Calendar
All we want for Xmas: Community Health, Not Developer Wealth!
Rhythm Brigade! Picket Line! Holiday Treats! Elves Rising Up Against Coal!
On Thursday, December 14th, Building Owners and Management Association East Bay – an organization of commercial building owners and real estate brokers – is holding its annual holiday party at the Oakland Rotunda Building, which is currently under boycott. Youth and workers have had enough of landlords and developers threatening our city with gentrification, pollution, and exploitation. We interrupt BOMA’s celebration to demand our rights and celebrate resilience.
Earlier this month, youth, workers, and community members launched a boycott of the Rotunda Building in response to the building owner Phil Tagami’s lawsuit against the City of Oakland seeking to build a coal terminal which would accelerate already catastrophic ecological destruction and spread toxic coal dust in predominantly working class communities and communities of color in Oakland.
Join us on December 14th for a rocking youth performance and a lively picket of the BOMA party and Rotunda Building to tell Phil Tagami to get his dirty coal out of the Town. We’ll start at 5PM with a youth-led rhythm brigade and Elfin Uprising followed by a picket and delivery of stockings full of coal.
Phil Tagami once claimed he would never ship coal out of concern for the climate his children will inherit. This holiday season, let’s remind him of what really matters most: our families, our communities, and our planet. He can either deliver on his promise to the next generation – and to the city of Oakland – or he will face an ongoing boycott until he drops his lawsuit.
#DontBeAGrinchTagami #DeliverJobsNotCoal #KidsDontDeserveCoal #ElvesVsCoal
For more information, contact Brooke at Climate Workers at 510-846-0766 or at brooke@climateworkers.org.
If you can help with either a generator or rides for youth, please contact Carolyn Norr at 510-220-5707 or carolynclara@gmail.com.
For background about the campaign to keep coal out of Oakland, go to NoCoalInOakland.info.
Please come out to join the first in our series of spokescouncils to help plan the #96Hours of #NonCompliance to Reclaim King’s Radical Legacy.
Note that in contemplating what is happening in the world right now, and the critical importance of solidarity with indigenous peoples and peoples engages in liberation struggles around the world – the third day of #96Hours will be Indigenous/International Solidarity Day!
Here is our revised Call and please don’t forget to join our Facebook spokescouncil event series by clicking “interested” on the series, then “going” on the dates you are able to attend.
Help plan 96 Hours by attending the spokescouncils
WE.WILL.NOT.COMPLY.
96 Hours of Non-Compliance Over King Day Weekend
It’s that time again, Bay Area! For the fourth year in a row, for #96hours over the King Day Weekend, the Anti Police-Terror Project calls our comrades into the streets to stand in solidarity and say no to white supremacy, say no to state sponsored terror, say no to development over people, say no to misogyny, say no to homophobia and transphobia, say no to the targeting of immigrants, say no to the targeting of Muslims. We call on you to join us and show the Trump-Schaff Regimes that WE WILL NOT COMPLY with their corporate agenda.
We call upon groups large and small, well-established or brand new, to plan your own action(s) within a common framework:
- On Friday, January 12, 2018, we are calling for actions that focus on State-Sponsored Violence.
- On Saturday, January 13, 2018, we are calling for actions that focus on Housing.
- On Sunday January 14, 2018, we are calling for actions that focus on Indigenous/International Solidarity.
- On Monday, January 15, 2018, we reclaim MLK Day.
Our #96hours culminates with a mass mobilization, and we ask everyone to come together for the Reclaiming King’s Radical Legacy March through the streets of Oakland.
Furthermore, we call upon both individuals and groups in our community (whether you’re planning an action or not) to come together in a series of spokescouncil meetings in order to coordinate and support the many actions that will be planned:
- Thursday 12/14 7:00 – 9:30 pm
- Sunday 12/17 1:00 – 3:30 pm
- Wednesday 12/20 7:30 – 9:30 pm
- Wednesday 1/3 7:00 – 9:30 pm
- Saturday 1/6 1:00 – 3:30 pm
- Monday 1/8 7:00 – 9:30 pm
- Wednesday 1/10 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Even before Trump took office and the KKK took off their hoods, we saw open displays of white supremacy and state-sponsored violence in the Bay Area. We saw police agents murder our Black and Brown community members in broad daylight with no repercussions. We saw local city governments embolden law enforcement departments with unlimited overtime, paid leave after murdering residents, militarized equipment, and a blank check to use dangerous and “non”-lethal devices to crack down on our culture and political dissent.
Even before the Oakland Police Department received national news coverage for the rape of a young teen sex worker by tens of law enforcement agents across the Bay Area, we saw the open sexual harassment and exploitation of our Black and Brown community members in broad daylight with no repercussions.
Even before the GOP-controlled U.S. Congress began its warpath to destroy healthcare and public education and exacerbate poverty, we saw our local city governments do NOTHING to aid long-time residents at risk FOR YEARS as the housing crisis continues to grow worse and worse.
That’s why we are telling all agents of our oppression, from 45 to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf that WE WILL NOT COMPLY with their corporate agenda.
What About Islam?
In this time of anti-Muslim propaganda, what about hearing from real Muslims who live among us? Come hear activist Ahmed Salah speak about how Islam has deeply influenced his philosophy, which is to create social change while preserving life on both sides. Ahmed Salah was one of the primary organizers of the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 where hundreds of thousands of protesters filled Tahrir Square, leading to the resignation of an oppressive president. Mr. Salah is the recipient of the Center for Justice and Accountability’s 2013 Champion of Justice Award. There will also be live Middle Eastern music at the event. Let’s listen and discuss together. The event will be held in the historic Fellowship Hall at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists (BFUU).
Program:
7:00 pm – 7:30 pm Middle Eastern music
7:30 pm – 7:45 pm Break
7:45 pm – 8:45 pm Talk by Ahmed Salah
8:45 pm – 9:00 pm Q&A
9:00 pm – 10:00 pm Socializing, book signing
Suggested donation $10-20; no one turned away for lack of funds
Co-sponsored by the BFUU Social Justice and Music Committees
With White Nationalist/Alt-Right activity and racist harassment on the rise in our public transportation system, Community Ready Corps (CRC) is calling for a campaign to make BART safe for all.
In just the last month, there were several sightings of BART passengers openly displaying Neo-Nazi symbols (as tattoos, pins, or patches on outer clothing), and one incident of racist harassment that went viral after being caught on tape.
In this video (linked here: https://www.youtube.com/
As a community, we need to prepare ourselves to intervene safely in these situations. Public transportation needs to be safe for all of us. 430,000 Bay Area residents rely on BART to get to work every day. We need to organize collectively to create a climate of safety on BART and send the strong message that the Bay Area is united against hate – that our community won’t tolerate racist intimidation and harassment on BART!
In our next workshop, held Saturday, December 16th from 1 – 4 pm at the ACCE office, we’ll apply the proactive response model we introduced in the first series of workshops (Self Defense, Digital Security & Intelligence Gathering, and Hearts & Minds) to the physical space of the Bay Area Rapid Transit system.
The first half of this workshop will be a training for safe and effective bystander intervention and self defense by Field Marshall Tur-Ha Ak and Deputy Field Marshall Che Bowe. This training is appropriate for anybody of any skill level, and will equip community members with skills they can use to intervene, de-escalate, and defend themselves against racist harassment and violence. We strongly encourage anti-racist white people to come to this training and get skilled up.
In the second half, we’ll break into working groups to begin growing this campaign to #TakeBackBART. Hope to see you there! Please invite your friends to this workshop!
The fight for single-payer healthcare in California is still just beginning. We have momentum, and so far the opposition has been content only to shelve the bill for now. In our neighborhood canvasses, we are knocking every door to talk to every one of our neighbors, amplify the demand for a decommodified healthcare system, and set the stage for the fight to come when those who stand to lose 30 cents of every dollar spent on healthcare by cutting out the private insurance industry.
Feed The People!
The last Sunday of every month attendees of the OO GA get together a little earlier than usual, at 2 PM (3 PM during DST) to share some food with each other and the community. There should be a table, utensils/plates, meat and veggie entrees and whatnot, courtesy of the Kitchen Committee (such at he is), so just bring yourself, or something to share as well if you’d like.
For reasons of meteorology (rain in November) and convenience we have fused the November fress with the one that would normally be scheduled for December 31st, so this meal is slated for Sunday, dec. 17th at 2PM, barring rain or a police state. I believe swine is on the menu.
The Occupy Oakland General Assembly meets every Sunday at 3 PM at the Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheater at 14th Street & Broadway in the amphitheater. If it is raining (as in RAINING, not just misting) at 3:00 PM we meet in the basement of the Omni Collective, 4799 Shattuck Ave., Oakland. During the warmer months we meet at 4 PM at the plaza.
The OO General Assembly has met on a continuous basis for more than five years! Our General Assembly is a participatory gathering of Oakland community members and beyond, where everyone who shows up is treated equally . Our Assembly and the process we have collectively cultivated strives to reach agreement while building community.
At the GA committees, caucuses, and loosely associated groups whose representatives come voluntarily report on past and future actions, with discussion. If you like, just come and hear all the organizing being done! Occupy Oakland encourages political activity that is decentralized and welcomes diverse voices and actions into the movement.
General Assembly Standard Agenda
- Welcome & Introductions
- Reports from Committees, Caucuses, & Independent Organizations
- Announcements
- (Optional) Discussion Topic
Occupy Oakland activities and contact info for some Bay Area Groups with past or present Occupy Oakland members.
Occupy Oakland Web Committee: (web@occupyoakland.org)
Occupy Oakland Kitchen Committee: (kitchen@occupyoakland.org)
Strike Debt Bay Area : strikedebtbayarea.tumblr.com
Berkeley Post Office Defenders:http://berkeleypostofficedefenders.wordpress.com/
Alan Blueford Center 4 Justice:https://www.facebook.com/ABC4JUSTICE
Oakland Privacy Working Group:https://oaklandprivacy.wordpress.com
Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity: prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com/
Bay Area AntiRepression: antirepression@occupyoakland.org
Biblioteca Popular: http://tinyurl.com/mdlzshy
Interfaith Tent: www.facebook.com/InterfaithTent
Port Truckers Solidarity: oaklandporttruckers.wordpress.com
Bay Area Intifada: bayareaintifada.wordpress.com
Transport Workers Solidarity: www.transportworkers.org
Fresh Juice Party (aka Chalkupy) freshjuiceparty.com/chalkupy-gallery
Sudo Room: https://sudoroom.org
Omni Collective: https://omnicommons.org/
First They Came for the Homeless: https://www.facebook.com/pages/First-they-came-for-the-homeless/253882908111999
Sunflower Alliance: http://www.sunflower-alliance.org/
Bay Area Public School: http://thepublicschool.org/bay-area
San Francisco based groups:
Occupy Bay Area United: www.obau.org
Occupy Forum: (see OBAU above)
San Francisco Projection Department: http://tinyurl.com/kpvb3rv
We are excited to announce our Fall Film Series at the Ecology Center! In an effort to open up our space to the community, while providing an accessible format for fostering discussions around the various climate issues we cover, we will be hosting free monthly screenings of select films at our Ecology Center store.
Check out a new film, or one of your favorites, with other members of the community for a fun-filled and family-friendly evening. All screenings are free and open to the public (and include free popcorn!).
—
Princess Mononoke (1997)
Directed by Hayao Miyazaki
Rated PG-13
Runtime: 2:13
Kicking off the Ecology Center film series is Princess Mononoke, from legendary Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli team. This A classic animated film that explores the relationship between human activity and the environment through heavy symbolism to highlight the need for sustainable practices and greater consideration of the environment in day-to-day life. Miyazaki crafts a captivating tale of man vs. nature, where the exploitation of natural resources leads to the manifestation of deadly beasts that threaten an all out war between a mining village and the creatures of the forest.
Themes: Sustainability
Preview Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/
Future Showings and Event Links:
The suppressed story of the GI Movement to end the War in Vietnam.
It's a party! Dec 17, 2017 7:30 pm Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists Berkeley CA pic.twitter.com/tOPHS1FNOJ
— Indivisible Berkeley (@IndivisibleBerk) December 4, 2017
The resistance has had a productive year! Join us at the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists on December 17 for the Indivisible Berkeley Holiday Party!
Great food and drink; communing with friends and comrades; Inspiring live performances by Choral Majority, Occupella, Vukani Mawethu (invited); and, the evening finale–dancing to Motown tunes. Bring canned goods to donate to Alameda County Food Bank.
If you would like to contribute food or drink, please add your name here: I can help!. If you have questions, contact Sam at info@indivisibleberkeley.org
One item of particular interest on the agenda :
Subject: Fiscal Year 2017 Urban Area Security Initiative Program Grant Agreement
From: Oakland Fire Department
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator, Or Her Designee To: A) Enter Into The Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grant Administration Agreement With The City And County Of San Francisco; B) Accept, Appropriate, And Administer Up To One Million One Hundred Ninety-Two Thousand Five Hundred Nine Dollars ($1,192,509.00) In Said UASI Grant Funds For Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2017; C) Approve The FY 2017 UASI Recommended Spending Plan; D) Authorize A Contribution From The General Purpose Fund In An Amount Equivalent To The Department’s Central Services Overhead (CSO) Charges Affiliated With Said Grant Estimated At Seventeen Thousand, One Hundred Fifty-Seven Dollars ($17,157.00) For Fy 2017-2018 And Fifty-One Thousand, Four Hundred Seventy-One Dollars ($51,471.00) For FY 2018-2019; And E) Expend Funds In Accordance With Said Recommended Spending Plan without Further Council Approval, Including Purchases In Excess; Of The City Adminstrator’s Purchasing Authority Of Equipment And Services Required By The Grant, Provided Federal And City Advertising, Bidding And Request For Proposal/Qualification Requirements And Oakland’s Purchasing And Requirements And Programs/Policies Are Followed
near Civic Center BART station
Information, discussion & community! Monday Night Forum!!\
Occupy Forum is an opportunity for open and respectful dialogue
on all sides of these critically important issues!
Two Films from the George Lakey Files:
“Pride” and “How to Survive a Plague”
In 1984, closet gay Joe hesitantly arrives in London from Bromley for his first Gay Pride march and is taken under the collective wing of a group of gay men and Lesbian Steph, Not only are gays being threatened by Thatcher but the miners are on strike in response to her pit closures. Northern Irish activist Mark Ashton believes gays and miners should show solidarity. Almost by accident a mini-bus full of gays find themselves in the Welsh village of Onllwyn in the Dulais valley and through their sincere fundraising, and Jonathan’s dance moves, persuade most of the community that they are on the same side.
HOW TO SURVIVE A PLAGUE:
The story of the grassroots movement of activists, many of them in a life-or-death struggle, who seized upon scientific research to help develop the drugs that turned HIV from a mostly fatal infection to a manageable disease. Ignored by public officials, religious leaders, and the nation at large, and confronted with shame and hatred, this small group of men and women chose to fight for their right to live by educating themselves and demanding to become full partners in the race for effective treatments. Around the globe, 16 million people are alive today thanks to their efforts.
We witness the founding of ACT UP and TAG (Treatment Action Group), and the rise of an underground drug market in opposition to the prohibitively expensive (and sometimes toxic) AZT. We watch as these activists learn to become their own researchers, lobbyists, drug smugglers, and clinicians, establishing their own newspapers, research journals, and laboratories, and as they go on to force reform in the nation’s disease-fighting agencies.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2124803/videoplayer/vi3821118745?ref_=tt_ov_vi
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3169706/videoplayer/vi2804329497?ref_=vi_nxt_ap
Join this panel of citizens, including real estate agents, deliberating why this most invisible of obvious observations goes silent, like an evil death contagion, through the years.
Vegetarian superb supper provided.
Sponsored by http://www.TheCommonsSF.org
oin us for a night of art, books, prisoner solidarity, music and food!
*Special edition N.O. Bonzo / CR tshirts * * Dignidad Rebelde art table + more *
*Kid-friendly! Coloring book pages and kids station with childcare.*
It’s time for our annual Prisoner Solidarity Postcard mailing. We invite you to join us as we take action and build power across prison walls!
Every year in the wintertime, Critical Resistance sends a note of solidarity, hope, and encouragement to all of the subscribers of The Abolitionist newspaper that are currently locked up in jails, detention centers, and prisons. This year we have over 5,800 postcards to send to our imprisoned comrades.
—
Every year we spend over $2,000 on postage stamps to send political organizing resources to people inside. This fall, CR Oakland members initiated a new study group with imprisoned people inside, based on Black and Pink’s model. With 25 people in prisons across the country, 15 CR Oakland members and volunteers read articles from The Abolitionist newspaper, wrote study questions and responses, then facilitated discussion across prison compiling prisoners’ responses with member responses and analysis, to send back to the study group inside. Can’t make it but want to support? Make a gift for postage here (https://
The Table has the privilege of co-hosting the Berkeley Homeless Persons’ Memorial Service, Tuesday December 19th 6:30pm gather at First Presbyterian Church, 2407 Dana Street then process to First Church Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way. Hosted by the Table Spiritual Community and First Church Berkeley.
Please come out to join the first in our series of spokescouncils to help plan the #96Hours of #NonCompliance to Reclaim King’s Radical Legacy.
Note that in contemplating what is happening in the world right now, and the critical importance of solidarity with indigenous peoples and peoples engages in liberation struggles around the world – the third day of #96Hours will be Indigenous/International Solidarity Day!
Here is our revised Call and please don’t forget to join our Facebook spokescouncil event series by clicking “interested” on the series, then “going” on the dates you are able to attend.
Help plan 96 Hours by attending the spokescouncils
WE.WILL.NOT.COMPLY.
96 Hours of Non-Compliance Over King Day Weekend
It’s that time again, Bay Area! For the fourth year in a row, for #96hours over the King Day Weekend, the Anti Police-Terror Project calls our comrades into the streets to stand in solidarity and say no to white supremacy, say no to state sponsored terror, say no to development over people, say no to misogyny, say no to homophobia and transphobia, say no to the targeting of immigrants, say no to the targeting of Muslims. We call on you to join us and show the Trump-Schaff Regimes that WE WILL NOT COMPLY with their corporate agenda.
We call upon groups large and small, well-established or brand new, to plan your own action(s) within a common framework:
- On Friday, January 12, 2018, we are calling for actions that focus on State-Sponsored Violence.
- On Saturday, January 13, 2018, we are calling for actions that focus on Housing.
- On Sunday January 14, 2018, we are calling for actions that focus on Indigenous/International Solidarity.
- On Monday, January 15, 2018, we reclaim MLK Day.
Our #96hours culminates with a mass mobilization, and we ask everyone to come together for the Reclaiming King’s Radical Legacy March through the streets of Oakland.
Furthermore, we call upon both individuals and groups in our community (whether you’re planning an action or not) to come together in a series of spokescouncil meetings in order to coordinate and support the many actions that will be planned:
- Thursday 12/14 7:00 – 9:30 pm
- Sunday 12/17 1:00 – 3:30 pm
- Wednesday 12/20 7:30 – 9:30 pm
- Wednesday 1/3 7:00 – 9:30 pm
- Saturday 1/6 1:00 – 3:30 pm
- Monday 1/8 7:00 – 9:30 pm
- Wednesday 1/10 7:00 – 9:30 pm
Even before Trump took office and the KKK took off their hoods, we saw open displays of white supremacy and state-sponsored violence in the Bay Area. We saw police agents murder our Black and Brown community members in broad daylight with no repercussions. We saw local city governments embolden law enforcement departments with unlimited overtime, paid leave after murdering residents, militarized equipment, and a blank check to use dangerous and “non”-lethal devices to crack down on our culture and political dissent.
Even before the Oakland Police Department received national news coverage for the rape of a young teen sex worker by tens of law enforcement agents across the Bay Area, we saw the open sexual harassment and exploitation of our Black and Brown community members in broad daylight with no repercussions.
Even before the GOP-controlled U.S. Congress began its warpath to destroy healthcare and public education and exacerbate poverty, we saw our local city governments do NOTHING to aid long-time residents at risk FOR YEARS as the housing crisis continues to grow worse and worse.
That’s why we are telling all agents of our oppression, from 45 to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf that WE WILL NOT COMPLY with their corporate agenda.
Lew Finzel will give us a reading of ‘TIS THE SEASON, a short story by the Weird Fiction writer (and Fire-Breathing Radical) China Mieville
About Sunday Morning at the Marxist Library
A weekly discussion series inspired by our respect for the work of Karl Marx and our belief that his work will remain as important for the class struggles of the future as they have been for the past.
Labor donated by ICSS volunteers
http://icssmarx.org
Homeless in Berkland will air on Berkeley’s Comcast Channel 28 this Sunday. It will air again on Tuesday December 26 @ 5:00 p.m. (PST) Just after Democracy Now!
It can be watched on local TV or live from anywhere in the world here: https://www.bcmtv.org/article/watch_channel_28
Homeless in Berkland will air on Berkeley’s Comcast Channel 28 this Sunday, December 24, and again on Tuesday December 26 Just after Democracy Now!
It can be watched on local TV or live from anywhere in the world here: https://www.bcmtv.org/article/watch_channel_28
Join your comrades for a fun night of pizza and gaming! This is an alcohol-free event, but your favorite 2-liters of soda are definitely allowed.
Bring your favorite board game or your favorite console & games and get ready to have some wholesome fun. Don’t forget the extra controllers!
The Oscar Grant Foundation is hosting the 9th Annual Oscar Grant Vigil “Speak Up and Judge Fairly”
The Oscar Grant Foundation (OGF) was established on August 13, 2010, as a Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation. It was organized after the criminal trial and subsequent conviction of former B.A.R.T. Police Officer Johannes Mehserle for the January 1, 2009 unlawful killing of Oscar Julius Grant III. Oscar’s mother, Rev. Wanda R. Johnson, now heads the Foundation, and its mission is to help bridge the gap of distrust between individuals in at-risk communities and law enforcement.