SURJ Boston

Prison Abolition

Hearing: Fight for Free Phone Calls and Dignified Visits

Wednesday, 11/13, 2:00-5:00PM
MA State House, 24 Beacon St, Downtown

Join Emancipation Initiative in supporting S.1379 An Act to Strengthen Prison Visitation and S.1372 An Act Relative to Prison Phone Calls during the legislative hearing on Wednesday, 11/13.

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 who would:

• coordinate a meal happening every 2 months (doesn't mean you DO everything, but you make sure everything HAPPENS)
• get groceries, cook for 20-25, deliver to FJAH in Roxbury

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

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.

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.

SURJ Fundraiser for CCI

DONATE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY CHANGE INC.!
Our end-of-year fundraiser to raise $8,500 to support CCI’s work to dismantle systemic racism is underway! We have raised nearly $800 so far from 24 contributions. Thanks to everyone who has supported this effort so far! If you haven't donated yet, please donate now, and consider sharing this fundraiser with five other people! CCI is our local parent organization which has organized white people against white supremacy since 1968. CCI has organized and nurtured current and previous SURJ Boston members, linking us to over 50 years of liberation work. Donate and learn more about CCI.

Immigration Justice

ART FOR ALL 2 AT AERONAUT BREWERY

Sunday, November 17, 1:00-3:00 PM
14 Tyler Street, Somerville

Boston For All is teaming up with Aeronaut Brewing Company, BIJAN, and a group of local artists to offer a fun fall fundraiser! Enjoy some of the best locally-brewed beer while exploring some great original art. Choose the perfect piece for yourself or to give as a gift. 100% of the money you give will go directly to support immigration justice here in Boston.

SIM DACA Renewal Fund

The SIM DACA fund is being created to provide economic support to DACA recipients in MA. Applicants have to pay $495 in fees for their renewal application. Many members of our community, including DACA folks, live paycheck to paycheck and often are not able to pay for the application fees. We are asking our community to help the DACA recipients here in MA who are part of our community with any monetary support for their DACA renewal application.

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.

Confronting White Supremacy

Protest Ben Shapiro at BU!

Wednesday, November 13, 5:30-8:30 PM
BU Track and Tennis Center

Ben Shapiro, notorious right wing hatemonger, has been invited to BU to give a talk entitled "America Wasn't Built On Slavery, It Was Built on Freedom". Join BU students in solidarity to show against white supremacy, false history, and fascism.

Video interview on mask ban & Local white supremacist organizing

Martin Henson of Black Lives Matter Boston and Elizabeth Rucker of Solidarity Against Hate Boston were interviewed by Boston Neighborhood News about outgoing City Councilor Tom McCarthy's proposed felony charge for wearing a mask on public property in Boston. Watch the video to hear Martin and Elizabeth discuss political suppression of liberation movements and frame the conversation on white supremacist organizing.