Global Justice Ecology Project

 Support Youth Leadership 
 in the Climate Movement! 
.

Uprise Camp, and the year-long Youth Action Alliance that grew out of it, is about fun educational experiences, direct actions, and youth social movement organizing, period. Uprise teens and highschool students are creative, smart, committed, and just amazing, and people are hearing of them all over the country. 

They’re working to unify local social movements in tangible ways. They are organizing their peers into this fight for our collective futures and they need your support. They love their one week in a place where they can gather and make plans, have tons of fun with new friends, hone their skills and understanding, and break out, re-energized and ready to roll. If you've ever said something good about the work youth are doing please contribute what you can. Your financial support, time, and encouragement are all really important and appreciated..


 WHAT WE'RE PLANNING FOR 2020 

Think awesome, fun summer camp in Vermont plus direct action and huge artworks, staffed by grassroots organizers from around the country, fiercely independent smart teenagers, and a lot of camper involvement in the decisions made about everything we do. It’s held at the Center for Grassroots Organizing, a new social movement and regenerative agriculture center on 175 acres of hilltop in rural Vermont. Uprise Camp is one of the most beautifully touching, fun, and inspiring things I've ever seen. 

Our friends around the region and around the world are already adapting and innovating actions to be safe but still effective in these times. Help us have the resources Uprise campers need to keep this work going ready and waiting for them when they are. 


 How We Use Your Support 

We pay our mentors on a progressive scale, provide great food for the kids from local farms, and bring in the arts and action supplies that make Uprise Camp what it is. All the staff hours that go into the planning are donated. The staff and youth of this camp commit tons of time and energy to make this happen. Please give a little if you can.  Uprise Camp - CHECK US OUT! 

Also, consider volunteering! Write to: [email redacted]


 WHAT HAPPENS AFTER CAMP 
Not only is camp fun, but a little inspiration and empowerment goes a long way. Here's a look at just the last 8 months since camp:

* August 2nd, 2019 Uprise Youth Action Camp stormed the VT Agency of Education and demanded an education for the crisis. Then they held an hour-long blockade of the biggest intersection in the capital, just 30 teenagers (and one elder helping out with the very agitated law enforcement). It was each of their first day leading an action like this. They put out the call for a mass action in Montpelier for the Global Youth Strike on September 20th.

* On September 20, 2019 the brand-new Youth Action Alliance, which was the name the Uprise Campers and their school-year organizing teams adopted, came back to the Capitol with 500 people and shut the city down completely for 3-4 hours for Climate Justice. They marched down the main transportation artery in the VT State Capitol, calling the shots, dancing to their own playlist on their own rolling PA, and occupied Main Street in Downtown for the second time in 2 months (and the second time ever!). Die-ins, speak outs, banners, teenagers making it all happen.

* October 17-19 Youth organized and occupied the VT Statehouse Grounds at The Climate Encampment for Youth, Education, and Agriculture. Youth proposed it and collaborated with migrant allies, climate direct action groups, and farmers for a 3 Day occupation and action camp full of street parties, workshops, democratic peoples' assemblies, farm animals, resistance, and resilience.

* January 9th they put their foot down on Governor Phil Scott's biggest day of the year. The Republican Governor is part of the National blockade against life-saving climate policy and tax-breaks for the rich, and when he strode into the room like the Queen of England they risked arrest and shut Governor Scott down. They faced down dozens of uniformed VT State Troopers—many kids for the first time—and demanded their rights to a livable future,  "the truth", fairness for migrant farmworkers, and a lot more.


 What Happens If There’s No Camp? 

We know that we don’t know what the next few months will bring. The longer it takes, the more this precise kind of work will be needed. The Grassroots Center and the Youth Action Alliance will continue to work with our partner organizations for social justice and a just transition through the climate and economic crises. Beyond the calendar of YAA-organized events above, the YAA meets every week over snacks, art, and action plans, formerly at a local school, but now online. If funds are not used for camp, some will be put in reserve for next year’s camp, some will go to youth-led actions and events during the school year, and will be used to support transportation and the endless snacks required by our young revolutionaries in the planning process. But we are hopeful that we WILL have Uprise Camp in 2020, and we are holding it down until August rolls around. We are hearing from campers that they are looking to the unity, tangible personal growth, and energy that our time together provides, even more than before, to relieve the isolation and doubt we all face right now and get back on track. We’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that we have a safe environment and healthy practices for all when we can meet again. Help us get that chance.



Thank you so much in advance for your support., Let's build the power of this moment, and help these young people lead the movement that their lives depend on.

Uprise! Youth Action Arts Camp is in the works for 2019! This is an amazing week of teen empowerment, creativity, action, and friendship -- all while strategizing for our collective future.  As mentors with a broad spectrum of skills, we are passionate about empowering teens as organizers, change makers, and allies in our rapidly changing world.

We are committed to offering this amazing experience to as many teens as possible from a rich diversity of backgrounds and identities. To do this we need your help raising the resources needed to cover financial aid.  Thanks for showing some solidarity with these youth activists! 

Please take a look below for more details of our program and curriculum, and be sure to check out uprisecampvt.org  for some more awesome photos and to apply !

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We, at Uprise!, are working to nurture and support a network of young people who are working for climate justice. To us, this means:

-trying to impact an unstable climate

-confronting and changing the tide of worsening racial inequality

-dealing with a dangerously unfair, collapsing economy

We know this is hard work and we believe that creating a committed network of youth activists is an essential piece of reaching these goals.

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Camp Structure and Accommodations

Our youth participants will have chance to be involved in Action Arts,  Ecological Agriculture, Wilderness Mentorship, and in a number of other camp-wide experiences and activities.  Our goals are to support and inspire camp participants in their work and play as agents of change working towards a just, equitable and live-able future. Campers will be members of small Affinity Groups, each with their own mentor who will serve as a camp counselor for that group through the week.  Affinity Groups will have facilitated time focused on deepening our relationships with ourselves, our communities, and the rapidly shifting world around us. For us, this “heart work” is an important foundation for powerful and meaningful social change involvement.  Affinity Groups will also share in shaping the culture of camp:  from impromptu skits and performances, arte raides, secret missions, and teaming up for epic games.  

 

Logistics

Cost: $450 (partial and full scholarships available based on need)
This includes all meals, accommodations, transportation once arrived at camp, and all programming from some amazing mentors and change makers.
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Wilderness Mentorship

Surrounded by more than 11,000 acres of undeveloped wildlands, participants will have an abundance of opportunity to adventure and connect with the natural world.  Teens will be guided by experienced wilderness mentors and challenged to learn and develop skills of navigation, fire making, shelter building, handcrafts, wild foods and medicine, tracking, stealth, fitness and more.  This track will be wild, super fun and full of surprises! 

 

Agroecology:  Ecological Agriculture

A hands-on mix of agriculture, ecology, and food justice workshops involving permaculture, gardening, herbalism, and animal husbandry. This group will be working at the Wheelock Mountain Farm, as well as the adjacent Black Dirt Farm and the Hewitt Homestead (home to two of our youth staffers). Led by farmers and leaders in these fields, we will enjoy a wealth of local expertise, and the abundance of the land around us.  

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Action Arts

The arts program will be a mixture of performance, printmaking, and other creative action skills. Participants will meet and work with members of the world-renowned Bread and Puppet Theater Company and other arts & justice mentors to create socially relevant work, and perform in the world-famous Bread & Puppet Circus. They will learn political art history, performance, and “cheap art” technique.

A CENTER FOR GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING & REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
grassrootscenter.net


WE HAVE A MATCHING GRANT FOR  UP TO $15,000 through January!
If you're going to donate, please do so soon and our awesome supporter will match you dollar for dollar!

Thanks so much for all the generous support so far. We have raised a total of about $25,000! Thought the figures on this online fundraiser appear lower, we are meeting with great success.

Now we’re raising funds for infrastructure and programs.   We’re fortunate to have found a beautiful farm and we think it's the perfect place for people from different social movements and society at large to meet each other, work together, and make commitments to shaping a livable future. 

So far we have:

- Purchased a 160+ acre farm!
- Assembled our Steering Council (see below, or grassrootscenter.net/about/)
- Done tons of cleanup, repairs, and are moving ahead with program startup.

Check our a lot more of what we're up to a HERE. 

Thanks again to everyone who has put in the sweat and funds so far! We're rolling!!!

Find out more on our MISSION page.



FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE

Here's a list of projects that we're working on, followed by other opportunities that may be a good match for support from specific funders. 

* The Barn: Insulation, Repair, and a New Floor - $22,000: We are removing the dairy infrastructure from the cow barn, insulating and installing a new floor in this beautiful 88 foot by 36 foot space! The view is excellent from this spot, and having a level insulated floor will be our real entry into being able to host large movement groups and events at the center YEAR-ROUND! The new floor is key, and we can do the installation with $13,000 in materials.
* Tractor Implements & Maintenance- $3,000: We have a brand new 4-wheel-drive John Deere committed to the project!  We need harrows and to cover on-going maintenance costs of this awesome piece of equipment.
* Cleanup - $1,300: Basically a few industrial dumpster loads of trash and debris need to be removed, and we need to buy food for the volunteers and work parties that are going to help make that happen.

AGRICULTURAL  OPPORTUNITIES - Help new farmers get started! (more in the farm below)
* Sugarbush Prep - $13,000: 15 acres of Saplines, taps, and the collection tanks!
* Seeds, tools, irrigation, and soil amendments - $9,300

These efforts will make a major difference in the feeling and the usability of the place. There’s so much more. If you’d like to see our budget or agriculture business plan just ask. Help us out, or get in touch if you would like your donation to go to a specific project.



THE STEERING COUNCIL 

A Steering Council has assembled to provide support and accountability to this broad effort. 

Charlie Megeso-Delaney: Wabunowin Dawn Society/Environmental & Social Justice Activist - Nulhegan Abenaki

Ashanti Alston: Former Black Panther and ex-Political Prisoner/Luminary - Providence, RI

Marita Canedo: Migrant Justice/Youth Organizer - Essex, Vermont

Meghan Stotko: Rural Vermont/Farmer - Craftsbury, Vermont

Graham Unangst-Rufenacht: Rural Vermont/Farmer - Calais, Vermont 

Henry Harris: Vermont Climate Union/the Make/National Lawyers Guild - Marshfield, Vermont




THE FARM

The farm is an important aspect of the project, and is oriented toward the challenging prospects in the future of agriculture.

-> We are looking for farmers to come and get some projects rolling here, potentially structured as a temporary free lease on acreage.

The threats of economic, political, and climate crisis are mainstream, but plans to cope with these issues are rare.  The climate crisis is already showing up as agricultural collapse and market breakdowns all over the world. Our response is to show what can be done with land and people dedicated to their relationship to it, building explicit relationships between  resilient agro-ecology and the social movements that depend on it. Immediately we’re planning on building a big greenhouse, repairing the barns, preparing 15 acres of sugarbush for sap collection, and planting out medicinal Herbs, blueberries, asparagus, and other perennials. We're already grazing 30 dairy cows to rejuvenate the pasture land. We're also asking for proposals from farmers and others for projects on the farm. We're looking for productive, educational agricultural projects that address different elements of climate crisis and a more just distribution of resources.


We intend to build and promote rugged and cooperative agricultural systems for the long haul.  Visitors will work on the farm and learn about food-based cooperative economics and resilience in the climate crisis. Our measure of agricultural success is how many people we can get involved in sustaining agriculture on site, and ultimately we’d like to be part of this work all over the region.



THE PEOPLE

We’re involved in many hubs of social justice and grassroots organizing in Vermont, the Northeast, and across the US.  I have a lot of confidence that the people and networks already connected to this project will accomplish amazing things together on this hilltop, not to mention the with new people they’ll bring in. I have deep gratitude for the family and old friends who been involved so far.  So much thanks to Marita Canedo, Jack Lazor, Jade Walker, Tom Gilbert, Ashanti Alston (who helped start this dream so long ago), Earl Kooperkamp, Corine Fairbanks, and too many others to list for their encouragement and ongoing support. I’m very excited to see what they come up with as our doors open.

 This effort is coming together in response to an unexpected opportunity, so planning will be in full swing after we get moved in! 
Feel free to get in touch, and expect more invitations to get involved. In the meantime please get generous with this fundraiser and help us get started on the work.


You can also send a check.


Make checks payable to Global Justice Ecology Project, with “Highland Farm” in the memo line, and mail to:
Highland Farm ℅ G J E P
266 Elmwood Avenue, Suite 307, Buffalo, NY 14222

Let us know if you’d like us to add you to our updates list. [email redacted].

I hope this note finds you working hard and having a good time.  Maybe we'll get a chance to do those things together before long.



Thank you,

Henry



Ps - I would like to dedicate this first attempt to describe what we’re trying to do to the inspiration of Ella Baker and Myles Horton, to the example set by the Caracoles Movement in Chiapas, MX and to Joe Lee.