Calendar
| Come to People’s Park. Enjoy the garden tour. Find out what you can do to prepare for the rain in the garden. | |
Join DSA members to win power for:
Free Public Transit
Greatly expanded service, accessibility, and schedule
Protection of union workers and expansion of union jobs
Social equity to overcome transportation discrimination
Conversion of Public Transit to Zero Emissions vehicles
Because of the COVID pandemic we will be meeting virtually via Zoom on the first Monday of the month.
Meeting ID: 828 0976 4186
The Oscar Grant Committee Against Police Brutality & State Repression (OGC) is a
grassroots democratic organization that was formed as a conscious united front for justice against police brutality. The OGC is involved in the struggle for police accountability and is committed to stopping police brutality.
In alliance with the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) we organized the October 23, 2010 labor and community rally for Justice for Oscar Grant. On that day the ILWU shut down the Bay Area ports in solidarity. Our mission is to educate, organize and mobilize people against police and state repression. Sisters and brothers! The Oscar Grant Committee invites you to join us in this vital struggle.
We meet on the 1st Monday of each month
You can join our discussion list by sending a blank (doesn’t even need a subject) email to
oscargrantcommittee-subscribe@lists.riseup.net
Please join us for a special webcast about protecting election integrity, voting rights, and democracy in the age of Facebook. Our guests will discuss what they see as the most perilous threats to democracy that are being promulgated on Facebook and what can be done about them—through government regulation, legal efforts, changes to company policies, and pro-democracy activism.
– Ángel Díaz is counsel in the Liberty & National Security Program of the Brennan Center for Justice. His work focuses on the intersection of technology with civil rights and civil liberties.
– Yaël Eisenstat is the former Global Head of Elections Integrity Operations for political advertising at Facebook. She is a key voice and public advocate for transparency and accountability in tech.
– Myaisha Hayes is the Campaign Strategies Director at MediaJustice, where she oversees the launch of campaigns such as #NoDigitalPrisons and #ProtectBlackDissent.
– Jesse Littlewood is the Vice President of Campaigns at Common Cause, which is training election protection social media monitors to combat cyber-suppression in their communities.
Sponsored by the Protest Facebook Coalition, Media Alliance, and Global Exchange.
Join AC Library’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) team for a screening of Arc of Justice: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of a Beloved Community on Tuesday, October 6, 2020 from 2-4pm. This short documentary is about the community land trust, New Communities, Inc., in Albany, Georgia. NCI was created in 1969 by leaders of the Civil Rights Movement to help secure economic independence for African American families.
The screening begins at 2:10pm, followed by the Q&A from 2:35pm to 3:35pm. The Q&A will feature guests Mark Lipman, filmmaker, Gus Newport, former Mayor of Berkeley, and Steve King, Executive Director of the Oakland Community Land Trust. Register for this event.
Mark Lipman is a documentary filmmaker whose topics delve into a range of social issues. His films include Holding Ground: The Rebirth of Dudley Street (1996) and its sequel Gaining Ground (2013), Street of Dreams: Development Without Displacement in Communities of Color (2013), and States of Grace (2014).
Gus Newport was the mayor of Berkeley from 1979-1986 and is currently on the National Council of Elders. He is a lifelong social justice activist and has been deeply involved with community land trusts. After his time as mayor, he became the director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative that was featured in the documentaries Holding Ground: The Rebirth of Dudley Street (1996) and Gaining Ground (2013).
Steve King is the Executive Director of the Oakland Community Land Trust. His work with community-based organizations focuses on equitable development, affordable housing, and applied social research. He previously served as the Housing and Economic Development Coordinator at the Urban Strategies Council.
Register at: bit.ly/nosl20oakland
Join Oakland activists and artists for performances streaming live on Zoom and Facebook lifting up what #SafetyIs means and how #WeKeepUsSafe. Performers include:
Notable agenda items:
- Update from Interim Police Chief
- OPD Presentation on Race and Equity
- Use of Force Ad Hoc Committee Presentation of Department General Order (DGO) K-3
Use of Force - Report from Special Concurrent Meeting of the Oakland City Council, Community
Policing Advisory Board (CPAB), Public Safety and Services Oversight Commission (SSOC),
and Police Commission on September 29, 2020 - Update on Special Order (SO) 9205 Banning Carotid Restraint and All Forms of Asphyxia
During unsettling times, it helps to remember how we survived past struggles. The Boys Who Said NO! focuses on the nonviolent warriors who actively opposed the military draft during the Vietnam War and whose brave actions would eventually lead to the end of both the draft in the United States and the long-standing, devastating war. Offering a thorough and fascinating (recent) history lesson, Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Judith Ehrlich (The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, MVFF32) highlights several heroes of the anti-war movement—from iconic figures like Martin Luther King, Jr., musician Joan Baez, and famed resistance leader David Harris to ordinary youth organizing sit-ins.
Alongside harrowing, breathtaking news footage of the struggles at home and overseas, the film is a captivating account of a historic turning point in America, celebrating the amazing resilience of humans fighting for change and speaking truth to power.
Judith Ehrlich co-produced and co-directed Oscar®, Emmy®, IDA Award-nominated and Peabody Award winner, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers. That film won over a dozen film festival awards, sold to 20 international broadcasters, and made over half a million dollarsat the box office. Her film, The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It, was also an ITVS documentary and broadcast on PBS. She is the only person to twice win the major history film awards in the US.
During unsettling times, it helps to remember how we survived past struggles. The Boys Who Said NO! focuses on the nonviolent warriors who actively opposed the military draft during the Vietnam War and whose brave actions would eventually lead to the end of both the draft in the United States and the long-standing, devastating war. Offering a thorough and fascinating (recent) history lesson, Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Judith Ehrlich (The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, MVFF32) highlights several heroes of the anti-war movement—from iconic figures like Martin Luther King, Jr., musician Joan Baez, and famed resistance leader David Harris to ordinary youth organizing sit-ins.
Alongside harrowing, breathtaking news footage of the struggles at home and overseas, the film is a captivating account of a historic turning point in America, celebrating the amazing resilience of humans fighting for change and speaking truth to power.
Judith Ehrlich co-produced and co-directed Oscar®, Emmy®, IDA Award-nominated and Peabody Award winner, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers. That film won over a dozen film festival awards, sold to 20 international broadcasters, and made over half a million dollarsat the box office. Her film, The Good War and Those Who Refused to Fight It, was also an ITVS documentary and broadcast on PBS. She is the only person to twice win the major history film awards in the US.
Global Day of Climate Action.
Demonstrations and manifestations will take place all across the globe, adjusted according to Covid-19 circumstances.
Weekly protests to follow.
About this Event
The City of Berkeley plans to evict over 100 people on Tuesday, Oct. 13th from the Seabreeze homeless encampment at University and the I-80. There is no plan for the welfare of these citizens, only a desire on behalf of some City Officials to appear “tough on homelessness” during election season. In the middle of a global health crisis and a civil rights uprising, our most vulnerable residents are putting out a plea for solidarity.
This interactive training is meant as an introduction to your constitutional rights as they pertain to the police and strategies for filming and documenting the police. This is also meant to give you tools so you can better advocate for your rights and the rights of others.
The information in this training is meant to empower you and offer you choices when confronted by the police. The way that you choose to interact with the police is a very personal choice, carrying different risks based on your race, gender, class and more.
THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO LIVE. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO FILM.
Brought to you by Berkeley Copwatch (founded 1990). For more information on our history as an abolitionist and community-centered, all-volunteer organization, please visit our website.
Register Here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSda2Tklr3_VSvoOPUIzVnMfRQy1vf19V80gw0Jnhw82z4uJVA/viewform
Hosted by East Bay DSA, DSA San Francisco, and Sunrise Bay Area
Do you want to learn how to plan and implement direct actions?
Do you want to develop direct action strategies in our organization?
Do you want to prepare for the November election results?
Comrades, we learn to organize through many means. Political education to sharpen our analysis, canvassing to practice skillful communication, art builds to creatively spread propaganda. We must also learn strategic direct action.
These past few months, we have seen a national uprising against racist police terror and fascist violence. We need to prepare not only for a continuation but an escalation.
It will take mass working-class action to combat fascism, police brutality and a capitalist class that will not hesitate to swiftly and violently crush any public demonstrations. As socialists, we must create coherent strategies, be equipped with reliable tactics, and confidently lead our own direct actions.
Join us for a two-day training led by Frailty Myths, an organization dedicated to building leadership skills for women, queers, and GNC folks. It is required that you sign up for both days, and strongly encouraged that you lead future training to share acquired skills.
When: Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11, 10 am-12 pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84093520370
One tap mobile
+16699009128,,84093520370# US (San Jose)
+12532158782,,84093520370# US (Tacoma)
+1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
Meeting ID: 840 9352 0370
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcS2RiVQFU
Pro Arts Gallery & COMMONS is a collectively-held space in Oakland, California that blurs the line between art, debate, experimentation, and collaboration. Through the sharing of material and immaterial resources, we reflect Oakland’s existing artistic and cultural fabric, while creating future landscape of other commons-centric spaces that encourage the economic and cultural power of the community. Our collaborative activities are rooted in these mutual values and principles.
Red-skies and smoke are hard on everyone, but as with most of the impacts of capitalism, create additional burdens on our poor and unhoused neighbors.
Join us for a mutual aid mask build at Empowerment park in Oakland, across from 465 Bellevue Ave.
No experience necessary. Please bring PPE!
We will be close to the nearby road and can accommodate any accessibility needs. Please email the committee Co-Chairs at green-new-deal@eastbaydsa.org with any accessibility questions or concerns.
Register Here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSda2Tklr3_VSvoOPUIzVnMfRQy1vf19V80gw0Jnhw82z4uJVA/viewform
Hosted by East Bay DSA, DSA San Francisco, and Sunrise Bay Area
Do you want to learn how to plan and implement direct actions?
Do you want to develop direct action strategies in our organization?
Do you want to prepare for the November election results?
Comrades, we learn to organize through many means. Political education to sharpen our analysis, canvassing to practice skillful communication, art builds to creatively spread propaganda. We must also learn strategic direct action.
These past few months, we have seen a national uprising against racist police terror and fascist violence. We need to prepare not only for a continuation but an escalation.
It will take mass working-class action to combat fascism, police brutality and a capitalist class that will not hesitate to swiftly and violently crush any public demonstrations. As socialists, we must create coherent strategies, be equipped with reliable tactics, and confidently lead our own direct actions.
Join us for a two-day training led by Frailty Myths, an organization dedicated to building leadership skills for women, queers, and GNC folks. It is required that you sign up for both days, and strongly encouraged that you lead future training to share acquired skills.
When: Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11, 10 am-12 pm
Our Sunday morning programs are scheduled pretty much on a “first come, first served” basis and confirmed at our planning sessions. The opinions expressed are those of the speakers only and do not represent a group consensus on the issues by the members of ICSS. Our general practice is to allot at least half of the time to comradely discussion of the issues so that we include as many voices as practical .
Check here close to the date each week for subject matter and Zoom info if not below:
https://icssmarx.org/icss-sched-latest.html
Sun, Sep 20, 2020:
Socialism and ‘Movement for a People’s Party’
In the US, a movement is afoot for a new party and over 100,000 people have responded to the call to form a new ‘People’s Party’, which is presently a pre-party formation. In this Sunday Morning at the Marxist Library session, we will be showing some videos of the speeches by notable speakers and analyze the platform for this new political formation from a Marxist perspective, followed by a lively discussion
LOG-IN INFO
The meeting will be opened up, as usual, at 10:15 for anyone to join and discuss technical matters, catch up with each other, say Hi, etc. We Intend to start the presentation as close to 10:30 am as possible
Raj Sahai is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2591082607?pwd=TTdlcFlnZEVCdWt2VlRHeWZLeHNKQT09
Meeting ID: 259 108 2607
Passcode: 6MwQP7
Sun, Sep 27, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
CONFIRMED: Labor and Immigration
David will talk about the struggles of farmworkers on the West Coast to organize, and the way it’s affected by their work lives and status as immigrants. He’ll include photographs and a description of his documentary work in process.
Sun, Oct 4, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
CONFIRMED: The Crisis in Education:
Capitalist Mess and Socialist Solutions
The NY Times recently ran two articles on its front page: U.S. Campuses See Explosions Of Virus Cases,“ and “How Beijing got 295 Million Back to School.” This illustrates how socialism attempts to solve the mess in education created by capitalism. Similar forces can be seen in Oakland, CA, where billionaire-funded charter school organizations are buying our school board members, implementing school closures, and turning students and parents into vectors for billionaire profit. Meanwhile, socialists and union activists fighting to keep Oakland schools public, and to keep charter schools and their billionaire supporters out of our communities. We have invited Gerald Smith, an activist with Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and former candidate for the Oakland School Board, to lead a discussion with members of the Oakland Education Association (OEA) the teacher’s union. Discussants will include Mike Hutchinson, a candidate for the Oakland School Board in District 5, endorse by both DSA and OEA.
The session will be moderated by ICSS Members Eugene Ruyle and Raj Sahai.
Sun, Oct 11, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
CONFIRMED: Dealing with Covid 19:
A Comparison Between Cuba and the United States
Cuba, a socialist nation with a population of about 11 million, has suffered (as of mid-September, 2020) about 100 fatalities from the Covid 19 virus pandemic. The USA, a capitalist nation with a population about 30 times as great as Cuba, has suffered (as of mid-September), almost 200,000 deaths from this virus. The U.S., with about 30 times the population of Cuba has lost about 2000 times as many lives! What are the social, political, economic, ideological, cultural, strategic and other factors relevant to each nation that explain this profound difference
Dr. Laurence H. Shoup has taught history at a number of universities and is the author of five books, his most recent one being Wall Street’s Think Tank: The Council on Foreign Relations and the Empire Neoliberal Geopolitics 1976-2019 (Monthly Review Press). He has been in active solidarity with the Cuban Revolution for many decades and has visited the country over a dozen times on a variety of solidarity excursions, including two Pastors for Peace caravans, several Labor Exchange trips, as well as with the Venceremos Brigade and Global Exchange.
Sun, Oct 18, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
CONFIRMED: What Should Working People in the U.S.
do about Elections 2020?
Should we: 1. Vote Third Party? 2. Vote Democratic to oppose the Fascist tendency represented by Trump? Trump? 3. Adopt the Safe State Strategy?, 4. Sit out of the bourgeois election? 4. Vote for Trump to deny support to the real danger, Biden? 5. suport only those down-ballot candidates from any group that pushes for reform of the capitalist system, e.g Greens, Berners and “The Squad”?
We have three confirmed speakers,
* Tom Gallagher, former Massachusetts State Representative and author of The Primary Route.
* Roger Harris, among his many activities, Roger is on the Central Committee of the Peace and Freedom Party and a board member of the Task Force on the Americas
* Laura Wells, former Green Party candidate for Governor, writer (laurawells.org)
ICSS member Sharon Rose will facilitate the session..
RECOMMENDED READINGS:
* The Specter of a Fascist Coup by Trump Haunts the US, But There’s Worse to Worry About https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/08/21/the-specter-of-a-fascist-coup-by-trump-haunts-the-us-but-theres-worse-to-worry-About/
* Utopia for Realists: How We Can Build the Ideal World By Rutger Bregman, recommended by https://laurawells.org
* Joe Biden, Don’t Let Donald Trump Run as the Antiwar Candidate! https://tomgallagherwrites.com
LOG-IN INFO
The meeting will be opened up, as usual, at 10:15 for anyone to join and discuss technical matters, catch up with each other, say Hi, etc. We Intend to start the presentation as close to 10:30 am as possible
BLURB AND LOG-IN INFO WILL BE PROVIDED ON
FRIDAY, OCT 16, 2020
Sun, Oct 25, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
CONFIRMED: Attack on Anti-racist Organizers
On Sept. 17, 2020, several protest leaders, including four members of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), were arrested in Denver, Colorado in a coordinated police attack. The organizers now face over 30 bogus charges including “kidnapping” and “inciting a riot,” and potentially years in prison. They were targeted because of their dedicated organizing efforts in recent months to denouncing the police murder of Elijah McClain in Aurora, Colorado.
This attack is part of a larger assault on the anti-racist movement directed from the White House, Governor’s mansions, and local governments and police agencies around the country. This can happen to any protester who has used their voice to mobilize in the mass movement against racism in every single corner of the United States.
We will be joined by Lillian House, one of the protest organizers facing 12 bogus facing charges including “kidnapping” and “inciting a riot,” and potentially years in prison and well as Richard Becker of the PSL.
For more info and to donate, see https://www.liberationnews.org/thousands-declare-their-solidarity-with-framed-denver-anti-racist-organizers-add-your-name-here/
The demands are: 1. Drop all the charges! 2. Stop the assault on the movement and on free speech!
Sun, Nov 1, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm DST FALL BACK
CONFIRMED -The fall of the Soviet Union: New insights into the sequence of events, starting with the victory of the Russian Revolution on November 7, 1917, and implications for Marxists today.”
Wadi’h Halabi, with the Center for Marxist Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts, will discuss this topic. His analysis extends to differences between the Chinese and Russian Revolutions. For example, civil war and land reform followed revolution in Russia but preceded it in China. Halabi’s discussion will touch on the ‘new Cold War’. The global class struggle hardly ended with the fall of the Soviet Union, and this is the framework of the presentation.
Sun, Nov 8, 2020: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
CONFIRMED – WHAT NOW?
This will be our first meeting after the November 3, 2020 election, and we know they will not turn out well. Do we Dump Trump or Battle Biden? What will groups like ANSWER, the Poor People’s Campaign, and DSA be doing? We have invited Gloria La Riva, the only socialist Presidential Candidate on the ballot in 23 states, or her representative, to lead our discussion, possibly she will be joined by another speaker.
Gene is organizing.
