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December 3, 2021

Gif of a lightning bolt striking a rose on top of the Capitol Building

December 3, 2021

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CONTENTS

UP FRONT
WASHINGTON SOCIALIST
BRIEFS
INFO
GOOD READS
DSA CALENDAR
COMMUNITY BULLETIN

UP FRONT

  • National DSA sets new Steering Committee for Green New Deal Campaign Commission

  • Candidates being considered for chapter endorsement — next candidate Q&A session this Sunday at 2pm

  • Steering candidate forum — Monday, December 6 from 7 to 9pm

National DSA sets new Steering Committee for Green New Deal Campaign Commission

The GNDCC carries on and deepens the campaigns for the PRO Act/Green New Deal for Public Schools. Our new NPC member from Metro DC DSA, Ashik S, is co-chair. 

Eleven members comprise the new Steering Committee (SC) of DSA’s Green New Deal Campaign Commission (GNDCC). The 2021 GND Priority Resolution, passed at this year’s convention, tasks the SC with coordinating DSA’s national Green New Deal campaign work — designing external campaign strategy, recruiting and cultivating organizers, establishing internal campaign infrastructure and acting as national representatives of DSA in climate and labor coalitions, with the ultimate goal of winning an ecosocialist Green New Deal consistent with DSA’s GND Principles.

This year’s PRO Act and GND for Public Schools Campaigns were only the beginning of our work. For the next two years, SC plans on building on that work of mass, labor-oriented campaigns to make DSA a major influence on national — and international — climate policy. New members are Nafis Hasan (Philly); Sarah Arkebauer (St. Louis); Jeff Glass (Austin); Fares Abdullah (at large, CA); Daniel Goulden (NYC); Poornima Tata (West Suburban IL); Devin Collins (Jacksonville); Marc Krause (Los Angeles); Johnathan Guy (East Bay); Nadia Schwartz Tykulsker (NYC); Abhiyant Singh (NYC); and our co-chairs are NPC members Gustavo Gordillo and Ashik Siddique. Slack Note: Future work and discussion will take place on the Workers & the World Unite Slack. MDC DSA members can inquire here about signing up for that channel. The GNDCC will pursue external political influence and working-class formation as outlined in our Theory of Power. This work can’t happen without the sustained participation of chapters, so … Want to help build support in MDC DSA? Email greennewdeal@dsacommittees.org or tweet @DSAecosocialism.

Candidates being considered for chapter endorsement — next candidate Q&A session this Sunday at 2pm

At least five chapter members have sponsored a resolution in favor of endorsing nine candidates running for office in Maryland and DC for the 2022 primary cycle. These candidates received a first read during the November 14 general body meeting.

Below are the endorsement resolutions and candidate questionnaires for all candidates under consideration, as well as recordings of Q&A sessions for those who have been interviewed thus far:

Brandy Brooks (Montgomery County County, At-Large), Adam Cunningham (Maryland State Senate, District 39) and Saqib Ali (Maryland House of Delegates, District 15) will join the Montgomery County Branch’s meeting this weekend on December 5 at 2pm, and a Q&A session is being arranged for Zachary Parker to take place within the next two weeks.

The membership will hear from candidates and debate on candidate endorsements during the 2021 local convention in December. This debate will be followed by an online vote on endorsements via OpaVote. We will also arrange space for members to provide statements in support or in opposition to candidates as we’ve done in the past so that members can make informed decisions on voting.

An overview of our Metro DC DSA endorsement process has been added to the endorsements page of the chapter’s website, where you can also find a more detailed endorsement handbook. Keep an eye on these updates or visit the #electoral channel on our chapter Slack to stay in the loop. For questions, chapter members should email pec@mdcdsa.org or post in the #electoral channel. Members can also message the Political Engagement Committee members on Slack directly. Slack usernames for members of the PEC are: @irene (she/her) (Chair), @Abel A., @Brian W. (he/him), @amortell and @Nicole Z (she/her).

Steering candidate forum — Monday, December 6 from 7 to 9pm

The chapter’s Steering Committee term ends this month and the chapter’s Internal Elections Facilitation Department (IEFD) continues with the following timeline:

  • All MDC DSA members in good standing should have received an email detailing the nominating process on November 22 (though the time for nominations has passed);
  • Nominees who have received the required five-member nominations for candidacy must decide/declare by December 4, and a candidate forum is scheduled for Monday, December 6 from 7 to 9pm (see details below);
  • Candidates will also have time to make their pitches at the local convention, scheduled for a half day Saturday, December 11 and a full day if necessary Sunday, December 12.

More, and continually updated, info can be viewed by members on MDC DSA’s Slack channel #dec-2021-convention-steering-election where issue discussion and slate formation takes place in real time. You can also check out our internal elections resource on our website.

On Monday, December 6, Metro DC DSA will be hosting a virtual candidate forum. The forum will be a relaxed event meant to provide an opportunity for members to get to know who the candidates are and understand their perspective on socialist organizing. The two-hour session will be recorded and be made available for viewing for the remainder of the internal election cycle. If you are a new or lapsed member of the DSA, this is a great way to plug in and get to understand how the chapter is organized.

If you believe you didn’t get the November 22 email but should have, or have any questions, please post in the #steering channel on the chapter’s Slack platform or send an email to info@mdcdsa.org.

You can view all nominated steering candidates on this page, which will be updated to show candidates who have accepted nominations.

WASHINGTON SOCIALIST

We’ve got a short stack of articles this month. We’ll be including a few additional articles on the local DSA convention in the next two weeks. Don’t forget to register, comrades …

Howard University Students Win Demands through Protest

DSA Chapters Call On Biden to Lift Blockade on Medical Supplies to Cuba

Election Roundup 2021

November Evergreens

BRIEFS

NoVA Winter Social — TOMORROW from 5:30 to 9pm

The NoVA Branch is hosting a winter social at the Continental Pool Lounge in Rosslyn this Saturday, December 4 from 5:30 to 9pm! All in the chapter are welcome; our only request is that all attendees be vaccinated. You can RSVP to the event here. We’ll also be running a “Red Elephant” exchange. Sign up here.

M4A working group to screen documentary The War on Cuba — TOMORROW at sPACYcLOUd Lounge

This Saturday, December 4, the Metro DC DSA Medicare for All team is hosting a screening of The War on Cuba, an award-winning documentary series that takes an in-depth look at the economic war waged by US sanctions and examines the political and electoral interests driving US policy. The screening will take place at sPACYcLOUd Lounge in Adams Morgan from 8 to 11pm. RSVP here! 

Masks and vaccination cards are required upon entry

Metro DC DSA Local Convention in TWO WEEKS — Saturday, Dec 11

Our chapter’s local convention will be held virtually this month on Saturday, December 11 and Sunday, December 12. The convention will serve as an opportunity for our members to meet and discuss the priorities for the next year and beyond. 

The current convention agenda is as follows: 

  • Saturday, December 11, 3 – 6pm ET. Statements from Steering Committee candidates and debate on the chapter’s endorsement of electoral candidates. There will be debate but no live voting on Saturday. Instead, voting in the Steering Committee election and for electoral candidates will be available to all chapter members and will occur via OpaVote email ballots.
  • Sunday, December 12, 11am – 5:30pm ET. Debate and voting on priorities, the chapter budget, amendments to the bylaws and resolutions. There will be debate and live voting on Sunday.

Delegates are encouraged to register ahead of time at this link. If you register the day of, it is likely you will miss a portion of the deliberation. Following registration, you will receive an email with your delegate credentials. All members in good standing who have been members since November 11, 2021 are eligible to serve as delegates to the local convention.

Below are the bylaw amendments and resolutions we received for debate and vote at convention. The period to submit resolutions and bylaw amendments closed on November 28, 2021. 

Bylaw Amendments:

BA1: Increase the Minimum Requirements for a Priority Campaign
BA2: Transition Metro DC DSA to a More BIPOC-Led Organization
BA3: Allowing for Absorption of Certain Recurring Priority Campaign Expenses into the Operating Budget
BA4: Amend MDC DSA Bylaws to create a Member Engagement Committee
BA5: Metro DC DSA Steering Committee Election Bylaw Amendment

Resolutions:

R1: Initiative 82 Resolution
R2: WITHDRAWN
R3: International Working Class Accountability and Solidarity
R4: Building Electoral Accountability
R5: Building Electoral Power: Districts, Recruitment, and Accountability

Please use this form to submit any amendments to the above bylaw amendments and resolutions. Amendments will be accepted any time between now and December 7 at 11:59pm ET. Amendments must have one sponsor and at least three co-sponsors. Any submissions that do not meet this threshold will not be considered.

If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to Kareem E. on Slack (@Kareem E) or by sending an email to the chapter Steering Committee at steering-all@mdcdsa.org. 

BRIEFING!

Metro DC DSA chapter signs on to statement from the BDS Statement — National DSA issues formal statement RE Rep Bowman

On Tuesday, November 30th, Metro DC DSA’s Steering Committee voted 5–4 (two abstentions) to sign on to a statement from DSA’s BDS and Palestine working group:

Bowman’s decision to attend this J Street propaganda trip not only runs counter to his purported values as a DSA endorsed candidate, but it also comes on the heels of his “yes” vote supporting an additional $1 billion of our taxpayer money being sent to fund Israel’s Iron Dome. These actions are completely out of line with DSA’s principles, policies and resolutions, which call for active support of the BDS movement. DSA must continue to unequivocally stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and in opposition to colonialism, imperialism, and racism in all their various forms. Voting to send additional military funds to an apartheid, settler-colonial state and following that up with a luxurious trip to the region where the vast majority of Palestinians are barred from entry is antithetical to DSA’s aforementioned values …

For now, it is of the utmost importance that the NPC not shirk its responsibility to its membership, Palestine Solidarity partners, and Palestinians everywhere by seriously exploring the types of accountability mechanisms (i.e. censure and/or expulsion) that DSA members are calling for, not just for Bowman, but for all endorsed candidates who are consistently and substantially out of step with DSA’s positions on any platform issue. 

Last night, DSA’s NPC released the following statement announcing that they have chosen not to expel Rep Bowman from DSA.

This issue has been fast moving and orients a question many on the left frequently ask themselves: how do we hold politicians to commitments and promises? If you’ve been out of the loop and are looking to orient yourself on the issue, these pieces may help you out:

BRIEFING!

Holding the line on DC’s rent freeze

At the beginning of the pandemic last year, the District Council imposed a rent freeze on all rental units in DC. This rent freeze is set to expire on December 31st and will risk leaving many DC tenants vulnerable to massive rent increases and a new wave of evictions. Cities that allowed their rental freeze to lapse have observed rental increases of up to 40%.

District residents are urged to sign on to the Reclaim Rent Control coalition’s petition demanding the District Council hold DC’s rent freeze in place. Affordability in the District was bad before and throughout the pandemic — the city must keep measures in place to keep this city for the working class residents. On December 7th the Reclaim Rent Control coalition will be hosting a seminar to go over the details of DC’s rent freeze expiration, options for tenants and the plan for pushing back against pandemic lapses.

Sign Up for Winter Reading Clubs (Jan and Feb) Now!

You’re invited to join short Winter Reading Clubs hosted by Metro DC DSA beginning in January! These Clubs will cover key concepts in socialism in just a few sessions with short readings, beginning in the second week of January and running through mid-February. These Clubs are for people looking to meet comrades, people starting their political education, people who can’t meet season-long and everyone who wants to learn more in the new year! Groups include Debates in Socialism, Ecosocialism, Socialism 101, Hegemony and Socialist Strategy and Pedagogy of the Oppressed. You don’t have to be a member to join (invite your friends!) — everyone is welcome! The form also includes an option to connect with “Imagined Worlds, Real Futures,” an AAJIL bimonthly reading and writing lab and community learning space. Sign up here!

Stay on the lookout for the season-long Spring reading groups beginning early March, including Capital Vol. 1, Black Marxism, Socfem, Marx at the Movies and so much more.

The national DSA M4A campaign is recruiting for 2022!

The DSA M4A Steering Committee is getting ready for the coming year, and we are now recruiting members to our Regional Organizing and Communications teams! Are you passionate about M4A? Have you organized M4A work in your chapter? And are you interested in helping other chapters start their M4A work? 

Join the Regional Organizing team, and help engage chapters in the M4A campaign! The Regional Organizer team is a team of DSA members who help track chapter engagement with M4A work by reaching out to chapters and supporting chapter-level M4A organizers in developing, launching and sustaining their M4A work. 

Do you love to post? Are you a graphic design enthusiast? Are you a writer or editor who has something to say about M4A? Join the Communications team! The Communications team helps run the M4A social media, website, blog and more! 

The time commitment for each of these roles is ~2 hours / week, although, there is plenty of room on the campaign for people who are interested in getting more or less involved in the campaign. 2022 is going to be a busy year for Medicare for All organizing, so we will need all hands on deck! Email medicareforall@dsacommittees.org if you have any questions!

Rally for Better Bargaining Rights for Virginia Workers — Tuesday, December 7

Ahead of the Virginia School Board Association meeting in Charlottesville on Tuesday, December 7, the Virginia Caucus of Rank and File Educators will be holding a rally on Monday, December 6 to advocate for a better bargain for public workers. City Council will have their first discussion on collective bargaining at the Council meeting on December 6. Join organized labor in Virginia to stand in solidarity with both educators and our city workers. RSVP here!

The rally will be held at 4:45pm at 546 E Market St in Charlottesville, VA. Comrades interested in attending can check out the #labor channel on our chapter’s Slack to learn more.

Mayor Bowser breaks up encampment at NJ+O

Despite the onset of winter and the ongoing pandemic — as well as CDC guidance against evicting homeless encampments during COVID — Mayor Bowser’s government began clearing an encampment at New Jersey Ave and O St NW yesterday afternoon, destroying homes and possessions, with reports of government officials and MPD shoving and removing observers from the scene. Residents were offered temporary hotel rooms without clear indications of how long they can stay, and reportedly threatened with arrests and a 7pm curfew. This is only the latest aggression by Bowser’s government towards our houseless neighbors.

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INFO ACCESS

Hardly a monolith — a big tent organization like MDC DSA is no homogenous pudding but a swarm. Here are our internal formations and campaigns, articulated and active, with contact info. See something missing or have new information about your activity or campaign? Contact the MDC DSA infosphere at thesocialist@mdcdsa.org, and we’ll work with you to get it freshened.

This is our December 2021 newsletter, the Washington Socialist, with articles lovingly embedded in the usual wrapper of our Friday Update, received as email by ~7,000 leftists in the DMV. About half are MDC DSA members in good standing. If you are not, join here. The Weekly Update publication schedule for this last month of 2021 is Fridays, December 10, 17 and 24, and we’ll publish the first Washington Socialist of 2022 (January) on the very last day of 2021, Friday, December 31.

Between Friday publications of the Update, MDC DSA members can keep up with fast-breaking activities and news — and participate in the activist traffic — on MDC DSA Slack. If you are a member in good standing and want to get on Slack, contact info@mdcdsa.org using the email by which national DSA knows you.

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DSA CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Saturday, December 4

2pm | Defund MPD WG Autumn Potluck

5:30 – 9pm | NoVA Winter Social

8 – 11pm | Screening of The War on Cuba documentary

Sunday, December 5

1 – 2pm | Veterans for Socialism Study Group
Link here — reading The Socialist Manifesto, ch. 5

2 – 4:30pm | MoCo Branch MDC DSA December Branch Meeting

Monday, December 6

7 – 9pm | MDC DSA Steering Committee Candidates Forum

Tuesday, December 7

7 – 8pm Defund MPD Comms Meeting

Wednesday, December 8

6:30 – 7:30pm | Defund MPD research meeting

8 – 9pm | Why You Should Join DSA/New Member Orientation

Thursday, December 9 

7 – 8:30pm | MDC DSA Internationalism Working Group December Meeting

8 – 9pm | Defund MPD Organizational Outreach Meeting

Saturday, December 11

3 – 6pm | Metro DC DSA Annual Chapter Convention

Sunday, December 12

11am – 6pm | Metro DC DSA Annual Chapter Convention

Monday, December 13

6 – 7:30pm | Defund MPD Working Group Meeting

Wednesday, December 15

8 – 9pm | Why You Should Join DSA/New Member Orientation

Thursday, December 16

7 – 8:30pm | NoVA Branch Monthly Organizing Meeting

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COMMUNITY BULLETIN

Sunday, December 5, 3 – 5pm | Raising Anti-Bias Children

Truth School virtual session with Tiffany Jewell and Gwen Agna

Thursday, December 9, 6 – 8pm | The ABC’s of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Truth School virtual session with Jennifer Moyston

Sunday, December 12, 2:30 – 5pm | Taste of DC Peace Team

Join the DC Peace Team for an afternoon of learning and community building. This event will include five mini-sessions on Active Bystander Intervention and Deescalation, Restorative Justice, Unarmed Civilian Protection, Non-Violent Communication and Anti-Racism to give participants a tour of their signature trainings.

Wednesday, December 15, 6 – 7:30pm | Douglass Community Land Trust Annual Meeting

Members of the Douglass Community Land Trust will get to celebrate, elect representatives to the Board of Directors, vote on a Resale Formula for Homeownership and mingle over Zoom! Not a member? You can learn more about what membership entails and sign up for their orientation for new and prospective members on January 5, 2022 at 5:30pm.

Help launch a limited-equity cooperative and mutual aid hub in Ward 1 | Baldwin House

DC Ward 1 Mutual Aid and tenants are working to purchase a small building on Sherman Ave NW to establish a limited-equity housing cooperative and community mutual aid hub. They’re raising an initial $300,000 by December 31 to provide immediate support to residents and take foundational steps to acquire the building. Contribute to their Baldwin House Nest Egg! You can also learn more about limited-equity cooperatives by watching Bernie Book Club’s town hall.

ShutdownDC | Direct Action Training

Local protest outfit ShutdownDC is hosting a direct action trainings this weekend in preparation for Deadline for Democracy mobilizations taking place on December 7. The trainings will take place at Petworth United Methodist Church in DC.

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GOOD READS / ESSENTIAL TRAFFIC

Kim Moody explores the significance of Striketober 2021: what it means and — just as importantly — what it doesn’t. TX to our comrade Dave R for bringing this our way.

Just published from our member David Schwartzman and his son Peter, Mayor of Galesburg, IL (also a DSAer): “Can the 1.5 ℃ warming target be met in a global transition to 100% renewable energy?”

“By looking at how governments buy food, we can start to understand how systems like procurement can affect public health outcomes or inequalities.” Katya Abazajain in Civic Source on using data to help local governments buy better food. Plus, read this interview in Guernica with Karen Washington on food apartheid and taking an intersectional approach to advocate for a better food system.

From historian Jill Lepore in The Guardian via Portside, a longread on the fabric of society, what binds it, what rips it. Is there a mending? “What’s needed is nothing less than a new social contract for public goods, environmental protection, sustainable agriculture, public health, community centres, public education, grants for small businesses, public funding for the arts. It won’t be a new New Deal. The dangers are graver because decades of a world, both real and virtual, shaped by Reaganism and Thatcherism, has left the waters rising, all around us, and the forests on fire. Governments rest on a social contract, an agreement to live together. That contract needs renewing.” 

“Who has the decision-making power over land?” asked Duron Chavis, an activist from Richmond and board member of the Central Virginia Agrarian Commons. A new land-trust model in central Virginia aims to secure rural farmlands for affordable housing and agricultural practice and to acquire commercial property in Richmond to distribute agricultural products. Via Public News Service.

The flame of thought, the magnificence of art, the wonder of discovery, and the audacity of invention all belong to revolutionary periods when humanity, tired of the chains of its restrictions, shatters them, and stops inebriated to breathe the breeze of a vaster and freer horizon.

–Virgilia D’Andrea

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