Every Sunday The Community Democracy Project and our supporters gather to imagine a society that functions differently. We organize and strategize to make Participatory Budgeting a reality in Oakland through a voter initiative that uplifts and values the voices of the most marginalized.

Beginning August 28th every 4th Sunday will be dedicated to a work of Science Fiction that inspires us. We’re very excited to blast off with the short story, Bloodchild by Octavia Butler. Read (attached in the comments!) and join us to share your insight and inspiration.

Future works may include but are not limited to: novels, articles, episodes and films!

The next APTP first responders training will be on Tuesday 8/30, 6-9 PM, at Siegel & Yee, 499 14th St, Suite 300, #Oakland

— APTP First Response (@aptpresponse) August 20, 2016

Keith Carson
Alameda County Supervisor, District 5

Theme: Do we need a Black Panther Party today?

In today’s world, our community, in particular our youth, are facing grave
challenges, and many feel disempowered in being agents of change. Please
join us for an important community conversation based on the Ten Point
Program of the Black Panther Party. Our conversation next Wednesday, “Do we
need a Black Panther Party today?” is the first of a series of conversations
to discuss and find solutions for the issues that influence our daily lives.

See the flyer below with more details. RSVP your attendance at
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/do-we-need-a-black-panther-party-today-tickets-
27356723697 and spread the word throughout your network!

We will provide a FREE DINNER on a first come first serve basis. We look
forward to you joining us!

Our weekly PARTY to get this hackerspace together, to provide a venue for those things that otherwise cannot be worked out through day-to-day practice.

Potluck! – bring your own tasty dish!

Sudo room, located in the southwast corner of the ground floor, is a creative community and hackerspace. We offer tools and project space for a wide range of activities: electronics, sewing/crafting, 3D and 2D manufacturing, coding, and good old-fashioned co-learning!

Hours: The space is open whenever a member is present. Come visit! Best times to drop in are evenings between 7 and 9pm. See the calendar for recurring meetups and upcoming events: https://sudoroom.org/calendar

Join us in supporting Colin Kaepernick!

San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick has recently garnered press attention for refusing to stand during the national anthem, in protest of the state violence enacted on people by this country on a daily basis, in the form of police brutality. He has specifically called out the disproportionate incidence of police brutality against people of color.

Unbelievably, the Police Officers’ Association (POA) of San Francisco, has sent a letter completely denying that SFPD has any racist violence problem — in spite of the record-breaking murder tally by SFPD in 2015, ending with the senseless shooting death of Mario Woods. Despite two more killings of people of color since then (Luis Gongora Pat and Jessica Nelson Williams), despite the DA and Public Defender acknowledging the problem, despite Chief Suhr recently stepping down in shame due to community outrage, despite the DA convening a panel to investigate – which has released 81 damning findings and recommendations, despite hundreds of protesters and worldwide press on violence by police against citizens in San Francisco. And despite the fact that San Francisco in 2015 made the top 10 worst list of ALL largest U.S. cities for per capita killings of citizens by police.
The POA is in total denial — and worse, it attacks those willing to state and stand for the truth.

Join us! – as we stand with Kaepernick and against POA’s inexplicable denials and attacks.

Film Screening, Panel, and Potluck

Join us for a screening of the eye-opening film: A Place at the Table. After the film, we’ll hear from a panel of people working in the realm of food waste, hunger awareness, and the issues around nourishing our communities with good quality food.

Presented by Transition Berkeley, Slow Food East Bay, BFUU, Social Justice Committee, and the Ecology Center.
We hope to see you there. Please bring a potluck dish to share. For more details, and to RSVP visit our website here.

Film screening & discussion hosted by notorious flag burner Joey Johnson
WILLIAM KUNSTLER: DISTURBING THE UNIVERSE

Filmmakers Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler explore the life of their father, the late, great radical civil rights lawyer. Kunstler defended the Black Panther Party, the American Indian Movement, and was called on by prisoners to negotiate for them during the Attica uprising of 1971. In 1989 William Kunstler successfully argued the case of Texas v. Johnson before the US Supreme Court and in a landmark decision won the right to burn a flag in protest. Joey Johnson, a revolutionary, who was represented by Kunstler after burning the American flag at the 1984 RNC, and who is now, along with 16 others in the Revolution Club, facing trumped up charges for exercising this right (of burning the flag) at the 2016 Republican National Convention will host the screening and discussion after the film.

Stephanie Grant, wife of Jose Paulino, would like to have a balloon release to mark his 2 year Angelversary.

Jose was killed in 2014 in Tamaqua, PA by police who tazered him to death. Stephanie is newer to the Bay Area and would like Jose to be remembered by us here.

Purple was Jose’s favorite color, please bring a purple balloon, wear purple, or anything else to remember him by.

We’ve got the balloons..and cake too. Really hope you can make it.

Stephanie was also a witness to the police murder of Luis Gongora earlier this year. She’s has been through so much..

Please help us remember Jose and offer support and love to Stephanie this Friday ♥

Correct event posting is here.

In our of Labor Day, we will explore some labor struggles which are transforming out world. Confirmed speakers include Steve Early, Roger Wilkins, Vince Edwards, and Alborz Ghandehari.

Come see @marclamonthill speak Sept 3 during #Black2Cal! REGISTER https://t.co/9E9NeVP6Cm. Ticket info on image. pic.twitter.com/ss2V8v0AJN

— Cal (@Cal) August 29, 2016

Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49er quarterback whose refusal to stand for the national anthem has drawn both scorn and admiration, will speak to the congregation of Third Baptist Church in San Francisco on Sunday morning after its pastor, the Rev. Amos Brown, said the church wanted to “give him all the support possible.”

Kaepernick is expected to talk about his motivation for sitting and for kneeling during the playing of the anthem before recent 49ers games, Brown said.

We didn’t do our normal fin-de-mois feed on August 28th, so we’re making it up today.  Well marbled super rich folks, mmmmm…that’s good eating.

The last Sunday of every month attendees of the OO GA will get together a little earlier than usual, at 3 PM to share some food with each others and the community.  There should be a table and utensils/plates courtesy of the Kitchen Committee (such at he is), so just bring a nosh to share…

The Occupy Oakland General Assembly meets every Sunday at 4 PM at Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheater at 14th Street & Broadway, often on the steps of City Hall. If it is raining (as in RAINING, not just misting) at 4:00 PM we meet in the basement of the Omni Collective, 4799 Shattuck Ave., Oakland.

OO General Assembly has met on a continuous basis for more than four 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. We encourage everyone participating in the Occupy Oakland GA to be part of at least one associated group, but it is by no means a requirement. 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

1. Welcome & Introductions
2. Reports from Committees, Caucuses, & Independent Organizations
3. Announcements
4. (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

CALL THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON SEPTEMBER 6TH!

From the Bay Area to the east coast and beyond, join us in letting the Alameda County Board of Supervisors know that their Sheriff’s war games are harming communities everywhere, and we demand that they put an end to it.

On Tuesday, September 6 beginning at 10am Pacific Time, we are calling on people everywhere to call and email the Alameda County Board of Supervisors throughout the day. We are demanding that they use their leadership to rein in the Sheriff’s unchecked attempts at increasing the militarization and policing of our communities, and to put an end to Urban Shield.

Supervisor Haggerty shawn.wilson@acgov.org (510) 272-6691
Supervisor Valle christopher.miley@acgov.org (510) 272-6692
Supervisor Chan jeanette.dong@acgov.org (510)272-6693
Supervisor Miley anna.gee@acgov.org (510)272-6694
Supervisor Carson rodney.brooks@acgov.org (510)272-6695

Sample script:

“Dear Supervisor _________,

I am writing to urge you and all Alameda County Board of Supervisors to take leadership in putting an end to the militarization of police and disaster preparedness represented by the annual Urban Shield exercises and weapons expo, funded by DHS through the Urban Areas Security Initiative. For too long, the Sheriff has gone unchecked in amassing militarized weaponry, surveillance technology, and hosting highly controversial trainings like Urban Shield that result in the further marginalization of our communities. Urban Shield’s emphasis on SWAT teams as the response to emergencies – including natural disasters – as well as the extremely militarized scenarios, diminishes resources for responding to the ordinary emergencies community members face every day. Alameda County should not be hosting war games funded by the Department of Homeland Security, which involve not only nine Bay Area counties, but teams from around the United States. That is why I ask you to exercise your leadership and reject any future funding and hosting of Urban Shield, and to stand with Alameda County communities, and people across the country.

Official Title: #UpliftHerSafety: An Art Protest & Self-Defense Rally Resisting State Violence Against Women of Color in California

“We are women of color and allies committed to the safety and human rights of Black, Brown, Indigenous and API women and condemn the multi-layered state violence targeting women and girls of color in California such as police brutality, sexual assault, abuse in prisons/immigration detention centers, historical revisionism and institutional disregard for the deceased.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors return from recess for their first post-break Supervisors meeting on September 6th which is also the time and place where we’ll take to the steps of City Hall to call attention to six incidents of state violence against women of color and list six correlating demands, detailed in our ‘6 Demands on the 6th’ statement.

In honoring Kayla, Korryn and all women of color we’ve lost to state violence we’ll hold a prayer vigil and also offer healing spaces for those in need. Our ‘Art Protest’ will feature visual art, spoken word, poetry readings and other mediums which will either speak to the urgent issues raised above or will affirm the humanity of women and girls of color.”

7:00 & 9:30
Q&A will follow the 7:00 show (at approximately 9pm)
Attendees for the 9:30 show are invited to attend the Q&A (space permitting)

Award winning independent documentary filmmaker Bo Boudart’s newest release is the feature documentary film, Paying the Price for Peace: The Story of S. Brian Willson . The film tells the story of S. Brian Willson’s courageous attempts to promote peace through nonviolent actions, as well as the struggles and activism of other American veterans and civilians. The documentary features other notable peace advocates such as Daniel Ellsberg, Blase Bonpane, Martin Sheen, Colonel Ann Wright, Ron Kovic, Cindy Sheehan, Medea Benjamin, Camilo Mejia, Mike Prysner, Bruce Gagnon, David Hartsough, David Swanson, and Alice Walker.

S. Brian Willson, is a former Air Force Vietnam Veteran turned Peace Activist, who lost both of his legs during a peaceful demonstration when he was struck by a munitions train that was speeding 3 times over the legal limit toward the protesters at the Concord Naval Weapons Station, California. Consequently, thousands of antiwar demonstrators converged at the site and ripped up the railroad tracks blocking all trains for the following 865 days in protest of all munitions shipments to the US government backed wars in Nicaragua or El Salvador. Congress had subsequently passed legislation that prohibited funding the covert US backed wars to overthrow democratically elected governments in Central American countriesespecially Nicaragua. But even then, the Reagan administration illegally continued to support the Contra war.

The film also depicts actions and other spokespersons of today’s peace movement, the ongoing – U.S. wars of aggression in multiple countries. The film shows why current antiwar activists challenge a perpetual war profiteering economy calling for an end to supporting America’s illegal wars.