After weeks of attacking Palestinians and engaging in anti-Palestinian campaigns, such as forcibly removing them from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied Jerusalem, Israeli Occupation Forces continued this violence by raiding the Al Aqsa mosque during prayers nearing the end of the month of Ramadan, leaving hundreds of Palestinians injured. The right-wing regime went even further and launched airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, with the death toll expected to rise.
This act of violence isn’t new to the Palestinian people. This Saturday, May 15 is the 73rd anniversary of the 1948 Palestinian Exodus, or the “Nakba”, which occurred when Zionist paramilitary groups launched an entire ethnic cleansing operation–forcing over 700,000 Palestinian Arabs out of their homes to build the Jewish state of Israel. Those forces also killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, along with carrying out many other atrocities, including massacres and destroying hundreds of villages and cities.
To the Palestinian people, the Nakba never ended. For many decades, Israel has violated international law by continuing the illegal settlements and population transfer into the occupied territories of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Their justification for Palestinian erasure and maintaining a Jewish ethnostate is apartheid, especially while chanting “death to Arabs” and “burn their towns”.
The San Francisco chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) condemns these continuing acts of violence and stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people. We also reject the media narrative of calling these atrocities as “clashes” and “conflicts”. These past several weeks, along with over 70 years of the Palestinian struggle, cannot be simply categorized as two groups “clashing” with one another. What Israel has done to the Palestinians is a heinous act of fascism and racism.
That is why as socialists, we must fight racism and all forms of injustice, especially abroad. Removing Palestinians and denying their right of return has shown an act of intense injustice even in times without violent conflict. We also understand the correlation of all our struggles under capitalism, which has led to a history of colonialism, imperialism, and fascism. This also means we support the boycott of Israel and the anti-racist Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions’ (BDS) call to end apartheid, as well as cutting off US military aid to Israel.
The chapter invites community members to join us in a Palestine Action Network rally for Palestinian liberation on Saturday, May 15 at 2 pm, Valencia and 16th in the Mission. As this continues to unfold this week, we will continue to fight for liberation for Palestinians and all our neighbors. Because until all of us are free, no one is free.
Our regular monthly chapter meeting will be tomorrow night, May 12, at 6:45 p.m. on Zoom. We’ll be voting on a chapter statement on the escalating violence towards Palestinians, and we’ll be accepting nominations for a number of chapter roles, including Steering Committee leadership, Grievance Officer, and National Convention Delegate. Join us to keep our chapter democracy healthy and learn more about a few upcoming events – you can register for the meeting here!
Join Neighbors United for a tenant rights phonebank tonight, May 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.We’ll be calling District 5 tenants and providing information on rent relief and the eviction moratorium. Contact Pat at pcochran.media@gmail.com for more information. Zoom link here!
Support Free Muni!
As the world heads towards climate crisis, we need to shift our transportation modes to safe, sustainable, equitable public transit by making Muni free. Take action by supporting the Free Muni pilot at the Budget and Appropriations Meeting tomorrow, May 12 at 11:30 a.m.! Use this link for talking points.
A Discussion of African-American Labor History: Peter Cole discusses his book about Ben Fletcher
Join us this Thursday, May 13th at 6:30 p.m. for a discussion of Peter Cole’s new book, Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly. Ben Fletcher was one of the most important labor organizers of the early twentieth century, and yet his name is almost unknown today. Peter Cole remedies this by shining a new light on Fletcher, one of the founders of the IWW and organizer of the one of the few interracial union locals of the time. Join us for a discussion and celebration of Fletcher’s legacy with Peter Cole and Clarence Thomas of ILWU.
#30RightNow Month Of Action
The campaign to get rent relief for supportive housing tenants in this year’s budget cycle is well underway, and we have a whole week of actions for the cause. Read our policy statement here!
The biggest announcement is that the #30RightNow campaign will be holding an in-person rally on Tuesday, May 18 at 1:00 p.m. in front of City Hall to demand the mayor fund the 30% rent standard in all supportive housing in this year’s budget cycle. We ask that all attendees follow COVID-19 protocols and have at least one shot of the vaccine. Press release can be found here.
Today, Tuesday, May 11, at 2:00 p.m., please call into the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting and make a public comment (Item 19) to urge that the mayor fund #30RightNow. Dial 1 (415) 655-0001 and use the meeting ID (187 264 2158 # #), then press *3 to speak as soon as meeting starts – it’s the only public comment period.
Then, tomorrow, May 12, at 11:30 a.m., please call into the Budget and Appropriations Committee’s hearing on the law enforcement budget (Item 3). We know many of you are speaking against the bloated law enforcement budget already, but we invite you to mention that the city spends $8.6 million per year on public housing cops, and that it would only cost $6.1 million per year to fund getting rents down to 30% for all supportive housing tenants. Dial 1 (415) 655-0001 / and use the meeting ID (187 153 5648 # #), and when Item 3 comes up, dial *3 to speak.
If you have committee work or another story you want to be publicized by a friendly outlet, please submit tips to writing@dsasf.org.
Learn About City Government Through the Civil Grand Jury!
Every year, each county in California convenes a Civil Grand Jury to investigate local city and county government. In contrast to a criminal Grand Jury, the SF Civil Grand Jury comprises 19 ordinary residents, who choose to research and investigate any topic of their choosing related to local government. If you’re interested in the details of how city government works, this may be the opportunity for you!
The requirements for participating are U.S. citizenship, and SF residence for at least one year. If you live in a different California county, you can apply for that county’s Civil Grand Jury. The time commitment is around 10 hours per week. Civil Grand Jury service is a paid opportunity, at a maximum of $75/week depending on days worked. The deadline for the application is May 14. All information and the application form can be found here.
We Need You to Build Socialism!
We need your help with the following:
Help Produce the Newsletter!
Every week we put out the very newsletter you are reading, and we need organizers to help write, edit and produce it. Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Manage Our Social Media!
You already live on Instagram and Twitter, so why not help build socialism instead of just providing data to targeted advertising algorithms? Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Organize Our Monthly Meetings and Other Fun Events!
If you have experience or interest in organizing events, our Community team could use your help. Social events, educational events, and of course our monthly meetings; none of them happen without organizers. Fill out this form, email community@dsasf.org, or #ccc-community on Slack to join the fun.
Help Our Tech Team!
Want to be a part of a team that is actually making a difference in the world, not just talking about it on LinkedIn? Help build the infrastructure that DSA SF uses to build socialism. Contact tech-support@dsasf.org or #ccc-tech on Slack to pitch in.
DSA SF Membership Drive
Consider becoming a member of National DSA or making sure your membership is up-to-date, so you can participate in the member forums and stay informed about what the National Organization is doing. Becoming a member also counts towards DSA SF’s delegate count for the August National Convention! As always, no one will be turned away for lack of funds; all you need to do is fill out the dues sponsorship form. If you have any other questions or hurdles on membership, feel free to email steering@dsasf.org and we’ll figure something out together.
Reading Groups
The Antonio Gramsci Reader
The 21st Century Socialism Reading Group takes a dip back into the 20th. There will be four sessions every other Tuesday, continuing with our third session tonight from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.Register here!
Making Asian America: Brief Excerpts on Labor, Belonging, and Empire
Join us for DSA SF’s newest reading group to commemorate AAPI Heritage Month, “Making Asian America.” There will be three sessions (Labor, Belonging, and Empire), each of which will examine a different aspect of Asian American political organizing within its historical context. The first session was Sunday, May 2, and the next two sessions will take place this Saturday, May 15, and Saturday, May 29, all at 2:30 p.m.Sign up here.
Kick your May off right by joining us at Intro to DSA this Wednesday, May 5 at 6:30 p.m.! If you are looking to take the next step and get more involved with DSA SF, Intro is a great way to learn about all the cool projects going on in the chapter right now. Register here.
Learn About City Government Through the Civil Grand Jury!
Every year, each county in California convenes a Civil Grand Jury to investigate local city and county government. In contrast to a criminal Grand Jury, the SF Civil Grand Jury comprises 19 ordinary residents, who choose to research and investigate any topic of their choosing related to local government. If you’re interested in the details of how city government works, this may be the opportunity for you!
The requirements for participating are U.S. citizenship, and SF residence for at least one year. If you live in a different California county, you can apply for that county’s Civil Grand Jury. The time commitment is around 10 hours per week. Civil Grand Jury service is a paid opportunity, at a maximum of $75/week depending on days worked. The deadline for the application is May 14. All information and the application form can be found here.
This Week on SFIJ
Hi there, comrades!
We think the following pieces of news from the San Francisco Independent Journal (SFIJ) may be of interest to you:
In response to growing neighborhood support for non-police public safety programs, my office sent a letter to Mayor Breed on February 24, urging her to partner on a pilot to expand the Community Ambassador Program by adding at least 10 Community Ambassadors throughout the neighborhoods of District 5. We believe this pilot represents a cost-effective way to improve public safety while fulfilling a shared city goal of diverting funds from traditional policing models. If you’re with us, please sign this petition.
Our amazing Safe Sleeping in the Haight is set to close on June 30 to make way for the much-needed affordable housing built on that site. This site was a complete success in terms of keeping unhoused neighbors safe during the pandemic, and has cycled dozens of people from the streets in the area to other housing options. We are so thankful to Homeless Youth Alliance and Larkin Street Youth Services for the incredible work they did with CAMP over the last year. Let’s make sure all current CAMP residents get the exits to stability they deserve!
In response to the announcement last Monday that City Attorney Dennis Herrera is being appointed to head the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, I submitted an official Letter of Inquiry to his office at the Board meeting on Tuesday. To promote transparency, avoid conflicts of interest, and protect good government, all principles shared by my office and that of the City Attorney, I asked a number of questions related to the appointment and ongoing corruption investigations.
We are not interested in our elected officials being beholden to corporate donors. For city races, corporate donations are banned, but for state-level races, there are no limits to corporate donations. AB 20 would change that, so we passed a resolution in support of the state bill this month. Keep corporate money out of California politics!
Have an idea or want to schedule a meeting with your caucus or committee with Dean’s office? Write to PrestonStaff@sfgov.org or lexvonklark@gmail.com with details, mention you’re with DSA, and we’ll schedule a day!
We Need You to Build Socialism!
We need your help with the following:
Help Produce the Newsletter!
Every week we put out the very newsletter you are reading, and we need organizers to help write, edit and produce it. Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Manage Our Social Media!
You already live on Instagram and Twitter, so why not help build socialism instead of just providing data to targeted advertising algorithms? Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Organize Our Monthly Meetings and Other Fun Events!
If you have experience or interest in organizing events, our Community team could use your help. Social events, educational events, and of course our monthly meetings; none of them happen without organizers. Fill out this form, email community@dsasf.org, or #ccc-community on Slack to join the fun.
Help Our Tech Team!
Want to be a part of a team that is actually making a difference in the world, not just talking about it on LinkedIn? Help build the infrastructure that DSA SF uses to build socialism. Contact tech-support@dsasf.org or #ccc-tech on Slack to pitch in.
DSA SF Membership Drive
Consider becoming a member of National DSA or making sure your membership is up-to-date, so you can participate in the member forums and stay informed about what the National Organization is doing. Becoming a member also counts towards DSA SF’s delegate count for the August National Convention! As always, no one will be turned away for lack of funds; all you need to do is fill out the dues sponsorship form. If you have any other questions or hurdles on membership, feel free to email steering@dsasf.org and we’ll figure something out together.
Reading Groups
The Antonio Gramsci Reader
The 21st Century Socialism Reading Group takes a dip back into the 20th. There will be four sessions every other Tuesday, continuing with our third session next Tuesday, May 11, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Register here!
Making Asian America: Brief Excerpts on Labor, Belonging, and Empire
Join us for DSA SF’s newest reading group to commemorate AAPI Heritage Month, “Making Asian America.” There will be three sessions (Labor, Belonging, and Empire), each of which will examine a different aspect of Asian American political organizing within its historical context. The first session was this past Sunday, May 2, and the next two sessions will take place on Saturday, May 15, and Saturday, May 29, all at 2:30 p.m. Sign up here.
May Day is this Saturday! Join us for a series of events this week focused on the PRO Act and May Day—all leading up to a march and rally led by Bay Area Labor Councils on May Day:
?Thursday, 4/29 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.: Check out East Bay DSA’s virtual screening of a video-in-progress “We Mean to Make Things Over: A History of May Day,” with filmmaker Fred Glass!
?Friday, 4/30 at 5:30 p.m.: Union workers in the US & the Philippines have allied historically to prove that international solidarity is more powerful than any corp or regime! Hear a presentation about US imperialism in the Philippines, how our struggles connect, and how to resist.
?Saturday 5/1 at 9:00 a.m.: The May Day March and Rally! March with us to commemorate workers and rally for the PRO Act! Meet at the intersection of Drumm & Clay St. – bring personal water, snacks, and other supplies. Wear a mask and dress in red!
How do we reconcile the socialist movement with the insights of liberal feminism? Join us thisThursday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. for a lecture exploring capitalist patriarchy, misogyny, intersectionality, and social reproduction theory. There will be time set aside for questions and discussion at the end. Sign up here.
Announcements
Dean Preston Weekly Update
This week, Mayor London Breed refused to commit to using Prop I funds for rent relief and social housing. This is clearly contrary to the will of both the voters and the Board of Supervisors. Reach out to Mayor Breed here so she knows exactly how we feel about her selfish neglect of the will of the voters.
Last Tuesday, Dean and Supervisor Matt Haney introduced a proposal that would appropriate $9.3 million in one-time funds to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to offset the costs of piloting free public transit for all, for three months. If approved by the Board of Supervisors, the program would begin July 1 and run through the end of September. This is a critical first step towards the free, socialized public transit that San Francisco deserves.
The Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development approved $2.7 million for immediate repairs at Plaza East following the organizing of Plaza East tenants and Dean’s announcement of an oversight hearing. While this is likely still not an adequate commitment, it is a strong move away from the initial demolition plan. If you’re interested in learning more and you want to show your support for the tenants of Plaza East, tune in to the Government Accountability and Oversight Committee hearing at 10 am on May 6.
Starting May 1, the SF Department of Public Health will provide a drop-in community vaccination site in the Fillmore for all neighborhood residents 16+. Thanks to all the community members who came together to make this happen!
Have an idea or want to schedule a meeting with your caucus or committee with Dean’s office? Write to PrestonStaff@sfgov.org or lexvonklark@gmail.com with details, mention you’re with DSA, and we’ll schedule a day!
We Need You to Build Socialism!
We need your help with the following:
Help Produce the Newsletter!
Every week we put out the very newsletter you are reading, and we need organizers to help write, edit and produce it. Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Manage Our Social Media!
You already live on Instagram and Twitter, so why not help build socialism instead of just providing data to targeted advertising algorithms? Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Organize Our Monthly Meetings and Other Fun Events!
If you have experience or interest in organizing events, our Community team could use your help. Social events, educational events, and of course our monthly meetings; none of them happen without organizers. Fill out this form, email community@dsasf.org, or #ccc-community on Slack to join the fun.
Help Our Tech Team!
Want to be a part of a team that is actually making a difference in the world, not just talking about it on LinkedIn? Help build the infrastructure that DSA SF uses to build socialism. Contact tech-support@dsasf.org or #ccc-tech on Slack to pitch in.
DSA SF Membership Drive
Consider becoming a member of National DSA or making sure your membership is up-to-date, so you can participate in the member forums and stay informed about what the National Organization is doing. Becoming a member also counts towards DSA SF’s delegate count for the August National Convention! As always, no one will be turned away for lack of funds; all you need to do is fill out the dues sponsorship form. If you have any other questions or hurdles on membership, feel free to email steering@dsasf.org and we’ll figure something out together.
Reading Groups
The Antonio Gramsci Reader
The 21st Century Socialism Reading Group takes a dip back into the 20th. There will be four sessions every other Tuesday, continuing with our second session this evening, April 27th, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Register here!
Making Asian America: Brief Excerpts on Labor, Belonging, and Empire
Join us for DSA SF’s newest reading group to commemorate AAPI Heritage Month, “Making Asian America.” There will be three sessions (Labor, Belonging, and Empire), each of which will examine a different aspect of Asian American political organizing within its historical context. Sessions will take place this upcoming Sunday, May 2nd, Saturday, May 15th, and Saturday, May 29th, all at 2:30 PM. Sign up here.
Within less than a year after the murder of George Floyd, countless others, including Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, Adam Toledo in Chicago, and Roger Allen in Daly City, were recently killed by police. These tragedies occurred during Derek Chauvin’s trial. Daunte Wright was killed just 11 miles away from where Floyd was murdered. Roger Allen was killed in Daly City, here in our own backyard. This cycle of violence is never-ending, and communities can rarely grieve the loss of one member before another gets shot by police.
No matter how the media portrays them, it is evident that this system has never “failed” — rather, it upholds white supremacy, systemic racism, and capitalism by design.
That is why the system can never be reformed.
There is no legal reform or policy change that will prevent police violence from happening if it doesn’t call for demilitarizing, defunding, and dismantling this very system that protects their interests over Black people and the working class. For example, the George Floyd Act, which was introduced on the House floor last summer, was supposed to ban racial profiling, overhaul qualified immunity, and ban using chokeholds. But what also happened was it gave more funding to various police departments, leading to more killings at the hands of police.
Public safety cannot be delivered to the people through a system that, at its core, is designed to keep the status quo. Protestors have been demanding to defund the police and refund our communities because we know what keeps us safe: safe and accessible housing, worker protections, food, community infrastructure, and meaningful paths for self-determination as we work to dismantle the entire system of capitalism—not the police. We are committed to abolition, and we will continue to demand justice for all victims of police murder in San Francisco and across the country. As the Derek Chauvin trial reaches a verdict this week, the work must continue toward liberation for all.
The Chapter Coordinating Committee’s Community Team is hosting another trivia night tonight, April 20 at 6:00 p.m.! Hop on the DSA SF Discord server to play!
If you’re a member of DSA SF and not on Discord yet, email discord@dsasf.org to be added!
Today! Stop Budget Cuts to CCSF: Join SF Grey Panthers Meeting to Fight Back
Once again, CCSF is under attack. As former CCSF Chair of Labor & Community Studies Bill Shield explains, “for many years, the neoliberal, corporate agenda has included a fierce attack on public education at all levels… More recently, the school wreckers turned their guns on public higher education, including community colleges.” CCSF students, faculty, staff, their unions, and the community are fighting back to preserve CCSF as a community college. Find out what we can do to save it by joining here this afternoon, April 20th,from1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Tomorrow! Public Comment: Demand Permanent Housing, not Safe Sleeping Sites
District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman’s A Place for All legislation would require the City to provide each unhoused person a tent in a safe sleeping site. Tents are NOT permanent housing, and every dollar that goes toward these extremely expensive safe sleeping sites is a dollar spent on something that fails to get our unhoused neighbors into safe and stable housing. The SF Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee is meeting tomorrow, April 21, at 9:00 a.m. and A Place for All is on the agenda.
We need folks to call in and tell the committee that the City needs to put these hundreds of millions of dollars hard-won through the passage of Prop C in 2018 towards permanent supportive housing, not tents and further criminalization of homelessness. Our unhoused neighbors deserve pathways to stable housing, not another one of the City’s money-slick labyrinths designed to “solve” them by keeping them out of the sight of the housed. Dial-in info and instructions below – feel free to email homelessness@dsasf.org if you have any questions!
Instructions:
Dial (415) 655-0001. Enter the Access Code (187 355 1611) then press ‘#’.
Press # again to join the meeting as a participant. You will hear a beep when you have entered the meeting.
When you hear the beep: stop and listen. Wait for Public Comment for the A Place for All item to be announced.
When the Clerk calls Public Comment, dial * 3 to be added to the speaker line. You will hear ‘You have raised your hand to ask a question. Please wait to speak until the host calls on you.’ Wait for your turn to speak.
When you hear ‘Your line has been unmuted,’ this is your opportunity to make your public commentafter the beep. Tell the Committee that these hundreds of millions of dollars cannot be spent on a system that would hustle our unhoused neighbors from site to site and that they need to take this historic opportunity to use money from Prop C on stable housing for all!
This Thursday! People’s Earth Day Rally
Join the Ecosocialist Committee and other environmental advocates this Thursday, April 22, at 12:00 p.m. at City Hall and demand Mayor Breed and the Board of Supervisors to:
Declare a MORATORIUM on Lennar’s Shipyard development and unsafe soil excavation!
Declare a PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY!
Conduct full retesting, safe cleanup & removal of all radioactive and toxic waste at the Shipyard Superfund Site and Treasure Island!
NEW! PRO Act: Phonebank & Save the Date for Bay Area Town Hall
DSA’s highest national priority is to pass the PRO Act (Protect the Right to Organize), which would strengthen unions, the power of the working class to organize on the job, and our collective capacity to win a just transition to a green economy for all. After successfully pressuring one of our target senators to co-sponsor the bill, we need all hands on deck to make calls targeting the other four holdouts. This month, DSA called 500k voters to rally support! ??Sign up for Phone-Banking shifts, Text-Banking shifts, and donate what you can to keep the campaign going strong.
Also, SAVE THE DATE: DSA SF, East Bay DSA, and other chapters will hold a Bay Area PRO Act Townhall, with exciting guests to be announced, on Tuesday, April 27 at 6:00 p.m.! Workers & the World Unite!
Impunity of an Empire: The Cost of Plunder in the Philippines
Join us on Friday, April 30 at 5:30 p.m. to hear from Filipino Solidarity Activists about:
The historical relationship between the United States and the Philippines and the dire consequences of its colonial dynamics
The current situation in the Philippines under the Duterte dictatorship
The popular struggle for democracy and against imperialism and the current demands of the Filipino people
How people in this country can support that struggle and oppose the neo-colonial domination of the US and the US militarization of East and Southeast Asia
The event will be co-hosted by the IRIS Committee and will include speakers from the Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines and the Malaya Movement. Learn more.
NEW! Film Screening of We Mean to Make Things Over: A History
East Bay DSA and DSA SF’s Labor Committees are co-sponsoring a virtual screening of We Mean to Make Things Over: A History of May Day, a half-hour documentary video in progress, on Thursday, April 29 at 7:00 p.m. The screening will feature the filmmaker, EB DSA Member Fred Glass, and DSA DSLC Commissioner Daniel Dominguez. They will be discussing the film, as well as the Protect the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, and will hold a brief Q&A afterwards. Register here and check out the Facebook event.
NEW! Intro to Socialist Feminism
How do we reconcile the socialist movement with the insights of liberal feminism? Join us Thursday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. for a lecture exploring capitalist patriarchy, misogyny, intersectionality, and social reproduction theory. There will be time set aside for questions and discussion at the end. Sign up here.
Announcements
This Week on SFIJ
Hi there, comrades!
We think the following pieces of news from the San Francisco Independent Journal (SFIJ) may be of interest to you:
?Finally, the San Francisco Board of supervisors voted to support Assembly Bill 20 (AB20), which would add California to the list of states that bar business entities from directly contributing to political campaigns.
If you have committee work or another story you want to be publicized by a friendly outlet, please submit tips to writing@dsasf.org.
Welcome DSA SF’s Newest Comrade
If you are active in the Ecosocialism Committee, then you know Tyler B, Eco’s mobilizer. Tyler has recently helped bring a new member to the chapter, so let’s all welcome Julian Aaron! Let’s make a better world for Julian.
We Need You to Build Socialism!
We need your help with the following:
Help Produce the Newsletter!
Every week we put out the very newsletter you are reading, and we need organizers to help write, edit and produce it. Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Manage Our Social Media!
You already live on Instagram and Twitter, so why not help build socialism instead of just providing data to targeted advertising algorithms? Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Organize Our Monthly Meetings and Other Fun Events!
If you have experience or interest in organizing events, our Community team could use your help. Social events, educational events, and of course our monthly meetings; none of them happen without organizers. Fill out this form, email community@dsasf.org, or #ccc-community on Slack to join the fun.
Help Our Tech Team!
Want to be a part of a team that is actually making a difference in the world, not just talking about it on LinkedIn? Help build the infrastructure that DSA SF uses to build socialism. Contact tech-support@dsasf.org or #ccc-tech on Slack to pitch in.
DSA SF Membership Drive
Please consider becoming a member of National DSA, or making sure your membership is current, so you can stay up to date with what the National Organization is doing and participate in the member forums. Becoming a member also counts towards DSA SF’s delegate count for the August National Convention! As always, no one is turned away for lack of funds, all you need to do is fill out the dues sponsorship form. If you have any other questions or hurdles on membership, feel free to email steering@dsasf.org and we’ll figure something out together.
Reading Groups
The Antonio Gramsci Reader
The 21st Century Socialism Reading Group takes a dip back into the 20th. There will be four sessions every other Tuesday, continuing with our second session on April 27th from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Register here!
In the past few weeks, the chapter has been busy! We welcomed in new socialists during another Intro to DSA meeting, and our Labor Organizing Committee organized with Dandelion Chocolate workers, the ILWU, and the broader labor movement following a rally on March 31. We heard updates from Supervisor Dean Preston’s office. Lots more coming soon, too — there will be two healthcare panel discussions this Thursday and next Sunday, and a new panel discussion on the historical relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines on April 30. Read on for more information and ways you can get involved.
The Chapter Coordinating Committee’s Community Team is hosting another trivia night on Tuesday, April 20 at 6:00 p.m.! Hop on the DSA SF Discord server to play!
If you’re a member of DSA SF and not on Discord yet, email discord@dsasf.org to be added!
New! Impunity of an Empire: The Cost of Plunder in the Philippines
Join us on Friday, April 30 at 5:30 p.m. to learn about the historical relationship between the United States and the Philippines. We will explore the dire consequences of its colonial dynamics and how we as individuals in the U.S. need to take an active role in foreign policy, grassroots organizing, and alliance building. The Filipino people need us to resist and challenge the imperial hold the US has on the Philippines! The San Francisco Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (SFCHRP) and Malaya Movement San Francisco, in collaboration with DSA SF, will provide an in-depth presentation diving into these themes as well as a space for attendees to participate in a thorough discussion. More details to come.
Healthcare and Labor Panel
Join us for our Healthcare and Labor Panel this Thursday, April 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.! This will be a panel discussion on raising class consciousness, fostering union militancy, and fighting for Medicare-for-All featuring:
Eunice Balancio, RN, MSN, NNU/CNA
Jamie Dawson, OFNHP/AFT Local 5017
Greg Gabrellas, Secretary-Treasurer of CIR-SEIU
John Pearson, ER Nurse, President of the AHS Chapter of SEIU 1021
We will discuss questions such as: how do we foster class-consciousness among our coworkers? How do we become effective workplace leaders, and how can we use our relationships to foster a militant union? How do we organize into a union where we have none, and how do we reform our unions if the leadership does not represent the rank-and-file’s interests? You can register for the Zoom meeting here!
The Future of Medicare for All: What Way Forward?
Two-thirds of American voters support Medicare for All. What are the obstacles to passing it, and how do we overcome them? Join us on Sunday, April 18 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. for a panel discussion on the way forward for Medicare for All. Speakers include Dr. Susan Rogers, president of Physicians for a National Health Program; Stephanie Nakajima, Director of Communications for Healthcare-NOW; Michael Lighty, national spokesperson for DSA’s Medicare for All campaign; and Shamus Cooke, a public union worker and member of Portland DSA, and will touch on maternal and infant mortality, life expectancy inequities, the need for mass action, and how we can bring about a multi-racial mass movement. Don’t miss it! Register here!
Join Homelessness Working Group’s Strategy Meeting!
Join the Homelessness Working Group on Monday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. to talk about strategy and how we should best navigate the current state of the pandemic and beyond to best support our unhoused neighbors. We’ll talk about the state of our current projects and how we can better engage our unhoused neighbors and involve them in the direction of the working group. No need to register – just join us on April 26 on Zoom here.
PRO Act: Phonebank & Save the Date for Bay Area Town Hall
DSA’s highest national priority is to pass the PRO Act (Protect the Right to Organize), which would strengthen unions, the power of the working class to organize on the job, and our collective capacity to win a just transition to a green economy for all. This month, DSA called 500k voters to rally support! ?? MORE phonebanks this week here.
Also, SAVE THE DATE: DSA SF, East Bay DSA, and other chapters will hold a Bay Area PRO Act Townhall, with exciting guests to be announced, on Tuesday, April 27 at 6:00 p.m.! Workers & the World Unite!
Have an idea or want to schedule a meeting with your caucus or committee with Dean’s office? Write either PrestonStaff@sfgov.org or lexvonklark@gmail.com with details, mention you’re with DSA, and we’ll schedule a day!
We Need You to Build Socialism!
We need your help with the following:
Help Produce the Newsletter!
Every week we put out the very newsletter you are reading, and we need organizers to help write, edit and produce it. Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Manage Our Social Media!
You already live on Instagram and Twitter, so why not help build socialism instead of just providing data to targeted advertising algorithms? Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Organize Our Monthly Meetings and Other Fun Events!
If you have experience or interest in organizing events, our Community team could use your help. Social events, educational events, and of course our monthly meetings; none of them happen without organizers. Fill out this form, email community@dsasf.org, or #ccc-community on Slack to join the fun.
Help Our Tech Team!
Want to be a part of a team that is actually making a difference in the world, not just talking about it on LinkedIn? Help build the infrastructure that DSA SF uses to build socialism. Contact tech-support@dsasf.org or #ccc-tech on Slack to pitch in.
DSA SF Membership Drive
Please consider becoming a member of National DSA, or making sure your membership is current, so you can stay up to date with what the National Organization is doing and participate in the member forums. Becoming a member also counts towards DSA SF’s delegate count for the August National Convention! As always, no one is turned away for lack of funds, all you need to do is fill out the dues sponsorship form. If you have any other questions or hurdles on membership, feel free to email steering@dsasf.org and we’ll figure something out together.
Reading Groups
The Antonio Gramsci Reader
The 21st Century Socialism Reading Group takes a dip back into the 20th. There will be four sessions every other Tuesday, starting today, April 13 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.Register here!
Interested in joining DSA or just curious about socialism? Join us for our upcoming Intro to DSA event on Wednesday, April 7, at 6:30 p.m. and hear what we’re doing to build the socialist movement in San Francisco. Register here! There’s no time like the present when it comes to fighting for our future and building working-class power. Bring your questions and a friend!
Join Homelessness Working Group’s Strategy Meeting!
Join the Homelessness Working Group on Monday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. to talk about strategy and how we should best navigate the current state of the pandemic and beyond to best support our unhoused neighbors. We’ll talk about the state of our current projects and how we can better engage our unhoused neighbors and involve them in the direction of the working group. No need to register – just join us on April 26 on Zoom here.
PRO Act: Phonebank & Save the Date for Bay Area Town Hall
DSA’s highest national priority is to pass the PRO Act (Protect the Right to Organize), which would strengthen unions, the power of the working class to organize on the job, and our collective capacity to win a just transition to a green economy for all. This month, DSA called 500k voters to rally support! ?? MORE phonebanks this week here.
Also, SAVE THE DATE: DSA SF, East Bay DSA, and other chapters will hold a Bay Area PRO Act Townhall, with exciting guests to be announced, on Tuesday, April 27 at 6:00 p.m.! Workers & the World Unite!
Take Action This Week to Defend City College!
City College is facing deep staffing cuts for next year. Layoffs are planned to go into effect on May 15. These cuts endanger the college’s state funding by sharply reducing enrollment, and also threaten the survival of many programs and departments at the college. A broad coalition is fighting to rebuild CCSF rather than let the downsizing continue!
City College is a vital institution that serves the working class of San Francisco, and we need to speak up for it!
Healthcare and Labor Panel
Join us for our Healthcare and Labor Panel on Thursday, April 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.! This will be a panel discussion on raising class consciousness, fostering union militancy, and fighting for Medicare-for-All featuring:
Eunice Balancio, RN, MSN, NNU/CNA
Jamie Dawson, OFNHP/AFT Local 5017
Greg Gabrellas, Secretary-Treasurer of CIR-SEIU
John Pearson, ER Nurse, President of the AHS Chapter of SEIU 1021
We will discuss questions such as: how do we foster class-consciousness among our coworkers? How do we become effective workplace leaders, and how can we use our relationships to foster a militant union? How do we organize into a union where we have none, and how do we reform our unions if the leadership does not represent the rank-and-file’s interests? You can register for the Zoom meeting here!
The Future of Medicare for All: What Way Forward?
Join us on Sunday, April 18 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. for a panel discussion on the future of Medicare for All and a single-payer health care system that ensures care for all, regardless of wealth or employment status. The panel will include Dr. Susan Rogers, President, of Physicians for a National Health Program; Stephanie Nakajima, Director of Communications for Healthcare-NOW; Shamus Cooke, public sector worker, union activist, and member of Portland DSA; and Michael Lighty, National spokesperson for the DSA Medicare for All Campaign, and will touch on maternal and infant mortality, life expectancy inequities, the need for mass action, and how we can bring about a multi-racial mass movement. Don’t miss it! Register here!
If you have committee work or another story you want to be publicized by a friendly outlet, please submit tips to writing@dsasf.org.
We Need You to Build Socialism!
We need your help for the following:
Help Produce the Newsletter!
Every week we put out the very newsletter you are reading, and we need organizers to help write, edit and produce it. Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Manage Our Social Media!
You already live on Instagram and Twitter, so why not help build socialism instead of just providing data to targeted advertising algorithms? Contact comms@dsasf.org or #ccc-comms on Slack to help out.
Help Organize Our Monthly Meetings and Other Fun Events!
If you have experience or interest in organizing events, our Community team could use your help. Social events, educational events, and of course our monthly meetings; none of them happen without organizers. Fill out this form, email community@dsasf.org, or #ccc-community on Slack to join the fun.
Help Our Tech Team!
Want to be a part of a team that is actually making a difference in the world, not just talking about it on LinkedIn? Help build the infrastructure that DSA SF uses to build socialism. Contact tech-support@dsasf.org or #ccc-tech on Slack to pitch in.
DSA SF Membership Drive
Please consider becoming a member of National DSA, or making sure your membership is current, so you can stay up to date with what the National Organization is doing and participate in the member forums. Becoming a member also counts towards DSA SF’s delegate count for the August National Convention! As always, no one is turned away for lack of funds, all you need to do is fill out the dues sponsorship form. If you have any other questions or hurdles on membership, feel free to email steering@dsasf.org and we’ll figure something out together.
Your Steering Committee would like to wish a very happy Passover to all! Passover is a holiday commemorating the Jewish people’s escape from slavery in Egypt by recounting the struggle against oppression, rejoicing in the joy of freedom, and celebrating the rebirth of spring happening around us. That celebration also comes with reflection and responsibility; our joy is tempered by the bitterness and pain of our brethren suffering in bondage, and our festivities are commingled with call to action: that none of us are truly free until all of us are free. This year, the themes and lessons of Passover could not be more relevant.
As we observe the second Passover under quarantine, the first a year ago as the COVID-19 plague was first taking hold and this year with hope finally visible on the horizon, we reflect on how COVID-19 became a plague – because of the hardened hearts of our modern-day pharaohs. Instead of providing mortgage freezes, income replacement, free healthcare for all, and freedom for those held in prisons and camps, half a million lives were sacrificed on the altar of capital. It is also a powerful reminder of the importance of building working class solidarity and power: those who benefit from the exploitation of the masses will not cede power if we do not come together to fight for it.
Like the Jews escaping bondage in Egypt to spend 40 years in the desert, we are all striving to reach a better world that we may not live to see, but that we know is out there to be found together.
As many of us teach our children the story of our ancestors, let us adapt the traditional Four Children into a Marxist approach, and also teach them how to pursue justice in our time.
WHAT DOES THE REVOLUTIONARY CHILD ASK? “The Torah tells me, ‘Justice, justice you shall pursue,’ but how can I pursue justice?” Empower him always to seek pathways to advocate for the vulnerable. As Proverbs teaches, “Speak up for the mute, for the rights of the unfortunate. Speak up, judge righteously, champion the poor and the needy.” Give him readings, invite him to protests and public speeches, and encourage him to learn and to build the revolutionary organization.
WHAT DOES THE SKEPTICAL CHILD ASK? “How can I solve problems of such enormity?” Encourage her by explaining that she need not solve the problems, she must only do what she is capable of doing. As we read in Pirke Avot, “It is not your responsibility to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” Show her the long history of class struggle, the consistency of the working class rising up against the capitalist class and the few examples of success. Let her read about the Russian revolution and see the most backwards capitalist country in its time turn into the most progressive in just a few weeks of socialism. These examples are our guide.
WHAT DOES THE INDIFFERENT CHILD SAY? “It’s not my responsibility.” Persuade him that responsibility cannot be shirked. As Abraham Joshua Heschel writes, “The opposite of good is not evil, the opposite of good is indifference. In a free society where terrible wrongs exist, some are guilty, but all are responsible.” Show how capitalism is destroying the earth so that none of us can live on it. Show how crisis affects people of all classes, not just the most oppressed. Finally, show how the failure to build leadership leads to confusion at best, and bloody reaction at worst.
AND THE UNINFORMED CHILD WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK… Prompt her to see herself as an inheritor of our people’s legacy. As it says in Deuteronomy, “You must befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Tell her about the infinite possibilities of socialism, the promises of the transitional program, and the joyous future we can build under socialism.
May next year bring a world where we are all free, and able to celebrate our freedom safely with our loved ones.
Stand with Dandelion Chocolate Workers Organizing with ILWU!
DSA SF’s Labor Organizing Committee have been working with Dandelion Chocolate Workers to organize with ILWU! Join us on Cesar Chavez Day, this Wednesday, March 31 at 6:00 p.m. in Dolores Park, to show that SF stands with the workers in their fight for safety, living wages, and a seat at the table! More information can be found here.
Intro to Socialist Feminism
How do we reconcile the socialist movement with the insights of liberal feminism? Join us Wednesday, March 31st at 6:30 p.m. for a lecture exploring capitalist patriarchy, misogyny, intersectionality, and social reproduction theory. There will be time set aside for questions and discussion at the end. Sign up here.
Healthcare and Labor Panel
Join us for our Healthcare and Labor Panel on Thursday, April 15 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.! This will be a panel discussion on raising class consciousness, fostering union militancy, and fighting for Medicare-for-All featuring:
Eunice Balancio, RN, MSN, NNU/CNA Jamie Dawson, OFNHP/AFT Local 5017 Greg Gabrellas, Secretary-Treasurer of CIR-SEIU John Pearson, ER Nurse, President of the AHS Chapter of SEIU 1021
We will discuss questions such as: how do we foster class-consciousness among our coworkers? How do we become effective workplace leaders, and how can we use our relationships to foster a militant union? How do we organize into a union where we have none, and how do we reform our unions if the leadership does not represent the rank-and-file’s interests? You can register for the Zoom meeting here!
The Future of Medicare for All: What Way Forward?
Join us on Sunday, April 18 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. for a panel discussion on the future of Medicare for All and a single-payer health care system that ensures care for all, regardless of wealth or employment status. The panel will include Dr. Susan Rogers, President, of Physicians for a National Health Program; Stephanie Nakajima, Director of Communications for Healthcare-NOW; Shamus Cooke, public sector worker, union activist and member of Portland DSA; and Michael Lighty, National spokesperson for the DSA Medicare for All Campaign, and will touch on maternal and infant mortality, life expectancy inequities, the need for mass action, and how we can bring about a multi-racial mass movement. Don’t miss it – Zoom link to register for the panel is here!
Announcement
DSA SF Membership Drive!
Please consider becoming a member of National DSA, or making sure your membership is current, so you can stay up to date with what the National Organization is doing and participate in the member forums. Becoming a member also counts towards DSA SF’s delegate count for the August National Convention! As always, no one is turned away from lack of funds, all you need to do is fill out the dues sponsorship form. If you have any other questions or hurdles on membership, feel free to email steering@dsasf.org and we’ll figure something out together.
Future Economies Reading Group: Commons-Based Peer Production
If, as Marx says, “slavery cannot be abolished without the steam-engine,” what forms of domination can be ended with the advent of global communication networks? This month the Future Economies Reading Group will study new modes of production enabled by new technologies. Join us tonight from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
We will investigate a positive vision of a future centered around the redevelopment of the commons—imagine Wikipedia but for all of production. We’ll also read an introduction to McKenzie Wark’s theory of the Vectoralist Class, a new subset of the ruling class which draws its power from controlling overflows of information. Find the short readings and Zoom details here.
DSA’s highest national priority is to pass the PRO Act (Protect the Right to Organize), which would strengthen unions, the power of the working class to organize on the job, and our collective capacity to win a just transition to a green economy for all. The priority for this week is to phonebank to rally support in key swing states. Register for the next one alongside DSA SF comrades on Wednesday, March 24 between 5 to 8 p.m. and other phonebank sessions here. Workers & the World Unite!
As the city stumbles to vaccinate essential workers and vulnerable populations, our chapter, in conjunction with our comrade/District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston, is stepping in to make sure vulnerable seniors in D5 don’t fall through the cracks. Many seniors are struggling to navigate the city and state’s appointment system and we are stepping in to provide desperately needed mutual aid. Join comrades TONIGHT, Tuesday, March 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. to call seniors and help them make appointments for their vaccinations. Click here to join the Zoom. You can contact our comrade Ian James at ianhenryjames@gmail.com for more information.
Remembering Six Years of War on Yemen
Join the Yemeni Alliance Committee, DSA SF, and other antiwar & solidarity groups for a webinar taking stock of the war on Yemen on Friday, March 26, at 4 p.m. This March marks six years since a U.S.-backed Saudi coalition intervened in Yemen’s civil war. To understand this conflict, a range of speakers—activists, researchers, and elected officials— will be discussing the roots of this ongoing war, the impact on the Yemeni people, and how folks can join and build an effective anti-war movement.
How do we reconcile the socialist movement with the insights of liberal feminism? Join us Wednesday, March 31st at 6:30 p.m. for a lecture exploring capitalist patriarchy, misogyny, intersectionality, and social reproduction theory. There will be time set aside for questions and discussion at the end. Sign up here.
Announcements
This Week on SFIJ
Hi there, DSA SF!
We think the following pieces of news from the San Francisco Independent Journal (SFIJ) may be of interest to you:
If you have committee work or another story you want to be publicized by a friendly outlet, please submit tips to: writing@dsasf.org.
Dean Preston Updates
This week, our comrade Dean Preston’s updates include:
Information about drop-in vaccines for all 65+ San Francisco residents;
The passage of Dean’s resolution in support for Calcare (AB 1400)
A shoutout to DSA SF comrades for their organization in support of Prop I, which has already raised $20 million to fund social housing and rent relief.
Feel free to reach out to Dean’s office by emailing prestonstaff@sfgov.org or lexvonklark@gmail.com if you have ideas about how DSA SF can collaborate with Dean’s office. Read the full update here!
DSA SF Membership Drive!
Please consider becoming a member of National DSA, or making sure your membership is current, so you can stay up to date with what the National Organization is doing and participate in the member forums. Becoming a member also counts towards DSA SF’s delegate count for the August National Convention! As always, no one is turned away from lack of funds, all you need to do is fill out the dues sponsorship form. If you have any other questions or hurdles on membership, feel free to email steering@dsasf.org and we’ll figure something out together.
Electoral Strategy Commission
Come join our newly-elected comrades on the DSA SF Electoral Strategy Commission for their open meeting TODAY, Tuesday, March 23rd, from 7 to 8 p.m. to discuss how DSA SF should approach electoral work in the near future and long term. Register here.
Reading Groups
EcoSoc Book Club: Silvia Federici’s Re-Enchanting the World
Future Economies Reading Group: Commons-Based Peer Production
If, as Marx says, “slavery cannot be abolished without the steam-engine,” what forms of domination can be ended with the advent of global communication networks? This month the Future Economies Reading Group will study new modes of production enabled by new technologies. Join us on Tuesday, March 30, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
We will investigate a positive vision of a future centered around the redevelopment of the commons—imagine Wikipedia but for all of production. We’ll also read an introduction to McKenzie Wark’s theory of the Vectoralist Class, a new subset of the ruling class which draws its power from control overflows of information. Find the short readings and Zoom details here.
As we enter a full year of public health restrictions to counter the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reflecting on everything this chapter has done for each other, our neighbors throughout San Francisco, and the state of California. At the outset, we called for the decommodification of survival through the implementation of Medicare for All, rent and mortgage relief, widely-available testing and vaccine access, safe working conditions, decarceration of our local jails and nearby prisons, and a moratorium on deportations to combat community spread and ensure that working-class people could safely shelter in place. With over 530,000 COVID-19 deaths in the United States alone, those demands remain just as relevant today.
But despite the difficulties of navigating a pandemic, our comrades mobilized almost immediately to show up for our community. From our efforts to provide tents to our unhoused neighbors, provide hotel rooms for vulnerable unhoused San Franciscans, phonebank to raise COVID-19 relief funds for Navajo Nation, provide countless public comments to save essential workers’ jobs, distribute masks and hand sanitizer to neighbors in need—including our imprisoned neighbors, help our neighbors schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments, and many other efforts, our comrades have backed up our COVID-19 policy demands with their time, energy, and money to ensure that we can show San Francisco what is possible when we build class solidarity and fight to improve our community’s material conditions.
The pandemic isn’t over, but we aren’t done either. We remain committed to fighting for a recovery focused on building power for working-class people, international solidarity, and saving our planet.
Vulnerable seniors in District 5 need our help with getting vaccinated. Some seniors are struggling to navigate the confusing appointment system so we are stepping in to provide desperately needed mutual aid. Join the Electoral Committee and Dean Preston’s office tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. to help make these important calls. Click this link to join us on Zoom or contact Ian James at ianhenryjames@gmail.com for more information. Thanks!
Deadly Iran Sanctions: Lessons from Iraq and Palestine
Join the Immigration Committee and the No Sanctions on Iran Project for a webinar about the Iraq sanctions, the Gaza embargo, and the Iran sanctions on Tuesday, March 16, at 12 p.m. The No Sanctions on Iran Project is a group of feminist Iranian-American scholars, students, activists, and artists who are concerned about the deadly effects of the U.S. sanctions on the Iranian people. Noura Erakat, Negar Mortazavi, Assal Rad, and Zainab Saleh will be discussing the connections between sanctions in Iran and Iraq and the Gaza embargo, and asking: How do sanctions and embargoes debilitate populations and subject them to death? What possibilities exist for solidarity with people living under sanctions, and what might that solidarity achieve? This event is live-captioned for Accessibility. Register herefor the Zoom link.
Co-sponsored by: ITSRC, AGITATE!, MADRE, Jadaliyya, MERIP, Grassroots Global Justice Alliance, Code Pink, Femena, NIAC, AROC, and DSA SF
Remembering Six Years of War on Yemen
Join the Yemeni Alliance Committee, DSASF, and other antiwar & solidarity groups for a webinar taking stock of the war on Yemen on Friday, March 26, at 5 p.m. This March marks six years since a U.S.-backed Saudi coalition intervened in Yemen’s civil war. To understand this conflict, a range of speakers—activists, researchers, and elected officials – will be discussing the roots of this ongoing war, the impact on the Yemeni people, and how folks can join and build an effective anti-war movement. Register here to sign up.
COVID-19 Relief In Navajo Nation Solidarity Phone Bank
On Sunday, March 21, from 2 to 5 p.m., join a coalition of DSA chapters in phone banking to raise funds for existing grassroots mutual aid relief networks in Navajo Nation, which has been devastated by COVID-19. RSVP here!
If you have committee work or another story you want to be publicized by a friendly outlet, please submit tips to: writing@dsasf.org
DSA SF Trivia Night
Come join your friends on Discord on Monday, March 22nd, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for DSA trivia night! We’re going to hang out, play trivia, and get to know each other! We had a lot of fun with this last month, so if you missed it last time this is your chance to join in. Email coordinators@dsasf.org for more info or to join the Discord!
Reading Groups
EcoSoc Book Club: Silvia Federici’s Re-Enchanting the World
Future Economies Reading Group: Commons-Based Peer Production
If, as Marx says, “slavery cannot be abolished without the steam-engine,” what forms of domination can be ended with the advent of global communication networks? This month the Future Economies Reading Group will study new modes of production enabled by new technologies. Join us on Tuesday, March 30, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
We will investigate a positive vision of a future centered around the redevelopment of the commons—imagine Wikipedia but for all of production. We’ll also read an introduction to McKenzie Wark’s theory of the Vectoralist Class, a new subset of the ruling class which draws its power from control overflows of information. Find the short readings and Zoom details here.
