01 July 2020, Time: 1932

Notes submitted by Lady Aelia Bassina, South Downs Chronicler.

THL Lucien d’Artois called the July meeting to order. Our Seneschal, THL Juliane de Vivonne, greeted the populace joining the Zoom meeting. Juliane read the Kingdom Anti-Bullying statement.

Officers Reports

Herald (THL Lucien d’Artois)

• We had 3 awards given out at court on 27 June.
  • HE Emelina received her court Barony
  • HE Mark received his Red Raven
  • Lord Ogata Tarō Hiroyuki received his AoA
• Juliane’s badge was passed
• Sara’s name and device were passed.

Knight Marshal (Lady Mairghread Wilson)

• Fighter practice is on hold until at least 30 August.
  • With the COVID-19 cases on the rise, but it is expected to be extended
• Mask experiments were done to wear with armor
  • Cloth Masks
    • Tends to slip down from nose to mouth while fighting
    • Created a heat pocket (generated a lot of heat)
    • Sports style mask
      • Designed for sports
      • Breathability was less
      • Visibility was better than cloth
      • Interfered with putting helmet on with it sliding down
    • Please keep your safety in mind while wearing

Rapier Marshal (Captain Brendan de Hay)

• Practice is on hold for now
• I have looked into masks for rapier practice
• I have a draft of guidelines for what we may be looking at for “Glorious day for when we can get back together”.

Live Weapons (Mistress Mara Palmer)

• Live weapons will have the easiest transition since we do not wear armor
• We would not be able to provide loaner gear due to transmission concerns
• Will need to have hand sanitation stations for practice
• Have been discussing masks for practices.

• Masks with vents on the sides do not protect for droplets
• A filter will still need needed 

Reeve (Mistress Alessandra Giovanna Fioravanti)

• We have money!
• About to submit the quarterly report, open invitation for anyone to join in and watch how it goes.
• While we are good with money now, if things don’t improve, we will not have money in the bank for future events and expenses.
• If COVID continues, we will need ongoing fundraising
  • Question: Can people donate to the Barony?
    • Yes, but fundraising is better.

Quartermaster (THL Lucien d’Artois)

• We have stuff!
• The storage unit still needs to be paid for.

Question: How big is the storage shed?
Answer (Lucien): It is big, it is two units due to the number of things we need to store. 20×30, or something like that.

Chatelaine (Lord Nikon Dawidowicz), Finnvarr mac Branain reporting

• Nothing new, no one has approached Nikon or Finnvarr mac Branain.

Demo Deputy (Lady Bú Feiyan)

• No report was made.

Arts & Sciences (THL Alisandre de la Chapelle)

• We have A&S!
• It’s time to go to the spreadsheet so it can be reported to Kingdom
  • Please have it returned by the 15th
  • Class this month is Wistric – The 16th Century through the Lens of Princess Bride
  • There are a lot of virtual classes taught by various classes
  • RUM this year will be completely virtual
  • Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposium is the weekend after 4 July. It will be held in Australia
• Raven: Kingdom A&S online on 15 Aug. Trying to make it just a one-day event.

Chronicler (Lady Aelia Bassina)

• Work for the newsletter design has begun.
• First issue of the newsletter will be 1 October.
• I am accepting articles to be included in the newsletter.
  • Articles topics can be anything, so long as it follows the conduct guidelines.
  • Suggested topics can be anything from Event experiences, Opinion pieces, how-to’s, etc.
  • Deadline for the articles will be 15 September to allow time to be included in the newsletter.
  • Photos with the articles are encouraged but not required.
  • I will be getting with HE Emelina to determine what waivers need to be signed and submitted.

Social Media Minister (HE Emelina le Nourreys)

• There’s a new social media policy, Juliane will be addressing.
• Followers: 90 on Instagram, 15 on Twitter, FB Group has 15 new people.
• There have been a lot of contentious things posted online, but the Barony page has been clear.

Webminister (Captain Pietro di Conti)

• Linked Wistric’s profile page to his new facebook page and to his training videos on YouTube.
• Updated spam filters to allow emails from Brendan’s email address.
• Updated Nikon’s page with a new device.
• Updated Charlie SCA name to Ogata Tarō Hiroyuki on profile page, linked profile page to his blog, added AoA.
• Added a new badge to Juliane’s page.
• Added court Barony to Emelina’s page.
• Added a new officer page for Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer (Margavati), set up dei AT atlantasca DOT com email.
• Updated Margavati’s page with link to officer page, updated title.
• Updated Baron & Baroness pages to refer solely to Sunneva.
• Added Aelia to chronicler email list.
• Added Ambrosius as an alternate name for Justina.
• Added pronouns for Margavati, Nikon, Justina, Ambrosius, Pietro. Note: I will only add pronouns for people who ask me to.

Question (Emelina) How would you like us to submit the request?
Answer (Pietro) Please use the form that is on the page.

• Will update Aelia’s title as Chronicler and Finn’s as deputy Chatelaine

Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer (DEI), (Vidushi Mewadi Margavati Bai)

• We’ve done a few things of the things we’ve planned to do
• One of the most exciting things has been we have instituted a once a week DEI discussion.
  • The first one should be 15 July, Kalbardr is teaching a class on titles (Gender titles, regional titles, etc.)
    • It will be a YouTube streaming discussion.
    • After will be a Zoom Meeting
  • The second one will be Lykania.
    • This class has been done before for the Courtesans Guild for Castle Worlds
    • It will include gender, sex, and sexual identities.
• At some point we will be doing them on alternate nights.
• An August date has not been set.
• Kingdome DEI has a DEI class and has agreed to teach it to the Barony.
• Thanked everyone for their help with support
• We are creating a space on the baronial page for requested pronouns. They are optional but encouraged.
• The section can be found on the atlantasca DOT org page.

Her Excellency, Mistress Sunneva de Cleia

• When I stepped up over a year ago, I was 8 months pregnant. I thought that would be one of the hardest things to do. I didn’t have any allusions that it wouldn’t be difficult. I did not have a global pandemic on my card. This is all extremely new to me and everyone else. It was never my intention to lead this Barony alone. I want to reiterate that I am here, and I will carry out my tenure as Barony. Wistric is still here, but he will be in the background. People reaching out has been helpful. The last month I have been brought to tears by both kindness and injustices. We appreciate the support that has been shown to us. I am committed to remain steadfast and will be moving forward with the SCA core values. Please be good stewards for the Barony and the SCA. It has been helpful to determine your driving principles. Mine are always on the forefront of my mind. Let these principles be what guide you. Passions are high, higher than they have been since my time in the SCA. We often get into situations online where words get away from us. We need to find de-escalation tactics. Learn to ask questions, ask where they are coming from and why they feel that way. Even though we may not agree, I know what feeling hurt is like. I can empathize. Come to it from that point of view. You don’t need to agree. Nothing will be resolved in a day. Respecting other people is important. Separate the action from the person. Practice radical acceptance of other people’s feelings.
• Before all this started, I had created job descriptions for the officers in the Barony, this was for the newcomers to see what we do and if they were interested. I will be doing this again. We need to start thinking about The Heart of South Downs and The Cavalry award. Please start thinking of people you would like to nominate.

Question: (Margavati) Before the pandemic, after the last Heart of South Downs and Cavalry award, we had discussed how to incorporate non-binary people into those award structures.
Answer: (Sunneva) If you are interested in being part of a discussion group, please message me and we can all talk about it. I want your opinion. This is not something I will decide unilaterally.

• Please continue to be amazing!
• Keep Chuck in your thoughts. He is having surgery tomorrow (2 July 2020).

Minister of Children (Lady Una Ulfrdottir)

• We have children and they are wonderful!
• I have been thinking of what we would like to have classes after the pandemic. I would like to include them in the DEI integrations.
• The children are very accepting and wonderful.
• I don’t know how we would have classes to address those topics

Margavati: Message me and we can talk about it. There is a kingdom chat and I can bring that up. I think it’s a great idea.
Mara: we have a list of items and we can forward those to you.

Seneschal, (THL Juliane de Vivonne)

• I want to create a new staff member. Many years ago, I was provost of South Downs. My job was solely focused on classes. I focused on classes, sending things to RUM. Because we are doing so many things online. I think that would be something that would be great. I have talked to Alisandre and HE Sunneva. If you are interested, please email me or text me to let me know you are interested. I would like to have someone by the next meeting.
• There is a new policy for the kingdom. We have not had any problems on the Barony’s page, but I would like to institute the same policy. That is if someone is coming on and is inappropriate. The first would be a warning, second would be a 7-day silencing, the next would be 30-day. Screen shots would be sent to me and Mistress Anorra. This may add a bit of work for the Social Media office. If they become too overwhelmed, we will have the deputy assist,
• This was something that I talked to the autocrats for Red Tower and HE Sunneva, but we wanted to wait for everything to calm down. We have decided to cancel Red Tower. This is because MGT has been canceled the week before and confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been on the rise. I would rather cancel this event than put anyone in danger. I will make an announcement on the Kingdom and Barony FB pages.
• I have wanted to put in a bid for Castle Wars. I am not sure how we can do this. Mara is here as a member of the CDC. I don’t know how we can make this event world with the social distancing

Discussion

• Mara: I don’t have anything prepared, but I am open for questions. Disclaimer: I am not here officially from the CDC. If the CDC lowers the restrictions, treat merchants like mundane shops, treat camps as private residences. Treat things as you would in the mundane life. Treat anything from the governor as a political statement and an official CDC says as a health statement. The SCA is going to keep to what the CDC recommends. It is a variable situation. Unfortunately, we can’t plan for November.
• Juliana: A recent governor’s post stated the state of emergency until 11 August. SCA is restricted until 30 Aug. Mistress Annora has recommended to start with small events. We don’t want to start with events, and probably start with business meetings, fighter practice, etc.
• Mara: If you want to look at optimistic projections, November may be possible. I do not believe that optimistic and think November is still in the “grey” area. 
• Alessandra: WE just found out that our schools (Gwinnett County) will be opening in August. Their plan is looking good. But I don’t have hope that it won’t get bad. There are guidelines, but I think more people will go to school instead of staying home.
• Lykania: Even if things stay on track, we start opening in what, September? I’m thinking that November is probably not going to be good. Also, November is Flu season. There’s no telling where we will be at that time.
• Mara: Even if people start doing 50 person things, we need to wait a month for information. That would make it October. I don’t see us being able to do things in November. Even if we can open back up to a couple hundred people, would that be enough for Castle wars?
• Majda: What would happen if we weren’t able to have Castel Wars? What’s the worst-case scenario?
• Mara: That’s a question for the Reve.
• Alessandra: If we don’t have Castle Wars or Red Tower, we will need to have a fundraiser because those are our big events. The only expense we have is the storage.
• Juliane: We should make a group to discuss.
• Justina: How much is the storage?
• Alessandra: The Storage is $267 a month. We are paid up through next quarter. It would be good if we could raise $600.

Many suggestions for fundraisers were discussed. Auctions, donations, yard sales, personal instructions from heavy fighters, subscription boxes, etc.

• Sunneva: Technically, for Castle Wars, because we haven’t had a bid at least 5 months prior, we need to have approval from the populace to cancel the event.
• Juliane: We can have a vote right now.
  • Motion was made and seconded.
  • Motion for canceling Castle Wars, approved.
• Lykania: I did not believe in a virtual event until this last event, coronation. There were so many things that pulled people in. Can we do an online event?
• Andreva: We won’t need to have a bid because no Barony funds would be used.
• Alessandra: if we did an online fundraiser, that would be the time.
• Raven: By that time, we would have already had many events done online.
• Piers: Can we call it online Red Tower instead of Castle wars? That way it can still be a continuous event
• Juliane: it’s been 46/47 years. I don’t think we could stop that. We will talk offline.

Recent Events

• 27 June 2020 – Coronation of Timothy II And Ysmay II

Upcoming Events

• 18 July 2020 – Virtual Royal University of Meridies and Fighters Collegium

SCA Business

• Justina: This is the perfect time to talk about online stuff. Pennsic is happen online. Courtesans will be hosting a track of classes and are interested in teachers that are interested in Medieval sexuality. There are several people here that have volunteered to teach. We have a courtesan FB group that discusses class topics. Online stuff is happening. Thank you all so much for supporting this aspect of SCA persona research.
• Iazzie: I wanted to bring something up. Eventually, we will be able to fight again. Right now, we are practicing in a parking lot. The inside area is no longer available. The stance on masks is problematic. I think we will need to look somewhere else. The hard parking lot is painful. Somewhere with grass would be preferred. Where we are is not beneficial.
  • Juliana: I think when we started going there, it was a big open place.
  • Mara: The inside has been completed and there’s no longer a big open area.
  • Iazzie: I would like to create a motion to find another place for practice
    • Motion passed
  • Justina: In response to Iazzie, as a non-fighter, I enjoyed going to the fighter locations. I enjoyed going because there was a place for me to sit indoors. I completely understand your reasons for wanting to go somewhere else. But, for those of us that would like to sit, and chat was nice. I would like to recommend finding a place for those of us to use.
  • Mara: I like having people that come and chill at practice. Where archery is held at doesn’t really have a lot of area for people not there for practice. We need to think of a safe place for social distancing. This all depends on the 6 ft vs. 3 ft rule.
• Emilia: This past weekend we had our first digital court. Even though Red Tower was canceled. I wanted to know if we should be submitting people for Baronial awards.
  • Answer: Yes

Question (Andreva): Is there something that could be made to show the Baronial awards.
Answer: Yes

• Alessandra: With all the events being canceled the SCA merchants have lost a lot of income. In the SCA merchant relief, there are subscription boxes. Please look over there. I’m fine but other merchants are having a hard time. If you can, please look at it. A lot of people with cool stuff.
• Iazzie: I want to really impress upon you about the DEI officer. It is always preferable to handle any conflict inside a group. Please refer to the DEI officer first so we can have it “in house”. Once it goes up to the Kingdom. Once it reaches there will not be a good solution. If it goes to the BOD, it’s a “nuclear” option. If you have something you can work out with Margi, please work with her before you go outside the Barony. Even if you go out of the Barony, please come to me. Please be very sure that what you are sending up the pipe is what needs to be sent.
  • Margavati: just today, another thing came up on FB. Between me, Sunneva, and Nikon, we were able to work it out. I would much rather that be the result of conflict. I feel like adults and super cool people should be able to handle things. I would like to help de-escalate. You can always come to me if you don’t know if it’s something that escalates to Iazzie.
    • Juliane: I came across something the other day about Boogaloo. It wasn’t someone from Meridies. I was horrified. I went to Locke.
  • Margavati: Even if we say that it’s not within our purview, it’s useful for us to have a record of it. If it does need to be escalated, we will have that information. Please do not be a watchdog.
  • Lykania: as a member of a group that has been attacked, it has been detrimental for you to engage in a negative manner. It’s better to change the dialog. When something blows up, when people show their support by changing things, it helps. 
    • Finbarr: I wanted to add on to what Lykania said. When something happens, like what we have seen happen, when you post outrage about what you have seen, it says to use is that you are a safe person for us to go to. When I joined about a year ago, when this was happening then, I don’t know what my reaction would have been. But the one thing that made me say “no, I’m going to stay.” was that for one person being a jerk online, i saw 20 people from the Barony/kingdom standing up. If you think that we don’t see it, we do see it.
  • Juliane: We are past 9 PM. It was my understanding that the only reason we went to this time is because of the time limit that we paid for.
  • Mara: If you have any concerns or public gatherings, please reach out to me in PMs. If I don’t get back to you within 24 hours, please ping me again. I have no problems answering questions. If you have questions, please ask me. I don’t keep up with the government restrictions. I am very familiar with the state and CDC guidelines.
  • Margavati: This is why I wanted to do Q&A chats. It might not always be on Wednesdays, but we will have a dedicated time where you can talk about DEI things. Thank you everyone for being open and chatting.
  • Justina: Isabella and I are now doing the unofficial revels. If you want to see when we do revels, please like our page. It’s “Meridies Virtual Revel- Unofficial“. We do Zoom meetings like this. Moving forward, we will not be putting the link in the message on FB due to trolls. Also, if someone that is going to be joining the meeting, please have a name that I can recognize as SCA.

Business meeting was closed at 2123.

Next business meeting will be held 5 August 2020 @ 1900 via Zoom.