Kerie Campbell is a fiercely devoted mother of two who has been waging an agonizing and expensive battle to regain legal custody of her children, lost originally because she reported a biased custody evaluator for violating her medical confidentiality. In July of this year she and her lawyer prevailed and her legal rights were temporarily restored. There is one final hearing in January 2016 to solidify the court’s order. Things look good for Kerie to keep her rights, but the legal bills are piling up.

Let’s pull together as a community and show Kerie that she doesn’t have to do this alone. Money should not be the barrier standing between her and what’s best for her kids.

Brunch buffet (suggested donation $10-20)
A la carte items priced individually
Silent auction – art, crafts and jewelry

If you can’t attend the café but still would like to help, you can donate directly to Kerie’s legal fund here.

Discuss the criminalization and murder of Black Women in America. Can police ever create public safety for black women? What are our alternatives? What is the next step for the movement for Black Lives and the Oakland Collective?

Unist’ot’en Camp Report Back, Film Screening & Fundraiser

The Unist’ot’en Camp is an Indigenous homestead located in the far north west of so-called Canada, where the people (Unist’ot’en), who have always lived there, are occupying and utilizing their traditional territory, as they have for centuries.

Numerous companies, including Chevron and TransCanada, are illegally encroaching on the Unist’ot’en’s territory, attempting to push forward the proposed pipeline project that threatens the Unist’ot’en’s traditional territories, clean water, and generations to come. As well, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s presence is currently forcing the camp to remain on high alert.

At this report back, two supporters of Unist’ot’en Camp will screen films about the camp. Artwork and CDs will be available for sale, to raise funds for the camp. Discussion very welcome and we hope to hear from people in the Bay Area, on Ohlone Territories, who are working on on fighting environmental racism, resource extraction and colonialism, to build connections and solidarity!

This event is being hosted on Ohlone homelands. We will also hear about upcoming events to protest the cannonization of Junipero Serra and more, at this event.

Accessibility info: La Commune Cafe and Bookstore is wheelchair-accessible on the ground floor. There is a lift to the bathroom through the Ballroom.

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.

A lot has been happing behind the scenes in Alameda County over the summer: we have been pushing for transparency around the county’s criminal justice spending, uncovered a secret plan to expand Santa Rita jail, and joined our allies in demanding #Justice4Mario.

Next week, the Board of Supervisors will resume their regular meetings and we want you to join us and our allies as we flood their meeting.

We hope to see you next Tuesday, September 15th at the park across from 1401 Lakeside Dr. at 9:45 a.m.

We will join longtime Ella Baker Center Books Not Bars member Sheri Costa to seek justice for her nephew Mario Michael Martinez, who died in the custody at the Santa Rita jail in July of an asthma attack as the deputies stood by and watched.

Mario’s death is a reminder of the continued injustices of the prison system, and the need to move resources away from it.

Stand with us and our allies at the Alameda County Criminal Justice Reform Coalition and CURB as we voice our opposition to the Alameda County Sheriff’s secret plans to expand the jail, and demand that the Board of Supervisors increase transparency and involve the community in the way they spend public safety realignment funds.

The Board of Supervisors needs to know that we are united, that we are powerful, and that we demand that things change. We will no longer remain silent as business goes on as usual. Please come out and support #JobsNotJails.

Last week, over 600 people signed our petition to demand a public meeting about Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern’s secret plan to expand the Santa Rita Jail.  Next week, the Board of Supervisors will resume their regular meetings — and thanks to your pressure, the jail plan is on the agenda!

We want you to join us and our allies as we flood the room to demand more answers to our questions: Will there be new jail beds? Why a mental health unit in the jail, instead of more services in the community? What better alternatives to incarceration could this money be spent on?

We hope to see you next Tuesday, September 15th at 1221 Oak St #512, Oakland. The meeting begins at 10:45am and the jail is agenda item #66.

If you aren’t able to attend the entire meeting but want to be informed that the agenda item is approaching, email Tash.

Stand with us and our allies as we voice our opposition to the Alameda County Sheriff’s secret plans to expand the jail, and demand that the Board of Supervisors increase transparency and community involvement in their decisions over our public safety realignment funds.  The Board of Supervisors needs to know that we are united, that we are powerful, and that we demand that things change. Please come out and support #JobsNotJails.

The FLIR (Heat-Sensing, Helicopter-Mounted, OPD Camera) Privacy and Use Policy, Written in the spring by the Ad Hoc Privacy Committee for the Domain Awareness Center as its last official act, will be on the agenda of the Oakland City Council’s Public Safety Committee.

Subject: FLIR Privacy and Data Retention Policy From: Office of The City Administrator Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Establishing The City Of Oakland Forward Looking Infrared Thermal Imaging Camera System (FLIR) Privacy And Data Retention Policy Which Prescribes The Rules For The Use Of The FLIR; Establishes Oversight, Auditing And Reporting Requirements; And Imposes Penalties For Violations

Come and help put the kibosh on arbitrary and unwarranted use of technology by OPD.

Climate Courage Forum.

Celebrate the launch of our national community-driven report that documents the experiences and resilience of families impacted by incarceration. The event will feature a gallery of data from the report and a panel discussion with formerly incarcerated individuals and their families.

Free event, light food provided. RSVP on Facebook.

Sponsored by: Forward Together, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Essie Justice and Causa Justa :: Just Cause.

Come support the family of Pedie Perez, shot and killed by the Richmond Police, as they and the community put forth a resolution to hold an open hearing whenever there is extreme use of force by the Richmond Police.

The Anti-Police Terrorism Project is a project of the ONYX Organizing Committee that in coalition with other organizations like the Alan Blueford Center for Justice, Workers World and Healthy Hoodz is working to develop a replicable and sustainable model to end police terrorism in this country.

We are led by the most impacted communities but are a multi-racial, mutil-generational coalition.

Subcommittees / action teams include First Response, Media, Santa Rita Jail, Yvette Henderson/Emeryville and more.

We meet the 3rd Wednesday of every month at Eastside Arts Alliance at 7:30 pm.

Omni General Assembly

omni working group meeting

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

Hosted by Richard Wolinsky

Over the past few centuries, as Western civilization has enjoyed an expanding geographic domain, Westerners have observed other cultures rarely, and then usually with scant interest in what they saw in us. What the Rest Think of the West, unprecedented in its scope, at last provides a rich historical look through the eyes of observant outsiders as they survey and scrutinize the politics, science, technology, religion, family practices, and gender roles of civilizations not their own. The book emphasizes the broader figurative meaning of looking west in the scope of history.

Focusing on four civilizations-Islamic, Japanese, Chinese, and South Asian-Laura Nader has collected observations made over centuries by scholars, diplomats, missionaries, travelers, merchants, and students reflecting upon their own “Wests.” The accounts variously express critique, adoration, admiration, and fear, and are sometimes humorous, occasionally disturbing, at times controversial, and always enlightening. Nader provides informative introductions to each of the selections.

“There are things that only outsiders can see, and the true promise of anthropology has always been to use such insights to allow human beings to understand more of their shared humanity, to understand how we are the same through our differences.”
-David Graeber, author of Debt: The First 5,000 Years

“Intellectual exchange between the West and Asia has long been one-sided, handicapped further by lack of translations. This superbly introduced and edited anthology, which shows the diverse ways in which visitors from Asia perceived modern Western society and culture, fills a big gap in our self-understanding.” -Pankaj Mishra, author of From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt against the West and the Remaking of Asia

Join us for a night with Omar Barghouti, the co-founder of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Barghouti will be presenting on academia’s role in the struggle for freedom and justice in Palestine.

This event is open to the public and is free of charge!

**Refreshments will be provided as well**

Sponsored by Cal Students for Justice in Palestine, UAW 2865-Berkeley, Friends of Sabeel North America, Jewish Voice for Peace- Bay Area, and Middle East Children’s Alliance.

Come to the Long Haul this Friday for the Slingshot all night meeting and help us make the new issue! 8pm-midnight. Comrades and cookies.

— Slingshot collective (@Slingshotnews) September 14, 2015

Rummage Sale | Bake Sale | Lunch / Dinner | Live Music

Please come and donate to Omni Commons to help us cover our ongoing expenses and keep this common space thriving for positive social change!

Schedule:

10am – Open Rummage Sale + Bake Sale
12pm – Open Meal Service
All day until 8pm – Live Music / Performances

We need you to bring your friends, your enemies, and your frenemies—as long as you come to support Omni Commons, and most important to HAVE FUN!

This documentary follows Hector Salgado’s journey back to Chile where he confronts his former captors as a filmmaker. Following the 1973 coup in Chile, Hector Salgado was imprisoned, tortured, and exiled from the time he was 16- 19.

At the age of 16, Hector Salgado was imprisoned and tortured by the Chilean Military government led by Augusto Pinochet. He was held for three years before being sent into exile to the US, the financial and military sponsor of Chile’s military. Special Circumstances follows Salgado’s quest to confront his persecutors after several decades have passed.

The film was co-directed by Marianne Teleki.

*Who*: You–at ANY level of skill (newbs encouraged to attend)!
*What*: Work Party (fun, learning, labor, love)! — Also see TASKS list below!!!
*When*: *Sat 9/5 @ 12 noon* (And Every Saturday, FOREVER)!
*How*: With our bare hands, feet, noses, etc — plus tools and stuff!
*Why*: Omni Commons needs some serious elbow grease to get ship-shape, for the safety, accessibility, and delight of all!

*TASKS*
* Doors (re-hanging and installing closers)
* Carpentry in the basement
* Plumbing, tile, and other water-related activities
* Drywall ’til you drop
* Felt the feet of our ballroom furniture
* Protect our building from confused critters like pigeons!
* General cleaning / tidying / arranging / creativity / expression / explosions / excitement / activity!!!!!!!
* much much much more!

Please join your fellow volunteers, especially the zany and rambunctious
Building and Maintenance Working Group (woooohooooooooooooooooooooo)!