Behind the Bastards: It Could Happen Here Weekly 189 Summary

Release Date: July 5, 2025
Hosts: Mia Wong and Rick Jervis
Provider: Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts

Introduction to Organizing and Meetings

In this episode of It Could Happen Here Weekly, hosts Mia Wong and Rick Jervis delve deep into the foundational aspects of organizing movements through effective meeting management. They emphasize that successful organizing hinges on mastering the fundamental skills of running productive meetings—a crucial component for building democratic and free societies.

The Importance of Structured Meetings

Mia begins by posing a critical question to listeners: "Are you organizing because you want to feel cool, or because you want your efforts to genuinely work?" She underscores that while passion and enthusiasm are vital, the lack of structured, effective meetings can render all organizing efforts futile.

Mia Wong [04:24]:
"If you want your organizing to work, literally no matter what it is, you actually need to listen to this episode and you need to have some rudimentary knowledge of the thing we are about to talk about."

The hosts trace the evolution of meeting structures through historical movements, highlighting that modern meeting technologies are refined versions of methods passed down through groups like the Quakers, Civil Rights Movement, and anti-war protests.

Essential Components of a Meeting

1. Venue Selection [09:29]:
   Choosing an accessible location is paramount. Mia lists various venues—from restaurants and libraries to churches and parks—emphasizing that the space must accommodate all participants comfortably.

2. Avoiding Robert’s Rules of Order [12:27]:
   Mia strongly advises against using Robert’s Rules of Order due to their complexity and potential to derail meetings. Instead, she recommends "Rusty's Rules of Order," a streamlined 25-page guide tailored for activist circles, making meetings more straightforward and less prone to obstruction.

   Mia Wong [14:17]:
   "Do not use Robert's Rules of Order. They suck."

3. Roles and Responsibilities [17:12]:
   Implementing specific roles within meetings ensures smooth operation and prevents dominance by any single individual. Key roles include:

   • Facilitator [18:06]:
     Guides the meeting, keeps discussions on track, and ensures consensus is reached without allowing any one person to monopolize the conversation.

     Mia Wong [19:08]:
     "One of the biggest ways that meetings fail is that someone just keeps talking and keeps talking... nothing gets done because the entire meeting is one hour of this guy just yabbering."

   • Stack Taker [27:26]:
     Manages the speaking order, often using a progressive stack to give voice to those who typically speak less.

     Mia Wong [28:42]:
     "The stack is just literally a list of names of who's going to talk, in what order someone raises their hand they can add to the stack."

   • Timekeeper [30:01]:
     Keeps track of allotted times for each agenda item, providing reminders to ensure the meeting adheres to its schedule.

   • Note Taker [45:14]:
     Documents discussions and decisions, allowing for accountability and reference.

   • Vibes Checker [49:12]:
     Monitors the emotional and social dynamics within the meeting, addressing any tension or discomfort promptly.

4. Agenda Setting [15:51]:
   Every meeting should have a clear agenda outlining topics and estimated time allocations. This transparency helps participants stay focused and aware of the meeting's progression.

   Mia Wong [16:27]:
   "An agenda is what the fuck are you doing? And generally speaking, secondarily, you want to try to have time planned out."

Enhancing Meeting Efficiency

• Hand Gestures and Signals [30:57]:
  Utilizing predefined hand gestures can facilitate non-verbal communication, allowing participants to express agreement or request to speak without interrupting the flow of conversation.

  Rick Jervis [33:04]:
  "There are things like people will say like, please move this along. It's a way of saying, hey, facilitator, please shut this person up."

• Rotating Roles [24:04]:
  To prevent power concentration and ensure all members are proficient in various aspects of meeting management, roles should rotate among participants. This practice fosters a more inclusive and resilient organizational structure.

  Mia Wong [24:44]:
  "If you're controlling distant parts of the movement, if you haven't involved most of the people who's involved, if the people at level one don't understand what's going on in level two, you have a failing movement."

• Inclusivity and Accessibility [56:07]:
  Ensuring all participants can attend and contribute is vital. This includes providing for childcare and considering dietary restrictions, making meetings welcoming and accommodating for everyone.

  Mia Wong [56:07]:
  "Having a place to meet and that place to meet has to be accessible to everyone who's trying to go to the meeting."

Advanced Organizational Structures

1. Spokes Councils [58:36]:
   Spokes Councils are meetings where representatives from various groups come together to coordinate actions and share information. This structure allows for decentralized decision-making while maintaining cohesion across different factions of a movement.

   Mia Wong [60:11]:
   "Spokes Council is a meeting of groups... a meeting of spokespeople."

2. General Assemblies [67:34]:
   Unlike Spokes Councils, General Assemblies bring together individuals rather than representatives, fostering direct participation and collaboration among all members.

   Rick Jervis [67:04]:
   "A fishbowl is a spokes council where everyone can come and only the spokes can speak, so you can look in on the fishbowl."

3. Fishbowls [67:38]:
   A variant of Spokes Councils, Fishbowls allow observers to watch the interactions between spokespeople without direct participation, maintaining transparency while managing group size.

Practical Tips for Effective Meetings

• Facilitator Skills [19:23]:
  The facilitator must adeptly guide discussions, prevent monopolization, and ensure that the meeting remains goal-oriented. They should foster an environment where all voices are heard and respected.

  Mia Wong [19:23]:
  "One of your most important jobs as the facilitator is to make sure that your meeting is not one person talking."

• Vibe Management [49:45]:
  The Vibes Checker plays a crucial role in maintaining a positive and productive atmosphere, addressing any discomfort or conflict that arises promptly and effectively.

• Inclusion of Food and Childcare [54:48]:
  Providing refreshments and childcare not only increases accessibility but also encourages participation by addressing practical needs of attendees.

  Mia Wong [56:07]:
  "Having food, having childcare was part of keeping the meeting feeling like a place that is worth going to."

The Political Implications of Effective Organizing

Mia and Rick highlight that the ability to conduct well-structured, democratic meetings is fundamental to resisting authoritarian tendencies and building a free society. They argue that modern challenges, such as restrictive immigration policies and dismantling social safety nets, can be effectively countered through organized, democratic action rooted in strong meeting structures.

Mia Wong [71:38]:
"This is the entire political situation of the modern United States. Right. We are trying to get food, we are trying to get childcare, we are trying to have a place to do our thing, and we're trying not to be ruled by a fucking king."

Conclusion and Call to Action

Wrapping up the episode, Mia and Rick encourage listeners to apply the discussed meeting structures and roles in their own organizing efforts. They emphasize that mastering these skills is essential for creating resilient, democratic movements capable of challenging and changing oppressive systems.

Mia Wong [75:32]:
"These structures are the fundamental building blocks and tools of democratic life. You can go out in your community and do these things. You can form spokes councils, you can form assemblies, you can work with the people around you to do things and change the world."

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mia Wong [04:24]:
  "If you want your organizing to work, literally no matter what it is, you actually need to listen to this episode and you need to have some rudimentary knowledge of the thing we are about to talk about."

• Mia Wong [14:17]:
  "Do not use Robert's Rules of Order. They suck."

• Mia Wong [19:08]:
  "One of the biggest ways that meetings fail is that someone just keeps talking and keeps talking... nothing gets done because the entire meeting is one hour of this guy just yabbering."

• Mia Wong [28:42]:
  "The stack is just literally a list of names of who's going to talk, in what order someone raises their hand they can add to the stack."

• Mia Wong [30:01]:
  "It's the single most important and common one is a way of saying I agree. And so that way people, when they really want to say something but they're not on stack and they get really frustrated, they can do that hand gesture which is very easy to make fun of."

• Mia Wong [49:12]:
  "The vibes checker is someone who actually has a really, really important role. And your role is to figure out like, is everyone in the group okay? Does this meeting feel okay?"

• Mia Wong [56:07]:
  "Having a place to meet and that place to meet has to be accessible to everyone who's trying to go to the meeting."

Final Thoughts

It Could Happen Here Weekly 189 serves as an essential guide for activists and organizers aiming to build effective, democratic movements. By focusing on the intricacies of meeting management and the roles that facilitate productive discussions, Mia Wong and Rick Jervis provide listeners with the tools necessary to transform passion into tangible change. Their emphasis on structure, inclusivity, and collective responsibility underscores the episode's core message: effective organizing is the cornerstone of a free and democratic society.