Calendar

Homes Not Jails is hosting a Locksmithing Lab. Learn how to pick. Learn about locks.

Every 1st and 3rd Monday
Omni commons Basement

Reclaim the Commons – Enough is Enough – January 9

By now, many of us want to throw Facebook over the side of a bridge. Privacy violations, government orders, hate speech, disinformation, censorship …. the list goes on.

But here’s the reality. FB is a communications platform that reaches billions of people, a public town square and a powerful influencer. It isn’t easy to build up that kind of scale again and it won’t be quick.

Zuckerberg got lucky. It’s the people that make social media and we make it every day. It needs to work for us, not against us.

The world’s biggest social media platform has basically done nothing to head off massive disinformation campaigns, blatant lies and hateful extremism. It has put profits ahead of social good, the health of democracy, and the personal safety of many.

We’ve let them. But that can stop. We’re teaming up with a coalition of like-minded organizations and individuals to force Facebook to clean up its act.

On January 9th, we’re paying a visit to 1 Hacker Way to say the jig is up.

Even the company’s own employees know what needs to happen. Facebook just isn’t listening.

Which means we need to say it a little louder.

We will no longer tolerate the company’s paralysis in the face of the harm they are causing. They can take action and the public will make them.

We hope you’ll join Media Alliance, Global Exchange, Credo Action, Code Pink, MediaJustice, Courage Campaign and many others on January 9th.

We have a bus from SF to Menlo Park and back. Tickets are $15 R/T. Reserve a seat here.

If you are a meta type, here is the Facebook event for the Facebook protest.

If you can’t come, you can support the January 9 action online by participating in #BlackOutFaceBook. Replace your profile picture and cover photo with a black box to mourn our lost public commons and start the countdown to reclaiming it.

As we told the press:  We’re not willing to cede a communications network that reaches billions of people to the unfettered practices of a corporation that cares more about its profits than about our democracy. Not without a fight.

Happy Holidays and lets fix Facebook once and for all. (supported by the collective power of the MediaJustice network)
Take Action

CRC Allies & Accomplices (CRCAA) is calling on white folks to join us to talk about how to effectively fight against the persistent re-establishment of white supremacy by incorporating the 5 methods in your life, work, and organizing. This event is part of APTP’s #96Hours of action to #ReclaimMLKOak.

We know that white supremacy is the status quo, and that if we do not actively combat it, white supremacy will persistently re-establish itself – no matter where we are. We believe that to effectively combat white supremacy, white people must divest of our power and weaponize our privilege. We have identified 5 methods by which to do just this, and we want to share them with you!

WHO IS CRCAA?
CRCAA is the white solidarity arm of Community Ready Corps, a Black grassroots organization that combats white supremacy and actively builds and supports self determination. CRCAA organizes white people to effectively contribute to anti-racist struggles, and we do so in direct & disciplined relationship with Black leadership.

This month we will learn from a community of people who have practiced not calling the police for more than 20 years while living through their own collective traumas, colonization, gentrification, family violence, eviction, incarceration, displacement, betrayal and attempted takedown.

Here is a description from POOR Magazine/Homefulness:

“This workshop will include teaching on poor and traumatized peoples accountability, how to REdefine a western wite supremacist notion of security, and how to hold each other through trauma and into a true definition of interdependent safety.

Walking this walk among a poor and indigneous peoples-led movement means facing our demons ALL THE TIME because we all come out of collective trauma experiences of racism, wite supremacy, ablism, family violence, false borders, eviction, houselessness, criminalization, elder/child abuse, sexual violence, rape, incarceration, poLICE violence genderism, hate crimes and so much more.”

ABOUT THE PRESENTERS

POOR Magazine is a poor people led/indigenous people led, grassroots non-profit,arts organization dedicated to providing revolutionary media access, art, education and advocacy to silenced youth, adults and elders in poverty across the globe.

HOMEFULNESS is a poor people led/indigenous people led revolution: a sweat equity, permanent co-housing, education, arts and social change project for houseless and formerly houseless families and individuals in deep East Oakland/Huichin

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP SERIES

A growing coalition of organizations in the Bay Area is coming together to explore alternatives to calling the police to our campuses and into our neighborhoods. Over the coming year, we will be offering a series of workshops to explore alternatives to calling the police. Some of these workshops will provide deepening analysis and a grounding in alternative ways of thinking about community safety. Others will provide practical skills. All of them will lift up a transformative justice framework and emphasize the importance of self and community care.

The Coalition includes First Congregational Church of Oakland, Kehilla Community Synagogue, Qal’bu Maryam, Jewish Voice for Peace, Skyline Community Church, Oakland Peace Center, Oakland LBGTQ Community Center, SURJ-Bay Area, and the Omni Collective. We are eager to partner with additional organizations so please contact us if you are interested!

* If you have other questions or access needs, please contact us at alternatives-to-policing@googlegroups.com.

Homes Not Jails is hosting a Locksmithing Lab. Learn how to pick. Learn about locks.

Every 1st and 3rd Monday
Omni commons Basement

Weekly Friday Vigil with music, snacks, letter writing, conversation

Fred Craves is the owner of Gamechanger LLC. For over a year, he and his lackeys, The Law offices of Alan J horowitz and “the Evictors” have been harrassing The West Oakland Wood St community, all in attempt to develop the land beneath their feet.

Join The United Front Against Displacement and The West Oakland Wood St Community in a Rally against the Law offices of Alan J Horowitz. These law offices call themselves “The Evictors” and specialize in helping landlords evict working people. The Billionaire Fred Craves is using these law offices to harrass and take legal action against the homeless residents of Wood st. These crooks want to develop the land and make millions, leaving the homeless people of Oakland with nothing and nowhere to go.

Adapted from Marshall Ganz’s “Public Narrative,” this training will challenge you to put aside the logical reasons why we need to win a better world and rather consider the emotional & personal reasons. We’ll talk about what makes a story compelling and how stories can be important organizing tools that bring others into our movement. Then, we’ll each develop and practice our own political speeches together.

Note: While all are welcome, this event is geared towards individuals who are already actively organizing with the Democratic Socialists of America or allied groups.

Suggested reading (it’s quick!): Public Narrative Participant Guide

Do you have a goal to clear debt, start a business, and/or enhance your quality of life? Do you face barriers to loans from traditional financial institutions? Want to improve your credit score? Ever heard of a lending circle? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the East Oakland SuSu Lending Circle Program is just for you!

Join us for an orientation to learn exactly how East Oakland SuSu Lending Circle Program works.

*Light refreshments provided.
*Ages 18+ welcome.
*Facilities are wheelchair accessible.

RSVP>>.

ABOUT

The East Oakland SuSu Lending Circle Program is a self-help tool connecting East Oakland residents of color, particularly Black low and middle income individuals who fall between 30-80% of the area AMI and small business owners to collectively pool monetary resources for personal and group economic advancement. The program offers individuals a 0% interest savings loan combined with free monthly financial empowerment workshops and resources to expand participant financial awareness in personal budgeting, debt management, first time home ownership, and small business incubation. Typical monthly payments range between $50-$200 over 6-12 months. We encourage participants to save within our three savings tracks: business development, debt management, and a better quality of life. Using culturally relevant and traditional practices stemming from West Africa and the Caribbean, the SuSu program is also designed to establish a culturally safe and fun way to build trust in group economics.

WHAT IS SUSU?

Su – Su /‘soōsoō/ – is an informal means of collecting and saving money through a savings club or partnership. This means of saving money is a cultural tradition that is widely used in the Caribbeans, West and East African territories, to name a few.

OME ON DOWN! No worries if you don’t have a sign. We will have poster board and markers.
___________________________________________________________

This Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of Americans will mobilize to demand:

Accountability — Trump and the Senators and members of Congress who voted to cover up his crimes will be held accountable by their constituents.

Democracy — Now more than ever, we need to ensure a free and fair election in 2020, which means real election security reform and and end to voter suppression.

Reform — Like after Watergate, we demand structural reforms to end the corruption and abuses of power that allowed Donald Trump’s criminal behavior in the first place.

It’s up to us to mobilize like never before — and ensure that this dark moment in our nation’s history is followed by an unprecedented level of civic action.

NOTE: A core principle shared by supporting organizations is a commitment to nonviolent, peaceful actions. All actions that are sponsored or organized on this page are intended to be nonviolent and peaceful. We expect all participants to act lawfully at all times and to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values

Weekly Friday Vigil with music, snacks, letter writing, conversation

The United Front Against Displacement and the West Oakland Wood St Community will rally on February 7th at 5 pm to condemn the Oakland State of the City Address (1000 Oak St, Oakland, CA 94607).

The City is in a terrible state. The State of the City Address is an opportunity for Mayor Schaff and the city administrators to lie about the horrendous conditions of the people of Oakland. The City of Oakland has invested millions in “managing” and sweeping homeless people out of site and done little to provide services, housing or employment opportunities to the thousands of dispossessed people of Oakland. Conservative estimates put over 4000 people on the streets of Oakland every night, actual figures could be twice as high! This does not account for the thousands more that are housing insecure. With the rising cost of housing, many are forced to live in cars, trailers or with friends and extended family.

This situation demands that people take action and organize to end homelessness.

The City of Oakland has consistently failed the West Oakland Wood st community and has instead chosen to collaborate with the surrounding real estate developers that seek to evict the community!
Mayor Schaff”s office has collaborated with Fred B Craves, a SF billionaire to develop an abandoned lot in West Oakland that sits at the heart of the West Oakland Wood st Community.

Craves and he City claim that they plan to build a “Safe Parking” lot on Wood st. What they leave out is that after the lease expires (18 months after its finalized) that Craves intend to develop the land at a profit and leave the community with nothing an nowhere to go!

Fred Craves has even enlisted the legal services of the Law Offices of Alan Horowitz, afirm that focuses on evictions and who describe themselves as “The Evictors”.

This is not a struggle just affecting the West Oakland Wood St community. The City of Oakland, real estate developers and law offices across the city collaborate to displace working people and it is time to fight back!

Join Catalyst for a day-long workshop on understanding race and the 2020 elections – what’s at stake and what we can do about it.

* Are you struggling to figure out how to engage in the 2020 elections?
* Are you wanting to understand the importance of the 2020 election, rooted in longer-term racial justice movements?
* Are you looking to connect with local organizations and other people doing electoral work with a long-term vision?
* Do you want to feel inspired to go out and beat white supremacy at the ballot box and beyond?

Co-hosted by Bay Resistance, San Francisco Rising Action Fund, and The Center for Political Education

OPEN is supporting SEIU 1021 in calling for a community mobilization to stop the school board from cutting at least $6.27M from our schools and firing at least 68 vital employees.

When Oaklamd’s school board proposed $30 million in cuts that led to the teacher’s strike he posted evidence that there has actually been about a $70 million SURPLUS being illegally “put aside” (presumably to be given to the charter schools bought by the supporters of the real estate developer controlled school board but that’s what I deduced from what I have seen and not an official union position that I am aware of). I am clear that this money is supposed to be spent on students and their classroom needs (I think that includes food but that’s another issue for another day) in the current year not held back “just in case we need it” (and laying off 68 essential personnel seems a reason to spend it, doesn’t it?)