By Tenzin Mingyur Paldron 

On January 31st, a resolution I wrote with a good friend was unanimously approved by the City Council of Berkeley, California -- the first of its kind in the United States.  Its passage was not coordinated by any organization, and its significance cannot be dismissed to the status of a merely symbolic gesture to China.  I’d like to share the story behind this resolution, as I believe similar measures can be taken up by communities all over, and I hope the unique aspects of this story help convince people that all kinds of obstacles can be overcome. 

Political organizing, depending on the project and level at which it takes place, can be difficult, unpredictable, and wearying.  However, my personal experience with this resolution makes me believe that what is crucial, above everything else, is the relationships you cultivate and the people you hold close to your heart.  Who you let into your life and give your energy to affects the devotion you can in turn receive -- and this resolution is just one of many highlights in a friendship I cherish, a connection that I know will yield many more victories.

I was friends with Noah Sochet (the co-writer and official sponsor of this resolution) for nearly three years before we did anything explicitly related to the Tibetan movement.  We went to college together in Washington State, where we shared common interests in anti-war efforts and LGBTQ organizing (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer).  Our friendship continued in Berkeley, where we both coincidentally ended up moving to.  I began a PhD program at UC Berkeley, and he manages his own business, while serving the City of Berkeley as a member of its Peace & Justice Commission. 

Having been raised in Colorado and Washington State, I was unfamiliar with the Tibetan community in the San Francisco-Bay Area.  Furthermore, as a Tibetan who is also out of the closet as a queer and transgender man, I chose to only occasionally attend Tibet-related events, and channeled my interests in Tibet through my research. 

After Lobsang Phuntsok Jarutsang’s immolation in March, I was struck with sorrow and pain, as I’m sure many Tibetans were.  Those closest to me immediately wanted to express their support, and that is when Noah joined me to protest outside the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco.  The three people closest to me in the Bay Area -- Noah, my partner, and my partner’s twin sister -- drove to San Francisco and protested in front of the Consulate, prompting them to call in anonymous security to observe us from a government vehicle.  We attended the candlelight vigil held in downtown Berkeley that same night. 

When other Tibetans began immolating in fall 2011, Noah approached me and asked whether I might want to introduce a resolution to the Peace & Justice Commission, so that the City Council could pass it and raise public awareness around the situation.  I agreed, initially because I was simply sad and wanted to do something I felt I had some direct influence over.  Later, as we were writing the resolution, I began realizing the dynamic potential a local action like this held.  Doing things locally may feel smaller and not appear in the national news, but because it is more contained, the actions you take will have greater impact.  What I can affect in Berkeley and the Bay Area, as a graduate student and a resident, is very different from what I could affect in New York or New Delhi. 

We spent an evening writing the resolution.  I will briefly explain our choices in its language, but of course writers of other measures will make their own choices.  We avoided the term “human rights,” as we felt it was an over-used term that is often only utilized in one direction -- from the West to the non-West.  We believed we could convey our message and support for Tibetans inside Tibet without this language, as we also did not want to promote an image of Berkeley or the United States “saving” Tibet. 

We chose to go through the Peace and Justice Commission rather than try to bring it directly to City Council, because passing it through the commission would give the resolution more strength and likelihood of passing when reaching City Council.  Many major cities have similar commissions -- I strongly suggest finding a sponsor on such commissions first, as not only will it help the chances of the resolution passing but you will get practice presenting the resolution to a smaller commission before having to go to City Council.  It is at this stage in the process where the resolution may be amended -- the city official sponsoring the measure will either have to accept the amendments on the spot, or bring the measure back to a later meeting if they want time to reword it themselves.  I strongly suggest having one or two organizers in charge of this process, and have them prep the sponsoring city official before the resolution is debated.  They can inform the sponsor what pieces they are okay having cut or changed, so that less time is wasted and hopefully the resolution can pass that same night, rather than being postponed.