The purpose of this session is to begin a process of creating inspiring art, music, and other creative works to change the way that we think about elections. Clean elections demand an active public participation. This idea has been destroyed by the mainstream media and the privatization of elections. We have to take control again. The arts have historically been very effective vehicles for changing perspectives, generating new ideas and altering the pervading attitudes in a culture. In this session we will begin to open a creative process to brainstorm ways to utilize the arts to create new ways of thinking about elections and election issues.

Goals of the session:

Envision a United States with a functional democracy, a system of self-government that respects human rights and values, the environment and sustainable development.

See yourself as part of the solution.

Discuss culture: the Easiest and the Hardest thing to change. How do we inspire that change?

Determine paths that lead to new culture of Democracy:

Art, Music/Rap, Poetry/Literature, Theater, Performance Art, Comedy Skits, Cartoons, Interpretive Dance...

Learn about historical solutions that have changed cultures, created and restored democracy.

Discussion of these steps towards re-asserting clean, transparent elections:

Pollworkers For Democracy
National Hand-Count Registry
Election Monitors
Parallel Elections

Few citizens show up on election day to either work as pollworkers or election monitors.
And yet we expect accurate, transparent, & fair elections, with all that power at stake?

Small Group Activity: Breakout into small groups

Phase 1: Each group should think of a demographic that they wish to reach (i.e. - teenagers, elders, the rural south, the urban northeast, a specified subculture – whatever they can think of, it should ideally be a group they are from or very familiar with).

Phase 2: Brainstorm different ways to create use arts that will speak to that demographic – music, rap, visual arts, plays or skits, poetry, cartoons, comedy, or even movies, commercials, video games and other more mundane medias. Think from a marketing perspective as well as an artistic perspective during this exercise.

Phase 3: Then, pick an idea and run with it – try and create something to showcase (a drawing, some lyrics, a song, a poem, outline of a movie script, a skit or pretend commercial, whatever). Try and utilize the talents which are present within your group. Remember this is about process and not product. The idea is not to create the perfect product but to begin the creative thinking process.

Breakout groups should think about the following questions during this process:
What is at the heart of voting apathy and disinterest in the democratic process? What are ways to create momentum and inspire people to come together and act rather than just complain? We need to have an awakening as a people to the recognition that by neglecting our democracy, we are losing it. How can we achieve this awakening? How do we begin to create a culture of individual involvement that goes beyond just voting, to true involvement in our democratic process?

Re-unite the audience for Presentations & Live Performances of Artistic Responses from the groups.

Discussion of virally marketing the new democracy culture and building unity & coalitions.

Inspirational Close of Program Session

~~~

What ideas do you want the participants to take away? Comprehending the state of our Democracy, and the need for action, for ourselves, and for the world, Another World Is Mandatory! And we are the people make it happen!

1.How does your event connect to the USSF Crosscutting Themes? We'll discuss historical precendents in changing cultures, and create artistic solutions.
2.What language will your activity be conducted in? English
3.Will you provide oral interpretation? Will you provide equipment (headset and transmitter) for interpretation? Not unless a volunteer provides it.
4.Will you provide handouts for attendees? In Spanish? YES In English? YES In another language? NO
5.What is the biggest challenge/adversary your movement/organization faces? National Unity on Solutions, Fighting neoliberals & their corporate allies & lobbyists in both parties with unlimited budgets, Voter Apathy, compromised gov't & NGO officials .
6.What concrete alternative(s) do you propose? We support use of hand-counted and optically scannable paper ballots & other non-contiguous, paper based, accountable voting systems. We must change the U.S.'s election day culture of "vote and return to work".
7.What strategies do you propose to achieve these alternatives? See organization description.

A. Our organization is willing to work with other organizations on the election reform topic if desirable.