I was away for the weekend so I missed all of the horrifying events in Charlottesville. I've been reading about what happened over the past two days but it wasn't until I watched this 20 minute documentary that it fully sunk in. I HIGHLY recommend it. Reading about Nazi chants was very different than hearing them for myself.
White supremacy is also coming to San Francisco on the 26th at Crissy Field. I'm not sure what the best response is - there are counter-protests planned, some city officials are trying to revoke the permit, etc but I haven't decided what is the best action to take yet. I'd love to talk to you if you're in the same boat or have ideas about the best response in this case. You can also come to an Indivisible meeting on Sundays at 1:30pm to talk with a lot of other engaged people about the appropriate responses and action to take to combat white supremacy, I'd love to have you join.
If you're looking for actions to take, below are a few that I know of.
If you're scared, currently inactive but want to be taking action, overwhelmed, etc, please reach out to me and I'd love to help get you moving and plugged in and supported and aware of your own power.
Two ideas have really stuck with me lately about the importance of being involved and taking action:
ACTIONS TO TAKE:
If you're anywhere in the US:
If you're in California - there are two pieces of legislation that we need to pass, SB 54 and SB 10 (not using state funds for mass deportations and bail reform)
If you're in San Francisco:
Please help me add to this list if you have other specific actions to take!
White supremacy is also coming to San Francisco on the 26th at Crissy Field. I'm not sure what the best response is - there are counter-protests planned, some city officials are trying to revoke the permit, etc but I haven't decided what is the best action to take yet. I'd love to talk to you if you're in the same boat or have ideas about the best response in this case. You can also come to an Indivisible meeting on Sundays at 1:30pm to talk with a lot of other engaged people about the appropriate responses and action to take to combat white supremacy, I'd love to have you join.
If you're looking for actions to take, below are a few that I know of.
If you're scared, currently inactive but want to be taking action, overwhelmed, etc, please reach out to me and I'd love to help get you moving and plugged in and supported and aware of your own power.
Two ideas have really stuck with me lately about the importance of being involved and taking action:
- "I’ve said it many times, but if you ever wondered what it would be like to be alive in the Civil Rights Movement, you are living in that time right now! And if you ever wondered who you would be or what you would do in those circumstances, the best indication is what you did this weekend. If you watched and said nothing, if you normally watch and say nothing, if you only share an occasional Facebook post here and there, and that is the extent of your activism, then that is an indicator of who you’d be if you were alive in the 1960s. Because we are LIVING IN THAT TIME right here, right now." - Shaun King
- I can't find the exact quote or the source at the moment, but there's a quote that basically says 'the longer you're inactive, the less likely you are to take action'
ACTIONS TO TAKE:
If you're anywhere in the US:
- Show up to meetings at organizations fighting against inequality, racism and white supremacy or enabling political action in those areas (two national groups I know of are Indivisible with 6,000 chapters around the country and SURJ with chapters all over the country)
- Diversify your media
- Educate yourself
If you're in California - there are two pieces of legislation that we need to pass, SB 54 and SB 10 (not using state funds for mass deportations and bail reform)
- Participate in the August 19th Day of Action across California through the ACLU (attend a phone bank in person or virtually, watch a screening of The Bail Trap, etc) - find events at map.peoplepower.org
- Host a screening of The Bail Trap, a powerful 30 minute film that will teach you all about the need for bail reform
If you're in San Francisco:
- Join an in person phone bank at the ACLU office on Saturday the 19th from 2-4:30pm
- Join a virtual phone bank at the ACLU
- Join meetings at different organizations - Anti Police-Terror Project, YWCA , ROC-United, etc
- Put your effort into renaming Justin Herman Plaza, a San Francisco monument to racism (resolution here)
More info on this topics from the epic doc here with a HUGE amount of actions to take
- How to find your supervisor: http://sfelections.org/tools/districts_lookup/
- Template email: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DHImTElVYAAvfP_.jpg:large
- Background info: https://polkstpol.com/2017/06/22/sfsracistmonument/
- Sign the Petition: https://sf.curbed.com/2017/7/7/15938660/justin-herman-plaza-petition - Join my screening of the The Bail Trap, more info to come shortly!
Please help me add to this list if you have other specific actions to take!