Racial Justice

Created in fall 2015, CBI Focus on Racial Justice is intended to strengthen our Congregation’s commitment to the Jewish value of equal justice. We are currently seeking additional CBI member participation in the Committee as we expand our programming including advocacy around racial justice issues.

Join us at our next meeting. For more information or to be added to our mailing list, contact our committee co-chair Alan Saunders alansaunders101@yahoo.com.

Our Mission:

• Increase self-awareness of our own implicit biases and privilege;
• Build awareness in our congregation about our own diversity and celebrate it;
• Create and ensure a safe environment for all people involved with CBI;
• Educate our congregation about the Jewish values of tikkun olam and racial justice;
• Increase awareness of issues of racial injustice, bias, privilege and systemic racism;
• Develop ways for congregants to become involved in efforts to further racial justice in our congregation, the Reform Jewish movement and the larger community.

Our Vision: CBI WILL

• Be inclusive of people of all backgrounds and races and celebrate diversity;
• Further awareness of systemic oppression faced by people of color and privileges of those perceived as white;
• Through social and political action efforts, be an active ally in working with the Reform Jewish movement and local community groups involved in racial justice efforts

Recent events and programs sponsored or co-sponsored:

March 2018 - Hon. Emily Vasquez Speaking from the Heart about the Long Journey as an Immigrant Latina in California;

January 2018 - Committee assisted along with other volunteers helped landscape the grounds around Bret Harte elementary school;

December 2017 – A talk with Durriya Syed – Providing insight into her work within the interfaith and Muslim communities;

October 2017 – Sheryll Cashin, Georgetown U. Law Professor and author of “Loving:  Interracial Intimacy in America and the Threat to White Supremacy.”

September 2017 – Jason Lindo, A Native Hawaiian Living in the California Diaspora;

March 2017 - Eileen Sunada Sarasohn spoke about A JEWISH PERSPECTIVE ON THE HISTORY OF JAPANESE AMERICANS IN SACRAMENTO - being of Japanese descent growing up in Sacramento and life in internment camps during WWII; and

January 2017 – Ilana Kaufman, Public Affairs and Civic Engagement Director, East Bay, of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the S.F. Bay Area

Upcoming events/programs:

Continuation of our diversity speaker series, where members of our community (both within CBI and the community at large) share their personal experiences and diverse cultural backgrounds;

An examination this fall of the book The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander with discussion groups around the book and the issues it raises.  Guest speakers are being secured to help in discussions;

The committee is currently working on developing programming relating to Criminal Justice as our annual program focus for all of our sponsored programs and events beginning in the fall of 2018.  It will include advocacy and joining local and regional campaigns relating to racial and criminal justice.