Dual power is a strategy that builds liberated spaces and creates social structures grounded in direct democracy. Together these spaces and durable organizations expand into the ever widening formation of a “new world in the shell of the old.” As movements and communities grow more powerful, they can engage in ever larger confrontations and disruptions against the ruling class order—so that they may ultimately contest the legitimacy of the institutions of capitalist society.

Dual power is comprised of two component parts:

1. building counter-structures that serve as alternatives to the structures currently governing production, investment, and social life under capitalism; and
2. organizing through and confederating these structures to build up a base of grassroots counter-power.

Both steps are necessary to challenging and eventually overthrowing all forms of oppression including patriarchy, white supremacy, and settler colonialism that prop up the power of capitalists and the State.

We are committed to an anti-authoritarian, anti-colonial, anti-racist, anti-fascist, and anti-capitalist approach to organizing. Most organizers identify as anarchists and/or libertarian socialists.

The Dual Power Gatherings are events meant to bring together those who want to turn momentum into action. Dual Power is not a centralized organization, but it is an informal confederation of collectives working towards the goal of bringing people into conversation and building relationships of solidarity.

We are seeking to bring together people and organizations who have been on the front lines of these fights for a weekend of discussion, skill building, sharing lessons learned, strategizing and networking by members of:

• Tenant unions
• Worker Cooperatives and Cooperative networks
• Food sovereignty/Permaculture/Urban Agriculture projects
• Mutual aid networks
• Rank and file/Solidarity unions
• Independent caucus unions
• Community and Regional assemblies
• Labor councils
• Prison and Police Abolitionists
• Prisoner support organizations
• Solidarity economy organizations
• Community defense networks
• Street Medic and harm reduction collectives
• Workers centers
• Houseless unions
• Autonomous Indigenous Communities
• Environmental Direct Action/Water Protector networks
• Intentional communities/housing cooperatives and Community Land Trusts
• Health and bodily autonomy organizers
• Education collectives and cooperatives
• Mental Health cooperatives/collectives

We also welcome those who are not currently affiliated with an organization. We want you here if you are dedicated to a world free of all forms of oppressive hierarchy.

This event uses an unconference format. An unconference is a participant-driven meeting. The term “unconference” has been applied, or self-applied, to a wide range of gatherings that try to avoid hierarchical aspects of a conventional conference, such as sponsored presentations and top-down organization.

Typically at an unconference, the agenda is created by the attendees at the beginning of the meeting. Anyone who wants to initiate a discussion on a topic can claim a time and a space. Some unconference sessions are led by the participant who suggested its topic; other unconference sessions are basically open discussions of the session topic.

An “unconference” is particularly useful when participants generally have a high level of expertise or knowledge in the field the conference convenes to discuss.

Read more here

For specific location, please sign up at the open collective. It will be held just south of Chicago. Accessible by car and train.

We are constantly assessing the accessibilty of the event and working towards improvements.

• The event space is wheelchair and mobility-impaired accessible—including restrooms, showers, and cabins.
• There will be medics and medical professionals on hand to manage medical emergencies.
• The event will require masks to support immunocompromised attendees.

If you have any accessibility concerns, please email us at midwestdualpower@protonmail.com, and we will work with you to make the gathering as accessible as possible.

All freely-associated family structures are welcome. Children and youth of any age (including infants), are explicitly encouraged to attend and to take an active role in the event. Child-watch will be organized so that parents and caregivers can participate as fully as possible.

Absolutely! Expect for other people to be with companion and/or service animals.

A mini-documentary was made about the last gathering. You can view it as soon as it is uploaded to this website! Check back in for updates

We are asking each attendee to purchase a ticket in order for us to get an idea of how many people we should expect along with covering the costs of the event. Tickets will cover the cost of reservation $2700, the cost of vegan food being catered for lunch and dinner two days of the three day even (cost is unknown at the moment, but likely around $1,000).

We have camping capacity for approximately 120 campers, some of which will be able to use cabins that have bunk beds. We are priortizing use of cabins for those with mobility needs or other needs that would require/benefits from sleeping on a bed rather than in a tent. If that sounds like something you might need, please contact us at midwestdualpower@protonmail.com.

An endorsement means the organization in question agrees with what the event hopes to achieve and is willing to spread with word with their network. This builds a network of accountability and community between organizations.

Essentially they are saying the event seems cool (and they trust that the event will be beneficial).

We welcome everyone! The regional nature of the gatherings makes it easier for people to travel to the event, and it facilitates regional networking/organizing. That being said, liberatory struggle is international and we would love to have attendees from anywhere on the continent or in the world join us.