UPDATE: It’s on! Stand with United Auto Workers (UAW) at the Big 3 auto companies fighting for:

• An end to two-tier wages and benefits
• Cost of living raises
• Secure union jobs in a just transition to electric vehicles!

After years of concessions to the bosses and skyrocketing executive compensation, autoworkers are standing firm and saying enough is enough. They’ve organized in their shops and communities ahead of the contracts at Ford, Stellantis, and GM expiring. But the companies refused to give them what they deserve. Now that the bosses have refused their demands, they’re doing stand-up strikes at worksites around the country to keep the companies guessing where they’ll be next!This fight is important not only to the 150,000 UAW members who work at the Big 3. Their fight is the fight of the whole working class. Workers need to support each other as we fight for a better world. Pledge to support UAW workers in their fight and join them on the picket line!

Are you a DSA Member and want to stand with UAW? Sign the Strike-Ready pledge!

The strike has begun, DSA is in full solidarity mode, and even members in smaller chapters with no picketing nearby should take the Strike Ready Pledge. Duluth has no UAW plants, but we have heard that many of the auto mechanics at the dealers are members of the UAW. Stay tuned for actions, and meanwhile, take the pledge.

We at The Pika Press are very happy to bring you comprehensive coverage of the 2023 DSA National Convention! Our coverage includes articles, report-backs, and statistics features!

Articles

The Struggle for an Anti-Zionist DSA Continues by Omar — a pointed critique of DSA’s zionist history and the votes of the convention.

Convention from the Staffer’s View by Hayley Banyai-Becker — a reflection on what post-convention DSA looks like from the unique position of a DSA staff organizer.

What is the NPC? by Joe Mayall — a straight-forward explanation of what DSA’s National Political Committee is and what it does.

DSA Doesn’t Know What It Wants by Caoimhín Perkins — a polemic on certain comrade’s aversion to a party-like strategy.

Delegate Report-Backs

Brief summaries of Denver DSA delegates’ experiences and thoughts on convention. Contributing comrades: Alejandra Beatty, Ahmed, Colleen Johnston, Andrew Thompson, Jennifer Dillon, Matthew Rambles, Max Soo, Mitch, Skye O’Toole, and Stephanie Caulk.

Statistical features

Pika’s Index — a list of statistics about convention with plenty of lines to be read in-between.

Colorado DSA Votes @ DSACon2023 — a spreadsheet showing all the votes (resolutions and NPC) taken by delegates from all four of Colorado’s DSA chapters at the 2023 National Convention.

Ads and notes

Want to write for us? Want to make graphics for us? Want to help improve our website? Noticed a typo or inconsistency that makes you want to gauge your eyes out? GREAT! Please contact political.education@denverdsa.org or message Brynn via Slack or on Twitter to speak with the manager!

ISSUE #3

by Omar

On August 4, 2023, the first in-person Convention of the Democratic Socialists of America commenced after the 2020 surge in membership. Several important questions were up for debate: Should DSA expand its National Political Committee? Will DSA work within the Democratic Party, or will it declare independence? Will DSA be an anti-Zionist organization in principle and practice?

Anyone who has read the 2021 statement where DSA took a rhetorical departure from its Zionist history will be given the impression that DSA is “unwavering” in its commitment to Palestinian solidarity and liberation against Zionist settler colonialism. But the 2021 Bowman affair has suggested that the professed “solidarity” with Palestinians is actually implicit Zionisim. And inextricable from the Bowman affair was the NPC’s decision to decharter the BDS & Palestine Solidarity WG, providing yet another example of the solidarity collapsing from “merely professed” to “a total lie.” 

Now the year is 2023. The last-minute recommendation by the NPC to incapacitate Palestine organizing within DSA by absorbing the Palestine Solidarity WG into the International Committee, their refusal to place the anti-Zionist resolution on the agenda, their proposed amendment to the anti-Zionist resolution that renders it useless, as well as the use of tokenism on the debate floor and handing out propaganda flyers outside debate to impel delegates to support the IC absorption are all new examples of a new liberal Zionism within DSA. 

From this tremendous effort it is extremely difficult to conclude that it is perpetuated in good faith by anti-Zionists. It seems exactly what liberal Zionists would do, who begrudgingly resort to implicit Zionism only because of the moral progress within DSA that no longer renders acceptable explicit Zionism. 

Actual solidarity is described no better than by Paulo Freire, who in 1968 famously said that “solidarity requires that one enter into the situation of those with whom one is solidary; it is a radical posture.” To enter into the situation of Palestinians means to support BDS in principle, given that over 80% of Palestinians support BDS. Actual solidarity is militant intolerance to Zionism within DSA. Actual solidarity would completely transform DSA’s reputation away from liberal Zionism, which will improve both the quality and quantity of membership. We would unlock a vibrant and necessary collaboration with grassroots Palestinian organizations such as the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). 

I moved to Colorado in 2021, soon after the Israeli Occupation Forces conducted widespread terrorism in Palestine: Invading the al-Aqsa compound, unloading airstrikes on Gaza, and expediting colonialism in the West Bank and al-Quds. 

In light of this, I sought Palestine organizing, looking primarily towards political education and campaigns such as the BDS movement. Without a local PYM or SJP chapter, I reluctantly joined Denver DSA with full awareness of DSA’s historic ties to Zionism. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that substantial internal work was being done to make DSA a truly anti-Zionist organization, with like-minded folks in Denver and the National BDS & Palestine Solidarity WG, who proposed a resolution to enforce the actual anti-Zionism that DSA needs. What’s more, anti-Zionists in DSA have been met with great internal hostility and sometimes even violence, but that does not deter us from nurturing our organization.

It remains unclear whether the new NPC, after being handed the responsibility of deliberating whether to make DSA an anti-Zionist organization in principle and praxis, will be in solidarity with Palestinians. In my view, weakness on anti-Zionism has no place in leftist organizations and cannot sustain the types of enduring structures we are trying to build.

~~

Omar is a member of the Denver Democratic Socialists of America and an organizer with the Colorado Palestine Coalition.

ISSUE #3

by Hayley Banyai-Becker

Hi comrades! My name is Hayley Banyai-Becker (she/her) and I am a Field Organizer with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) aka I am a national staff organizer! At the beginning of August, I attended my first ever in person DSA convention (as a staff member) joining 1,200 socialists from around the country in Chicago, and wow do I have such a renewed sense of enthusiasm for the organizing project that is DSA. 

My work broadly consists of supporting DSA chapters in 12 states across the western United States with their internal work like member recruitment and development and external organizing efforts such as campaigns and solidarity work. I absolutely love what I do and firmly believe that I have one of the greatest jobs in the world – if it is possible for a socialist to love their work, lol. Before joining DSA, I worked for a Colorado progressive nonprofit, where a coworker and I started a union to improve our working conditions. Prior to that, I worked on a variety of campaigns, including two of Denver DSA’s own endorsees, Lorena Garcia for US Senate and Paid Family and Medical Leave for Coloradans (Proposition 118). I’ve been a member of DSA since late 2019 and I served as Denver’s Electoral Committee Chair in 2021. DSA has been my political home since I joined and I deeply believe we have the power to bring about socialism in our lifetime. 

All of this work led me to the DSA convention, where I had so much excitement to see  chapters across the country commit to implementing stronger, more comprehensive and truly intentional recruitment efforts. This year’s convention made clear the importance and necessity of extensive recruitment practices in order to succeed in (and pay for) our goals. Chapters earnestly heard this call: in real time, I am witnessing a remarkable sense of desire and commitment to grow our organization’s membership, and therefore fundraising, in order to build the DSA we want to see going forward. The energy around this is palpable for me, because one of my primary goals as a DSA organizer is to help chapters understand that strong recruitment skills are vital to the longevity and success of our movement! 

A lot of my work revolves around supporting chapters in educating their members on the importance of the ideological framework that is mass movement building. We are working to build a movement of the majority, which means organizing everyone in the working class into our movement is the only way we will win. It is essential to DSA’s theory of change: as working class people, we all face some very similar issues (we can’t afford rent, we have student or medical debt, etc), but we are the agents of change when we come together to fight back on these issues. Put even more simply: we must directly and intentionally ask people to join DSA in order to win the world we want. If you are interested in supporting Denver’s recruitment and internal organizing efforts, contact Caoimhin Perkins and/or join the #WG-Internal-Organizing channel on Slack.  

Another take away from convention that I am seeing across my entire turf is the inclination for chapters to work together across their states and regions. Being in person at the convention gave us all the ability to meet and create more honest and sincere connections with organizers from other chapters in neighboring towns and cities in a way that has not been possible since the last in person convention in 2019. Organizing is impossible without deep relationships and the pandemic has kept us from building the trust and intimacy needed to create relationships that can endure over time and trauma. Chapters have been seeking out regional connections consistently throughout the pandemic, but with this added in person aspect, I am seeing these relationships come to fruition now in a way that was not entirely possible before. This is tremendous for the strength of our organization and gives chapters the ability to more easily organize statewide efforts (or anything that impacts working class members outside of their jurisdiction) moving forward. If you want to connect more with me on these topics, reach out any time at hayley@dsausa.org. 

~~

Hayley Banyai-Becker is the DSA regional organizer for the western United States. Prior to her time as a DSA employee, she chaired Denver DSA’s Electoral Committee. She also worked for Representative Lorena Garcia’s 2018 campaign for U.S. Senate and the Yes On 118 campaign.

ISSUE #3

by Joe Mayall

As the most high-stakes vote at any convention, the election of the new National Political Committee (NPC) at the 2023 Convention was the most anticipated and debated decision put before the convention delegates. With each candidate presenting their vision for how the NPC should operate during the upcoming two-year term, NPC votes are often seen as a measuring stick for how the delegates, and therefore the membership that sent them to convention, are feeling about the direction of DSA. 

As the new 16-member body settles in to the inaugural month of its 24-month term, it’s worth examining the responsibilities, duties, and directives tasked to the NPC to properly understand how these members will shape the next two years of DSA.

What Does the NPC Do?

While the Convention is the highest decision-making body in DSA, it is only in session for four days every two years. Between conventions, the NPC acts as DSA’s “board of directors,” making executive decisions that impact the national organization. While the Convention sets DSA’s goals and priorities by voting on resolutions (as was just done in August), it is up to NPC members to determine how exactly these priorities should be carried out. For example, the 2023 Convention voted to keep the Green New Deal as a top political priority. How will this be enacted? That’s up to the NPC. They can allocate resources to campaigns and elections around the country, organize with environmental groups with similar goals, and do pretty much anything else that falls within the stated goal of trying to make the Green New Deal a reality. The NPC also has secondary duties as established in the DSA constitution, such as representing DSA in public spaces, assisting YDSA with its growth and actions, determining yearly dues, and overseeing the chartering of new chapters and commissions. 

All of these actions are determined at NPC’s quarterly meetings, and the bi-weekly meetings of the Steering Committee, a five-person committee elected by the NPC to serve as a consistent body in-between sessions.

NPC Requirements

Earlier the NPC was described as DSA’s “board of directors.” This isn’t just a euphemism, but rather a codified legal responsibility. As the heads of a registered non-profit organization, every member of the NPC has fiduciary duties they must abide by. In addition to enhancing DSA’s public standing, advocating on behalf of the organization, and representing the organization to the best of their ability, NPC members are legally required to fulfill three specific duties. Duty of Care requires them to exercise a “reasonable” level of care, attention, and concern when making decisions. Duty of Loyalty requires them to remain loyal to DSA and not take action that could potentially harm the organization. And, perhaps most importantly, they are bound by a Duty of Obedience that requires them to help the organization reach its stated goals to the best of their ability. To put this into context, the Duty of Obedience requires NPC members to dedicate DSA’s resources to the goals set in the resolutions determined by the Convention. 

If this sounds like a lot, that’s because it is. In addition to spearheading DSA’s national campaigns, NPC members must maintain relationships with DSA’s staff, National Director, and grass roots membership through the chapters. Unlike the aforementioned duties, these aren’t “requirements,” but rather functions necessary to ensure they are best able to continue doing their most important job: leaving DSA better than when they found it.

This will be the main thought on the mind of every new and veteran NPC member as they get to work at the start of their term.

~~

Joe Mayall is a freelance writer and a member of the Denver Democratic Socialists of America. His work has appeared in Jacobin, The Progressive, Balls and Strikes, and The Pika Press. More of his work can be found at joewrote.substack.com.

ISSUE #3

by Caoimhín Perkins

My first takeaway is how huge of a split we have when it comes to electoral politics. This is demonstrated by a glaring inconsistency with how we voted on two amendments to the National Electoral Committee Resolution. We quite easily passed Amendment I, “Act Like An Independent Party,” which said DSA should slowly transition away from working with the Democratic Party by 

1. Establishing our own resources outside of the tools and lists,
2. Identifying our candidates as socialists and separate from the DP,
3. Establishing candidate schools,
4. Establishing our own legislative programs,
5. Expecting our candidates to cross-endorse each other and bloc vote,
6. Developing our own party identity,
7. Expecting candidates to publicly and loudly identify as Democratic Socialists, and
8. Establish Socialists in Office committees

However, when it came time to vote on Amendment P, “Towards A Party-Like Electoral Strategy,” we choked. How are any of the below not necessary for acting like an independent party, something we had just voted to do?

1. Demanding candidates publicly and loudly champion DSA’s platform and identify as socialists
2. Demanding they always vote against police funding, military funding, carceral legislation, anti-labor legislation, and other racist, sexist, queerphobic, ableist, and xenophobic legislation
3. When they breach a standard they have not committed to, that we engage in a process of educating them, and that if they still refuse to meet this standard, that we de-endorse
4. Demanding they cross-endorse and bloc-vote
5. Demand that DSA electeds meet quarterly with their chapters to discuss legislative priorities
6. Requiring National create a group that would meet with and hold accountable DSA electeds in federal office

Every single point here can be found in Amendment I or is just a more rigorous form of what was in Amendment I. And yet, Amendment P failed to pass, and the yes vote was significantly less than the yes vote on Amendment I. The point of contention was, of course, point (3), which created consequences for crossing the red lines established in point (2). 

Comrades claimed that demanding expulsion for candidates was a purity test that sacrificed power. I spoke on the floor in favor of this amendment, explaining that there was no purity test, only a way of educating and holding electeds accountable. Sometimes being principled is the best praxis, and this is case in point. Point (4) even says that we have to educate candidates first, especially on subjects that we failed to educate them on in the first place. This is practically the same thing as point (3) for Amendment I, with the added caveat that candidates can be flunkies in this school and be (as the sternest, but not the first, consequence) de-endorsed. So, either the comrades who claimed a purity test did not actually read the Amendment P, or they don’t mind continuing to endorse electeds that vote in favor of oppression. Either way, they left us with no way to actually enforce our independent identity. To those who did not read the amendments properly, a certain Marxist once said, “Unless you have investigated a problem, you will be deprived of the right to speak on it. How can a communist keep his eyes shut and talk nonsense? It won’t do! You must not talk nonsense!”

To the comrades who think the de-endorsement and red lines themselves are bad and actually read the amendment, I have to ask what your goal is. This refusal to create accountability structures is a consistent issue we have where I am left wondering how serious a majority of our comrades are about socialism and whether they even know what they want. We have no long term electoral strategy; instead we have comrades fluttering like chickens over short term gains from electing supposed progressives to offices they can lose in 2-4 years while gridlocked against capitalist politicians. I spoke with some comrades who thought that if their moderate democrat in Alabama or city council person in San Diego weren’t up to snuff because of Amendment P, then they would fail. This is ridiculous.

Are we going to have a reformist revolution in 4-8 years? No, and we never will. We’re so focused on big-tents that we’ve forgotten we have to actually seize the means of production like we always say we will, and we cannot do that if we aren’t demanding more of ourselves. The seizure of the state and an entire economy is not some picnic where everyone drops their yes and no votes in a ballot box, and this is especially not the case in a country that was built on stolen land, has the largest military in the world, and has the world’s fourth largest police force. We are the backbone of global capitalism, and those in power will not simply let us reform our way out of it. They are fighting back through police violence, union busting, assassinations, stacking the courts, and attempted coup d’etats. Those of us set on electoral politics can’t even get our electeds to engage with us because we’re scared that we’ll have a few less useless representatives.

We need to get real. Electoralism is not the revolution, but if we’re dedicating resources to it, we could at least have high standards so that we can reliably gain non-reformist reforms. Why even say we’ll act like a separate party if we aren’t going to have something to offer that’s different from progressive Democrats? What will we be except for just another third party? I don’t understand why anyone goes to the convention of the largest socialist organization in the United States just to say that we can’t demand our socialist electeds engage with their base and legislate to a higher standard than capitalist electeds.

The second takeaway is that we have many comrades who still believe that gridlocked politicians are more important to building power than having strong connections with Palestinian and Anti-Zionist organizations. I’m not sure when they started prioritizing individuals over multi-racial mass politics, but we love to mix up our priorities for wins that are aesthetic blockbusters over wins that have substance. There were a number of maneuvers made by those chairing the convention that blocked MSR-12, an Anti-Zionist resolution, from even being brought to the floor. The majority of us voted to refer it to the incoming NPC, probably hoping it would get tanked. I don’t understand anyone who thinks multi-racial mass politics isn’t good for socialism, but keeping around a man who is unrepentant in being buddy-buddy with J-Street and the Iron Dome is. 

Some might say that we can find a third way on that issue, and in another timeline, one where we already had a national accountability structure in place when Bowman broke with DSA, they might be right. But we aren’t in that timeline, and so I would pose this question: do the Palestinian organizations that are writing us off care about that non-existent third way? They don’t, and we voted down the two opportunities to create that national accountability structure. So, again, I am wondering how serious some comrades are about this or whether they actually read these resolutions. Do we not want better for ourselves? Maybe MSR-12 will be passed by the new NPC’s narrow left-majority. That remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that even though both the national BDS working group and International Committee said they didn’t want to be merged, a majority of delegates said “surely they can’t know what they’re talking about,” and merged them anyway.

The third takeaway, as someone who is not a member of any caucus, is that my view of caucuses is slightly less pessimistic—but is still pessimistic, for different reasons. There were definitely cynical uses of power, but in most cases we were all on the same team, even when we were in direct conflict. But it still felt like it encouraged this maneuvering. My thoughts on this are partly informed by history—ultras and libertarian socialists like to criticize Lenin for banning caucuses from existing in the Soviet communist party, calling it anti-democratic. I’m starting to understand why he did it, even though I think banning wasn’t the solution. It feels like for all the power caucuses bring us for organizing on a national level, the side effect is that we have more competition that keeps us from functioning properly. It was astonishing to go from Denver to a National that was a delicate “balance” between hating each other’s guts and knowing we all had (approximately) the same skin in the game at the end of the day. This was, of course, always far more noticeable on votes that posed deep political questions, creating controversy where some comrades refused to look at reality and instead decided to go with their imaginary ideal of how our organization should work. I don’t have a solution to the caucus problem, but there needs to be one.

P.S. – There were bingo cards filled with convention buzzwords, courtesy of the National Housing Justice Commission. I got Bingo twice. 

P.P.S. – Having grown up in the Great Lakes region, quite possibly nothing will top the moment when Stephanie got to the shore of Lake Michigan, couldn’t see the other side, and yelled “this is a LAKE????”

~~

Caoimhín Perkins has been a member of Denver DSA since 2019. They are a former teacher and union steward who works in DDSA’s labor, housing, and internal organizing committees.

ISSUE #3

Denver DSA Convention Delegates were asked to write a paragraph on their experience at the 2023 DSA National Convention. This is what they wrote.

Alejandra Beatty

As someone who hadn’t been heavily involved in DSA work I hesitated getting involved with convention, but also knew that while I still had some free time (due to getting laid off) it would be a great way to make a contribution to helping move the organization forward. I had also been involved just enough over the past year to know there were some concerns with decisions made by the NPC, and struggles for the organization as a whole, that it was important to be sure our local voices were heard at convention. Overall, I’m glad I did it, although for next time I’ll be much more aware of the amount of time to commit. 

I had thought my preparation work was pretty solid, I watched videos for the NPC candidates, and ended up doing it in odd spaces, like the gym, just to get through it all. I judiciously read through all the resolutions, and at least attempted to keep up with discussions in Slack. In retrospect, I wish we had taken a more divide-n-conquer approach early on. Even despite my attempts to understand the full set of issues, I ended up relying on others for advice and recommendations because I knew they understood the political space better than I did. Although I would admit that by taking time to try to understand ALL of the issues I felt slightly more confident in my vote, even when I ended up relying heavily on input from others. 

Would I recommend attending a convention for someone like me? Only if it was someone who could make a big commitment to consuming all of the information and attempting a good analysis. And knowing you need to do all that before you step foot into the convention hall. The convention itself was actually a lot of fun, for those who like to argue politics and see decisions made with such a large body attempting to use Robert’s Rules. I walked away feeling that DSA was a stronger organization based on the discourse I saw happening. It was obvious people cared a lot, and wanted to really build our power to make positive change.

Does what happens at the National level affect us locally, so was it worth our time & costs? Yes. It’s actually a great thing, in my honest opinion, that chapters are able to operate so independently. I also believe firmly that if you are part of a national organization, for anything, you must do the due diligence that the organizational structure is reflecting your values and your priorities. Not only because they are receiving a portion of our funds, but also because they (i.e. the NPC) represent all of us, and that alignment and accountability must be strong if we’re going to claim ourselves as a national group.      

Ahmed

Democracy and debate are muscles we have to exercise. We often tout how democratic our DSA is, but it is as democratic as we make it. Convention was the culmination of several years of work, conflict, and relationship building — and we have to intentionally continue to cultivate it going forward if we wish to have a say in this organisation. It was a delight to see comrades from across the country to discuss and compare our shared organising experiences. While several factions and formations preceded convention, the convention floor was fluid, caucuses were receptive, and a majority of delegates were unfactioned. As part of a team leading the charge on a few resolutions, I was eager to talk to delegates from all corners of the country and win their support in good faith discussion and conversation. There was a massive information disadvantage facing delegates from smaller chapters as well as uncaucused delegates that was at-times difficult to overcome over just three days. That said, we managed to swing lots of votes the good ole way — debate and discussion. I was dismayed by obstructionism on the floor, we should always aim to win on the merits of our positions rather than procedure and chair rulings. We should always aim to reach compromise and fair resolution amongst the membership, even at ideological odds, and we reach this via discussion. We owe each other this as part of our mandate and must do our part to not demoralise our comrades. Mandates are earned. I look forward to this coming NPC term. Good leadership must answer to membership and organise all throughout their term to maintain that buy-in.

Andrew Thompson

Convention for me was overall a good experience. I wasn’t necessarily sure what to expect, having not participated in convention previously or being very apprised of many national campaigns or issues apart from the issues surrounding the punishment of the Boycott Divest and Sanctions (BDS) working group and the appearance of our wavering commitment to Palestinian liberation. As someone who has been active in our local chapters organizing efforts related to Palestine I was looking forward to the debate regarding these issues and hopeful the convention would have created a potentially more clear answer to whether or not we (DSA) as the largest socialist organization in the US will stand firmly in solidarity against continued imperialism and advance Palestinian liberation. However, convention did not provide these answers as we did not debate on the resolution (MSR-12) affirming our anti-zionist principles. Instead this debate was filtered through a recommendation of the past National Political Committee (NPC) to disband the BDS WG and make it a subunit of the larger national internationalism working group, a structural solution to what I feel is an important political question that we left convention without the answers to, as the NPC recommendation passed on a very narrow margin.

However, with the aforementioned aside, I enjoyed talking with organizers around the county on their current organizing projects, how they approach electoral organizing, and just generally being in a room of 1000+ people trying to advance the goal of socialism in a country long too hostile towards the working class. Convention also provided the opportunity to bond more with our chapter’s delegates, other Colorado chapters, and discuss how we plan to organize in Colorado in the future to advance the goals of socialism. While convention was a lot of work and many long days prior to the lead up to convention and during convention I was happy to serve as the delegate chair for our delegates ensuring we could all be present and debate on pressing issues that shape the future of our movement. I look forward to continuing to work within our chapter, with national working groups and committees, and with our newly elected NPC to chart a path forward for a strong internationalist socialist movement in America!    

Colleen Johnston

The 2023 Convention process demonstrated our organizational development and maturity since our incredible new era kicked off just 7 years ago. This year’s convention saw some changes in process, such as a requirement to collect 300 signatures to get resolutions and amendments considered at Convention and a consensus resolution development process for major national  bodies and priority committees, which ultimately helped lead to more consensus and unity.

This  year’s Convention also showed the ongoing newness of our org and membership. During opening remarks, delegates learned that many, if not most delegates were attending their first DSA Convention. The  number of 2023 convention delegates who were in DSA pre-2016 were in the low double digits. One of the things that gives me so much hope about DSA is how many people come to DSA as their first home for political organizing, having never gotten involved in organizing or activism until joining our org. It also means that the ongoing work of cohering and rooting ourselves in shared foundations of organizing, of building and wielding power, are central to the longevity and effectiveness of our org.

Speaking of longevity – DSA faces a major financial deficit for the upcoming year, from at least 1.5 million dollars to over 4 million, if we were to fully fund and enact everything passed at Convention. This is a serious constraint we must grapple with as we navigate the months ahead, and why I’ve been working through the National Growth and Development Committee (GDC) to organize Solidarity Income-Based Dues. Our organization is unique in that we are truly democratic, and our financial power comes almost exclusively from members’ dues contributions. This is why switching your dues to monthly dues, and, if you can, doing like union members do and contributing 1% of your income to our working-class organization is crucial. To make sure our organization is sustainable and able to fight for the long haul, switch your dues to Solidarity Dues here. I also encourage DDSA members to plug into the retention and Solidarity Dues work happening through the national GDC and in our chapter.

Jennifer Dillon

I attended the virtual DSA National Convention in 2021 when the COVID Delta variant was rising. It was a draining, frustrating, demoralizing experience: a week of long Zoom sessions, Shakespearean political maneuverings I did not understand, and a handful of the most annoying people you’ve ever encountered leveraging their extensive knowledge of Robert’s Rules to hijack sessions with tedious, bad faith procedural motions. The only thing that pulled me through was the gallows humor of my fellow Denver delegates. I was happy when it ended and I could go back to organizing with my hometown comrades — people who didn’t behave like childish assholes — and forget national DSA even existed. 

I am happy to report that this year was a radically different experience. In retrospect, it’s very likely the stress of the pandemic in 2021 that drove everyone, myself included, over the edge. But convening in person, being in rooms full of socialists talking about socialism, excited about socialism, and doing socialism was the opposite of draining — it was a thrilling, energizing experience, and one I highly recommend. I’m very proud of the work that our delegation did, and the direction our organization is heading. That’s not to say there wasn’t some heartbreak: I was personally deeply saddened that DSA delegates voted to move the BDS Working Group under the International Committee against the wishes of both groups (a maneuver designed to curtail their work), and I wish we had gotten the opportunity to have a long overdue formal discussion about DSA’s positioning vis-a-vis Palestinian liberation. But I’m hopeful that the newly elected, more left-leaning NPC will help us change course by taking a firm and clear stance against Zionism, aligning DSA with the Left’s rich history of internationalism and solidarity with the oppressed.

Matthew Rambles

DSA convention was a learning experience for me. Despite my presence on steering I have spent little time engaging with the structure, activity, and membership of our national body. Fortunately for those looking to learn, the weekend was a whirlwind tour offering an introduction to these very things. I was impressed by convention — my time with our bi-annual decision making process was overwhelmingly positive despite it’s flaws. I returned home with a enhanced understanding of my role in the chapter, a greater appreciation for our organizers here in Denver, and a strong sense of affirmation for our collective project of building a better world.

Max Soo

What did I think of convention? I thought it was bullshit.

I love Denver DSA. They helped me unionize my workplace. They helped me sue my landlord. They sharpened my class analysis. They developed me as an organizer. I love Denver DSA.

But I’ve always been skeptical of DSA as a national organization — not just National DSA, but other chapters — and convention confirmed my cynicism.

I knew that there were liberals in DSA. The fact that we caveat our socialism with “democratic” is in itself a perpetuation of anti-communist liberal propaganda. But it was disheartening to see just how many there were; and not just fringe members, but active, committed ones. This was apparent in how the delegation voted on resolutions and NPC candidates.

I also felt DSA had a colonial conception of democracy and that was also confirmed by the inaccessibility in language and time-requirement of the compendium, fetishization of Robert’s Rules, and superficial debate format.

And don’t even get me started on the half-assed COVID protocols and reckless, ableist behavior of participants that, paired with the pandemic justice resolution not making the agenda, felt more like we were cosplaying caution than actually protecting ourselves and our communities.

The only redeemable quality of convention was the time I got to spend deepenng my relationships with my Denver DSA comrades and a few other DSA delegates. But at that end of the day, that made it worth it.

Mitch

There was a thrumming energy to being in a room with 1000+ other socialists, hearing the first cheers roll across the crowd as we kicked off the first day of convention. That energy spilled off of the convention floor into foyers, hallways, and the hotel bar, as I met delegates eager to share their work and to hear about Denver’s. To me, DSA convention’s best aspect was the generative conversations when you get that mass of organizers together from across the country. Talking to NYC comrades about how their tenant organizing is structured, hearing about East Bay’s transit rider canvasses, or how Ferguson continues to shape the terrain for left politics in St. Louis. 

Our theory of change is relational – building personal connections and moving that power. That’s fundamentally a two-way street: as organizers our understanding of the world is changed by practice, the conversations we have with others. And sharpening our analysis of our own conditions is made only more effective when talking to other organizers who have done similar work and taken time for reflection. However, for me the most important aspect of building relationships at convention was emotional. Some call it “vibes,” but there’s nothing to deepen your engagement to the work like being reminded of the thousands of DSA members nationwide who also share in the struggle, to hear the first cheers roll across a crowd of comrades fighting for another world. 

Skye O’Toole

As a first time convention delegate, I wasn’t sure what to expect in Chicago. I had heard stories about past conventions, both from chapter comrades and online figureheads who had been delegates in the past. Their recountings had been mostly negative, with many recalling stories of drawn out procedural fights, name-calling, and exhausting marathon sessions on the convention floor. So when this convention was, in large part, civil, collaborative and empowering, I was pleasantly surprised.

Overall, being in a room with 1000 socialists, hailing from San Diego to Maine, was an inspiring experience. It truly instilled in me the gravity of DSA, the potential we have, and the strength we have already built nationwide. It was an incredible experience to get to converse with comrades from hundreds of other chapters, all of whom have a different conception of socialism and the path we need to take to build it. I learned so much and received so much inspiration for programs to develop in our own chapter from the chats I had with others at convention. And many a night I stayed up late, having hours-long conversations with comrades from across the country about our life stories, delving deep into the many experiences in our lives which had led us there, to Chicago. 

As for the actual substance of convention, I was excited to see the passage of several resolutions which I believe will materially strengthen our org; such as MSR-3, which creates two, full-time, national co-chairs tasked with building up DSA’s public image, CR-4, which funded and emboldened the International Committee to continue it’s exceptional work in building connections with the global left and CR-8 which strengthened financial and logistical support to YDSA in order to ensure a strong socialist youth movement on campuses across the US. Decisions like these make me excited to watch the future of DSA and see what we can do when we build the external and internal supports needed to build a strong, consistent organization.

But there were also some major disappointments; most of all, the incredibly slim passage of NPC-8, which folded the BDS working group — one of the most successful arms of National DSA, which has done incredible work building and aiding the movement against Zionism in the United States — into the International Committee, without the consent of either. Knowing that its passage means that DSA will be delegitimized in the eyes of the grassroots Palestinian solidarity movement, the results are a gut punch, jeopardizing the pro-Palestinian stance of our organization that hardworking comrades in the BDS working group (including members of our own chapter) helped to foster.

But despite these big wins and losses, a lot of the other floor discussion felt pretty divorced from the realities of our organizing at the chapter level, concerned with national level disagreements and (all too often) personal animosities between National’s most involved members. While there were no shortage of delegates who were incredible organizers – strike captains, union salts, tenant unionists, grassroots elected officials, ride-or-die abolitionists, all of whom were there in there in a genuine commitment to building a stronger DSA – there were others who seemingly spent their time at convention pulling Robert’s Rules maneuvers for less noble agendas. To a certain extent, it felt like some delegates were there not because they wanted to put in the hard word deliberating on the key organizational questions facing DSA but rather because they wanted to defend their organizing turf from rival caucuses, keeping one working group or another as little fiefdoms for their particular tendency. While I don’t doubt that most of those delegates believe in the socialist mission, it felt like they often treated their own comrades like enemies, demonizing rival caucuses, not the capitalist class, as the primary enemy. I’m not, by any means, saying that caucusing is bad when it’s based on principled differences over organizational strategy. But I do think some delegates had a warped view, seeing “their side” — not DSA — as the thing they came to Chicago to fight for.

Despite my disillusionment with some of the factional divides and debates which dominated sections of the floor debate, I ended the convention feeling empowered that our organization, finding our bearings in a post-Bernie world, came together to chart a relatively healthy course for the next two years. I left with a feeling of hope in my heart, a hope that despite some of the mistakes that I believe occurred at this convention, our organization can learn, grow, and correct course. But most of all a hope that, by next convention, we will be that much closer to achieving socialism in our lifetime.

Stephanie Caulk

Overall, I’m really grateful for the opportunity to attend the national convention. One of my favorite parts of the convention was meeting DSAers from all over the country and making connections with comrades who are organizing in different states. I also appreciated the opportunity to make connections with the members of the other Colorado DSA chapters. I think it is essential that we continue these relationships with other DSA chapters, especially in Colorado. I also think that a benefit of attending the national convention was learning more about how national works. Until I went to the convention, I had no clue how national operated. Knowing how national works will allow me to help influence the national direction of DSA, and has emboldened me to take advantage of the national resources that we have at our disposal. One thing that I disliked about the convention was how inaccessible the parliamentary procedure was. In the future, I think we should make sure that our delegates are prepared to navigate the aspects of parliamentary procedure that typically are not used in Denver general meetings.

Percentage of convention delegates from a Colorado chapter: 2.4%

Percentage of convention delegates from the Denver chapter: 1.58%

Number of States with no chapter delegations at convention: 8

State with the most delegates and chapters: California

Number of Items which did not make the agenda: 15

Number of items on the final (approved) consent agenda: 9

Total number of items which had recorded votes: 37

Percentage of recorded votes that over 75% of Denver delegates voted yes on: 54.05%

Percentage of recorded votes that over 75% of Denver delegates voted no on: 13.51%

Number of items which were referred to the NPC (were on the agenda but not voted on): 5

Percentage of Denver delegates who voted to amend the agenda: 92.86%

Number of Denver delegates in a caucus at the time of convention: 1

Number of previously uncaucused Denver delegates who openly intend to join a caucus after convention: 3

Number of Colorado delegates who spoke at the microphone: 3

Portion of Denver delegates who ranked a Denverite as their top candidate: 12/13

Number of Denver (& Colorado) delegates whose NPC ballot was not counted due to a technical error: 2

Percentage of times a Colorado delegate did not vote on a recorded measure: 4.94%

Percentage of times a Colorado delegate abstained on a measure: 4.58%

Average margin by which a voted-on NPC recommendation passed or failed: 119 votes

Measure which passed by the narrowest margin: NPC Recommendation #8 – Move the BDS-WG to the International Committee (as amended)

Margin by which NPC Recommendation #8 passed: 17 votes

Measure which failed by the narrowest margin: Motion to Reconsider CB-1 – Democratize DSA

Margin by which Motion to Reconsider CB-1 failed: 8 votes

Measure which passed by the widest margin: NPC Recommendation #3 – Division of the Secretary-Treasurer Role

Percentage of votes for NPC Recommendation #3: 99.43%

Measure which failed by the widest margin: MSR-4-C: Conducting Vacancy Elections Using Regions

Percentage of votes against MSR-4-C: 96.25%

Number of NECC Amendments and Member-submitted Resolutions addressing DSA’s orientation towards it’s elected officials: 3 (+ 1 divided question)

Measure with the most voted-on amendments: CR-6 – National Electoral Committee Concensus Resolution

Number of Colorado (and Denver) delegates who voted against CR-6-O – Run DSA Candidates for School Boards: 2

Number of Colorado delegates who voted against CR6 – Nat’l Electoral Committee Concensus Resolution: 0

Percentage of Denver delegates who voted against CR-2 – GND Commission Consensus Resolution: 57.14%

Percentage of Colorado delegates who voted for CR-2: 54.55%

Percentage of Convention delegates who voted for MSR-21 – A Fighting Campaign for Reproductive Rights & Trans Liberation: 61.85%

Percentage of Colorado delegates who voted against MSR-21: 30.43%

Percentage of Denver delegates who voted for MSR-21: 93.33%

Number of member-submitted Constitutional/Bylaws changes which made it to a vote: 1

Number of recorded votes on Member-submitted Resolutions (including their amendments and a divided question): 9

Number of recorded votes on National Committee Concensus Resolutions (including their amendments): 16

Percentage of votes in which both of Denver’s NPC candidates voted the same way: 28.57%

Percentage of votes in which both of Denver’s NPC candidates voted the same way (including occasions where one or both did not vote):  21.62%

Number of returning NPC members: 1

Tendency with the most members on the new NPC: Groundwork

Portion of seats held by the largest tendency on the NPC: ¼ 

Tendencies that elected 100% of their candidates to the NPC: Bread & Roses, Red Star, Marxist Unity Group

NPC Members who tied for 1st place: Alex Pellitteri (NYC, B&R), Laura Wadlin (Portland, B&R), Megan Romer (At-Large, Red Star)

NPC Members who tied for 15th place: Renée Paradis (East Bay, SMC), Colleen Johnston (Denver, SMC)

Total number of NPC candidates: 41

Value of a YDSA Co-Chair’s vote on the NPC: ½ 

Chapters that are home to the YDSA Co-Chairs: University of Florida, University of Central Florida

Chapters with the largest representation on the NPC: Denver, Portland

Issue #2 is The Pika Press’ coverage of the November 2022 elections. It was originally intended to be published in Spring 2023 but could not be due to capacity constraints. It is now being released from the vault.

Articles

Every Defeat, an Opportunity: The Silver Lining in NEWR Denver’s Failure and The Future of DDSA’s Housing Justice Committee by Alex Yukhananov — a deep dive into the 2022 No Eviction Without Representation campaign in Denver and its implications for our housing justice organizing.

Electoral is a sprint; Socialism is a marathon by Mary Imgrund — a reflection on why elections are relevant to the struggle for socialism.

Too Long Didn’t Read: A Solo Socialist Reading Club Part 2 by Erica Curtis — a recurring Pika Press feature summarizing the literaure of the day. This edition covers Bhasker Sunkara’s The ABCs of Socialism.