November #1

Our occasional e-newsletter, usually published once or twice a month, with links to events, articles, videos, websites, & more relating to racism & racial justice.

Special Post-election Section New Voting Restrictions in Place for First Time in 2016, from the Brennan Center for Justice. Voter Suppression Targets Latinx Voters in Red States, by Yessenia Fues at Colorlines The Electoral College Has Its Origins in Slavery, by David Love at the Atlantic Black Star “Nothing changes for us. We will still be expendable in their eyes.” By Ladonna Brave Bull Allard at the Sacred Stone Camp White Progressives: It’s Time To Be Transformers, Not Just Have Opinions, by Caitlin Breedlove at Medium.com Feeling Helpless After Trump’s Win? Here Are 10 Organizations You Can Support, by Yara Simon at Remezcla Racial Justice Rising’s activities: Saturday, December 3 Taste of Brazil, The Story of Capoeira Dance  SATURDAY DECEMBER 3rd      10:15 TO 12:15, doors open at 9:45 FREE! ALL AGES PROGRAM!  Capoeira, a product of the slave trade between Brazil and Africa, has been described as a martial art, a dance, an art form, and a form of self-defense. Tuzinho Demelo began studying Capoeira as a child in Brazil and has taught it for many years. In this program, he will share the real meaning behind the Dance and demonstrate its complex techniques. First Congregational Church of Greenfield, 43 Silver Street, Greenfield MA 01301 Free childcare. Please RSVP with number and ages of children For more info: email@racialjusticerising.org Printable flyer   RACIAL JUSTICE RISING AND VISIONING B.E.A.R. PRESENT a two part workshop What is the World We Wish to Build: Solidarity in a time of Supremacy Sat. December 10 & Sun. December 18, 2016 10 am to 5 pm   Greenfield MA (location to be announced) With Mikaela Simms and Janaki Natarajan We are confronted with racism: What is it? What are our learned answers? Is it a social construction or biology? What does it look like in the world today… in the U.S….in our everyday lives? What do we want? How do we build it? We will explore these issues, determined to find courses of action.  We will all commit to a place of openness, fearlessness and community when we delve into these issues. FREE!  $10 registration fee can be waived or reduced if the cost would prevent you from attending.      For more info and to register Save the dates! Free monthly programs in Greenfield Saturday morning, January 7 Learn about the Underground Railroad in Greenfield MA with Momodou Sarr & and Joan Featherman   Saturday morning, February 4 History of Housing Discrimination with Elizabeth Bridgewater At our November 5, program, Racial Disparities in U.S. Health Care, Dr. Steve Martin shared statistics, info, and resources about institutional racism in our health care systems. Learn more VIGIL FOR RACIAL JUSTICE Every Saturday morning 9-10 a.m. …whatever the weather… Greenfield Town Common ~ Please join us ~ Co-sponsored by Racial Justice Rising and the Visioning B.E.A.R. Circle Intertribal Coalition Volunteer with Racial Justice Rising! We are a tiny all-volunteer group, and our active community of volunteers makes our work possible.

 

It takes a village… Knia, a high school junior who plans to go to medical school, is part of our village.  Her GoFundMe site, Knia’s Dream To Be A Doctor, will tell you about her dreams and achievements, and how you can help.

More articles, websites, and other resources

Criminal Justice & Injustice

–   New Massachusetts Hotline To Report Civil Rights Complaints

–  Report Hate At School – report incidents to the Southern Poverty Law Center

Education

–  Since When Did Police Officers Replace the Principal’s Office? by Victor Leung at ACLU

Environment & Racism

– The People of Eight Mile, AL Deserve Justice, a petition from Color of Change

Indigenous, First Peoples, Native Americans

–   Interactive time-lapse map shows how the U.S. took more than 1.5 billion acres from Native Americans, by Rebecca Onion and Claudio Saunt at Slate.com

–  How To Talk About #NoDAPL: A Native Perspective, by Kelly Hayes at Transformative Spaces

–  10 Ways You Can Help The Standing Rock Sioux Fight The Dakota Access Pipeline, by Jay Syrmopoulos at Free Thought Project

–  Standing Rock Syllabus, from NYC Stands With Standing Rock

Whiteness, White Privilege, White Antiracism

–  White Friends, We Need To Get Real... (post from Twitter)

 

Other groups’ events:

• Thursday, November 17, Amherst MA: David Billings of The People’s Institute will speak about his new book, Denial, The Persistence of White Supremacy in U.S. History and Life
• Thursday, November 17, Lee MA:  BRIDGE Awards Ceremony with Peggy McIntosh
• Saturday, November 19, Turners Falls MA:  Beaver Moon Gathering, Connecting Sacred Sites In Nolumbeka
• Thursday, November 24, Plymouth MA:  National Day of Mourning with the United American Indians of New England
• Tuesday, November 29, Amherst MA: Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Record
• April 28-30, Kansas City MO:  White Privilege Conference
• Through September 2017, North Adams MA:  Mass MOCA Exhibit Wants You To Do More Than Just Talk About Race and Violence

The members of Racial Justice Rising are ordinary people who are troubled by the persistent racism that plagues this country. Believing that the damage caused by racism must be repaired before our society can be whole, we work for just and respectful treatment for all. We share a vision of a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and multi-faith community.

  Our mission is to:

• Help build the movement for racial justice by contributing to a deeper understanding of systemic racism and racial justice.
• Engage in restorative activities that help to heal the racial divide and bring justice for people targeted by racism.

While much of our work is focused in our local area, Franklin County, MA, we reach out to and are connected with the broader movements in our region and the nation.

Thank you, readers who send us information for these newsletters!  We welcome links to articles, videos, event listings, and other resources.

Shen

Racial Justice Rising

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