Comrades,

May Day is this Sunday – time to show up and show the bosses how strong we are when we’re all together! DSA SF will be part of the International Workers’ Day march this Sunday, May 1, and we want everyone to show up! The march will start at the Embarcadero outside the Ferry Building at 9:30 a.m. and will recreate the historic 1934 march up Market Street, ending at Civic Center with a rally.

We’ll be there to assert the power of the working class, and to continue to push the Empty Homes Tax forward, getting more signatures towards our goal of getting it on the ballot. Want to join in? We’re meeting up at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister at 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning, so we can head over and march together – be sure to wear red! If you want to meet us at the Embarcadero, be sure to be there by 9:00 a.m. to make sure you march with the rest of the chapter. Just look for the red flags! 

Before and after the march, the Electoral Board will be out collecting signatures to get the Empty Homes Tax on the ballot – the more folks we have out collecting the signatures, the closer we get to making landlords pay for withholding housing from our neighbors. To make sure we show up in force, we’ll also be holding a phonebank tomorrow evening, April 27, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., also at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister. Hope to see you there – and hope to see you marching down Market Street with the workers of the Bay Area this Sunday!

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Events

🌹 Wednesday, 4/27 (5:00 p.m.):  Phonebank for International Workers’ Day March (in person at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister St)

🌹 Saturday, 4/30 (4:00 p.m.):  Tech Labor Circle Meetup (in person at Fly Bar on 762 Divisadero St)

🌹 Sunday, 5/1 (8:30 a.m.):  International Workers’ Day March (meet at DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister St or at the Embarcadero in front of the Ferry Building by 9:00 a.m.)

🌹 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)


For more events, click here.

Announcements

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 14, and anybody who is interested in applying can find the application form, as well as more information, here.

Meet fellow tech workers at Fly Bar!

Do you work in tech in SF? Are you jealous of workers in other industries who are winning union election after union election? Join DSA SF’s Tech Labor Circle for a meetup at Fly Bar next Saturday, April 30, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. to get to know other tech workers who are interested in growing labor power in their own company and in the industry at large. Bring your ideas for ways to bring power to the workers!

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 McAllisterYou can also register via Zoom here.

In Case You Missed It

Phone bank for tenants’ rights!

The Daybreak PAC is hosting weekly phone banks every Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. where we call District 5 tenants. It’s a great chance for DSA members to help protect tenants from eviction and assist folks in applying for rent relief!