The Backbone Campaign Brings Rochester Creative Tactics

The Backbone Campaign came to Rochester in April as part of their 11,000+ mile, 16 city tour around the country. The three day event was a chance for local activists to learn skills, creative tactics and just have some fun. <!--break--> <img class="dada-image-center" src="http://rochester.indymedia.org/sites/default/files/migrate_dada/backbone.jpg"><br>While in Rochester, the Backbone Campaign held two sets of workshops. The workshops included creative tactics such as, puppet making, highway banner making, silk screening, drumming for demonstrations and other direct action tactics that local activists can use at rally’s protests, marches and demonstrations. The creative ideas, and skills that the workshop participants learned will help to make future local actions more of a spectacle using art and music to bring attention to the issues of the organization. On the last day of the events a Procession for the Future was held. Activists from a variety of different grassroots organizations marched down South Avenue to the beat of music and drumming, carrying eye-catching puppets, banners and inflatables. Participants walked with a &quot;blindfolded Lady Justice” , paper mache bees, a public airwaves radio playing music, a Rosa Parks Puppet, an inflatable earth, and banners including one that showed the kind of social programs that could be funded with the money that the US now spends on war and weapons systems. The drums helped establish a good marching beat and attracted attention of people on the street and inside homes and businesses. The Procession was not only fun for the participants, but people along the route were clapping, whistling and enjoying the spectacle. Some people even joined the Procession. Here is a video of the Procession: http://blip.tv/file/2148596 Instructions for highway bannering: http://backbonecampaign.org/page.cfm?id=115

<p>The Backbone Campaign came to Rochester in April as part of their 11,000+ mile, 16 city tour around the country. The three day event was a chance for local activists to learn skills, creative tactics and just have some fun.</p> <!--break--><p><img class="dada-image-center" src="http://rochester.indymedia.org/sites/default/files/migrate_dada/backbone.jpg" /><br />While in Rochester, the Backbone Campaign held two sets of workshops. The workshops included creative tactics such as, puppet making, highway banner making, silk screening, drumming for demonstrations and other direct action tactics that local activists can use at rally’s protests, marches and demonstrations. The creative ideas, and skills that the workshop participants learned will help to make future local actions more of a spectacle using art and music to bring attention to the issues of the organization. </p> <p>On the last day of the events a Procession for the Future was held. Activists from a variety of different grassroots organizations marched down South Avenue to the beat of music and drumming, carrying eye-catching puppets, banners and inflatables. Participants walked with a "blindfolded Lady Justice” , paper mache bees, a public airwaves radio playing music, a Rosa Parks Puppet, an inflatable earth, and banners including one that showed the kind of social programs that could be funded with the money that the US now spends on war and weapons systems. The drums helped establish a good marching beat and attracted attention of people on the street and inside homes and businesses. The Procession was not only fun for the participants, but people along the route were clapping, whistling and enjoying the spectacle. Some people even joined the Procession.</p> <p>Here is a video of the Procession:</p> <p><a href="http://blip.tv/file/2148596">http://blip.tv/file/2148596</a></p> <p>Instructions for highway bannering:</p> <p><a href="http://backbonecampaign.org/page.cfm?id=115">http://backbonecampaign.org/page.cfm?id=115</a></p>