Weekly Newsletter - August 19, 2019

Friday, August 23 • 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Never Again for Anyone: Action at ICE
Join the Month of Momentum, 30 Days of Action to Close the Camps, JVP, SURJ, and IJAN for an action that explores the connection between the forced displacement of asylum seekers and refugees coming into the US and their confinement in US concentration camps with the ongoing forced displacement of the Palestinian people, as a result of the founding and on-going colonization of Palestine by the state of Israel, and the confining of Palestinian people into walled ghettos, refugee camps and the large concentration camp of Gaza. More info.
Location: ICE, 630 Sansome St, San Francisco

 
Sunday, August 25 • 3:00 – 6:00 pm
Immigrant Support Teach-In
Led by immigrant congregations and communities, thousands of people across San Francisco have successfully organized to accompany immigrants in personal, practical, and political ways: defending against deportations with courtroom and street presence, answering hotlines and responding to ICE raids, providing support for families, freeing detainees, and more. The urgency of this moment requires all of the above — and additional new strategies for solidarity work.
Experienced community leaders will offer free workshops and share skills to meet the current challenges. Topics covered will include: how to sponsor someone for release from detention; what it means to provide housing for immigrants in your home; community organizing models for congregations; an overview of the immigration system and current legal landscape; and more. All are welcome, and there will be time for everyone to participate in two workshops. RSVP here.
Location: Bethany United Methodist Church, 1270 Sanchez St. San Francisco

Wednesday, August 28  • 5:00 pm PDT
Webinar with Author Mab Segrest
Mab Segrest, long-time racial justice organizer and friend of SURJ, will be giving a public talk about the re-release of her movement classic book: Memoir of a Race Traitor: Fighting Racism in the American South. Against a backdrop of nine generations of her family's history, Mab Segrest explores her experience as a white lesbian organizing against a virulent Far Right movement in the American South. More information here.
Location: online

Friday, August 30 • 7:30 – 9:00 pm
"What Happened to Dujuan?" Benefit Film Screening & Panel
The #AuditAhern Coalition and the Ella Baker Partnership Team at The First Unitarian Church of Oakland invite you to a film screening: "What Happened to Dujuan Armstrong," a film by Lucas Guilkey. This fast-paced powerful documentary follows Barbara Doss’ search to discover the details of her 23-year-old son Dujuan Armstrong’s 2018 death in Santa Rita Jail. After the film there will be a panel with the filmaker Lucas Guilkey and members of the Audit Ahern Coalition. Learn about what is happening in the local county jail, and what you can do to change it. This is a benefit for the Audit Ahern Coalition and the family of Dujuan Armstrong. Donations will be accepted on a sliding scale, all are welcome.
Location: First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th Street, Oakland

Saturday, August 31 • 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Beyond White Fragility: Workshop with Chris Crass
Join SURJ Contra Costa for an interactive workshop with longtime social justice educator, author and organizer, Chris Crass, one of the leading voices in the country calling for and supporting white people to work for racial justice. Whether you’ve been active for decades or a few days, this is an opportunity to develop a stronger culture of inspiration, resilience, and courage for racial justice. While one of the themes of the workshop is on white people working for racial justice, the overall theme of the workshop is on how we can build stronger racial justice values and action in our congregations and communities – the workshop is for all who want to do this work. Suggested donation: $20 at the door.
Location: Mt Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek

Wednesday, September 11 • 6:45 – 9:00 pm
Intro to SURJ Meeting
Want to get involved with SURJ Bay Area? Come learn about our current work and activities. SURJ moves white people to act for justice, with passion and accountability, as part of a multi-racial majority. You will hear about SURJ's pathways for entering the work, including committee work, upcoming workshops, and events. We'll answer your questions and share how you can get involved in the movement for racial justice. Register today!
Location: Movement Strategy Center, 436 14th St, Suite 500, Oakland

Sunday, September 15 • 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Antidotes to White Fragility
What skills, tools, and approaches are useful in encouraging white people to sustain balanced engagement with anti-racism/racial justice education and work? How can we cultivate resilience (as opposed to white fragility) in ourselves, our communities, and our movements? This SURJ workshop will explore these questions and explore the role of the body, community, spirituality, intellectual knowledge, and other themes that you bring from your experience. Sliding Scale: $15-$85. No one turned away for lack of funds. This popular workshop tends to fill quickly so pre-registration is required.  Learn more and get tickets.
Location: Sierra Club, 2101 Webster St. Suite 1300, Oakland

September 16 - October 31 • Weekly Meetings • Choice of Days
SURJ Study & Action 6-Week Series
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 for racial justice. Study & Action is free, but you must RSVP for your choice of 1 of 4 days. Space is limited.
Location: Provided upon registration

Contribute to making SURJ Bay Area more Accessible
One of SURJ Bay Area's member agreements is that we commit to being proactive in making our spaces and actions as accessible as possible, which is why w e have started a fundraiser to help meet our commitments to accessibility. This means renting accessible spaces and paying service providers, like ASL interpreters and language translators, the living wage they deserve while following the leadership of disabled people of color in our work. As with all of our fundraising, SURJ Bay Area passes at least half of the money we raise to the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led organizations we partner with, which helps ensure that we keep our common goal of racial justice in focus. Learn more and donate here.

Check Out these Updated SURJ Bay Area Legislative Priorities for 2019
SURJ Bay Area's Policy Working Group is working in service to, and in collaboration with our people of color-led partner organizations that work on legislative advocacy. In this update, we look at some of the bills that have successfully crossed-over to their second house (California Assembly or Senate), hopefully on their way to the governor’s desk. Learn more about the organizations we partner with, and the bills we're actively supporting. You can be part of this effort by adding your name to our Legislative Action List.

Help Mauna Kea Protesters: Donate to the Aloha ‘Āina Support Fund
In Hawai‘i on July 10th, Governor Ige announced that the transport of earth moving machines for the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea would begin on Monday, July 15. Your support is needed now; KAHEA is announcing a new fund, the Aloha ‘Āina Support Fund, which prioritizes frontline logistical support for non-violent direct actions taken to protect Mauna Kea from further industrial development.

An Interview With Sarah Stockholm About the De-Escalate Washington Campaign
How do we recruit more white people to work for and support racial justice and immigrant justice? By doing sustained organizing in white communities we’ve not been in before! This is the work SURJ is doing across the country. Watch the short trailer interview or the full-length video interview with Sarah Stockholm, who is the SURJ National Coach for the state of Washington as well as a member of Olympia SURJ, as she discusses the importance of organizing more white communities to support racial justice campaigns like the I-940 ballot initiative, a landmark victory for racial justice this past November. The new law increases police accountability in all Washington communities and specifically addresses the impact of police violence on Black, Native, and People of Color communities, as well as people with disabilities, mental health issues, or who are LGBTQ.

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

Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Bay Area c/o PO Box 22748, Oakland CA 94609