Calendar
Join the East Bay DSA’s Labor Committee for their regular Beer and Roses Social! Hang out with other members who are interested in getting involved in the labor movement, and hear from fellow East Bay DSA members about their experience at this spring’s national Labor Notes conference. (show less)
In the meantime, this Thursday at 7pm Franki and co. will be heard by the Oakland Rent Adjustment Board, downtown at city hall at 1 Oscar Grant (“Frank Ogawa”) Plaza, in Hearing Room 1. The plan is to keep on winning, and you’ve been invited to join—not only to show these tenants your support, but to also let the Rent Board know during open comment that Oakland takes all tenants’ needs seriously and that we demand an end to exploitation by the landlord class. More info below.
*The Fight*
The fight all started when the collective’s building was bought by real estate mega-speculator CBRE (the largest commercial real estate services and investment firm in the world). Selling to CBRE, the landlord denied the collective their contractually guaranteed first dibs on buying the building.
At the Rent Board two matters will be under consideration. First—are the collective members valid tenants with a right to live in the building (YES!). Second—how much does CBRE owe the collective for having extensively neglected their responsibilities at landlord, by refusing to remediate lead contamination, replace and repair the rotten wall, and deal with the mice that have taken up residence ($$$!). If the collective wins the Board’s support on the first matter alone, this will mean when they return to Hayward a win is straightforward—since the landlord is trying to evict simply on the grounds that the collective aren’t legitimate tenants.
So, please join us this Thursday, ready to show the rent board we stand solid and speak righteously, with Franki and co, and all tenants.
All Eyes on The Sheriff Mobilization from 12-2pm. The action outside will be at 12pm and we will head into the board chambers at 1pm.
Did you know that in the past 10 years the Alameda County jail population has decreased by half, but the sheriff’s budget keeps increasing? The Ella Baker Center and our allies are calling for an audit of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department because taxpayers deserve to know how our money is being wasted. The county supervisors will be voting to adopt the Alameda County’s $3.1 billion budget on Friday and we will be there to demand sheriff accountability and budget transparency!
The CAO just submitted a $3.1 billion proposed budget for fiscal year 18-19 to the Board. The BOS will be voting to adopt a final budget on June 29th. We are turning up to make our concerns heard by both Supervisors and media and expose the sheriff’s wasteful spending.
We’ll be making beautiful works of art, including posters, banners, etc, for the Abolish ICE protest (https://www.facebook.com/events/453365915091309/) on Saturday, June 30! A few spoken word artists will also be organizing pop up performances. We’ll have pizza, music and some supplies will be provided but please bring your own supplies if you have any. This is a family-friendly event for all folks who want to contribute.
Know Your Rights training! Saturday June 30, 11a – 2p. 2022 Blake Street, Berkeley. Learn how to protect yourself and your community from the police by asserting your rights. pic.twitter.com/ITB07ScrqQ
— Berkeley Copwatch (@Copwatch411) June 20, 2018
HOMELESS: A documentary film by internationally renowned writer & scholar Dr Samar Habib, exposing the state emergency crisis of homelessness in Berkeley & Oakland. Plus a documentary collage of information, interviews and stills from the Berkeley Emergency Storm Shelter at 9th & University.
Dr. Habib will introduce the film and be on hand to answer questions. There will be a homemade meal from the Fabulous Chefs at Consider the Homeless.
3:15PM: Doors open
3:20PM: Music & Slide Show
3:45PM: Welcome: Consider The Homeless! founder, Barbara Brust
3:55PM: Dr. Samar Habib introduces her film “HOMELESS”
4:05PM: Screening of the film, “HOMELESS: The Story of America’s Economic Refugees”
4:55PM: Screening of the short film, “BESS – April 2018”
5:10PM: Introductions – Special Guests
5:15PM: Q & A with our guests
6:00PM: Dinner is Served
The housing crisis in the Bay Area and beyond is a wholly preventable disaster, created and maintained by the notion that housing is a commodity and not a human right.
On Saturday, June 30, join us in the campaign for the Affordable Housing Act — a proposed ballot initiative that that will give our cities and counties the power to adopt rent control necessary to address the state’s housing affordability crisis by repealing the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act.
The Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act upholds landlord interests, and – in tandem with the housing crisis – has deeply exacerbated social disparities, displaced longtime communities, driven homelessness, and dealt a blow to working class power by making housing ever more insecure and inaccessible.
Come learn more about repealing Costa-Hawkins and then we’ll hit the streets to talk with our neighbors about housing justice and the Affordable Housing Act!
RSVP here: https://www.eastbaydsa.org/event-canvass-2018-06-30-canvass-for-housing-justice-in-south-berkeley
Alena Museum presents artist activism event on gentrification. We will gather the creative voices and collective power of our community and allies to demonstrate and speak out against the private investors, developers, and politicians who are set out to broaden the gap of wealth at the expense of the people. We will share with you our plans moving forward and how the community can be involved in that process. Displacing the community will not be a silent fight. Stand up for you, your family, your neighbors, and your community as we are witnessing gentrification destroying the cultural fabric of Oakland.
We document current events, make films together, steward an editing suite and share a film equipment library. We also host film screenings, often with local directors, and put on an annual short film festival for independent Bay Area filmmakers. Our goal is to make the digital filmmaking accessible – no overpriced college degree or certificate program required!
We are also a good group to reach out to if you’d like to screen a film at the Omni. We can be reached at liberatedlens@lists.riseup.net
We usually meet in the basement, unless otherwise noted.
We are hosting People’s Assemblies on everything from public safety to education. Together we will imagine an Oakland with housing security, true public safety, sanctuary for all, and create a plan to get us there.
This People’s Assembly will focus on Native communities and the struggle for Native sovereignty and land reclamation. Join us to talk about Red/Black Liberation on the day before the Farce of July.
This is it. Saturday, July 7 is the FINAL DAY we have to collect enough signatures to get Our City Our Home on the ballot.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Our City Our Home:
This measure would provide $300 million of resources for affordable housing, mental health care and other services needed to house our homeless residents and protect all those who are vulnerable to eviction and displacement. We can finally make homelessness as we know it a thing of the past in San Francisco, and be a model for the rest of the country.
We ask you to INVITE YOUR FACEBOOK COMMUNITY to join this urgent effort by volunteering on Saturday! We need volunteers for a variety of roles, especially signature gatherers. Call Ben at 415 674 6080 for details!
Street Fair.
Oakland First Fridays brings you “Art Of D.I.Y.,”
When we think about Independence Day what usually comes to mind is freedom, but we rarely talk about the formation of something new. Banding together, the United States was a do-it-yourself movement. You can be free, but what are you doing with your freedom? As we reflect on independence this month, we are reminded of all the artists who make works from scratch, highlighting those who do-it-themselves.
Occupella will be having a Black Lives Matter/Stand With the Vulnerable sing at Fruitvale BART Friday, July 6th from 5:15-6:15.
What Corporations are doing (Conrad MacKerron, As You Sow)
What Cities and Countries are doing, policy-wise (TBD)
What Businesses are doing (Samantha Sommer, ReThink Disposable)
The Recycling Challenges of disposable foodware (Martin Bourque, Ecology Center
https://ecoctr.org/disposablefreedining
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The Peace and Freedom Party presents
Socialist Cuba
Working Class Perspectives
A product of the first socialist revolution in the Americas, the Republic of Cuba is surrounded by many myths, but what is the reality? To answer this question, members of the Bay Area Black Worker Center toured Cuba earlier this year and will give us a Report-Back. Speakers include: justin king, Jessica Travenia, Cloudell Douglas, and Gerald Smith
FREE! (Please buy food & drink at the Pub.) FREE!
This is part of our on-going Socialist Forum Series on the first Saturday of every month. Doors open at 2 pm and the program will start promptly at 2:30 pm. The forum will end by 4:30 pm, but folks can stay and talk as long as you like. Speaker’s affiliations are listed for identification only. The opinions expressed do not reflect the official views of the Peace and Freedom Party.
The Peace and Freedom Party, born from the civil rights and
anti-war movements of the 1960s, is committed to socialism, democracy, ecology, feminism, racial equality, and internationalism.
http://www.peaceandfreedom.org
“There is no other force, there is no other party, there is no other real ideology out there right now that is asserting the minimum elements necessary to lead a dignified American life.” – Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, DSA member and likely future congresswoman, on democratic socialism in Vogue Magazine
It’s 2018 and socialism is ascendent. The political revolution that Bernie Sanders set in motion with his insurgent campaign in the 2016 presidential primary continues to build in intensity. More and more people are standing up to say that they’ve had enough with a system that puts profit over people, that puts the wealth of the few over the dignity and flourishing of the many.
Democratic socialists all over the country are fighting for an improved and expanded Medicare for All healthcare system, a federal jobs guarantee, universal rent control, tuition-free public education pre-K through college or trade school, a powerful, militant labor movement, and the abolishment of ICE.
We’re winning elections, we’re building explicitly socialist institutions, we’re training effective socialist organizers, and we’re introducing millions of people to real-world anti-capitalist politics.
Come on out to a picnic in the park to learn more about democratic socialism and get involved in our local activities here in the East Bay. New members and not-yet-members are welcome!
Normally meeting on the 1st Thursday of the month, OPAC will meet instead on the 9th in July.
Agenda:
4. 5:15pm: Surveillance Equipment Ordinance – status update regarding department outreach for survey of existing equipment.
5. 5:20pm: Discuss and create working group for review of Federal law enforcement task force agreements.
6. 5:30pm: Surveillance Equipment Ordinance – “Large Scale Event- Warriors Parade”. Receive and take possible action on staff informational report.
7. 5:40pm: Surveillance Equipment Ordinance – Police Department – “Ride Along” software application. Review and take possible action on Anticipated Impact Report.
8. 6:10pm: Police Department proposal to amend City retention schedule pertaining to Body Worn Camera footage. Review and take possible action on proposal.
Despite SF's sanctuary policy, SFPD raided the @occupyicesf camp early this morning–when local media wouldn't be around to document. A few injuries.
TOMORROW: Demand the SF Board of Supervisors support #AbolishICE and break up with any bank that finances private prisons pic.twitter.com/KA1OZKTJDt
— SF Public Bank Coalition (@sfpublicbank) July 9, 2018