This year, Las Vegas DSA mobilized over 70 members to knock 10,000+ doors for our first endorsed candidate in the Nevada legislature primaries. In keeping with that energy, we have formed an Electoral Working Group to begin the work on recruiting, training, and running candidates from within LVDSA membership.

This year, we offer a voting recommendation and explanation for each of the 7 ballot questions, and a rundown on the CCSD School Board. We will not be recommending candidates in the general and have chosen to focus our capacity and energy on building our own strategy and growing the socialist movement.

View the voter guide

Monthly Newsletter of the Rochester Chapter of Democratic Socialists of America

The post Rochester Red Star | October 2024 (Issue 06) first appeared on Rochester Red Star.

by Rochester Grants Pass Resistance

Editor’s Note: ROC DSA livestreamed this event. A recording is available on our YouTube page, here: YouTube.com/@rocdsa (Note: Timestamped to first speaker).

Housing advocates are holding a press conference to address the devastating Supreme Court decision that  criminalizes homelessness, Grants Pass v. Johnson. In the wake of the ruling, the group Rochester Grants Pass Resistance formed to address how the case could impact Rochester. 

The Supreme Court found that laws regulating camping on public property does not constitute “cruel and  unusual punishment” prohibited by the Eighth Amendment; allowing municipalities to arrest and fine  individuals for sleeping outdoors, even when there are no shelters available. 

We anticipate that this decision will have a significant impact on Monroe County’s population of  houseless individuals. We note alarming impacts of the Grants Pass decision in other cities: San Francisco  is preparing for more aggressive encampment sweeps that could include criminal penalties, and Portland  has enacted a long-planned city camping ban. We want to protect the houseless individuals living in our  community from facing similar consequences as a result of this decision. 

The press conference will feature multiple speakers who have been directly impacted by homelessness. They will describe why they are unable to access shelter. We will announce our call for legislative action and present a list of demands of the City of Rochester and Monroe County to limit the consequences of this court decision and help our houseless neighbors. 

RGPR is bringing the following demands to Rochester City Council and the Monroe County Legislature to address the potential impacts and protect our houseless neighbors: 

1. Make a municipal commitment not to arrest or fine people for sleeping in public areas.

2. Stop the “sweeps” of homeless encampments, including ending confiscation of individuals’ personal property. 

3. Remove all hostile architecture. 

4. Provide Housing for All: an apartment for each houseless person. 

5. Create No-barrier Shelter: meet people where they are, as they are. 

6. Fund Housing for All: direct tax on rental income or a countywide tax on sale of property.

7. Create a Housing Task Force to advise policy changes (Overdose Prevention Centers, overhaul of  DHS sanctions, MH community-based housing funding, housing vouchers).

Editor’s Note: The event, originally scheduled for ‘Peace Village,’ at 161 Industrial St., was forced to move several times. These updates are shared below.

[Update 9/28 @ 1:20pm] The city blocked off broad street at industrial street (peace village) so the press conference is moving to 1248 north Clinton Ave. Please find us there.

[Update 9/28 @ 1:58pm] We have heard that bringing people to North Clinton will be harmful to the folks in the encampment here. The encampment has been harassed by police often as of late. So we will move the press conference to the corner of Joseph and Loomis at the fenced in lot. Thank you for joining us at 3:15pm, to give you all time to make adjustments to another location. This, incidentally, is what it’s like, in a small way, to be unhoused and pushed from place to place, welcome nowhere, unwelcome again and again.

The post Press Conference to Demand Monroe County Protect Homeless Following Supreme Court Decision  first appeared on Rochester Red Star.

This fall voters face yet another election where we are left to choose between the threat of fascism or the neoliberal status quo. On one hand, Trump represents the threat of mass deportations of immigrants, attacks on bodily autonomy and LGBTQ rights, deepening attacks on unions and workers, racist attacks on people of color, and […]

by Brinn F

The fight against climate change can often seem distant and on a scale beyond what the average person has the power to do. While it’s true that saving our planet is a task that can only be accomplished through collective action, we have an opportunity for that action right here in Austin, Texas. Within the past year, the city of Austin has unveiled a plan to construct a gas plant to be operated by Austin Energy. This unsustainable plan would only further add to the pollution in a city already struggling to keep the air safe and breathable.

It was this proposal that galvanized Austin’s environmentalists to form the Public Power Campaign. This broad coalition comprised people from a variety of backgrounds such as environmentalism, labor organizing, and simply being a concerned resident of Austin. The possibility of the city investing its limited resources towards a non-renewable, polluting source of energy was enough to pull together a diverse base of support.

The most immediate goal of the public power campaign is to prevent the construction of the planned gas power plant. However, the campaign extends beyond that to fight for climate justice well into the future. Beyond stopping the expansion of non-renewable energy, the campaign advocates for the construction of renewable sources of energy here in Austin. Not only would this create a safer environment to live in, it would also give the city access to federal funds under the Inflation Reduction Act. With this plan, Austin has the opportunity to be a national leader by simultaneously creating clean and sustainable energy infrastructure and growing the city budget.

Another priority of the Public Power Campaign is ensuring that the transition to green energy is done in a way that protects Austin’s workers in the long term. An invaluable part of the campaign has been its cooperation with organized labor. A common concern about the push for renewables is that it risks putting workers in the energy sector out of a job. By working so closely with, and being spearheaded by, workers in the field, the campaign’s goals have been tailored to protect labor during this transition. The campaign is fighting to prevent Austin’s energy infrastructure being sold off to private interests who are more likely to lay off workers for profit. At the same time, the campaign is pushing for protections to guarantee workers can continue to work in the field once unsustainable sources of energy are replaced by sustainable ones.

There are a number of ways to get involved with this effort. Those in the Public Power Campaign have emphasized that this work can only be accomplished with the continued efforts and support of Austin’s communities. One of the best ways to get involved at time of writing is to participate in the upcoming climate town hall hosted by the Austin Democratic Socialists of America. The town hall will take place on September 29th at 2:00 PM located at the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Parish Hall. Beyond attending Public Power Campaign events, representatives from the campaign encouraged people to support candidates who advance climate justice such as Mike Siegel, the DSA’s endorsed candidate for the District 7 council seat. As well as pushing for supportive candidates, a great way to help out is to talk to others about the campaign and its importance for the future health of our community.

In the fight for climate justice, the challenges ahead are significant. The construction of the planned gas plant would have negative effects for both Austin’s health and economy for decades to come. However, the combined efforts of so many sectors of this community have created a real chance to not only prevent this current catastrophe, but to go further and fight for future victories. Only through solidarity and collective effort can the Public Power Campaign help bring about a cleaner, just, and more prosperous future for the people of Austin.

This article was written based on information generously provided in interviews with Austin DSA Members Jay P. and Ramsey B.

The post Public Power Campaign Fights for a Green Austin first appeared on Red Fault.

Unions have relied on staff to encourage members to build the union through new organizing at non-union workplaces, but they could be doing much more.

The post Every Member an Organizer appeared first on EWOC.

How Maryland organizers used electoral canvassing to make voting about something more than the candidate—a tool in the fight for Palestinian liberation.

Metro DC DSA claims to be a “vehicle for the working class”. How can we open the door wider? Some thoughts...

Years ago, a judge found the NYPD's Stop and Frisk practice a form of systemic racial discrimination. The Stop and Frisk program in DC is even worse. Why can't we stop it?

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, September 24 (6:00 p.m.): Emergency Protest – All Out for Lebanon at the SF Federal Building (In person at 90 7th St.)

Wednesday, September 25 (5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): Phonebank for Extreme Dean (In person at 1630 Haight)

Wednesday, September 25 (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.): Homelessness Working Group Independent Outreach (In person at 1916 McAllister)

Thursday, September 26 (5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): Weekday Mobilization for Jackie Fielder (Meet at 3389 26th St.)

Thursday, September 26 (5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): Phonebank for Extreme Dean (In person at 1630 Haight)

Thursday, September 26 (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.): Palestine Solidarity and Anti-Imperialist Working Group (Zoom and in person at 1916 McAllister)

Thursday, September 26 (6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.): Ecosocialist Monthly Meeting (Zoom and in person at 1916 McAllister)

Thursday, September 26 (7:30 p.m. – 9:15 p.m.): Palestine and Socialism Study Group: Session 2 (Zoom and in person at 1916 McAllister)

Friday, September 27 (12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.): Office Hours (In person at 1916 McAllister)

Saturday, September 28 (10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.): Extreme Dean Door Knock Mobilization (Meet at Alamo Square at Scott and Hayes)

Saturday, September 28 (6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): Homelessness Working Group Food Service – Castro (Location TBD)

Sunday, September 29 (10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.): Jackie Fielder for D9 Supervisor Mobilization (Meet at Holly Park at Holly Circle & Bocana)

Monday, September 30 (6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): Homelessness Working Group Meeting (In person at 1916 McAllister)

Monday, September 30 (7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.): Labor Board Meeting (Zoom)

Wednesday, October 2 (6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.): New Member Happy Hour (In person at Zeitgeist, 199 Valencia)

Friday, October 4 (11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.): No Appetite for Apartheid Canvass (Meet in person at 876 Valencia)

Saturday, October 5 (1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.): Homelessness Working Group Outreach Training (In person at 1916 McAllister)

Check out https://dsasf.org/events for more events and updates.

Events & Actions

Emergency Protest TODAY: All Out for Lebanon!

There is an emergency protest today (Tuesday, 9/24) at 6:00 p.m. at the SF Federal Building at 90 7th St. in response to Israel’s attack on Lebanon this week.

Heavy Israeli air raids have killed 324 people, including 24 children, and seriously injured over 1,200 people. In response, the Bay Area is mobilizing a protest to show our solidarity with Lebanon and the Lebanese people, demand an end to Israel’s violence and escalation in the Middle East, and an end to the United States’ ongoing complicity in Israeli war crimes.

Palestine and Socialism Study Group

Looking to learn more about the history of the Palestinian liberation struggle with like-minded comrades? Been skeptical about whether socialist theory has anything to offer to the movement? Join DSA SF’s Palestine Solidarity and Anti-Imperialist Working Group on Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. to discuss these questions and more.

This event is the 2nd of 3 sessions in this series. In the last session, we covered some of the historical realities that underpin the Zionist movement and the establishment of the state of Israel.

This session will focus on frameworks outlined in Lenin’s Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism and The Right of Nations to Self Determination. Join us in a political discussion about how these frameworks can inform the current movement to liberate Palestine from the river to the sea.

This will be a hybrid event at 1916 McAllister St and on Zoom.

Volunteer with the Dean Team This Week!

We have ONE WEEK before ballots drop, so we’re pulling out all the stops! Come volunteer with the Extreme Dean Team this week. We have five different opportunities for you to show up and show out:

• 9/24: Turnout Tuesday (6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at 1916 McAllister)
• 9/25, 9/26: Phonebanking (5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at 1630 Haight)
• 9/28: Canvass with the DSA (Meet at 10:00 a.m. at Alamo Square at Scott and Hayes)
• 9/29: Rally for Rent Control and Affordable Housing with Yes on 5 and Yes on 33 (10:00 a.m. at Raymond Kimbell Playground at Geary and Steiner)

Door Knock with the Jackie Fielder Campaign This Sunday!

Come door knock with the Jackie Team this Sunday, September 29th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Holly Park (Holly Circle and Bocana) and get out the word out about her campaign! We’ll be talking with our neighbors in D9 about what makes Jackie great and stacking voter IDs. Come out and help us get a socialist elected to represent District 9!

No Appetite for Apartheid in SF!

Inspired by long-standing Palestinian boycott tactics and the BDS call, the Palestine Solidarity Anti-Imperialist Working Group are canvassing local stores and asking them to pledge to become Apartheid-Free by dropping products from companies complicit in the genocide of Palestinians and colonization of Palestine. It’s time to turn up the heat on this apartheid regime and take apartheid off our plates!

Want to show your support? Sign our Apartheid-Free Pledge so business owners know how popular this movement is with their local customers. After signing the pledge, we would love to see you at any of our upcoming campaign strategy sessions and canvassing days. Check dsasf.org/events for updates.

Benefit Concert for Gaza

Join your DSA SF comrades and our coalition partners on Saturday, October 5th at a benefit concert for Gaza, in support of the steadfastness of the Palestinian people facing this ongoing genocide. This will be a night of Palestinian art and culture, with performances by Ramzi Aburedwan & his Dalouna Ensemble featuring Ouday Al Khatib. All proceeds of the event will be donated to the Middle Eastern Children’s Alliance (MECA). MECA has been instrumental in providing emergency assistance to families who have fled their homes. Discounted early bird tickets are available until this Friday!

Behind the Scenes

The Chapter Coordination Committee (CCC) regularly rotates duties among chapter members. This allows us to train new members in key duties that help keep the chapter running like organizing chapter meetings, keeping records updated, office cleanup, updating the DSA SF website and newsletter, etc. Members can view current CCC rotations.

To help with the day-to-day tasks that keep the chapter running, fill out the CCC help form.