Plain-Language Governance Summary

Lion & Sun NorCal is a proposed coalition framework, not another organization competing with existing groups.

Its purpose is to give organizations and independent individuals across Northern California a shared place to communicate, coordinate, share resources voluntarily, and take action together when they choose to do so.

Lion & Sun NorCal does not have a seat at the table. Lion & Sun NorCal is the table.

• Organizations remain independent.
• Individuals do not have to join an existing organization in order to participate.
• Cooperation does not require everyone to agree.

The framework brings together:

• Recognized Member Organizations — independent organizations and established grassroots groups that meet the recognition requirements.
• Independent volunteers and participants through Guard e Jaavidaan.
• Representatives selected or authorized by those constituencies.
• Invited experts, professionals, advisers, community members, emerging groups, and others whose knowledge or perspective may be helpful.

Participation is voluntary. An organization does not have to participate in every coalition activity, and joining Lion & Sun NorCal does not require an organization to give up its identity, leadership, local activities, resources, or independence.

The proposed voting model is based on constituencies rather than personalities.

• Each recognized Member Organization receives one Coalition Council vote.
• Under the proposed initial model, Guard e Jaavidaan may send up to three delegates who collectively exercise one Council vote.
• Lion & Sun NorCal itself receives no separate vote.
• The founder receives no additional vote, veto, tie-breaking vote, or permanent Council seat.
• A facilitator receives no additional vote simply because of that role.
• No individual may control multiple Council votes on the same issue.

Guests, experts, advisers, observers, and invited participants may contribute to discussions, but invitation alone does not create voting rights.

The Framework also contains safeguards intended to prevent artificial vote creation through duplicate, proxy, shell, or commonly controlled organizations.

The Coalition Council is where coalition-wide proposals are discussed and decided.

The Framework encourages consensus first whenever practical.

When a formal vote is necessary:

• Routine coalition decisions may be approved by a simple majority of votes cast.
• Major governance decisions generally require a two-thirds vote.
• A tied vote does not pass.
• No founder, facilitator, or administrator may break a tie.

Major governance matters include structural changes, significant coalition financial commitments, removal of a Member Organization, and certain decisions involving voting structure.

Authenticated digital voting may also be used when appropriate.

The exact quorum requirement has not yet been finalized and remains part of Founding Review.

The coalition is designed so that no individual, founder, organization, administrator, or constituency owns or controls it.

There is no permanent president or supreme leader.

A Council Facilitator may help:

• organize meetings,
• prepare agendas,
• keep discussion orderly,
• make sure representatives have an opportunity to speak,
• document decisions,
• communicate procedural information.

The Facilitator does not have executive authority over Member Organizations or Guard e Jaavidaan.

The exact selection process, term, rotation, replacement, and removal procedures for the Facilitator are still part of Founding Review.

Participants are free to:

• disagree,
• criticize proposals,
• question procedures,
• propose alternatives,
• vote against coalition actions,
• decline participation,
• challenge governance rules,
• leave the coalition.

Disagreement is not disloyalty.

Good-faith criticism is permitted. Voting against the majority, opposing an action, declining participation, or criticizing coalition policy cannot by itself be grounds for suspension or removal.

Harassment, threats, deliberate sabotage, manipulation of voting, misuse of confidential information, false claims of representation, or unauthorized misuse of coalition resources are different and may constitute misconduct.

Suspension or removal of a Member Organization should be reserved for serious or repeated violations of the Framework.

Before removal, the affected organization should receive:

• notice of the alleged violation,
• a reasonable opportunity to respond,
• documented reasons,
• the applicable heightened Council vote.

Under Version 0.1, removal of a Member Organization is treated as a major governance decision and therefore requires the applicable two-thirds threshold, unless later amended.

An organization cannot be removed simply because it disagrees with the majority, opposes a coalition action, or declines to participate.

Member Organizations retain control of their own membership, supporter, volunteer, and organizational information.

The coalition should collect only information reasonably necessary for legitimate administration, representation, communication, governance, and authorized coordination.

Sensitive information should be limited to people who reasonably need access to it.

An organization’s money remains its own money.

No organization or individual can financially obligate another Member Organization without its consent.

Lion & Sun NorCal has not yet decided whether it should directly receive or control funds. If it eventually does, transparent financial and accountability procedures must first be established covering areas such as authorization, custody, documentation, spending, reimbursements, reporting, donations, conflicts of interest, and accountability.

Version 0.1 is a proposal for Founding Review, not a finished constitution.

Important questions remain intentionally unresolved, including:

• Council quorum
• Guard e Jaavidaan delegate terms and selection procedures
• Facilitator selection and terms
• emergency procedures
• organizational recognition thresholds
• re-entry procedures
• financial structure
• public transparency
• meeting schedules
• digital voting procedures
• possible future changes to Guard e Jaavidaan representation

Founding Participants are specifically invited to identify weaknesses, unintended consequences, opportunities for abuse, unclear rules, and additional unresolved questions.

The Framework is intended to evolve transparently through review, amendment, and versioning.

• Different groups do not have to become one organization to work together.
• Different opinions do not have to create division.
• Cooperation does not require control.
• Representation does not mean ownership.

The goal is simple:

Create one fair table where independent organizations and independent people can work together while protecting their independence, their voices, and their right to disagree.