Guest View

After the November 2016 election, many of us in this community watched in horror as hate crimes against people of color and Jewish people began to rise. The reputable Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracked such events, rolled out a terrifying monthly toll that climbed and climbed.Rather than sit feeling helpless, a group of us felt moved to act as so many others in our community have already done. SURJ—Showing Up For Racial Justice—is a national group that organized after Barack Obama’s election drew intense, overt racism out of the woodwork, with the belief that it is up to white people to dismantle racism—specifically white supremacy.We started a local chapter, SURJ South County, to carry on SURJ National’s mission. We do not wish to be seen as “white saviors,” but rather to educate ourselves and others about the injustices against people of color, past and present, to bring awareness to the ways in which systems of oppression work against thriving communities and to hold ourselves accountable for change.We build upon the efforts of our local accountability partners, who have already been doing important, related work, like SIREN, CARAS, Indivisible South Valley, The Interfaith Council, The Learning and Loving Center, and more. We rally together with those targeted by systems of oppression. Not only do we hope to counter, with education and love, the agenda of hate that some feel emboldened to enact, we recognize that this country is founded on a history of white supremacy, violence and aggression against people of color, including the Native Americans whose lands were stolen and lives torn asunder.Since our group is not solely comprised of white folks, SURJ South County took liberties with SURJ National’s mission statement: we are a local group of individuals organizing people for racial justice. SURJ promotes all people acting as part of a multiracial society for social justice with passion and accountability.Our group also acknowledges the intersectionality of the ways in which systems of oppression affect marginalized groups (based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, immigration status, ability/disability status, and more). SURJ provides a space to build relationships, skills and political analysis to act for change.      So if you see us standing holding signs on the street corners in defense of DACA, the “Dreamer” act, or in solidarity with any person of color who has suffered as a result of this system, know that we are here to say, as Australian Aboriginal activist Lila Watson stated so eloquently, “If you have come here to help me, then you are wasting your time…But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together."SURJ South County will host a screening of the documentary “13th,” about how mass incarceration of people of color is a modern form of slavery, at the Morgan Hill Library, 660 W. Main Ave., with guest speakers after, from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 15.For more information, email Morgan Hill resident Jordan Rosenfeld at [email protected].

Aug. 26 has been designated as National Women’s Equality Day to honor the women who fought tirelessly for the commissioning of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. The day also stands as a strong reminder that we need to continue to advocate for equality for all women.

Happy Fourth of July from Freedom Fest!Yes, it's that time of year again, time to celebrate the birthday of our great nation. And, what better way to do so than to attend the events provided, free of charge, to our community, by Morgan Hill Freedom Fest.Begin on Monday by attending the 29th annual Patriotic Sing, 6 p.m., at the Morgan Hill Amphitheater, 17000 Monterey Road. Here, local children will be singing the songs of America and honoring our Armed Forces. Sing along as our children continue a tradition of performing patriotic songs on the eve of the Fourth of July! Please bring a lawn chair. Donations to our deployed troops will be accepted. (Check out southbaybluestarmoms.org for a list of soldiers' requests.)For those of you who are fans of Angeline Madriaga, she will be singing at this event as well as at the Family Music Fest in downtown Morgan Hill. The Music Fest begins immediately after the Sing, and features food, music and fun for all.On Tuesday, July 4, our events begin early (register at 6:30 a.m.) with the 1 Mile Children's Run and the 5K Adult Walk/Run. Then, find time to sit, at 9:30 a.m., and watch the Car Cruise along the parade route. At 10 a.m., you'll feel a sense of pride as our Freedom Fest Parade winds its way through Morgan Hill. Bands, horse units, community service groups and churches are represented in the entries.But wait, there's more! Our Freedom Fest events conclude at the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center, 16500 Condit Road, with music and fireworks at dark. All in all, there are so many ways to make memories of a Hometown Fourth of July in Morgan Hill. Please see mhfreedomfest.com for complete details.Thank you to our Freedom Fest sponsors, to our members who work so passionately to present our events, and to all of you who will attend our celebration. We hope you are left with a renewed sense of patriotism and a new appreciation for Morgan Hill, this place we call home.Karen Ann Crane is the organizer of the annual July 3 Patriotic Sing, which is part of the Freedom Fest Independence Day festivities in Morgan Hill.

A recent study on Homeownership in Silicon Valley conducted by the Joint Venture Silicon Valley Institute for regional studies recently concluded, “Homeownership represents a significant portion of the overall wealth in Silicon Valley, but the gaping divide between wealthy and non-affluent households is reflected...