Whirlwinds Final Announcement

In the Middle of a Whirlwind: 2008 Convention Protests, Movement and Movements A one-off online journal of theory, art, activism and organizing! www.inthemiddleofawhirlwind.info Team Colors is proud to announce that the Whirlwinds project -- the journal and events series -- is entering a new phase as it begins to come to a close. On May 25th, 2008 Team Colors Collective launched an ambitious one-off online journal entitled In the Middle of a Whirlwind: 2008 Convention Protests, Movement and Movements (Whirlwinds); coordinate by the collective and published by The Journal of Aesthetics and Protest Press. The purpose of Whirlwinds was to “inquire into current organizing efforts in the United States,” and through this process to “provide a strategic analysis of current political composition as a tool for building political power.” Since its initial launch, Whirlwinds has engaged over 3,500 readers and drawn participants to Of Friends and Whirlwinds events in New York City (Bluestockings Books), Tucson (Dry River Infoshop), Washington DC (Brian MacKenzie Infoshop), Philadelphia (Wooden Shoe Books), Baltimore (Red Emma’s Books), Bloomington (Boxcar Books), Boston (Lucy Parsons Center), and Portland, OR (Red & Black Café). WHIRLWINDS INTRODUCTION & MAP Team Colors has written an short introduction to the journal and provided a map of the contributions titled “Will You Join Us in the Middle of a Whirlwind?: Movement, Movements & Mapping Our Current Cycle of Struggle”, this is available at: http://inthemiddleofthewhirlwind.wordpress.com/will-you-join-us-in-the-middle-of-awhirlwind/ NEW ARTICLE ADDITIONS A number of new articles have been posted since the journals initial launch, and Team Colors would like to call particular attention to the following incredible and engaging contributions:

October 2008

www.warmachines.info

1 of 4

In the Middle of a Whirlwind: 2008 Convention Protests, Movement & Movements www.inthemiddleofawhirlwind.info Whirlwinds Final Announcement Team Colors Collective

Emmanuelle Cosse "The Precarious Go Marching" http://inthemiddleofthewhirlwind.wordpress.com/2008/10/03/the-precarious-gomarching/ Maribel Casas-Cortes & Sebastian Cobarrubias | Producciones Translocales “Transatlantic Translations: A Trilogy of Insurgent Knowledges” http://inthemiddleofthewhirlwind.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/transatlantic-translations-atrilogy-of-insurgent-knowledges/ Stevie Peace “The Desire to Heal: Harm Intervention in a Landscape of Restorative Justice and Critical Resistance” - http://inthemiddleofthewhirlwind.wordpress.com/thedesire-to-heal/. (Stevie has recently joined Team Colors.) WRITE POLITICAL PRISONER DANIEL MCGOWAN Team Colors asks readers and supporters of Whirlwinds to take a moment to a write letter (or even a short postcard) to journal contributor and current political prisoner Daniel McGowan. Daniel McGowan is an environmental and social justice activist. He was charged in federal court on many counts of arson, property destruction and conspiracy, all relating to two incidents in Oregon in 2001. Until recently, Daniel was offered two choices by the government: cooperate by informing on other people, or go to trial and face life in prison. His only real option was to plead not guilty until he could reach a resolution of the case that permitted him to honor his principles. As a result of months of litigation and negotiation, Daniel was able to admit to his role in these two incidents, while not implicating or identifying any other people who might have been involved. He was sentenced to 7 years in prison on June 4, 2007 and began serving his time on July 2, 2007. Visit the ‘Friend and Family of Daniel McGowan’ website at: http://www.supportdaniel.org; and Daniel can receive letters and postcards at: Daniel McGowan #63794-053 USP Marion U.S. Penitentiary P.O. Box 1000 Marion, I.L. 62959 Letter writing guidelines are available, as well as a full list of political prisoners in the United States from the Prison Activist Resource Center at: http://www.prisonactivist.org/. READERS SURVEY As participants in the Whirlwinds project, editors, readers, event attendees, supporters, and donors we at Team Colors are very much interested in your thoughts and opinions on

October 2008

www.warmachines.info

2 of 4

In the Middle of a Whirlwind: 2008 Convention Protests, Movement & Movements www.inthemiddleofawhirlwind.info Whirlwinds Final Announcement Team Colors Collective

this undertaking. To address this, and to evaluate the Whirlwinds project, we created a survey for readers and participants. We respectfully request that you fill it out and return it to us by the 30th of October – results will be posted on the Team Colors website. Additional information and the survey is available at: http://www.pdfcoke.com/full/6389000?access_key=key-xtmikx3urpk8yno2n9m

FUTURE WHIRLWINDS MATERIALS Additional Whirlwinds materials will have been, and will continue to be, posted on the Team Colors website at http://www.warmachines.info. This includes videos and text from Of Friends & Whirlwinds events, action reports and analysis from the 2008 Convention Protests, survey results, and announcements on possible print versions of the project. Team Colors has been commissioned by Arranca!, a radical publication for the FELS group in Germany, to write an article on the Whirlwinds project and militant research in the United States. Tentatively titled “Of Whirlwinds and Wind Chimes (or ways to listen): Movement Building & Militant Research in the United States”, a full English version will appear on the Team Colors website and will be circulated in print from. MAKE A DONATION TO THE PROJECT Although Whirlwinds is a free online publication there have been considerable expenses in launching this one-off online journal. We are still fundraising toward our goal of $3,000.00 to cover project expenses, every dollar donated toward our $1,500.00 matching fund will be 'matched', so we ask those who haven't and are able to please consider making a contribution. Make a contribution to Whirlwinds today! Those contributing $20 or more will receive a copy of the “Will you join us in the middle of a whirlwind” color poster, designed by Just Seeds & printed by Eberhardt Press. Please visit http://www.joaap.org/donate.html to make secure online donations and to find out more about the costs incurred in the production of the journal. Thank you for considering making a contribution to this project! E-NEWSLETTER & ANNOUNCEMENTS Sign up for a low traffic announcement list and irregularly posted E-Newsletter for information and bulletins pertaining to Team Colors, future Whirlwinds materials, forthcoming writings, publications and interventions, and upcoming workshops, lectures and events at: http://www.warmachines.info/contants.html

October 2008

www.warmachines.info

3 of 4

In the Middle of a Whirlwind: 2008 Convention Protests, Movement & Movements www.inthemiddleofawhirlwind.info Whirlwinds Final Announcement Team Colors Collective

In Solidarity,

Conor Cash, Craig Hughes, Stevie Peace & Kevin Van Meter | Team Colors Tucson, AZ | Brooklyn, NY | Twin Cities, MN & Portland, OR W: www.warmachines.info E: [email protected] 5 October 2008 ###

October 2008

www.warmachines.info

4 of 4