Meetup + Potluck

DxE Meetups are a place for community members to share stories and insights. Each meetup starts with coffee and doughnuts and ends with a community discussion.

---------

Violence against animals is everywhere. But across the globe, a movement is rising up to challenge it. Join us as we build a local community for animal rights!

Every Saturday at 10 am, local animal rights supporters gather to enjoy great food and company, discuss recent events, and empower and train one another to be the best activists we can be. Whether you’ve just learned about factory farming, or are a 20 year veteran activist… a computer programmer who wants to design iPhone apps for animals, or an aspiring orator with a megaphone… the DxE Meetup is for you!

DxE Meetups are open to the public. If you want to be around a fun and welcoming group of animal lovers, this is the place for you!

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE MEETUPS?

10:00 am:
- Reception: Coffee and pastries!

10:15 am:
- Introduction to DxE Meetups, Latest News, etc.
- Stories from the Community - A few community members share their knowledge or experiences in 3-5 minutes each, or some other activity.
- Facilitated Discussion

11:30 am:
Weekly Event (demonstration, potluck, presentation, or other community event)

WHY DO WE FOCUS ON COMMUNITY?

Every great social justice movement begins with a great community. The Quaker church nurtured antislavery sentiment in the 1830s. Women’s groups empowered activists to take a stand for the right to vote in the early 20th century. And LGBT community centers played an instrumental role in the growth of LGBTQ activism in the past few decades.

Animal rights, like these great movements, needs community to train activists, support them as they take on greater responsibility, sacrifice, and even risk, and encourage them when they’re feeling discouraged or burned out. The most important objective of the DxE Meetups is to create a powerful sense of community.

WHAT IF I WANT TO SPEAK?

We strongly encourage all DxE members to speak at the Meetup! To become a DxE member, all you have to do is review our organizing principles, commit to attending at least 2 Meetups a month, and sign up to our mailing/membership list.

WHAT SHOULD I SPEAK ABOUT?

We are very flexible about content. The main guideline is the DxE organizing principles. Preparation is not strictly necessary, though it’s often useful. And feel free to use your time to simply raise questions that you’d like the group to think about together. Possible presentations include:

- presenting research you’ve done on an animal liberation topic;
- sharing the story of a difficult, inspiring, or informational personal experience;
- showcasing a piece of art that you made that has some relevance to animal rights; or
- highlighting a problem in your personal life, or in the movement, that you’d like to explore as a group.

This is a far from complete list. Please contact Sapphire or Chris if you want further feedback on a possible topic.

HOW DO I GET MORE INVOLVED?

There are a huge number of tasks that we need help with -- everything from helping out with food, videography or video editing, helping out with DxE Connections (the DxE social engagement program), or even taking leadership in a DxE campaign.

The first way to get more involved is to attend our Weekly Meetups. We ask all Senior Connectors and Meetup Facilitators to attend all meetups. But beyond that, simply reach out if you have a skill that you’d like to deploy for the animals. We’ll find a way for you to put your skills to use!
--

LOCATION

125 2nd St., #414
Oakland, CA
There is a keypad at the entrance, please enter code 6478 to be buzzed in.

The DxE House is in a safe and extremely convenient neighborhood!

DIRECTIONS BY PUBLIC TRANSIT
We are just a few short blocks from the Lake Merritt BART station. The walk is extremely safe, and we can schedule pickups from BART with enough advance notice.

DIRECTIONS BY CAR
We are right off the 880 on Oak and 2nd Street. Street parking is almost always available right in front of our building.