SURJ Boston

Housing Justice

sign the petition: end evictions of fenway women!

TAKE ACTION! Over a dozen older women are facing eviction from Our Lady Guild House (OLGH), a rooming house in the Fenway. OLGH is owned by an order of Catholic nuns called Daughters of Mary of the Immaculate Conception. It was originally part of the order's mission to create homes for single women, especially mature women. About 5 years ago, the mission apparently changed. Older women were told they had to get out. In response to the evictions and the apparently clear age discrimination, residents are organized and defending themselves in court. Two of the women face forcible removal in the first week of September. Another is in the middle of an eviction case. Five or more women expect a court summons at any moment. City Life/Vida Urbana and Fenway CDC are pledging resistance. Local coverage here.  #DontMakeAHabitOfEvictions

Immigration Justice

#HUNGRY4JUSTICE DAY OF ACTION

As the administration fails to meet the court-ordered deadline to reunite all families separated by the Zero Tolerance immigration policy, we say (abridged):

We demand that every migrant family separated by this administration be reunited and released from incarceration. We demand that the families receive support and justice for the trauma inflicted by our government. We stand against the criminalization and dehumanization of immigrant families.

We are launching a national rolling hunger strike in solidarity with migrant families who are still separated and/or incarcerated. Community members in one city after another will step up to fast for a few days at a time. As the fast ends in one city, it will pick up in another. We will continue our hunger strike and other solidarity actions until our demand is met.

**You do NOT have to fast/hunger strike in order to participate in this event!**
**You do not have to attend the whole day! Sign up for a time slot by yourself or with a team!**

Boston will strike on September 6 at the South Bay Detention Center, 40 Bradston St in Boston. We will be based at the area below the bridge, where the detainees can see us but ICE is less likely to hassle us. Unfortunately the location is NOT kid friendly.

jericho walks in burlington, ma

Jericho Walks are a silent interfaith prayer and act of solidarity. The walks draw inspiration from the Battle of Jericho, in which the community marched around the city of Jericho seven times, causing the city walls to fall. The Jericho Walk of today is a silent, peaceful, and prayerful walk to bring down the walls of our unjust immigration system and is open to people of all or no faiths. These walks are planned by Burlington Area Clergy 4 Justice (A.K.A. BAC4 Justice... don't you love it!?) and take place at the ICE Field Office in Burlington, MA. They will be happening on the following Tuesday afternoons:
• September 25
• October 16
• November 20
• December 18

Contact Laura Wagner at lwagner@uumassaction.org for more information.

#justice4siham fundraiser

The #Justice4Siham campaign has been working tirelessly to reunite activist Siham Byah, who was deported to Morocco, with her son Naseem who is still here in the US and struggling with depression. He is in desperate need of counseling to cope with the trauma brought upon him by ICE. Please consider donating to and sharing the GoFundMe page, and checking out a video about the fundraising campaign.

no business with ice

ICE is terrorizing immigrants at the border and in our communities. We can fight back by refusing to be complicit with institutions that cooperate with ICE. Sign the pledge here.

Beyond Bond & Legal Defense Fund

More than 1,000 people are held by ICE every year in South Bay House of Correction in Boston. Some are from our local communities, others are sent to South Bay from the border and have no family or friends in Boston, but everyone in ICE jail is cut off from community support, legal recourse, and basic human rights. The new fund bonds our neighbors out of detention so they can be reunited with their families and have a chance to fight deportation. Please help us raise $100,000 over the next two months. Organized by the Boston Immigrant Justice Accompaniment Network (BIJAN, pronounced "Beyond"). Donate and get more information.

Centro Presente needs volunteers

Centro Presente needs volunteer ESL and Citizenship teachers. Email Meredith Gamble at mgamble@cpresente.org to get involved!

Boston Immigrant Justice Accompaniment Network

Support those caught up in the harm of our racist immigration system. Sign up. Please join us in taking action by ensuring members of our communities have the resources they need to fight their deportations and stay connected to their families. You can donate and share.

Prison Abolition

Court Watch

We're looking for court watchers who want to challenge culture of white supremacy and punishment in our courts. Court Watch MA is a collective effort led by Families for Justice as Healing, ACLU, National Lawyers Guild, Massachusetts Bail Fund, and MA Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Register for a training & find information.

Stop CMR483: Keep Families/Friends in Touch With Incarcerated Loved Ones

The Massachusetts DOC has implemented a new regulation limiting the number of visitors and only if they are on a pre-approved visitor list. Sign the Petition Against Visitation Rights Restraints.

Black & Pink Volunteer Drop In

Times are drop in/drop out, so come for as long or little as you'd like. You will need a laptop. Come read prisoners' letters, learn about their struggles, and help out the Black and Pink family!

• Saturdays in Lower Allston: from 12 noon - 3 PM at Swissbäkers. Contact Eli at eli@newgreyhair.com or Facebook page
• Wednesdays in JP: 7PM-9PM at First Baptist Church, 633 Centre Street Jamaica Plain, MA.  Contact Annie at Annieatwater@gmail.com
• Sundays in downtown Boston: from 3PM-6PM at encuentro 5, 9a Hamilton Place, Boston, MA.

Movement for Black Lives

BLM Boston Giving Campaign

BLM Boston is in need of funds to assist real folks (3 families) who have emergency needs and are displaced right now. "We can help them into permanent housing but need your help. Our need is $3,675.00 (total to help these 3 families)." PAYPAL for donations is m4blmboston@gmail.com. For longer range, recurring support join Campaign21 which moves us from emergency, crises driven giving to solidarity sustained giving.

BLM BOSTON LIVE ON INSIGHT RADIO

Every week on Thursday at 7PM, Black Lives Matter Boston hosts a radio show featuring members of the black community in Boston who are doing amazing things.

Public Education

Petition to demand PILOT Payments

A petition calling for our mayor and city councilors to demand our institutional neighbors contribute to the future of ours schools and community. Institutions such as Harvard, Northeastern, BC, BU which together neglected to pay $36 million in PILOT payments and continue to underpay. Sign the petition!