Phase 1: Culture Building
Familiarize and connect people with existing anarchist media while getting across the message that we exist, we’re everywhere, and we’re very serious about what we’re saying.
In this phase we build networks of anarchists who already know what’s up.
Phase 2: Community Building
We move from mostly information-focused to more activity-focused events. Picnics and barbeques, public sports leagues, art festivals, book fairs, etc. Things that will bring liberal and apolitical people out where they can meet and get to know anarchists as well as reigniting community life.
Phase 3: Emergence of Associations
This will hopefully create the kinds of conditions in which people will start turning to community to help solve problems as well as building a thriving anarchic community in any city.
From this point ad hoc associations, solidarity networks, and affinity groups should be easier to build and in many cases may simply naturally emerge from how people interact with each other.
I think the best time to move from phase one to phase two is once you have achieved “critical mass” in your anarchist network. I would put this at 8-12 people who are regularly available to help each other and dedicated to this operation.
As you move into phase two make sure to plan events that are within your capabilities to pull off. You may want to organize ad hoc groups from your network– that means pulling some friends together to form a group whose purpose is to achieve a goal and then disband.
There are some good tips on organizing and acting within an affinity group here.
Temporality of organizing (how long your organization exists) is not important so long as things are getting done. As you learn to organize like this effectively it should get easier. It’s a skill like any other.
Keep in mind that the first phase activities should continue as phase two is implemented.
To be honest, apart from using step 1 to gather up a bunch or anarchist friends where possible, I would switch step 1 and 2 or start both simultaneously. You don’t actually need more than one or two organizers to do ‘bring what you can’ picnics and other activities. Information brings together intellectuals, actions bring together a far wider and less theoretically focused population. If your information is your culture building… meh. If what you do is your culture building… that’s a whole other thing.
I would also add
Phase 4: Seize Spaces
Having at least one physical squated or otherwise free space that isn’t dependent on the state or landlords is an essential part of creating an anarchist community that lasts. From benefit parties to a print shop to storing the physical resources needed for resistance, a lot of what we do needs space. But just as importantly is the experience of anarchist space, experiencing a space that is truly our own.
(You may also need step 3.5 ‘prepare assocations to defend what they’re build’ because you don’t really have space if it is dependent on the benevolence of power’.)
QueerAnarchism 