[9/8/04] If we haven’t already told everyone--thank you! The Boston Social Forum was a wonderful success thanks to lots of active participation by lots of people. Over the three days, more than 5,000 people attended and 575 workshops were hosted!

What we’ve been up to: We began moving ahead in August with wrap-up work, focusing on data entry in our registration database, collecting report-backs and surveys from participants. Our hopes are to create a final report on the BSF, complete with a brief how-to manual on our planning efforts and documentary film based on footage shot during the weeks leading up to and at the forum itself.

What we still need to do: Although we met our budget goals for the BSF itself, we need your assistance again to come full circle with a complete report and follow-up on our work together. Our goal is to raise $20,000 by December 2004. This includes $2,000 to complete the data entry into our registration database and create statistical reports that help us analyze our efforts, $1,000 to print a final report and make it available to participants online and on paper, $7,000 for post-production work on a BSF documentary film, and $10,000 to keep a staffer on part-time to coordinate the work, and hire three interns.

How you can help:
(1) Make a contribution of $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000 or more, and ensure that the work of the BSF is documented and made available for a much wider audience to both understand and to utilize as our movements push forward. You can use our online server on the BSF donations page or by making a check or money order out to: Boston Social Forum, 33 Harrison Ave. 4th Flr., Boston, MA, 02111

(2) If you haven’t already, help us learn from our planning efforts by sending us your thoughts on the BSF. In an email to info at bostonsocialforum.org, please let us know:
a. How did the event go for you?
b. What was most useful? and
c. What you would do to make it better next time?

(3) Come meet with us and let us know your thoughts in person at the BSF report-back meeting on Wednesday, September 29th from 6-7:30 pm at 33 Harrison Ave. 3rd Floor, Boston, Massachusetts. If you have any questions about the meeting please call, (617) 338-9966 or email info@bostonsocialforum.org

Your continued participation in the Boston Social Forum through your feedback and financial contributions will help us share our successes and lessons learned with all who helped make the BSF a reality. Stay tuned for more exciting BSF-related news over the coming weeks!