The Southern Movement Assembly’s plan for protecting and defending our communities, creating community solutions, and practicing a people’s governance at a time when democracy is collapsing, is convening to build independent political power through the assembly process. Inspired by the Lowndes County Freedom Organization organized by the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee in 1965 to the Black Panther Party Survival Programs - Elements of independent political organizing have and continue to center peoples governance and self-determination as one of many ways to resist injustice. When the electorate is faced with the choice of the lesser of two evils, and the fascists are organizing mandates for the advancement of white supremacy and US imperialism through comprehensive playbooks like Project 2025; we as Southern organizers must examine how we contend with the current political structures. Our people have the right and the ability to govern our communities outside of the state. What strategies and tactics do we need to build power beyond the elections in November? What ways do the assembly process advance this effort?
SMA State of the South Calls advance the Southern Freedom Movement in the 21st Century. Rooted in the historic legacies of the South, organizers, participants of assemblies, formations, and groups come together on monthly calls to share what we are learning about the political moment. We work on tactics, shared strategies, and leadership development. We build transformative relationships through the centering of collective healing and joy, and we practice governance in real time through the carrying out of the SMA Multi Year Action Plan!
Register TODAY at bit.ly/StateOfTheSouthSeries
The SMA State of the South Monthly Calls happen on the last Wednesday of the month are grounded in our collective principle of Resist and Build framework: We believe political direction is determined by big picture analysis grounded in the struggle to dismantle white supremacy, economic exploitation, and colonialism while simultaneously building decolonization processes for liberation of all people. We do this through landscape assessment, data and resource sharing, political and popular education models, and frontline spokes council process.
