The Midwest Social Forum (MWSF) is an annual gathering of grassroots organizations, community activists, workers, educators, students, artists, and others committed to making a better, more just world possible. The MWSF provides an open space for exchanging experiences and information, strengthening alliances and networks, and developing effective strategies for progressive social, economic, and political change. The MWSF is committed to building a broad-based social movement across class, gender, race/ethnicity, generation, sexuality, ability, and geography. In pursuit of that goal, it seeks to embody a genuinely democratic process that assures the broadest representation possible. The MWSF is inspired by the World Social Forum and the similar principles on which it was established, most importantly its commitment to diversity, democracy, and politically non-sectarian dialogue and debate. Over the last four years, the MWSF has increased in scope, scale, and diversity, and in 2006, made its most significant leap forward. Last July, nearly 1,000 people gathered in Milwaukee for MWSF 2006, taking part in four days of caucuses, workshops, panels, training sessions, and cultural events.