Calendar
This “Tale of Billionaires and Ballot Bandits” is Greg Palast’s documentary about steering an election through calculated racist disenfranchisement. Beginning with the 2000 election and continuing to the 2016 campaign, Palast interviews those who’ve been victimized, identifies schemes and villains, and presents the case for powerful corruption of the election system in the United States.
Sponsored by the BFUU Social Justice Ctee as part of our Conscientious Projector series.
Wheelchair accessible.
Pray 4 Oakland has partnered with the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office & Clean Slate Program as well as America Works Inc. to help community members clean their criminal records & obtain jobs!
We have the ability to assist residents reduce convictions, clear some criminal records, terminate probation early, seal juvenile records and more!
America Works Inc.specializes in job placement for “hard to employ” individuals.
East Bay Works will be present to speak about their job opportunities for people with criminal records/backgrounds.
The Traffic Amnesty program will be closing in March 2017 – we will have forms available for pick-up and completion at the workshop.
Please join us for this AMAZING opportunity at a SECOND CHANCE!
The People Get Ready conference is just a week away! We hope this conference will be an empowering place for organizers and activists to think together to deepen our understanding of the political moment and ways to struggle for shifts in power.
SESSIONS:
Clampdown: Understanding Fascism, Imperialism, and White Supremacy
Trying Times: Understanding the Impacts of Neoliberalism under Trump
Are You Going to Go My Way?: Considering Alliances, Fronts, and other Left Formations
Rocksteady: Exploring the Radical Potential of Community Defense
Many Rivers to Cross: Navigating Opportunities and Tensions between International and Domestic Organizing
Confirmed Speakers Include:
Phil Hutchings
Linda Evans
Alicia Jrapko
Emily Lee
Kung Feng
Liz Derias-Tyehimba
Tongo Eisen-Martin
Greg Morozumi
Corrina Gould
Lara Kiswani
Max Elbaum
Maari Maitrey
Alex Sanchez
Pierre LaBossiere
Lily Fahsi-Haskell
With More to Come…
This event is wheelchair accessible and free to the public. No registration is necessary.
Childcare will be provided.
This year, Oakland’s Anti Police-Terror Project is calling on our Bay Area community to up the resistance level, as we reclaim the radical legacy of Martin Luther King and resist the fascist Trump agenda. This year the Reclaiming King’s Radical Legacy March on Monday (1/16) will launch 120 hours of direct action, culminating on #HellNawGuration Day (1/20). This year we are focused on immigrant rights, protection of our Muslim brothers and sisters, womens reproductive rights, loving our LGBTQ sisters, brothers and siblings, and the defense of Black life.
As is our custom, we will host a Spokescouncil meeting to plan and coordinate actions in the SF Bay Area. PLEASE SAVE THE FOLLOWING DATES in your calendar.
Tues Jan 3 – 6-9pm – Omni Commons**
Sat Jan 7 – 2-5pm – First AME Church
Tues Jan 10 – 6-9pm – Omni Commons**
Sat Jan 14 – 2-5pm – First AME Church
Tues Jan 17 – 6-9pm – Omni Commons**
Thurs Jan 19 – 6-9pm – 955 7th St.
* If it”s your first meeting, please make sure to show up early to attend the orientation!
** The OMNI Commons meeting space is wheelchair accessible, and has a wheelchair accessible bathroom however the bathroom is not fully ADA compliant.
What is a spokescouncil?
A spokescouncil is a collective framework for direct action mobilizations, where large masses of people organize themselves into smaller teams called “affinity groups”. Affinity groups plan their actions independently with the intention of advancing the larger goal of the spokescouncil. Affinity groups are represented by at least one person (“a spoke”) at the meetings, where they are able to share resources and coordinate their actions with other groups.
Why a spokescouncil?
We propose the spokescouncil as a solution to many of the shortcomings of unstructured mass assemblies. We intend to provide a highly structured organizing space with clear tactical and messaging guidelines, that empowers participants to organize independently and in parallel. We intend to inspire a multitude of diverse actions and awaken the massive potential we have as a community engaging in direct action.
** for questions or more information about the spokescouncil please contact aptpspokescouncil@gmail.co
POETS PROTEST AGAINST TRUMP
What: A Nation-wide action by poets from Austin to Chicago, New Orleans to St. Louis, San Francisco to Sacramento.
When: January 15, 2017 at 1PM (Local time).
Where: Oakland CA, 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Oakland CA
Contact: Paul Corman-Roberts (pabs67@yahoo.com)
On Sunday, January 15, at 1PM (local times) in protest against a Donald Trump presidency, poets across the United States will mount readings on the front steps of their respective city halls (as well as other venues).
Citizens from all walks of life are welcome to come and have their say in talk or poetic form. The choice of City Hall front steps for the events is to underscore the citizen-run nature of the event. This is not a cultural happening: it is a citizen uprising in verse. Donald Trump’s presidency represents the first American dictatorship in this nation’s history and must be stopped at all costs. With the Fourth Estate under seige it is now up to writers, poets, artists and musicians to join in and put our shoulders to the wheel. Together we can offer the companionshp and courage to be found in great verse. There is no Post-Truth Era for the world of poetry.
The effort is the brainchild of poet and author Alan Kaufman, editor of the bestselling The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry and the poet Michael Rothenberg, director of One Hundred Thousand Poets For Change.
The Occupy Oakland General Assembly meets every Sunday at 3 PM at Oscar Grant Plaza amphitheater at 14th Street & Broadway near the steps of City Hall. If for some reason the amphitheater is being used otherwise and/or OGP itself is inaccessible, we will meet at Kaiser Park, right next to the statues, on 19th St. between San Pablo and Telegraph. If it is raining (as in RAINING, not just misting) at 3:00 PM we meet in the basement of the Omni Collective, 4799 Shattuck Ave., Oakland. (In prior years we have agreed to meet at 4:00 PM during summer hours, that is, once Daylight Savings Time goes back into effect).
On every last Sunday we meet a little earlier at 2 PM to have a community potluck to which all are welcome.
OO General Assembly has met on a continuous basis for over five 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
- Welcome & Introductions
- Reports from Committees, Caucuses, & Independent Organizations
- Announcements
- (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)
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
The Bay Area Harmonica Club is organizing a special night of feasting and music benefiting Snubbed by the Hub Poor Tour 2016/ the Homeless Camp that gets raided every few weeks or so.
This is about Building Community and Solidarity, with the “People’s Instrument”. NOTAFLAF…
6PM Dinner & Music featuring the harps…
*(get on board that train with) Bay Area Harmonica Club
*Mudfence
*Andrea Prichett (of Leave it to Diva) & Ayr
Tin Sandwich, harmonica trio (our mentors)
*Dennis D Banjoman (Traditional American & Songs from the Sea)
*Vincent Gordon (from Reverie, Solo guitar and harmonica)
*Missin Cousins
Keep posted for updates & more TBA!
Harmonicas for the Homeless for Health & Happiness
No two societies or periods of time, of course, are exactly alike, and history is not made by analogy—but the events in Eqypt of 2011 when, quite suddenly thousands and thousands of people flooded into Tahrir Square day after day and refused to leave, are a parallel that must be learned from and ACTED ON.
Question: How could Trump-Pence actually be prevented from ruling?
Answer: By the intersection of two things: first, massive protest and resistance from tens of millions of ordinary people, daring and determined to actually prevent this fascist regime from taking over and implementing its program, beginning more or less immediately and growing to a crescendo in the next few weeks, and through that creating “a crisis of rule”; and second, coupled with this, attempts by different factions in the established power structure that have real differences with Trump-Pence to solve the crisis by preventing them from taking the reins of power.
The Community Democracy Project is your connection to direct democracy in Oakland! Convened out of Occupy Oakland in Fall 2011, we’re gathering steam on a campaign to bring the people back in touch with the city’s resources through participatory budgeting.
Picture this: Across Oakland, Neighborhood Assemblies are regularly
held in every community. People come together to tackle the important issues of their neighborhoods and of the city. At these assemblies, people don’t just have discussions–they learn from one another, from city staff, and they make fundamental decisions about how the city should run. They decide the city budget.
Democratic, community budgeting is a powerful step toward building strong communities, real democracy, and economic justice–and it’s being done all over the world.
The budget of the City Oakland totals more than $1 billion per year. Although part of the budget must be used for specific purposes, still over half of the budget–over $500 billion per year–consists of general purpose funds paid by the taxes, fees, and fines of the people of Oakland. The Mayor and the City Council decide the city budget, with minimal input from the community.
Working together, we will not only get a seat at the table–we will REBUILD the table itself. Participatory democracy is real democracy–join us to say: Local People, Local Resources, Local Power!
APPARENTLY THIS SHOWING HAS BEEN ‘POSTPONED’
Free Movie:
Salt of the Earth (1954 – Herbert J. Biberman)
Made by blacklisted artists and workers during HUAC [House Un-American Activities Committee] era, the film explores feminist themes in the context of a union struggle. Inspirational on a number of levels as it demonstrates that the people can win against steep odds when they struggle together.
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.
You’re invited to the march on Monday to #ReclaimMLK, which also launches #120Hours of direct actions of protest and resistance leading up to the January 20th inauguration of Donald Trump. March will start at Oscar Grant Plaza, 14th and Broadway, Oakland.
This year, we will begin our week of action with the Reclaiming King’s Radical Legacy March. We will then launch into 120 hours of autonomous direct action in resistance to the fascist Trump agenda. This year we are focused on immigrant rights, protection of our Muslim brothers and sisters, womens reproductive rights, loving our LGBTQ sisters, brothers and siblings, and the defense of Black life.
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.” – Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Please see the related event on the 120 hours of direct action:
https://www.facebook.com/
Join APTP @ OGP to march to PEOPLE'S BBQ (or meet us there) at the lake to kick off #120Hours #ReclaimMLK #ReclaimOurSpace #ReclaimOurLake pic.twitter.com/Z99x4Ofug3
— Anti Police-Terror (@APTPaction) January 6, 2017
Occupy Forum is an opportunity for open and respectful dialogue
on all sides of these critically important issues!
Standing Rock:
“Every Footfall is a Prayer”
with The Reverend Meg Whitaker-Greene, LMFT
The Reverend Meg Whitaker-Greene, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, is a graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry where she formerly served as Adjunct Faculty. She has served as Minister to four UU Congregations. Her psychotherapy experience includes successful facilitation to heal post traumatic stress, historic trauma, and issues being experienced by couples, families, and individuals.
She has been Clinical Supervisor of the Native American Counseling Center in San Francisco. She is a graduate of The Reverend Dr. Jeremy TayIor’s Dreamworker Institute. She presently leads Dream Groups and does short term counseling in her private practice.
Time will be allotted for announcements.
Donations to Occupy Forum to cover costs are encouraged; no one turned away!
A vigil for the homeless who have died of exposure this year, especially those in Berkeley.
A 24 hour vigil starting at 5 PM. A press conference around five or so. Candles lit at 6 pm.
Body of homeless woman found near Berkeley High
“It sickens me that we live in a society where we think of ourselves as civilized and people freeze to death because they have nowhere to live,”
Four homeless people die of exposure in Portland in first 10 days of 2017
“Karen Lee Batts, 52, was found in a downtown parking garage on 7 January after being evicted from her low-income housing unit, where she had $338 of unpaid rent.”
(The Berkeley City Council will be at New City Hall meeting in closed session at 5:30 PM about a lawsuit regarding the downtown Berkeley Post Office, at which the organizers, First They Came for the Homeless, maintained a 17-month occupation until April, 2016.)
This year, Oakland’s Anti Police-Terror Project is calling on our Bay Area community to up the resistance level, as we reclaim the radical legacy of Martin Luther King and resist the fascist Trump agenda. This year the Reclaiming King’s Radical Legacy March on Monday (1/16) will launch 120 hours of direct action, culminating on #HellNawGuration Day (1/20). This year we are focused on immigrant rights, protection of our Muslim brothers and sisters, womens reproductive rights, loving our LGBTQ sisters, brothers and siblings, and the defense of Black life.
As is our custom, we will host a Spokescouncil meeting to plan and coordinate actions in the SF Bay Area. PLEASE SAVE THE FOLLOWING DATES in your calendar.
Tues Jan 3 – 6-9pm – Omni Commons**
Sat Jan 7 – 2-5pm – First AME Church
Tues Jan 10 – 6-9pm – Omni Commons**
Sat Jan 14 – 2-5pm – First AME Church
Tues Jan 17 – 6-9pm – Omni Commons**
Thurs Jan 19 – 6-9pm – 955 7th St.
* If it”s your first meeting, please make sure to show up early to attend the orientation!
** The OMNI Commons meeting space is wheelchair accessible, and has a wheelchair accessible bathroom however the bathroom is not fully ADA compliant.
What is a spokescouncil?
A spokescouncil is a collective framework for direct action mobilizations, where large masses of people organize themselves into smaller teams called “affinity groups”. Affinity groups plan their actions independently with the intention of advancing the larger goal of the spokescouncil. Affinity groups are represented by at least one person (“a spoke”) at the meetings, where they are able to share resources and coordinate their actions with other groups.
Why a spokescouncil?
We propose the spokescouncil as a solution to many of the shortcomings of unstructured mass assemblies. We intend to provide a highly structured organizing space with clear tactical and messaging guidelines, that empowers participants to organize independently and in parallel. We intend to inspire a multitude of diverse actions and awaken the massive potential we have as a community engaging in direct action.
** for questions or more information about the spokescouncil please contact aptpspokescouncil@gmail.co
It is time to act. How much shameless corruption are we going to tolerate? As a community, we must fight back.
Contra Costa’s District Attorney Mark Peterson has violated the law. He has admitted to embezzlement, fraud, and perjury. He claims to be “humbled and embarrassed by his errors of judgment;” he says he will pay a fine for his “mistakes and errors.” Admission of guilt does not negate the fact that he broke the law and was caught red-handed only after an audit was conducted.
As the top law enforcement official, DA Mark Peterson is required to uphold and enforce the law but has failed miserably at his job. He lacks the ability to act in an ethical and lawful manner. He has proven repeatedly that he has no integrity. For instance, he publicly blamed unarmed 24 year old Pedie Perez for causing his own murder and has contributed to the cover-up by not charging the officer despite overwhelming evidence that contradicts Officer Wallace Jensen’s LIES. Eyewitnesses reported to the family and police that Pedie never tried to take the officer’s gun and even DNA supports their statements. DA Mark Peterson lacks the ability to analyze facts, and exercise impartial judgement based on the evidence provided.
Citizens are prosecuted for embezzlement, fraud and perjury. Why shouldn’t he be charged according to his crimes? We don’t get to pay fines and keep our $300K annual salary!!! When is he going to be prosecuted? When is his license to practice law going to be revoked?
A demonstration of concerned Contra Costa County residents and supporters is scheduled for Wednesday, January 18, at 12 noon to demand Mark Peterson’s resignation. We will assemble at DA Mark Peterson’s Office at 900 Ward St, Martinez.
Attorney Pamela Price will be speaking at the event. Ms. Price is the gutsy attorney who rescued the main witness in the police sex scandal after the Richmond Police Department sent her to Florida.
Thank you for your support, on behalf of
Justice4Pedie.com and the Oscar Grant Committee
Sean Moore was assaulted then shot in the stomach and leg by SFPD on January 6, after a neighbor called to report that Sean was making noise IN HIS OWN HOME. Yesterday, Jan. 11, Mr. Moore was transferred from the hospital to JAIL on bogus charges of assaulting an officer. Public Defender Jeff Adachi has viewed the bodycam videotapes and will release a statement at 1:00 on the discrepancies between the police narrative we were fed by police at the town hall and the truth. Please attend this conference to support the family and show that police violence and lies will not be tolerated. Invite everyone from your social justice networks.
Media are focusing on the SFPD’s tale of needing tasers to prevent shooting deaths, which is entirely unsupported by research data. Tasers kill and are one more torture tool misused in the hands of abusive officers.
Join the Open Circle Community for a Direct Action as part of the APTP Reclaiming the Radical Legacy of Martin Luther King and Resisting the Fascist Trump Agenda.
The focus of this action is to address the Police Officer Bill of Rights which protects killer cops from prosecution. This Bill of Rights needs to be REPEALED!
Meet us at the Police Officers Association, 800 Bryant Street, San Francisco. We’ll have an introduction to the families directly impacted by police terror and a speakout on how the Police Officer Bill of Rights has obstructed justice for their loved ones.
Let’s bring a light snack to share and something in small bags to offer to the community.
Dress warm and bring an umbrella.
We’ll be sure to keep the event brief pending rain.
Join us for this family-friendly event in remembrance of the work of Dr. King and in recognition of the work we need to do to make the Beloved Community a reality. Bring a candle, glowstick or other source of light. After a brief gathering ceremony, we will begin our candlelight walk to Frank Ogawa Plaza. Clergy and faith leaders are invited to wear vestments or other garments relevant to their ministry.
YSA has $5000 available for our tiny house prototype for the YSA ArtLot to start building plans by March or sooner and will try to get 10k more from Council on 1/24. That house can/could be moved to the village later to house someone. It will get used for community education first in our ArtLot.
We have a local realtor actively scouting sites for us in Berkeley so will be working on identifying the site for the youth Tiny House Village for six months. If we have not identified a Berkeley site by June 1 we will make a decision to pursue Oakland, which we know already we will have a site. We will report on this the 18th, along with other updates.
Snacks provided.