Come one, come all!

RPA Membership Spring meeting will be Saturday, March 26, 2-4 pm. We know we’re all tired of Zoom meetings but, for now, it’s still our go-to gathering spot. And yes, the Office Committee is looking for an office but we’re not there yet. Still, we have news to share, people to meet, and actions to plan.

Here are upcoming RPA meetings and events. Note, most meetings are only open to RPA members, although allies and guests are often welcome. If you are interested in becoming a member, you may do so here. Dues may be waived if they are a barrier to you joining the RPA. If you have questions about joining the RPA, or are interested in attending a meeting as a non-member, please contact [email protected]

Thank you for your continued support for the Listening Project! We hope you are LOVING the podcast so far and enjoyed last week’s episode, Buying Us Out. In this week’s episode, Union Proud, we are bringing you a conversation between our Organizer, Marisol Cantu, City Council Member Eduardo Martinez, and BK White, Vice President of the United Steel Workers Local 5 Oil Workers Union. Marisol, Eduardo, and BK sat down for a conversation about the relationship between Chevron workers and the Richmond community at-large, and how we can come together to stand up to Big Oil for our health and wellbeing. They talk about the workers’ fight for a fair contract, and how the fight can impact the Richmond community.

Thank you for listening to the Listening Project Podcast.  

We have listened to the Richmond community and want to hear from you! Take our Climate Crisis Survey for your chance to win a $100 gift card!

Thank you for listening to the Listening Project Podcast.  We appreciate you, our community, and our allies for listening along.  Please see the links below for resources mentioned in the episode. 

Buying Power of Shipyard Workers, MacDonald Ave., 1943

The Activist dedicates this issue to Black History Month, in tribute to the profound and myriad ways Black people have shaped American successes, culture, and economic life. In this recognition, which can hardly capture the sheer breadth of Black history in the United States, we also want to note the urgent and ongoing need for Black liberation and amends in a country that exists, as it is, on the labor and lives of Black Americans.

By Aleta Toure' and Chris Lodgson

The California Reparations Task Force members and Reparations supporters on Tuesday, March 1st, from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm will be having a community meeting.  The organizations: CJEC, Parable of the Sower Intentional Community Cooperative, Richmond Progressive Alliance, Bay Area BAP (Black Alliance for Peace), The National Black Liberation Movement Network (NBLMN), AfroSocialist, and a host of other organizations are together hosting this hybrid event (both in-person and online) community meeting at the Rich City Gallery, 1500C Macdonald Avenue, Richmond, CA. which will be held next door to the Rich City Rides Cooperative Bike Shop.  This Richmond Reparations Listening Session is to make sure Richmond residents are a part of this historic effort called AB 3121. A free registration link will be available soon, but please find updates at https://linktr.ee/RichmondReparations, and the Facebook page: https://fb.me/e/WYLL3weU.

As described by California's Attorney General's office, "The institution of slavery is inextricably woven into the establishment, history, and prosperity of the United States. Constitutionally and statutorily sanctioned from 1619 to 1865, slavery deprived more than four million Africans and their descendants of life, liberty, citizenship, cultural heritage, and economic opportunity. Following the abolition of slavery, government entities at the federal, state, and local levels continued to perpetuate, condone, and often profit from practices that brutalized African Americans and excluded them from meaningful participation in society. This legacy of slavery and racial discrimination has resulted in debilitating economic, educational, and health hardships that are uniquely experienced by African Americans."

By Kyndelle Johnson

Unidentified Earl Lewis Junior High School students during a trip to Boston Redevelopment Authority Washington Park site office, 105 Crawford Street, by Joseph Runci (1965)

There will be a teach-in taking place online, via Zoom on February 28th, 2022 at 6pm. Richmond LAND presents Black LAND, Power, and Futures will feature local historical experts and community leaders. There will be opportunities for in-depth discussion. 

Since 2000, the Black population in our city has decreased nearly 40%. The amount of rich wisdom, history, cultural strength, and diversity has plummeted with the mass displacement of our community members. This phenomenon is not happening without a great deal of historical disinvestment and exclusion as context. Our organization’s goal is to build power toward community-controlled development in Richmond. To understand how we can best protect our Black neighbors, and build sustainable and empowering housing for our community, we must be grounded in our city’s history.

By Jovanka Beckles

Art obtained from the official San Francisco Bay View Newspaper Facebook Page.

The Bayview continues to be a beacon of light in the media blackout of relevant Black issues that are largely ignored by mainstream media. As we celebrate Black history month in February—fully aware that every day is a Black history day and always has been in this country—The Activist acknowledges one of the oldest and longest running radical Black newspapers.

By Dani Zacky

The Listening Project Team has been hard at work over the last month.  As always, our main objective has been to listen to our community and those most harmed by the climate crisis and impacts of Chevron in Richmond.