Calendar
Please join us for an Art Build Monday April 24th from 4-8pm. This art build is in preparation for the general strike and May Day actions on May 1st.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1239048449465541/
This is a great way to come talk about messaging and find ways to participate in the national day of action. You don’t need art skills to come (but much appreciated!), and youth and families are welcome.
ACCESS NEEDS: This event is wheelchair accessible. If you have specific access needs, please email mobilization@surjbayarea.org, and we’ll be happy to work with you to accommodate them.
SCENT FREE: We ask that guests do their best to be as scent free as possible. Please refer to this resource from the EastBay Meditation Center for more information on what that means: https://eastbaymeditation.org/accessibility/PDF/How-to-Be-Fragrance-Free-.pdf
Tax the Rich Rallies every Monday from 5-6 pm on upper Solano in front of the Oaks Theater and the Chase Bank.
All are welcome!
Also We’ll be at SURJ (Stand Up for Racial Justice) event that starts at the Grand Lake Theater on Saturday April 1st from noon-1 :00 PM.
For our calendar of events, songs to download and more: www.occupella.org.
The feasibility study proposal submitted by Global Investment Company and endorsed by The Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland was selected by Oakland city administrators. However, at Tuesday’s Finance Committee meeting, the recommendation from city staff will be to postpone funding until the 2017-2019 budget cycle.
It’s critical that the Oakland City Council Finance Committee vote to allocate money for a feasibility study for the Public Bank of Oakland now. Postponing funding the study only further delays the creation of the bank.
Please call the members of the Finance Committee before Tuesday morning’s meeting ask them to Vote YES on Agenda Item #7:
- Noel Gallo (510-238-7005)
- Abel Guillen (510-238-7002)
- Dan Kalb (510-238-7001)
- Annie Campbell Washington (510-238-7004)
Donate to Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland
Thanks to the generous support of our fiscal sponsor, HERA (Housing and Economic Rights Advocates), you can now make a tax-deductible donation to support our work. Our main expenses at the moment are related to outreach materials and mechanisms.
Click here to donate
*Important: Select “Other” from program and include “Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland” in the Honoree’s name section.
Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland t-shirts are available for a $20 donation! Email us at contact@friendsofpublicbankofoakland.org for details.
Donate to Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland
Thanks to the generous support of our fiscal sponsor, HERA (Housing and Economic Rights Advocates), you can now make a tax-deductible donation to support our work. Our main expenses at the moment are related to outreach materials and mechanisms.
Click here to donate
*Important: Select “Other” from program and include “Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland” in the Honoree’s name section.
Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland t-shirts are available for a $20 donation! Email us at contact@friendsofpublicbankofoakland.org for details.
Information, discussion & community! Monday Night Forum!!
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Occupy Forum is an opportunity for open and respectful dialogue
on all sides of these critically important issues!
This past Saturday was Earth Day with worldwide demonstrations such at Saturday’s March For Science, where tens of thousands took to the streets of San Francisco to tell the Trump regime that science and facts are more important than personal hunches and short term profits for fossil fuel investments. There probably has never been a time when we needed greater awareness of our natural world and the peril it’s in than now. Virtually all climate scientists agree that life on our planet is under dire threat from global warming and climate chaos, and that the time to take action was yesterday, but that if we engage in large-scale programs of conservation and remediation, we may stave off the worst effects of this crisis.
It’s against this backdrop that the new US administration proceeds with its agenda to dramatically cut back on the budgets of the EPA and most other environmental programs which would have reduced carbon emissions. It is also aggressively cutting regulations of the fossil fuel industry to greatly increase their extraction and burning. An argument could be made that this approach is not only about short term greed but may even have a suicidal, apocalyptic aspect – the Trump administration is full of zealots. Awareness of how people have fought against giant corporations and government agencies which threatened our well-being, and that of the planet, could be very helpful now as we plan our paths of resistance against these insane, fossil-fuel addicts. That’s where this film comes in! Inspired by the book of the same name by Philip Shabecoff, and informed by advisors like Edward O. Wilson, A FIERCE GREEN FIRE chronicles the largest movement of the 20th century and one of the keys to the 21st. It brings together all the major parts of environmentalism and connects them. It focuses on activism, people fighting to save their homes, their lives, the future – and succeeding against all odds.
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The film unfolds in five acts, each with a central story and character:
- 1
- . David Brower and the Sierra Club’s battle to halt dams in the Grand Canyon
- 2
- . Lois Gibbs and Love Canal residents’ struggle against 20,000 tons of toxic chemicals
- 3
- . Paul Watson and Greenpeace’s campaigns to save whales and baby harp seals
- 4
- . Chico Mendes and Brazilian rubbertappers’ fight to save the Amazon rainforest
- 5
- . Bill McKibben and the 25-year effort to address the impossible issue – climate change
Surrounding these main stories are strands like environmental justice, going back to the land, and movements of the global south such as Chipko in India and Wangari Maathai in Kenya. Vivid archival film brings it all back and insightful interviews shed light on the events and what they mean. The film, which is directed by Mark Kitchell,
(husband of Occupy Forum’s own Ruthie Sakheim) offers a deeper view of environmentalism as civilizational change, bringing our industrial society into sustainable balance with nature.
Time will be allotted for Q&A, discussion and announcements.
Join the Statewide Day of Action – Call and Email for Healthy California Today!
As you know, SB 562, The Healthy California Act, will have its first hearing in the Senate Health Committee this Wednesday, April 26th. The hearing is critical to moving the bill forward and it’s time for all hands on deck! Senators on the committee need to hear from you today.
It is vital that we let them know that Californians will hold them accountable for their votes on Wednesday. Please call today!
Click here to be connected to your Senator >>
WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU CALL? IT’S SIMPLE. When you click on the link you will also find a sample of what to say when you call the Senator. And if you can’t call, click here to email them! Let’s make guaranteed healthcare a reality for all Californians!
The Oakland City Council Finance Committee will be voting on whether to allocate money for a feasibility study for the Public Bank of Oakland, or wait until the summer to take the money from next year’s budget.
Because the Bank will be able to start saving Oakland money almost from Day 1, we need the Committee to take the funding from this year’s budget, and move this project along asap. Please call the members of the Finance Committee [Noel Gallo (238-7005), Abel Guillen (-7002), Dan Kalb (-7001), and Annie Campbell Washington (-7004)] and ask them to vote YES on Agenda Item #7 on the Finance Committee Agenda for 4/25.
You can also attend the Finance Committee. meeting and testify in support. 1st floor hearing room, City Hall.
To register to speak: https://solar.oaklandnet.com/Speaker/form
Our message is Vote YES on Item #7.
Our Bank, our money!
Friends of the Public Bank of Oakland
Join me at a Community Forum on Immigrant & Refugee Rights on 4/25! Know-your-rights training, resource tables, etc. https://t.co/NzRiUT7Vpo pic.twitter.com/PWyXq3A0Gl
— Keith Carson (@Keith_Carson) April 17, 2017
Tuesday 4/25: All Out to Berkeley City Council
In an unprecedented move, the Berkeley City Council is considering fully withdrawing their participation in Urban Shield. A decision in favor of pulling out of Urban Shield by the Berkeley City Council paves the way for other cities in the Bay Area to do the same. Join us on Tuesday to show mass opposition to Urban Shield’s war on our communities.
Can’t attend on Tuesday? Support with CALL IN DAY: Monday, April 24th,.
Call Berkeley City Council and demand that they end police militarization. Here is sample call in language and contact info:
“Dear Councilperson _________,
I am writing to urge you and all Berkeley City Council members to take leadership in putting an end to Berkeley’s engagement with the militarization of police and disaster preparedness represented by the annual Urban Shield exercises and weapons expo, funded by DHS through the Urban Areas Security Initiative. Urban Shield’s emphasis on SWAT teams as the response to emergencies – including natural disasters – as well as the extremely militarized scenarios, diminishes resources for responding to the ordinary emergencies community members face every day. Berkeley should not be participating in war games funded by the Department of Homeland Security, which involve not only nine Bay Area counties, but teams from around the United States.That is why I ask you to exercise your leadership and reject any future funding from UASI, Berkeley’s participation in Urban Shield, and to stand with Alameda County communities, and people across the country.
Regards,
_______”
CONTACT INFO FOR BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Map of Berkeley Council Districts
Mayor Jesse Arreguin/ (510) 981-7100/ mayor@cityofberkeley.info
District 1/Linda Miao/(510) 981-7110/ lmaio@cityofberkeley.info /
District 2/Cheryl Davila/ (510) 981-7120/ cdavila@cityofberkeley.info
District 3/ Ben Bartlett/ (510) 981-7130/ bbartlett@CityofBerkeley.info
District 4/ Kate Harrison / (510) 981-7140 / kharrison@CityofBerkeley.info
District 5 / Sophie Hahn/ 510) 981-7150 / shahn@CityofBerkeley.info
District 6 / Susan Wengraf / (510) 981-7160 / swengraf@CityofBerkeley.info
District 7/ Kris Worthington / (510) 981-7170 / kworthington@CityofBerkeley.info
District 8/ Lori Droste / (510) 981-7180 / ldroste@CityofBerkeley.info
Instead of meeting up at Omni as usual, we’re going to spend this Tuesday evening making banners, flyers, and t-shirt designs at Edith’s house. It’ll be a much warmer environment and we can eat too. Bring food, bring drinks, bring art supplies. If you’re a designer bring your computer so we can get this t-shirt design finalized in time to screenprint.
Continue the momentum of the Women’s March in January and the Women’s Strike March 8th, planning towards a May 1st General Strike!
All welcome!
Join AROC, as part of SFILEN, in holding Immigrant Family Day at City Hall, where we gather our community members to raise their concerns, speak about the issues they are facing, and demand that SF fight for immigrant rights and continue supporting SFILEN in providing critical legal services, education and outreach to immigrant communities throughout the city.
San Francisco Immigrant Legal & Education Network (SFILEN), a unique and groundbreaking collaboration of thirteen organizations, including some of the region’s pioneering immigrant service providers and some of the city’s leading legal advocacy organizations – each with decades of experience providing free and low cost immigration legal services and community education to low income immigrants in San Francisco. We represent immigrants from African, Arab, Asian, and Latinx communities.
It’s here! The first vote on our Healthy California Act, SB 562 (Lara & Atkins), will be on Apri 26th. Please join us for a rally, march and then pack the room to show that we urgently need to move SB 562 forward and guarantee healthcare for all in California.
Details:
*Noon Rally
*March to the Capitol
*1:00pm Hearing in Senate Health (plan to stay as long as it takes to get a Yes vote!!!)
Bus pick ups in many locations! You must RSVP here for a seat:www.goo.gl/VIwz1x
Open as many homes as possible… Hold them as long as possible.
We will meet Thursday morning at 10a and establish a nonviolent response to the craziness of #AnnCoulter and her ilk. /1
— RespectBerkeley (@RespectBerkeley) April 27, 2017
Join us across from MLK Park in downtown Berkeley. Spread the word. We will remain until 3p. We will keep ths feed updated. /2
— RespectBerkeley (@RespectBerkeley) April 27, 2017
The International Socialist Organization invites all solidarity-minded students and other members of the Berkeley community to the launch of the “Alt Right Delete” conference. Please join us at the intersection of Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue on April 27 at noon as we announce this conference and rally in defense of the oppressed majority. “Alt Right Delete” will take place at UC Berkeley on Aug. 19, at the beginning of the fall 2017 semester. It will be an important opportunity for new and returning members of the campus community who want to tackle the threat posed by the political right wing, which is growing emboldened from the White House to the streets of Berkeley.
The BART Board will be holding three evening meetings this year to create greater access to board meetings for BART riders and constituents. The first evening meeting of the year will be held on April 27th. At this meeting the Board will consider a sanctuary policy, energy policy, sustainability policy, legislative positions, and other items.
Please join us at this evening meeting to share input on these items or any other BART issue. There will be time at the beginning and end of the meeting for general public comment for items not on the agenda.
If you can’t make it to the meeting, you can watch it online:http://www.bart.gov/about/
The meeting agenda will be available online on Friday, April 21st:http://www.bart.gov/about/
The Justice Reinvestment Coalition of Alameda County will be hosting a Town Hall on April 27th at The Way in Berkeley with our elected reps to hold them to their commitment to create a program that results in Alameda County hiring formerly incarcerated persons for permanent, full time benefited jobs including training to meet minimum requirements and pass the Civil service exam.
We want to pack the house!
If you or someone you know is formerly incarcerated and can benefit from this jobs program we especially need you to tell your story. Please text to 510-246-5901.
Please join the Arab Film Festival, Berkeley City College‘s Arabic Language instructor Gaye D. Walton-Price and Yalla Arabi: SF/East Bay Arabic Language Meetup for a FREE film screening of “The Runner” (Subtitled in English)
FILM TRAILER: https://vimeo.com/149860780
SYNOPSIS:
The Runner is a film by Saeed Taji Farouky about Salah Hmatou Ameidan, who uses his talent as a runner to protest against the occupation of his homeland, Western Sahara. The film suggests that the runner’s physical endurance is his political weapon. It is the story of a champion long-distance runner whose journey transformed him from an athlete into the symbol of a national liberation movement.
NO CHARGE to attend!
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Middle East War, the Centers for Middle Easter Studies at UC Berkeley, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara will host contemporaneous events to address this significant milestone.
10:00 AM – Panel Discussion.
3:30 PM – Keynote Address by Noura Erakat – “Taking the Land Without the People”
Hmm. Should any human being have to pay another human being to use the Earth?
The most fundamental social justice truth guiding all champions of liberty and freedom for all ought to be that “No one should have to pay another person rent for access to the Earth.” And yet 100 days in a row of Trump, and two terms of Obama, and 241 years into the USA, hardly a pip about that all embracing truth.
The commies talk vaguely of sharing the means of production. The religionists talk about surplice value. The defenders of conventional capitalism extol privatizing access to the material universe in the greatest insult to the spirit of liberty.
Come along on a free walking tour that presents San Francisco’s 128 year old concrete proposal for how to share the value of the Earth itself. It’s about social movements as they strain to discover a universal solvent of love, with love defined as “excluding no one from equal access to place.”
If you are prepared to give up all of your identity politics agitation, this 2 and half hours are for you!
For more event information:
http://www.TheCommonsSF.org