Weekly Newsletter - July 13, 2020

Monday, July 13 & Friday, July 17 • 12:00 – 1:00 pm
SURJ Action Hour 
Feeling rage and deep sadness about racism and white supremacy, but not sure what to do? Join SURJ for an hour of action! We'll meet over Zoom on Mondays and Fridays at noon to provide concrete steps you can take—calling elected officials, signing petitions, etc.—to combat racism against Black & Indigenous people and communities of color. Register here to reserve your spot!

Tuesday, July 14 • 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Workshop - Interrupting White Supremacy at the Root
SURJ Bay Area offers this workshop for anyone who is loving, nurturing, caring for, and 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. By utilizing new frames, prompts, and self-reflection, this workshop will empower us to step into the everyday conversations needed to recognize and name racial injustice, develop positive racial identities, and use this knowledge to interrupt systemic inequities. Free but please register.  Click here for more information and tickets.

Wednesday, July 15 • 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Defund OPD Virtual Townhall for Community Input
The Oakland City Council and Administration have committed to a 50% decrease in the Oakland Police Department’s budget next year. To get there, we need a transition plan that is informed and lead by the community. Join Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP) and the Defund the Police Coalition, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Causa Justa::Just Cause, and other groups to discuss what needs to be defunded from police, what alternative response models look like, and who should be on the transition team, among other questions. Let's dream together and make those dreams a reality for Oakland!

July 21 - September 3 • Weekly Meetings • 6:30 – 9:30 pm
SURJ Study & Action 6-Week Online 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 online 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, deepen our understanding of injustice, and learn to take 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 3 days (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays). Space is limited.

Wednesday, July 22 • 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Learning Hour: Defund the Police - What It Means & What Must Be Done
Join us for the launch of Learning Hour, an educational space to hear from Black, Indigenous and other people of color activists and educators talking about critical topics of the day. This first Learning Hour will focus on the growing movement to Defund the Police featuring scholar-activist Dr. Melina Abdullah, who was among the original group of organizers that convened to form Black Lives Matter and continues to serve as a leader of the Los Angeles chapter. There will be time for small group discussion. More information & register here.

Wednesday, July 23 • 5:30 – 8:00 pm
Workshop - Difficult Conversations About Race and White Supremacy
How do we approach difficult conversations in our lives around racism and other systems of oppression, and specifically those arising in relation to the current uprising? What frameworks, tools, and interventions can support us to stay grounded and present as we connect with friends, family, and others about challenging topics? Using small and large group discussion, body-based awareness practices, and role play, we will practice together to build skills that can stay with us, especially as we support others in taking action. This online workshop will be facilitated by the White Noise Collective. Sliding scale: $15 - $85. More information & register here.

Wednesday, July 29 • 6:45 – 9:00 pm
Intro to SURJ Virtual Meeting
Feeling anger and sadness about the continued killings of Black people by the police and vigilantes, and don't know what to do? Come learn about SURJ Bay Area at a virtual introductory meeting and find out how SURJ moves white people to act for justice, with passion and accountability, as part of a multi-racial majority. Hear about our current work and activities including SURJ's pathways for engaging in the work such as Study & Action, 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!

Actions You Can Take This Week!

SIGN A PETITION:

Demand Oakland City Council Upgrade Tenant Protections – On Tuesday, July 14, at 1:30 pm, the Oakland City Council will vote on important upgrades to the Tenant Protection Ordinance. These upgrades #ProtectOaklandRenters and will help prevent them from being harassed and intimidated out of their homes. Email City Council members to tell them you support these changes or submit an e-comment before the meeting.

Support the BREATHE Act on Social Media – Last week, the Electoral Project of the Movement for Black Lives introduced a visionary bill, the BREATHE Act, which will divest our taxpayer dollars from brutal, discriminatory policing and invest in a new vision of safety and justice: a vision that allows all people to thrive and be represented and free. Publicly support the BREATHE Act today by posting on your social media platforms. You can find examples and graphics in this toolkit.

Justice for Breonna – Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman and award-winning EMT was in her home in Louisville, KY, on March 13th when Louisville Metro Police officers barged in without a warning, fired off more than 20 bullets, and ultimately took Breonna’s life. To date, only 1 of the 3 officers who killed Breonna has been fired. Sign this petition to demand that ALL the officers responsible are not only fired, but arrested and charged for her murder.
Amazon: Cut Ties with Police & ICE – Amazon's anti-Black practices span its entire corporate empire, with inequity and oppression at the core of their business model. Demand that they cut ties with ICE and police today, and review this toolkit for more information.

JOIN OUR LEGISLATIVE ACTION LIST:

Join SURJ Bay Area's Legislative Action List to receive alerts to call your policymakers! You'll receive your policymaker's contact info and a script when we need to advocate for racial justice bills for things like police brutality, mass incarceration, and housing justice. All you will have to do is make a phone call — it'll just take 5 minutes!

DONATE:

Support The San Francisco Bayview Newspaper – The SF Bayview is a historic Black-led and prisoner-led newspaper that covers worldwide racial inequality and political repression. This valuable resource, published daily online and monthly in print, is the only newspaper read widely both inside and outside prison. All donations will be used to keep the paper in print.

PUT UP A BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGN:

SURJ has Black Lives Matter lawn and window signs and postcards available for pickup. These are free but if you want to help cover costs, donate here. Grab some for friends and family, too! Pick them up at one of these locations:
• Marcus Books, 3900 Martin Luther King Way, Oakland, Monday - Saturday, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm and Sundays 12:00 – 4:00 pm (window signs and postcards only)
• World Grounds, 3726 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, 7:00 am - 2:00 pm, 7 days a week
• Spectator Books, 4163 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, Monday - Friday 12:00 - 5:00 pm (window signs only
• If you are in Berkeley area and want signs, please email fundraising@surjbayarea.org to make arrangements to pick-up.
• Zocalo Coffeehouse, 645 Bancroft Ave, San Leandro, 8:00 am -1:00 pm, 7 days a week (window signs and postcards only)

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