Calendar

9896
Jan
13
Mon
Public Bank of the East Bay General Meeting @ Greenlining Institute
Jan 13 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

If you would like to come early and get an introduction to the concepts of public banking, or more locally to who we are and what we do, please email us and someone will come meet you at 5:30.

Working Group Meetings:

Some of our working groups meet between organizers’ meetings, and others just confer by phone and email. You can plug into any one of these:

  • Outreach to Organizations
  • Outreach to Individuals
  • Digital Outreach
  • Advocacy (working with politicians)
  • Governance
  • California Public Banking Alliance
  • Fundraising
  • Operations

Just send us a note and we’ll help you get connected to the work you want to do.

You can help us find interim board members for the Public Bank of the East Bay. We are building an Interim Board to facilitate the transition to an approved, operating Board of Directors. Review the requirements for Board members. If you would like to be on the Interim Board, or you know someone you think would be good, you can email us or use the contact page linked above.

You can donate to our efforts, or get and wear our spiffy t-shirt, through the green buttons on the right. (Pic of the t-shirt shows up when you click.)

You can help us with outreach (tabling at events, farmers’ markets, etc.)

You can encourage your organization(s) to join us as supporters.

You can come to our meetings and work with us.

You can help us find major donors.

You can tell people about public banking.

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Oakland Tenants Union monthly meeting @ Madison Park Apartments, community room
Jan 13 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

OTU’s Mission

The Oakland Tenants Union is an organization of housing activists dedicated to protecting tenant rights and interests. OTU does this by working directly with tenants in their struggle with landlords, impacting legislation and public policy about housing, community education, and working with other organizations committed to furthering renters’ rights. The Oakland Tenants Union is open to anyone who shares our core values and who believes that tenants themselves have the primary responsibility to work on their own behalf.

Monthly Meetings

The Oakland Tenants Union meets regularly at 7:00 pm on the second Monday evening of each month. Our monthly meetings are held in the Community Room of the Madison Park Apartments, 100 – 9th Street (at Oak Street, across from the Lake Merritt BART Station). To enter, gently knock on the window of the room to the right of the main entrance to the building. At the meetings, first we focus on general issues affecting renters city-wide and then second we offer advice to renters regarding their individual concerns.

If you have an issue, a question, or need advice about a tenant/landlord issue, please call us at (510) 704-5276. Leave a message with your name and phone number and someone will get back to you.

59289
Jan
14
Tue
No Coal in Richmond: Council Vote @ Richmond City Hall
Jan 14 @ 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Vote on ‘No Coal’ Ordinance

 

At the December 3 Richmond City Council meeting, after hours of public testimony, the vote on the Richmond Coal Ordinance was delayed to a later meeting. Well, that meeting is now just around the corner! On Tuesday, January 14, the Richmond City Council will finally vote on the ordinance, which would phase out current coal and petroleum coke storage and handling at Richmond’s Levin terminal. It would also prevent future coal and petcoke operations in the city.

Last year Richmond’s Levin terminal handled nearly one million metric tons of coal, which is stored in massive uncovered piles on the waterfront before being shipped overseas. This is a serious threat to Richmond’s public health and the environment.

City leaders can put a stop to this pollution. If you are a Richmond resident concerned about the effects of coal and petcoke dust pollution on your family’s health, now is your chance to make sure the council finally enacts the ordinance! Please join us on January 14 at 6:30 PM for the City Council meeting. Your presence will make a difference.

For more information visit ncir.weebly.com.

Additional Directions: Accessibility Info: The meeting will take place inside the City Council Chambers in the Richmond City Council Building. This building is wheelchair-accessible via a ramp near the intersection of 27th Street and Nevin Avenue. Inside the Richmond City Council Building, there is another ramp that will take wheelchair users up to the level where the doors to the City Council Chambers are located.

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Jan
15
Wed
Join Local Mayors to Support Robust Climate Action @ Alameda city hall
Jan 15 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Stand with Alameda Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft, Albany Mayor Nick Pilch, and other elected officials to spread awareness of the need to:

  • End state permits for new oil and gas wells,
  • Implement a 2,500-foot human health and safety buffer zone around all oil and gas wells,
  • Have the state commit to 100% clean renewable energy.

These public officials, all members of the California branch of Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPCA), will highlight what cities are doing to raise awareness that local action makes a difference in curbing climate change.

Launched in 2018, EOPCA is a bipartisan network of over 250 local elected officials from a majority of counties calling to phase out fossil fuel production statewide and protect communities living next to oil and gas extraction and production sites.

 

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Oakland Privacy: Fighting Against the Surveillance State @ Omni Commons
Jan 15 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Join Oakland Privacy to organize against the surveillance state, police militarization and ICE, and to advocate for surveillance regulation around the Bay and nationwide.

op-logo.2.1We fight against “pre-crime” and “thought-crime,” spy drones, facial recognition, police body camera secrecy, anti-transparency laws and requirements for “backdoors” to cellphones, to list just a few invasions of our privacy by all levels of Government, and attempts to hide what government officials, employees and agencies are doing.

We draft and push for privacy legislation for City Councils, at the County level, and in Sacramento. We advocate in op-eds and in the streets. We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and believe no one is illegal.

Oakland Privacy originally came together in 2013 to fight against the Domain Awareness Center, Oakland’s citywide networked mass surveillance hub. OP was instrumental in stopping the DAC from becoming a city-wide spying network.  We helped fight and helped win the fight against Urban Shield.

Our major projects currently include local legislation to regulate state surveillance (we got the strongest surveillance regulation ordinance in the country passed in Oakland!), supporting and opposing state legislation as appropriate, battling mass surveillance in the form of facial recognition and other analytics, and pushing back against ICE.

On September 12th, 2019 we were presented with a Barlow Award by the Electronic Frontier Foundation for our work.

If you are interested in joining the Oakland Privacy email listserv, coming to a meeting, or have questions, send an email to:

contact@oaklandprivacy.org


Check out our website: http://oaklandprivacy.org/   Follow us on twitter: @oaklandprivacy

Check out our sister site DeportICE.

 

“WATCHING YOU WATCHING US”

Oakland Privacy works regionally to defend the right to privacy and enhance public transparency and oversight regarding the use of surveillance techniques and equipment.  Oakland Privacy drove the passage of surveillance regulation and transparency ordinances in Oakland and Berkeley and is kicking off new processes in various municipalities around the Bay.  To help slow down the encroaching police and surveillance state all over the Bay Area, join us at the Omni.

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2nd Organizing Meeting for Reclaim MLK’s Radical Legacy Weekend @ EastSide Arts Alliance
Jan 15 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Our 6th Annual Rally and March to Reclaim MLK’s Radical Legacy is right around the corner, and we need all hands on deck!

As U.S. imperialism pushes us to the brink of yet another war, it’s important that we recall Dr. King’s condemnation of U.S. wars, capitalism, racism, and imperialism.

In that spirit, we will come together for the 6th year on MLK Day where we will uplift the struggles against ICE and concentration camps, against police terror and prisons, for housing for all, against school closures and cops in schools, against all wars, and more.


RSVP
Onward together!
APTP
Anti Police-Terror Project is not a non-profit.
We are a community group powered by people like you.

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MAKING OUR WAY HOME: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream @ St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Jan 15 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

“Blair Imani enlivens African American history for a new generation with her

     dynamic and thoughtful account of African American migration and resilience.”

                          —Jamia Wilson, Publisher of Feminist Press

   

Over the course of six decades an unprecedented wave of Black Americans left the south and spread across the nation in search of a better life. This migration sparked stunning demographic and cultural changes throughout twentieth-century America. Through gripping and accessible historical narrative paired with illustrations, author and activist Blair Imani portrays the largely overlooked impact of the Great Migration and how it affected – and continues to affect – not only Black identity, but this nation as a whole…Making Our Way Home explores issues lsuch as voting rights, domestic terrorism and segregation, along with the flourishing of arts and culture, new activism, and civil rights. She shows how these influences shaped America’s workforce and wealth distribution by featuring the stories of notable people and events, relevant data, and family histories. The experiences of such prominent figures as James Baldwin, Fannie Lou Hamer, El Hajj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X), Ella Baker, and others are woven into the larger narrative to create a truly unique record of this magnificent journey.

Blair Imani is a critically-acclaimed historian, outspoken activist, and dynamic public speaker. The author of Modern HERstory: Stories of Women and Nonbinary People Rewriting History (2018)  she focuses on women and girls, global Black communities, and the LGBTQ community. She serves as the official ambassador of Muslims for Progressive Values, one of the oldest progressive Muslim organizations supporting the LGBTQ+ community, and she dedicates her platform to advocating for the rights of marginalized people around the world.In 2014, she founded Equality for HER, a non-profit organization that provided resources and a forum for women and nonbinary people to feel empowered. Blair Imani has appeared on television and at progressive conferences around the world. She has been profiled in Teen Vogue, The Advocate, Variety, the Today Show, and by Yahoo! News. From the United States to countries like Kenya and the United Kingdom, Blair Imani has inspired audiences around the world. In 2017, on national television she came out as a queer Muslim woman.

Davey D is a nationally recognized journalist, adjunct professor, Hip Hop historian, syndicated talk show host, radio programmer, producer, deejay, media and community activist. Originally from the Bronx, NY, Davey D’s been down with Hip Hop since since 1977. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley,Davey D is the co-founder and host of several of the most cited Hip Hop radio and online news journalism projects of all time. Hard Knock Radio (HKR) is an award-winning daily syndicated prime time afternoon show focusing on Hip Hop culture and politics. It originated in 1999 on KPFA 94.1 FM in the San Francisco Bay Area, and now can be heard in Seattle, Atlanta, Portland, Fresno and is streamed live over KPFA.org, where it reaches close to a million listeners every weekday.

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Jan
16
Thu
5G WIRELESS RADIATION EMITTERS – Discussion @ South Berkeley Senior Center
Jan 16 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
 

The Berkeley City Council soon considers installation of 5G wireless telecommunication facilities in residential & commercial areas of Berkeley. Councilmembers Ben Bartlett & Cheryl Davila co-host a community discussion – including Q &A.

For details, call 510.365.1500 or 510.919.6431.

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Diversity Film Series ‘The Long Shadow’ @ Ellen Driscoll Playhouse
Jan 16 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Jan 16 in Piedmont; also Jan 19 at 12:30 pm in Oakland at The New Parkway Theater, 474 24th Street, between Telegraph and Broadway

Of all the divisions in America, none is as insidious and destructive as racism. The Appreciating Diversity Film Series’ first program of 2020 is the powerful documentary, The Long Shadow, which traces the history of slavery from the country’s founding, up through its ties to racism today.

Director Frances Causey and Producer Sally Holst, both privileged daughters of the South, were haunted by their families’ slave-owning pasts. They grew up in a time when white superiority was rarely questioned, and challenging this norm was often met with deadly consequences. Rejecting the oft-told romanticized version of early U.S. history, they embarked on a journey of hidden truths and the untold stories of how America – driven by the South’s powerful political influence – steadily, deliberately and with great stealth, established white privilege in our institutions, laws, culture and economy.

By telling individual stories—of free, enterprising blacks in Canada and of a modern, racially motivated shooting—the filmmakers movingly personalize the costs and the stakes of our continued inaction. The Long Shadow presents a startling, unrecognized history that provides much-needed context when considering the major issues affecting black/white relations in the United States today.

William Faulkner once said, “The past is never dead. The past is not even past.” Or as one scholar warns in the film: “We’re still fighting the Civil War, and the South is winning.” Anti-black racism has survived like “an infection,” rigging the game against African-Americans and denying them full access to the American dream.

The Long Shadow is a masterful film that captures the disturbing but necessary story of the enduring human cost of prejudice and ignorance in the U.S. that continues to cast a long shadow over our national identity, our values, and, ultimately, our celebrated democracy.

Free/no RSVP needed.

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Omni General Assembly @ Omni Commons
Jan 16 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Come by our open Delegates Meetings every Thursday evening at 7pm! We’ll give space to brief announcements, updates from working groups, proposals up for consensus, and discussion around important issues. The schedule is created weekly at the following url: https://pad.riseup.net/p/omninom

This meeting usually happens in the Ballroom, but the the location may change depending on the access needs of people attending and other events taking place in the building.

67526
Jan
17
Fri
Oakland Climate Strike and Resilient Village @ Oscar Grant Plaza
Jan 17 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Join Oakland youth for a community Resilient Village to raise awareness on climate resilience and how youth can stand up for climate justice, with hands-on workshops on herbal making, civic engagement, art, water catchment, live art making, youth performances, an open mic, and more. This event will provide youth with strategies for addressing climate change within their families and communities and ways to work for climate justice on a local and global scale. This action is youth led and co-hosted by YVA, Mycelium Youth Network, Planting Justice and others.

This action is youth led and co-hosted by YVA, Mycelium Youth Network, Planting Justice and others.

67487
PG&E: Disability, Aging and Power – Envision a Grid That Works for Us and the Planet @ Ed Roberts Campus
Jan 17 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Image

67559
Concert for the Climate @ Classic Cars West
Jan 17 @ 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Hear a great lineup of local musicians and help raise money for strong regional action on climate.  This Concert for the Climate is a fundraiser for the Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force, which is working to organize cities and counties throughout the Bay Area to declare climate emergencies and join a task force to address climate change as a region.

This is the second in the exciting Concert for the Climate Series to help raise funds for CEMTF’s work.

Classic Cars West is wheelchair accessible, not scent free, all ages, and has gender neutral restrooms.

This second fundraiser will include performances by:

ODINMÃ

Spear of the Nation

gist4Godministries

Voices Against Violence Youth

The Legendary Mighty O’town Passions

and more!

 

 

67597
Community Circle on Gentrification
Jan 17 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth and the East Bay Church of Religious Science are holding a restorative circle on the topic of gentrification. During the circle, everyone will have the opportunity to share how they are impacted by gentrification and how communities can organize to heal. Feel free to come and invite others to join the conversation.

67615
Just Mercy- Community Screening & Solidarity Panel @ Grand Lake Theater
Jan 17 @ 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm

This event is sponsored by AAPI Women Lead, Asian Prisoner Support Committee, and New Breath Foundation.

Join us for a community screening of Just Mercy (https://justmercy.eji.org/), starring Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan. There will be a “Solidarity through Struggle” panel after the film to discuss the range of impacts and experiences with the criminal justice system. Speakers to be announced.

-Registration begins at 6:30 pm
-Movie begins at immediately at 7 pm
-Panel to begin after the movie

Donations will be collected and matched for California Coalition for Women Prisoners. Learn more about the organization at https://womenprisoners.org .

Learn more about AAPI Women Lead at www.imreadymovement.org, Asian Prisoner Support Commitee at https://www.asianprisonersupport.com, and New Breath Foundation at https://www.new-breath.org.

67590
Perils of 5G-Our Streets, Our Choice?! @ Thousand Oaks Baptist Church
Jan 17 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Our Streets Our Choice* with 5G expert Dafna TACHOVER, Esq. and Karl MARET, MD/electrical engineer.
Hosted by WiRED (Wireless Radiation Education and Defense)
RSVP requested but not required via fb or email: 5GfreeBerkeley [at] gmail.com
http://www.mystreetmychoice.com

WHAT’S THE PROB WITH 5G ?
5th Generation (not to be confused with 5 Gigahertz) wireless telecom facilities (WTF) will drastically increase: surveillance, hacking, fire risk, interference with weather prediction, property devaluations, energy use, worker endangerment, industrial clutter, co$t to cities and individuals, adverse health & environmental effects due to radiation! (For more info, see Jenny Miller’s IndyBay news item and click “science” on the Environmental Health Trust website.)

Dafna TACHOVER Esq MBA is one of the world’s leading experts on the topic of 5G and wireless telecom, featured in TIME, Newsweek, CNN, NY Magazine, Epoch Times, etc. After serving as a telecommunications and computer officer in the IDF, she became an attorney in NY and Israel and founded We Are The Evidence, an advocacy organization that protects the rights of people injured by wireless tech radiation. She is Senior Attorney and Director of the 5G Program at Robert Kennedy Jr’s Children’s Health Defense. She argued an Israeli Supreme Court case which led to the 1st limitations in the world on the use of Wi-Fi in schools. She also appears in documentaries including the award-winning Generation Zapped.

Dr. Karl MARET is Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute for Science, Law and Public Policy in Washington, D.C. He holds an M.D. degree, a Masters in Biomedical Engineering and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. Years ago, he worked in electromagnetic field (EMF) research for the Canadian military. He is uniquely capable of addressing both EMF biological effects and complexities of next generation 4G and 5G technologies. He educates physicians and serves on the Advisory Board of the Bldg Biology Institute which trains architects, engineers, health practitioners and environmental consultants on the interrelationship between the natural and built environments.

Hear world-renouned Dafna Tachover Esq. and Dr. Karl Maret in person! They present internationally. Jan 16 and 17 panel discussions and Jan 12 events at BFUU are FREE, but DONATIONS are urgently needed for an attorney. To make a tax deductible donation, write a check to fiscal sponsor, EON. Put “WiRED” on the memo line. Get “Big Telecom v earth and We the People of Berkeley” merchandise from Peace Gifts: https://shop.spreadshirt.com/peace-gifts-shop/stop+5g+berkeley?idea=5e161a98f93764522504f37b

67603
Jan
18
Sat
2020 Citizens’ Climate Lobby Northern California Regional Conference @ Oakland Technical High School
Jan 18 @ 8:30 am – 6:30 pm

2020 Citizens’ Climate Lobby Northern California Regional Conference

When: 2 Day Conference
Saturday, January 18th, 8:30am – 6:30 pm
Sunday, January 19th, 8:30-am – 12:30pm

You are invited to the annual Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) Northern California Regional Conference! CCL builds the political will for our elected representatives to take action on climate change.

Our Regional Conference is an opportunity for newcomers and experienced CCL members to gather to learn, practice skills, inspire each other, and strategize in moving our country toward climate solutions.

Rising temperatures, prolonged wildfire seasons, drought, flooding, and insect infestations are already impacting our communities, agriculture and outdoor recreation industries. The harm of inaction and the benefit of action have never been higher.
________________________________________________________________

WHO is INVITED?

Everyone is welcome, whether it’s your first CCL experience or you’re an experienced volunteer. You are welcome no matter where you’re from. High school and college students are particularly encouraged to attend.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

See a draft of the conference program at the link below. Note that the program may change, so check back to confirm details as the conference date approaches.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aU-31R123deeAB_XEWBYgvqMMjoLQY-P0hnNQYJ1228/edit
________________________________________________________________

TICKETS & REGISTRATION (Eventbrite link below):

Regular: $80

College/University students or under 25 years old: $10

High School student registration is free.

Ticket includes the conference and meals indicated in the agenda.

By registering for this event, you are giving Citizens’ Climate Lobby and Citizens’ Climate Education permission to send you email including information about CCL/CCE and how you can volunteer and support our work. You can unsubscribe at any time by emailing unsubscribe [at] citizensclimatelobby.org.

View our Privacy Policy here: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/privacy-policy/
________________________________________________________________

MINORS REGISTRATION (under 18):

If you are under the age of 18, or are registering for someone under 18, a signed permission slip must be completed to attend the conference.

Fill out and electronically submit permission slips here: https://app.hellosign.com/s/ALnp9v9g.

Minors must be accompanied by a parent/guardian or chaperone (who must also be registered for the conference). Adults (18 years or older) may chaperone up to ten minors. Chaperones will not be turned away due to inability pay and can contact Sandra Liu (ccl2020youth [at] gmail.com) to request a fee reduction or a waiver.

67617
Women’s March Oakland 2020 @ Oscar Grant Plaza
Jan 18 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

#OaklandCounts

Women’s March Oakland 2020 has a single goal: getting all of us counted in 2020. At this nonpartisan, peaceful event, we will mobilize to raise awareness, volunteer hours and funding to get a complete Census count in Alameda County and make our voices heard at the polls.

In addition to a march through the streets of downtown Oakland, this year’s event will feature our biggest Community Action Fair ever, with entertainment, food, art and a wide range of organizations offering opportunities to make a difference in Alameda County.

The 2020 march is co-hosted by Women’s March OaklandBlack Women Organized for Political ActionIGNITE and Women’s Foundation of California.

Ready to march? Register on Eventbrite to get updates and give us a more accurate attendance estimate.

Gear up for the march! Order your T-shirt or hoodie now.

Want to reach Oakland marchers? Register your organization/group for our Community Action Fair.

Planning to march as a group? Sign up as a contingent.

Interested in sponsoring the march? Learn more about our sponsorship options.

Marching is free, but organizing the event requires funds! Contributions will benefit Women’s March Oakland, a nonprofit project of Social Good Fund, and are tax-deductible. Donate now.

By attending, you acknowledge that you are physically fit for this ou

67556
Jan
19
Sun
2020 Citizens’ Climate Lobby Northern California Regional Conference @ Oakland Technical High School
Jan 19 @ 8:30 am – 6:30 pm

2020 Citizens’ Climate Lobby Northern California Regional Conference

When: 2 Day Conference
Saturday, January 18th, 8:30am – 6:30 pm
Sunday, January 19th, 8:30-am – 12:30pm

You are invited to the annual Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) Northern California Regional Conference! CCL builds the political will for our elected representatives to take action on climate change.

Our Regional Conference is an opportunity for newcomers and experienced CCL members to gather to learn, practice skills, inspire each other, and strategize in moving our country toward climate solutions.

Rising temperatures, prolonged wildfire seasons, drought, flooding, and insect infestations are already impacting our communities, agriculture and outdoor recreation industries. The harm of inaction and the benefit of action have never been higher.
________________________________________________________________

WHO is INVITED?

Everyone is welcome, whether it’s your first CCL experience or you’re an experienced volunteer. You are welcome no matter where you’re from. High school and college students are particularly encouraged to attend.

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

See a draft of the conference program at the link below. Note that the program may change, so check back to confirm details as the conference date approaches.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aU-31R123deeAB_XEWBYgvqMMjoLQY-P0hnNQYJ1228/edit
________________________________________________________________

TICKETS & REGISTRATION (Eventbrite link below):

Regular: $80

College/University students or under 25 years old: $10

High School student registration is free.

Ticket includes the conference and meals indicated in the agenda.

By registering for this event, you are giving Citizens’ Climate Lobby and Citizens’ Climate Education permission to send you email including information about CCL/CCE and how you can volunteer and support our work. You can unsubscribe at any time by emailing unsubscribe [at] citizensclimatelobby.org.

View our Privacy Policy here: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/privacy-policy/
________________________________________________________________

MINORS REGISTRATION (under 18):

If you are under the age of 18, or are registering for someone under 18, a signed permission slip must be completed to attend the conference.

Fill out and electronically submit permission slips here: https://app.hellosign.com/s/ALnp9v9g.

Minors must be accompanied by a parent/guardian or chaperone (who must also be registered for the conference). Adults (18 years or older) may chaperone up to ten minors. Chaperones will not be turned away due to inability pay and can contact Sandra Liu (ccl2020youth [at] gmail.com) to request a fee reduction or a waiver.

67617
Sunday Morning at the Marxist Library: Talk and Discussion Series @ Niebyl Proctor Library
Jan 19 @ 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

Sun, Jan 19, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Group Reading: Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence. 
In honor of Dr. King’s birthday, we will discuss what many believe is the greatest speech by America’s greatest spiritual leader, a speech that cost him his life. It is not widely recognized that Dr. King was an open socialist who stated that: “There must be a better distribution of wealth, and maybe America must move toward a democratic socialism.” Reading the speech will take about an hour, leaving time for open discussion.

 

Sun, Jan 26, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
India:  Modi in his Second Term takes a Hard Right Turn
Modi’s BJP won 303 seats in the Parliament of 545 seats in the 2019 General Elections, after completing his first term of 5 years, in which BJP did not have majority, so it was more dependent on its allied regional parties. Modi has undertaken bold move within the first year of his Second term: Removal of Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted Jammu & Kashmir state substantial autonomy; Outlawing of the Triple Talaq practice (thrice repeated word divorce by which men could divorce their wives) among Muslims; Threatened to carry out National Registration of Citizens (NRC); and enactment of Citizens Amendment Act (CAA), which permits granting of citizenship to refugees of Hindu, Christian & Sikh faiths from three countries, but not Muslims: Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Each of these moves go against the spirit of the staunchly secular Indian Constitution. Students and Muslims, joined by secular persons of Hindu, Christian and Sikh faiths, have begun strong opposition to these moves of the government, and now the Left Parties are organizing workers to oppose government’s Neo-Liberal policies. The latest incident of goons attacking and injuring Left Students and Faculty members at the prestigious Jawahar Lal Nehru University (JNU) has added to the tension in society already tense. What is in store for India the years ahead with Modi at the helm? Raj Sahai who closely monitors the political and economic affairs in India will present his views. Q/A will follow his 50 minute talk.

Sun, Feb 2, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
The Haitian Revolution of 1804.
The imp-act of the Haitian revolution was immeasurable – to the slave system, anti-imperial struggles, France and the US. To other slave societies it became an example of what could be accomplished and a source of hope.

Speakers will be Pierre Labossiere and Gerald Smith.

Sun, Feb 9, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Revolt of the Dispossessed against Neoliberalism in Latin America and the Caribbean
With the Trump administration’s renewed emphasis on imposing the Monroe Doctrine to the Empire’s so-called “backyard,” the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean resist in a revolt of the dispossessed against neoliberalism. In this year in review, hear about the struggles in Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Bolivia, Haiti, and elsewhere along with the solidarity actions by North Americans in support of the social justice movements. The presenters are activists with the 34-year old human rights organization, Task Force on the Americas (https://taskforceamericas.org/).  The presenters are Alice Loaiza, Alicia Jrapko, David Paul, Marilyn Langlois, Bill Hackwell, Roger Harris.

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