Calendar

Build elsewhere in Berkeley. Save our Greenspace. Save People’s Park.

If UCB gets their way, Berkeley will be covered with high-rises and hotels and the legal of Berkeley’s historic contributions to Free Speech, Anti War and Community Democracy will be reduced to a bronze plaque.

Oakland Marriott workers are in the second week of their strike for jobs that are enough to get by in the Bay Area. Marriott is the biggest and richest hotel company in the world and can afford to provide good jobs. That’s why nearly 8000 workers at 23 Marriott-operated hotels around the country, from Boston to Hawaii, are on strike for the principle that One Job Should Be Enough.

Join us for a rally to show Marriott that the whole East Bay stands behind the striking Marriott workers.

On October 23, more than 35,000 University of California workers across the state will be walking off the job!

Pickets will happen all day at Sproul Plaza on October 23 through 25. We are particularly encouraging people to show up for a rally at noon on Tuesday, October 23.

Patient care workers from AFSCME 3299 — backed up with a solidarity strike by other AFSCME service workers and UPTE technical workers — are demanding improvements on wages and working conditions, no cutbacks on benefits, and an end to management’s weaponization of inequalities of race, gender, and immigration status to exploit and intimidate workers.

Back in May, East Bay DSA showed up big to the AFSCME and UPTE strike, and we are going to do so again!

Please sign up for the Labor Committee’s Rapid Response system if you’d like to receive text messages that let you know about labor actions around the East Bay.

Accessibility: The UC campus is ADA-accessible. This will be a live picket line.

Update: Eviction action by City was called off today after people showed up. But:

#oakmtg We have received information the city WILL return tomorrow to evict. We anticipate more force, more aggression from the government, more cops.

If you can be here before 8am, please do. Historically they don’t come before 8am, but we are in new territory here.

— Jesse A.J. Smith 4 Oakland Mayor (@OakSmith2018) October 24, 2018

#Oakland! Unhoused activist Nino Parker, who lives here, is asking for as many people as possible to come down by 9am on 10/24 to help the fight. PLEASE come to offer support, supplies, documentation, & assistance.@CatsCommentary @EOakCollective @BlakeDontCrack @johnajonesIII https://t.co/546uEiQYvr

— jcat (@jcatjcatjcat) October 20, 2018

Update: Eviction action by City was called off today after people showed up. But:

#oakmtg We have received information the city WILL return tomorrow to evict. We anticipate more force, more aggression from the government, more cops.

If you can be here before 8am, please do. Historically they don’t come before 8am, but we are in new territory here.

— Jesse A.J. Smith 4 Oakland Mayor (@OakSmith2018) October 24, 2018

#Oakland! Unhoused activist Nino Parker, who lives here, is asking for as many people as possible to come down by 9am on 10/24 to help the fight. PLEASE come to offer support, supplies, documentation, & assistance.@CatsCommentary @EOakCollective @BlakeDontCrack @johnajonesIII https://t.co/546uEiQYvr

— jcat (@jcatjcatjcat) October 20, 2018

Waffles & Zapatismo is a free space for learning about and discussing the history, ideas, values and practices of the Zapatista National Liberation Army, EZLN or Zapatistas. We serve waffles at the start of the class to those who want them.

Join Yemeni Alliance Committee (YAC) and our partners in SF to protest the ongoing US involvement in the war in #Yemen.

Since March of 2015 Saudi Arabia and its coalition, which includes the Arab countries of: UAE, KUWAIT, BAHRAIN, QATAR, SUDAN, EGYPT, JORDAN, MOROCCO, backed and supported by the US AND THE UK-have been bombing Yemen. It has not been a civil war since then. The United States has provided the Saudis with weapons and logistical and intelligence support and helped refuel coalition jets (mid air) as they drop bombs on Yemeni civilians.

The U.S.-backed Saudi-led campaign has killed over 50 thousand Yemenis, destroyed the country’s infrastructure, has led to widespread disease and sparked a famine thats become one of the worst in living memory.

On top of this the Saudi blockade has restricted humanitarian aide, medical supplies and clean water to Yemen. According to the UN, Yemen is the worlds worst humanitarian crisis in decades. The war in Yemen has left more than 22 million people—75 % of the population in dire need of aide.

By now, we all know what the Saudi de facto ruler Mohammad bin Salman and his regime are capable of, and its clear from the brutal murder of one of their own; when Washington Post journalist Jamal #Khashoogi was beheaded and dismembered earlier this month AND the atrocious attack on a school bus that killed at least 40 children by American-made bombs in August of this year-which is just a strike in a long string of attacks on the poorest nation in the Arab world. Only by Saudi Arabia could a crime like premeditated murder, or the mass killing of innocent Yemenis be called a mistake. Saudi warplanes target schools, hospitals and wedding halls in Yemen, and they shamelessly call such crimes “mistakes.

The Trump administration is allowing Saudi Arabia’s rivalry with Iran to dictate its policy in the region, and it comes at the cost of the innocent lives of Yemenis.

The only realistic check left is in Congress, where more voices are asking why the world’s most powerful country is helping to perpetuate the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. We’ve been complicit in this war, But Its time to take action, especially during election season.

WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

Contact your Representatives: ASK them to sponsor #HConRes138 to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. CALL: 202-224-3121 or visit: https://callyourrep.co
Contact your Senators: ASK them to support #SJRES54, ending unauthorized U.S. military involvement in Yemen’s war. CALL: 202-224-3121 or visit: https://bit.ly/1ujDDoD
Take it to the streets, join a protest or organize one and use this hashtag: #YemenCantWait
Sign and share this petition by CREDO
Help YAC amplify next Saturday’s action on social media (using #YemenCantWait): http://bit.ly/2CLaTkn

In Solidarity,

-Yemeni Alliance Committee

To join the list of event hosts and add your organization’s name to this effort, complete this form: http://bit.ly/2yBTzvi

Doughnut Economics Reading Group starts Nov 10^th
Creating a world with neither human suffering nor planetary peril

Doughnut Economics: 7 ways to think like a 21^st century economist

By Kate Raworth Chelsea Green Publishing (2017)

The capitalist economic system defines every aspect of our lives: the schooling and medical care we get, where we live, and how we sustain ourselves. The system works for a lucky few and exploits everyone else. And it’s a real threat to the survival of our species (and many others) on this planet.

We know the system needs to change—but we can’t change what we don’t understand. We have to know what we’re talking about.

Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics lays out traditional economic theory—still taught as gospel at all the major temples of capitalism—with clarity, authority, lots of graphics, and quite a bit of humor. She exposes the flawed models and persistent myths that keep the system in place. Even more importantly, she presents seven big, basic ideas with which to begin creating the world we want to see. We can indeed build an economy in the “doughnut”—meeting the needs of all while maintaining the biospheres that support us.

All of us need to read this book. We’ve all grown up in this deeply unfair and absurd system; seeing it clearly and getting free of it require a group effort.

So we at Strike Debt Bay Area are sponsoring a group discussion of Doughnut Economics. We’re thinking of seven meetings so we can talk about one chapter per meeting. Please join us!

First meeting:

4:00 – 5:15pm, Saturday, November 10^th
Omni Commons, 4799 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland

Bring the book (available at your favorite online bookseller and in select local bookstores) and/or your thoughts on the first chapter (available online – http://tinyurl.com/ycysqtde ‘Look Inside’).

https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/

Tell UC: Hands Off Our Park!

Protect Our Green Space, Trees, Community, History, Free Speech, Social Justice, Civil Rights, Powe Gardens, Music, Art, Style, Freebox, Recreation, the

Are you thinking about going solar – tapping the sun for your energy needs? But you have so many questions, you don’t know where to start? Solar Simplified will provide a strong foundation for your decision-making. Solar is more accessible and affordable than ever, and the industry is rapidly changing. Solar expert Doug McKenzie will discuss the latest solar products, rebates, and technologies, plus the factors that are advancing or limiting the future of solar in the US. Presentation followed by Q&A, so bring your questions!

Topics include:

Why: The environmental and financial benefits of solar
What: How a PV system works, and the latest technology
Solar Financing: Owning versus leasing, low-income options, rebates
Other Considerations: Contractors, home selling, policies, Community Choice energy
Getting Off Gas: Batteries, electric cars, electric appliances
Jobs: The growth of solar in CA, US, the world, and how to get a foot in the door

Doug McKenzie retired early from HP after almost 20 years in software development and customer support. Before HP, he received a degree in Applied Math from UC Berkeley. After HP, he is living his dreams as a solar educator and consultant and as a career coach helping people through career transitions. He’s the East Bay development manager for non-profit solar installer SunWork.org and is on the Board of NorCal Solar. Doug lives in Berkeley and drives an electric car powered by rooftop solar.

We are disappointed to relay that dangerous air quality in the Bay Area has compelled us to cancel the People Get Ready II Conference, which was scheduled to take place tomorrow, Saturday November 17th.#climatechange #californiafires pic.twitter.com/qUfeAkaskK

— CPE (@Center4PE) November 17, 2018

Align your money with your values– stop funding war and fossil fuels!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-workshop-on-divesting-from-weapons-fossil-fuels-tickets-49846056898

Free Workshop to help you align your money with your values, break up with your Wall Street bank (Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citibank, Chase, etc.), and divest from investments in fossil fuels and weapons. Join the growing movement for a “Peace Economy” and withdraw financial support from the War Economy.

Optional: Bring your laptop or other wi-fi-enabled device for a hands-on experience.

Learn to:
Identify local banks and credit unions where you can move your money with confidence. Break up with your Wall Street bank and keep your money local and used for community needs.

Use tools such as the online “As You Sow” program to discover if you’re invested in weapons and fossil fuels, plus identify socially responsible funds that perform as well as funds invested in weapons and fossil fuels.

Form support groups for continued mutual assistance on how to move your money.

Presenters include Cynthia Papermaster of CODEPINK, Sandy Emerson of Fossil Free California, Dave Peattie and Steve Murphy of Indivisible Berkeley Economic Justice Team.

Handouts, refreshments, hands-on workshop.

Exploring the difficult conversations in our lives around race and power. How do we approach the challenging conversations, whether it’s about confederate flags, Donald Trump, cultural appropriation, Palestine/Israel, or even just racism and racial justice in general?

Members of the White Noise Collective will facilitate a workshop exploring the difficult conversations in our lives around race and power. How do we approach the challenging conversations, whether it’s about confederate flags, Donald Trump, cultural appropriation, Palestine/Israel, or even just racism and racial justice in general?

This workshop is an opportunity to dive in much deeper with structured time to practice a range of difficult conversations around highly-charged racial issues. We will be sharing some basic skill-building tools in how to approach conversations, and then explore scenarios relevant to the lives of participants. This will include examination of some of the ways that internalized sexism can impact our courageous speaking capacities.

Small group work, role-plays, and Theater of the Oppressed techniques will support seeing tough communication blocks in a new light. We’ll try out what feels challenging, in a relatively low-stakes and supportive environment, allowing ourselves time to debrief, reflect, and learn from each other.

Contact basebuilding@surjbayarea.org with ticket requests or questions.

ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION The space is wheelchair accessible. We ask that you do your best to arrive at the event scent/fragrance free to keep the space as low-scent as possible to support people with chemical and scent sensitivities – please see https://eastbaymeditation.org/resources/fragrance-free-at-ebmc/ for helpful information.

The recent UN report on climate change is sobering. Urgent action is required to avert environmental disaster. We need a bold vision of a good and livable future — and a political program to match. For starters, that means insisting on a publicly funded clean energy transition on a rapid timeline and a major green jobs program. The main obstacle to achieving this vision should be obvious. Corporations spent millions of dollars to defeat clean energy initiatives in the elections earlier this month.

Please join the Night School for a discussion on how democratic socialists can organize for climate justice and help build the mass movement that will be needed to take on the corporations.

Accessibility: East Bay Community Space has a wheelchair-accessible entrance and bathrooms.

Required Readings
See the readings that we’ll be discussing after a brief introduction from our members.

Waffles & Zapatismo is a free space for learning about and discussing the history, ideas, values and practices of the Zapatista National Liberation Army, EZLN or Zapatistas. We serve waffles at the start of the class to those who want them.

WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
Pittsburg Police or the People of Pittsburg?

Terry Amons, Jr., a 43 year old Black man, was shot and killed by Pittsburgh police late Friday night on January 12, 2018, while eating dinner inside his car outside of Nations Burgers in Pittsburgh. The police claim that Terry was reaching for a gun, but body cam video does not support this claim. We hold the Pittsburgh PD responsible for murdering an innocent Black man.
Terry’s mother, Sandra, said: “They executed my son. The Pittsburgh Police Department (PPD) illegally, without a warrant, searched Terry’s home after they killed him.”. The PPD did not provide Terry’s family with the names of the officers involved. The Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights is the legal justification for withholding this information. Only months later did the Oscar Grant Committee learn the names of the Police Officers involved: Dillon Tindall, who fired the shots, and Jesus Arellano. According to the East Bay Times, the body cam video shows Terry being shot by Tindall after shouting “Do not reach for that fucking gun.” As Terry falls out of the car., he continues to say, “I wasn’t reaching for nothing, I swear to God.” Then the officers handcuffed him. Terry died at John Muir Medical Center in Martinez.

According to attorney John Burris, “I must admit, I do not see (Amons) reaching for that gun. I see him playing around with gloves, but certainly not reaching. He was trying to comply,” “I have reservations about the justification of this shooting, frankly.”

The family is considering filing a lawsuit.

Terry’s family deserves justice.
YOU BE THE JUDGE: Watch the Body Cam Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVhBiDilpzs
Terry Amons Jr.
March 1, 1974-January 12, 2018
Please join us to rally together and unite against police terror.

Potluck BBQ at end of March

The Oscar Grant Committee Against Police Brutality and State Repression was born from the struggle for justice for Oscar Grant, murdered by BART police on Jan 1, 2009. We organize working class resistance in support of families whose loved ones were murdered by police.

JOIN US, our meetings are normally on the First Monday of every month at 7:00 PM at the Niebyl-Proctor Marxist Library, 6501 Telegraph Avenue in North Oakland.

An Injury to One is an Injury to All. • Without Struggle, There is No Justice.

SUPPORT OF STRIKING WORKERS AGAINST MARRIOTT HOTELS IN SF FOR A RALLY AND MARCH

For 57 days 2,500 workers in SF have been out on strike at the Marriott Hotels.  We are partnering with the San Francisco and San Mateo Labor Councils for another day of action this Saturday.
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Let’s show support for the workers! Meet at 10:30am at the Powell Street BART Station exit on Market Street between 3rd & 4th Streets.  Look for the ALC banner!

Help get the word out! Share the flyer: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0wpl4lwn0b8pgkw/Flyer.12-01-18-OneJobRally.pdf?dl=0