The Social Forum 2010 was held in Detroit, Michingan from June 22nd through the 26th and CUFA USA was there, in one of the poorest cities within the USA, not just to experience this very positive event, but also to contribute with ideas and able hands in order to help this project get a step closer to its ultimate goal.The purpose of the Forum was not only promote a conference but to serve as movement building process giving opportunity and space for the people to come up with solutions to the economic, social and ecological crisis.
The USSF was an important step in our struggle to build a powerful multi-racial, multisectoral, inter-generational, diverse, inclusive internationalist movement that can change history. “Detroit is ground zero for the economic crisis facing millions of people, not only in Michigan, but across the nation,” says Maureen Taylor, a US Social Forum staff organizer and chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (MWRO).
“There’s nothing better than the opportunity of seeing more than twenty thousand people (20,000) united in a place to talk about realities and solutions to the world’s crisis, that’s amazing,” Says Felipe Gomes who has been representing CUFA USA in the event.
Detroit is a spectacular example of devastation, poverty, and economic problems. A city that shows everyone a beautiful downtown with huge buildings and a peaceful lake where you can see Canada, but directly across on the other side is a city which is becoming a ghost town because it has been forgotten by the ones who should really should care for it, the Government of the Unites States of America. But at the same time is also a wonderful example of the power of community. Communities like Georgia Street, which in the middle of the mass is surviving from their own community garden, education, help from their association and most importantantly their honest will to make it better and never give up!
That’s how Detroit still manages to keep up the rest of what was one day considered a good place to live. Because all of this situation, Detroit City was one of the biggest issues and examples within the US Social Forum 2010.
Aspects like recycle, community service, economy, social movements, going green, urbanism, security, justice were examples brought to table and discussed in the USSF. It gave an opportunity for everyone in the workshops, in the meetings, even in the corridors to show the realities that they experieced around the world, allowing for new solutions that will prepare for the new challegenges that coming up. A gigantic exchange of experiences.
CUFA USA was represented by Felipe Gomes sharing its powerful name through logo display and its purpose with all the atendees and organizations present at the in the USSF. It was a good opportunity to demonstrate that we are already in the US and that we intend to do something really helpful and important for the American people. It was also a great opportunity to meet people and develop strong partnerships. There’s no better place to do something like this that at a Social Forum. “It is wonderful that people were coming and asking me about CUFA and about our activities, demonstrating open minds and without any reservations talking about a better world! That’s the feeling that we get when we really care of our people!” says Felipe Gomes.
