Calendar
he Racial Justice Action Group, as part of Psychologists for Social Responsibility along with the Wright Institute Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Justice Teams Network would like to invite you to an interdisciplinary conference at the intersections of psychology, mental health, and organizing to end mass incarceration. The conference will take place on Saturday, November 2nd and Sunday, November 3rd from 9:30am – 4:00pm on both days.
This is a working conference rooted in the principles of liberation psychology, decolonial praxis, and anti-racist organizing. The intent is to build community and movement among mental health professionals and psychologists to end mass incarceration. We would like to invite organizers, psychologists, mental health professionals, students, attorneys, journalists, and anyone interested in how to address the trauma of mass incarceration.
The conference will build on the call to action raised by Psychologists for Social Responsibility in their 2016 statement on Torture, Cruel, Inhuman, and Degrading Treatment and Racial Injustice in the United States.
The conference will include panels, breakout working groups, large group discussions, workshops, and engagement in action. We will collaboratively explore many questions, including:
- What are the ethical responsibilities of psychologists working inside the system?
- How would crisis intervention look like without the police?
- What is the current state of the struggle against solitary confinement?
- How can psychologists and clinicians contribute their skills to the movement?
- How can communities protect one another in response to ICE raids?
- How can we address torture in US prisons and jails?
- How is trauma created and perpetuated by the system of mass incarceration?
- How can knowledge of trauma help in addressing the issue?
- How can we interrupt the school to prison pipeline?
- What is the role of white supremacy and colonialism in creating and upholding this system?
- What do we know about US political prisoners and how to support them?
We will provide breakfast, lunch, and snacks on both days with vegan and gluten free options.
In an effort to ensure that the conference is affordable for all, we are asking for a fee of $22 dollars for participation. However, we are committed to eliminating cost as a barrier to participation. As such, please email psysr.endmassincarceration@gmail.com if the cost is prohibitive in any way. Arrangements will be made for all who would like to attend.
We have confirmed ICSS member Mehmet Bayram, freelance journalist, who currently writes for the Sendika.org news outlet, which has been shut down 62 times by the Turkish government. He has recently returned from Turkey and will clarify the situation.
Here’s a preview: Turkish invasion of Syria serves many purposes for the Turkish regime. It distracts the masses from the harsh economic realities of capitalism, it unites the Turkish people fed with nationalism behind the fascist dictator when his voter support has fallen below 40%, it kindles the old flame of building the Islamic-Turkish empire that died after the WW1, it legitimizes the barbaric attacks with the long held hatred against the Kurds, it demands funds from the West to keep the “hordes of refugees” from reaching the metropolitan centers of Europe, and, yes, it exposes the hypocrisy of imperialism, to be used as blackmail against Erdoğan’s bosses that created him.
Erdoğan is trying to capitalize on the contradictions within the imperialist camp and tries playing one against the other by forcing the issues that will benefit his presidency and him personally, until, of course, his personal wealth is put on the table. The victims of course are the Kurds, Arabs, Yazidis, Armenians. This invasion, supported by the imperialist centers has become an ethnic cleansing tool for the Turkish racist nationalists to use against the Kurds.
What is Disability Justice? People often express feeling intimidated and ill-equipped to unpack what we’ve been taught about disability, and how to support and advocate for disabled people in our everyday lives. This workshop is a fabulous opportunity for you to dive into the magic of disability justice with SURJ and Alex Locust at the helm.
With “Spill the Disabili-Tea™”, Alex will be facilitating an interactive discussion of disability justice for those committed to elevating their support for disabled folks in their community. Using his lived experience, education, and advocacy know-how, he’ll lead a candid conversation exploring the following questions (and more):
-Who is “disabled” and what creates that experience?
-What is “disability justice?”
-What’s the “right way” to interact with people with disabilities?
-How can I do better about those tricky “microaggressions?”
-What’s the difference between “access” and “inclusion?”
-Is disability a cultural experience and how can that intersect with other cultural identities?
-How can I integrate these skills in the community (e.g. Pride celebrations, workplace culture, community gatherings)?
Come join us for an afternoon of real talk, experiential exercises, group work, and lots of laughs as we all Spill the Disabili-Tea™.
How do we approach difficult conversations, whether it’s about racist violence on the border, cultural appropriation, or white supremacy and racial justice in general? What is it like to have these conversations with our family, friends and coworkers with a vision for the long haul? Members of the White Noise Collective will facilitate this workshop exploring the difficult conversations in our lives around race and power.
Preregistration is required due to limited space.
Food, Stories, Dancing. All for Michael.
Celebration of Michael’s life.
Michael Dress Code: Wear It Like Michael.
Please come learn about Rojava’s history, organization, and current struggle.
Years after imperialist markings on a map separated their people and fragmented their territory, 7 years ago the Kurdish people realized a piece of their resistance and reclaimed territory in what is known as northeastern Syria, what has come to be known as Rojava.
A revolution led by women, based on ecological justice and anti-capitalism, that developed a political infrastructure for regionally nested direct democracy and a cooperative solidarity economy among an ethnically and religiously diverse population, Rojava is a beacon for anyone yearning for liberation from the forces of extraction, exploitation, and oppression that dominate global geopolitics.
As a realization of peace and self-determination in the so-called Middle East, Rojava is under constant threat from regional and global authoritarian and fascistic powers. With the recent US facilitated Turkish invasion, this threat is more real than ever. It is of crucial importance to understand what is in jeopardy in Rojava, and how we can mobilize to defend it.
Dear neighbors and allies,
The fight for the maximum amount of 100% affordable housing on the E12th St. parcel continues. In the past month, we filed a legal appeal with the city, raised $2k for filing fees, submitted a Public Ethics Complaint against a council member for their conflict of interest, and successfully pressured the council to move the E12th land sale discussion from a closed meeting, to a public session. Next week, the Oakland City Council will make the final decision on whether to approve our appeal. If we win, we will have a new opportunity to realize the People’s Proposal, a community-generated proposal for 100% affordable housing, but we need your help.
In the next week, we need individuals and ally organizations to help in four specific ways:
1. Sign-on to our letter to the City Council asking them to approve our legal appeal of the UrbanCore luxury tower development. We need ally organizations and individual community members to endorse our letter. Read the letter and sign-on here: bit.ly/E12Appeal
2. Send your own individual email to the City Council, asking them to approve our legal appeal and support the maximum amount of affordable housing on our public land. You can write your own email, or use the template attached. Email council@oaklandca.gov by Nov. 4.
3. Join an upcoming meeting with individual city council members this week, to push them to support the People’s Proposal. Email Jen Miller at soyjenn@gmail.com ASAP if you can attend a meeting with a council member on behalf of your organization, or as an individual.
4. Fill the council chambers for the Nov. 5 City Council meeting and to speak out in support of our appeal and the People’s Proposal. The Council will decide whether to approve UrbanCore’s market-rate housing tower or to uphold our appeal — we need a massive turnout to win. We are ready to support you with talking points and snacks! Please come and bring two friends! Please share this call out!! Tuesday Nov. 5 at 5:30 pm or when you can, at City Hall.
Background: Eastlake United for Justice and the E.12th St. Coalition has been engaged in a multi-year campaign to win affordable housing on city-owned public land. Despite massive community opposition, the City of Oakland has offered the developer a series of sweetheart deals to develop a luxury tower consisting of 253 market-rate units, and a separate smaller building with only 90 “affordable” units. After several years, the market-rate tower development is now moving toward final approval, and we have one more chance to re-engage the City, kill the deal, and guarantee 133 100% affordable homes for close to 700 people and numerous public amenities on public land through our community-generated People’s Proposal.
Thank you for being part of our collective fight for affordable housing and community-driven development on public land in Oakland.
In solidarity,
Eastlake United for Justice
E12th Individual Supporter Letter Template for City Council:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sRSikAOdBY7hz0GCkGA1WoJI3CFzO-xhgxns2HT-glg/edit
Every Face Every Tent Has A Story!
This will be an engaging evening through the use of the films from two local Berkeley film makers, highlighting some of the “Unhoused” population residing in Berkeley followed by a presentatiom/discussion of the problems facing those on the streets as well as their impact on the housed residents that have been their neighbors.
Dinner will be buffet style and several local restaurants have already agreed to donate. Some of the sponsors are: The Thai Table, Everett & Jones, Juan’s Place, all in Berkeley, and Cal Peternell’s new restaurant, The LEDE located in Oakland… and MORE!
RESERVATIONS: Due to limited seating, If you want to attend, PLEASE let Eleanor know ASAP and get your seats reserved now:
Email her at: Eleanor@ConsiderTheHomeless.org
Be sure to include your name, email address, phone number and the # of tickets to reserve. To guarantee your reservations tickets must be paid in full by Oct. 31st
Pay by Check: Make it out to Consider The Homeless!
then mail it to Consider The Homeless
PO Box #2771
Berkeley, CA 94702
Pay by Credit Card: only available via PayPal.
Barbara Brust – Founder, Director – Consider The Homeless!
Please forward this to others or share with them this link.
www.ConsiderTheHomeless.org/Newsletters/100819.html
Join us election night, Tuesday, Nov. 5th at 7pm for KPFA’s Documentary Night Screening of:
The Great White Hoax by Tim Wise.
In The Great White Hoax, anti-racist educator Tim Wise explores how American political leaders have scapegoated people of color to divide working class voters and consolidate power. Taking from Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign it expands its scope to make sense of what’s happening today as we gear up for 2020 and how Trump’s xenophobic rhetoric fits a pattern of racism that goes back centuries.
After-film discussion led by Adrienne Lauby of the program Pushing Limits. Adrienne will share her insight on the film (with audience participation) and her own 9 years of anti-racism work experience.
Join the East Bay DSA Socialist Night School for a discussion of Suzy Lee’s groundbreaking essay “The Case for Open Borders,” kicked off by a video interview with Lee herself.
For a century, the US labor movement advocated immigration restrictions in fear that new immigrants would drive down wages for US workers. In the last few decades, however, the AFL-CIO has made a dramatic turn to become advocates for comprehensive immigration reform. What accounts for that shift?
Policies that aim to restrict immigration flows rarely achieve their intended result. Instead, their main result is to deprive immigrant workers of rights and to undermine the ability of all workers to organize to improve their conditions. For that reason, Lee argues, the labor movement should advocate for the free movement of labor across borders. Such a stance provides the basis for solidarity between working-class people regardless of where they are born.
Find the readings here: https://www.eastbaydsa.org/night-school/
We will rally on Sproul Steps on the UC Berkeley Campus to defend, protect, and save People’s Park from development. Don’t let UC destroy our historic, green, and public space! Join us! Be part of the power of the People of People’s Park!
PUBLIC FINANCE WORKSHOP: MEMBER MEETING
Ella Baker Center November Member Meeting
Public Finance in Elections: Why it Matters to Oakland Residents
A non-partisan workshop lead by Voting Rights Attorney of Northern CA, Christina E. Fletes in collaboration with the Oakland Public Ethics Committee.
Learn what public finance is, why it’s important, how it’s worked in other cities and how Oakland can incorporate public finance in its elections.
This is an open member meeting, all are welcome, ADA Accessible, free dinner will be provided. The Ella Baker Center is right off of Fruitvale Village at 34th and International.
50 years ago this fall, on November 20, a group of people that came to be known as Indians of All Tribes began a 18-month occupation of Alcatraz Island. This act of self-determination emerged from conditions faced on reservations and in urban centers, from the activism of the Third World Strike at San Francisco State, and resulted in major changes taking place across the continent. From a new consciousness of sovereignty to at least ten major policy and law shifts, Mary Jean Robertson, host of the radio show Voices of the Native Nations, discusses the far reaching impact of claiming “the Rock”.
Relevant Agenda Items:
4. Surveillance Equipment Ordinance – OPD – Live Stream Camera Impact Report and proposed Use Policy – review and take possible action
5. Surveillance Equipment Ordinance – OFD – Data Collection for Wildfire District and Fire Safety Inspections – review and take possible action
6. Federal Task Force Transparency Ordinance – OPD – FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force MOU – review and take possible action
As guest curator of Who Owns the Earth? –A New exhibit that examines Henry George’s, 1800’s masterpiece on societal inequality, I invite you to attend a free event!
140 years ago in San Francisco Henry George, rocked the world with his book Progress & Poverty. At the Main Library, Koret Auditorium Historian and actor David Giesen takes on the role of Henry George in a Chautauqua performance set in 1890. Addressing the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, for whom George had been the founding secretary, George reminisces about his San Francisco days during the 1860s and 1870s.
https://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1039825001
An informal discussion on chapters 3-6 of Angela Davis’ book Women, Race and Class focusing on the intersections of race, class and gender in relation to slavery and the early abolitionist and suffragist movements. This will be the second part of an ongoing reading series. Feel free to attend even if you missed the first discussion.
KPFA Radio 94.1 FM & The Center for Reporting with St. John’s Presbyterian Church present:
AARON GLANTZ
Homewreckers! How a Gang of Wall Street Kingpins, Hedge Fund Magnates, Crooked Banks,& Vulture Capitalists Suckered Millions Out of Their Homes & Demolished the American Dream
With Kris Welch
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advance tickets: $12: brownpapertickets.com :: T: 800-838-3006 or Pegasus Books (3 sites), Moe’s, Books Inc (Berkeley), Walden Pond Bookstore, East Bay Books, Mrs. Dalloway’s $15 door, benefits KPFA Radio 94.1FM
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So many are living on the street now. In parks. In RVs. Thousands and thousands of homes were stolen. How did this happen? Aaron Glantz knows. A former KPFA reporter who’s won a Peabody Award, been a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and written The War Comes Home. Aaron not only knows… he tells the entire sordid business in his new book, Homewreckers, How a Gang of Wall Street Kingpins, Hedge Fund Magnates, Crooked Banks, & Vulture Capitalists Suckered Millions Out of Their Homes & Demolished the American Dream.
Aaron exposes the high class rip-offs – among them, D.Trump and cronies, who often used taxpayer money to make fortunes off the working class and the middle class. Homewreckers! shows us the mad greed that harmed or ruined millions while further fattening the gluttonous few. Glantz recounts the transformation of straightforward lending into a morass of slivered and combined mortgage “products” that could be bought and sold, accompanied by a shift in priorities and a loosening of regulations and laws that made it good business to lend money to those who wouldn’t be able to repay.
Homewreckers brilliantly weaves together the stories of those most ravaged by the housing crisis. The result is an eye-opening expose of the greed that decimated millions and enriched a gluttonous few.
Aaron Glantz is a senior reporter at Reveal who produces public interest journalism with impact. His reporting has sparked more than a dozen Congressional hearings, a raft of federal legislation and led to criminal probes by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission. He is also the author of three books including “The War Comes Home: Washington’s Battle Against America’s Veterans.” His work has appeared in a broad range of media outlets, including The New York Times, NBC News, ABC News and the PBS NewsHour, where his work has twice been nominated for a national Emmy Award. He’s been given a Peabody Award, an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award and Online News Association award.
WITH XR YOUTH SF
Join us as we join XR Youth SF at Sather Gate on UC Berkeley’s campusGet more info or register at xryouth.berkeley@gmail.com