"We Do Not Live Single-Issue Lives": Racial Justice

BPF BF14 staff picsThis week we're taking inspiration from the wisdom of Black lesbian feminist theorist Audre Lorde, who famously observed:audre lorde single issue Monday we delved into BPF's work around climate change, and Tuesday we looked at gun violence. Today, one of the core, guiding issues that informs all others:

Racial Justice

[divide]

1. Black Friday 14: Interfaith group joins push to Drop the Charges against Black Lives Matter activists

Co-Directors Dawn and Katie, plus another BPFer, teamed up with interfaith leaders to get arrested at the Oakland courthouse, part of a strategy that succeeded in persuading the Oakland District Attorney to drop charges against Black Lives Matter activists, including Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza.For months, the 14 activists had been facing $70,000 in fines and the possibility of jail time for blocking a BART train on Black Friday 2014, shortly after the non-indictment of Darren Wilson in Ferguson.This was a really important solidarity effort for many reasons — including the fact that the all-black group of protesters was being unfairly targeted. Their civil disobedience was very similar to ones by white and Asian protesters, who had their charges dropped right away.A Tale of Two Protests BF14 smaller copy12278853_10153718809949140_3041536696264732959_nvia The BlackOut Collective[divide]

2. Slavery On Wall Street: Race and the Roots of Climate Injustice

NYC BPFers held space to honor the connections between colonialism, slavery, capitalism, and climate destruction during Pope Francis' visit to New York City.11115883_10153738545864866_764217071661229257_o[vimeo=https://vimeo.com/144699519][divide]

3. #NoNewSFJail: joining a 3-person blockade to help stop a redundant new SF jail from being built.

One of the BPF Co-Directors locked themself to other protesters in a San Francisco city meeting to stop a redundant new SF jail from being built, and redirect city money to mental health, housing, and other services. San Francisco is only 5% Black at this point, but Black folks make up 56% or more of the SF jail population.12314402_10153800489198921_7930045824153848884_o

[youtube=https://youtu.be/gY4b_pM4sg4]

A protester displays a sign opposing the building of a new jail facility in San Francisco, during a budget and finance comittee meeting at San Francisco's city hall Wednesday, December 2, 2015. (Connor Hunt/Special to the S.F. Examiner)Just yesterday the good news came down: the $300 million new jail was defeated in San Francisco! Check out coverage from yesterday's vote and the day before.[divide]

4. BPFers in Oakland also organized a “Care Not Cages” guerilla healing event.

We protested jail expansion by offering free massage, tea, poetry, sidewalk counseling, meditation, and flowers in downtown Oakland. 12140149_10153693545047679_3388063073520516651_o (2)[divide]

Questions, comments, or concerns? Feel free to share in the thread below!And stay tuned for tomorrow’s issue: Affordable Housing.[divide style=3]

Want to help us build on the great work

of this year?

 

Please give today

to support Buddhism + social justice!

 

Previous
Previous

"We Do Not Live Single-Issue Lives": Affordable Housing

Next
Next

"We Do Not Live Single-Issue Lives": Gun Violence