weekly newsletter - january 21, 2019

Monday, January 21 • 12:00 - 3:00 pm
5th Annual People's March to Reclaim King's Radical Legacy
Join us TODAY at the 5th Annual People's March to Reclaim the Radical Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a mass mobilization called by the Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP). On this federal holiday, we will highlight not the sanitized version of Dr. King, but the militant leader whose ideas and political organizing on issues of white supremacy, political power, capitalism, and U.S. imperialism increasingly called for a radical restructuring of the economic and social systems in the U.S. The SURJ contingent will meet at Unify Credit Union on Oscar Grant Plaza at 11:30 am.
Location: Oscar Grant/Frank Ogawa Plaza, 14th and Broadway, Oakland

Wednesday, January 23 • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Renters Rising 2019 - Mobilization to Sacramento
In the aftermath of Prop 10, our housing crisis is only getting worse and the displacement of tenants and long-term residents across the state is escalating. Meanwhile, support for rent control remains incredibly high and city after city has already taken action to strengthen renter protections after the election. Join us as we build momentum for the renter power movement in California for universal rent control, tenant protections and to hold Wall Street landlords accountable! We'll be hosting trainings, rallying and lobbying our legislators. Join us!
Location: California State Capitol, 1315 10th St. Sacramento

Sunday, January 27 • 2:00 - 6:00 pm
Challenging White Male Supremacy Workshop
Hosted by STAND: White Men for Racial, Gender, and Economic Justice, this workshop will explore how white men can show up with integrity, imagination, and their whole selves and leverage their position as white men to help create a world that’s more equitable and less oppressive. Event is free, though participants will be asked for donations for the Sogorea Te' Land Trust.
Location: Sierra Club, 2101 Webster St. Suite 1300, Oakland

Monday, January 28 • 5:00 - 7:00 pm
National SURJ Webinar: History of Policing with Andrea Ritchie
Join SURJ for the first webinar in our 2019 online series, "Connecting the Dots: Border Militarism, US Domestic and Foreign Policy, and the Myriad of Connections to Racial Capitalism." Activist and author Andrea Ritchie will provide an overview of the history of policing in the US and how that history continues to impact policing today. Ritchie is a Black lesbian immigrant and police misconduct attorney and organizer and the author of Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color. The webinar is free but please register here.
Location: Online

Saturday, February 2 • 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Rooting In & Raising Up: Race Consciousness in Children Workshop
This is a SURJ workshop for anyone who is raising up white children. It is an invitation for participants to root more deeply in mutual liberation by developing their capacities to have more meaningful conversations about race, racism and white supremacy with the children and young people in their lives. Using storytelling, prompts, and somatic practices, participants will be guided as they begin to commit to the work of developing positive racial identities that can be leveraged for justice, thus equipping them to become powerful co-conspirators in the work of interrupting systemic inequities and repairing harm. Tickets, which will go on sale soon, are sliding scale $5 - $25. No one turned away for lack of funds. Please contact youthandfamilies@surjbayarea.org with any questions.
Location: Coming soon

Saturday, February 2 • 2:00 - 4:15 pm
Screening of Pride by QT SURJ
SURJ Bay Area's Queer and Trans (QT) Committee is hosting a screening of Pride, which highlights a true story of solidarity across identities for social and economic justice. The event is open to the public and will serve as a fundraiser for SURJ Bay Area. As a chapter, at least 50% of funds raised are sent directly to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color-led partner organizations, and other funds go toward making events like this more accessible. Please choose a ticket price from the sliding scale that is meaningful to you. Everyone is welcome to join us for an afternoon of film and snacks! More info/details.
Location: Sierra Club, 2101 Webster St. #1300, Oakland

Sunday, February 3 • 1:00 - 3:00 pm
SURJ Bay Area Lobby Visit Workshop
Join the Policy Working Group for part two of our legislative workshop series. In this workshop, we will learn about lobby visits and how they fit into SURJ's larger framework, practice speaking about policy to a legislative staffer, hear about new opportunities to engage in the legislative process with SURJ, and hear from Essie Justice Group on their 2019 policy priorities. Sliding scale tickets $0 - $10 to benifit Essie Justice Group. More info/tickets.
Location: Seneca Family of Agencies, 6925 Chabot Rd. Oakland

Thursday, February 6 • 6:45 - 9:00 pm
Intro to SURJ Meeting
SURJ moves white people to act for justice, with passion and accountability, as part of a multi-racial majority. Want to get involved? Come learn about our current work and activities. You'll 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. Please RSVP - space is limited.
Location: Sierra Club, 2101 Webster St. Suite 1300, Oakland

Sunday, February 10 • 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Antidotes to White Fragility Workshop
Do you sometimes get "triggered" or shut down in stressful, racially-tense situations? This SURJ workshop, facilitated by the White Noise Collective, will explore how the brain and body respond to these perceived threats, help you manage guilt and shame that can arise in learning about race and racism, and build skills that enable greater resilience in moments of challenge. Tickets are sliding scale $15 - $65. Learn more and RSVP here.
Location: Sierra Club, 2101 Webster St. Suite 1300, Oakland

Are you an amateur or professional photographer in the Bay Area looking for a way to get involved with SURJ? Can't always attend meetings but want to help out? Do you enjoy taking photos of people in action, on the move for racial justice? We'd love to talk to you about our photography needs. Email info@surjbayarea.org for more information.

Put Pressure on Republican Senators to Reopen the Government
The House passed a bill to re-open the Government. The Senate voted nearly unanimously for a bill to keep the government open last month, but now Mitch McConnell is blocking his own colleagues from doing their jobs with a vote to reopen the government, even though he knows it will pass. Call McConnell and your Republican Senators' offices and put pressure on them to end this shut down. Here's info on how to call your senator and what you can say, and sign this petition to tell Mitch McConnell to end the shut down!

Support Immigrant Families Affected by Recent Fires
People who have suffered due to the most recent California fires still need our support, especially our most vulnerable neighbors - particularly immigrant community members, day laborers, and domestic workers. While others may be able to receive FEMA aid, undocumented status prevents many immigrants from getting the help they need when they're forced from their homes. Support immigrant families by making a donation to 805 UndocuFund Fire Relief.

Help Pass Key Legislation - Sign Up for Our Legislative Action List
One of the key ways that we support our People of Color-led partner organizations and the pieces of legislation they are working on is by getting SURJ members to flood their representatives with calls at key moments in the legislative cycle. Please sign up at this link to join our list to make phone calls during the most important weeks of the legislative year. By signing on to this list, you will get periodic action alerts asking you to make calls to your local legislators. We'll provide all the information--we just need your commitment and energy.

Solidarity with the Unist'ot'en Camp in British Columbia
International solidarity is growing for the Unist'ot'en Camp, north of Vancouver, British Columbia, where TransCanada Coastal Gas Link was granted an injunction to start construction on its pipeline - without the permission of the Wet'suwet'en peoples. On January 7, heavily-militarized police breached a peaceful checkpoint, arresting at least a dozen people. The courts are siding with big oil, going against Canada’s commitment to honor the U.N. Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. The Camp and their allies are asking supporters of Indigenous rights and climate justice to immediately contact the political leaders of Canada and the province of British Columbia right now here. Read the statement from Unist'ot'en Camp here. Get updates here.

New SURJ Podcast - BOLD: Conversations About Race
Check out the NEW podcast collaboration with SURJ National, White People 4 Black Lives, a SURJ affiliate in Los Angeles, and Small Beans, a podcast platform with an established audience of 10,000 - 12,000 people per episode. It’s available at any podcast app (iTunes, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, etc.) on the Small Beans audio feed by searching for Small Beans or BOLD. The first BOLD episode includes an interview with Melina Abdullah of Black Lives Matter, Los Angeles. Learn more here.

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