Calendar

In January, more than 130 canvassers hit the streets in North Oakland for our Big Medicare-for-All Canvass. They were met with a commensurate number of new people signing the pledge and even more real, substantive conversations about the Medicare-for-All campaign and the two corporate money-free candidates our chapter has endorsed who will help make it happen.

The new grassroots organization Berkeley Community United for Police Oversight has submitted a ballot initiative to create a Police Oversight Commission with actual power (not just advisory, as it is now).  We will begin collecting signatures at our campaign kickoff!

Campaign Kick-off
We will be hosting a campaign kick-off celebration  at the Ashby Flea Market! We will be releasing media + flyers soon!

We are looking for musicians, artists, signature-gathers, speakers, poets, & folks to table, engage the community, and set-up/clean-up to get the community EXCITED for strong police oversight!

Please email our outreach chair, George at george@igc.org, if you are available!

Is what we say as important as the words we use to say them? Could it be that the green party has not grown in Alameda county because of a patriarchy that is reflected in how we talk to one another? Does the movement suffer from the same patriarchy we criticize others of having? Does how we speak and what we say have an impact on our ability to move forward more swiftly? Join your community as we engage in this conversation.

Ourpresenters are Meleiza Figueroa, Vicente Cruz, and Aidan “AJ” Hill:

Meleiza Figueroa is Co-Facilitator of the Movement School for Revolutionaries (https://www.school4rev.org). She is a PhD Candidate in Geography at UC Berkeley, and was Press Director for the Stein/Baraka 2016 Presidential campaign.  She has been a longtime political educator and organizer, and has been involved in a wide range of movements for social and environmental justice.

Vicente Cruz is an Oakland Green, the Producer of the Oakland Greens dinner and movie discussion series, and a sports educator.

Aidan “AJ” Hill  (they/them/theirs) County Council member is an emerging political activist in the bay area living on the intersection of multiple identities. They hope to highlight the disparity of power among marginalized groups and actively contribute to the social, cultural and political movements during their lifetime. Aidan actively works to promote pro-black feminism, trans-inclusion, environmental protections and develop a culture of consent and radical vulnerability in order to create a cycle of empowerment. By empowering others to be vulnerable, we break down stigmas that tell us that we must remain silent and alone. Their ultimate goal is to ensure that all persons have the ability to live a life of dignity and autonomy.

West Coast J20 Solidarity Tour, March 3rd – 18th

On January 20th, 2017, militarized police in Washington, D.C. attacked and mass-arrested over 200 protestors at an anti-fascist, anti-capitalist march, charging 214 of them each with an unprecedented eight felonies. Yet even while facing decades in prison, 194 defendants refused to cooperate with prosecutors or accept plea bargains, supporting each other to beat the charges but also to defend the legitimacy of uncompromising resistance to the Trump regime. As a result, the first trial against 6 defendants ended with a verdict of not guilty on all charges, forcing prosecutors to drop charges against 129 of the arrested. However, the state is now doubling down against 59 remaining defendants, hoping to divide the powerful movement that has successfully defended the arrestees. In an era of escalating repression, these charges aim to stomp out protest and resistance through broad conspiracy statutes, demonization of anarchists, and divide-and-conquer tactics.

In this touring presentation, you’ll hear an overview and critical analysis of the case this far, highlighting its role and significance in the changing landscape of political repression in the United States. From the broad use of conspiracy law to criminalize all aspects of protest organizing to the dramatic victory against the state in the first trial this past December, the case offers insights into strategies for repression in the new administration, connections between different targeted social movements, and the potential of collective defense to effectively defeat the government’s efforts. But most importantly, you’ll learn how this case fits into the broader struggle against Trump and the world that made him, and why it is critical that we support the 59 remaining defendants until they all walk free.

We’re asking everyone who can to support the family of Sahleem Tindle in their struggle to get justice for Sahleem, who was murdered by BART officer Joseph Mateu on January 3, 2018. BART was forced to release the body cam video of his murder, where it was exposed for all to plainly see that 28 year old Sahleem was shot in the back three times with his hands up and no weapon in sight! We have been with the family to two BART Board meetings in the past few weeks, where the family and community have pressed hard to get Mateu fired and charged with murder. Through this effort BART has finally added a point about this added to the BART Police Citizen Review Board agenda on Monday, 3/12 at 4pm. Please help us pack this meeting. See the Facebook event here for further info:
Pack the BART Police Citizen Review Board

But we’re not stopping there! The family’s demands are to fire, charge and prosecute this murderer! So the next morning, Tuesday, 3/13, at 10am, we’re going to have a talk with DA Nancy O’Malley, who has the power to prosecute him. Mind you, she’s never prosecuted a single killer cop, so we have to press hard to make her break that record. Here’s the event info for that:
Demand DA O’Malley Charge Mateu with Murder

We’re not stopping there, either! OPD is in charge of the investigation, since Mateu murdered Sahleem across from West Oakland BART, not on BART property. So on Tuesday, 3/13, at 6pm, we’re going to visit OPD HQ at Broadway and 7th St to demand that they charge Mateu with murder! The event info for that is here:
Demand OPD Charge Mateu with Murder

Please Show up and support this family! For general information about Sahleem Tindle, you can go to the Justice 4 Sahleem Tindle Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/794128510798194/

How will the transition to a clean-energy economy affect workers and unions?  How is organized labor responding to this transition?  What policies and strategies can best address workers’ concerns?  A panel of labor and climate leaders will discuss the challenges and opportunities at this free public forum.

Workers in a range of fields—steelworkers, pipe fitters, teachers, electricians, hospitality and service employees, government, communications, healthcare and autoworkers—will be affected differently by this transition.  Even within the same trade unions, some workers will see new job opportunities, some will be less affected, others will face job losses.

During this transition, labor unions must be at the table.  Opportunities may come in the form of job growth, project labor agreements, skill standards, and organizing the unorganized.  Challenges may be met through retraining programs, relocation assistance, and healthcare and pension guarantees.

This forum is one attempt to help set that table.  Its purpose is to grow communication channels between labor representatives, policy experts and climate advocates in order to create promising pathways to a prosperous and equitable future.

PANELISTS
JB Tengco, Moderator. West Coast Executive Director, Blue Green Alliance
Betony Jones, Labor and Climate Policy Researcher
Susan Reed, International Representative, United Auto Workers
Victor Uno, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 595
Marguerite Young, Service Employees International Union, Climate and Environmental Justice Coordinator
A member of the United Steel Workers
6:30 PM: snacks and refreshments
7 – 9  PM: panel discussion

Ample on-site parking.
Convenient BART-MUNI access.

PLEASE RSVP:  SEATING IS LIMITED.

SPONSORED BY

League of Women Voters • Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville
Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco Chapters of Citizens’ Climate Lobby

OccupyForum
Tracy Rosenberg of Media Alliance on the threat to net neutrality

The fight for net neutrality:  an update & what we in SF can do at all levels of government to protect and promote equal access to the internet

Trump’s FCC has announced its intention to end net neutrality a step which undermines equal access for all to the internet in our country. But the fight is not yet over. Get an update about the current attack on net neutrality; why net neutrality is crucial to our democracy and must be preserved; and what steps we can take to protect it in Congress, in the California legislature and in San Francisco.

Tracy Rosenberg is the executive director of Media Alliance. She organizes and advocates for a free, accountable and accessible media system; monitors the mainstream media for accuracy and fair representation; and has facilitated the training of many groups in effective communications. She serves on the board of the Alliance for Community Media (Western Region), on the steering committee of the Media Action Grassroots Network and co-coordinates Oakland Privacy.

We’ve all seen the video! How is it that BART police officer Joseph Mateu has not already been charged with the murder of Sahleem Tindle, after he shot the 28 year old in the back three times? Join us to demand that Nancy O’Malley do her job and charge and prosecute Mateu for murder. O’Malley has yet to prosecute a single killer cop. It’s time to break that unjust record!

Sahleem Tindle was murdered by BART Police Officer Joseph Mateu on January 3, 2018. He is now back on the job, after only a two week leave. The family demands: fire, arrest, charge and prosecute Joseph Mateu!

On Wednesday, March 14th, 2018 will be the one of anniversary of Elena “Ebbie” Mondragón, who was killed by two Fremont cops; Sgt. Jeremy Miskella & Det. Joel Hernandez in an undercover operation.

Please join us as we remember Elena “Ebbie”, an not let her name just go in vain or be forgotten, by from the violence of the police.

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On Tuesday, March 14th, 2017 Elena “Ebbie” Mondragon was 16 years old and pregnant, when two Fremont Undercover Police officers; Sgt. Jeremy Miskella & Det. Joel Hernandez where on an undercover sting operation.

Elena was with three of her friends at a apartment complex, near Cal State East Bay in Hayward, when Sgt. Jeremy Miskella & Det. Joel Hernandez shot at the moving car, as the driver was backing out to leave the apartment complex, saying he was ” accelerating towards the police car” and that the officers “feared for their lives”.

Sgt. Jeremy Miskella & Det. Joel Hernandez ended up shoting 7 bullets at the car, missing the driver while 5 of the bullets hit Elena, killing her.

Sgt. Jeremy Miskella is now the Board of Directors President for the Fremont Police Association and Det. Joel Hernandez is still a detective for the Fremont Police Department.

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Want to endorse this vigil?

Feel out this google form: https://goo.gl/forms/27VNE98HbgmEUQXr1

Endorsements:

– Anti Terror Police Project
– Idriss Stelley Foundation
– Justice For Josiah
– National Brown Berets
– Prisoners Reentry Program
– Resistance SF
– South Beach District 6 Democratic Club Of San Francisco
– Together We Stand
– Youth Leadership Council LGBT center SF

El Cerrito Shows Up#Enough #ICEoutofCA
Please join us today & every Wednesday 6 – 7 PM
West entrance El Cerrito Plaza nr Daiso, San Pablo Ave & Carlson.

ECSU rallies weekly to speak out in favor of equality and justice. #NoHatehttps://t.co/Wotbz2eRWM pic.twitter.com/E88ORoKhhq

— IndivisibleELCERRITO (@ECindivisible) March 14, 2018

Please join us from 6 to 7 PM at the west entrance to El Cerrito Plaza, intersection of San Pablo Ave & Carlson Ave. We’ll meet on the side nearest to Daiso.

The ECSU goals are to create a significant community presence to speak out in favor of equality, justice, inclusiveness and more. We say NO to hatred, racism, white supremacy and nationalism, bigotry, and anti-Semitism.

You can bring your own sign with your own words expressing what you stand for and against. Use BIG lettering so people in cars can see! We’ll also have some sign-making materials.

We’re from the El Cerrito area. Our Show Up location is at the borders of El Cerrito, Richmond and Albany — all are welcome!

We will assemble lawfully, and won’t block the sidewalk. All locations we select will be wheelchair-accessible. To participate you must commit to non-violent and respectful conduct. Family-friendly.