Chapters
wbb February 15th, 2007
BROWN BERETS COMMUNIQUE
APRIL 2, 2006
TO ALL THOSE WHO WISH TO IMPLEMENT CHAPTERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES
1. First and foremost, learn your history. It is important to understand the historical significance of militant resistance in the United States, especially during the 60s and 70s. Learn about the early Brown Berets, the Black Panther Party, the Young Lords, The American Indian Movement, and the Young Patriots. Putting on a brown beret and being engaged in community based activism carries historical meaning and a legacy that many carry on to this day. This entails commitment, sacrifice, hard work, discipline, and strength to deal with adversaries. If you are not ready for this type of commitment, the brown beret may not suit your type of activism and we suggest you look to start another type of organization.
2. Be observant of where you are. Observe your community. Who are your local representatives? Be aware of local politics. Understand the power structure and history of how things came to be. Be observant of your potential allies and foes. Make lists of organizations and people who may work with for your cause.
3. Talk to ALL organizations with people who may be interested in starting a Brown Beret chapter. Orgs such as MEChA, immigrants’ rights projects and labor unions are good places to start.
4. You need at least 3 solid, trusted people who are willing to put in the time and energy needed to start this chapter. As your organization grows there will always be this backbone of people who the group and the community can count on to be consistent and hardworking.
5. Find a meeting location in a public venue. We discourage private residences due to infiltration and the possibility of putting any family members at risk. Some possible spots are social justice and community based non profit offices, school classrooms, community colleges, progressive community members office spaces, bookstores, coffee houses, and public libraries all may let you use their spot for free at least one meeting a week.
6. Choose a time and day when to meet. It is critical, due to the urgency and issues we deal with in society that your chapter meets a MINIMUM of one day a week for about 2 hours. Meetings should be consistent and never cancelled. Even if no one but the organizers show up, hold your meeting for the full duration. Welcome everyone from the community regardless of race, gender, age, ability, or sexual orientation. However, if you feel people are there to disrupt, spy or infiltrate, we encourage you to remove their presence immediately. As funds are raised and your organization becomes more structured, a permanent office or meeting space which is solely yours (or shared with allies) should be acquired.
7. Get the word out. Make a standard flyer for your group and meeting space and time. Be creative. Have info on the flyer as to what you are about. Since you have, by this time, learned your history and revolutionary rhetoric, this flyer creation should not be too hard. Along with time, dates and location, be sure to put an email address and all contact information. If you have any Spanish speakers in your community, advertise your meetings in Spanish as well. Go to teachers, local radio shows, music/ art/hip hop performances and get help spreading the word.
8. Your meetings should have a written or printed agenda with enough copies for everyone to be able to share or have their own. An educational segment should be incorporated into each meeting. This is based on the Malcolm X philosophy, “each one teach one” and the Black Panther Party Political Education Program. Each week a volunteer presents a topic relating to the cause, local or global, and teaches it to the group. This can be ANYTHING, historical or current. Invited guest speakers are given priority. At the end of this communiqué is our own meeting agenda structure. Keep the whole meeting on time.
9. Selecting issues that the group will work on in your community is the heart of your organization. There are many, many issues out there but we need to focus on our local community and what can have eventual long-term effects. This could also include campaigns and actions with short-term effects but which build to longer-term consequences. For example, you may want to work with a cool city councilperson on saving a low-income trailer park. This will build on your relationship with that person and you may want to work on their campaign in the next election cycle. We believe in working both within the LOCAL electoral system and at the grassroots, fringe to comprehensively achieve social change. We especially focus on city council and school board.
10. Building solidarity with other campaigns, and organizations in your community in order to be more effective in working towards your goals. It is impossible to work at any issue alone. Get to know other orgs, union leaders, and peace and justice groups. Invite them to you meetings. Make this a mutual relationship where you are also available to help them in their efforts. Make a list of all your contacts and keep in touch with them.
11. FUNDRAISING. The Brown Berets are NOT a non-profit organization due to our aggressive political nature. Being strictly grassroots enables us to run political campaigns, utilize direct action, and be as radical, outspoken and free as we want to say, do or act however the group believes is right. This means we raise our own funds through intergroup donations, car washes, solicitations, merchandising, shows, musical events, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO. Now, it is possible to run projects that qualify for some grant money. Seek a non-profit sponsor that could act as your fiscal agent. This would allow you to apply for small grants that could enable you to do a multitude of things such as youth outreach, community block parties, field trips with students, marches, demonstrations which are educational in nature and pay the rent.
12. UNIFORMS are significant because we show people that there is an organization that offers a powerful way to identify, inspire hope, and be a part of something bigger than all of us. The uniform is historical because many have paid the ultimate sacrifice while wearing a beret. We continue in that legacy. The brown beret can be acquired at any military surplus store or online. (We encourage the Bancroft brand or military style.) Both pants and tops should be brown. We encourage uniformity within the whole group. You may want to do brown t-shirts or Dickie-style workshirts. When you are at this point and wish to order “La Causa” patched for your berets. Contact us and we can provide you with our supplier. He can make as many as you need. We can also connect you with our t-shirt supplier.
13. SECURITY. Believe that anything you say, email or send out is being read by an adversary. Read our code of conduct for our organizations boundaries. You may adopt ours or write your own. You may also have closed meetings for members only AFTER or BEFORE the open meetings.
14. Think about starting your own website and ALWAYS keep networking with other Beret Beret chapters.
15. Positions of responsibility are important. During the 1960s, in the early years of the Brown Berets, the organization was easily infiltrated due to the system of hierarchy. Leaders were easily targeted and imprisoned. This caused a weakness and lack of information to spread throughout the organization. In addition, hierarchy played a great role in promoting egocentricity, sexism, and ageism. In order to resolve this dilemma we have incorporated philosophies taught by indigenous communities in which everyone is an equal member of that society. Our positions of responsibility are solely to get things done in the most productive and effective manner. Each position of responsibility should be held be one member of each gender. We have co-chairs who write the agendas and run the meetings, Treasurers, Secretaries, Sergeant at Arms, and Outreach Coordinators. Create committees, if needed, when organizing events or campaigns to delegate responsibility.
16. Invest in equipment to be more effective when organizing. A bullhorn or megaphone, a banner with the logo and name, information for tables with pamphlets and literature. If you have your own space: a computer, TV/ VCR/ DVD, file cabinet, phone, and office supplies to make signs etc. are also really helpful.
17. Think of hosting at least one community event, which will be consistent, EVERY YEAR or bi-yearly in order to recruit more members and to make the community aware of your presence and service. Examples are our Peace and Unity March and Youth and Power events.
18. This is a long-term commitment. It should be taken seriously. If you are planning to leave your location in less than two years, do not start a Brown Beret chapter. This is an organization that should outlast everyone in the community who starts it up. One of our goals is to train younger members to take on leadership and build skills. The only way to create LONG LASTING social change is to be there to see it through.
19. The Brown Berets have changed from its historical roots in order to meet and incorporate the needs of the revolution. We are not a nationalistic organization. In order to be effective, we must all internalize an international perspective. Although the Brown Berets have come up through the Chicana/o community, we recognize the struggles of all oppressed people and welcome anyone who wishes to work for social justice in our ranks.
20. YOUR CHAPTER IS AUTONOMOUS. There is no central, controlling, main, Brown Beret chapter. Each chapter is it’s own; responsible to no one other than the people they serve in the community. This document, our Code of Conduct, and our support exist for no reason other than to help like-minded people make positive changes in their communities.
MEETING AGENDA OUTLINE (Sample)
I. Introductions
II. Additions to agenda
III. Education
IV. Select education topic for following week
V. Reports
VI. Old Business
VII. New Business
VIII. Announcements
IX. Adjournment (We always adjourn with the Peoples’ Clap - one person starts and everyone joins in clapping loudly.)
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