WEEKLY NEWSLETTER - September 3, 2018

Friday, September 7 • 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Rally for Community Resilience in the Face of Climate Disasters
On the weekend of the last Urban Shield, the militarized war games and weapons expo put on by Alameda County Sheriff Ahern, join the Stop Urban Shield Coalition in a rally outside of Ahern's Office to solidify our victory against Urban Shield, connect militarization with climate disaster, and demand real community based preparedness and response to natural and man-made disasters.
Location: 1401 Lakeside, Oakland (Alameda County Sheriff's Office)

Saturday, September 8 • 7:00 - 8:30 pm
World Premiere of the Play, 9-1-1- What's Your Emergency
Written and directed by Bay Area playwright Jovelyn Richards and starring a cast of local actors, this play is an artistic response to gentrification, stereotypes, systemic racism, and the personal narratives of humanity. This groundbreaking and timely work examines the white fragility, as a result of the intersection of white supremacy and personal psychological narratives, propelling the calls. The 911 call is rooted in micro-aggression, yet can have irreparable consequences to communities of color. Followed by a community discussion. Tickets $20 in advance/$25 at the door. More info/tickets here
Location: La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave. Berkeley

Saturday, September 8 • 10:00 am - Friday, September 14
RISE for Climate, Jobs, and Justice March and #Sol2Sol Week
Join thousands who will march in San Francisco on Saturday, September 8th for the largest climate march the West Coast has ever seen. The mobilization kicks off It Takes Roots - Solidarity to Solutions (#Sol2Sol) Week which will take place as a counterpoint to the Global Climate Action Summit and lift up grassroots frontline community solutions that address the interlinked crises of climate, economic, and racial justice. RSVP for the march here. See full schedule of events and learn more here.
Location: Saturday march starts at 10 am, Embarcadero Plaza, San Francisco; other activities at various venues in San Francisco

Sunday, September 9 • 9:00 am - 12:00 noon
Intertribal Prayer, Teach-in and Direct Action Training
Come to the Bay Area’s oldest Sacred Site which has been the focus of 2.5 years of organizing to save from developers. The morning will include a prayer ceremony, songs, and info about the struggle to protect this ancient burial/ceremonial and village site of the Lisjan/Ohlone people. A direct action training will follow the ceremony as part of events for the week of Global Climate Action.
Location: West Berkeley Shellmound, 1900 Fourth St. Berkeley

Thursday, September 13 • 7:00 - 9:00 pm
Insurgent Supremacists: Building Power Against the Far Right
Join the Center for Political Education for a panel discussion around how to build power against the Far Right. Panelists include, Matthew N. Lyons, Sara Kershnar (International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network) and Mohamed Shehk (Critical Resistance), and will be moderated by Maisha Quint (CPE). RSVP here.
Location: 1125 Valencia St, Mission Center, City College of San Francisco, Room 109

Friday, September 14 • 6:00 - 10:00 pm
AROC 10 Year Anniversary Dinner
Angela Davis and Nadine Naber headline this celebration of the Arab Resource and Organizing Center's 10 years of community defense, movement building, and resistance. Entertainment provided by DJ Emancipacion and Al Juthour Dabke Troupe. For more information and tickets, click here.
Location: Oakland Asian Cultural Center, 388 9th St. Oakland

Saturday, September 15 • 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Yes on 10 East Bay Mass Mobilization
Join Yes on Prop 10, Housing Now and ACCE Action for a press conference, door knocking training and mass canvassing to launch weekly mobilizations to pass Prop 10 and build the tenant movement for rent control.
Location: 2501 International Blvd, Oakland

Saturday, September 15 • 3:00 - 8:00 pm
Benefit for Mujeres Unidas y Activas (MUA)
Come out to support and celebrate the work of MUA, a grassroots organization of Latina immigrant women that promotes personal transformation and builds community power for social and economic justice. Tickets include raffle, food, and dance and go to fund their work educating their community about their rights, working with powerful women raising their voices in the street, and demanding respect and dignity. For tickets or to make a donation, click here.
Location: Club El Rio, 3158 Mission St. San Francisco

Tuesday, September 25 • 6:30 - 9:00 pm
Family Separation Is Nothing New: What We Need to Know and Do
Much of the country has been rightly outraged about the U.S. government’s practice of separating families who seek asylum in the U.S. at the border. Yet what is being done is nothing new. From slavery to mass incarceration, the U.S. has been separating families for centuries. Join SURJ Bay Area to discuss how white supremacy impacts immigration historically and today and the many ways each of us can be effective and accountable in supporting immigrant-led movements. Tickets $5 - 25 sliding scale (no one tuned away for lack of funds) to benefit local immigrant organizing. Get your tickets here.
Location: Sierra Club, 2101 Webster St. #1300, Oakland

Wednesday, September 26 • 6:45 - 9:00 pm
September Introduction 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'll hear about SURJ's pathways for entering the work, including Study and Action groups as well as committees, upcoming workshops, and events. We'll answer your questions and share how you can be part of the movement for racial justice. RSVP to attend today!
Location: Movement Strategy Center, 436 14th St. Suite 500, Oakland

Wednesday, October 3 • 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Legal Services for Prisoners with Children 40th Anniversary Gala
Legal Services for Prisoners with Children 40th Anniversary GalaJoin us to celebrate 40 years of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) and 15 years of their project, All of Us or None. Drinks and appetizers will be followed by a conversation with civil rights attorney and legal scholar Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness; journalist, academic, author, and TV commentator Marc Lamont Hill; and advocate and attorney Vonya Quarles, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Starting Over Inc. More information and tickets available here.
Location:  Scottish Rites Center, 1st Floor, Grand Ballroom, 1547 Lakeside Dr. Oakland

SB10 DISGUISED AS BAIL REFORM FROM MOVING FORWARD!
This is an urgent request from the SURJ Policy Working Group asking you to stop the hijacking of bail reform in the California Legislature. Senate Bill 10 (SB10) has been co-opted and is no longer the progressive reform we fought for. Rather than helping our communities, it would exacerbate existing racial and economic injustices by giving judges greater ability to hold people pre-trial, using racist risk assessment tools, and expanding the power of probation. Here's what you can do to help:
1. Sign this petition and share widely
2. Call and email Senator Hertzberg, the author of the bill, and tell him to withdraw SB10. Phone: 916.651.4018 | Email
Sample phone/email script: "I'm contacting you to express my opposition to Senate Bill 10. Our communities deserve a better bail reform bill. I support bail reform that will truly reduce pre-trial imprisonment and improve the lives of Californians, but SB10 does not achieve that. As a resident of ___city and a member of SURJ Bay Area I'm calling on you to vote no on SB10 when given the opportunity. Let's scrap SB10 and work for real reform next year."
Questions or want to help by volunteering? Contact Zoe from Essie Justice at zoe@essiejusticegroup.org or sign up to volunteer here.

Host a "Rise Up for Rent Control" House Party!
SURJ Bay Area plans to hold 100 house parties this Summer and Fall to spread the word about Prop 10 (the Affordable Housing Act), which will be on the ballot this November. Prop 10 will help stop displacement by making it easier for cities and towns to pass strong rent control laws.
We’re going to need a huge grassroots effort to talk to our friends and neighbors about why they should vote YES on Prop 10. To do this, you can host a house party - it’s easy! All you need to do is pick a date, bring together 7 - 30 friends, neighbors, coworkers, or others at your home or other space, and provide snacks. SURJ Bay Area members will provide logistical support along the way, and will join your party to talk to your guests about Prop 10 and how they can get involved in the campaign for stronger rent control in California. If you can't host a party, you can offer your space, join with someone else to co-host, or just attend someone else's party. Get more information here. Sign up to host here.
We will also be at the Grand Lake Farmer's Market to talk to our neighbors about the importance of voting Yes on Prop 10. A brief training will be provided at the beginning of the shift and volunteers will have lunch together afterwords. Email surjyesonprop10@gmail.com to sign up!

Phone Bank for Racial Justice - Virtual Phone Banks with SURJ Action and Mijente
The pain of family separations, escalated detention tactics, and attacks on immigrants make it all too clear we have a lot of work to do in shifting the hearts and minds of white people toward racial justice. Fundraising has always played a key role in providing resources to organize white communities and to support organizing led by people of color. Can you commit 3 hours of your time to phone bank for racial justice? This phone bank will support both SURJ Action and Mijente. Mijente is a digital and grassroots political home for the Latinx and Chicanx community that has been on the front lines of this work and is focused on connecting to the broader movements for racial, economic, climate, and gender justice. Sign up here for a time to phone bank in August.

SURJ Faith: National Invitation to Prophetic Imagination
SURJ’s national campaign to involve faith communities in ending police terror is launching its second phase in September! We’ve revamped the structure so that you can now join even if you are the only person in your faith community who is thinking about divestment from policing. We’ll support you and others like you around the country with monthly coaching calls and provocative webinars as you build a small working group to bring this conversation to your faith community. Click here for more information and to sign up.

Get Trained As an Ice Detainee Bail-Out Volunteer
Do you want to help reunite immigrant families who’ve been torn apart by ICE? With the closing of the Richmond Detention Center looming, organizers are looking for people who will become bail-out volunteers. Over $100,000 has been raised for the bail fund, yet people are needed for the actual physical on-the-ground process of bailing someone out of ICE detention. Two hour trainings are being offered in Berkeley from August 14 - October 9. Click here to learn more about what’s involved and how you can get involved.

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.
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Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) Bay Area c/o PO Box 22748, Oakland CA 94609