Weekly Newsletter - October 28, 2019

Monday, October 28 • 5:30 — 7 pm
Day Of Outrage in Honor of Atatiana Jefferson: Wear Black!
Stand in solidarity with people across the country at a National Day of Outrage in honor of Atatiana Jefferson and Black women who have been killed at the hands of police violence. Oakland will join New York, Seattle, Detroit, Dayton, Washington DC, and many other cities nationwide. Atatiana’s family has issued the following statement: “Our family is mourning over the tragic and untimely murder of Atatiana by Aaron Dean, former Fort Worth police officer. Although Dean, has been arrested and charged, he is back on the streets and we are uncertain justice will prevail. We demand full transparency and accountability. It is our sincere hope that Atatiana’s story will not be forgotten, and our pursuit of dignity prevents the likelihood of similar events of police abuse. Please show up for the Day of Outrage wherever you are. Keep our loved one’s name alive!”  Oakland organizers are asking people to wear black and bring flowers or other items for the altar.
Location: Oscar Grant Plaza, 14th and Broadway, Oakland

Tuesday, October 29 • 5:00 pm PST
National SURJ Webinar: Building Anti-Racist Electoral Work
White voters remain one of the biggest barriers to winning transformative, structural change in this country. There’s been a lot of hand wringing, a lot of blame and a lot of calls to action. It’s time for us to answer those calls. SURJ is ready - join in this webinar with SURJ Director Erin Heaney and Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchel. They’ll discuss the importance of organizing poor and working class white folks and the strategic electoral interventions needed in this political moment.
Location: Online - register for the call here.

Thursday, October 31 • 1:00 — 3:00 pm
Stolen Land/Hoarded Resources Tour thru SFTech for the Ancestors
Join this tour of SF Tech, one of the largest industries fueling the violent removal and displacement of Bay Area working class and low-income Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. Poor Magazine will be leading the tour and asking Tech companies along the way to commit to giving 10-15 percent of their hoarded wealth and resources to a Tech Reparations Fund to support unhoused, housing insecure, Indigenous, disabled, elders, and families facing eviction, the violence of "sweeps,” and to help folks stay in their homes, , and/or encampments.
Location: Meet at the corner of 1st and Mission Streets, San Francisco

Sunday, November 3, 2019 • 12:45 – 3:00 pm
Spill The Disabili-Tea™: A Disability Justice Workshop
What is Disability Justice? People often express feeling intimidated and ill-equipped to unpack what we've been taught about disability, and how to support and advocate for disabled people in our everyday lives. This workshop is a fabulous opportunity for you to dive into the magic of disability justice with SURJ and Alex Locust at the helm. Alex will facilitate an interactive discussion of disability justice for those committed to elevating their support for disabled folks in their community. Come join us for an afternoon of real talk, experiential exercises, group work, and lots of laughs. Click here for tickets, sliding scale from $20 - $80.
Location: Sierra Club, 2101 Webster Street, 13th floor, Oakland

Sunday, November 3, 2019 • 1:00 – 3:00 pm
TGIJP Chat and Chew Fundraiser
The Transgender Gender-Variant Intersex Justice Project is hosting a Chat and Chew Fundraiser. This event kicks off their 15 year anniversary campaign, which is celebrating and honoring a long legacy of Black Trans abolitionist organizing. RSVP here; if you can't attend, but would still like to support, you can donate here.
Location: 1200 Saint Charles Street, Alameda

Sunday, November 3, 2019 • 1:30 – 4:30 pm
Challenging Conversations About Race and White Supremacy
How do we approach difficult conversations, whether it’s about racist violence on the border, cultural appropriation, or white supremacy and racial justice in general? What is it like to have these conversations with our family, friends and coworkers with a vision for the long haul? Members of the White Noise Collective will facilitate this SURJ workshop exploring the difficult conversations in our lives around race and power. Just in time for the holidays! Tickets are sliding scale $15 - $85.  No one turned away for lack of funds. Please register - space is limited.
Location: East Bay Community Space, 507 55th Street, Oakland

Wednesday, November 6 • 6:00 — 9:00 pm
How Racism Shaped the Housing Crisis & What We Can Do About It
Shareable and SPUR are hosting this event exploring how racism shaped the housing crisis, why this history is relevant today, and solutions that take this history into account. The evening will feature a keynote speech by Richard Rothstein based on his acclaimed book, “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.” This will be followed by a panel discussion exploring solutions moderated by Noni Session, Executive Director of East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative with Chris Iglesias, Executive Director of Unity Council; Sarah Jo Szambelan, leader of SPUR’s place types research; and Richard Rothstein. Come at 6pm sharp to enjoy drinks, appetizers, and an exhibition before the program starts. The exhibition will showcase SPUR’s place types research and a timeline of key housing policy decisions that have shaped today’s housing crisis.
Location: SPUR San Francisco, 654 Mission St., San Francisco

Friday, November 8 • 7:00 - 9 pm
Tim Wise on Not Giving Up: Maintaining Our Commitment to Justice in Unjust Times
Noted among the most prominent anti-racist writers and educators in the U.S., Tim Wise has been speaking to audiences nationally and internationally for 25 years and hosts the podcast, "Speak Out with Tim Wise." He is the author of seven books, including his latest, Under the Affluence: Shaming the Poor, Praising the Rich and Sacrificing the Future of
America, and his highly-acclaimed memoir, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son. There will be a Q&A session after Tim's lecture, and he will be available to sign books at the end of the program. Tickets are $10-$20.
Location: Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Road, Kensington

Tuesday, November 12 • 7:00 pm
Noura Erakat Book Talk and Celebration: Justice for Some
Palestinian-American activist, professor, and human rights lawyer Noura Erakat celebrates the release of her new book Justice for Some: Law & the Question of Palestine in conversation with Lara Kiswani of the Arab Resource & Organizing Center. This event is a benefit for the Middle East Children's Alliance. For info call 510-548-0542, or purchase tickets online here (sliding scale $15-$100.)
Location: Berkeley City College Auditorium, 2050 Center Street, Berkeley

Wednesday, November 13 • 6:45 — 9:00 pm
Intro to SURJ Meeting
Want to get involved with SURJ Bay Area? Come learn about our current work and activities. SURJ moves white people to act for justice, with passion and accountability, as part of a multi-racial majority. You will 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. Register today!
Location: Movement Strategy Center, 436 14th Street, Suite 500, Oakland

Survey: Feedback on Critical Areas of Independent Police Oversight
Help APTP by filling out their survey on police oversight. They are inviting both organizations or individuals to give feedback on a range of proposals related to the Police Commission and Citizen Police Review Agency. Results will be compiled and used to support to implement changes that will foster independent police oversight - from the Police Commission Measure to the Police Officers Bill of Rights, and from State Law to City Charter, among others. Survey can be found here. More information on APTP's Proposal for Effective Police Oversight here.

Support Abundant Beginnings!
SURJ Bay Area partner organization Abundant Beginnings needs our financial support to continue their programs and to eventually purchase land. Please donate and share their donation page far and wide. Abundant Beginnings is a community education and empowerment initiative that is re-imagining how communities can grow learners who think critically, live responsibly, and create meaningful change. They center the needs of those who are currently marginalized from meaningful educational experiences, with emphases on students of color, gender expansive and queer students, and differently-abled learners. Check out this adorable video and then donate HERE.

In SURJ Blogs – Racial Justice Books for White People
In recent months, some thirty members of SURJ Bay Area suggested and voted on books for white people about racial justice, indicating those they recommend, as well as those they want to read. See the non-fiction list here. You can see the list of fiction recommendations here. In addition to the SURJ lists, the blogs also include recommended reading lists from other organizations and individuals.

Support ACA 6 and Voting Rights for Formally Incarcerated Californians
Nearly 50,000 California voters are barred from voting every year because they are on parole. ACA 6 would restore voting rights to these individuals. If the bill passes the California Senate, it will be on the 2020 ballot. Democracy needs everyone, including people on parole who are reentering our communities. You can show your support for ACA 6 by signing this petition and sharing it with family and friends.

Demand the University of Alabama Re-Hire Dr. James Riley
The University of Alabama has seemingly pushed for the resignation of its Dean of Students and Assistant Vice President — a Black man who had been in the job just seven months — for past tweets that made honest, straightforward statements about racism in America. The University of Alabama needs to rehire Dr. Riley immediately and make clear it will stand up for the rights of Black students, faculty, and employees. Learn more and sign the Color of Change petition to reinstate Dr. Riley.

Fire LAPD Officers Lee and Robles for the Murder of Grechario Mack
Sign and share the petition to fire the Los Angeles police officers who murdered 30-year-old Grechario Mack, father of two daughters. On April 10, 2018, Mack was in the midst of a mental health challenge inside the the Crenshaw-Baldwin Hills Mall when LAPD Officers Ryan Lee and Martin Robles shot him and then stood over him – he was still alive – and fired two more rounds into his body, killing him. Black Lives Matter Los Angeles is calling on LAPD Police Chief Michel Moore to fire the two police. Learn more about the case and sign the petition here.

Support Central Maine SURJ's Know Your Rights Working Group
Police in Lewiston, Maine, are collaborating with ICE, putting immigrant communities in danger. In response, Central Maine SURJ has started a "Know Your Rights" working group focused on educating local communities with peer-to-peer "Know Your Rights" presentations, zines, posters and mutual aid projects. Your support now will go a long way toward strengthening their efforts and the work of their partner orgs.  Learn more about their plans and make a donation here.

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