Weekly Newsletter - September 7, 2020

Tuesday, September 8 • 5:00 – 7:30 pm
Phonebank for Schools and Communities First 
Are you tired of seeing our schools and communities struggle to secure adequate funding while big corporations rake in record profits year after year? Proposition 15 will allow cities and counties to invest in schools and crucial public services by making large, wealthy corporations pay their fair share in property taxes. If we truly value Black life, we will vote to enable our government to fund services in Black communities that have suffered decades of disinvestment. Help us make calls to discuss the importance of Prop 15. Learn more and register here. There will also be Prop 15 phonebanks on September 16, September 22, and September 30. See the full list of September and October phonebanks on the SURJ events page. Sign up for one or all of them!

Tuesday, September 8 • 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Attica Means Fight Back Panel Discussion and Video
Join the California Coalition for Women Prisoners and the Freedom Archives for a panel discussing the historical legacy of the Attica Prison Rebellion, the largest prison uprising in U.S. history. Today the conditions in U.S. prisons are even more barbaric than in 1971, with massive overcrowding, extreme sentencing, gendered violence, and a health care crisis made much worse by the COVID pandemic. Featured panelists include Romarilyn Ralston, Paul Redd, and Michael Deutsch. This event is part of a national month of actions marking the Attica uprising and demanding decarceration now. Event is free, register here.

Thursday, September 10 • 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Trauma-Informed Pedagogy: Creating Safe Learning Environments
How can educators create safe learning environments for young people who’ve experienced or witnessed a lifetime of trauma? Research has shown that by the time they reach college age, 66-85% of youth report traumatic event exposure. For Black, Indigenous, and other young people of color, young immigrants and refugees, queer youth, and current and former foster youth, the risk factors are even higher. Award-winning author and scholar Dr. Stacey Patton is a nationally-recognized child and youth advocate whose research focuses on the intersections of race and childhood. In this SpeakOut virtual event, she’ll show how trauma manifests in young people and how to create safe learning spaces and pedagogy that helps students thrive. Sliding scale $5 - $25. Learn more and register here.

Friday, September 11 & Monday, September 14 • 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 to provide concrete steps you can take — calling elected officials, signing petitions, sending emails — to combat racism against Black and Indigenous people and communities of color. Closed captioning will be available in the main room of Action Hour calls. Reserve your spot! Register her for September 11. Register here for September 14.

Saturday, September 12 and Saturday, September 26 • 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Saturday Virtual Dialogues: Creating a Call-In Culture
Join SURJ Bay Area for this recurring virtual discussion to build resiliency and move into a more active role in dismantling white supremacy. The Saturday Dialogues explore internal barriers that are holding us back from living out our desire to work for racial justice, and practice how to deeply listen to each other to create a culture that supports calling people into the movement from a place of love. Large group and small group dialogues are grounded in philosophical principles and understandings related to theories of social change and anti-racist white identity development. This space is open to any white person interested in honest conversation, reflection, and confrontation with race, racism, and white privilege. Click here to RSVP for September 12. Click here to RSVP for September 26.

Saturday, September 12 • 10:00 – 11:30 am
Restore Voting Rights to Californians on Parole
Though they’ve completed their prison term, some 50,000 Californians living in and contributing to their communities, cannot vote. On the ballot this November 3rd, Prop 17 will change this and ensure that formerly-incarcerated citizens’ voices are heard. Join the Contra Costa County SURJ chapter for an online discussion of the history and impact of disenfranchisement as well as background on this critically-important proposition. After that, they’ll break into three groups: action, education, and communication, to continue SURJ's work in Contra Costa County. Learn more and register here.

Sunday, September 13 • 5:30 – 8:00 pm
Rise in Power: Recognizing Resistance from San Quentin to Attica and Back Again
Join a demonstration and vigil at San Quentin prison linking the 1971 state murders at San Quentin (George Jackson’s assassination) and Attica (the 1971 prison uprising) with the criminal negligence that has led to 26 deaths at San Quentin during the COVID pandemic, including twelve death row prisoners. We'll honor all the incarcerated lives lost across California and the U.S. due to the ruthless disregard for Black, Brown, Indigenous and all incarcerated people. Sponsored by California Coalition for Women Prisoners and No Justice Under Capitalism, among others. More info here.
Location: Meet at Larkspur Ferry at 5:30 pm, walk to west gate of San Quentin at 6:00 pm

Wednesday, September 23 • 6:45 – 9:00 pm
Intro to SURJ Virtual Meeting
Interested in learning about how SURJ Bay Area 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 at this virtual introduction, 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!

Saturday, September 26 • 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
The Power of Public Policy: Virtual Workshop
Join SURJ Bay Area’s Policy Committee for a legislative strategy session and workshop that will demystify the legislative process, build our collective legislative capacity, and highlight the legislative priorities and strategies of SURJ’s Black, Indigenous, and people of color-led partners. This workshop is for anyone who is passionate, curious, or wants to learn more about the ways that policy combined with grassroots organizing can be used as a tool in the movement for racial justice and collective liberation. Sliding scale $5 - $10 - no one turned away due to lack of funds. Learn more and register here.

Actions You Can Take This Week!

SHARE THE MESSAGE:

Put Up a Black Lives Matter Sign – SURJ has Black Lives Matter lawn and window signs and postcards available for easy pickup in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Leandro. These are free but if you want to help cover costs, you can donate here. Grab some for friends and family too! Pickup locations are listed here.

LISTEN TO A PODCAST:

The Word is Resistance: a SURJ Faith Podcast – For the next several months on the podcast, we’re thinking with you about freedom. We are asking: What does it mean to be free? What does it even take to be free? Is freedom individual or collective? What do we need to be free *from*? What do we need to be free *for*? Listen here and subscribe through your podcast platform.

SIGN A PETITION:

Justice for Daniel Prude - Newly-released police bodycam footage shows Daniel Prude, a 41-year-old Black man in need of mental health assistance, was murdered by Rochester, New York, police in March. Color of Change is demanding Rochester DA Sandra Doorley arrest and charge the recently-suspended police officers who murdered Daniel. Trained medical and mental health professionals—not cops—should respond to medical calls. Learn more and sign the petition here. The SURJ Rochester chapter is also asking for support for their efforts to get justice of Daniel Prude. Learn more on their Facebook page and website.

National Call to Action for Jacob Blake – On August 23, Jacob Blake was shot by Kenosha, WI, police officers at least seven times at close range—as his three sons watched. The 29-year-old father is now paralyzed from the waist down and doctors do not yet know if the injury is permanent. Sign the petition calling on the Kenosha mayor, district attorney, and Wisconsin attorney general to hold the police officers who shot Jacob Blake accountable. Write and call local and state officials--scripts and contact information are linked here. Donate to the gofundme here.

Sign the 'Listen to Black Women' Letter for Justice for Breonna Taylor – White women in Louisville are calling on Mayor Greg Fischer to listen to Black women and fire the officers who killed Breonna Taylor, and they are asking white women everywhere to join them. Read and sign the letter here.

Pressure UPS, Ford, and Humana to support Justice for Breonna – Three companies with large Louisville offices—UPS, Ford Motor Company, and Humana—employ more than 50,000 area residents. Each company's executives have expressed some support for the Black Lives Matter movement, but have stopped short of demanding justice for Breonna. These companies have a lot of power over public life in Louisville. Sign this petition to demand that their executives take a stand and push for the firing, arrest, and charging of the LMPD officers who murdered Breonna Taylor.

SUPPORT LEGISLATION:

Call on Gov. Newsom to Sign into Law the California Racial Justice Act – The California Racial Justice Act, AB 2542, asserts civil rights in the courtroom and prohibits the state from using discriminating means to seek or obtain a conviction or sentence. It's passed the State Senate and Assembly and now needs to Governor to sign it into law. Find more info and a sample letter of support here

Support the BREATHE Act on Social Media – The Movement for Black Lives and allies nationwide have 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.

TEXT:

San Francisco Rising: Text Banking for Prop 15 – Help us win $12 billion dollars per year for our communities with Prop 15, Schools and Communities First, by texting friends, family, and voters across SF. Using the app Outreach Circle, we will be securely texting our communities to make sure they are invested in Prop 15 too. There is a massive coalition of groups led by people of color championing Prop 15. SURJ is mobilizing our base to be a part of this critical campaign and we need you! Passing Prop 15 is a critical racial justice issue. Learn more and sign up here.

DONATE:

Support Rematriation by Paying Your Shuumi Land Tax – As the stolen lands around us smolder, the urgency of rematriation—returning Indigenous land to Indigenous people—cannot be understated. Our partners at Sogorea Te’ Land Trust are healing and transforming legacies of colonization, genocide, and patriarchy through vital practices of rematriation, cultural revitalization, and land restoration. Visit their beautiful new website to learn more—and support their essential work by paying your Shuumi Land Tax today.

Support Prop 17: Voting Rights for People on Parole – Join our partner orgs in supporting prop 17 on the Nov. ballot and restore voting rights to an estimated 50,000 people on parole in CA. Volunteer to get the word out, and make a tax-deductible donation to the campaign.

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 SURJ Bay Area through Benevity and DOUBLING the amount of the donation!

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