Weekly Newsletter - June 29, 2020

Rally at the State Capitol to Demand the End of Police Violence
Wednesday, July 1 • 11:30 am
Some 600 people of color have been killed by police in California in the last 5 years. Join Legal Services for Prisoners with Children/All of Us or None for a mobilization to Sacramento where people impacted by police violence — family members, formerly incarcerated, community members — will encircle the Capitol building and hold up the names of those killed by police. We will also call on state legislators to defund the $31B police and prison industrial complex, hold police who kill accountable, and prevent police unions from donating to district attorneys and judges, among other demands. Learn more and sign up.
Location: California Capitol Building, 10th and L Streets, Sacramento

Monday, June 29 and Friday, July 3 • 12:00 – 1:00 pm
SURJ Action Hour
Want to do something about police brutality but not sure what to do? Join us at lunchtime on Monday and/or Friday to take immediate action and build community. We’ll meet over Zoom to provide concrete steps you can take — calling elected officials, signing petitions, etc. — to demand an end to police violence against Black people and other communities of color. Sessions fill quickly, so register here to reserve your spot!

Monday, June 29 • 1:00 – 4:00 pm
Demand City Council Upgrade Oakland's Tenant Protections
Oakland City council members Noel Gallo and Lauren Taylor let down the City of Oakland with their vote on #DefundOPD. As Oakland continues to organize, it's time for them to step up to defend working-class communities of color from landlord harassment and to #ProtectOaklandRenters. Call, tweet, email & join City Council via Zoom on Monday at 1:00 pm to demand they pass the #2020TenantProtectionUpgrades.

Monday, June 29 • 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Abolition House Party
Join a national webinar for political education and reflection on abolition with Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) and White People for Black Lives (WP4BL). Our Abolition House Party will be a national community learning space to explore abolition. You are welcome to join the online event whether you are hearing about abolition for the first time, not sure about the idea, or already committed to abolishing police & prisons.

Wednesday, July 1 • 11:30 am
Rally at the State Capitol to Demand the End of Police Violence
Some 600 people of color have been killed by police in California in the last 5 years. Join Legal Services for Prisoners with Children/All of Us or None for a mobilization to Sacramento where people impacted by police violence — family members, formerly incarcerated, community members — will encircle the Capitol building and hold up the names of those killed by police. We will also call on state legislators to defund the $31B police and prison industrial complex, hold police who kill accountable, and prevent police unions from donating to district attorneys and judges, among other demands. Learn more and sign up.
Location: California Capitol Building, 10th and L Streets, Sacramento

Wednesday, July 1 • 4:00 – 6:00 pm
Day of Rage: No to Annexation of Palestinian Land! (Car Caravan)
Join the San Francisco/Bay Area Chapter of Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition and the Palestinian Youth Movement and the Palestine Action Network in this car caravan to protest the planned annexation of more Palestinian land. We call on the Palestinian community, and those engaged in indigenous/anti-colonial, anti-racist/anti-white supremacist struggles against state violence and racial oppression, to link arms and struggle together in an act of international solidarity!
Location: San Francisco Civic Center

Tuesday, July 14 • 7:00 – 9:00 pm
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. Click here for more information and tickets.

Wednesday, July 15 • 9:30 am – 12:00 pm
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. – Suggested donation sliding scale: $15-$85. More information & register here.

July 21 - September 3 • Weekly Meetings • Choice of Days
SURJ Study & Action 6-Week 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 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, we deepen our understanding of injustice, and learn to take strategic, 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. Space is limited.
Location: Online via Zoom

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 Peralta Community College District terminate its contract with the Sheriff's Office – Students and faculty wrote this petition to demand that the Chancellor and Board of Trustees take action to terminate the contract with the Alameda County Sheriff's Department and invest in our Black and Brown students. Sign the petition here.
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.
#ProtectBlackDissent: Demand the FBI Stop Lying and Stop Spying on Black Protesters – Once again, Black activists and organizers are demanding our society transform itself and land on the right side of history. However, the state has chosen to greet this opportunity with increased violence and surveillance, doubling down on its commitment to undermine and disrupt Black-led movements for justice by criminalizing and attacking them. Find out more and sign the petition here.
Tell the Minneapolis City Council: #ChangeTheCharter – Minneapolis is at the forefront of the movement to defend Black lives. Earlier this month, after weeks of protest in response to the murder of George Floyd, the Minneapolis City Council vowed to disband the Minneapolis Police Department. Now we need to make sure they keep their word; sign the petition and make your voice heard.
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!
WATCH A WEBINAR:SpeakOut is making a recent webinar available – "Defund the Police: What It Means and What Must Be Done" with Dr. Melina Abdullah, a leader of Black Lives Matter and Professor of Pan-African Studies at Cal State Los Angeles. In this powerful webinar, Dr. Abdullah offers pragmatic solutions on how we can transform our communities and end a policing institution born out of the system of chattel slavery and fueled by white supremacy.
Justice Teams Network launched a webinar series called "We Take Care of Us: Community Crisis Response," and each week they showcase an innovative model from across the state of how communities are stepping up to address crises themselves without relying on the police. Catch up here and sign up for their listserv to learn about upcoming webinars.

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.

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