Comrades,

The news about SCOTUS potentially overturning Roe v. Wade is not only unconscionable but also part of an undemocratic system designed to protect the ruling class. Reproductive rights, abortion, and healthcare should not be up for debate – they should be protected at all costs.

Reproductive justice means being able to maintain personal bodily autonomy, having the choice between having children or not and having the resources to plan for a family in safe and sustainable communities.

While this affects all women, nonbinary, and trans folks that access reproductive healthcare, this will also deeply affect indigenous, Black, & Brown folks who travel hundreds of miles and even out of state for access while many others are also forced to have unsafe abortions.

For many, being able to access reproductive healthcare is a life-or-death situation. To remove that access and basic human right is an unforgivable way to determine the fate of millions.

DSA SF will mobilize for any upcoming actions, support mutual aid efforts, and continue to organize with socialist feminists. Abortion should be free and available on-demand, without apology. There are two ways you can take action today. One is through mutual aid – abortion funds help folks access necessary reproductive care, and the need is direr than ever. You can contribute to those efforts here. Then, you can join us in the streets. There will be two emergency protests today at 5:00 p.m. at Powell and Market and at Phillip Burton Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate Ave – it’ll just be the beginning of the latest fight for basic human rights for all.

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Events Calendar

🌹 Saturday, 5/7 (12:00 p.m.):  Empty Homes Tax Signature Gathering (in person at Patricia’s Green on the corner of Hayes and Octavia)

🌹 Thursday, 5/8 (7:00 p.m.):  DSA SF Leadership Information Session (Zoom)

🌹 Thursday, 5/12 (7:30 p.m.):  Intro to Democratic Socialism Session Two: The History (part 1) (Zoom or in person at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister St)

🌹 Sunday, 5/22 (12:00 p.m.):  Empty Homes Tax Mobilization and BBQ (in person at Golden Gate Park, corner of Stanyan and Haight)


For more events, click here.

Announcements

Keep the Empty Homes Tax signature drive rolling!

Join us to collect signatures for the Empty Homes Tax Ballot Initiative on Saturday, May 7, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Patricia’s Green on the corner of Hayes and Octavia. Come help us hit our goal of 500 signatures this week! No signature gathering experience necessary – we will train you, provide all materials necessary, and give you a location for gathering.

Be sure to mark Sunday, May 22 on your calendars, too – we’ll be having another mobilization and a BBQ at Golden Gate Park from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the corner of Stanyan and Haight! We’ll be collecting more signatures, then spending quality time with comrades – in the event of rain, we’ll meet at the DSA SF office at 1916 McAllister, instead. If you would like to volunteer to help out, you can reach out to us on the DSA SF slack or email the e-board (electoralboard@dsasf.org). We’re looking for people with cars to help transport materials and people to help run the grills.

Apply to be part of the SF Civil Grand Jury!

Every year, each county in California convenes a Civil Grand Jury to investigate local city and county government. In contrast to a criminal Grand Jury, the SF Civil Grand Jury comprises 19 ordinary residents who research and investigate any topics of their choosing related to local government, then release reports with recommendations on how to improve City government. City and county officials are required to make themselves available for interview if the Civil Grand Jury requests it, and City departments are required to respond to recommendations by the Civil Grand Jury.

If you’re interested in the details of how City government works and want to help make it function better – and like conducting interviews and deep dives on documents and records – this opportunity may be for you! The only requirements for the SF Civil Grand Jury are that you are a U.S. Citizen, and that you have been a resident of SF for one year. The time requirements are generally around 10 hours per week, but anybody who is interested in doing more research and investigation can put more time in if they would like. Finally, Civil Grand Jury service is paid and fulfills requirements like normal jury service — a maximum of $75/week is paid depending on days worked on investigations.

The deadline for application is May 13, and anybody who is interested in applying can find the application form, as well as more information, here.

Reading Groups

Learn about the history of Democratic Socialism!

The second session of the Intro to Democratic Socialism series will cover the history of the movement, from the “utopians” — Fourier, Owen, et al, to the “scientifics” — Marx, Engels, and the International Workingmen’s Association. This session will be held on Thursday, May 12 from 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister. You can also register via Zoom here.