EQAT Launches 9-Month Action Plan for BLAM! Campaign

Earth Quaker Action Team’s Board of Directors is pleased to announce their enthusiastic approval of the strategy arc developed by EQAT’s membership this summer.

In June we held a day-long retreat to create a campaign strategy that builds on the momentum of our powerful spring/summer activities. The retreat revealed our desire to support the rapid growth of our organization and increase our impact across all of PNC’s territory.  At a follow-up planning session, we set a goal of expansion over the next 9-12 months, both horizontally, by growing our active membership and strengthening ties with allies, and vertically by deepening our spiritual practice, skills, and commitment to the campaign and to the cause of environmental justice.

Another clearly emerging goal is to expand the context for our campaign, devising a narrative that speaks to how MTR is part of an industry of extreme extraction schemes, financed by PNC and other financial institutions.  Additionally, we seek to expand the context for our Quaker identity, positioning ourselves within the network of faith-based environmental activists while also increasing our voice within the Religious Society of Friends.

Our plans for Fall 2012 and Winter 2013 are dynamic and fun. EQAT will invite our Green Walk F/friends and allies to join us in Philadelphia from October 19-21 for a weekend of community building through training in nonviolent direct action.  We’ll prepare ourselves for a big Day of Action in December or January, when potentially dozens of protests will happen simultaneously across PNC territory.  All this leads up to more direct actions in February, with a culminating action back in Pittsburgh at the PNC shareholders meeting next April.

In February we will have built the capacity for deeper, more challenging actions, and we are looking for ways to connect our new Spiritual Practices activities into the February action.  Valentine’s Day (2/14) was suggested as a possible target date, working off of the idea of love. 

By April, we will have built a strong network together, which we will mobilize to stage a large and powerful confrontation at PNC’s Pittsburgh headquarters for the shareholders meeting.  This fulfills our promise on May 16 at the end of the Green Walk that we would return, to utilize the training we did on the sidewalk in front of PNC. 

PROPOSED TIMELINE:

(Green Your Money account closing group actions will be ongoing throughout this timeframe.)

AUGUST:

·         August 17 – Fundraising working group meets, create and launch fall campaign

·         August 15 — 31 – Organizing on college campuses during opening days

SEPTEMBER:

·         September 7 — Spiritual Practices working group meets to explore spiritual and sacrificial discipline

·         September  9 – Party to celebrate our leadership transition

OCTOBER:

·         October 19-21 – Weekend of Training for Day of Action

NOVEMBER:

·         Ongoing development of regional groups, allied organizations

·         Possible trip to Appalachia (?)

·         EQAT “Phonathon” sponsored by Fundraising Team

DECEMBER OR JANUARY:

·         Day of Action — Multiple groups mobilized across the PNC territory

FEBRUARY:

·         February 14 — Possible Valentine’s Day Action highlighting MTR health impacts

MARCH:

·         Planning, training for April shareholders action

APRIL:

·         April 1 – Fossil Fools Day

·         April 23 – Final Action at PNC’s Shareholder Meeting in Pittsburgh

Every season we grow in our strength and commitment to justice. Join EQAT as we build a better world!

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