Comrades,
As we prepare for the Chapter Convention in June, it’s time to reflect on our year organizing. In the second year of the pandemic, we have faced deep and bitter challenges as an organization. Many people have given up on politics as a force for change and many of our own members have had to scale back their activity in the chapter. This is not a springtime for socialism in the United States. Many people are so focused on getting by each day that the hope required to participated in politics simply isn’t there.
But it is during these hard times that organizations can develop collective consciousness through the everyday struggle. It’s just us. We all own the decisions we make. All the resolutions and bylaws amendments we’ll hear at the Convention will be written by members like you. All the candidates we will vote on were once new members who decided that they were ready to build something bigger than themselves. The socialist movement is made up of people, and it is through our people that we will win power.
If you are a member of DSA SF, we ask you to participate fully in the Chapter Convention, with all sincerity and comradely trust.
Solidarity,
DSA SF Comms Committee
Events
🌹 Saturday, 5/21 (12:00 p.m.): Chapter pre-convention meeting (Zoom)
🌹 Sunday, 5/22 (12:00 p.m.): Empty Homes Tax Mobilization and BBQ (in person at Golden Gate Park, corner of Stanyan and Haight)
🌹 Wednesday, 6/8 (7:00 p.m.): Venezuelan Feminists Tour (in person at 518 Valencia)
Nakba March & Learning From Venezuela
Following the murder by Israeli forces of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Nakba Day demonstrations were held last week across the world. Nakba refers to the brutal ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and the near-total destruction of Palestine society in 1948 , and yearly demonstrations are held to commemorate the loss of sovereignty and dignity. But beyond mourning the loss of the past, Nakba Day (May 15) is about imagining a future free of settler mentality, police states, and apartheid. It is a message that applies far beyond the context of Palestine; the brutalized and subjugated people of San Francisco also cry out for liberation from paramilitary police – many of whom are trained in brutal Israeli police tactics through the Deadly Exchange – and the white supremacy that is deeply engrained in the fabric of the United States.
Our very own Savannah K. supported the organizing of the demonstration and was there to photograph the moments of resistance and solidarity.
Learn from Venezuelan Feminists Firsthand on June 8
Join us on June 8 at 7:00 p.m. at 518 Valencia to hear from 3 Venezuelan feminists about their firsthand experiences, how US sanctions disproportionately impacted women and children, and how we as socialists can build our solidarity with Venezuelans and against US imperialism. This event will provide interpretation services. Register: dsasf.org/vzlafeminists
This is a unique opportunity for people in the U.S. to hear directly and in-person from Venezuelans that are impacted by the sanctions, so it’d be a meaningful experience that you wouldn’t want to miss out on!
About our guests:
Mónica is a professor and arts administrator who writes a weekly column. Anggie is a Wayuu activist and educator on Indigenous, sexual & reproductive rights. Yolimar is an industrial engineer & is part of the internationalist brigade of Brazil’s Landless Workers Movement (MST) in Venezuela.
Announcements
The Empty Homes Tax BBQ is this Sunday!
This Sunday, May 22 is our big Empty Homes Tax BBQ! We’ll once again be collecting signatures, followed by a BBQ, starting at Golden Gate Park at 12:00 p.m. at the corner of Stanyan and Haight. In the event of rain, we’ll meet at the DSA SF office at 1916 McAllister, instead. Come help get this measure on the ballot, then spend some quality time with comrades!
If you would like to volunteer to help us put on the BBQ, you can reach out to the Electoral Board on the DSA SF slack or email them at electoralboard@dsasf.org. People with cars to help transport materials and people to help run the grills are needed!
Get involved with the Homelessness Working Group!
As comrades may know, Homelessness Working Group has reactivated its tent distribution/replacement project started in 2019. Over the past weeks, members have been distributing dozens of tents to people sleeping rough on the streets and in need of survival gear. The tent distro subcommittee has engaged with allied groups, such as Food Not Bombs and Rad Mission Neighbors, to distribute tents and gear at joint events. Members have also walked neighborhoods handing out gear to people.
HWG members also continue to work on the Hotels Not Hospitals project, which has been housing people for nearly 2 years! Started in early-2020 and endorsed by the Chapter in the summer of 2020, HNH began renting hotel rooms for people abandoned by the City to living on the street during the pandemic. In March 2021, HNH helped our formerly unhoused partners secure apartments and has been helping them with rent and other issues since.
Want to join in on this work? Drop in on a Homelessness Working Group meeting – meetings are every other Monday evening, from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. For more information or for a Zoom link to the meetings, please reach out to homelessness@dsasf.org or find them on Slack.
Help decide the direction of DSA SF for the next year!
Our yearly chapter convention is tentatively scheduled for June 12-13. We are now soliciting priority resolutions for consideration to be a chapter priority for 2022-2023. You can read more about this process and all the pre-convention work here on the forum.
We will be holding a pre-convention meeting this Saturday, May 21 at 12:00 p.m. on Zoom, which is the final deadline to introduce your priority resolution before the convention! Register for the pre-convention meeting on Zoom here.
Additionally, nominations for 2022-2023 Steering Committee and Grievance Officer will open after the April meeting and continue until the May regular meeting. Please contact steering@dsasf.org for more information.
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