SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE -
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What is "Showing Up For Racial Justice" (SURJ)?
SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals working to undermine white supremacy and to work toward racial justice. Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ moves white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability.
We work to connect people across the country while supporting and collaborating with local and national racial justice organizing efforts. SURJ provides a space to build relationships, skills and political analysis to act for change.
For more information about our national network, visit SURJ National.
We work to connect people across the country while supporting and collaborating with local and national racial justice organizing efforts. SURJ provides a space to build relationships, skills and political analysis to act for change.
For more information about our national network, visit SURJ National.
OUR MISSION
SURJ North County San Diego works to move white people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability through:
1) Education: helping people develop a better understanding of white supremacy and how to interrupt systems of oppression in our daily lives.
2) Policy change: helping develop policies and legislation in support of racial justice.
3) Amplification of oppressed voices: showing up for actions, sharing their words and thoughts, and trusting their lived experiences.
1) Education: helping people develop a better understanding of white supremacy and how to interrupt systems of oppression in our daily lives.
2) Policy change: helping develop policies and legislation in support of racial justice.
3) Amplification of oppressed voices: showing up for actions, sharing their words and thoughts, and trusting their lived experiences.
why do we organize white people?
For many, it sounds contradictory: “Isn’t it racist if just white people get together? Isn’t that segregation?” The following are our reasons for organizing as a white anti-racist community:
1. People of color shouldn’t always have to be the ones to educate white people about racism and oppression. We are taking responsibility for educating ourselves about racism, our own white privilege, and how to challenge it as white people.
2. In order to challenge racism and dismantle white supremacy, white people need to unlearn racism and discover the ways we enact white privilege. This is a long, difficult, and sometimes painful process. It’s helpful to have a space where other white people engaged in this process can support and challenge us, without having to always subject people of color to further undue trauma or pain as we stumble and make mistakes. Having a community of white anti-racist people gives us hope, helps us grow our practice, and gives us strength to stay in it for the long haul.
3. A commitment to anti-racist identity and practice as a white person can sometimes mean increased alienation and conflict in our lives, especially with other white friends and family who disagree with us. SURJncsd is a space where we can get support from people who are experiencing similar struggles as anti-racist white people.
4. It’s a space for white people to figure out what it means to be an anti-racist white person and challenge racism in all areas of our lives. We cannot expect people of color to have all of the answers for us on how to transform ourselves and other white people. As white people we are well equipped to understand what it means to be a white, as well as a white anti-racist.
5. It’s a place where white people can begin to build a new culture of white anti-racism, and learn the skills needed to transform the larger white community.
6. SURJncsd is a supplement to, not a replacement for, multi-racial dialogues and activism between white people and people of color. It’s important that white people give space in their lives to learning from and bearing witness to people of color’s experiences of racism.
7. A white space serves as a resource to people of color who want to work with white people but don’t want to have to spend all their energy dealing with the racism of white people.
1. People of color shouldn’t always have to be the ones to educate white people about racism and oppression. We are taking responsibility for educating ourselves about racism, our own white privilege, and how to challenge it as white people.
2. In order to challenge racism and dismantle white supremacy, white people need to unlearn racism and discover the ways we enact white privilege. This is a long, difficult, and sometimes painful process. It’s helpful to have a space where other white people engaged in this process can support and challenge us, without having to always subject people of color to further undue trauma or pain as we stumble and make mistakes. Having a community of white anti-racist people gives us hope, helps us grow our practice, and gives us strength to stay in it for the long haul.
3. A commitment to anti-racist identity and practice as a white person can sometimes mean increased alienation and conflict in our lives, especially with other white friends and family who disagree with us. SURJncsd is a space where we can get support from people who are experiencing similar struggles as anti-racist white people.
4. It’s a space for white people to figure out what it means to be an anti-racist white person and challenge racism in all areas of our lives. We cannot expect people of color to have all of the answers for us on how to transform ourselves and other white people. As white people we are well equipped to understand what it means to be a white, as well as a white anti-racist.
5. It’s a place where white people can begin to build a new culture of white anti-racism, and learn the skills needed to transform the larger white community.
6. SURJncsd is a supplement to, not a replacement for, multi-racial dialogues and activism between white people and people of color. It’s important that white people give space in their lives to learning from and bearing witness to people of color’s experiences of racism.
7. A white space serves as a resource to people of color who want to work with white people but don’t want to have to spend all their energy dealing with the racism of white people.
JOIN US AT THE RALLY AND MARCH FOR THE NATIONAL DAY AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24.
Happy 1 year Birthday for SURJ North County San Diego This group was started and organized in August of 2019 by Andi McLeod and Robin Sales out of their personal desire and dedication to eradicate white supremacy through collective action. Andi and Robin were active members of SURJ San Diego and felt compelled to expand the SURJ mission to their community in North County. What started as an idea between two long time-friends has grown and expanded into a movement. Although neither Andi or Robin had experience in organizing, their love and compassion for all people along with their dedication, commitment, and tireless hours of strictly volunteer work (under the mentorship from SURJ Sand Diego) became the basis for what the North County chapter was been founded upon.
What has been accomplished in just one short year? The original focus was on education. Educating, and moving white people to join in anti-racist work. Guest speakers were brought in, book clubs took place, and alliances with racial justice organizations were a natural result of partnering and consistently showing up whenever there was a need. Tasha Wiliamson spoke to us about her work to provide material and emotional support to families whose loved ones who have died at the hands of the law enforcement. Aeiramique Glass-Blake shared her story of how she started Generation Justice and the work they have done and continue to do in their community and for youth activism. Lily Serrano and Flower Alvarez from Homie Up and Universidad Popular spoke to us about their programs to educate Latinx people about Chicano history, help with citizenship classes, and provide after school programs in Vista. Arcela Nuñez came from the National Latino Research Center to talk about the importance of the census for all people. Dave Myers, former Sheriff Department Commander, provided us insights into the San Diego Sherriff Department and called upon us to use our white privilege to push for a strong Community Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB). Yusef Miller of the Racial Justice Coalition San Diego introduced Reverend Connelly, who told us about her husband who was being held in the Los Angeles County jail indefinitely due to an alleged crime that occurred 30 years ago. Eric Robinson from The Center for Policy Initiatives (CPI) discussed the San Diego County budget and the importance of “Invest in San Diego Families” which is a coalition of community groups challenging San Diego County to invest in people, services, and policies to improve the well-being of the County’s diverse communities and stimulate the local economy. Dr. Darwin Fishman of the Racial Justice Coalition (RJC) educated us on the necessity of a strong Community Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) and Yusef Miller (RJC) spoke about the importance of community coalitions and allyship in making our voices heard as anti-racists. In addition to coordinating these amazing speakers’, SURJ-NCSD members participated in showing up as court witnesses, speaking at press conferences, protests, and memorial services. We’ve spoken at marches, car caravans, NAACP meetings, County Supervisor meetings, and supported ally organizations in their initiatives by partnering in their meetings with city council members. We have a social media presence, a website, a Slack communication channel, working groups, a governance team, and an email database that has mushroomed in recent months from 68 to over 450 members! We held our first virtual meeting which was followed shortly after with our first and then second newcomers’ meetings which introduced the SURJ values to over 150 new members between the two meetings. When George Floyd was murdered and the uprising began, SURJ-NCSD turned towards continuing education on anti-racism, mobilizing for policy change, and support for BIPOC led organizations. We have continued to build alliances with North County organizations such as the NAACP North San Diego County, the North County Civil Liberties Coalition, the Racial Justice Coalition of SD, and the North County Equity and Justice Coalition. We recognize that we have much work to do. It is our hope that we can continue to foster a community movement that uplifts and supports all we meet. We invite you to join us as we strive to create communities of equity and justice for all. |
SURJ NCSD
Monthly Meeting Tuesday, November 17 7- 8:30pm Save the Date! Join our SURJ North County monthly meeting. EVERYONE welcome! Zoom invitations will be sent out at 5:00 pm on the day of the meeting. If you are not already a member, please sign up for our updates and receive our link. More information to follow. CALL TO ACTION!
ACLU Voter Guide - Here is the link to their voter guide, for your information.
Looking for a way to Get the Vote Out? Here are some options for text banking or phone banking in swing states . You can make a difference. 
SPREAD THE NEWS ABOUT
RACIAL JUSTICE You may order a yard sign and arrange to pick it up or have it delivered. We ask that you donate $20. $10.00 will go to the DeDe McClure Bail Fund and the other $10.00 will cover the cost for the sign. The signs are 24" X 18". Please use the "Donate" button above to make your donation. |
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