NEWS FROM SURJ! JANUARY 2020

Then check out our January newsletter to find more ways to show up for racial justice this month, including:

• Catalyst Project's No War, No Sanctions study guide on escalation with Iran
• No Fascist USA! and other webinars. 
• Welcoming new staff members working to support the chapter network
• Job posting for an organizing and administrative role with SURJ national. 
• New Word is Resistance podcast from SURJ Faith

In these times, the need to unseat Trump and grow our movement for the long haul is more needed than ever. Let us continue to show up powerfully in solidarity with those most directly impacted by imperialism, militarism and white supremacy.

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CATALYST PROJECT:
​NO WAR, NO SANCTIONS TOOLKIT

We encourage folks to read and engage with an important and timely resource from our comrades at the Catalyst Project - Catalyst Project’s study guide: “No War-No Sanctions” - A study group curriculum to support action to stop war on Iran. In it you’ll find incredible resources on social movements in Iran, history of US intervention in Iran, information about recent politics and questions for reflecting and discussing. ​

There will be a day of action on January 25th. It’s called for by Code Pink and endorsed by a wide range of organizations listed on their website. 

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No Facist USA! Webinar

Register here
​Invite your friends on Facebook here

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Upcoming Webinars!

February 27th 8 PM ET
Webinar on Internationalism Hosted by Catalyst Project and SURJ
Melanie Yazzie - Red Nation
Lara Kiswani - AROC (Arab Resource and Organizing Center) 
bit.ly/internationalismsurjcatalyst
(More details coming soon)

March 11th 8 PM ET
Conversation with Charlene Carruthers and SURJ
Charlene Carruthers is a strategist, writer and leading community organizer in today’s movement for Black liberation. She is the founder of the Chicago Center for Leadership and Transformation and author of Unapologetic: A Black, Queer and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements.
bit.ly/surjcharlene
(More details coming soon)

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Welcome New Staff

Misha Heij-Mariano
I’m Misha, a working class queer femme living in western MA on occupied Pocumtuc and Nipmuc land and I come from small town northeastern PA. My work with SURJ started in 2015 as an organizer with our local chapter, Western Mass SURJ. We are organizing a reparations campaign involving moving money and popular education alongside a coalition of organizers for racial and economic justice. I was a coach for three years for SURJ chapters in the northeast and will continue to coordinate the poor and working class caucus. I love working with chapters to support leadership development, education and training, and building anti racist groups for collective liberation. I learned to organize around gender and violence as a kid as a response to what was happening to me and around me. The reproductive justice movement lifted me up, educated me, and brought me into the movement for racial justice. I’m a chronically ill survivor witch herbalist, distribute plan b for free, and continue always to collaboratively build networks for care, healing, mutual aid, and anti fascism. I live with my femme partner and our two sassy cats. 

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Sarah  Stockholm is an organizer, popular educator, Theatre of the Oppressed practitioner and writer from rural working-class communities in South Dakota with over a decade of experience waitressing and working for collective liberation. She has worked on a variety of organizing issues including Palestinian & Indigenous solidarity, tenant protections, climate justice, police accountability, and US militarism. Sarah loves spending time with her sisters, dancing to live music and rock climbing in the Pacific Northwest where she currently lives.

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Job Postings

SURJ will be hiring for two new positions.  Applications are due January 20th.   
Lead Organizer for Western North Carolina - Southern Crossroads 
Executive Assistant 
Find out more details here

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Queers against Pete Petition

Sign this petition from Queers Not Here For Mayor Pete - an effort to get 500 queer LGBTQ people to sign a letter of support declaring our opposition to his candidacy.

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The Word is Resistance Podcast with Rev Anne Dunlap

There is something on the other side of the end of the world. Rev. Anne Dunlap discovers belovedness running like currents through the servant song of Isaiah 42 and Jesus's baptism.  Listen here! 

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