The Advocate

(Credit:  Boise Regional Realtors® ) California’s AB-1466 finally provides a systemic solution to remove racist covenants, conditions, and restrictions from property deeds and it is on Governor Newsom’s desk! Even though these CC&Rs were found to be unconstitutional and unenforceable since 1948, the offensive language persists. Seeing such blatant bigotry in escrow documents is painful, particularly for people of color. While we cannot and should not forget the history of racial exclusion in housing, there is no purpose in keeping this language in people’s property deeds other than causing further harm. It is past time they were removed for good. If you’re wondering about whether all of this is necessary, there are many examples of such covenants on social media local news that highlight exactly why. Here is just one example : "We hear a lot about racially restrictive [covenants] and systemic racism, but have you ever seen an example of it? Well, here’s a snapshot of propert...

( Credit: Tyler Elise ) "Normalize changing your opinion when presented with new information." — Unknown, inspired by WandaVision Take note and take care.

Gilgul: (plural gilgulim) also known as Gilgul neshamot/Gilgulei Ha Neshamo. In Hebrew, the word gilgul means "cycle" or "wheel" and neshamot is the plural for "souls." Souls are seen to cycle through lives or incarnations, being attached to different human bodies over time. Which body they associate with depends on their particular task in the physical world, spiritual levels of the bodies of predecessors and so on. The concept relates to the wider processes of history in Kabbalah, involving cosmic Tikkun (Messianic rectification), and the historical dynamic of ascending Lights and descending Vessels from generation to generation. Rolling of the souls through life from body to body, animal or human, basically metempsychosis. There's gilgul, transmigration proper, in which a soul that had previously inhabited one body is sent back to earth to inhabit another body. Then ibbur, “impregnation,” in which a soul descends from heaven in order to assist anoth...

A project of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of California. What is a DA?  "District attorneys (DAs) are more than just prosecutors. The district attorney’s job is to seek justice in criminal cases, work to prevent crime, and serve as a leader in the diverse communities they represent. The DA is also an elected official. In California, we have 58 elected DAs each representing one of our 58 counties." What makes a DA so powerful?  "District attorneys in California have tremendous power to impact the lives of millions of people, their families, and entire communities. If someone is accused of committing a crime, it is not the police but the DA who has the sole power to decide if criminal charges are filed and the severity of those charges. They alone decide who is deserving of a jail or prison sentence and who will instead be routed into a diversion program to help rebuild their life, or have charges dismissed." How do DAs serve their community? "DAs a...

(Art by Lourry Legarde) "I used to be afraid of the dark until I learned that I am light and the dark is afraid of me." — D.R. Silva Take note and take care.

This week is #HEREIAM #Hineni. I've endured horrific #antisemitism, yet, I remain a proud Jew committed to all the beauty of our people, cultivating #community, and forging #partners in allyship.  Learn more at Here I Am Stories . Take note and take care.

This is something many suspected but only known to a few. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley colluded with local police unions (including the SLPOA) to smear political opponent Pamela Price who wants to clean up law enforcement in our county. Among the alleged violations, "O'Malley's deputy prosecutors also monitored Price's political activities "during work hours," which "constitutes an in-kind contribution" and should have been reported by the O'Malley campaign committee and even the DA's office. Coordinating campaign ads, fundraising and other activities using government letterhead, time and emails all on company time, violate state campaign laws." Learn more at  KTVU  and WaPo . Please sign and circulate the petition demanding accountability for these violations election law and state ethics requirements. Their joint misconduct shows how much both offices think they are above the law. Hopefully, exposure of this sc...

"The highest good, like water, benefits many things, yet occupies dark places men despise." — Tao Te Ching, by Lao Tzu. Take note and take care.

( Art credit ) Given that we're amidst the High Holidaze, I think this value is particularly important:  Cheshbon Hanefesh . It means an accounting of and for the soul. This practice aims to help us grow more familiar with our habits of heart and mind and how they promote or impede our growth into a better person. It helps us to ask ourselves , in what ways have I made the world better? In what ways have I made it worse? How do I affect the lives of others? Are their lives easier or harder because of my behavior? This is not about our worth as individuals; it is about the worth of our behavior as individuals. What are we doing with our lives? Take note and take care.

Just in case anyone was curious about why it takes a full five-paragraph essay to respond to a single sentence of misinformation. Well, now you know why! Credit to @sketchplanator Take note and take care.

I am pleased to share the recent presentation from the San Leandro White Antiracism Initiative! (SWAI) This month we look into the racist history of San Leandro, how it affected us then, and how it still impacts us today. Even more importantly, it serves as a step towards how we can repair the harm that was done, honor the history that has been ignored, and move forward towards a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive future. For more background, you can watch:  The Suburban Wall (1971)  and  The Invisible Wall (1981) Please reach out to SWAI@googlegroups.com to get involved! Take note and take care.

I'm legit about to cry after watching this video of Steve from Blue's Clues talking about his departure from the show so long ago as part of celebrating the show's 25th anniversary. It says all the things and captures all the feels that influenced my childhood. Like seriously, so much of that show shaped my life - my love of wailing while getting the mail, writing in handy dandy notebooks, solving mysteries by searching for clues, and why dogs are awesome! This is the wholesome content every Millennial needs right now. Take note and take care.

(The Island of Procrastination, by Gemma Correll) "If you wait till the last minute, it'll only take a minute. I believe that if anything is worth doing, it would have been done already. I shall never move quickly, except to avoid more work or find excuses. I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of consideration. I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them. I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my obligations. I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the amount of time given. If at first I don't succeed, there is always next year. I shall always decide not to decide, unless of course I decide to change my mind. I shall always begin, start, initiate, take the first step, and/or write the first word, when I get around to it. I will never put off tomorrow, what I can forget abo...

( Books of Jewish Beauty ) Hadran Alach : “hadran alach, ve’hadrach alan,” which is Aramaic for “we have returned to you and we will return to you, dear tractate, and you have returned to us and will return to us.” We say this when finishing any book, not just religious ones. We treat books almost as if they are people, capable of thought and feeling. We respect and revere them. We treat them as guests of honor in our lives. They are to be visited often, to be remembered, and to be returned to in gratitude and thankfulness for the gifts of knowledge and enjoyment that they have provided. Take note and take care.

(SWAI, pronounced "sway.") We are a group of neighbors, organizers, and allies committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Our mission is to educate and engage White people into becoming active and effective antiracists. Our focus is hyper-local to the City of San Leandro because we believe change begins in our backyard.  New topics every month! September 9/8 & 9/22: Community History, To the Suburban Wall & Back Again October 10/6 & 10/20: Neighbors for Racial Justice, Confronting Racism Online & In Real Life November 11/3 & 11/17: Reimagining Public Safety & our Mental Health Response Meetings @ 7:30 - 9:00 P:M via Zoom. Contact: SWAI@googlegroups.com