*** Statement ***
Our March event has been organized by the meeting and events workgroup of the Green Party Pennsylvania. This is very small group of individuals, led by our Finance Team who tap on the local help of our hosting county. We are thrilled to have the participating body of workshops and organizations participating with us on our Saturday event. However, we must address a failure in our organizing of the keynote panel.
Out of convenience and what we thought was possible we looked at our neighboring states and saw candidates who were seeking or exploring office. This seemed easy. None would need to travel extremely far. We can make this happen quickly. And we did just that with a few easy emails.
We did question if we should invite more presidential candidates. We checked FEC filings and noticed 12 declared candidates and decided that the time available did not fit the intent of our convention. We did not want presidential stump speeches. We wanted to learn about growth an issues within the Green Party. We certainly didn’t have the bandwidth to contact all or hear from them within the hour we’ve allowed at this event.
We did not expect that the Green Party of Pennsylvania would have attracted many with this type of request. We failed to even inform those folks who didn’t get an invite that we were considering this. We were wrong in our assumptions. People pay attention to the Green Party of Pennsylvania. We are not in a bubble here and we have prominence in our national community. More importantly because we made the easy decision we became part to something that we should not have. We have seated an all male panel because it was convenient and we dismissed considering an opportunity to be inclusive. We understand this is a persistent issue with many state parties and the national Green Party. Any one of us organizers or participants could have voiced the issue but in haste and out of convenience we accepted something that is not of our key values.
To this end, we have decided to make correcting actions which include offering the panel stage to any that can participate by web or in person. We will take the time from those few invited to provide it to those who we have ignored. We have taken this moment to understand that our organizing abilities can lead us to failures. When we take the easy and convenient way we are readily susceptible to exclusionary elitist actions, even supremacy behaviors.
Myself and the Green Party of Pennsylvania would like to apologize to those candidates that we had de-platformed with our original schedule. We hope by adjusting our schedule and trying harder to extend our reach we can all learn more about how we can grow and better represent our key values.
Timothy Runkle
GPPA Treasurer, Finance Team Lead
*** end statement ***
The GPPA will host a 2-day Convention on March 23rd and 24th at the Pittsburgh Mennonite Church in Swissvale (Pittsburgh) PA.
You will not want to miss out on this event. Together we will focus on how to run meaningful local campaigns while embracing the necessity of global issues like that of the Green New Deal during what will certainly be a tumultuous 2019-2020 campaign season. To help us charge up for the task we will be joined by Howie Hawkins, a three-time New York Gubernatorial candidate, as well as Dario Hunter and Ian Schlakman who are are both seeking the 2020 Green Party US Presidential nomination. They will kick-off the event as we ask what a successful Green Party will look like in the next few years.
Our afternoon workshops will include the voices of local community leaders touching on the issues of fracking, nuclear energy, demilitarization and oversight of police, good governance, and anti-corruption. We'll hear from folks who are building local power through advocacy groups and who are serving in elected offices across the state including:
-Anita Rios, OHGP and GPUS co-chair covering nuclear energy bailouts
-Ellen Sue Gerhart, Camp White Pine and the protest criminalization bills
-Micheal Badges-Canning, Marcellous Out Reach Butler
-Melanie Meade, Clairton Coke Works Pollution Problem
-Movement 4 A People's Party and Pittsburgh Socialist Alternative on Building Local Power
-Elected officials panel covering experience in elected office
-Veterans for Peace/Stop Banking the Bomb
-Represent US
-March on Harrisburg
-Pittsburgh Norml
-And more lining up!
Saturday requires registration and a $40 fee for participation. For those that may not be able to provide a full fee please complete our Sponsorship Form for sponsorship by one of our Members. Sunday will include the business meeting for GPPA delegates however it is open to the public at no charge. Weekend activities are held between 10am and 5pm on Saturday and 12pm and 4pm on Sunday. Overnight accommodations are available for both Friday and Saturday nights. Please message [email protected] to set arrangements.
2018 S Braddock Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15218
United States
Google map and directions