Calendar

9896
Aug
17
Sun
80 Years after the US Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Are We on the Verge of Another Nuclear War?​ @ Online
Aug 17 @ 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

 

Speaker: Gerry Condon

To Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87388824824?pwd=QTWNvr8cGeGo1ZDW7x9Y8W0sDaNxRc.1

Meeting ID: 873 8882 4824
Passcode:  042428
• +1 646 931 3860 US
• +1 669 444 9171 US

Nuclear weapons are used every day.  They are like a gun you point at somebody’s head.”   – Daniel Ellsberg

Eighty years ago, the US dropped nuclear bombs on the civilian populations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Today, the world is closer to nuclear war even than during the Cuban missile crisis, and the Pentagon is planning a nuclear first-strike against China. Some say the absence of another nuclear war in the last eighty years proves that nuclear “deterrence” is working – but with the increasingly aggressive U.S. foreign policy, how long can “deterrence” work?

Our speaker, Gerry Condon, is a Vietnam-era veteran and war resister, a former president and current national board member of Veterans For Peace (VFP), and chair of their Golden Rule peace boat committee. Gerry is currently coordinating the Golden Rule’s month-long visit to San Francisco Bay. Gerry serves on the steering committee of the Peace In Ukraine Coalition, the board of the Task Force on the Americas, and the advisory board of the US Peace Council. In 1968, Gerry refused Army orders to deploy to Vietnam. He was court-martialed and sentenced to ten years in prison, but fled to Sweden, where he worked with the American Deserters Committee, and to Canada, where he worked with the AMEX-Canada war resister collective.

See these articles on peace by Gerry Condon:

Eighty Years After the U.S. Bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Are We on the Verge of Another Nuclear War?

‘The Law Is Simple’: Israel’s Unregulated Nukes Mean Biden Must Halt Military Aid
Remembering Nuclear Victims 71 Years after the Castle Bravo Test

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Fundraiser Screening of “The Encampments” @ The New Parkway @ New Parkway Theater
Aug 17 @ 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Join us for an afternoon of community and fundraising! Watch the powerful documentary from Watermelon Pictures, executive produced by Macklemore, ‘The Encampments,’ about the hundreds of student-led solidarity camps protesting the genocide and occupation of Gaza.
 
WHAT: Screening of “The Encampments” followed by an introduction to local orgs working on Palestinian solidarity. Learn and plug in!
 
The building opens @ 12pm, and the film starts @ 12:30pm. Please arrive at the New Parkway early to check-in, visit our resources table, and get some food in the lobby.
 
WHO: Watermelon Connections is a grassroots mutual aid group of individuals and families in North America who are raising and distributing funds directly to families in Gaza. We maintain relationships with these individuals/families via messages and calls, uplift their fundraising campaigns, and donate our time, energy, and money to them. All of those who we support have been vetted by our volunteers.
 
TICKETS: We are hosting this screening as a fundraiser and are distributing tickets by donation. All proceeds from ticket donations will go directly to families surviving in Gaza. Suggested donation is $20-$200 per ticket. We also want anyone who wants to watch this film to be able to do so, so any amount is appreciated and no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
 
AGE CONSIDERATIONS: The film may not be appropriate for viewers under 10 (scenes of war and police violence).
 
ACCESSIBILITY:
  • The film is in English.
  • Childcare is not provided.
  • Masks are kindly requested. We will have masks available on-site.
  • There is a ramp available to access the building.
  • There are no required steps in the theater itself.
  • Read more about transit and parking information.
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Aug
18
Mon
Corporate Tour of Same @ Near Montgomery BART
Aug 18 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

💥Join us a rowdy noisy tour of shame of some of the worst banking and insurance institutions in San Francisco’s financial district on Monday, August 18th at 11am. 💥

We will take direct action with a tour of shame to shut down business as usual and emphasize the connections between war, the climate crisis, capitalism, exploitation and oppression.

We and allies will be led by a delegation of Gulf South residents, a region on the frontlines of climate disaster, representing communities hit hardest by the fossil fuel projects supported by the financial and insurance institutions in the SF Financial District.

🍳🎉🎵Bring pots, pans, and noisemakers of all kinds. We’ll have everything else you need, including chant sheets, banners, signs, props and art.

Send RSVP.

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Aug
20
Wed
Stand up to Big Oil – Sacramento @ Sacramento Capitol Bldg
Aug 20 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

By now you’ve probably seen or heard of Newsom’s hot mess of a “Petroleum Market Stabilization” bill that will reverse every gain we’ve fought so hard for on the oil and gas front.

This coming Wednesday in Sacramento there will be a Joint Assembly Committee Hearing on “California’s Transportation Fuels Transition” to consider the bill’s disastrous proposals. This is our big chance to change hearts and minds in the legislature.

The hearing will cover topics related to Newsom’s current proposals to expand oil and gas drilling across the state, as well as legislative proposals to cut refinery regulations.

The current momentum, if left unchecked, could send us right back to drilling Mordor.  We can’t let this happen.

This is a very critical moment in our efforts to hold back the wave of Big Oil handouts that Newsom and some legislators are proposing in the wake of of refinery closures and the panic over gas prices. There’ll be an opportunity at this hearing for public comments—anywhere from 1 minute to 30 seconds, depending on attendance—and we need dozens of us to pack the room and urge the legislature to stand up to Big Oil. The hearing starts at 1:30 PM in the Swing Space, Room 1100. Lunch will be provided at noon.

The sign-up form is here.  Further info and talking points will be provided once you’ve signed up.

p.s.  On Monday, August 18 at 5 PM there will be an organizing and info session for activists around the state to get up to speed on the Big Oil handouts proposed for the end of the legislative session. You can register for the zoom link here.

And please reach out to action@sunflower-alliance.org if you can give a ride on Wednesday or want to join some of us on the train.

These are terrible times and we are beset from all directions at once.  Sadly, this is yet another area to come together in emergency response, and we thank you for rising to the occasion.

Sunflower Alliance
https://350bayarea.nationbuilder.com/

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Aug
22
Fri
#THIELTAKEDOWN
Aug 22 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

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ONGOING STOP the COUP PROTEST
Aug 22 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

 

ONGOING STOP the COUP PROTEST from 5 – 6 pm

Focus: Rally every Friday Stop the Coup Protest, organized by Indivisible Elmwood

78326
Sing for Justice & Peace
Aug 22 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Between Acton and Bonar, beside “The Way”, in front of the bike path. 

(Please leave the left lane of bike path clear.)
 
We’re holding these on the 2nd and 4th Fridays, from 5 to 6 pm, for just an hour. This is our 4th “Sing for Justice and Peace.” The first 3 were great fun, and meaningful with many drivers honking support, giving thumbs up etc. If you don’t like to sing, beat a drum or just hold a protest sign and/or bring a poem about peace for the open mic.
 
The leafy location marks an entrance to a shady bike path, and there’s oodles of car traffic passing by. 
 
Everyone Is welcome to join this fun-loving, rebellious, and collaborative event. There’s a sound system, and extra noisemakers if getting loud helps heal your spirit in these war-torn and troubled times. Join this Friday’s FUN protest, open mic, and sing-along for Justice & Peace!
78305
Aug
23
Sat
Extinction Rebellion US All-Chapter Gathering @ Online
Aug 23 @ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm

RSVP

This is a virtual event

Our next All-Chapter Gathering, will focus on sharing reports about summer actions and discussing ideas for possible fall actions. We want to hear from all of you!

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us in the meantime if you have any questions.
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  STOP the DOGE DESTRUCTION
Aug 23 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

STOP the DOGE DESTRUCTION from 12 – 1:30 pm

Location: at 1731 Fourth Street, between Virginia and Delaware, outside Tesla Showroom

78327
Aug
24
Sun
Socialism with Russian Characteristics
Aug 24 @ 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

 

Speaker: Karl Sanchez

To Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87388824824?pwd=QTWNvr8cGeGo1ZDW7x9Y8W0sDaNxRc.1

Meeting ID: 873 8882 4824
Passcode:  042428

Call one of these numbers and enter the codes above:• +1 646 931 3860 US
• +1 669 444 9171 US

How to describe the character of Russian society during the Putin presidency brings forth strong opinions, including from Marxists. Karl Sanchez believes that one must distinguish ‘State Capitalism and the type of Socialism being employed by Russia and China. Currently all political-economies are hybrids – no nation is purely one or another. However, it is clear that some political-economic formats are detrimental to the majority and merit being radically reformed.

Karl Sanchez is based on the US West Coast. He had a long career as a culinary worker before turning to academia. His popular Substack blog – Karlof1’s Geopolitical Gymnasium – provides extensive information and analysis on Russian internal developments.

 

78337
UNCOMMON LAW FILM SCREENING @ New Parkway Theater
Aug 24 @ 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

 

Join UnCommon Law for a special screening featuring three short films — I DoFinding Má, and Unhoused and Unseen — by formerly incarcerated filmmakers whose work challenges dominant narratives and centers love, healing, and resilience behind and beyond the prison walls. Following the screening, hear directly from the directors — Rahsaan Thomas, Thanh Tran, and Dante D. Jones — in a panel discussion about the power of storytelling to disrupt systems, reconnect families, and humanize people impacted by incarceration.

Sun: 12:30 🎫

78339
An Evening for Gaza @ Finnish Hall
Aug 24 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Berkeley Finnish Hall

78336
Aug
26
Tue
Interfaith Prayer Vigil Against ICE @ ICE Field Office
Aug 26 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Interfaith Prayer Vigil: As the attack on immigrants is escalating and ICE the U.S. government is disappearing people, we refuse to stand by as masked ICE agents abduct and disappear members of our communities. Come stand with the Godmothers of the Disappeared, who hold this vigil in solidarity with the Interfaith Mother’s Vigils in Los Angeles and across the country.

78342
Aug
27
Wed
Free COVID Testing at The People’s House – Oakland @ The People's House
Aug 27 @ 12:13 am – 1:13 am

 

As COVID cases once again rise across the Bay Area, access to testing and protective resources has become more difficult for our communities—especially for Black, Brown, unhoused, and working-class residents. Many of the free testing sites that once served our neighborhoods have closed, and store-bought tests are unaffordable or unavailable for many.

In response, the Anti Police-Terror Project and The People’s House are stepping up to meet the need. We believe public health is a collective responsibility, and we remain committed to providing tools that help keep our communities safe and resourced.

We are now offering free COVID testing multiple days a week at The People’s House in Oakland (893 Willow St).

Testing Schedule

  • Tuesdays from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
  • Mondays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
    • Offered during The People’s Detox, which also includes free ear acupuncture, Narcan distribution, fentanyl test strips, and peer support for addiction and mental health
  • 1st and 3rd Fridays from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
    • Offered during The People’s Clinic, which includes massage therapy, acupuncture, healing circles, and other community-based wellness services

What to Expect

  • Rapid antigen COVID tests are available on-site
  • In most cases, individuals will be able to leave with a box of take-home tests (while supplies last)
  • K/N95 masks are available to anyone who needs them
  • No insurance, ID, or pre-registration is required
  • All services are free of charge
78343
Reading the Revolution @ Online
Aug 27 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

As school boards ban books and disinformation clouds our collective memory, one truth is clear: storytelling is resistance.

That’s why we’re launching Reading the Revolution – a new Women’s March program that reimagines the book club. There’s no pre-reading, no guilt, and no homework. Just big ideas, rich conversations, and a shared commitment to imagining a better world through the stories we love.

Join us for a spicy conversation on feminism, romance literature, and the revolutionary nature of reading!

RSVP NOW >>>

We’re kicking it all off with a bang, exploring the feminist intersections of romance reading, the radical nature of claiming our *ahem* power in storytelling, and why reading is a revolutionary act.

We’re thrilled to announce our first panelists:
Emily Rath (@emilyrathauthor): Bestselling romance author bringing her sharp insight and hotter-than-hot takes on readership and writing.
Divinity Rae (@divinityraewrites): Writer, truth-teller, and fearless voice on love, power, and pleasure

RSVP NOW >>>

Come for the books. Stay for the revolution.

With Love & Liberation,
Women’s March Network

78338
Aug
29
Fri
ONGOING STOP the COUP PROTEST
Aug 29 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

 

ONGOING STOP the COUP PROTEST from 5 – 6 pm

Focus: Rally every Friday Stop the Coup Protest, organized by Indivisible Elmwood

78326
Aug
30
Sat
  STOP the DOGE DESTRUCTION
Aug 30 @ 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

STOP the DOGE DESTRUCTION from 12 – 1:30 pm

Location: at 1731 Fourth Street, between Virginia and Delaware, outside Tesla Showroom

78327
Sep
2
Tue
Free COVID Testing at The People’s House – Oakland @ The People's House
Sep 2 @ 12:13 am – 1:13 am

 

As COVID cases once again rise across the Bay Area, access to testing and protective resources has become more difficult for our communities—especially for Black, Brown, unhoused, and working-class residents. Many of the free testing sites that once served our neighborhoods have closed, and store-bought tests are unaffordable or unavailable for many.

In response, the Anti Police-Terror Project and The People’s House are stepping up to meet the need. We believe public health is a collective responsibility, and we remain committed to providing tools that help keep our communities safe and resourced.

We are now offering free COVID testing multiple days a week at The People’s House in Oakland (893 Willow St).

Testing Schedule

  • Tuesdays from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM
  • Mondays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM
    • Offered during The People’s Detox, which also includes free ear acupuncture, Narcan distribution, fentanyl test strips, and peer support for addiction and mental health
  • 1st and 3rd Fridays from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
    • Offered during The People’s Clinic, which includes massage therapy, acupuncture, healing circles, and other community-based wellness services

What to Expect

  • Rapid antigen COVID tests are available on-site
  • In most cases, individuals will be able to leave with a box of take-home tests (while supplies last)
  • K/N95 masks are available to anyone who needs them
  • No insurance, ID, or pre-registration is required
  • All services are free of charge
78343
How Do We Fight MAGA? @ Starry Plough
Sep 2 @ 5:58 pm – 6:58 pm

 

Doors open at 1:30 p.m.

Please register in advance at
https://bit.ly/SSS-FightingMAGA
to receive your personal link to participate in this event online

MAGA – Make America Great Again – is anything but that. It is an attempt to subvert whatever democratic rights we have, amplify the racism that already exists, persecute and expel our fellow workers who may not have the appropriate documents (and many who do) and make young people a lot more ignorant and anyone with a uterus a lot more pregnant. Our speakers will describe various movements to defend the rights of workers, immigrants, and all of us from the increasing attacks by the current U.S. regime.

Kathryn Durham �< Hammer, Indivisible Resisters – Contra Costa County

Bill Balderston � Alameda County Central Labor Council delegate

Renée C – Organizer with Party for Socialism and Liberation, Attorney

Frank Running Horse – Diablo Valley Resistance, Founding member of Teamsters for a Democratic Union

*Organizations listed for identification purposes only.

Please help us celebrate our return to the Starry Plough by ordering food and/or drinks.
Please arrive early to place your order so that you do not miss any of the presentations.
An open discussion will follow the presentations.
We will be accepting donations which will be divided among the sponsoring organizations.
 

This event is sponsored by the Alameda County Peace and Freedom Party,
the Alameda County Green Party and Bay Area System Change Not Climate Change.For more information email <info@sudssnackssocialism.org>

[][][]

78354
Sep
3
Wed
Learn about the proposed “Encampment Abatement Policy” – and make your voice heard! @ Online
Sep 3 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
We hope you can join us – bring your friends and neighbors! Register here for the zoom link.
In 2020, Oakland City Council passed the “Encampment Management Policy” (EMP), authored by CM Loren Taylor. This legislation did not create one single additional shelter bed, much less any interim housing or pipeline towards permanent housing for our houseless neighbors. Because the EMP did nothing to address the issue of people not being able to afford housing or access shelter, it was, in practice, completely unenforceable. While the City created an Encampment Management Team and ramped up sweeps, most of the time, encampments were simply displaced from one street or park to another. Wherever you stand on homelessness and people dwelling in public spaces, you’ve likely experienced the EMP as a failed policy.

In July, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order, “Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets,” tying federal funding for Health & Human Services (HHS) and Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to a crackdown on homelessness. Shortly afterward, CM Ken Houston moved to rush an update to the EMP, which he is calling an “Encampment Abatement Policy.”

There’s a lot to unpack here – different people are deeply affected by the homelessness crisis in different ways, and different levels of government (City, County, State & Federal) are needed to meaningfully address the crisis and create concrete solutions. The people benefitting from this man-made disaster (the racist real estate industry and a fascist President exploiting fear to justify repression) are counting on us being too divided – housed vs. unhoused – to challenge their power and successfully implement solutions that reflect Oakland’s values.

The Black Solutions Lab, Care 4 Community Action, Wood Street Commons are here to help you understand what’s being proposed, think through the nuances of addressing the homelessness crisis in Oakland, and support you to clearly and effectively present your position to the decision-makers who will be voting on this policy very soon.

What to expect at this training:

  1. You’ll gain a clear understanding of why this legislation is being proposed and what it would concretely do.
  2. Organizers with lived experience of homelessness will explain what this policy would do and how it would affect people currently living on the streets.
  3. We will demystify the process of passing legislation at the City level, and you will leave empowered to meaningfully participate in that process.
  4. You’ll leave the training empowered and prepared to advocate effectively at upcoming public meetings about this proposed policy.

We hope you can join us – bring your friends and neighbors! Register here for the zoom link.

78347