Calendar
Oakland knows a lot about violence. It’s time to share our stories… and listen.
FREE! DELICIOUS FOOD! CHILD CARE!
Show support for Nubia Bowe, the Oakland teen brutalized in Santa Rita Jail, as she faces the district attorney in the sheriff’s backyard.
Shuttles from the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station to the courthouse will be provided. Call or text (510) 978-9206 for more info.
The Postal Service has put the Berkeley Post Office up for sale!!
The Postal Service has started to outsource Post Office services to Staples, replacing union jobs with low-paying, low benefit work.
And we’re fighting against both!
Come help us plan our next steps.
We’ve started a “Don’t Shop at Staples” campaign with some awesome… what else? … postcards to send to Staples management! Here’s the front of the postcard.
All four Postal Unions have joined together to support maintaining full service, public Post Offices in every community, with expansion to include postal banking, and to oppose subcontracting and privaztization of services. the California Teachers Union passed a resolution in support of opposition to Staples. We need to continue the pressure on Staples and encourage other unions to pass resolutions denouncing the Post Office’s agreement with Staples.
And we need to be prepared if the Post Office announces a sale! The Advisory Commission on Historical Preservation came out with its report, recommending that sales of Historic Post offices be halted until the USPS conforms with historical preservation law. Here is our response. Also the Office of Inspector General’s report on the sale of Historic Post Offices came out recently – anything could happen now since Congress’ “request” that no historic Post Offices be sold until it had come out has been honored and no further Congressional request or mandate has come down. Come help us plan our response.
We have joined with other activists in Berkeley to put a ballot initiative on the ballot to rezone the Berkeley Post Office and other areas in the Historic District to prevent privatization, and also to insure a better Downtown Berkeley. The last signature gathering was last week – come find out whether we succeeded!
Encouraging articles have come out recently about using Post Offices as banking facilities for the unbanked. We held a forum on postal and public banking on March 29th on the Post Office steps.
THINGS ARE HAPPENING!
Information, discussion & community! Monday Night Forum!!
Occupy Forum is an opportunity for open and respectful dialogue
on all sides of these critically important issues!
In conjunction with the Global Day of Action
Against Chevron, OccupyForum presents
Chevron Not Chagrined: What next?
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Last year at this time, OccupyForum presented “Turning Point or Tipping Point? The Crimes of Chevron and the Campaigns to Stop Them”. A year later, Chevron continues to be the brutal, poisoning, lying, exploiting, oppressing, militarizing, greenwashing climate criminal it has always been. In its wake it leaves cancer, corrupted democracy, environmental disaster. Groups all over the world have fought Chevron, and must continue to do so as the list of Chevron’s Environmental Justice casualties covers the entire globe.
While our work of cajoling, regaling, guilt-tripping, regulating, threatening, suing, fining, etc. has definitely had its impact, Chevron is still not properly chagrined. Ideally, Chevron should transition into the sustainable energy business or close. The writing is on the wall anyway, and the sooner the better. Especially for the communities directly in their path, and for the entire planet’s survival.
Our panelists will include:
� Victor Menotti from the International Forum on Globalization re: the Koch Bros and their huge effort to deny climate science and promote fossil fuel dependency by buying government and media
� Grant Wilson from Earth Law Center >– Rights of nature and community rights ordinances as legal alternatives
� Eric Brooks from CleanPowerSF who will speak as an organizer disseminating clean power and about the fight against PG&E which is attempting to stop community choice aggregates from taking hold.
The panel will show how business as usual with Chevron is a losing battle (although one that still must be fought for the communities who have to live near them — worldwide), and that alternatives exist — from instituting new laws to embracing and implementing clean power.
Time will be allotted for a Q&A, group discussion and announcements.
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| START DATE: | Monday May 19 |
| TIME: | 3:00 PM – 3:00 PM |
| Location Details: | |
| The Albany Bulb – The Keyhole (Stone amphitheater in the front!) | |
| Event Type: | Critical Mass |
| Amber and Phyl, were just given 3 days notice to be evicted (7 days is the legal minimum for their case and they were refused appropriate benefits for their disabilities).Musicians! Nature Lovers! Organizers and Rebels! Cop watchers! Ragamuffins!The last stand of the Bulb is on Tuesday morning . So we need people to converge to camp out and plan an all out defense and help the 8 year residents that are still there!***3 PM sharp Monday at The Keyhole (Stone amphitheater in the front!)***or as soon as possible. Bring food, tents, and anything that will empower us to resist effectively.Let’s have a sick generator show! A dance party! A feast of a potluck! Starry sleep overs! Big bonfires! Golden gate sunsets! A giant game of capture the flag! You name it let’s do it!The Bulb is our playground! Love and Solidarity, B.A.Z. |
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1) The Trayvon 2, Hannibal Shakur (Lamar Caldwell) and Tanzeen Doha are two local activists being prosecuted for protests last July against the George Zimmerman not-guilty verdict in the murder of Trayvon Martin. According to the San Jose Mercury News, they are the only two people being prosecuted in relation to the July protests.
2) They are being railroaded through the judicial system on false charges of felony vandalism of a window. Why? Because they are Muslim and they speak out against racist injustice, and because of their past activism against racism and imperialism. Tanzeen worked actively on questions of race, religion, and colonialism at UC Davis and other universities like San Francisco State and San Jose State. Hannibal was active in the protests around Oscar Grant’s 2009 murder by BART police.
4) The state has been dragging its feet since August on these totally false charges, maximizing the impact of this lengthy prosecution on the lives of Tanzeen (who is a husband and father) and Hannibal (who is battling cancer). One week, the prosecution even forgot the court date!
5) The state is acting like it has something to hide. And at the last court date, they asked for another continuance because the arresting officer has not responded to repeated subpoena attempts. Then, something really unusual happened: The judge had to issue a warrant for the arresting officer.
These young men are entitled to a speedy trial and they should not be prosecuted on such flimsy evidence. Why is the state dragging this out? Why is the state avoiding presenting its evidence? Why won’t the officer answer the subpoenas? The police and prosecutor are trying to stretch this out to maximize the level of inconvenience and the problems these two men face.
The Trayvon 2 are being charged with felony vandalism of a window, an outrageous charge designed to arrest activists found anywhere near a broken window. Clearly, the DA is using the threat of non-existent evidence to force these young activists to admit to something they did not do.
We’ve seen the state targeting activists in this way before.The only reason the state and its white supremacist allies have failed is because the resolve of oppressed people has been stronger than the resolve of the oppressive state.”
When the conditions of kkkapitalism become so repressive that there are more people in prison today than were enslaved in 1850 it becomes clear that we are living in a fascist regime that exploits dark human lives to feed the Prison Industrial Complex. Moreover when there are brave people who decide to resist against such oppressive conditions they are met with the legal and military arm of the State in attempts to neutralize their efforts and prevent others from joining in the struggle. We saw that the State purposefully ignored the reasonable demands of the 30,000 plus comrades who participated in the largest hunger strike in history. We are also seeing now that the State is trying to attack our comrades and neutralize their organizing efforts against kkkapitalism and white supremacy.
We are calling all people who don’t fear freedom to come in support and observe the kkkourt room which is known for railroading men and women for years into the Prison Industrial Complex! WE NEED AS MANY PEOPLE THERE AS ARE PHYSICALLY ABLE SO THE STATE WILL NEED TO THINK TWICE ABOUT RAILROADING THEM!ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T FEAR FREEDOM!
Cyclists from around the Bay Area will meet outside Richmond BART at 10am to bike the math of climate change to Chevron and tell the company to stop fueling climate chaos and become a renewable energy company. For more info: tubernation@sbcglobal.net
Chevron Corporation’s victims around the world have come together in a joint Statement to reject the transnational’s substandard operations and corporate practices. The affected communities extend an invitation to actively participate in the International Anti Chevron Day, on May 21st, 2014. The Statement is also signed by the organizations that support the victim’s worldwide plight, and demand that Chevron acknowledges its responsibility for all the damage it has procured to the environment and human rights. Any organization that wishes to collaborate with this global action can sign the Declaration in support and contribute through social media and publics events that will be held on May 21st. All requests should be sent to: info@antichevron.com
Or next politics of debt class will be at Xolo Taqueria on Telegraph avenue in downtown Oakland in the upstairs room.
We will be reading from Richard Heinberg’s The End of Growth, which looks at the energy limitations facing our politician’s attempts to restart the economic growth machine. There are implications for finance and bubble making as well. Much thanks to Spencer for scanning the chapters!
Arrive early to secure a seat.!
Voting rights: Then and now
In 1964 Alabama, thousands of African American voters were denied their rights and kept away from the polls through intimidating and unconstitutional tactics. As a result, less than 7% of all African American voters were registered even though the community made up a majority of the population.
All of that changed during Freedom Summer�10 memorable weeks where over 700 volunteer students teamed up with local leaders in an historic effort to shatter the foundations of racism in one of the nation’s most segregated states.
Join Bend the Arc, the Berkeley NAACP, the Alameda County Paul Robeson ACLU Chapter, the Berkeley North East Bay ACLU Chapter, and Firelight Media for a special screening of “Freedom Summer,” a film about those who bravely stood up for justice 50 years ago.
Arrive early to secure a seat!
Your voting rights are once again under attack
Following the film, there will be a panel discussion with two participants in “Freedom Summer,”” Linda Halpern and Phil Hutchins, who will speak about past efforts. They will be joined by current leaders in the voting rights movement, Robert Rubin from Bend the Arc and Mansour Id-Deen from the Berkeley NAACP.
Dedicated people acted together 50 years ago to secure our rights and we need to act together again to protect the victories we fought for and won.
Recent revelations of the massive surveillance apparatus of the NSA and U.S. government have raised debate around privacy and security, reinvigorating long standing liberal notions about civil liberty violations. While mainstream America is concerned at the extent of government surveillance, there is very little alarm and in fact a great deal of public support for the continued surveillance of Muslim communities as a potential fifth column of “radicalization” and subversion in a post-9/11 climate.
This conversation will discuss how fears around “extremism” have impacted diverse Muslim communities (Black, Asian, Arab, etc.), and how this fear has reinvigorated the deeper criminalization of non-Muslim black and brown communities in the U.S. In addition, we will explore these concerns and place them within a longer history of government surveillance such as COINTELPRO, and how these policies and practices today have narrowed the scope of dissent.
�What role does race play in understanding government surveillance, and how have these policies masked state violence domestically and abroad?
�How have communities challenged these forces historically and how are they doing so today?
$5-20 suggested donation.
Occupy Monsanto: Action Against Genetic Biohazards.
With music by Fresh Juice Party, Occupella and more.
On Friday, we’ll turn in our signatures to the Oakland City Clerk’s office. We will be holding a press conference beforehand on the City Hall steps and we’d like you to be there.
When our signatures are validated, we will be the first community-run campaign to qualify a ballot initiative in Oakland in five years. That’s quite an accomplishment.
We know that the only way toward raising the minimum wage regionally is for Oakland to lead the way. The damaging proposal in Richmond and the watered down measure in Berkeley shows that only by direct citizen action can we lift up our communities and create a wage were workers can make ends meet.
Thank you again for your efforts. Together we will raise Oakland’s minimum wage to the 12.25 an hour, require paid sick days, and make sure service fees reach the workers performing the service.
The Lift Up Oakland Campaign
If you are one of the 100,000 workers and students that shut down the Port Of Oakland November 2nd, 2011 we are asking you to defend the Bulb with a peaceful picketline. PS: There will also be autonomous actions. Dare to struggle, dare to win! What kind of pie? Occupie.
Orion (510) 541-3835
A single top earner could buy housing for every homeless person in the U.S. Join us for a film screening & panel discussion on how community organizations & labor unions are fighting inequality in the Bay Area.
Presented by the Student Labor Action Project. More on Inequality for All: http://tinyurl.com/m73ssze
Join us to commemorate the 24th anniversary of the bombing of Earth First! activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney. We will gather at 11:30 AM at E. 33rd and Park Blvd in East Oakland (where the car bomb went off) and mark the moment at noon. Speak out, sing out, and pay respects.
DEFEND THE RIGHT TO WATCH THE POLICE!
LEARN WHAT YOU CAN DO!
Can cops just do whatever they want?
Not if you’re WATCHING!
Come to the COPWATCH TRAINING and PRACTICE
– Protecting your neighbors by watching and documenting what police do
– Preventing abuse to yourself by using your legal rights.
– Recognizing and responding to police manipulation techniques
FREE!!
Hosted by Berkeley Copwatch
� Protect our food supply
� Support local farms
� Protect our environment
� Promote organic solutions
� Expose the cronyism between big business and the government (Agribiz)
� Bring accountability to those responsible for the corruption
Please join us on Sunday at 10 AM as the Salinas Community Unites to PEACEFULLY Protest against the Salinas Police Department.
There have been 3 homicides within the last 90 days! Two of which were committed within these past 11 Days!!
The two young men were farmworkers and had their farmworker tools when they were fatally shot multiple times including the face.
We will be gathering today (5/22) at ROSA DE SARON CHURCH at 6:30pm to prepare for Sunday’s March.
Please join us! OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS US! WE MUST ALL COME TOGETHER IN SOLIDARITY!
THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW!!
SALINAS, Calif. (KGO) –Thousands of people are expected in Salinas this weekend for a massive protest against police. Local activists have been demonstrating since Tuesday, after officers shot and killed a man and it was all caught on video.
Protesters believe the shooting was not justified and they point to recent history. This is the third, fatal officer shooting in Salinas since late March…
“Sunday we expect thousands of supporters from outside Salinas coming from the Northern California region, Southern California, leaders from out of state as well, they said their thoughts and prayers are with us,” said Salinas City Councilman Jose Castaneda.
A community meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Sunday at Closer Park.
A BARBECUE FOR HERBIVORES AND CARNIVORES ALIKE
When:
Sunday, May 25
Noon to 10:00PM
Where:
Mike’s house:
3413 Belmont Ave., El Cerrito 94530
Why?
The time of year cries out for a backyard party to ring in the outdoor season, and there’s no more benevolent use for carbon as a fuel than a barbecue. Also, we’ll be saying “Keep in touch” to our great friend Hannah who will be leaving in June for Gomorrah – the City of Angels – with her family.
AND we’re anticipating a visit from Occupy Oakland’s candidate for Mayor – Einstein! Come and meet the candidate and hear his views on Jean Quan, squirrels, and cows!
There will be plenty of music from Mike’s disturbingly eclectic collection. Food will be provided by Eat Don’t Worry, but please – if you can – bring something to share.
The time of year cries out for a backyard party to ring in the outdoor season, and there’s no more benevolent use for carbon as a fuel than a barbecue. Also, we’ll be saying “Keep in touch” to our great friend Hannah who will be leaving in June for Gomorrah – the City of Angels – with her family.
AND we’re anticipating a visit from Occupy Oakland’s candidate for Mayor – Einstein! Come and meet the candidate and hear his views on Jean Quan, squirrels, and cows!
There will be plenty of music from Mike’s disturbingly eclectic collection. Food will be provided by Eat Don’t Worry, but please – if you can – bring something to share.