Calendar
Information, discussion & community! Monday Night Forum!!
OccupyForum is an opportunity for open and respectful dialogue
on all sides of these critically important issues!
Taking Stock of our Actions to Defend Immigrants:
Group discussion and planning
But it is important to realize that the attacks on immigrants have aroused widespread, diverse and potentially powerful opposition. They include activist groups, churches and faith groups, labor unions, lawyers, and some progressive, especially local, politicians, and immigrant groups themselves.
Last week, in response to threats by ICE to initiate raids and mass roundups in the Bay Area, two demonstrations were held at the ICE headquarters at 630 Sansome. On Thursday it was a coalition of political actors from Refuse Fascism, Occupy, Code Pink and other groups. On Friday it was a convergence of religious forces initiated by the Jewish community. It included activists from Faith in Action and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity. More people plan to protest on Monday. Each of these groupings brings with them their own strengths and weaknesses, but all are essential and important in forging a broad defense of immigrants.
What strategies do these groups bring to the struggle, what are their differences and their similarities? Can they collaborate and overlap, even as they work independently?
Let’s meet and kick around some ideas about this. We see two areas where the movement to stop ICE can be immediately assisted:
1. Keep up a regular protest presence at ICE calling upon different sections of the community to take the lead in doing this and,
2. Develop closer coordination, and information sharing, between the different pro-immigrant forces in the field.
Time will be allotted for announcements. Donations to OccupyForum to cover
costs are encouraged; no one turned away!
Critical Resistance invites you and your community group/organization to join us.
One block from 12th St BART. Wheelchair accessible.
RSVP today to join Critical Resistance and the Stop Urban Shield Coalition for a community organization meeting to discuss next steps and immediate targets for the Stop Urban Shield campaign. Learn how you and your organization can fight back against Urban Shield and make 2018 our most powerful year yet. We will also be sharing findings from our Stop Urban Shield People’s Report.
Sheriff Ahern will be submitting his application to host Urban Shield in February and we’re ready to get loud and powerful!
Please share this invitation with your membership and staff. This is an event specially meant for organizations and their members. Healthworkers, EMTs, and San Francisco organizations especially encouraged to join.
Join a youth-led and youth -organized rally to show Phil Tagami and the City of Oakland that the youth will not stand for coal in their city. Youth will be there to make some noise and oppose coal in the Oakland Bulk and Over-sized Terminal.
Tagami, developer of the Oakland Bulk and Oversize Terminal, is suing the city of Oakland for blocking his plan to export coal. The City Council unanimously voted to block the coal terminal to protect the health and safety of Oakland residents, especially the residents of West Oakland, where coal trains would have spewed toxic coal dust on their way to the port.
A three-day trial over the lawsuit ended January 19 without a clear signal from Judge Vince Chhabria as to how he will rule. Chhabria’s ruling is not expected until after he has had a chance to review post-trial briefs and other papers to be filed by the parties in the coming weeks and holds a final hearing tentatively set for March 28.
In the meantime, the fight against coal in Oakland continue
WHERE
Start at Street Academy 417 29th St, Oakland
March on Broadway to Oakland City Hall
Hosted by New Voices are Rising
On January 31, we’re sharing a bold vision for climate justice at an event we’re calling Fossil Free Fast. Tune in and figure out what your role in this fight can be — RSVP for a watch party in the Bay Area below.
350 Bay Area’s Live Event Watch Party: RSVP here
January 31st is Ahed Tamimi’s 17th Birthday.
She is sitting in an Israeli military prison for slapping Israeli soldiers. Her cousin had been shot in the head by a rubber coated steel bullet!
Release her now! Drop all charges!
For too long, the San Francisco Police Officers Association (the police union) has taken hardline stances and used inflammatory tactics that destroy trust between residents and police. It has blocked or delayed common-sense reforms—like the city’s improved use-of-force policy—and has publicly attacked police accountability champions—including elected officials, prominent athletes like Colin Kaepernick, and its own police members. Unlike other unions focused on wages and benefits and reasonable working conditions for their employees, the SFPOA has used labor law to exert an enormous influence on public policy and public safety.
Right now, the SFPOA is negotiating a new labor agreement with the city. The city must not approve a new contract increasing police officer pay and benefits unless the SFPOA agrees to respect our values and increase public safety. The SFPOA shouldn’t be allowed to use its bargaining power to make San Francisco less safe.
We are a growing and diverse coalition of San Franciscans who care deeply about police accountability and community safety. We want to ensure the present negotiations of the SFPOA’s new labor contract reflects our values and our community’s need for safety. To influence these negotiations, we must act now before the contract is finalized by June 2018.
Join us for a community town hall. We’ll share information about the campaign and get feedback on community demands.
When: Wednesday, January 31, 6pm
Where: St. John’s (corner of Julian and 15th Streets, two blocks from 16th Street BART)
Whether an Observer Corps volunteer or regular LWVO member, you’ll enjoy an evening presentation on the nuts and bolts of how the City works.
Guest speaker Tracy Rosenberg, executive director of Media Alliance, will provide an overview of the city structure––from elected officials to city manager to committees and commissions––as well as the legislation flow. Who can introduce legislation and how does a member of public use the “bully pulpit” to get the assistance from a Council member to do so? Also covered will be a review of good governance regulations such as the Brown Act, how procedural committees such as the Rules Committee operate, and what tools are available to make public meetings transparent and more productive. Did you know that Staff Reports provide context for understanding seemingly obtuse committee meetings?
This is a must-attend meeting if you want to roll up your sleeves and get more involved in local government!
To RSVP and get more information contact Gen Katz at gen@metron.com
The Budget Legislative Analyst and the Treasurer will be making presentations on a report about public banking and the status of the municipal banking task force.
We need people to pack the hearing and make public comment on how SF needs a public bank that actually serves the people of San Francisco, not Wall Street.
Meeting Agenda
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2. 5:05pm: Review and approval of November and January meeting minutes
3. 5:10pm: Open Forum
4. 5:15pm: Presentation by Oakland Police Department – Annual Report on Cellular Site Simulator Use
5. 5:35pm: Presentation by Oakland Police Department – Private Video Camera Registry
6. 5:55pm: Annual election of Chair, Vice-Chair
CALL of the FOREST
6:30 pm Potluck Dinner
7:15 pm: Film
Transition Berkeley invites you a potluck dinner and film marking our seventh anniversary! Come help us celebrate and bring your visions for Transition Berkeley’s future. How can we best inspire our community to action?
The beautiful film CALL of the FOREST – The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees, features scientist and author Diana Beresford-Kroeger a renowned world visionary. She takes us on a journey from the sacred sugi and cedar forests of Japan to the great boreal forest of Canada explaining the legacy of old growth forests and their role in protecting and feeding the planet. She shows us that when we improve our profound connection to woodlands we can restore our spirit, our health and our planet.
Please bring a vegetarian plastic free dish to share for the potluck dinner at 6:30.
This event is sponsored by Transition Berkeley, and the Social Justice Committee (Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists). The film is provided courtesy of Alisa Rose Seidlitz and Stephanie Thomas.
KPFA Radio 94.1FM presents
Advance tickets: $12 : brownpapertickets.com :: T: 800-838-3006
Books Inc/Berkeley, Pegasus (3 sites), Moe’s, Walden Pond Bookstore, Mrs. Dalloway’s. East Bay Books
From the legendary whistle-blower who revealed the Pentagon Papers, an eyewitness exposé of the dangers of America’s Top Secret, seventy-year-long nuclear policy that lingers to this day.
Shortlisted for the 2018 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction.
Here, for the first time, former high level defense analyst Daniel Ellsberg reveals his shocking firsthand account of America’s nuclear program in the 1960s. From the most remote air bases in the Pacific Command – where he discovered that the authority to initiate use of nuclear weapons was widely delegated – to the secret plans for general nuclear war under Eisenhower (which, if executed, would cause the near-extinction of humanity) – Ellsberg shows that the legacy of this most dangerous arms buildup in the history of civilization – and its proposed renewal under the Trump administration – threatens our very survival. No other insider with high level access has written so candidly of the nuclear strategy of the late Eisenhower and early Kennedy years, and nothing has fundamentally changed since that era.
The Doomsday Machine is a real-life Dr. Strangelove story and an ultimately hopeful, powerfully important book about not simply our country, but the future of our world. It is being published at an alarmingly relevant moment, as North Korea is seeking the capability to target the United States with nuclear missiles, and an unpredictable president, Donald Trump, has countered with threats of “fire and fury.” Experts on North Korea say that the risk of a nuclear exchange is higher than it has been in recent memory. Ellsberg, as one of the few living members of the generation of theorists who devised our nuclear strike doctrines, has been grappling with such possibilities for much of his life. “It is kind of astonishing,” he says, “that people will put up with a non-zero chance of this happening. Even after many disarmament treaties, Russia and the United States still possess enough weaponry to destroy the world many times over. “There is no essential difference between having 1,500 weapons, each side, on a hair trigger, pointed at each other, and having five or ten thousand,” he says. For this reason, Ellsberg is happy that Trump has shown a deferential stance toward Russia. On the other hand, facing North Korea, Trump has been willing to make explicit nuclear threats. But even if their missiles can’t reach us quite yet, Ellsberg the game theorist believes that Kim Jong-un has probably devised some sort of strategy to assure that he isn’t destroyed alone. He says that the world’s survival, so far, has been “something like a miracle.”
LARRY BENSKY is the former National Affairs Correspondent for Pacifica Radio (KPFA). He teaches Political Science at California State University East Bay. In 1987 he received a George Polk Award for his coverage of the Iran-Contra Hearings in Washington, D.C.
KPFA benefit
Gather your Books, Clothing and Crops for the next monthly Swap! You can also bring plants, seeds or something homemade to share. Clothing and books should be in good condition. Meet old friends and new, help create a strong sustainable community. Heavy rain will cancel.
Cost: FREE
Questions or to volunteer: click here
Pizza will be provided
Thank you Gio’s Pizza and Bocce
As you may know, Sutter Health intends to close Alta Bates Hospital as early as 2019. This will deprive our community of critical health services including an emergency room, labor and delivery and intensive care.
Please join us on February 3 for this important forum, hosted by The California Nurses Association in partnership with our office, Mayor Arreguin, Mayors and Councilmembers from throughout the East Bay, and numerous community organizations. Full details can be found above.
Fighting the closure of Alta Bates will require sustained community pressure. Please sign up with Save Alta Bates to learn about letter writing campaigns, rallies, community meetings and more. We also have lawn signs, and can deliver them to your door – please indicate in your email if you would like a lawn sign.
Thank you for standing up for Alta Bates!
The Peace and Freedom Party presents
BLACK LIBERATION: Is There an Electoral Path?
From Frederick Douglass to Barack Obama, an old question. Our speakers: Gerald Smith, Oscar Grant Committee; Phil Hutchings, Last Chair of SNCC; and brando king, Cooperation Jackson, will address an old question needing fresh answers, is there a path toward Black Liberation in the 2018 Elections?
As Malcolm X asked, “Ballots or Bullets?”
This is part of our on-going Socialist Forum Series on the first Saturday of every month from 2-4:30 pm. The featured panel starts promptly at 2:30 pm and the forum ends by 4:30 pm, but folks can stay and talk as long as they like. Speaker’s affiliations are listed for identification only. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the positions of the organizations listed nor official views of the Peace and Freedom Party.
Strike Debt is building a debt resistance movement. We believe that most individual debt is illegitimate and unjust. Most of us fall into debt because we are increasingly deprived of the means to acquire the basic necessities of life: health care, education, and housing. Because we are forced to go into debt simply in order to live, we think it is right and moral to resist it.
- Presenting debt and inequality related topics at forums, workshops and in radio productions
- Promoting single-payer / Medicare for All to end the plague of medical debt
- money bail reform and fighting modern day debtors’ prisons and exploitative ticketing and fining schemes
- Tiny Homes and other solutions for the homeless.
- Student debt resistance. Check out the Debt Collective, our sister organization
- helping out America’s only non-profit check-cashing organization and fighting against usurious for-profit pay-day lenders and their ilk
- Working on debarring US Banks that have been convicted of felonies from municipal contracts, and divesting from the Wall St. banks
- Promoting the concept of Basic Income
- Advocating for Postal banking
- Organizing for public banking in Oakland! We made the first steps happen… now there’s a spinoff group
- Bring your own debt-related project!
If you are new to Strike Debt and want to come early, meet one or two of us and get a briefing on our projects before we dive into our agenda, email us at strike.debt.bay.area@gmail.com .
Strike Debt – Principles of Solidarity
Strike Debt is building a debt resistance movement. We believe that most individual debt is illegitimate and unjust. Most of us fall into debt because we are increasingly deprived of the means to acquire the basic necessities of life: health care, education, and housing. Because we are forced to go into debt simply in order to live, we think it is right and moral to resist it.
We also oppose debt because it is an instrument of exploitation and political domination. Debt is used to discipline us, deepen existing inequalities, and reinforce racial, gendered, and other social hierarchies. Every Strike Debt action is designed to weaken the institutions that seek to divide us and benefit from our division. As an alternative to this predatory system, Strike Debt advocates a just and sustainable economy, based on mutual aid, common goods, and public affluence.
Strike Debt is committed to the principles and tactics of political autonomy, direct democracy, direct action, creative openness, a culture of solidarity, and commitment to anti-oppressive language and conduct. We struggle for a world without racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and all forms of oppression.
Strike Debt holds that we are all debtors, whether or not we have personal loan agreements. Through the manipulation of sovereign and municipal debt, the costs of speculator-driven crises are passed on to all of us. Though different kinds of debt can affect the same household, they are all interconnected, and so all household debtors have a common interest in resisting.
Strike Debt engages in public education about the debt-system to counteract the self-serving myth that finance is too complicated for laypersons to understand. In particular, it urges direct action as a way of stopping the damage caused by the creditor class and their enablers among elected government officials. Direct action empowers those who participate in challenging the debt-system.
Strike Debt holds that we owe the financial institutions nothing, whereas, to our friends, families and communities, we owe everything. In pursuing a long-term strategy for national organizing around this principle, we pledge international solidarity with the growing global movement against debt and austerity.
DJs (New Parish): Ships resident DJ DURT, DJ Mommy Issues, DJ Jiggles and DJ Lady Ryan!!!
DJs (TEENAGE DREAMS takeover @ The Rock Steady): 8ulentina, Piano Rain. The Rock Steady is right next door to the New Parish, which means even more music and space for queers to party. More details about the takeover coming soon xoxo
Performer: CHHOTI MAA, a hip-hop artist with bruja swag, hits the stage at midnite! can’t wait? preview her music here
Go go dancers: Cinnamon, OG, and em jay mercury. bring that tip money $$$ and please use your words to ask for consent to take video/photo of go go dancers. You need to pay go gos AT LEAST $25 for videos. *** work is REAL WORK. Pay what you owe.
Benefit for: Feed The People – Oakland
“We are an group of unhoused & housed residents of Oakland. We provide services, advocacy & temporary housing to Oakland’s unsheltered population during this housing & homelessness crisis. We center the voices, experiences, wisdom, needs & ideas of those who are currently homeless to get homes and services for unhoused residents. We build our power by bringing together the people, pooling our skills & resources, & being a unified force. We provide Hot meals. provisions, advocacy, and support to Oakland’s unhoused. We are actively working towards building villages of homes & services for unhoused folks. We advocate for land & resources from the city and work with private property owners to utilize their lands. We collect & distribute provisions unhoused residents may be in need of. We advocate for policies that are humane, and effective for the homeless. We urge the city to seek effective & humane solutions. We encourage the city to allow the community to create & implement autonomous, neighborhood led solutions to this crisis.”
Vendors in the courtyard:
delicious waffles by our friends at QTVietCafe
& sassy handmade jewelry and accessories for flagging and beyond, brought to you by Voula O’Clock & Lex Non Scripta of Wild Fancy Design
&& Glam Jam, an all-natural glitter lotion stick hand-made by RedBone.
Vendors out front:
Scotch Bonnet will be outside selling oxtails, patties, and other Jamaican delicacies you can’t help but drool over
Photographer TBA!!
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instagram: @ships_in_the_night_oakland
Ships In The Night is a RADICAL ***** dance party – always a benefit. We prioritize and strive to make the space accessible to queers, women, trans* people, and people of color and highlight their talent as DJ’s and performers. Since 2006, Ships has served as a community fundraiser and place for activist and social justice minded queers of all genders to sweat out the worries of the day
**Event is family friendly (kids of all ages welcome to attend with their parent(s) or guardian).
**Coffee/tea and continental breakfast will be served for volunteers.
**Venue is wheelchair and disability accessible.
LOGISTICS: Meeting at 7 AM to assemble the lunches/hygiene kits. Will form into teams. Head out by 9:30 AM in caravans lead by trained ambassadors to distribute the lunches/hygiene kits to the encampments, vulnerable/persons in need across Oakland. We will conclude by 11 AM.
For questions, concerns and large donation opportunities email The East Oakland Collective’s Community Engagement Officer, Nick Houston at nick@eastoaklandcollective.com.
RSVP: bit.ly/feedthehood4
The people have spoken. The need is great. Join us for another opportunity to Feed the Hood! We are excited to host #FeedTheHood4 in collaboration with Fam 1st Family Foundation.
***
DONATION OPTIONS: We’re asking that everyone contribute in one of the below ways to meet the goal of distributing to 2,000 homeless, unsheltered and needy across Oakland.
<<FOOD>>
Note: we encourage purchases to be as organic, nitrate free, non-GMO, etc. as feasibly possible.
We encourage participants to bring a “full lunch package.” A FULL lunch package consists of all of the items and quantities below and costs no more than $20-25 (max recommended spending). We encourage cost effective shopping at FoodMaxx, Foods Co, Grocery Outlet, Pak ‘n Save; Bimbo Bread in San Leandro (for wholesale bread); or if you are feeling generous and want to purchase bulk items, Costco.
2 loaves of bread
2 packages of lunch/deli meat
1 bag of sandwich lettuce
1 package of cheese
1 case of water
1 package of boxed drinks
1 bag of fruit
1 box of granola bars
1 bag of variety chips
* Special items needed in bulk: mustard, mayo
* For the pets: dry dog food (portions pre-bagged in sandwich or quart sized plastic bags)
AND/OR
<<HYGIENE KITS>>
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste (travel/mini size)
Mouthwash (travel/mini size)
Socks
Soap
Lotion (travel/mini size)
Deodorant
Feminine Hygiene Products (especially tampons)
Hand sanitizer (mini/small bottles)
Bandaids
Condoms
Dry Laundry Detergent (1 cup portions pre-bagged in sandwich or quart sized bags)
Toilet Tissue Rolls (individual rolls)
Baby Wipes (travel size or divided/pre-bagged in sandwich bags)
Bleach/disinfectant wipes
New underwear (men/women)
* Additional items in high request by homeless populations: trash bags, hand warmers
OR
<<MONETARY DONATION>>
Make a monetary donation so we can purchase food/hygiene kit supplies.
– Tax deductible donation to bit.ly/supportEOC (put “feed the hood” in the memo line)
– Paypal to kandace.e@gmail.com (not tax deductible)
For questions, volunteer and partnership opportunities, please email The East Oakland Collective’s Community Engagement Officer, Nick Houston at nick@eastoaklandcollective
Kali Akuno of Cooperation Jackson, in conversation with Majari Smith of Cooperation Richmond, and Jackie Byers of Black Organizing Project.
Sponsored by Center for Political Education, Ebase and Santa Cruz DSA.