The activist cafe

Welcome to the activist Cafe.

The idea of the actual physical Café; CoffeeShop Productions is still just an idea. But eventually that's what we want to be able to do, to set up a real place with books on the shelves, with wifi (I suppose) for people to sit on their laptops.

We want the walls to speak with pictures, portraits, drawings and quotes from travel, revolution and activism, history, the messages from the past.

Our theme is social change and a large Coffee Shop will be host to sessions or workshops where activists from different areas of community will be able to come and interact with students, teachers and a general public who are interested in the particular campaigns or idea for change. It’ll be a forum, Coffee Shop Productions isn't an office or company; it is an experience for social activity and involvement, an environment and I'd most like to describe it as a movement; a clearing house for NGOs and anyone interested in a wider\wilder role in our societies.

We find our idea rooted into the words of President Abdul Kalam’s ideas from his books – the role that India’s people must play to see India developed (responsibly) by 2025.

We're not here to over throw the Government (as enticing as that may seem). We're here to work with the Government in our little individual and group ways. We're here to question our societies, come up with ideas, make contacts and join other organizations and causes.

Sometimes I feel a need in society and I often think - why the hell isn't there a damn organization or a movement involved in this issue. The “issue” is usually simple because we see it regularly enough to be stoned by it, it is an obvious problem and the consensus is usually “Why doesn’t the Government or somebody do something about this”, the truth is that the Government usually does have organizations for particular “issues” like child labor, unemployment, impoverished people etc. But sometimes the organizations aren’t doing their jobs or lack enough resources or simply lack the involvement of enough people or people of the right expertise to be doing their job as effectively as it can be possibly done.

A lot of time there are organizations but we’ve just not heard of them, they are doing stuff, but sometimes possibly the magnitude of the problem is so huge that the organization’s efforts are miniscule – which doesn’t mean that nothing is happening… Sometimes people set up the same organizations with the same causes instead of being able to contribute together.

Sometimes I walk into a particular building that turns out to be an NGO that's doing some Great work among women and children or various other issues and I think, God does anybody know about this Organization? Why haven't I known about them, but then you look at a brochure and see, damn they've been around for longer than I've existed, why didn't I know about them. The truth is that they’re all on the internet which should make them more accessible to the new communities of Globalization and the Information Connection.

….But like the world and the magnitude of the world’s problems, the internet is huge and full of its own problems. So how does one connect with these organizations and people and problems? Connecting resources, research, interests and forms of solutions including Government isn’t that simple.

Every activist I talk to has a similar outlook for the solutions to our societies problems: sharing resources, involvement of “young” people, cooperation and insight of corporate(s) and older, experienced individuals from all walks of life. “The government must be in the picture, sponsorship is a big issue, geologists, activists, environmentalists, media, gatekeepers of the legal system, basically for solving the complexities of our societies, what is needed is the involvement of professionals from across companies and corporations”.

So, what we’re trying to do with Coffee Shop Productions is simple. Set up tables and chairs, with the inspiration and lessons from history on the walls, access to the world (Wi-fi), books, media, members, activists etc. I suppose in a way that’s what the Rotary Club and other expensive clubs are doing - in the forms of socializing, entertainment, alcoholic aunties hosting their kitty parties and further ideas for fun social activity with a dish and dash of public service.

Welcome to the idea of the activist café. Thoughts, ideas?

All rights reserved Pradeep Rajendran (c) 2007-2008