Detroit - Organizers of the U.S. Social Forum (USSF), a grassroots gathering of thousands of activists, will announce plans for a five-day event in Detroit 2010 at a kickoff on Monday, June 22. The kick-off event will be held from 6pm-9pm at the Detroit USSF Office, 23 E. Adams St, 4th Floor (near Woodward Avenue, downtown Detroit), in the Central United Methodist Church building.
A "media availability" explaining the Social Forum will be held at 6:30pm. The evening will include music, art displays, cultural performances and food. A detailed presentation to event attendees will take place at about 6:45pm. Musical performances will take place at about 8pm.
The USSF will take place June 22-26, 2010 at Cobo Hall and Hart Plaza in downtown Detroit. Other workshops and community art and culture programs will take place across the city. The USSF will convene social movements from across the United States and globally. Organizers are reaching out to young people, people of color, unionists, laid-off and unorganized workers, welfare recipients, veterans, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, freedom fighters, collectives, and many others. Key aims are to create an open space and a process for creating movement convergence and coordination, raise awareness of social justice issues, provide opportunities to share experiences, and discuss strategies that create social change and solutions to the problems facing people across our many struggles, sectors, regions, and diversity.
"Detroit is ground zero for the economic crisis facing millions of people, not only here in Michigan, but across the nation," says Maureen Taylor, a USSF staff organizer and Chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (MWRO). "We are really pleased to host this historic event and we're sure that what happens in Detroit will have a huge impact not only here but elsewhere."
Next year's Social Forum in Detroit is expected to draw upwards of 25,000-30,000 activists. It will build upon the first USSF gathering in Atlanta 2007 that drew an estimated 12,000-15,000 people. Already, committees and working groups are meeting in Detroit and around the country to prepare for next year's forum.
"The USSF Detroit 2010 is going to be exciting since it's much more than just a simple conference or a big networking event," states William Copeland, a USSF staff organizer and member of the East Michigan Environmental Action Council (EMEAC). "This is a large scale and unique opportunity to learn from each other's experiences, shed light on social injustices, and build on community efforts to create real change."
USSF Detroit 2010 will also mark the 10 year anniversary of the World Social Forum process and highlight the international connections of the USSF to a broader global process.
Information about the June 22 kick-off event and Detroit Local Committee USSF activities can be obtained by calling: 877-515-USSF or emailing DetroitInfo@USSF2010.org. For more information about the US Social Forum, visit the USSF 2010 website at: www.ussf2010.org
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