The Wisconsin Green Party 2021 Spring Gathering state membership meeting will be held on Saturday April 17, 2021. The theme of the gathering will be "A Party for Working People" and we're excited to welcome special guest speakers Winona LaDuke, Anishinaabe author, activist, and 2-time Green Party VP candidate, as well as Howie Hawkins, union worker, lifelong activist, Green Party US co-founder and 2020 Green Presidential nominee.

Due to the ongoing pandemic this gathering will be held virtually via Zoom. Members will be sent information about how to join the gathering online after they RSVP.

This gathering will serve as the WIGP's biannual state membership meeting. All dues-paying WIGP members in good standing will be eligible to participate in decision-making and voting.

You can become a dues-paying member of the WIGP or renew your membership here.

Go here to see the recently-updated WIGP membership dues policy and who to contact if you have any questions.

To see the event on Facebook and invite friends, go here (note that if you want to register, you still need to RSVP on this webpage).

Come with your ideas about how to grow the Green Party and support allied movements for peace, justice, democracy, and ecology!

Check back here for agenda updates and other news. We will be sending emails to members with updates, and making announcements on our Facebook page and Twitter account.

Please join us for the 2021 WIGP Spring Gathering and help build the movement for people, planet, and peace over profit!

Draft Agenda:

Doors open (9:45)

Opening (10:00)

1. Welcome and introductions
2. Orientation and ground rules (co-chairs)
3. Reports (10:30)
   1. Officers
   2. Committees
   3. Chapters
4. Proposed bylaws amendments (11:00)

Lunch break (12:00 - 12:45)

1. Post-election panel discussion with local candidates (12:45 - 1:30)
   1. Confirmed guests: Brian Benford, Alex Brower, Tessa Echeverria
2. Winona LaDuke: The fight against Line 3 and for environmental justice (1:35 - 1:55)
3. Panel discussion: Defending and expanding workers’ rights (2:00 - 2:30)
   1. Confirmed guests: Warren Enstrom (Milwaukee DSA), Mike McCallister (Green New Deal)
4. Green Party 101 (2:40 - 3:05)
5. Keynote speaker: Howie Hawkins (3:10 - 4:00)

END

Proposed changes to WIGP bylaws to be decided at Spring Gathering

The following changes to Wisconsin Green Party bylaws have been proposed by Dave Schwab. According to the usual process, the proposals were brought for discussion at the Fall 2020 Gathering, and will be up for decision at the Spring 2021 Gathering.

Proposal 1: Add Article 2, Section 8: Removal

Any member of the Wisconsin Green Party may be removed from Membership in the organization for gross misconduct or violation of the adopted Key Values, Platform, or code of conduct adopted by the Party, by decision of the Membership or the Coordinating Council. Notice of such a proposed removal must be sent out prior to the meeting where it is proposed. The member in question shall receive a notice before the meeting at which the decision is to be made, and a hearing if requested.

Background: This is copied from the language on removing a candidate or elected official from the party, and creates a similar mechanism for holding rank-and-file members accountable for gross misconduct. While we have fortunately not felt the necessity for this type of mechanism in past years, it’s important as our party grows that we create mechanisms for accountability and to protect our party from bad actors.

Proposal 2: Amend Article 10: Discrimination, Section 1: Conduct

from:

Discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, ethnic identity, national origin, handicap, parenthood or color in the conduct of the affairs of the Wisconsin Green Party is prohibited

to:

Discrimination on the basis of sex, race, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, ethnicity, culture, national origin, social and economic class, educational level, color, immigration status, size, family status, or mental or physical ability in the conduct of the affairs of the Wisconsin Green Party is prohibited.

Background: This updates the language on discrimination in WIGP bylaws in accordance with the WIGP code of conduct, as well as the proposed GPUS code of conduct.

Note: Additional proposed bylaws amendments can be brought to the Spring Gathering for discussion and placed on the agenda after the proposed bylaws amendments already introduced, after which they can be brought for decision at the Fall Gathering.