Weekly Newsletter - February 10, 2020

Monday, February 10 • 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Intro to SURJ San Francisco
The San Francisco chapter of SURJ invites you to join them to learn more about how you can show up for racial justice in the city. Learn about SURJ’s organizing principles and philosophy and some of the paths you might take to go deeper into this work to move white people to act responsibly as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability. Lots of work to do in San Francisco and you are needed!
Location: Alley Cat Books, 3036 24th St. San Francisco

Wednesday, February 12 • 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Free Kelly Rally and Press Conference
Kelly is a transgender woman who has been suffering in immigration jails for more than two years. Kelly has triumphed over violence and hatred since she was a child in Honduras, surviving beatings and abuse and trafficking, all because of her gender identity. Join us at this rally to demand Kelly's release! A team of Bay Area residents have committed to provide Kelly a home and to support her. It's time for ICE to release Kelly on parole! And, we need your help. There is strength in numbers. More info.
Location: UN Plaza, Market Street between 7th and 8th, San Francisco

Thursday, February 13 • 5:00 – 6:30 pm
SURJ Webinar: No Fascist USA!
We are excited to announce another webinar in the SURJ "Connecting the Dots" series. Authors Hilary Moore (a SURJ Leadership Team Member) and James Tracy will discuss their new book, No Fascist USA! The John Brown Anti-Klan Committee and Lessons for Today's Movements. The authors will share the story of how a national grassroots network fought a resurgence of the KKK and other fascist groups during the Reagan years, laying the groundwork for today's anti-fascist and anti-racist movements. See the video trailer for the book. Click here to register. For more information, and to invite your friends, click here.

Wednesday, February 19 • 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'll will hear about SURJ's pathways for entering the work, including Study and Action groups as well as committee work, upcoming workshops, and events. There will also be a speaker from the Arab Resource and Organizing Center (AROC), a SURJ partner and a grassroots organization that, through direct services, advocacy, and organizing, aims to equip Arab communities with tools to challenge state violence and fight for dignity and liberation here and in their homelands.
Location: Movement Strategy Center, 436 14th St. Suite 500, Oakland

Saturday, February 22 • 10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Showing Up for Racial Justice Through the Power of Public Policy: Part 2
Join SURJ Bay Area’s Policy Committee for part two of our 2020 legislative workshop series! (Part 1 is here) Workshop participants can expect to learn about lobby visits and how they fit into SURJ’s larger framework, hear about new opportunities to engage in the legislative process with SURJ, practice speaking about policy to a legislative staffer, and hear from Ella Baker Center on their 2020 policy priorities. This is the second workshop of a two part series. Attendance at the first workshop is not necessary to attend but may be helpful. Tickets $0 - $10.
Location: YWCA, 2600 Bancroft Way, Berkeley

Sunday, February 23 • 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 fills quickly so pre-registration required.  Learn more and get tickets.
Location: Sierra Club, 2101 Webster St. Suite 1300, Oakland

Thursday, February 27 • 5:00 – 6:30 pm
SURJ Webinar: Only Internationalism Can Save Us
Want to learn about how we make anti-imperialist internationalism concrete and relevant to your work? Lara Kiswani, Director of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center, and Melanie K. Yazzie, co-founder of the Red Nation, will be in dialogue about why internationalism is crucial if we are to build movements that can win. On this call, we’ll talk about what we can learn from movements in the Global South, about what internationalism asks of those of us who live in the center of empire. We’ll look at some concrete examples of the ways organizers in the US link their local work with struggles in other parts of the world. Click here to register. For more information, and to invite your friends, click here.

Sunday, March 15 • 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
SURJ Workshop: What White People Don't See
You believe in making a difference, but when it comes to racial justice, are your actions aligned with your beliefs? The work begins with looking in the mirror. Without intentional learning and reflection, white people may uphold beliefs and systems that perpetuate injustice. Join SURJ for an intimate and interactive workshop in which we will unpack how whiteness has shaped our lives and discuss how white people who care can take action for racial justice. Sliding Scale $15 - $65. No one turned away for lack of funds. ASL will be provided if requested by 9 PM on Thursday, March 12. Learn more and get tickets.
Location: Movement Strategy Center, 436 14th Street, Suite 500, Oakland

Saturday, March 21 • 7:30 pm
Noam Chomsky on "What Hope for Palestine -- and Beyond? The World After 2020"
Join Middle East Children's Alliance for an evening with Noam Chomsky, back by popular demand. Professor Chomsky will be introduced by Daniel Ellsberg featuring a musical performance by Naima Shalhoub & Excentrik. This event is a benefit for the Children of Palestine, wheelchair accessible, cosponsored by KPFA. Tickets $29-250.
Location: Sidney Goldstein Theatre, 275 Hayes Street, San Francisco

Support Arab Youth: Save Ethnic Studies
California is about to make an incredibly consequential decision about what kind of state we are. Will it institute an ethnic studies curriculum that uplifts the stories of all communities of color or reject one that includes Arab Americans — bending to the desires of pro-Israel groups who simply don't agree? Under tremendous pressure, the fate of Arab Americans in our textbooks is currently being decided upon by our state electeds. But if we act now — making our demands for inclusion and justice clear — we can still save ethnic studies in our state and set a historic precedent for the country. Learn more and send a letter to your representative here.

End U.S. War and Militarism in Iran!
How we can prevent the Trump regime from launching full scale overt war against Iran? SURJ Affiliate Catalyst Project has provided a great frame to better understand what’s happening in this moment, and Organizing Upgrade is providing analysis and strategy framing. National SURJ is making the links between war and white supremacy, noting that police departments across the country are using this act of aggression to further justify violence, surveillance, and profiling towards Iranians, Iraqis, Palestinians, and people who appear to be Arab, Middle Eastern, and/or Muslim. We must be vigilant and prepare to act: Here are some helpful resources:
• Catalyst Project’s study guide: “No War-No Sanctions”
• Statement from Justice Before Peace, a Black and POC-led anti-militarist organization  
• MPower Change petition to Congress against war with Iran (please sign and share)


Show Your Solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation
Last week, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) raided Wet’suwet'en territories to push forward the unwanted Coastal GasLink pipeline. 6 Indigenous peoples and their allies were arrested. The Wet’suwet’en have been very clear that they do not want the $6.6 billion, 416 mile long CGL pipeline going through their unceded and sovereign lands. RCMP officers with night vision and automatic weapons raided the camp in the dead of night. Much like at Standing Rock, the raid was highly militarized-- dogs were used, media was banned from filming arrests, RCMP smashed the windows of the camp’s communications van. Show your support for this struggle by donating to their legal fund and downloading and sharing the Wet’suwet’en Supporter Toolkit.

Boycott 24-Hour Fitness and Affirm the Value of Black Lives
This past Friday marked the one year anniversary of the police killing of Albert Ramon Dorsey at a Hollywood 24-Hour Fitness after a gym employee called the police on him. We’re lifting up Black Lives Matter Los Angeles’ #Boycott24 campaign which demands accountability, cultural competency trainings for employees, and developing alternatives to calling the police. The company responded with complete dismissal and disregard to two lives lost (Dennis Todd Rogers was also killed at a 24-Hour Fitness), to their grieving families, and to community concerns. BLMLA is asking people to cancel your membership at 24-Hour Fitness in the name of #AlbertRamonDorsey and call the gym’s corporate headquarters - 925-543-3100 - and tell them you support #BlackLivesMatter’s demands.

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