SURJ Boston

Take Action Together

☎️ 📋 ✊ ACTION HOURS

Every Wednesday 12 to 1 PM
Want to host your own?

• Trainings the last Wed of the month 1-1:30pm! (just stay logged in)

Register here for action hours and invite friends to action hours on Facebook. Now with extended dates through December!

Overwhelmed by the number of actions you see each week? SURJB Active Members guide participants through calls, emails, petitions, fundraisers and more as we build the movement for racial justice! We provide more context on the calls to action and insight on how our actions help to advance the struggles we are working on.

Training Ourselves and Supporting our Partners

💵 SURJ Boston Relational Uprising Training and Partners Fundraiser

This year SURJB has a cohort of five leaders attending four months of Relational Uprising trainings in an effort to expand upon and deepen our chapter's culture and practice of relationship-based organizing. We are hosting a fundraiser to help cover the costs of the training, and to match what we spend on our own leadership development with investment in BIPOC-led organizations that also work to bring up the next generation of leaders.

Can you help us raise $7,000?

Of that amount, $1,600 will help cover training costs, and $5,400 will be split evenly between Community Change Inc, Sisters Unchained, Student Immigrant Movement, and Dorchester Not For Sale. You can donate here.

SURJ National

☎️ Swing Georgia Left: Voter Outreach Work

Saturday, October 24th, 1:00 - 4:30 PM and every other following Saturday

SURJ National is organizing us to repeatedly call a set of 100,000 white voters in Georgia between now and the November election. These are voters who are not receiving calls from the Democrats or others, and we will be engaging them in deep conversation, with the goal to help them realize their common stake with people of color in making transformative change in our country.

You can sign up for any of the upcoming phone banks on SURJ National's website. You can also sign up to make calls to recruit phone bankers on Thursdays, or support these efforts by making a donation to both SURJ National and the New Georgia Project.

Indigenous Solidarity

⭐️SUPPORT LOCAL INDIGENOUS ORGANIZING: Donate to UAINE

We’re nearly a quarter of the way to our goal! As Indigenous organizing ramps up in October and November for Indigenous Peoples Day and the National Day of Mourning, and the continued push for the Indigenous legislative agenda, please join SURJ Boston in raising $1000 for the United American Indians of New England (UAINE). Donate at this link and email us at SURJBindigenousSolidarity@googlegroups.com to let us know how much you gave.

⭐️☎️ CONTACT YOUR REPS: CHANGE THE STATE FLAG AND SEAL and Ban Racist Mascots!

The House of Representatives has not yet voted for a review of the racist Massachusetts state flag and seal. Call and email your reps TODAY during this extended legislative session and urge them to vote to change the flag and seal, and to ban Native mascots! Follow the link for an easy way to send messages to your elected officials.

We appreciate and acknowledge that we live (and are guests) on Indigenous land. We want to be mindful and respectful of this, treating the land (and our environment in general) like any place we would be as a guest. To get informed about the land you live on: native-land.ca and usdac.us/nativeland

Confronting White Supremacists

✊ JOIN OUR ANNOUNCEMENT LIST

Join our Confronting White Supremacists Announcement List to hear from us about opportunities to learn more and take action against non-state white supremacists and fascists in New England.

🍎 Political Research Associates (PRA) Fall Webinar Series

PRA is a “social justice think tank” doing key research and political education work on the full spectrum of far-right activity and ideology in the US. Their fall webinar series is packed full of learning opportunities.

Read more about each topic and register for webinars here.

• Thurs, 10/22 at 4pm ET - Christian Zionism: The End Times Agenda in U.S. Domestic and Foreign Policy
• Thurs, 10/29 at 4pm ET - Election Eve: State of Democracy Report

Mutual Aid and Supplies Collection

⭐️💵 Alert: Food and Critical Supplies Needed

Our mutual aid partners (Cape Verdean Association of Boston, 12th Baptist Church, and VietAID) continue to remind us that critical supplies like food and sanitary products are in high demand. PLEASE DONATE EACH WEEK YOU ARE ABLE to help our neighbors stay afloat in a crisis that disproportionately affects those already most targeted by racism and white supremacy.

This week we’re asking folks to focus on the following items for 12th Baptist and CVAB:

• Nonperishable foods, particularly ethnically appropriate food (Vietnamese, Chinese, Caribbean, Cape Verdean) - HIGHEST NEED
  
  • in particular, rice and beans
• Diapers
• Toilet paper

For VietAID they are accepting the following donations:

• Oatmeal (boxes of individual packets)
• Mac n’ cheese
• Tuna

We have drop off sites in Allston, Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, Roxbury, Somerville, and West Roxbury. Please email surjbmutualaid@gmail.com for more information.

Public Education

⭐️📋 SUSPEND THE ADMISSIONS EXAMS!

We are still working to ensure that the BPS (Boston Public Schools) School Committee acts swiftly in adopting the recommendation of the BPS Opportunity Gap Task Force and suspend the exam based admissions policy for Boston Latin School, Boston Latin Academy, and the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Sciences, and we further call on the School Committee to direct the BPS to design an alternative selection process that does not use an exam for SY 20-21.

We need YOUR help & the help of everyone in your networks to ensure that the recommendation NOT to have entrance exams is approved by Boston’s School Committee NEXT WEDNESDAY, October 21st at 5 PM.  

Let the MAYOR, SCHOOL COMMITTEE & CITY COUNCIL know that you support the working group recommendation because:

• Black and Brown students have been under-represented and disproportionately disadvantaged by Boston’s exam school admissions system for decades.
• Their families and neighborhoods are now being disproportionately harmed by the pandemic and economic shutdown.
• Any admissions process that includes a standardized test in the midst of the current COVID crisis will make an already inequitable situation even worse

Take action by:

• Signing the petition here
• Contacting the Mayor & School Committee TODAY and urge them to support the working group’s recommendation!!
  • CALL THE MAYOR by dialing 311 (or 617-635-4500)
  • EMAIL THE MAYOR at MAYOR@BOSTON.GOV
  • CALL THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE: 617-635-9014

See an update about this work and other ways to advocate for more equitable schools by banning this exam practice by clicking here.

💵 SUPPORT Unafraid Educators

Please consider donating to the Unafraid Educators COVID-19 Relief Fund for students and families in Boston Public Schools who need financial support during this time. Also, please share the form with those who might need it.

Housing Justice

📋 ALERT: SIGN TO PROTECT ESSENTIAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT!

We are still collecting signatures. The lawsuit has not been dropped. Boston residents-- sign the petition and send an email to demand Monty Gold to drop the lawsuit against the Pine Street Inn's project - one of the largest affordable and supportive housing projects in Boston. Help us reach our goal of 1900 signatures by Monday!

✊ VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: FLYER TENANT ASSOCIATION BUILDINGS

Help City Life/Vida Urbana and SURJ flyer (socially distant) tenant association buildings the last Saturday of the month to provide residents with important information. If you're interested, please sign up using this form.

SIGN UP FOR HOUSING JUSTICE ACTION ALERT LIST

Learn about upcoming events and actions happening in real-time and how to get connected with SURJ B’s Housing Justice group and support the Boston area housing justice movement. Sign up here.

Prison Abolition

⭐️ 🍎 ✊ Building Up People Not Prisons symposium

Monday, October 19, 7-9PM OR Sunday, October 25, 1-3PM (Two dates to accommodate as many people as possible, please RSVP for one)

Join us for an online symposium led by formerly incarcerated women from Building Up People Not Prisons (BUPNP), a multiracial coalition that advocates for the decarceration of women and girls and investment in community-led alternatives. We will be discussing Black-led organizing by women in the fight for decarceration, defunding systems of harm and punishment, and reimagining communities where everyone can live in health and safety.

⭐️ 📋☎️ ✊ WEEK OF ACTION: BUILDING UP PEOPLE NOT PRISONS

• Building Up People Not Prisons continues to fight to end the incarceration of women and girls. BUPNP continues to push for the No Cost Calls bill, the most important priority of incarcerated people and their families.
• Read the powerful Editorial from Families for Justice as Healing member Shanita Jefferson about the No Cost Calls bill. Please check it out in the Globe and VOTE YES ON THE POLL at the BOTTOM!
• Keep the media pressure on! Write a letter to the editor (LTE) of the Globe or your local news outlet responding to the latest press on No Cost Calls. Register for one of SURJB's LTE writing parties!
  • TODAY Sunday, 10/18 at 4pm
  • Tuesday, 10/20 at 6pm
  • Can't make the party? Write a letter anytime using the updated LTE writing guide.
• Make your calls this week, and especially pass on to your networks outside of Suffolk County, so we can show Sheriffs and Senate Leadership that the people support No Cost Calls!
• Families for Justice as Healing is also leading a statewide campaign to push for clemency for incarcerated women. Learn more from FJAH and find out how to call your Governor’s Council member to support this campaign!

⭐️ 📋☎️ ✊#DEEPERTHANWATER TO DOC: END RETALIATION AGAINST INCARCERATED ORGANIZERS!

Last week, officials from MCI Shirley took everything Wayland “X” Coleman owns in retaliation for his ongoing efforts to protect the health and safety of his fellow prisoners. Wayland has been organizing for mutual aid during COVID19, on top of decades of work fighting for people behind the wall.

• Please use this tool to send a letter to MCI Shirley Superintendent Michael Rodrigues
• Follow up with a physical letter - the administration has to respond within 10 days: Superintendent Michael Rodrigues, MCI Shirley, P.O. Box 1218, Shirley, MA 01464
• If you can spare the fund, send Wayland a book - instructions on the #DeeperThanWater website

💵 DONATE TO HELP A YOUNG FATHER

$7000/$9000 needed! Let’s help Jordan during his reentry as he works and supports his family.

⭐️💵 DONATE TO HELP KIMYA'S HOUSE

Kimya's House is a re-entry home run by and for formerly incarcerated Black women -- open on time in spite of setbacks from the pandemic. Sustain their work with a monthly donation to support daily operational expenses and help serve the community! You can set up a monthly donation here.

📋SIGN THESE PETITIONS TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE FROM POLICE AND PRISONS!

Support the Families for Justice as Healing demands for the new Boston Police Department contract with the city by signing this petition!

Immigration Justice

💵HELP AN ACTIVIST ASYLUM SEEKER IN A TIME OF LOSS

Please give what you an to support Irma, an activist leader who is part of Movimiento Cosecha and the BIJAN community in a time of loss.

🍎Muslim Justice League: Learn more about the #StopCVE/#StopTVTP Campaign with a New Toolkit

The Department of Homeland Security has just announced the grant awards for their 2020 Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention (TVTP) program. This program is the latest version of Countering Violent Extremism (CVE), a government surveillance program that exploits community need by deputizing social service providers to police the politics, religious practice, and other behaviors of community members. Since its inception, CVE has consistently targeted Muslim communities across the US. Learn more today with this toolkit put together by MJL and the #StopCVE Coalition and share on social media.

💵Quinceañera of Rebellion: SUPPORT SIM

On November 6, Student Immigrant Movement will be virtually celebrating their Quinceañera of Rebellion. Join them to honor the stories of resistance and persistence of undocumented youth. Every week leading up to the gala they will be highlighting a SIMmer! Get your tickets here.

In honor of their 15th anniversary, a donor has stepped forward to match all donations made in September, up to $4,000. Help them reach this donation goal by becoming a Dream Sustainer here.

💵 SUPPORT MASSACHUSETTS JOBS WITH JUSTICE

Massachusetts Jobs with Justice is continuing to celebrate their month of movement-building and movement-giving. Follow them on Facebook to learn more about their ongoing work and campaigns. You can donate or become a monthly sustainer here!

💵 SUPPORT THE BOSTON IMMIGRANT ACCOMPANIMENT NETWORK BEYOND BAIL FUND AND LEGAL DEFENSE

BIJAN is a be part of the National Bail Fund Network, a coalition of abolitionist organizations that raise funds to pay bail for people in pretrial detention and immigration bond for people in ICE detention. These intertwined systems are harmful and racist, disproportionately depriving Black and Brown people of their freedom in a system of mass incarceration that exists to reinforce white supremacy and create profit. We hope that you will continue to support the many important bail and bond funds, including Beyond Bond and Legal Defense!