Decolonize Oakland (formerly the QPOC/POC caucus/committee of Occupy Oakland) would like to reintroduce ourselves to you, our communities, as an autonomous collective. We believe that working autonomously will give us the freedom to build power from below. Occupy Oakland’s failure to fully address the ways that race, gender, and sexual oppression intersect with capitalism in the lives of Oakland’s communities of color has made it challenging for us to work under the “Occupy” umbrella. Moreover, the unchecked race and gender privilege within Occupy Oakland’s organizing structures has made it difficult for many of our members to fully participate in Occupy meetings and events.

By declaring autonomy, we focus our energies on building the collective power of people of color in the Bay Area. We have begun this work by building with our larger networks, whether they are other autonomous groups, community associations and organizations, churches, Occupy Oakland and its committees, our neighbors, our family or our friends.

Following the rich tradition of people of color who have fought for self-determination, Decolonize Oakland aspires to win struggles for liberation by placing people of color, people with disabilities, people who are low income or working class, immigrants, gender non- conforming persons, women, and queers at the center of our collective struggle. In addition, we commit to creating political structures and community events that welcome Oakland’s residents, 75% of whom are people of color. Ceremony, talking circles, encuentros, coalition-based projects and actions, and educational workshops are examples of our approach to building participation within and across communities, neighborhoods, and organizations in Oakland.

FULL ARTICLE: Unsettling America | Decolonization in Theory & Practice.