<div dir="ltr"><div><div>Many thanks to the process team for their hard work on these
difficult topics! Since it was alleged that my informing Peter &
Shannon about my background and experience is untrue, I felt I should
forward the response I received from Shannon to an introduction e-mail I
sent to both Peter & Shannon on March 17. I also included Ali and Baile on that introduction, since they didn't know me well, either. My introduction is below Shannon's response, which was a reply-all to everyone listed, so everyone in that thread received her response, as well. I assumed that by sending my introduction to the
leadership at that time, it would be forwarded to the rest of the
community. I did not have access to the whole list of e-mails in order
to send an introduction of myself, and I felt it more appropriate to go
through the leadership to make that introduction.<br><br></div><div>Thanks again to the process team! <br><br>[Please see forwarded e-mail content below.]<br></div></div><br>Thanks! -Scott<div><div dir="ltr"><span><font color="#888888">Scott Menzies, M.A. (Environment & Community)<br>
Instructor/Proprietor<br>
Perfect Circle Taijiquan<br>
330 N. Franklin St, Fort Bragg, CA<br>
<a value="+15304103333">530-410-3333</a> (cell)<br>
<a value="+17079623009">707-962-3009</a> (studio - ringer always off)</font></span></div></div>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Shannon Biggs</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:shannon@globalexchange.org" target="_blank">shannon@globalexchange.org</a>></span><br>
Date: Mon, Mar 17, 2014 at 10:45 AM<br>Subject: Re: Further Introduction...<br>To: Scott Menzies <<a href="mailto:scott.m.menzies@gmail.com" target="_blank">scott.m.menzies@gmail.com</a>>, <a href="mailto:peternorris@gmail.com" target="_blank">peternorris@gmail.com</a><br>
Cc: Ali Boecker <<a href="mailto:alis_element@yahoo.com" target="_blank">alis_element@yahoo.com</a>>, Baile <<a href="mailto:baileoakes@gmail.com" target="_blank">baileoakes@gmail.com</a>><br><br><br>
<div>
<font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Hi Scott, <br>
<br>
Thanks for all of this, such an inclusive introduction! I’m so glad to know more about you and so very excited to hear your thoughts and perspectives, which helps me better understand what the needs are as we strive to be of the best assistance to everyone in the County as you all make history and protect precious water and create a real local democracy in Mendocino. <br>
<br>
Looking forward to meeting you ALL so soon. <br>
<br>
My best, <br>
Shannon<div><div><br>
<br>
<br>
On 3/17/14 10:30 AM, "Scott Menzies" <<a href="http://scott.m.menzies@gmail.com" target="_blank">scott.m.menzies@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
</div></div></span></font><div><div><blockquote><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Hi Peter and Shannon,<br>
<br>
I thought it would be best to further introduce myself, since it seems I'm going to be involved in this campaign here on the coast. It has been awhile since I've done any community organizing, but it looks like my education and organizing training fit well with what is being attempted, here. So here's a bit about me and my past organizing experience and education, how I see my role as possibly being in this campaign, as well as what I feel is important for and to the group on the coast:<br>
<br>
Community Organizing Training<br>
</span></font><ul><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Education for Action: Semester long seminar taught by long-time organizer Eric Rofes (<a href="http://www.ericrofes.com/bio/general.php" target="_blank">http://www.ericrofes.com/bio/general.php</a>) using the Midwest Academy's manual, <u>Organizing for Social Change</u> (<a href="http://www.midwestacademy.com/manual/" target="_blank">http://www.midwestacademy.com/manual/</a><u>)</u>, providing skills and tools which have supported me from organizing my first efforts in election reform and Instant Runoff Voting advocacy to starting my Taijiquan (T'ai Chi Ch'uan) studio last May.<br>
</span></font></li></ul><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
Education<br>
</span></font><ul><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Masters of Arts in Social Science, Environment & Community, Humboldt State University, 2005 cohort<br>
</span></font><ul><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Intensive seminars on mulit/inter-disciplinary subjects and perspectives including Rights, Politics, and the Environment; Native American/Ethnic Studies; Community & Place; and Sustainable Cities.<br>
</span></font></li></ul></li></ul><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
Community Organizing Experience Highlights<br>
</span></font><ul><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Voter Confidence Committee<br>
</span></font><ul><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">My first attempt at community organizing after my training.
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Advocated for the implementation of Ranked Voting in Humboldt County.
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Held actions that included parallel elections to show how results might have differed under a different voting system.<br>
</span></font></li></ul></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt County, under director Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap and 2004 Green Party Presidential candidate David Cobb (Paul Cienfuegos founded DUHC, but was no longer involved in when I came along.)<br>
</span></font><ul><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Worked on campaign that ultimately passed Measure T, which banned non-local corporations from donating to local elections.<br>
</span></font><ul><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Ultimately overturned as unconstitutional with help of the Pacific Legal Foundation.<br>
</span></font></li></ul></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Humboldt County Independent Business Alliance<br>
</span></font><ul><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Co-founded with Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap as a project of DUHC, using the American Independent Business Alliance model<br>
</span></font></li></ul></li></ul></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Healthy Humboldt Coalition Outreach Coordinator<br>
</span></font></li></ul><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
Other<br>
</span></font><ul><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">
</span></font></li><li><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt">Heavily involved in journalism during high-school, which provided skills that I use to write news releases that follow journalistic style, read like actual articles, and often get printed verbatim.<br>
</span></font></li></ul><font face="Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial"><span style="font-size:11pt"><br>
I knew Paul personally when he and I lived in Humboldt County, but it was during his hiatus from activism (from burnout), when he was focusing on his bookstore, 100fires. Since his move to Portland we haven't had any contact. <br>
<br>
I did not to go to Paul's workshop for a cpuple of reasons. For a few years I've actively avoided getting involved in activism due to my own burnout and concerns from my own “spiritual” perspective that my work had to come from the right place of inner peace before I could re-engage. As a practitioner of Taijiquan (T'ai Chi Ch'uan), which I studied in Taiwan and China, and which is a Daoist martial art, I take the concept of nonviolence (yet not pacifism) seriously, and any actions that come out of ego, anger, fear, or any other space other than peace are not technically nonviolent by Daoist (and Buddhist) philosophies. I had been that guy myself and I saw too many other “activists” who relied on their anger or passion to get things done, who were “driven” (and not, in my opinion, doing the driving), and, sometimes, even told me my efforts at internal work were a waste of time. I needed to figure out how to re-engage on my terms and without burning out. Though, I also know that by trying to develop Perfect Circle Taijiquan that I'm already doing right by my community. That could be all I do and I would feel it enough. <br>
<br>
Second, knowing the circles in which I worked in Humboldt, and considering the vast breadth and depth of subject matter my master's program covered, I also expected that little of what Paul had to offer would be new to me. This is also why I never had an intention of going to Democracy School. I already have $25,000 of debt surrounding my master's. Not really interested in spending more money and time unless it's strategically critical for me to do so.<br>
<br>
But, attending the Sunday meeting at John's gave me a sense that this was a clear, worthy topic that could actually get me out of my organizing cave. Noting that, while there were a few seasoned organizers there, there didn't appear to be anyone with formal organizing training similar to mine, especially amongst the very few folks who stepped up to take a leadership role in the tentative “Campaign Management Committee” for our local area, I decided to try to break off the rust and offer up my knowledge and skills by asking to be on the Campaign Management Committee myself. That resulted in the holding of a couple of regular meetings and regular communication.<br>
<br>
What I feel is important for the coastal group are as follows: <br>
<br>
One, that it be well-organized, especially considering our short timeline. This, to me, is where my training with the Midwest Academy manual comes in. I'm really not that concerned about the ordinance itself. I'm concerned about the community organizing. The ordinance is just what we're organizing to support (at this point), and I'm not really interested in participating in the drafting process. <br>
<br>
Two, that this campaign not just be treated as a campaign, but, as is the practice of the Midwest Academy and which has been shown in studies to be effective with Independent Business Alliances, as an action of an organization that sets up that organization for the NEXT action. In other words, creating a coastal group that can generate and store momentum, not just fizzle at the end of this campaign. I know that there are others who share this desire, and I believe this is a main premise for the group of us who have been meeting regularly since John's gathering.<br>
<br>
So there you have it. If you have any questions you can write me back or call me on my cell at <a href="tel:530-410-3333" value="+15304103333" target="_blank">530-410-3333</a>. I am still trying to develop and grow Perfect Circle Taijiquan, which is, at this point, just breaking even, so I won't be dedicating my life to this campaign, but I will be involved and hopefully assist it in being efficient in its work.<br>
<br>
Best,<br>
<br>
Scott<br>
<br>
<font color="#888888">Scott Menzies, M.A. (Environment & Community)<br>
Instructor/Proprietor<br>
Perfect Circle Taijiquan<br>
330 N. Franklin St, Fort Bragg, CA<br>
<a href="tel:530-410-3333" value="+15304103333" target="_blank">530-410-3333</a> (cell)<br>
<a href="tel:707-962-3009" value="+17079623009" target="_blank">707-962-3009</a> (studio - ringer always off)<br>
</font><br>
</span></font></blockquote>
</div></div></div>
</div><br></div>