Liberated Lens will host a free film series commemorating the 400th Anniversary of the first Africans brought to present day America. The series will feature an event every third Sunday of the month starting February, for Black History Month, and ending in August, which marks the quadricentennial.

For the first event of the series we will show “Nightjohn” and have a discussion with Natalie Baszile, author of a novel, “Queen Sugar”.

NIGHTJOHN:
Sarny, a 12-year-old slave girl in the South, faces a relatively hopeless life. Her chief duties at the plantation of Clel Waller are serving at table, spitting tobacco juice on roses to prevent bugs, and secretly conveying intimate messages between Waller’s wife, Callie, and Dr. Chamberlaine. Then Nightjohn, a former runaway slave arrives. In exchange for a pinch of tobacco, Nightjohn secretly begins to teach Sarny to read and write, a crime punishable by death. “Words,” he says, “are freedom.

“Queen Sugar”
Queen Sugar is a novel written by Natalie Baszile, her first published novel. It is a mother-daughter story of reinvention. It tells the story about a woman, who unexpectedly inherits a sugarcane farm in Louisiana. The novel was adapted as a drama television series on Oprah’s network, directed by Ava DuVernay (“Selma”, “13th”)

CANCELLED.

The birthplace of our Chicago-based comrade Chairman Fred Hampton, Jr. is being targeted for foreclosure. It’s time to turn out to preserve the home where Mama Akua Njeri, formerly known as Deborah Johnson, raised her son and from where they carry on the Panther legacy of organizing their community to bring an end to predatory smash and grab tactics that cause so many to suffer in their community.

Join Community Ready Corps (Allies and Accomplices) for a conversation between community activist Cat Brooks and Mama Akua as they talk about the ongoing work and calling of Black women and girls who are at the center of this year’s #BlackSolidarityWeek.

All proceeds from ticket sales will go to the Black Solidarity Fund and will be used to support the efforts to #SaveTheHamptonHouse. Please bring your wallet and be prepared to make a donation or a pledge so that we can send Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. and Mama Akua home to Chicago feeling our love and support.

Tickets are sliding scale from $5-$80, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. You will be able to purchase tickets at the door, but space will be reserved for people who purchase tickets in advance (scroll down). Tickets purchased at the door will be $5-$100.

Accessibility Information
Childcare and interpretation for Spanish and ASL provided by reservation. Please come scent-free. Venue is ADA accessible, though not fully scent-free. A scent-free, ADA-accessible bathroom is provided.

The birthplace of freedom fighter Chairman Fred Hampton is being targeted for foreclosure. Without our support, this monument to the radical legacy of the Black Panthers will be another casualty of the big banks. The Chicago community will also lose a key organizing space that currently hosts the Black Panther Cubs among other survival programs.

Join Community Ready Corps (Allies) for a special night of political education and material support for the work of Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. and Mama Akua Njeri. Last year you heard from them at our “Surviving Smash & Grab” event as part of #BlackSolidarityWeek. They opened up about the assassination of twenty-one-year-old Chicago Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton Sr. just 18 months after FBI Director Edgar Hoover issued this directive:

“Prevent the Coalition of militant black nationalist groups…An effective coalition might be the first step toward a real “Mau Mau” in America, the beginning of a true black revolution.”

This year we’ll learn about the work of the Chicago Black Panther Party today, from the Panther Cubs program for youth to plans for a museum documenting the legacy of freedom fighter Chairman Fred Hampton.

This event is a fundraiser meant to solicit material support for the effort to preserve and protect the birthplace of Chairman Fred Hampton from the Oakland left. Please bring your wallet and help us send Chairman Fred Hampton Jr. and Mama Akua home to Chicago feeling our love and support.

STOP SFPD MILITARIZATION ALERT! The vote to approve Tasers in 2018 violated the Brown Act! Remember how they locked us out of City Hall last year and cast an illegal vote? Come out tomorrow and demand the SF Police Commission rescind the vote! City Hall 2/20 5:30 Rm. 400.

— DSA San Francisco (@DSA_SF) February 20, 2019

We’ll be in front of Nancy Pelosi’s office, talking to people about the Medicare for All act of 2019 and putting on the pressure for her and other representatives to support and advance the new bill being introduced.

This crowd canvass is one of hundreds of events are happening across the country as activists come together to win Medicare for All. Check out more events and share the map at: https://medicare4all.org/actions/

To find out more information and sign up to participate, visit the event page here: https://actionnetwork.org/events/san-francisco-medicare-for-all-crowd-canvass-5

Hang out with other members who are interested in the labor movement, hear about what’s happening in the East Bay DSA Labor Committee, and learn how you can get involved!

Gloria Steinem in conversation with Favianna Rodriguez, moderated by Lauren Schiller.

What is Gloria Steinem thinking about today in our era of #MeToo and intersectionality? How can today’s feminists learn from our foremothers, and vice versa? We’ll celebrate an updated, third edition of Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, originally published in 1983 – a book that has sold over half a million copies, and counting. As author Susan Faludi (Backlash) put it, Outrageous Acts “will always be… a required feminist reader.” From satires to moving tributes, confessions (yes, the Playboy bunny essay is in here) and analyses, the book includes classics along with new material.

Steinem will talk with artist and activist Favianna Rodriguez of CultureStrike, and Lauren Schiller, host of Inflection Point from KALW will moderate the conversation. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from an ever-relevant icon in a smart, sassy conversation that will provoke and inspire you.

Special promo! Join Women Lit at any level and receive many benefits, including a complimentary ticket (more at higher donation levels!), priority seating, and first access to the book signing line for the Steinem event.

Oakland’s teachers, students, and families are ready for a historic strike for public education. The stakes are high. In Oakland and all across the country public education is under attack.  We support Oakland teachers’ fight for schools that our students deserve. Smaller class sizes, more student support services, a living wage for teachers and to keep schools open.  SEIU 1021 and AFSCME have already joined the fight!  Let’s all show them our support!  Here’s how you can help:

• Join us for a rally at DeFremery Park
• Donate directly to the Bread for Ed fund raising efforts to support students by clicking this link: https://donorbox.org/breadfored?fbclid=IwAR2OAxXd0TCQ7edRIBwruYNmZp504FiUVHApv0oszsx2ppMosvF5IM2e29U
• Donate to the OEA Member Assistance Fund (strike hardship fund) for educators who are experiencing financial hardship because of the strike, by clicking on this link:  https://www.gofundme.com/striking-oakland-teachers?member=1579912
• Donate to the Alameda Labor Council Hardship Fund for OEA strike support.  Make your checks payable to �Alameda Labor Council � Memo: Strike Fund�. Drop off or mail to Alameda Labor Council, Attn: Cora Kapenga, 7750 Pardee Lane, Ste 110, Oakland, CA 94621
• Adopt-A-School: (targeted schools) Need 2-4 affiliates for each location to support by donating food and supplies (breakfast/lunch/snacks/drinks) to the teachers, parents, students and community allies on the picket lines.  Also, turnout for picket line help from 7am-10am and 2pm-4pm at these targeted locations.  To adopt-a-school, please contact Eleanor Angeles at eleanor@alamedalabor.org or (510) 499-2839.

Markham Elementary – 7220 Krause Ave.

Burkhalter Elementary – 3994 Burckhalter Ave.

Brookfield Elementary � 401 Jones Ave.

Fruitvale Elementary – 3200 Boston Ave.

Howard Elementary – 8755 Fontaine St.

Sojourner Truth/Rudsdale – 8251 Fontaine St.

Sankofa Academy – 581 61st St.

Parker Elementary – 7929 Ney Ave.

Carl Munck Elementary – 11900 Campus Dr.

• Phone bank for strike support:  Dates and times will be announced soon for phone bank at the Alameda Labor Council to make calls for strike support.  To volunteer, contact Eleanor Angeles eleanor@alamedalabor.org or (510) 499-2839.
• Wear and share with your worksite “We Stand with Oakland Teachers” buttons.  Pick up from the Alameda Labor Council

We will keep you posted for any changes or additional information.  For daily updates follow OEA on their website: https://oaklandea.org/  or their FaceBook page: Oakland Education Association

In Solidarity!

Community organizations: Want to know how to support the Oakland teachers’ strike?

Come learn and strategize around how your organization can help teachers, parents, and students fighting for the public education system all Oakland students deserve. The more that our organizations show up, the more powerful (and quick!) the strike will be.

Hosted by Bay Rising, EBASE, Parent Voices Oakland, Oakland Rising, and the Oakland Education Association.

We stand with Oakland teachers! #StrikeReady #Unite4OaklandKids

Love jigsaw puzzles?
Hate white supremacy?
Want to #MoveInSolidarity with #BlackSolidarityWeek?

Join us at the ACCE office in Oakland for two hours of solving puzzles to raise money for the Black Solidarity Fund, a project of Community READY Corps.

We’ll have 2500 pieces worth of puzzles and 2 hours to put together as many pieces as possible. People who want to donate to the drive will pledge a certain amount of money per piece solved*. For example, if a donor pledges to give 2 cents per piece, and we manage to complete 1500 pieces worth of puzzles, that person would donate 1500 * 2 cents = $30.

You can help out by showing up to the event as a participant and helping us solve puzzles, or by pledging to donate.

For donors, sign up to donate here: https://puzzlesforjustice.typeform.com/to/jVMVJO
and we’ll send you the total amount to donate once the event is over and we know how many pieces we managed to solve.

For participants, we’ll have food and snacks and a chance to have fun with fellow justice-minded puzzle solvers.

Solve puzzles! Sign up to donate! Fight racism! Invite your friends!

Become more resilient!
Learn about emergency preparedness, renewable energy, personal health & well-being, how to fix things & reduce waste, grow & share food, help our natural habitat thrive, plus so much more at the Resiliency Fair!

Don’t send your broken item to the trash – bring it to the Repair Cafe!  Come to this gathering where community members help each other repair what’s broken.  This event is free and intended to empower us to repair.  It is not a free drop-off repair service.

Calling Volunteers! Are you handy with repair? Or do you enjoy hosting? Join this fun and empowering event! Click here to be a volunteer fixer or host!

What type of items can be fixed?
All kinds of household items including – lamps, clothing, toys, furniture, electronics, appliances and bicycles, jewelry … pretty much anything that can be carried through the door. Bring one or two items you would most like to bring back to life and we’ll help you fix one of them!

A cafe will offer refreshments during the event by MLK Middle School as a fundraising effort for their Washington D.C. trip.

This event is organized by Transition Berkeley, with funding from StopWaste. It is co-sponsored and supported by The Culture of Repair Project, the Berkeley Adult School, the Berkeley Times and the Ecology Center.

Through riveting and moving personal recollections of both Israelis and Palestinians, the film reveals the shocking events of the most pivotal year of the ongoing tragedy. It tells the story of the establishment of Israel as seen through the eyes of the people who lived it. This film is your chance to make sense of what is happening in Israel-Palestine today. Co-sponsored by The Way Christian Center, NorCal Sabeel and Jewish Voice For Peace-Bay Area.

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