WHOWEARE
SURJ SAN MATEO is a group of people who organize, mobilize and educate white folks and other folks with privilege for racial justice in San Mateo County.
We are part of a multiracial movement and the SURJ National Network with over 200 chapters and affiliates in 46 states.
We work with accountability partners led by People of Color to show up in the ways they request and are supporting issues such as housing justice, immigration rights and reimagining public safety.
Read more about what SURJ San Mateo
has done in our community in the
May 2021 Advocate Newsletter.
SURJ San Mateo in Action
RWC City Hall
RWC City Hall
Millbrae City Hall
RWC City Hall
Educational Opportunities
Book Discussion
NO MORE POLICE: A Case For Abolition
Tuesday, March 21 @ 7:00 PM
In spite of repeated calls for reform and even the implementation of some mild reforms, police forces throughout the country continue to target and kill BIPOC members of the community. Is it time not just for piecemeal reforms but a radical revisioning of domestic security?
“No More Police: A Case for Abolition” is a challenging book by Mariame Kaba and Andrea Ritchie which makes the case for abolishing not only the police but the entire carceral system. Join our virtual book group on Tuesday, March 21, at 7:00 pm and let us know what you think!
EmbraceRace
EmbraceRace has many resources for talking to children about racial injustice. One such resource is their conversation with three child and family psychologists who collaborated to write the children’s book, “Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice.” Published by the American Psychological Association, the book follows a white family and a black family as they discuss a police shooting of a Black man. The book includes many resources for parents and educators including child-friendly definitions, sample dialogues, and discussion guides.
Celebrate Black History
Community Foundation of San Carlos (CFSC) invites you to celebrate the contributions that Black Americans have made to American history in their struggles for freedom and equality. Their website has many resources that can help deepen our understanding of our nation's history. CFSC has a comprehensive collection of books, podcasts, and films & documentaries, plus a list of local businesses and nonprofits to support. If you’re looking for ways to uplift people in our own community, check out their list of Black-Owned Businesses right here in the Bay Area.
Anti-Harassment Training
Anti-Asian American and xenophobic harassment have been on the rise across the U.S. In these one-hour interactive workshops, co-sponsored by Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) and Right To Be, you’ll learn methodology for responding to harassment by (1) trusting your instincts, (2) reclaiming your space, and (3) practicing resilience. They also offer Bystander Intervention Training for various real-life situations. Click below for more information on these free workshops.
Loretta J. Ross Workshops
Course Lectures
FOUR Tuesdays | 4:00-6:00 pm
March 28, April 4, 11, and 18
Learning Lab with Q&A
FOUR Thursdays | 4:00-6:00 pm
March 30, April 6, 13, and 20
Calling In: Creating Change Without Cancel Culture is a transformative four-week course with Loretta J. Ross and Loan Tran which will share practical, immediately applicable ways to build towards a Calling In culture where each of us is more equipped to tackle the problems of our times head-on with more love, compassion, and joy.
During the course, we will contextualize call-out culture as a logical result of systems of domination and control, such as white supremacy and patriarchy, develop new language and frameworks for creating positive social change, go beyond a diagnosis of the problems to engage in new practices with each other, incorporate somatic or body-based practices into our toolbox, and gain clarity on a sense of belonging and purpose in a broader human rights movement.
SURJ Bay Area
SURJ ACTION HOUR
Thursdays @ 5:00 PM
Fridays @ 12:00 PM
Want to take tangible steps to end racial injustice and white supremacy? Join a SURJ Action Hour! This is one way to truly Show Up for Racial Justice and it's just an hour a week. SURJ Bay Area Action Hours meet over Zoom to take concrete steps together ~ calling elected officials, signing petitions, etc. There are two times to choose from during the week: Thursdays from 5:00-6:00 pm or Fridays from 12:00-1:00 pm.
SURJ National
ABOLITION ACTION HOUR
Choose from these dates:
March 16 | April 20 | May 18, June 22 | July 20 @ 12:00 PM
Join SURJ's monthly Abolition Action Hour to come together to take collective action with our partners in the fight for racial and economic justice. In one-hour gatherings, participants make calls, sign petitions, send emails, and take online action to close jails, defund police, invest in communities, protect Indigenous rights to land and water, and more! You’ll receive training and support throughout the session as well as a community of fellow SURJ members to take action with. All are welcome whether you’re a long-time member or are just hearing about SURJ for the first time.