Over of mugs of tea, Aliya Jamal (of the U of A Women’s Centre Collective) and I met this past week to chat about the approaches to activism we appreciate most. The mode we settled upon with the most curiosity and hope was that of "affinity groups." According to a rambunctious bunch of anarchists found at www.crimethinc.net, an affinity group is "not a permanent arrangement, but a structure of convenience, ever mutable, assembled from the pool of interested and trusted people for the duration of a given project." While affinity groups (AGs) are often associated with mass protest and "direct action," they are more of an organizational structure than a methodology, a small group of people who know and trust each other prior to coming together to accomplish an agreed upon goal within a safe, supportive environment. With little pressure to take on more than one can handle, AGs organize with their own communities in mind–not for or in the name of others–and nourish relationships amongst group members.

Ideally non-hierarchical, consensus-based, and made up of fewer than 12 like-minded people, the group thoroughly discusses and debates decisions without the time commitment that other member-based or more established organizations often require.

What does this have to do with you? Well, you are probably in relationships that already contain the precursors of an affinity group, so why not help them work for broader good? That group of five friends you’ve stayed close with since high school, your roommates of three years, the beer buddies you debate with about world politics every Saturday night at the Strat–they’re all candidates for affinity group action! You can learn more about the history and possibilities of affinity groups at tinyurl.com/l7f3z and tinyurl.com/rs9n9.

For those at the U of A, close up this reading week by joining a fledgling organization, the Campus Community for Public Healthcare at APIRG (9111 HUB Mall, North End), Friday, February 24, at 2 pm. Contact ccph@apirg.org for more info. EcoAction grant proposals must be in by March 1; check out www.ec.gc.ca/ecoaction for eligibility information.

Finally, educate yourself about why Killer Pickton, a film on the serial murders of women in Vancouver, is so controversial. The 15th Annual Women’s Memorial March Planning Committee in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside are petitioning Canadian film distributors to boycott the film. Learn what’s going on then sign the petition at tinyurl.com/lk7c4.