SURJ Boston

SURJ Fundraiser for Community Change, Inc. (CCI)

Donate to Support Community Change, Inc.!

Thank you for joining SURJ Boston last Saturday for our Winter Fair Fundraiser for Community Change Inc. We're almost at $3,000! Couldn't make it but want to support CCI? Donate here and ask three people you know to donate too! CCI is our local parent organization which has organized white people against white supremacy since 1968.

Housing Justice

Take Action to Change the Inclusionary Development Policy (IDP) and Win Truly Affordable Housing

Call-in day is Thursday December 12th to demand real affordability and an end to the displacement crisis. The Coalition for a Truly Affordable Boston is organizing to demand bold changes to the city's affordable housing policy to address the crisis of displacement faced by working class communities. 13% affordability is not enough. We need private developers to include 1/3 affordable housing to help our communities thrive, at lower rents & prices we can truly afford. Sign up here to make calls this week! Learn more about the coalition and sign up here for email updates on the campaign.

March and Rally for Housing Justice at Suffolk Downs!

“Tom O’Brien (of HYM Investment Group) and billionaire William Bruce Harrison are planning to build the largest residential development in Boston's recent history at the old Suffolk Downs racetrack.” On Saturday 12/14 at noon, join City Life/Vida Urbana and other grassroots organizations to demand that “50% of the residential units built at Suffolk Downs should be affordable for folks earning 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI),” and sign the public letter here and sign up for CLVU action alerts here!

Tour the Undesign the Redline Exhibit

Join us (SURJ Housing Justice) for a tour of the Undesign the Redline exhibit from a City Life/ Vida Urbana member in Tuesday 12/10 or Tuesday 12/17 at 5pm! RSVP to dentilisa@gmail.com for more details.

Canvass Monthly with City Life/Vida Urbana

The SURJ Housing Justice Action Partnership is seeking canvassers to support City Life/Vida Urbana’s anti-displacement work on the third Saturday of every month. Canvassers help CLVU learn about what housing issues are happening locally, and spread the word about City Life so people can connect with housing justice organizing work and legal support. If you are interested in attending a canvass or if you'd like to learn more, please reach out to Brian at brian@mutualaid.info.

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.

Public Ed

Monday Flash Mob for the Student Opportunity Act!

Join public education advocates on Monday, November 25 at 3:30 pm on the State House steps to urge Governor Baker to sign the Student Opportunity Act! There will be a fun-spirited "Feel the thrill, Sign the bill" Thriller Flash Mob and rally. Join the dance by practicing over the weekend with the video, or just show up Monday as a supporter.

Queer and Trans Liberation

Support LGBQ/T Survivors!

The Network/La Red is a survivor-led social justice organization working to support survivors and end partner abuse in LGBQ/T, polyamorous, and SM communities. "We have a 24/7 hotline that survivors can call, as well as advocates that work with survivors one on one, phone-based support groups, and short and long term housing support. We are in the midst of a grassroots fundraising campaign to raise $30,000 from community donations in FIVE DAYS (December 2-6), which would be matched dollar for dollar by a small group of committed supporters. We are really relying on community members just like you to help us meet this match and ultimately raise $60,000 for our work with survivors. Even $5 helps us reach our goal and has a significant impact on our work!"

Click here to donate, or direct any questions to grassrootsfund@tnlr.org.

Immigration Justice

Activist Afternoons Data Entry for the MA TPS Alliance

MA TPS Committee members have been organizing diligently in protecting the 450,000+ current TPS holders and their families in the fight for a path to permanent residency. They need our help organizing their data and contact lists. Please bring a laptop! For more info: https://masstps.com http://nationaltpsalliance.org

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.

Prison Abolition

Get Your “Free Them All” Shirt from Massachusetts Bail Fund

Mass Bail Fund frees people from jail who are held pre-trial, sometimes for as little as $40! They support hundreds of people every year - buy a shirt to keep funding their work. Four styles, seven sizes, and five colors! $25-$40 depending on style. Bring big abolitionist energy into 2020 while funding the movement!

Support Mass Bail Fund’s Double Up Drive!

Until December 27, an amazing group of poker players matches donations to MBF! No need to keep up a pokerface, chip in to free even more people in 2020.

How?

1. Donate at MBF’s website

2. Email your receipt to receipts@doubleupdrive.com

Families for Justice As Healing Community Holiday Brunch

Sun, 12/15, 1-3pm
100R Warren St, Roxbury

Join the community in this mutual aid merry-making, for those who are able please bring a credit or debit card to donate $20 to someone’s commissary account this holiday season. We’ll also learn about the effort to get free phone calls in MA prisons and jails (bill S1372).

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.