3350 Grand Ave
Oakland, CA 94610
USA
A fundraising party to celebrate, learn about, and support the work of Initiate Justice and their campaign to restore voting rights to people who are incarcerated or on parole in California. The party will include homemade appetizers, beverages, and a silent auction of artwork by incarcerated artists and others. Space is limited, please RSVP.
SURJ Bay Area and Panorama Framing are jointly sponsoring this event to raise awareness about and funding for the current campaign, organized by Initiate Justice, to restore voting rights in California for people who are incarcerated. The Voting Restoration and Democracy Act of 2018 would, if passed in November, remove the restrictions that prevent people in prison or on parole in California from voting. Representatives from Initiate Justice will join us to give a presentation and answer questions.
Denial of voting rights to currently and formerly incarcerated people has a long and sordid history in the US as part of the effort to maintain white supremacy by preventing Black and Brown people from gaining political power. There are approximately 162,000-180,000 people in California who cannot vote simply because they are in prison or on parole. A vastly disproportionate number of these folks are people of color, given the inequities in our prison industrial complex.
Most other developed countries, and 2 states in the U.S. (Maine and Vermont), do not remove people’s right to vote when they are sent to prison. Restoration of the fundamental right to vote has been shown to lower the risk of recidivism, promoting public safety as well as upholding principles of democracy and universal suffrage. For more info: https://
We invite you to join us in supporting this historic challenge to white supremacy as we work together to knock down one of the pillars of systemic racial injustice in California.
Accessibility Information
Ground floor storefront space for the event is accessible from the sidewalk without steps. A large bathroom on ground floor (all genders). Food will include vegan, vegetarian, and GF choices and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Likely will be standing room only (except for wheelchairs or people needing a chair). We encourage guests to avoid using scented products. Questions can be directed to jkgrether@gmail.com.