SURJ Boston

Public Education

STUDENT OPPORTUNITY ACT

Support the Student Opportunity Act which will make school funding in Massachusetts more equitable. The vote is scheduled for Wednesday, October 23. Here are things you can do to help:

1. Call or email your state representative to ask them to vote for the bill. You can find your state rep at www.wheredoivotema.com. This is a sample script.

2. Let family and friends know, and ask them to contact their state rep.

3. Participate in phonebanking from your home to reach other people in the state

Movement for Black Lives

Vigil in Support of Black Lives Matter

First Thursday of each month, 5:30 - 6:30 pm. Lawn of First Baptist Church, 633 Centre St, Jamaica Plain. Guest Speaker, Reading of Names, Silent Vigil, Announcements. Continuing every month since December 2015.

SURJ Fundraiser for CCI

DONATE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY CHANGE INC.!

SURJ Boston is kicking off an end-of-year fundraiser to support CCI, our local parent organization, which has been doing the work of organizing white people against white supremacy since 1968, linking us to over 50 years of liberation work! Our goal is to raise $8,500 to support CCI’s work to dismantle systemic racism through education and action. Donate and learn more about CCI's work.

Confronting White Supremacy

Show Up Against McCarthyist Mask Bans!

Monday, Oct 21 1:00-2:00 PM
City Hall, Ianella Chamber, 5th floor

City Councillor Tim McCarthy has proposed an ordinance that would ban wearing a mask or hood on public property in Boston. This a retaliatory move against anti-fascist organizing which requires some individuals to conceal their identities for their own safety. It is also racist - leaving to the Boston Police Department the judgement of why someone is wearing a hoodie further facilitates the ongoing violence against Black and brown people in public space. You can submit written testimony even if you cannot attend! There will also be a livestream on the Solidarity Against Hate Boston page.

Ongoing Solidarity with Victims of Operation Clean Sweep

Check out Boston Users Union's demands on Twitter, and contribute material aid - arrange pick up/drop off by direct messaging @classymscassie on Twitter

• Gift cards: Dunkin' Donuts, 7-11, McDonalds, Panera, CVS, Target
• Backpacks
• duffel bags
• sleeping bags
• adult sized hoodies
• new socks

Housing Justice

TAKE THE RENT CONTROL PLEDGE - WE CAN BRING RENT CONTROL BACK TO BOSTON!

• Communities of color, immigrants, working families - we all deserve affordable, healthy housing.
• Renters, homeowners and small landlords across the country are rising up and winning rent regulation.
• In Boston, real estate giants and their friends at the state house banned rent control 25 years ago. Rents - and property taxes - have spiraled out of control ever since, pushing families and whole communities out of our city.
• We need to place limits on big corporate greed in order to protect our neighborhoods.
• Sign the pledge here.

Immigration Justice

Teach-In: Confronting White Christian Nationalism

Sunday, October 20, 2:00 - 4:00 PM
Old Cambridge Baptist Church, 1151 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge

In this Teach-In on Confronting White Christian Nationalism, Fatema Ahmad, Deputy Director of the Muslim Justice League, and Chris Messinger, Community Organizer and Social Justice Trainer, will guide participants in understanding the dynamics of white Christian nationalism, how it fuels the targeting of particular communities, and how we can respond in confronting the perpetuation of this ideology of hate and violence.

SUFFOLK COUNTY to terminate Ice CONtract

With the recent news of Suffolk County terminating its contract with ICE, please read a statement from BIJAN to better understand the complexity and impacts of this decision (excerpt below):

"Any time a contract with ICE is ended, that is a win for people power. But we can’t fully celebrate the decision of Suffolk County to end its contract with ICE. We can’t celebrate because we fear our community members will be moved to other ICE jails instead of being set free. We can’t celebrate because the space that has caged these members of our community will simply be used to cage different members of our community." Read the rest of their statement.

Prison Abolition

COLLECT SIGNATURES FOR MASS POWER CAMPAIGN TO RESTORE THE #Right2Vote

The signature collecting for the Mass POWER campaign has begun! We have 100,000 signatures to get by November 20th, so we need all hands on deck. To sign up to canvas, please fill out this form.

If you missed our trainings, but still want to be lead events where folks are collecting signatures, email Ruckus at enviropacifibinarchafeminist@gmail.com by Tuesday morning so we can include you in scheduling!

Donate Retired Cellphones!

Our friend Jude Glaubman is collecting retired cell phones for women leaving incarceration. If you have phones in usable condition to donate, get in touch with Jude at jglaubman@thecouncil.us

SIGN UP TO BE A MEAL CAPTAIN FOR FJAH PARTICIPATORY DEFENSE!

Looking to feed the movement? Families for Justice As Healing is asking allies to provide meals to support their participatory defense meetings, where people fighting cases get together to plan their legal defenses and find community support. These meetings are based on the model of Mothers in Charge, a Black woman-led organization in PA.

SURJB is seeking meal captains to:

• coordinate a meal happening every 2 months (doesn't mean you DO everything, but you make sure everything HAPPENS)
• get groceries, cook for 15, deliver to FJAH in Roxbury

Interested? Fill out the form and if you have questions email Ray at rachelbish91@gmail.com.

BLACK & PINK VOLUNTEER DROP IN

Black and Pink’s mission is to abolish the criminal punishment system and to liberate LGBTQ+/HIV+ people through advocacy, support, and organizing.

These drop ins welcome any kind of abolitionist energy, whether reading and entering mail into the database, writing letters, playing cards, or chatting. Formerly incarcerated and court involved people especially encouraged to attend. Cis, straight and/or free world allies are welcome!

• 1st/3rd Wednesdays in JP: 7-9pm at First Baptist Church, 633 Centre Street Jamaica Plain, MA.  Contact Annie at annieatwater@gmail.com; wheelchair accessible.
• Sundays in Cambridge: 3-6pm at Democracy Center, 45 Mount Auburn St in Cambridge; partially wheelchair accessible, no accessible bathroom.