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Monday, July 20 National #StrikeForBlackLives The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), in partnership with The Movement for Black Lives, is leading the #StrikeForBlackLives this Monday. Together, we will withhold our most valuable asset — our labor — in support of dismantling racism and white supremacy to bring about fundamental changes in our society, economy, and workplaces. There can be no economic justice or climate justice without racial justice and Black liberation. We want to build a country where Black Lives Matter in every aspect of society — including in the workplace. Here’s how you can take action:
Monday, July 20 • 12:00 pm Call to Action: Santa Rita Jail Watch Join the Ella Baker Center for a mock funeral, procession march, and press conference. There is a very serious COVID-19 outbreak taking place at Santa Rita Jail; as of July 17, there were at least 101 incarcerated people at Santa Rita Jail who were confirmed positive for COVID-19, a 1,583% increase since Wednesday. Santa Rita Jail was already a very deadly place and the pandemic has made things worse. Now, more than ever, our incarcerated brothers, sisters, and siblings need us to show up for them. Mock funeral at Dublin BART at 12:00 pm, press conference at the Dublin Courthouse at 2:00 pm. Click here for details. Location: Dublin BART Station, 5801 Owens Dr, Pleasanton Monday, July 20 & Friday, July 24 • 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! 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. Sunday, July 26 4:00 – 5:30 pm What to Do Instead of Calling the Police Join us for this virtual (via zoom) open share creative sharing about considering, dreaming, engaging, and employing alternatives to policing systems when facing threats to security and safety. In this conversation, we will exchange ideas on who to call, and how to engage, and who to be so that we can rely on each other and community resources for help, rather than policing systems. Hosted by the East Bay Alternatives to Policing Coalition. More information and RSVP here. Sunday , August 23 • 5:00 – 7:00 pm Beyond Survival Book Discussion Save the date! Join the Chapter Wide Project Team for an online discussion of Ejeris Dixon & Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha's anthology Beyond Survival: Strategies and Stories from the Transformative Justice Movement. Click here to buy the book in advance of the discussion. More information and RSVP coming soon. 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! Read the Latest SURJ Blog: Working at the Border, a Personal Impression SURJ blogger Micki Luckey writes of the experiences of Heather Appel and five other SURJ members who visited the U.S.–Mexico border last fall to see firsthand the work being done there by Al Otro Lado. Read the blog post here for the story, including an update on the work being done today by Al Otro Lado, and how you can help. SIGN A PETITION: 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) Do you work in a major corporation, or know someone who does? Many big companies participate in the Benevity giving program. Employees can donate to SURJBayArea and the company will match the donation. Call in your friends and colleagues to show up for racial justice by donating to SURJBayArea through Benevity and DOUBLING the amount of the donation. 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 Comments are closed.
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