so you dont have a lot of time
and/or you dont have a lot of people to help get ready for the action what's essential?

• housing - get on this right away!

  • call the housing line. a number or email will be on the website for the action

• maps and navigation

  • maps from home to protest town

  • street maps of protest town

  • street addresses of housing, convergence center, major actions

  • public transport maps for protest town

• arrange transportation

  • be sure all paperwork for vehicles and drivers is in order

  • fix taillights and other minor things to make sure car is legal.

  • if you are using borrowed vehicles, bring a letter stating you have permission to use and authority to get car released from impound.

• talking points

  • what are you going to say if media put a mic in your face? (they will. be ready.)

  • what is the main message of your group?

  • what is your personal media mantra?

• bring your eyeglasses. contacts BAD. more medical info

• arrange for legal support (see legal)

• print out some useful documents and bring them with you to read aloud in the car.
  • documents from the website set up for the action.
  • documents from this website that look useful, like the stuff under "when you get to protest town" and "legal".

• figure out if the people in your car(avan) intend to be an affinity group. this means at minimum figuring out if people are willing to:

  • keep the group informed about their whereabouts

  • use a buddy system

  • be accountable to the group

  • be at group meetings

  it also might mean:

  • planning action(s) together (print and photocopy the action planning guide. you may do more than one action, so make several copies)

  • staying together in the street

although it is hard for people to make decisions about these in advance, it's good to have some conversations about the following things, so folks can gravitate toward buddies and small groups with affinities:

• interest in getting arrested (in case you're not planning to, read "so you're not planning to get arrested...")

• problems with arrest (on probation, warrant, minor, need daily medication, will get fired if not home by tuesday...)

• desired level of risk

• appoint essential roles each day:

  • local legal support person (staying green!)

  • media liaison (for each group that will be together in the street)

  • meeting wrangler (to make sure that people know about and get to meetings and that the meetings get started!)