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To Chelsea Lyons, and the notion that the People’s Summit was “establishment as fuck.” I went ahead and addressed your concerns almost item for item as I read them in your piece.

1. You said “they alienated and disposed of the majority of third party and independent activist groups that have done work this year.”

The Illinois Green Party had a booth. Democratic socialists of America had a booth. The Justice Party had a booth. Even RoseAnn Demoro, head of the National Nurses United who was sponsoring the event, gave the Draft Bernie delegation in attendance a shout out during Bernie’s keynote. The fuck are you even talking about?

2. You said “the “diversity” of the summit is fucking nonexistent.”

According to Nina Turner and National Nurses United, 54% of the people in attendance were people of color. The fuck are you even talking about?

3. You said it was just a bunch of progressive nonprofits “pitching themselves to people who already support them instead of teaching them.”

One of the biggest themes to come out of the weekend was centered around learning and how to continue building the movement. Here are the titles of just a few of some of the breakout classroom sessions that I willing to bet anybody complaining did not attend: How to create sanctuary communities. Building a movement that will win. From knowledge to action. Nonviolent direct action. Big organizing beyond Bernie. Campaigning and governing for transformational change… should I keep going or do you get the fucking point? The fuck are you even talking about?

4. You said “they are disregarding entire issues, especially the indigenous movement that absolutely rocked the hell out of activism this year.”

One of the two movies featured at the summit was an hour and a half long documentary by Josh Fox about the Standing Rock Water Crisis that Chase Iron Eyes himself introduced. The fuck are you even talking about?

5. You said people “couldn’t afford the $300 ticket.”

Tickets had three levels of contributions that could be made. The lowest was $45 and this included breakfast, lunch and dinner for all three days of events… and you didn’t even pay for your ticket. Not only that, National Nurses United were extra accommodating for anybody who had special financial circumstances, including students and the disabled. On top of this, they arranged for lodging that was as low as $35/per night with free shuttles to and from the event center. Mind you, hotels run about $150 in Chicago. WHAT ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT?

6. You said “there hasn’t been one mention of the multitude of resistance camps across the country or the bank exit movement. Jill Stein very clearly tried to do a workshop here and they said no!”

This is a progressive conference that started last year after the Bernie Sanders movement. This is not the Jill Stein movement (who I ultimately voted for by the way). Maybe when she hosts a three day seminar with class sessions and speakers from every corner of her movement you can tell us how woke it was.

7. You said, “the resistance is not here. We weren’t invited.”

Again, YOU GOT A FREE TICKET. The fuck are you even talking about?