Weekly Newsletter - July 27, 2020

Monday, July 27 & Friday, July 31 • 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 and Indigenous people and communities of color. Register to reserve your spot! Register here for July 27. Register here for July 31.

​Tuesday, July 28 • 12:00 – 5:00 pm
Tell Oakland City Council: Support Reimagining Public Safety Task Force
The Oakland City Council will vote this afternoon on the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force, which is charged with developing the plan to defund the Oakland police department by 50% in next year's budget. It's essential that the most impacted communities, families of victims of police violence, and the organizations which represent them are represented on this task force - not appointees from the mayor's office and law enforcement. Join Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP), Oakland Rising, Bay Rising, and Defund OPD and support this by going here to join online and click "raise your hand" to speak as soon as the meeting opens. Public comment is taken at the beginning of the meeting and again at the very end, if you miss the beginning. More details 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!

Thursday, July 30 • 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Black Lives, Indigenous Lives: From Mattering to Thriving
This virtual SpeakOut ED Talk features Dr. Andrew Jolivette, a Black and Indigenous scholar, author, and activist who'll examine major points of cultural and historic community convergence between Black and Indigenous peoples with a focus on contemporary movements such as Black Lives Matter and Idle No More and the dismantling of racist statues, images, and mascots. He’ll explore what these movements mean for enacting justice interventions and moving towards kinship building, self-determination, and abolition as transformational modes of joy production and ceremonial stewardship. Tickets sliding scale $5 - $25.  Register to watch live or later.

Saturday, August 8 • 12:00 – 2:00 pm
Statewide Day of Action for Immigrant Justice
Join people from all over California on this day of action, to shut down California concentration camps and abolish ICE. In the Bay Area, the march will go from Justin Herman Plaza to the ICE building, demanding Gov. Newsom end the state’s cooperation with ICE, support the demands of detained immigrants, and hold detention centers accountable for putting lives at risk during the pandemic, among others. See list of demands here.
Location: Justin Herman Plaza, 1 Market St. to ICE Bldg. 630 Sansome, San Francisco

Thursday, August 13 • 1:45 – 8:45 pm
Sacramento Caravan: #SayTheirNames & Bring Our Loved Ones Home
Join the Ella Baker Center, Initiate Justice, Essie Justice, CURB, and others for an action at the State Capitol Building followed by a car caravan to the CA Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), and a candlelight vigil at night to honor lives lost to COVID-19 behind bars. We demand that Governor Newsom, CDCR, and the CA State Legislature take emergency action to decarcerate and save lives NOW! This event is FREE. More info - register here.
Location: CA State Capitol, 1315 10th St. Sacramento

Saturday, August 22 • 2:45 – 5:00 pm
Intro to SURJ Virtual Meeting
Here's another opportunity to 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 Post: 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 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 SURJ - 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 SURJ Bay Area and the company will match the donation. Call in your friends and colleagues to show up for racial justice by donating to SU J Bay Area through Benevity and DOUBLING the amount of the donation!

Support the San Francisco Bay View Newspaper – The SF Bay View 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)
• ¡NEW! Cafe Zoe, 1929 Menalto Ave, Menlo Park (intersection of Menalto and Gilbert), Monday - Saturday 8:00 am - 1:30 pm (window signs 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