Comrades, 

As we begin Black History Month together, we invite each of you to rediscover the rich history of Black radicalism that has helped shape our movement. We also join you in reflecting on this nation’s foundations in slavery, imperialism, and white supremacy, and the way those structures’ legacies persist in today’s society. There is no liberation for any of us under capitalism. But in order to truly build solidarity among a multiracial working-class base and reach a socialist future, we must keep working to dismantle systemic racism and all of the other oppressive structures that uphold capitalism. If we can struggle together, we can win. 

In Solidarity, 
Your Steering Committee

Upcoming Events

DSA, BDS, and Palestine Solidarity: A Panel Discussion (Sat. 2/6)

Palestine is not only a humanitarian issue, nor is it only a Palestinian issue. Palestine is a political issue with serious consequences at stake for both Palestinians and average US residents. As socialists, we recognize the interconnectedness of our struggles under capitalism. In solidarity with Palestinian civil society’s nonviolent struggle for equality, human rights, and self-determination, DSA adopted a resolution at our national convention in 2017 in support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. In 2019, DSA reaffirmed its commitment to the BDS movement by voting to establish a BDS and Palestine Solidarity national working group.

Join us on Saturday, 2/6 at 12:00 p.m. PT for a discussion and Q&A with special guests, including Omar Barghouti, Marc Lamont Hill, Sumaya Awad, and Ajamu Amiri Dillahunt, to discuss the growing and vibrant global BDS Movement, Palestine solidarity, censorship, and how socialists can join the fight!

Co-sponsored by the BDS and Palestine Solidarity National Working Group, the National Political Education Committee, DSA Muslim Caucus, and the Afrosocialists and Socialists of Color Caucus (AFROSOC).

RSVP here.

Navajo Solidarity Campaign Phonebank (Sun. 2/7)

Last week the chapter endorsed a resolution to join other DSA chapters in raising funds toward existing grassroots mutual aid relief networks in Navajo Nation. Join our next phone bank on Sunday, 2/7 from 2:00-5:00 p.m.

The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated Navajo Nation, and the destructive legacies of settler colonialism and extractive capitalism have pushed the death toll far above that of the rest of the country, and with no federal alleviation in sight. We’ll begin the phone bank with updates on the situation in Navajo Nation, and a brief discussion about how socialists can engage in meaningful indigenous solidarity work.

Please sign up in advance.

Labor Organizer Training (Starting on March 3rd)

The next semester of organizer training will begin on Wednesday, March 3rd at 5 p.m. PT and run for six weekly sessions, with alternate sessions on Sundays at 2 p.m. PT:

  • Session 1 – Leader Identification
  • Session 2 – Mapping and Charting a Workplace
  • Session 3 – The Organizing Conversation
  • Session 4 – Escalating Campaigns
  • Session 5 – Public Action and Engaging with the Boss
  • Session 6 – Inoculation and the Boss Campaign

If you want to learn more about how to organize at your own workplace or support others in doing so through EWOC, sign up for the training.

Reading Groups

The Socialist Awakening by John Judis

“The Socialist Awakening” by John Judis is one of a number of recent books considering the questions of imagining socialism in the modern world. We will take up this short book in three sessions on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. Reading discussions for this text will resume on February 2 (tonight) and February 16. If interested, please register in advance. Persons new to socialism and/or DSA welcome.

What is Fascism?

As someone once said, the history of fascism is, at the same time, the history of the theory of fascism. This reading group will explore what fascism is and why it is a severe danger to working and oppressed people. We think these writings on fascism will help provide the conceptual tools required to develop the correct strategy and tactics to fight fascism and the far-right. We’ll cover classic texts from Clara Zetkin, Antonio Gramsci, Daniel Guerin, Leon Trotsky, and Nicos Poulantzas. We’ll also read recent writing on the US far-right, including from DSA Santa Cruz comrades, who we expect to be joining us for discussion. We’ll meet on Thursdays from 6:30-8:00 p.m. beginning on February 11th.

Please register here for Zoom and reading links.

Ecosocialist Reading Group

The Ecosocialist committee’s next book will be Silvia Federici’s “Re-enchanting the World: Feminism & the Politics of the Commons”. The reading group will meet in March on the first, third, and fifth weeks, exact time TBD. If you’re interested, please register for more information.