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MADSA’s 13th annual Douglass-Debs awards dinner at Paschal’s restaurant Nov. 9 was a great success. The dinner has been our main fundraiser, enabling us to help our allies and pay our expenses, while honoring leaders of our progressive community and networking with friends and fellow activists from the unions, civil rights and other movements.

This year’s keynote speaker was Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO. That title doesn’t begin to suggest her inspiring, yet down-to-earth oratory, lifting all of us to support labor’s struggles — an especially relevant message right now, as her union just launched a campaign to organize Delta workers! She quoted widely from historic figures such as Mother Jones, Fredrick Douglass and Eugene Victor Debs, and from her own experience as a worker and a woman, assuring us that “Solidarity is stronger than gravity!” Watch her speak here!

Other moving tributes followed to the awardees:
1) The Highlander Research and Education Center, a key resource for progressive organizers since the 1930s (now located in New Market, TN) lost their main building to a right-wing arson attack earlier this year but continues their work undeterred. Member Eric Robertson explained that the award recognizes the continued importance of the center to the current movement for human rights, worker rights and racial justice as well as its role in nurturing such historic figures as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks. As the Center was holding its own board meeting that weekend, Annie Thomas, regional organizer for Project South, accepted the award in Highlander’s behalf.

2) Georgia State Representative Renitta Shannon was recognized for her courageous service as one of a few progressive members of the Georgia General Assembly, standing up for women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and immigrant rights. Her friend Charmaine Davis, SE regional administrator of the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Women’s Bureau, recalled her friendship with Renitta and the awardee’s inspiring career.

3) To top off the celebration, we gave one of our special awards — for “creative activism” — to our own Daniel Hanley, well known for his leadership in every kind of direct action, most recently with the Light Brigade, which provides illuminated signage and projects uplifting slogans onto Atlanta’s night-time cityscape during demonstrations. MADSA founder Milt Tambor presented the award by noting many instances of Daniel’s commitment, courage and creativity — the essential makings of an activist — since he joined MADSA several years ago.

You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting at 99.5 FM and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com or sign-up for our newsletter to get links to what we talk about on the show. You can do that on at our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com. You can also find us on twitter @nycRPM.

West Suburban IL DSA, in the strongest possible terms, condemns the right-wing coup against legitimately elected Bolivian president Evo Morales. Morales has long championed the struggle of workers and indigenous peoples during his presidency, and this bald faced attempt to subvert the democratic will of the people through military might is an affront to the working people of the world. We call for the immediate reinstatement of Evo Morales as president of Bolivia, and an end to the violence against MAS supporters. No coup in Bolivia! DSA stands with Evo! #ElMundoConEvo

You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute Underground on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting from the occupied studios and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com or sign-up for our newslettser to get links to what we talk about on the show. You can do that on at our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com. You can also find us on twitter @nycRPM

On Nov. 1, Metro Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America brought our own “lanterns” to the Grant Park Halloween Lantern Parade, where observers broke into spontaneous chants of “ABOLISH ICE!” and “Bernie, Bernie!”

All the kids in costume wanted photos taken with the Bernie signs, clearly because they appreciate a political movement capable of addressing the apocalyptic crises of capitalism in their lifetime. (Or they just liked the cool glow of 400 LEDs.)

As small crowds gathered around the signs for photos, MADSA members shared details of Bernie’s agenda for democracy and socialism, along with buttons expressing related demands.

You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting at 99.5 FM and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com or sign-up for our newsletter to get links to what we talk about on the show. You can do that on at our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com. You can also find us on twitter @nycRPM.

At our October 26th meeting, Metro Atlanta DSA voted to endorse member Andrea Cervone in her re-election campaign for Clarkston City Council. In her time on City Council, she has helped build Clarkston into one of the most progressive cities in the South. In this election, she hopes to win a mandate to broaden the coverage of Clarkston’s non-discrimination ordinance to protect workers on housing assistance; to extend the right to vote in municipal elections to all lawful residents, not just citizens; and to expand the city’s recently piloted participatory budgeting program.

MADSA members plan to help canvass for Andrea in Clarkston on Sunday, November 3rd, ahead of the November 5th election day. MADSA chair Councilman khalid, who serves on the City Council of South Fulton, said he hopes MADSA can become a strong voice in local politics while also continuing our efforts for Bernie Sanders’ presidential candidacy. If you’re interested in running for office or helping with MADSA’s electoral work, contact the electoral committee via email at electoral@madsa.ga.
(MADSA electoral committee breakout session at meeting. Photo: Reid Freeman Jenkins)

You’re listening to Revolution Per Minute Underground on listener sponsored WBAI in NYC broadcasting from the occupied studios and streaming on your favorite podcast app. To connect with us after the show you can email us at revolutionsnyc@gmail.com or sign-up for our newslettser to get links to what we talk about on the show. You can do that on at our website revolutionsperminute.simplecast.com. You can also find us on twitter @nycRPM.

Daniel Soyer is professor at Fordham and a scholar of American Jewish history. He is a co-editor, along with Irena Klepfisz, of The Stars Bear Witness: The Jewish Labor Bund 1897 - 2017. Our interview with him is the second of a two-part series on the Jewish Labor Bund; it covers the origins and operations of the Bund in Eastern Europe, American Bundist history, as well as how Jewish immigrant communities formed the backbone of socialist political activity in NYC and throughout America. Our music is “Made and Broken” by Hugel. Support us on https://www.patreon.com/religioussocialismpodcast