Weekly Newsletter - March 12, 2018

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Tuesday, March 13 • 5:00 PM - 7:00 pm (PST)
SURJ Faith Webinar - The God of Christian Supremacy is Power

What is Christian Supremacy and what does it have to do with white supremacy and other forms of systemic violence? Join our friends at Soulforce as they invite us to sharpen our skills at discerning the difference between authentic faith and weaponized religion. This workshop will also include concrete examples of how we can flex our spiritual muscles to sabotage Christian Supremacy and, likewise, white supremacy.
Location: Online - register here.
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Thursday, March 15 • 7:00 - 9:00 pm
From the Inside Out: Prisoner Organizing & Solidarity Today

Join the Center for Political Education and National Lawyers Guild - San Francisco Bay Area Chapter for an conversation about the gains and setbacks confronting imprisoned peoples’ fights for human rights and freedom. Speakers include Dolores Canales, California Families Against Solitary Confinement, Stacy Rojas, California Coalition for Women Prisoners, and Azadeh Zohrabi, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.
Location: Oakland Peace Center, 111 Fairmount Ave., Oakland

Saturday, March 17 • 10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Power Together in 2018 - Bay Resistance Mass Training Day

Whether you're a new or experienced activist, there's ways to skill up and find out how to plug in. At this 2nd annual mass training day, learn how to build a sanctuary neighborhood, participate in direct action, win electoral campaigns, and get started in organizing. There will also be a special youth caucus. Childcare and lunch provided - please RSVP.
Location: Oakland Tech High School, 4351 Broadway, Oakland

Saturday, March 17 • 1:00 - 3:00 pm
SURJ House Party to Benefit Initiate Justice

Join us for food, drinks, and socializing in the spirit of grassroots organizing at its finest! This day-time house party aims to raise funds for Initiate Justice as they work to restore the right to vote to incarcerated Californians and those on parole. If you can’t attend, you can still donate here.
Location: Berkeley - Provided upon RSVP

Wednesday, March 21 • 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Restore the Vote: Overturning Voter Suppression Workshop

This engaging SURJ workshop will provide the context for the Voting Restoration and Democracy Act of 2018, including essential understanding of voter suppression history in the United States and California. Learn concrete actions you can take to help restore voting rights to 162,000 incarcerated and formerly-incarcerated individuals in California. This effort is led by Initiate Justice. Free but please RSVP. ASL Interpretation provided by Terps for Bay Area Resistance (TBAR).
Location: Kehilla Community Synagogue, 1300 Grand Ave. Piedmont
NOTE: This workshop will be offered again on Tuesday April 3 • 6:30 - 8:30 pm in Oakland.

Saturday, March 24 • 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
SURJ Difficult Dialogues Workshop

How do we approach challenging conversations, whether it’s about confederate flags, Donald Trump, cultural appropriation, Palestine/Israel, or even just racism and racial justice in general? Members of the White Noise Collective will facilitate this workshop exploring the difficult conversations in our lives around race and power. Tickets are sliding scale $15 - $25. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Location: Sierra Club, 2201 Webster St. Suite 1300, Oakland

Saturday, March 24 • 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Drop LWOP Town Hall

California Coalition for Women Prisoners is sponsoring this panel of formerly incarcerated women describing the injustice of the Life Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP) sentence which condemns over 5,000 people in California prisons to a living death sentence. Featuring food from Mamacitas Cafe, a raffle and items for sale made by people incarcerated in the women's prisons. Donations Requested: $5-20. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Location: Red Bay Coffee Roastery, Bar & Garden, 3098 E. 10th St. Oakland

Wednesday, March 28 • 6:30 - 9:30 pm
SURJ Study & Action: 6-Week Cohort
Meets 6 Consecutive Wednesdays: 3/28, 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2

Are you looking for a learning community to challenge racism? Do you want to learn more so that you can become a resource for your community? Would you like to find out how to take action locally and be accountable? Join us as we examine white supremacy and resistance movements to build skills to challenge racism and take action in our communities. Through weekly reading and facilitated groups, we study the histories and systems of that which we resist, we deepen our understanding of injustice, and learn to take strategic, effective action to dismantle white supremacy and support Black and people of color-led organizations fighting for racial justice. Free but must RSVP as space is limited.
Location: Movement Strategy Center, 436 14th St. Oakland

Saturday, March 31 • 3:00 - 4:00 pm
SURJ Racial Justice Story Time

Come celebrate poetry with Oakland poet and educator, Nancy Johnson James, along with SURJ Bay Area's Youth and Families Committee. We will engage the whole family with poems, stories, activities, and art. This free event is best suited for kids ages 2-8, but all are welcome.
Location: Rockridge Branch, Oakland Public Library, 5366 College Ave. Oakland

Tuesday, April 10 • 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Victories from Inside Out: Dismantling the Prison Industrial Complex 
Live Taping of the Podcast Speak Out with Tim Wise, with Dorsey Nunn and Taina Vargas-Edmond

At this live taping of his national podcast, Tim Wise will be in conversation with Dorsey Nunn, Executive Director of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children/All of Us or None and Taina Vargas-Edmond, Executive Director of Initiate Justice, two leaders in the forefront of policy and advocacy work on behalf of incarcerated Californians, the formerly-incarcerated, and their families. They'll look at recent victories and efforts currently underway. Tickets sliding scale $5 - $25. All proceeds go to LSPC/AUON and Initiate Justice.
Location: 1st Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison, Oakland

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! WE'RE GOING TO SACRAMENTO!
Monday, April 30 • 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Quest For Democracy Day 2018
Every Spring, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children/All of Us or None organizes a large-scale statewide lobby day for formerly-incarcerated people, family members with incarcerated loved ones, and allied community activists. Last year, SURJ mobilized 100 members and friends to the Capitol, supporting the lobbying efforts by those most affected by pending legislation. Let's do it again - join us! RSVP and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.
Location: State Capitol, N Street at 12th, Sacramento

Campaign to Restore Voting Rights to People in State Prisons and On Parole
SURJ is supporting the work of Initiate Justice and their Voting Restoration and Democracy Act (VRDA) campaign. The VRDA would restore the right to vote to approximately 160,000 people in state prisons and on parole in California. Sign up to help gather signatures, make a donation to support this critical work, come to a workshop and training. Read the 2-page talking points and signature-gathering instructions here.

Stop ICE and Deportations! Defend Immigrants!

As ICE continues to terrorize immigrant communities through raids, it’s important to remain on alert. Here’s how:
• Add these rapid response hotline numbers to your phone: 510-241-4011 (Alameda County) and 415-200-1548 (San Francisco).
• Here are 5 ways to respond with power, not panic from the California Immigrant Youth Justice Alliance.
• Share Know Your Rights information like this from the ACLU.
• Sign up to receive Bay Resistance action alerts by texting RESIST to 41411.
• Find more resources at the SURJ website here.

Sign the Petition to End Berkeley's Participation in Urban Shield

The Berkeley City Council will vote soon on whether or not to pull out of Urban Shield. Help us increase the pressure on the Mayor and City Council to hold them accountable to pulling out and voting against police militarization, racism and xenophobia. Sign the petition and share widely with Berkeley residents!

Join the National Movement to End Money Bail and Pretrial Detention

Everyday some 700,000 people are condemned to local jails and separated from their families. A majority of them are there simply because they cannot afford to pay bail. As part of national efforts, download Until Freedom Comes: A Comprehensive Bail Out Toolkit, co-created by over a dozen groups involved in the National Bail Out movement. The toolkit provides step-by-step instructions on how to plan, fundraise for, and execute a bail out action as well as tips for using bail outs to support or catalyze local end money bail campaigns.

SURJ Bay Area Chapter - Join us! Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability. Learn more at www.surjbayarea.org. SURJ Bay Area is one of 150 chapters and affiliates nationwide. Learn about SURJ National and our mission, vision, and values HERE.
Want to support our work? You can make a donation for SURJ's organizing and educational efforts with over half of what we raise going to Black and people of color-led partner organizations. Make a one-time donation or become a monthly sustainer HERE. Contributions are tax-deductible.
Follow SURJ Bay Area on Social Media: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram
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