Action Teams

Action Teams Descriptions:

Admissions Action Team - This Action Team (team) is responsible for, but not limited to:

Developing and maintaining the BBLM admissions and membership application process.
Processing membership applications and bringing to the attention of the BBLM Co-organizers if applications that need to be reviewed.
Efficiently vetting and interviewing prospective applicants to become BBLM members.
Conducting the BBLM New Member orientation.
Connecting with prospective BBLM members by answering incoming membership inquiries from the BBLM webpage, Facebook, emails, and phone calls.
Ensuring that new members choose a required Action Team to join and receiving information from Action Team Representatives regarding whether new members are appropriately attending meetings and actively working on the action teams project and event tasks.
Reviewing admission status of participants to determine whether new membership tier placements should be made or making the tier adjustments upon request from the participant.
Working with Systems Action team to maintain all information associated with admissions/membership and ensure that all related data is accurate and up to date.
Actively participates in crafting admission/membership development strategy, including networking with other core members to identify best practices and planning with the BBLM co-organizers.
Creating and maintaining team meeting agendas, articles, meeting details, previous meeting minutes, and other pertinent information.
Holding regularly scheduled action team meetings.

Systems Action Team – This Action Team (team) supports needs such as processing and organizing information, and the creation of progressive, efficient and effective organizing and program systems.

Acting as the center for maintaining participant information and overall group meeting schedules.
Assisting with the efficient functioning of Zoom and in person meetings when applicable).
Taking and distributing meeting notes; monitors, organizes and distribute group correspondence.
Creating event flyers and performing other necessary tasks as needed.
Holding regularly scheduled action team meetings.

Cultural Arts and Events Team – This Action Team (team) creates art programs, events and
activities exhibiting and highlighting the lives, history and culture of black people throughout the
community of Benicia.

Working with Education Team to include Benicia students in planned cultural art programs, events, and activities.
Creating and develop fundraising activities for team cultural arts and events.
Creating and maintaining team meeting agendas, articles, meeting details, previous meeting minutes, and other pertinent information that can all be made public on the BBLM social media sites for the community to access.
Holding regularly scheduled action team meetings.

Finance Action Team – This Action Team’s (team) responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Researching, identifying, and implementing processes and procedures for collaborating with a supporting 501 © 3 organization to join.
Developing, implementing, and maintaining BBLM’s bookkeeping and banking process and procedures.
Supervising and working with other action teams regarding all group fundraising and donation processes and procedures.
Researching, identifying, and implementing processes and procedures for turning the BBLM into a functional 501 © 3 organization when applicable.
Pre-approving all BBLM expenditures and purchases.
Working with the Systems Action Team to develop efficient financial record keeping; and the timely development and distribution of appropriate financial reports.
Supervising, implementing and maintaining all financially legal and tax related processes; and keeping aware of all financial document and process due dates and deadlines.
Assuring that all required financial and financially related group (organization in the future) documents are prepared and submitted to the appropriate regulatory offices and departments in a timely manner.
Creating and maintaining team meeting agendas, articles, meeting details, previous meeting minutes, and other pertinent information that may be made public on the BBLM social media sites for the community to access.
Holding regularly scheduled action team meetings.

Education Action Team – This Action Team (team) works on establishing the required teaching of the TRUTH regarding history about black people in America for grades k-12 per the 1619 project. In addition, this team works on the establishment of processes and policies that include, but are not limited to:

The establishment of cultural sensitivity, restorative justice and appropriate trauma based training for all staff.
The establishment of culturally sensitive reading curriculum that doesn’t harm black students, and accompanying training for teachers to safely and efficiently instruct from that curriculum.
The Identification and discussion of the effects of racial bias/discrimination and social injustice on black students and their families within the school system.
Addressing the hiring of culturally conscious school mediators, calling for the Benicia School District (district) to collaborate with the Solano County Mental Health Department to provide mental health and behavioral counselors/services for dependent students of color and their families who are in need.
Assistance with the development of the vision and goals in collaboration with the school district and parent’s groups of color that effectively address the needs and well-being of students and parents of color in the district. The team will track, measure and monitor the successful establishment, prioritization, and accomplishment of goals that directly support that vision.
Addressing of policies, laws, and regulations that impact the education and well-being of students of color; assist in identifying, reviewing and implementing policies that help improve the work of the district to hire more racially diverse staff and administrators in its schools.
Serving as leaders and representatives of the community and as advocates for students and families of color in the school district. Requiring that the school district treat these students and families with respect and maintain transparency through sharing pertinent information to foster trust between these students and their families with the school district.
Maintaining open communication with the school board, staff and administration, students, and families of color within the community.

Government Action Team – This Action Team (team) works with Benicia City Hall staff (staff), the Mayor and City Council, County, State and Federal government in, but not limited to the following ways:

Assisting in the implementation of requested anti-racial discrimination and social injustice programs and policies by the City of Benicia (City); already drawn on the BREATHE Act in his executive actions calling for racial equity screens in federal programs, investing in environmental justice at historic levels, and engaging with system-impacted communities. The BREATHE Act paints a vision of a world where Black lives matter through investments in housing, education, health, and environmental justice.
Working with Awareness Action Team (AAT) to develop events to train staff/community and government leaders about the history of black people as reflected in the community, white supremacy in law enforcement, cultural sensitivity, systemic racism, etc.
Working with AAT to advertise related community discussions and workshops, trainings and related events.
Establishing a commission that meets monthly that focuses on items such as, but not limited to the research and possible City Council adoption parts of the BREATHE Act (The act). The act offers a new and transformative approach to public safety and community investment. It calls for racial equity screens in federal programs, investing in environmental justice at historic levels, and engaging with system-impacted communities. Items in the act may be adjusted to work on the local government level. Another task of the commission is the required collection of statistical information on racial bias/discrimination and excessive use of force complaints in Benicia.
Working towards the implementation of resources by the City of Benicia (City) to address, support and ensure that business ownership and City and business staff hiring reflect the population ratio of Black citizens of Benicia.
Working toward the implementation of monthly reports of equity and social justice efforts, activities, incentives, and other related information by the City of Benicia that are reflected in goal-oriented statistics to be presented in the City’s newsletter and on the City’s website.
Working towards the implementation of equity related activities/efforts, and the creation of equity resources by the Benicia Chamber of Commerce, the Benicia City Economic Department and Benicia main Street to address, support and ensure that business ownership in Benicia reflects the population ratio of the Black citizens of Benicia.
Working towards the implementation of equity related processes and procedures by the Benicia Chamber of Commerce, the Benicia City Economic Department and Benicia main Street to assist Benicia businesses to prevent and address incidents of racism that may happen towards their clients and customers of color.
Working towards the launching of a full investigation by appropriate government officials, offices and departments into the ties between White Supremacy and Law Enforcement; including but not limited to the Benicia Police and Solano County Sheriff’s Departments. This effort will also work on efforts to prevent such ties in local law enforcement.
Creating and maintaining team meeting agendas, articles, meeting details, previous meeting minutes, and other pertinent information that can all be made public on the BBLM social media sites for the community to access.
Holding regularly scheduled action team meetings.

Awareness Team – This Action Team (team) is responsible for, but not limited to:

The Awareness Action Team (AAT) educates Benicia residents about structural racism, white privilege, conscious and unconscious bias, and the social injustices that exist in Benicia and beyond for the purpose of motivating, inspiring, and leading the community to take action for social justice and racial equity.
The AAT identifies gaps and barriers to equity and inclusion for the Black citizens of Benicia. The team endeavors to make the community aware of the history, systems, and institutions which cause these injustices and promotes taking action to counteract them.
The team builds bridges and develops partnerships with a diverse range of individuals, community partners, businesses, and associations to support the liberation of Black Benicians and Black people everywhere.

Social Media Action Team - This Action Team (team) is responsible for, but not limited to:

Facilitating BBLM and equity awareness through various social media channels.
Supervising all social media interaction between the public and BBLM and ensuring a progressive, constructive community experience.
Working closely with the group/action teams to develop social media campaigns that help to achieve action team project /event goals and maintain BBLM brand consistency.
Monitoring the long-term needs of BBLM's social media strategy and offering reports to the group and action teams that outline any necessary changes to the digital outreach plan.
Researching emerging social media trends that will be helpful to BBLM in promoting racial equality and social justice throughout the community.
Working to both grow and maintain followers through popular social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and possibly others.
Maintaining regular communication to ensure unity and consistency across platforms.

Website Action Team - This Action Team (team) is responsible for, but not limited to:

The Architecture, Design, Content and development of the BBLM website. The team provides information that engages with users to inform the public about BBLM.
The team works with the other Action Teams and provides reliable online information regarding equity related items, actions, laws, corrective education, policies, principals, systems, processes and regulations.
The team aims to promote local Black businesses, Black Voices, Black historical contributors and advocacy opportunities. The team performs other tasks assigned as necessary.