Sunday, April 10, 12:30-2:30 PM
The April SURJ brunch will build off of themes discussed in the January 2021 brunch on Transformative Justice (TJ). Themes included: How do we address harm? Build justice? Hold each other accountable from a place of love and repair? Members of the 2021 SURJ TJ Practitioner Program Program will share their experiences and learnings from the 5 month training program. Participants will engage with a case study to explore the possibilities for integrating TJ practices and frameworks into SURJ Boston. Hope to see many of you there!
You must register in advance to attend. Register here to receive a Zoom link to the brunch. We hope you'll join us Sunday, April 10 from 12:30 to 2:30.
Marina, a worker leader in Mass Coalition of Domestic Workers, has won her pathway to citizenship after a hard fight and wage theft. Learn more about Marina's work in the MCDW newsletter. We've raised $1861/$4450 - pledge to contribute funds and a SURJB member will be in touch with details.
Every Wednesday 12-1 PM, as well as every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 7 PM, SURJ Boston members will guide you through actions curated from our BIPOC-led partners' priorities for that week! We also offer training in how to host action hours for your own community from 1-1:30 PM on the last Wednesday of the month. Action hours are open to all! Bring friends! :) Register here!
Urge Mayor Wu & BPS to keep the mask requirement and improve ventilation. Here are 3 steps you can take:
BYOP is committed to building youth power by creating youth-led spaces, with membership made of 60% of immigrant families and 45% young people who have been in and out of the system. The leadership team is currently made up of all Black women living in the very communities our base is coming from, and facing some of the challenges we are uplifting. We are currently raising funds to support membership and the “Neighbor to Neighbor” mutual aid program. Please contribute through Paypal.
There are two major changes on the horizon: possible state takeover (receivership) and fighting for an elected school committee! Please attend and give testimony for:
Join Elect the BSC on Tuesday, April 5 at 6:30 pm via Zoom for a town hall on the structure of an elected Boston School Committee. Register at https://bit.ly/ElectTheBSCTownHall to join the discussion.
While many of us have had our lives return to “normal,” this pandemic is still negatively impacting our neighbors, particularly those of color, more than ever. Please lend support where you can!
We have porches set up as donation drop-off sites please email us to get the address for a drop-off site of your choice: Belmont, Cambridge, Jamaica Plain, Medford, Somerville, and West Roxbury.
Donations have been extremely low as of late. Please help us pick it up if you can!
Urgent needs:
💵 If you would like to donate funds to our partners as well/instead: (we’d appreciate an email at surjbmutualaid@gmail.com to let us know you donated!)
A new article from “It’s Going Down” analyzes recent trends in fascist organizing and anti-fascist responses in Boston. Read more about our local far-right groups on the New England White Supremacists website.
Stop the state of Texas from murdering Melissa Lucio for her child’s accidental death: Write physical letters to support her. Details here; more on Youtube.
Join us for a rally on 4/9 (Framingham) to help get the bill to stop the new women’s prison out of committee before 4/15! Other ways to help: Phone bank Thursdays 5-7pm, or join a weekend canvass to ask constituents to call their legislators. Sign up here (even if you already have—new link!)
If you got a tax refund and it is surplus for you, please consider redistributing toward Cambridge HEART, a Black-led, community-based alternative public safety program that is being built from the ground up right now. Cambridge HEART is raising $550,000 to hire 10 community members as first responders at a living wage of $50,000/year plus benefits. The SURJB HEART support team has set a goal of raising $50,000 through our SURJ community and networks. Use this form to pledge some (or all!) of your tax return.
Cambridge HEART is hiring a Co-Director of Administration, Programs, & Operations (Full-time). Could this be you? Check it out and share, especially with folks from Cambridge and members of communities most impacted by current carceral systems.
Tues. April 12, 11am-4pm
Lobby MA legislators about the MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda with UU Mass Action!
Check out this recording of last week’s event from the UAINE and NAICOB 2022 Indigenous Liberation Speaker Series.
That means the bill is still alive and there is hope for it this legislative session. Please EMAIL and CALL the State Admin and Regulatory Oversight Committee and tell them you want the IPD bill voted out favorably. Use this link to send an automated email to Committee members. Click here to get the script and phone numbers.
Native children are under legal attack in Brackeen v. Haaland. If their attempt to have a conservative-majority Supreme Court overturn the Indian Child Welfare Act is successful, the door will be open to the total elimination of tribal sovereignty. Take action now to stop this horrific attack on Native rights!
Sign the petition for a statewide moratorium on state subsidies for destructive ground mounted solar.
Contact us with any questions and for more info on the #FreeLeonardPeltier petition and other related actions.
No fault evictions should never happen, especially during a pandemic. Mutual aid is standing with neighbors facing evictions — join us to stand in solidarity with neighbors across the city.
Join Dot Not 4 Sale in pushing back on a multi-billion-dollar private development on public land. Sign the petition.
Help save affordable housing at the Forbes building in JP, the Babcock Towers, and other subsidized housing in Boston long term. Ask legislators to co-sponsor State House bill H.4229.
Three important bills—which if passed could be major wins for housing justice—are still on the table at the state house. Call and email your legislators today to voice your support for 1) The COVID Housing Equity Bill 2) lifting the ban on rent control and 3) the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) Act.
The Boston Immigration Accompaniment Network is looking for pen pals to serve as a form of emotional support, outreach, and connection to the outside world to their members in ICE detention. Sign up to become a pen pal here–they are particularly looking for folks who speak Spanish.
Join community members from across Massachusetts at Massachusetts Recreational Consumer Council's Racial Justice solidarity study group Tuesdays at 6pm followed by action circle at 7pm, both virtual. We will push for reparations for slavery and racial equity from the War on Drugs municipality by municipality across Massachusetts Learn and apply with community standing in solidarity for racial justice for cities across Massachusetts today. Change can't wait. Register today!
Engage with us as we discuss: Whiteness Hurts (study group), books, and more. See our upcoming Zoom discussions / meetings; RSVP if you can attend.
Knapsack Facebook discussions are an
alternative to the Knapsack Meetup group; it is not required to join this FB group to join/attend the Meetup group.
Moving From Talk to Action: Find workshops and sign up on the WPCR website.
Sign up to receive communications directly from SURJ Boston groups around political education opportunities and ways to take action.
SURJ Boston is a project of Community Change Inc (CCI), a Boston-based organization promoting racial justice and equity by challenging systemic racism and acting as a catalyst for anti-racist
learning and action.
In 1968, as a result of the Civil Rights Movement and in response to the Kerner Commission which named racism as "a white problem”, CCI was birthed. CCI promotes racial justice and equity by challenging systemic racism and acting as a catalyst for anti-racist learning and action. CCI accomplishes its mission through education, advocacy and working in solidarity with others to organize for change.
Feeling overwhelmed?
Commit to doing just one thing this week.
We can do this.
Read more about SURJ Boston and ways to get involved on our website.