Our occasional e-newsletter, usually published once or twice a month, with links to events, articles, videos, websites, & more relating to racism & racial justice.
Racial Justice Rising’s activities:
Our free monthly programs are held at the First Congregational Church of Greenfield, 43 Silver Street, almost always on the first Saturday morning of the month.
Free childcare by reservation.
For more info: email@racialjusticerising.org or www.racialjusticerising.org
Racial Justice In The Courts: Does It Exist?
Saturday, April 1, 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
FREE!
Join Racial Justice Rising and Attorney Buz Eisenberg for a presentation on the racial inequities of our criminal justice system. Attorney Eisenberg is well known for his work with prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and his courses on law and government at GCC, as well as his local law practice.
Have You Seen My Childhood?
Understanding Grief in Adopted Children, with a focus on transracial adoptions
With Karmen R. Smith, CRC, RMHCI, RMFTI
FREE!
Saturday, May 6, 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Learn about some of our past programs here
See videos of our programs and more on Racial Justice Rising’s YouTube channel
New: video of our March program, Spoken Word: An Art With A History
Every Saturday morning 9-10 a.m.
Greenfield Town Common
~ Please join us ~
Co-sponsored by Racial Justice Rising and the Visioning B.E.A.R. Circle Intertribal Coalition
Articles, websites, and other resources
Apologies for Slavery
– Denmark Moravians Apologize For Slavery of Virgin Islands, from the Virgin Islands Consortium (editorial comment: Do they even mention reparations? what do you think?)
Biracial/Mixed Race
– What Biracial People Know, by Moises Velasquez-Manoff in the New York Times
Decolonize
– Hawaiians Fight for Sovereignity, a video from AJ+
Immigration
– Sikh-American civil rights advocate Valarie Kaur’s plea to her country in the times of Donald J. Trump, a powerful video
– My Undocumented Friend, by Terry J. Allen in The Guardian
– Nine New England Communities Labeled Uncooperative by ICE, by Isaiah Thompson at WGBH
– Federal Judge Releases Two Vermont Activists, Third Remains Detained, by Kathleen Masterson and Rebecca Sananes at VPR
– No Excuses Not To Talk About Immigration, a short video and history of U.S. immigration policy from The Skimm
Organizing
– 50+ Activist Organizations Unite as ‘The Majority’ to Advocate for Collective Justice, by Kenrya Rankin at Colorlines
– Despair is not a Strategy – 15 Principles of Hope by Abby Brockman at Medium
Standing Rock
– Talking Standing Rock, from Fusion
Whiteness
– If you are white, read this: Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon To White America by Michael Eric Dyson
– How To Reinforce White Supremacy By Focusing On Diversity and Inclusion, by Kyra at Model View Culture
– Stop Being An Ally, #AccomplicesNotAllies, a video from This Matters
– Welcome To The Antiracism Movement. Here’s What You’ve Missed, by Ijeoma Olua at The Establishment
Other groups’ events:
- Saturday, April 1, Amherst MA: Justice For All Concert and Sing-Along
- Tuesday, April 4, Amherst MA: Indigenous Knowledge and Environmentalism: The Struggle Against the Dakota Pipeline and Beyond with Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
- Tuesday, April 4, Great Barrington MA: Patrice O’Neill, founder of Not in our Town, 7 PM at the Mahaiwe Theatre. The organizer, Multicultural BRIDGE, also has classes, action groups and more throughout the month in Berkshire County MA.
- Saturday, April 8, Plainfield MA: Indigenous Voices In The Berkshires
- Friday, April 14, Cambridge MA: The Color of Culture with Tiffany Taylor Smith and Debbie Irving, register by April 3.
- Saturday, April 15, Springfield MA: Refugees, Immigrants, and Climate Change, panel discussion and mini-conference
- Thursday, April 27, Amherst MA: Immaculate Perception, a video talk by Jeremy Kang, followed by action projects in small groups. This is part of Coming Together’s Video and Action series
- April 19-21, Springfield MA: Undoing Racism/Community Organizing Workshop for Youth & Adults Working With Youth
- April 28-30, Kansas City MO: White Privilege Conference
- Thursday, May 11, Livingston NJ: The Color of Culture with Tiffany Taylor Smith and Debbie Irving
- Saturday, May 13, Greenfield MA: All Souls UU Church’s annual Antiracism Film Festival – save the date!
- June 5-30, Amherst MA: Institute for Transforming Social Justice
- 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
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