Sun, Jun 16, 2019: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Cuba”s Democracy
Constitutional Referendum and grassroots political processes.
Cuba is always described as a “dictatorship” by the mainstream media and the U.S. government, thus providing a pretext for the economic blockade and talk about regime change. But Sharat G. Lin found a remarkable democratic process in the recent Constitutional Referendum in Cuba and months of nationwide discussions involving millions of voters. (Awaiting confirmation)

Sun, Jun 30, 2019: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Fascism What It Is and How To Fight It
“Fascism: What It Is and How To Fight It” – a two part talk including a historical overview of the events leading up to the rise of fascism in Europe leading up to WWII, and a political analysis of the failures of the communist movement at the time in preventing it. This all in light of the current rise of white supremacy and fascist movements in the U.S., Europe and Latin America and the lack of a united left movement to fight it. Supplemental handouts will be available, including a timeline. Presented by Peoples Alliance members Bill Bowers and Tova Fry (both former WWP) : Bill leading with the historical overview and TovaFry following with the political analysis, largely based on Trotsky’s work of the same name.

Sun, Jul 7, 2019: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
Reading Capital
This is part of a continuing discussion of Capital, reading, paragraph by paragraph from the Penguin edition (1967). We’ve finished Chapter One (after one year) and are now working our way through Chapter 2: The Process of Exchange, p. 178.

Sun, Jul 7, 2019: 12:45-1:45 pm
Planning Session
We get together after the morning session on the first Sunday of every month to discuss things in general and plan the schedule for our Sunday Morning at the Marxist Library forums. This is an open meeting. Everyone is welcome to help plan our future sessions. Please come with suggestions and concrete plans. Also, please review our web site to familiarize yourself with our current proposals. Newcomers and Old Timers welcome.

Sun, Jul 14, 2019: 10:30 am to 12:30 pm
General Elections in India:
Modi’s Fascism vs. Social Democrats and the Left
Modi has completed 5 years in power, with his BJP having a majority in the Indian Parliament. In 2014, Modi won on the slogan of  “Be with everyone, development for everyone” in the background of major corruption scandals in the last 5 years of the 10 years that Congress Party ruled (2004 thru 2014), with Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi as the Congress Party President.
Modi moved rapidly to consolidate power in his hands, ousting or sidelining veteran leaders in his own Party. Under his 5 years of rule, “cow protectors” have become emboldened. Several incidents of lynching of Muslims have taken place, religious bigotry is openly practiced, and assassinations of several public intellectuals, all secularists, have taken place while he mostly sat silently over such egregious violations of civil rights. Further he has tried to create a militarist posture and sought to portray himself as a strong PM, who is willing to take on the terrorists based in Pakistan aggressively. His policies of “demonetization” of 1916 created a great deal of small business distress. Unemployment is at 45 year high and farm distress and farmer suicides continue. But the mass media, now privately owned, and funded by big capital  has helped create him as a “the man of the people”.
Raj Sahai will present his views on what is beginning to boil under the surface of a seeming “all is well” scenario presented in India in the mass media and projected and globally.

Wind up July 4th weekend with your IB friends! Come to the Third Annual Indivisible Berkeley Picnic!

Bring:

Food or drink to share — Sign up for the potluck! Note: Alcohol is not allowed in city parks.

Family and friends

Frisbees, footballs, etc.

Musical instruments, if that’s your jam

Optional: Something to sit on (there are several picnic tables)

Questions? Want to help? Email beccafreed@gmail.com.

Here’s the flyer if you want to print it out and share it!

CHECK BELOW FOR LOCATIONS OTHER THAN FOR 7/6 and 7/7

SF Mime Troupe’s play – Using the classic pirate novel Treasure Island as its inspiration the show is the story of Hawkins, a civil servant in San Francisco, who accidentally stumbles upon the plans of a developer, L.J. Silver. Through bribery, and label brutality, Silver is overriding all the clear health, safety, and human concerns regarding developing Treasure Island for his own greed.

Written by Michael Gene Sullivan with Ellen Callas, Marie Cartier, Keiko Shimosato Carreiro.
Music by Michael Bello, Lyrics by Daniel Savio.
Co-Directed by Wilma Bonet with Lisa Hori-Garcia.

TREASURE ISLAND features Mime Troupe veterans Lizzie Calogero, Keiko Shimosato Carreiro, Michael Gene Sullivan, as well as returning performers Andre Amarotico and Brian Rivera

Other East Bay dates and locations:

• Frances Willard/Ho Chi Minh Park
  Sat, Jul 13th @ 2:00 PM (Music 1:30)
  Sun, Jul 14th @ 2:00 PM (Music 1:30)
  Hillegass Ave. & Derby St., Berkeley 
  Ticket Info: FREE (Suggested donation $20)
  Post show discussion on 7/13

• Lakeside Park / Lake Merritt
  Wed, Jul 31st @ 7:00 PM (Music 6:30)
  Thu, Aug 1st @ 7:00 PM (Music 6:30)
  Edoff Memorial Band Stand, Oakland 
  Ticket Info: FREE (Suggested donation $20)
  In front of the Edoff Memorial Band Stand
• Live Oak Park
  Sat, Aug 3rd @ 2:00 PM (Music 1:30)
  Sun, Aug 4th @ 2:00 PM (Music 1:30)
  Shattuck Ave. & Berryman St., Berkeley 
  Ticket Info: FREE (Suggested donation $20)
  Post show discussion on 8/3

NOTE: During the Plague Year of 2020 GA will be held every week or two on Zoom. To find out the exact time a date get on the Occupy Oakland email list my sending an email to:

occupyoakland-subscribe@lists.riseup.net

The Occupy Oakland General Assembly meets every Sunday at 4 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 4:00 PM we meet in the basement of the Omni Collective, 4799 Shattuck Ave., Oakland. (Note: we tend to meet at 3:00 PM during the cooler months from November to early March after Daylights Savings Time.)

On every ‘last Sunday’ we meet a little earlier at 3 PM to have a community potluck to which all are welcome.

OO General Assembly has met on a continuous basis for over six years, since October 2011! 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

Of Interest Agenda Items:

4. 5:15pm: OPD presentation of Joint Terrorism Task Force Annual Report (2018) – review and take possible action.
5. 5:25pm: IT Department presentation of Online Privacy and Security Policy – review and take possible action.
6. 5:40pm: Surveillance Equipment Ordinance – OPD – ShotSpotter technology Impact Report and proposed Use Policy – review and take possible action.
7. 6:20pm: Surveillance Equipment Ordinance – OPD – Remote Camera Impact Report and proposed Use Policy – review and take possible action.

OCCUPELLA will be singing at the TAX THE RICH RALLY EVERY MONDAY from 5-6 on upper Solano Ave. in front of the (closed) Oaks Theater. Songbooks are provided.

(We’ll also be LEADING SONGS ON JULY 13 at NOON in Civic Center Park (across from Berkeley High and old City Hall). The City of Berkeley will officially recognize the human rights abuses at the border.)

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.

An ordinance to prohibit discrimination against renters with rental assistance (e.g., Section 8 Vouchers) is on the agenda at a Special Meeting of Oakland City Council at 3:00 pm on Tuesday, July 9. It appears as item 7.38 on the Consent Calendar so it should come up relatively soon in the meeting. They take all speakers for consent calendar at once; speakers should indicate which item they are addressing.

If we can get some residents to tell personal stories (their own or a friend or family member) of waiting forever to get Section 8 and then not being able to use a voucher because no landlord would take it, that would be great. Contact dolores@ebho.org if you would like to speak.

Info Time, Tuesday, July 9, 5:30 p.m.

Have questions about public banking? Want to find out more about what we’re doing to make our own East Bay bank a reality? Come to Info Time! Volunteers will be available to talk with you for the half hour before our monthly meeting (location below)

NEWS:

On July 3rd, California’s Public Banking Act, AB 857, passed the Senate Governance & Finance Committee 4 Aye’s to 3 No’s. In the extended hearing, Assemblymember David Chiu, the bill’s co-author, emphasized, “Something is truly broken with the present financial system.” The bill has one more committee  – Senate Appropriations  – before the Senate floor vote.
>
Watch the hearing video here (bill discussion starts at 1:25).

Meanwhile, publications in San Jose, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, North Bay, Marin County, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and Monterey Bay each published robust articles recently detailing what a public bank could mean to their local communities. The journalistic push indicates a high-water mark for interest in public banking, and provides advocates around the country with excellent talking points to share.

==================

People want DIVESTMENT.

The cities of Berkeley, Oakland, and Richmond (not to mention Seattle, Santa Fe, etc., etc.) have all voted for divesting from pipelines and fossil fuels, but none of them have carried through. Why not? Because there is literally no clean bank big enough to handle their deposits.

People want LOCAL REINVESTMENT.

Our cities are teeming with urban problems, almost all of them disproportionately affecting black and brown populations: homelessness, gentrification pushing out marginalized communities, desperate infrastructure needs, impoverished parks and recreation programs, struggling local businesses, lack of local jobs, and so much more. Yet we send between 7 and 15 cents out of every tax dollar out of our cities forever, and into the hands of Wall Street bank shareholders, who couldn’t care less about our streets and our schools. When those banks profit from our tax revenues, they send the money straight into their own pockets. It’s like paying sales tax on our own money to greedy corporations.

People want A PUBLIC BANK.

The Bank of North Dakota, one of two public banks currently existing in the United States, not only saves the state of North Dakota that 7 to 15 cents per dollar, but also makes money. In 2017, its return on investment was 17%! In 2008, North Dakota didn’t have a foreclosure crisis, because the Bank of North Dakota didn’t invest in risky mortgages. And if you live in North Dakota, or go to college there, the bank will buy back your student loan … and restructure it to give you a 4% interest rate.

Do No Harm Coalition and Anti Police-Terror Project have called this gathering to report back the data from our three year community commissioned project The Justice Study—an investigation into the health impacts of law enforcement violence. We seek community feedback on the analysis and strategy on releasing the data prior to any publication in the medical and public health literature or in the media.

For this gathering, we wish to continue our dialogue with and extend our service to those most impacted by police – particularly those who are black, brown, indigenous, trans, and poor. While all are welcome, we will centralize the concerns of these people.

DNHC was commissioned by the community fighting for justice for Mario Woods to create a research study that asked the question “If a police killing is the wound and the medicine is justice, what happens to our community health when the medicine is withheld?”

The research team from UCSF and Santa Clara University developed The Justice Study with community direction and has been engaged in a 3 year process. The scope of the study investigates all law enforcement violence—from police to ICE to FBI—and research tools are available in English and Spanish.

We seek input and guidance as we take our next steps to make this research as impactful as possible. We are grateful to have Red Bay Coffee Roasters hosting us and jazz bassist Marcus Shelby present to offer musical accompaniment to our work together.

Our July member meeting will be held this Wednesday, July 10 at 6:00 p.m. in the Fruitvale! Come by for some free food and an informal conversation with @BrendonWoodsPD on what #SafetyIs. pic.twitter.com/1kC47ibLQI

— Ella Baker Center (@ellabakercenter) July 8, 2019

 There is a growing network of rapid response volunteers forming to help our neighbors in the face of Trump’s threatened ICE raids. And you can be part of it!

Join a training this Wednesday to learn how to document and film ICE raids, and help ensure that the law is being followed. Note that the role of legal observers is not to stop ICE activity, but to help lawyers in the court process by documenting any possibly illegal detentions.

At Wednesday’s training, participants will:

• Learn how to be a legal observer
• Learn how to verify ICE activity
• Obtain training on what your rights are when interacting with law enforcement

Participants will then be able to join a network of volunteers that is forming across the Bay Area and beyond to provide real-time assistance both to those facing deportation and family members left behind.

Join Oakland Privacy to organize against the surveillance state, police militarization and ICE, and to advocate for surveillance regulation around the Bay and nationwide.

We fight against “pre-crime” and “thought-crime,” spy drones, facial recognition, police body camera secrecy, anti-transparency laws and requirements for “backdoors” to cellphones, to list just a few invasions of our privacy by all levels of Government, and attempts to hide what government officials, employees and agencies are doing.

We draft and push for privacy legislation for City Councils, at the County level, and in Sacramento. We advocate in op-eds and in the streets. We stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and believe no one is illegal.

Oakland Privacy originally came together in 2013 to fight against the Domain Awareness Center, Oakland’s citywide networked mass surveillance hub. OP was instrumental in stopping the DAC from becoming a city-wide spying network.  We helped fight and helped win the fight against Urban Shield.

Our major projects currently include local legislation to regulate state surveillance (we got the strongest surveillance regulation ordinance in the country passed in Oakland!), supporting and opposing state legislation as appropriate, battling mass surveillance in the form of facial recognition and other analytics, and pushing back against ICE.

On September 12th, 2019 we were presented with a Barlow Award by the Electronic Frontier Foundation for our work.

If you are interested in joining the Oakland Privacy email listserv, coming to a meeting, or have questions, send an email to:

contact@oaklandprivacy.org

Check out our website: http://oaklandprivacy.org/   Follow us on twitter: @oaklandprivacy

Check out our sister site DeportICE.

“WATCHING YOU WATCHING US”

Oakland Privacy works regionally to defend the right to privacy and enhance public transparency and oversight regarding the use of surveillance techniques and equipment.  Oakland Privacy drove the passage of surveillance regulation and transparency ordinances in Oakland and Berkeley and is kicking off new processes in various municipalities around the Bay.  To help slow down the encroaching police and surveillance state all over the Bay Area, join us at the Omni.

The Gig Economy, AI, Robotics, Workers and Dystopia San Francisco
Initial Speakers:
Steven Hill, writer and journalist on the Gig Economy.
Author of Raw Deal: How the “Uber Economy” and Runaway Capitalism are Screwing American Workers.
Edward Escobar, founder of the Alliance for Independent Workers – #DriversUnite International Movement. UBER/LYFT/Black Car Driver
Mehmet Bayram is a tech worker and is with the International Labor MediaNetwork.

Sponsored by LaborNet and WorkWeek Radio

San Francisco is now a world center of tech, yet the workers, whether UBER-Lyft drivers or a growing number of gig workers, are under extreme stress and face nightmare conditions with no worker or union rights. The growing number of suicides is a reaction to this dire state.

While San Francisco has more billionaires per person than any city in the world, there are thousands of homeless, escalating evictions of tenants, and a massive gridlock with growing environmental issues. Has capitalism gone wild and is this the permanent dystopian world or can working people and our unions transform this city and society? These are some of the questions that will be addressed at this event.
See also:
https://laborfest.net/event/the-gig-economy-ai-robotics-workers-and-dystopia-san-francisco/

The Interfaith Council of Alameda County is hosting a regional meeting focusing on housing, homeless solutions and best practices.  Refreshments will be served.

The meeting is co-sponsored by City of Berkeley Councilmember Cheryl Davila, City of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, City of Oakland Council President Rebecca Kaplan, Alameda County Board of Supervisors President Wilma Chan, supervisors Keith Carson and Nate Miley, the Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC) and Project WeHOPE.

With ICE operations underway, increased arrests happening now, and raids reported to start Sunday, rally is being called for TODAY (Thursday).

Trump is threatening our immigrant loved ones and neighbors with mass raids and deportations. We’re standing up against his racist and repressive attacks. Raids tear apart families and cast a shadow on whole communities, making it difficult to go to work, school or live free from fear. Let’s stand together – and respond with power, not panic. Watch this event page and text RESIST to 41411 for updates.

Share your local rapid response hotline number (bit.ly/CAhotlines and below). If you see ICE activity, call the hotline. Make sure reports are verified before you spread rumors or panic.

Reproductive rights are being challenged and degraded. What are our rights to abortion access here in California? These are real issues we need to talk about. We’ll screen documentary NO CHOICE, personal testimonies from women of color and have a panel of experts who can speak on the issues.

Includes performance by vocalist Indigo Mateo!

Panelists:

Free event.
Light snacks.

Wheelchair accessible.

Co-hosted by ACCESS Women’s Health Justice and Public Square Medi

Please join us for the opening reception of the Welcome Home Projectphotography exhibit! This project highlights the stories of 20 formerly incarcerated men and women who returned to their communities and turned their lives around. Participants from the project will speak at 5:30pm.

on-site parking available

RSVP on Eventbrite

The Welcome Home Project, a project of Community Works, is a collection of stories and photographs of formerly incarcerated Alameda County residents who reclaimed their lives after years in prisons and jails. Their stories are testimony to the power of resilience and determination in the face of the barriers that formerly incarcerated individuals face.
Community Works News