationally. According to the SPAN website, goals for both organizations do not differ a lot, therefore we can put our budget together and use it for same purpose. Especially, SPAN is supported by National Peace Action Education Fund which is nation's largest grassroots peace and justice organization. Lastly, we have to discuss about how the campaigns will going to take actions and what kinds of campaigns that can show missions of both organizations. We should not only focus on picketing on the streets or other small campaigns, but more variety events and actions across the country. For example, plan for some advertisement on antiwar/social justice actions, make fliers and brochures explaining our actions and what is going on in the country about social justice problems. Also, we can actually visit schools around the nation and have a seminar or workshop with students and educate them about antiwar project and social justice problem in the country.

Meri PowerPoint Slides:

Slide 1: Methodology Slide 2: Stop Militarism in Education Project Slide 3:Image of Sample Poster Slide 4: Video Slide 5: Image of Evaluation
 * Syracuse Peace Council and Syracuse University's Student Peace Action Network
 * Collaboration on particular projects
 * Stop Militarism in Education Project
 * Goal: give students options about joining the military
 * Presentations in Syracuse schools