Preparing Signs for Berkeley Rally Against Hate / Sheetcaking

Activities and Events

The Berkeley Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) acknowledges that this Meetinghouse is on the traditional land of the Chochenyo Ohlone in the territory of Huichuin.

Berkeley Friends Meeting has a long history of social justice activities, including organizing and maintaining draft counseling services for many years out of our Meetinghouse.  These activities follow Quaker testimonies of peace, equality, and harmony with nature. 

Social and Environmental Action Committee meets on the first week of the month, on First Day (Sunday) at 1 pm in the Meeting Library to discuss and plan social justice activities for the Meeting.

Among other activities, Berkeley Friends Meeting has hosted:

  • Schools and Communities First Presentation: Oakland League of Women Voters Chair Deborah Shefler presented information on the proposed November 2020 ballot initiative, which seeks to amend the 1978 Prop 13 legislation to require commercial and industrial properties to be periodically assessed and pay property taxes; these funds would then go to local communities and schools.

 

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Kate Cragg and Noah Foley-Beining from the Sunrise Movement speak to Berkeley and Strawberry Creek Meetings about the Green New Deal.

Kate Cragg and Noah Foley-Beining from the Sunrise Movement speak to Berkeley and Strawberry Creek Meetings about the Green New Deal.

  • Immigration Issues Evening: Ramon Castellblanch gave a slide presentation on, “Refugee Rights and an East Bay Refugee Family,” an overview of immigration with a focus on Central America then attendees watched "Waking Dream," about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) participants. This December event was sponsored by Berkeley Friends Meeting Social and Environmental Action and Outreach & Nurture Committees and Strawberry Creek’s Peace, Earthcare, and Social Witness Committee.

  • In October 2019, Social and Environmental Action sponsored a very well-attended talk on the “Green New Deal” with speakers Kate Cragg and Noah Foley-Beining from the Sunrise Movement. The talk included a video, “A Message From the Future With Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,” from Alexandra Occasio-Cortez, one of the original sponsors of the Green New Deal and Naomi Klein, the author.

  • Worked to get the plaque for our Meetinghouse acknowledging we are on the traditional land of the Chochenyo Ohlone in the territory of Huichuin.

The Berkeley Society of Friends Meetinghouse in September 2019 with our new plaque acknowledging our location on the traditional lands of the Chochenyo Ohlone in the territory of Huichuin.

The Berkeley Society of Friends Meetinghouse in September 2019 with our new plaque acknowledging our location on the traditional lands of the Chochenyo Ohlone in the territory of Huichuin.

  • Provided an immigrant accompaniment team under the auspices of Nueva Esperanza to help newly arrived immigrant families. This is the first stage of being a sanctuary congregation.

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  • Co-sponsored the April 2019 Ending the Endless War workshop with Outreach and Nurture Committee and the Berkeley FCNL Advocacy Team, featuring speaker Stephen McNeil, retired staff from the American Friends Service Committee and current Friends Committee on National Legislation activist.

  • Participated in the Rise for Climate Jobs and Justice March and Resource Fair in September 2018.

  • Has signed onto the Quaker Statement on Climate Change and is working on a greenhouse gas survey for Meeting members and attenders.

Berkeley FCNL Advocacy Team (Berkeley Quakers and others) Celebrating Rep. Barbara Lee’s success at getting the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force passed in the U.S. House.

Berkeley FCNL Advocacy Team (Berkeley Quakers and others) Celebrating Rep. Barbara Lee’s success at getting the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force passed in the U.S. House.

  • Hosts the Berkeley FCNL Advocacy Team, currently (2018) working against the possibility of going to war with North Korea.

  • Members and attenders have recently written letters about the North County Detention Center, against revoking the TPS (Temporary Protected Status) of Haitian and Salvadoran immigrants.

  • Financially supports a variety of local organizations (see below).

Regular activities each week include:

  • Circle of Concern vigil to protest the involvement of the University of California in the development of nuclear weapons, every First Day (Sunday) at 1- 2 pm at the west entrance to UC Berkeley and 12- 1 pm on Thursdays.

  • Letter writing on important issues of the day

Quaker-related organizations and activities. Meeting members and attenders participate in a wide variety of Quaker organizations that are involved in social justice activities.  These include:

Individual concerns.  In addition, individual members and attenders have their own, wide range of activities in which they participate and in which others also participate.  These include anything from climate change, food security, wildlife preservation, gun control, peace and many more.