Weekly Newsletter - July 22, 2019

Tuesday, July 23 • 12:00 – 5:00 pm
Civil SF: The Urgency of Now, San Francisco Human Rights Commission's 55 Anniversary Celebration
Join the San Francisco Human Rights Commission for a day of panel discussions and keynote by Dr. Cornel West! This year’s theme, Civil SF: The Urgency of Now, is an opportunity to reflect on where the agency is now in contrast with our founding to address anti-Black racism, and discuss strategies for how we can achieve the racial equity goals that inspired our creation. Tickets are $30, click here to RSVP.
Location: San Francisco War Memorial, Green Room, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco

Wednesday, July 24 • 8:00 – 10:30 am
Pack Federal Court – No Asylum Ban!
Join East Bay Sanctuary Covenant, Al Otro Lado, and other organizations to fight the Trump Administration's new asylum transit ban — their latest attempt to dismantle asylum in the United States, particularly for immigrants of color. If allowed to proceed, the rule will effectively block anyone who passes through another country en route to the U.S. from seeking asylum here. The importance of this case cannot be overstated. Show up outside the court beforehand to stand in solidarity with immigrants and people fleeing persecution, and then attend the hearing to make that solidarity clear to the court as well.
Location: 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 19th floor, San Francisco

Thursday, July 25 • 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Report Back from the Poor People's Campaign Moral Congress
Join the Poor People's Campaign Bay Area Supporters for a report-back event on the Moral Action Congress that was held in Washington DC last month. Poor People's Campaign members at the Congress laid out a vision for the campaign, including plans to build a people-powered movement, making it impossible for elected officials to ignore the struggles of the 140 million poor people in this country. RSVP on Facebook or email info@ppcbayarea.org. Light refreshments at the start. Childcare will be available on request, mention it when RSVPing. Volunteers are also being sought, email info@ppcbayarea.org if you would like to volunteer.
Location: Taylor Memorial United Methodist Church, 1188 12th Street, Oakland

Sunday, July 28 • 3:00 – 4:30 pm
SURJ Marin Racial Justice Book Discussion - There There
Join SURJ Marin to discuss There, There, the powerful first novel from author Tommy Orange. What does it really mean to be a Native American/American Indian living in the urban landscape of Oakland, California? Fractured families, Oakland itself, and detachment from tradition make a Native American identity seem even more elusive to the younger characters, but it's a feeling that they unknowingly share—and that Orange wants to expose.
Location: Corte Madera Library, 707 Meadowsweet Drive, Corte Madera

Thursday, August 1 • 6:30 – 9:00 pm
World Without Walls: An evening with Janna Jihad
Join AROC to hear from Janna Jihad Tamimi, 13 year-old Palestinian activist, one of the youngest accredited journalists in the world - and Ambassador of Shamsaan, a South African children’s rights organization. They will screen Radiance of Resistance, a documentary film featuring the Tamimi family. Janna will be joining as part of her month-long speaking tour of the United States.
Location: Greenlining Institute, 360 14th Street, Oakland

Tuesday, August 6 • 6:45 – 9:00 pm
Introduction to SURJ
Want to get involved with SURJ Bay Area? 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. ASL interpretation will be provided if requested by 5:00 pm on Sunday, August 4th by emailing basebuilding@surjbayarea.org.
Location: Loper Chapel, First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way, Berkeley

SURJ Discussion Guide: When They See Us
The Netflix series When They See Us by filmmaker Ava DuVernay tells the story of the Central Park Five, a group of Black and Latino boys who were wrongfully accused of sexually assaulting a white woman jogger in Central Park in 1989. By telling the story of the now Exonerated 5, the series provides a provocative and emotional look into our justice system and the need to address the biases and corruption plaguing police departments and courts across the US if we want to protect Black and Latino children. Color Of Change has also put out an incredible toolkit, here; use these discussion guides to learn from this powerful series and move into action by pushing for changes to stop similar injustices from continuing.

Know Your Local Immigration Hotline Numbers
Via Bay Resistance: In light of the recent news, we want to make sure that everyone is informed and prepared. Learn the phone number for your local emergency immigration hotline and call if you see any ICE activity. It's important to verify before publicizing any information; spreading misinformation about possible raids can bring unnecessary panic and stress to our communities. Find your county's hotline number, and please share widely.  #PowerNotPanic #AbolishICE

Check Out these Updated SURJ Bay Area Policy 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.

Wednesday, July 24 • 6:30 – 8:30 pm
SURJ Sacramento New Member Orientation/Community Meeting
Join SURJ Sacramento for their next Community Meeting, geared toward new members with the goal of introducing SURJ as an organization, the SURJ Sacramento chapter and its goals, and discussing some key pieces of the racial justice movement. If you are new to the chapter (or the area), join us to learn about what we've been up to, what we're working on, and how to get plugged in. If you have been in the past, but haven't been in awhile, we also encourage you to come out and reconnect with SURJ Sacramento.
Location: Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, 2425 Sierra Boulevard, Sacramento

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 logsitical 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