We are facing interlocking crises abroad and at home– blatant disregard for human life in the service of our government’s racist billionaire agenda. In this critical moment, what we do matters. We’re writing today with two ways you can take action.
In Palestine, the forced famine threatens the lives of millions in Gaza. In our rage and grief, we encourage you to continue to move into action: join local protests, stay in conversation with those who are only now seeing the violence, and join our Palestinian and Jewish partner organizations TOMORROW at 3 pm ET for a “Stop Starving Gaza Power Hour” to take action.
And– in the midst of thousands of detentions and raids, immigrant communities are leading the resistance to authoritarianism here at home. We need to be ready to stand with immigrants and show up against ICE even before they get to our communities. To do just that, join SURJ for a two-week training, “Solidarity & Rapid Response,” beginning August 5th with our partners at the Solidarity Organizing Initiative.
Together with other SURJers, you’ll learn more about how you can directly support immigrant justice organizing in crisis moments, get grounded in the principles of strategic noncooperation, and dig in on the role of white people in this work. You’ll also be invited to stay after the training to learn how to sustain this work for the long haul by organizing a SURJ “Circle” community group.
This program is a part of our strategy to practice strategic noncooperation, undermine as much authoritarian governing power as possible at the ballot box in November (and put people in office who are fighting for things like Palestinian liberation!)– and bring in thousands of new people along the way.
Because in the midst of the devastation and overwhelm, we need each other. Carlos, one of the trainers of the first SOI cohort, put it like this:
“It is really hard to conceptualize and think about what it is going to take to win if you’re thinking about it in isolation. But if you’re feeding off the energy that your community is bringing and that there’s people mobilizing everywhere in the country, that changes the energy and your mood about whether we can win or not.”
Together, we’re practicing revolutionary hope. That is our inheritance as anti-racists and freedom fighters. We are proud to stand with you in that hope.