From Our Co-Chair: A Vision for Memphis Midsouth DSA 2025
To my comrades, fellow travelers, and the people of West Tennessee,
My name is Liam. I am a new co-chair for the Memphis Midsouth chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.
I want to share with you updates from our chapter. You should know something of what to expect from us in 2025.
In these uncertain times, a cohort of promising officers have stepped up to take responsibility and contribute to our socialist movement, as well as a broader culture of organizing in our state. A surge of new members has also connected with the chapter, and DSA nationally. This means we have the potential to grow significantly in our capacity.
Our current position was made possible by diligent organizing over the last year. Our chapter went from being nearly defunct in 2023 to organizing some of the largest meetings in our chapter’s history. During that same time, we have begun actively contributing to workplace organizing, mutual aid, and more. Our network currently numbers in the hundreds, and new people are getting involved nearly every week. This growth is exciting and gives us reasons to feel hopeful.
But, we must transform our newly minted comrades into cohorts of skilled organizers who build strong networks with working people outside of our organization, including those already doing vital work.
It is my hope that as we train a growing membership, our chapter can contribute to building institutions that can resist naked rule by the ultra-rich in the United States, and the politicians in our state who oppress the most vulnerable.
By building institutions deliberately, wisely, and well, we can prepare for future conflict by organizing for power.
From this, I want to list four principles I plan to advocate for among Memphis socialists.
We should:
1) Be an organization of organizers who organize others.
2) Actively support pro-people efforts around us with respect and in good faith.
3) Be consistently with the people and unfailingly reliable. We should build strong relationships on that basis.
4) Be humble such that we are good apprentices in struggle when it is appropriate to be so. That means learning from organizers in the trenches in Memphis, from experts, and from the people. We should learn from veteran socialists, strategy, and our history. We have so much to learn, and our chapter is a relatively new player in the field. We should have a spirit of investigation in order to be effective.
In short, we should consolidate our gains, support important efforts by others, and prepare to make bigger contributions in the future.
I believe we can achieve this together. This will strengthen our efforts to build the power of working people over politics, the economy, and our lives.
Let me close by saying, I understand Memphis Midsouth DSA has gone through several phases. At this stage, I will fiercely advocate for practices that simultaneously promote our effectiveness, organizational stability, security, and accountability. I hope this becomes apparent as you see more and more of our chapter around.
I write to you in solidarity, hoping that we can build alongside one another right now and prepare for the future. We have a world to win.
Liam Wright
Co-Chair, Memphis Midsouth Democratic Socialists of America
The post From Our Co-Chair: A Vision for Memphis Midsouth DSA 2025 first appeared on Memphis-Midsouth DSA.
Wildfires Devastate Los Angeles County Communities
Thorn West: Issue No. 223
| Last week, several explosive and destructive wildfires erupted across LA County. Over 25 casualties have been reported, and many thousands of homes have been destroyed in and around the communities of Altadena and Palisades Park. DSA-LA has put together this evolving emergency resource guide, containing news and organizing opportunities. |
State Politics
- In response to the devastation of the ongoing wildfires in LA County, Governor Newsom has proposed a 2.5 billion aid package. Newsom also called for the suspension of some environmental laws that he argued would impede rebuilding.
- Newsom also published an open letter inviting incoming president Trump to tour the areas devastated by wildfires. Trump has incoherently blamed environmental conservation policy for causing the fires, and threatened to withhold disaster relief.
- On Friday, the Governor released an early draft of the proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. Though drafted before the wildfires, the budget forecasts a small and unexpected surplus after two years of heavy shortfalls.
City Politics
- LA Public Press breaks down the controversy surrounding recent budget cuts to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Many departments experienced cuts after hundreds of millions of dollars were committed to raises for LAPD officers. More granular breakdown here.
- Former mayoral candidate and real estate billionaire Rick Caruso, who has been outspoken in his criticism of Mayor Karen Bass’ handling of the fires, hired private firefighters to protect his Palisades mall while local public hydrants ran out of water.
- In response to the wildfires, Los Angeles has extended the filing period to register as a candidate for Neighborhood Council elections, and also made it for Neighborhood Councils to issue monetary grants to local nonprofits.
Housing Rights
- The wildfires have been followed by rampant price gouging on rent, as landlords attempt to profit from the devastation. While citizens have responded by collaborating on a rent-gouging spreadsheet (here), the State Attorney General has vowed to investigate and prosecute landlords in violation of the price gouging laws; violations can also be reported here.
- A motion from Councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martinez and Eunisses Hernandez would reintroduce COVID policies mandating a blanket temporary rent freeze, as well a moratorium on evicting tenants affected by the fires, but the city council postponed voting on it.
- LA Public Press documents the work of unhoused communities and advocates in developing networks of mutual aid during the wildfires.
- Grist puts the recent fires in the context of the rapidly rising cost of homeowner insurance in California, and the recent state attempts to regulate and reform the market. Meanwhile, The New Republic debunks the myth that insurance companies are being “forced” to raise rates, rather than using disasters as an opportunity to maintain and increase profits.
Immigration
- In neighboring Kern County, Border Patrol agents conducted a massive raid, targeting agricultural workers for detainment and deportation – a return to the practice of frequent workplace raids carried out during the first Trump administration.
- Capital & Main explores how immigrant communities mobilized local relief efforts to help navigate the wildfires.
Local Media
- As false information about the wildfires is proliferating, The Institute for Nonprofit News is offering grants for local independent news sources covering the wildfires.
Environmental Justice
- Climate protesters with Sunrise Movement LA rallied outside a facility operated by oil company Phillips 66, and 16 demonstrators stormed the facility’s office building. The protestors demanded that the oil industry accept financial responsibility for the damages caused by current wildfires.
- Why does climate change lead to more dangerous wildfire seasons? Not only because of the longer dry seasons, but also because of the wild swings between drought and heavy rain.
- KCRW conducted a panel discussion (available in English and Spanish) on the impact of the wildfires on air quality in Los Angeles.
The post Wildfires Devastate Los Angeles County Communities appeared first on The Thorn West.
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Fix the CTA Campaign Statement on the Metropolitan Mobility Act
The Metropolitan Mobility Act (MMA) which was introduced before the Illinois General Assembly last year fails to address the most consequential issues plaguing our public transit in Chicago.
Merely rolling three existing agencies into one does nothing to improve the poor working conditions at the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), where high turnover and understaffing are delaying service and leaving routes undercrewed.
By itself, the MMA also fails to provide needed equitable funding that would boost the attractiveness of transit as an alternative to driving. The proposed administrative board resembles the existing hodgepodge of leadership and would provide no advantage to the existing CTA administrative board.
Absent are the voices of workers and riders. The sole, non-elected, and non-voting representative of organized labor appointed by the governor is not what transit leadership needs.
What transit leadership needs is for workers and riders to have a direct say in the future of public transit. Through transportation board members elected by and accountable to workers and riders, we will build an equitable, responsive transit system that benefits all.
While the MMA signals that the legislature is paying some attention to Illinoisan transportation needs, lawmakers must go further than an administrative reshuffle. They must reform and establish a transportation board elected by, and accountable to, workers and riders.
The post Fix the CTA Campaign Statement on the Metropolitan Mobility Act appeared first on Midwest Socialist.
