The Conference on College Composition and Communication takes seriously the concerns that are included in the NAACP Missouri Travel Advisory. CCCC’s Convention Siting and Hostile Legislation: Guiding Principles state that we “will work to change state or local policies in host convention cities that diverge from established CCCC positions or otherwise threaten the safety or well-being of our membership.” To do so, we will consult with local groups and “arrang[e] activities and opportunities for members to support those who are disadvantaged by offensive policies . . . as a vehicle for nonviolent protest.”
We cannot move our national convention, which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 14-17, 2018. As our Guiding Principles explain, moving a national convention can incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties. At this late date it is not possible to find an alternative location. We will work with the Visitor’s Bureau and other local organizations to make our expectations for member safety clear. We will also reach out to the local NAACP branch in Kansas City to find out ways we might work together on this and other issues that agree with both organizations’ missions and values.
Additionally, over the next few months and in preparation for our convention in Kansas City, we will work with CCCC members to create a forum for discussion and potential action on this and other related issues in which we might potentially partner with the local chapter of the NAACP and other local groups. The main goal will be finding ways to keep our members safe while travelling to and attending the conference and providing the support we can to anyone affected by the state policies of Missouri.
As part of CCCC’s efforts to create such forums for members, we invite you to provide input via this form: http://tinyurl.com/cccctravel. It will also allow you to review all responses made on it. The form will close on Sept 01, 2017. The program chair and local site committee will review all responses and share them with the CCCC Executive Committee.
If you wish to offer personal feedback to the 2018 CCCC Program Chair, Asao B. Inoue, you may email him at asao@uw.edu.
