News and updates

Comrades,

DSA SF is launching its People First San Francisco electoral campaign! We’re working to win three ballot measures that will advance worker and renter power here in the city. On the slate is our very own Empty Homes Tax (Prop M), SF WERCS to fund City College (Prop O), and Double the Vote (Prop H). We’ll be using this slate to push forward explicitly socialist messaging throughout the city not only with the goal of winning, but also with the goal of growing DSA SF and the broader socialist movement. So, come join us at the kickoff on Saturday, September 3 at 11:30 a.m. at the corner of 9th and Lincoln and help us take this important step towards winning socialism in our time!

Upcoming Events

🌹 Wednesday, 8/31 (5:00 p.m.-5:45 p.m.): Electoral Board Endorsement Strategy Discussion (Zoom)

🌹 Saturday, 9/3 (11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.): People First San Francisco Electoral Slate Kickoff Mobilization (in-person, corner of 9th and Lincoln)

🌹 Sunday, 9/4 (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.): Rally to Support Tartine Workers (in person at 595 Alabama)

🌹 Sunday, 9/4 (6:00 p.m.): Book Discussion of Owning the Future with authors Adrienne Buller and Mathew Lawrence (in person at the DSA office on 1916 McAllister)

🌹 Thursday, 9/8 (6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.): What is DSA? (Zoom and in person at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister)

🌹 Saturday, 9/10 (12:00 p.m.): Empty Homes Tax Lit Drop and Blowback Podcast Discussion (in-person, location TBD)

🌹 Wednesday, 9/14 (6:45 p.m.-9:00 p.m.): September Chapter Meeting (Zoom and in-person at 518 Valencia)

For more events, click here.

Reportback from SFPUC’s Citizen Advisory Committee

Comrade Emily A. has been serving on the SF Public Utility Commission’s Citizen Advisory Committee, working to hold the City accountable for its management of some of our most basic necessities. Here’s her reportback from the committee:  Comrades, a year and a half ago Dean Preston’s office appointed me to the SF Public Utility Commission’s Citizen Advisory Committee (SFPUC CAC). To be clear, it’s an advisory role, so nothing we pass is legally binding, but we get a little bully pulpit and practice organizing. Water, Power and Sewer are all vital pieces of our city’s climate resilience, and I am proud of my work. Last week, we accomplished quite a bit that I am proud to have been involved with. – We passed the long-awaited Resolution in Support of Deepening Public Power Evaluations, a full year after this journey started. Yay! It was my first resolution with the CAC and I am proud and relieved that it passed with minimal amendments. This resolution asks the city to continue providing us information on what municipalization of PG&E’s wires in SF could look like. As we last left it in Ecosocialist Committee, the jury is still out on whether we’re throwing our lot in with a state level takeover or a city level takeover. Both have their benefits and drawbacks. I specifically included a lot of labor stuff. HUGE thanks to Reclaim Our Power for their help on this, as well as members of the Ecosocialist Committee and friends of Jackie Fielder. – Our comrade Alex L. passed his Resolution in Support of Transparency, Environmental Accountability, and Labor Standards for California Community Power, bringing some strong public comment from supporting organizations. It felt good to get that finished as well, although Alex did a lot of the heavy lifting! – During announcements, Barklee Sanders and I spoke about a draft resolution we are working on, “Putting Treasure Island on the Map.” SFPUC was very quick to respond, asking us for six months to prove they could turn that around. So, we are holding on that resolution, but I also drafted a template email for CAC members to share with their appointing supervisors. This email urges city leaders to require that future maps include Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island just like any other city neighborhood – it is insulting, marginalizing, and nonsensical to keep excluding them.

Announcements

Join the Electoral Board for a discussion of the chapter’s electoral endorsement strategy!

The Electoral Board has received a couple of inbound endorsement requests from various campaigns. In the spirit of democratic socialism, we are hosting a meeting on Zoom tomorrow night, August 31 from 5:00 p.m.-5:45 p.m. to discuss our broader endorsement strategy and quickly review some of the inbound endorsement requests.

Although the discussion will not focus on individual measures, our specific political context is relevant to and informs our strategy for this election season. This discussion will directly inform the Electoral Board’s direction for the remainder of 2022. As a reminder, our electoral work is guided by the Electoral Strategy Resolution adopted by the chapter in 2021.

The agenda for the meeting is linked here, and you can take a look at the full list of ballot measures on the SF Department of Elections website here.

DSA SF now has a Protect Abortion Working Group

DSA SF now has a provisional Protect Abortion Working Group. The provisional co-chairs are Ellie G and Alyssa A, and initial plans are to organize pro-abortion actions in coordination with other groups including CA-DSA and National, hold a teach-in for the chapter, and organize mutual aid to support people seeking abortion access. To get involved, join the #abortion-working-group channel in DSA slack – we’ll have lots more updates about the working group’s plans and actions in the weeks and months to come.

Join us to lit drop for the Empty Homes Tax and to discuss the latest episode of the Blowback podcast

Discuss the book Owning the Future with authors Adrienne Buller and Mathew Lawrence

Contribute to the DSA Labor national labor solidarity fund to help support local strikes and union drives across the country!

DSA Labor is launching the national labor solidarity fund, a collective resource for all DSA chapters to use in support of local strikes, union drives, and other forms of working class struggle. All we have is us – pitch in to make sure labor can keep up the fight everywhere, including upcoming strikes at Starbucks, Amazon, UPS, and more!

You can also get some sweet socialist merch for your contributions! DSA Labor has stickers and buttons available now, and you can pre-order t-shirts and tote bags. Proceeds from DSA Labor merchandise sales will go towards our labor solidarity fund!

The next chapter meeting is on Wednesday, September 14!

Join us on Wednesday, September 14 at 6:45 p.m. for our monthly chapter meeting! As usual, this will be a hybrid meeting – you can register to attend on Zoom using the link below, or come to the meeting in person at 518 Valencia. More details to come on the agenda in the days ahead!

Comrades,

One of the many ways capitalism has warped our world is by erecting barriers, physical and mental and emotional, between people. Reconnecting with each other on a human level is not just desirable – it is essential to the project of dismantling capitalism.

What we’re saying is, come hang out with your comrades! DSA SF is launching Friday Socials – swing by the DSA SF office at 1916 McAllister every other Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to catch up with other folks in the chapter, help tidy up the office, and grab some snacks and drinks. The first Friday Social is this Friday, August 26 at 5:00 p.m., and we’ll be joined by a special guest – Amy Z, Organizing Manager for DSA National!

Members new and old are welcome – come by, catch up with old friends, meet new ones, and learn how we can all better organize together, both at the local and national level. See you there!

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Events

🌹 Wednesday, 8/24 (7:30 p.m.): California DSA’s Organizing in Logistics Kickoff Meeting (Zoom)

🌹 Friday, 8/26 (5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.): Friday Social (in person at the DSA SF office at 1916 McAllister)

🌹 Saturday, 8/27 (11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.): Empty Homes Tax (Prop M) Mobilization (in person at Golden Gate Park, corner of 6th and Fulton)

🌹 Sunday, 8/28 (12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.): Rally to Support Alcatraz Cruises Workers (in person at Pier 33)

🌹 Saturday, 9/3 (11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.): People First San Francisco Electoral Slate Kickoff Mobilization (in person, corner of 9th and Irving)

🌹 Sunday, 9/4 (10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.): Rally to Support Tartine Workers (in person at 595 Alabama)

For more events, click here.

Announcements

Learn about labor organizing at UPS and Amazon with other California DSA chapters!

Getting excited about successful grassroots labor organizing efforts at Amazon and Starbucks? Lots of folks are – learn how you can build power together! Join other California DSA chapters tomorrow evening, August 24 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom – DSA Labor will be discussing how we can support ongoing organizing efforts at Amazon and UPS, with thousands of Amazon workers unionizing in New York City and UPS Teamsters preparing to demand a fair deal when their contract expires next year, a bargaining effort that will affect hundreds of thousands of workers.

Whether you’re employed by UPS or Amazon or not, we can all play a part in making sure labor gets its fair share. DSA Labor will discuss how we can get directly involved in supporting organizers – don’t miss it! You can RSVP for the Zoom session using the link below.

Two rallies to support San Francisco labor coming up!

Show up to support labor! There will be a rally this Sunday, August 28 at 12:00 p.m. at Pier 33 to celebrate Alcatraz Cruises workers’ successful unionization efforts – come out to show the workers that the folks of this city have their backs.

Then, next Sunday, September 4 at 10:00 a.m. at 595 Alabama Street, show up to support Tartine workers as they negotiate their first labor contract. The first one on offer is unacceptable – a five-year contract with no guaranteed raises. We need to be as vocal as possible to let Tartine know that they’re going to need to do a lot better than that!

Comrades,

Want to help get the word out about the rad stuff the chapter gets up to? Join the Comms Committee! We’re looking for help with planning and creating posts for the chapter’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok accounts, fielding comms requests from other folks in the chapter, and editing and proofreading the weekly newsletter. And, we always love to hear fresh ideas about what else we could be doing to spread the good word of socialism throughout the City. Interested? Let us know at comms@dsasf.org or find us on Slack at #comms!

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Events

🌹 Wednesday, 8/17 (6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.): Free Muni Full Service Priority monthly meeting(Zoom and in person at the DSA SF office at 1916 McAllister)

🌹 Thursday, 8/18 (6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.): What is DSA? (in person at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister St)

🌹 Monday, 8/22 (6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.): Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations – Session Three (Zoom)

For more events, click here.

Announcements

DSA SF is hiring a part-time volunteer coordinator for the Empty Homes Tax campaign!

Get paid to fight the speculators denying our neighbors housing! DSA SF is looking to hire a volunteer coordinator to help run the Empty Homes Tax campaign. This is a paid, part-time position that will work closely with the Electoral Board to ensure a smoothly run campaign. If this sounds interesting to you and you’re a member in good standing, check out the job description and instructions to apply below!

The next What is DSA? session is this Thursday, August 18

Missed our first ‘What is DSA?’ session? Won’t need to wait long for your next intro to the work of winning socialism! The next session will be this Thursday, August 18 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister St – open to all, whether you’ve been in DSA for years or just started thinking of joining. See you there!

Reading Groups

Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations

The Ecosocialist Committee book club three-part discussion of Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations will conclude next Monday, August 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on Zoom.

Comrades,

Now that the Empty Homes Tax has successfully gotten on the ballot, we need to get the word out to the rest of the city! If you’re looking to get involved, the chapter is organizing weekly lit drops every Saturday at noon, with folks meeting up this coming Saturday, August 13 at Dolores Park on the corner of 19th and Dolores. Hope to see you all there!

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Events

🌹 Wednesday, 8/10 (6:45 p.m.-9:00 p.m.): DSA SF Chapter Meeting (Zoom and in person at the PSL office on 2969 Mission St)

🌹 Saturday, 8/13 (12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.): Empty Homes Tax Lit Drop (Dolores Park at the corner of 19th and Dolores)

🌹 Monday, 8/15 (6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.): Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations – Session Two (Zoom)

🌹 Thursday, 8/18 (6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.): What is DSA? (in person at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister St)

🌹 Monday, 8/22 (6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.): Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations – Session Three (Zoom)

For more events, click here.

Announcements

The August chapter meeting is tomorrow night!

Our August chapter meeting is tomorrow night, August 10 at 6:45 p.m. at the PSL office on 2969 Mission St! We’ll be getting together to talk chapter business, get updates from our priority campaigns, and discuss a few things we’ll need to vote on as a chapter. We’ll be discussing possible support of a ballot measure campaign to consolidate elections to boost voter turnout, and how we can better and more consistently define what an eligible voter is in DSA SF – can’t work on improving democracy outside unless we have it ironed out within the chapter!

We’ll also hear about a proposal to harness the energy around the Empty Homes Tax campaign to strengthen tenant organizing efforts. The Empty Homes Tax campaign has been a huge source of strength for the chapter this year – we’ll hear about how we can use this network of San Franciscans concerned about housing issues and turn that energy into a slumlord’s nightmare.

The meeting will be accessible both in person and on Zoom, and you can register for the Zoom meeting using the link below.

Opening on the Electoral Board!

Know someone you think should be involved in directing the chapter’s electoral efforts? There’s a spot open on the Electoral Board – candidates are being accepted now, and we’ll be filling that spot during the August chapter meeting tomorrow night. If you have someone you’d like to nominate, send names to steering@dsasf.org!

DSA SF is hiring a part-time volunteer coordinator for the Empty Homes Tax campaign!

Get paid to fight the speculators denying our neighbors housing! DSA SF is looking to hire a volunteer coordinator to help run the Empty Homes Tax campaign. This is a paid, part-time position that will work closely with the Electoral Board to ensure a smoothly run campaign. If this sounds interesting to you and you’re a member in good standing, check out the job description and instructions to apply below!

The next What is DSA? session is on Thursday, August 18

Missed our first ‘What is DSA?’ session? Won’t need to wait long for your next intro to the work of winning socialism! The next session will be on Thursday, August 18 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister St – open to all, whether you’ve been in DSA for years or just started thinking of joining. See you there!

Reading Groups

Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations

The Ecosocialist Committee book club three-part discussion of Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations will continue next Monday, August 15 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on Zoom. This will be the second of three sessions, with the last on Monday, August 22.

Comrades,

Our August chapter meeting is coming up, and we’ve got lots to talk about! Next Wednesday, August 10 at 6:45 p.m., we’ll be getting together to talk chapter business, get updates from our priority campaigns, and discuss a few things we’ll need to vote on as a chapter. We’ll be discussing possible support of a ballot measure campaign to consolidate elections to boost voter turnout, and how we can better and more consistently define what an eligible voter is in DSA SF – can’t work on improving democracy outside unless we have it ironed out within the chapter!

We’ll also hear about a proposal to harness the energy around the Empty Homes Tax campaign to strengthen tenant organizing efforts. The Empty Homes Tax campaign has been a huge source of strength for the chapter this year – we’ll hear about how we can use this network of San Franciscans concerned about housing issues and turn that energy into a slumlord’s nightmare.

The meeting will be accessible in person and on Zoom, and you can register for the Zoom meeting using the link below. There will be plenty to discuss – hope you can join us next Wednesday and be a part of the conversation!

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Events

🌹 Tuesday, 8/2 (7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.): Labor Notes Lessons Discussion and Happy Hour(discussion on Zoom followed by happy hour at Eli’s Mile High Club in Oakland at 9:00 p.m.)

🌹 Monday, 8/8 (6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.): Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations – Session One (Zoom)

🌹 Wednesday, 8/10 (6:45 p.m.-9:00 p.m.): DSA SF Chapter Meeting (Zoom and in person, location TBD)

🌹 Thursday, 8/18 (6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.): What is DSA? (in person at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister St)

For more events, click here.

Join the Comms Committee!

Want to help get the word out about the rad stuff the chapter gets up to? Join the Comms Committee! We’re looking for help with planning and creating posts for the chapter’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok accounts, fielding comms requests from other folks in the chapter, and editing and proofreading the weekly newsletter. And, we always love to hear fresh ideas about what else we could be doing to spread the good word of socialism throughout the City. Interested? Let us know at comms@dsasf.org or find us on Slack at #comms!

Announcements

Learn how we can move the labor movement in the Bay forward tonight!

After the largest-ever Labor Notes Conference last month in Chicago, union activists in the Bay Area are gathering on Zoom (with an in-person happy hour to follow) for Labor Notes Lessons tonight from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Union members will share what they learned at the Labor Notes conference in Chicago and plan next steps to build a stronger workers movement in the Bay!

All interested workers are welcome, whether they attended the Labor Notes conference or not. Hear from rank and file food service workers, transit workers, teachers and more about their takeaways from the Labor Notes Conference, share your own reflections, and learn about how to continue the momentum on a local level by planning a Bay Area Troublemakers’ School next year.

Happy hour to follow at 9:00 p.m. at Eli’s Mile High Club in Oakland!

Opening on the Electoral Board!

Know someone you think should be involved in directing the chapter’s electoral efforts? There’s a spot open on the Electoral Board – candidates are being accepted now, and we’ll be filling that spot during the August chapter meeting next Wednesday. If you have someone you’d like to nominate, send names to steering@dsasf.org!

DSA SF is hiring a part-time volunteer coordinator for the Empty Homes Tax campaign!

Get paid to fight the speculators denying our neighbors housing! DSA SF is looking to hire a volunteer coordinator to help run the Empty Homes Tax campaign. This is a paid, part-time position that will work closely with the Electoral Board to ensure a smoothly run campaign. If this sounds interesting to you and you’re a member in good standing, check out the job description and instructions to apply below!

The next What is DSA? session is on Thursday, August 18

Missed our first ‘What is DSA?’ session? Won’t need to wait long for your next intro to the work of winning socialism! The next session will be on Thursday, August 18 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the DSA SF office on 1916 McAllister St – open to all, whether you’ve been in DSA for years or just started thinking of joining. See you there!

Reading Groups

Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations

The Ecosocialist Committee book club three-part discussion of Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations is almost here! The discussion will take place over three sessions on the next three Mondays, August 8, August 15, and August 22, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on Zoom. Open to all!

Comrades,

This week, we want to celebrate one of the foundational members of DSA SF – Jenbo! Jenbo has helped build the chapter and champion socialism locally and nationally since DSA SF got started in 2017, serving on Steering Committee in 2018-2019 before representing the chapter on the DSA National Political Committee. During that time, we’ve seen so many victories for the movement in labor and at the ballot box. We got a socialist Dean Preston elected as district supervisor, helped fight for and win unionization at Anchor Brewing, established tenants’ right to counsel, kept tasers out of the hands of cops, and got Prop C passed to secure funding for housing from the pockets of San Francisco’s largest businesses.

Through it all, Jenbo has been unwavering in her support of the chapter and the fight for socialism. Here’s what comrades had to say:

Jenbo was one of the first comrades I met when I joined DSA SF. Since then, I’ve seen Jenbo grow and care for our chapter, as well as many of our comrades. I feel lucky to be able to work with her every day to keep up the fight inside and outside City Hall. – Melissa H.

Jenbo is an absolute treasure for DSA in San Francisco, Nationally, and at our Supervisor’s office. She’s the type to die with her boots on. I know I love her because when we disagree, it kills me. I never care when my enemies disagree with me, but I do when a socialist compass like Jenbo does. I trust her, I LIKE her, I consider her a real and true friend and comrade, which makes me feel very lucky. Jenbo forever, long live Jenbo. – Jen S.

We appreciate you, Jenbo!

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Events

🌹 Wednesday, 7/27 (6:00 p.m.): What is DSA? – an educational discussion (Zoom)

🌹 Friday, 7/29 (11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.): Celebrate Medicare’s 57^th Birthday and Protect Medicare from Wall Street Privatizers (SF Federal Building, 90 7th Street)

🌹 Tuesday, 8/2 (7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.): Labor Notes Lessons Discussion and Happy Hour(discussion on Zoom followed by happy hour at Eli’s Mile High Club in Oakland at 9:00 p.m.)

🌹 Monday, 8/8 (6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.): Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations – Session One (Zoom)

🌹 Wednesday, 8/10 (6:45 p.m.-9:00 p.m.): DSA SF Chapter Meeting (Zoom and in person, location TBD)

For more events, click here.

Free Muni Full Service Priority Launch!

The chapter’s Free Muni Full Service priority kicked off this past weekend, as we get ready for a long fight to win fair, accessible, and sustainable transit for all San Franciscans. We’re fighting for a San Francisco that works for everyone, so that working-class San Franciscans don’t have to endure a system that has long neglected lower-income areas, further burdening folks already struggling to survive in an unaffordable city.

We heard from people who will fight alongside us for a more just transit system – District 5 Supervisor Dean Preston, former State Senate candidate Jackie Fielder, SFMTA Citizens’ Advisory Council Member and transit advocate Chris Arvin, AC Transit Board At-large candidate Alfred Twu, Vice President of TWU Local 250A Pete Wilson, members of Senior and Disability Action Fran Taylor and Iris Biblowitz, as well as Free Muni Full Service organizers. Together with community members who have been disadvantaged by an expensive, inefficient, and unreliable transit system for too long, we’ll be reimagining what transit in San Francisco looks like, then we’ll be fighting for it for as long as it takes.

Ready to fight with us? Sign up for Free Muni Full Service updates here, or email freemuni@dsasf.org to get involved!

New to DSA? Find out what it’s all about tomorrow!

Join us on Zoom tomorrow, July 27 at 6:00 p.m. for our very first ‘What is DSA?’ discussion – an introduction to what the Democratic Socialists of America are all about, and a chance to discuss with other folks interested in or already in DSA. Whether you’re a new member, someone interested in socialism, or just need a refresher on what DSA is all about, feel free to join in!

Learn how we can move the labor movement in the Bay forward!

After the largest-ever Labor Notes Conference last month in Chicago, union activists in the Bay Area are gathering on Zoom (with an in-person happy hour to follow) for Labor Notes Lessons on Tuesday, August 2 from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Union members will share what they learned at the Labor Notes conference in Chicago and plan next steps to build a stronger workers movement in the Bay!

All interested workers are welcome, whether they attended the Labor Notes conference or not.
Hear from rank and file food service workers, transit workers, teachers and more about their takeaways from the Labor Notes Conference, share your own reflections, and learn about how to continue the momentum on a local level by planning a Bay Area Troublemakers’ School next year.

Happy hour to follow at 9:00 p.m. at Eli’s Mile High Club in Oakland!

Celebrate Medicare’s 57^th Birthday and Protect Medicare from Wall Street Privatizers

Celebrate a bastion of socialized health care in the Unites States, and demand that the powerful keep Medicare public! Join the Healthcare Committee at the S.F. Federal Building on 90 7th St this Friday, July 29 at 11:00 a.m. – there will be games, music, and food, and we’ll be delivering letters to Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, and to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, demanding they protect Medicare from Wall Street privatizers.

Our next chapter meeting is August 10th!

The August chapter meeting will be August 10 from 6:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., location TBD. The meeting will still be accessible on Zoom, as well. More details to come in the next couple of weeks, but register below if you plan to attend virtually!

Reading Groups

Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations

Please note: the start of the Ecosocialist Committee book club three-part discussion of Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations has been pushed back a little! The three sessions will now be on August 8, August 15, and August 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on Zoom. Open to all!

Comrades,

DSA SF is keeping the Empty Homes Tax campaign momentum going tomorrow night with a rager of a fundraiser party! Come to the Make Out Room tomorrow night, July 20, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. – there will be live music from Afterthought, Angalo, and Family Not a Group DJS, plus some sweet raffle prizes, including gift cards for Shuggie’s Pizza, vintage jewelry, wine from Bar Part Time, and more! It’s going to be a great time, and it’s going to get us closer to winning a huge victory in November. See you there!

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Events

🌹 Wednesday, 7/20 (6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.): Empty Homes Tax campaign fundraiser party (Make Out Room at 3225 22nd St.)

🌹 Saturday, 7/23 (12:00 p.m): Free Muni Full Service Priority Launch (Dolores Park)

🌹 Monday, 8/8 (6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.): Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations – Session One (Zoom)

For more events, click here.

Announcements

Help launch the Free Muni Full Service chapter priority this Saturday!

Want to get involved in one of our chapter’s newest priorities? Come help launch Free Muni Full Service! This Saturday, July 23 at 12:00 p.m., come to Dolores Park to learn what Free Muni Full Service is, how to get involved, and about continuing transit justice work happening in San Francisco. There will be light refreshments and hard asks – RSVP now!

Reading Groups

Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations

Please note: the start of the Ecosocialist Committee book club three-part discussion of Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations has been pushed back a little! The three sessions will now be on August 8, August 15, and August 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on Zoom. Open to all!

Comrades,

It’s time to show solidarity with our working class comrades  – let’s build class unity and consciousness with our labor brothers and sisters! Members of AFSCME 829 are going on strike on Monday, July 18 and need strike support from DSA. The strikers are Sequoia hospital workers in Redwood City, and Silicon Valley/Peninsula and EB DSA are all heading down – let’s be sure to show a little SF solidarity too.

Their staff organizer is also one of our very own DSA SF members – he’s hoping that his working class members meet DSA folks and get involved with our work. They need folks to show up at a rally at noon on Monday, July 18 at the Sequoia Hospital (170 Alameda de las Pulgas in Redwood City) to support and help get strikers plugged into the socialist movement.

But, as the strike goes on, they’ll need continued support. If Monday doesn’t work for folks, use this when2meet to add your availability, and we can coordinate our own contingent date for as long as the strike goes on – whatever it takes to get a win for labor! Want to show up? Call Jen at 510 367 1984 to coordinate a ride!

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Event Calendar

🌹 Wednesday, 7/13 (6:45 p.m-9:00 p.m.): July chapter meeting (in person at the PSL office on 2969 Mission St and Zoom)

🌹 Saturday, 7/16 (11:00 a.m): Empty Homes Tax Field Kickoff (Duboce Park, corner of Steiner and Duboce)

🌹 Monday, 7/18 (12:00 p.m): Sequoia Hospital Strike Kickoff (Sequoia Hospital, 170 Alameda de las Pulgas in Redwood City)

🌹 Saturday, 7/23 (12:00 p.m): Free Muni Full Service Priority Launch (Dolores Park)

🌹 Monday, 7/25 (6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.): Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations – Session One (Zoom)

For more events, click here.

Announcements

Our next chapter meeting is tomorrow, July 13!

The July chapter meeting will be tomorrow, July 13 from 6:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m – please note that the in-person meeting has changed venues, and will now be at the PSL office on 2969 Mission St. The meeting will still be accessible on Zoom, as well.

The Steering Committee would like members to be aware of three bylaws amendments coming up for consideration:

1. VOTE: Bylaws Cleanup Amendment presented by Sean T. at the June convention (more details on the DSA SF forum)
2. PRESENT: Standardize Eligibility Criteria Amendment also written by Sean T. (more details on the DSA SF forum)
3. PRESENT: YDSA Amendment written by Artem I (more details on the DSA SF forum)

Members who do not have access to the forum can email support@dsasf.org.

Join us for the Empty Homes Tax Field Kickoff this Saturday!

Now that our Empty Homes Tax signature drive has been successful, we need to begin the campaign to spread the word to the rest of the city. Join the Empty Homes Tax Campaign on Saturday, July 16 at 11:00 a.m. at Duboce Park on the corner of Steiner and Duboce and help us get the next phase of the campaign started on the right foot! This is going to be a huge event with speakers and press, so be sure to turn out and help us show that the people of SF want to pass a vacancy tax. Please note that the time and location has changed since the original announcement!

Help launch the Free Muni Full Service chapter priority next Saturday!

Want to get involved in one of our chapter’s newest priorities? Come help launch Free Muni Full Service! On Saturday, July 23 at 12:00 p.m., come to Dolores Park to learn what Free Muni Full Service is, how to get involved, and about continuing transit justice work happening in San Francisco. There will be light refreshments and hard asks – RSVP now!

Reading Groups

Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations

Join the DSA SF Ecosocialist Committee’s book club for a three-part discussion this summer. We’re reading and discussing Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations, and will be meeting on July 25, August 8, and August 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on Zoom. Open to all!

Comrades, 

The need for struggle is both clear and daunting – it is difficult to imagine a better future when that future seems more distant by the day. All the more important, then, is that we rise in rage and hope, making clear to those in power that the people will never idly accept the daily atrocities of capitalism. 

But, to realize a better world, we need to struggle together – and that means realizing a better DSA SF. At convention, our chapter adopted the A Better DSA SF is Possible resolution as one of its priority campaigns for the year. Building on the Black Liberation and Indigenous Sovereignty priority from last year, A Better DSA SF is Possible seeks to improve the chapter’s grievance processes while building a chapter culture that embraces political differences as a means to building consensus and a better-shared understanding of our movement. 

Socialism can only exist when we have communities built on trust and compassion. If you want to help make DSA SF that kind of community, please consider contributing to the priority. Fill out the form here, and be sure to attend the July chapter meeting on Wednesday, July 13, where we will be electing priority leads. You can read the full priority resolution here to learn more about what A Better DSA SF seeks to accomplish over the next year. And, if you want to nominate yourself or someone else as a priority lead or have further questions, you can email the Steering Committee at steering@dsasf.org. 

Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Events

🌹 Thursday, 6/30 (10:00 a.m): Empty Homes Tax Signature Turn-in (City Hall steps in front of Civic Center Plaza)

🌹 Monday, 7/4 (12:00 p.m): CCSF funding ballot measure signature gathering and SF Mime Troupe performance (Dolores Park)

🌹 Wednesday, 7/13 (6:45 p.m-9:00 p.m.): July chapter meeting (in person at 518 Valencia and Zoom)

🌹 Saturday, 7/16 (12:00 p.m): Empty Homes Tax Field Kickoff (Alamo Square on the corner of Scott and Hayes)

🌹 Monday, 7/25 (6:00 p.m.-7:15 p.m.): Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations – Session One (Zoom)

For more events, click here.

Announcements

Join us for the Empty Homes Tax Signature Turn-in this Thursday!

We did it! Join the Empty Homes Tax Campaign this Thursday, June 30 at 10:00 a.m. on the steps of City Hall in front of the Civic Center Plaza as we officially turn in our petitions to the Department of Elections for counting and validation. There will be a press event so we need as many people as possible to come out and show that there is strong support for a Vacancy Tax in San Francisco and that homes are for living, not for speculation!

But, the fight is far from over. With the successful signature gathering drive over, now begins the campaign to spread the word to the rest of the city. Join the Empty Homes Tax Campaign on Saturday, July 16 at 12:00 p.m. in Alamo Square on the corner of Scott and Hayes to kick off our field campaign. This is going to be a huge event with speakers and press, so be sure to turn out and help us show that the people of SF want to pass a vacancy tax!

Our next chapter meeting is on Wednesday, July 13!

Look for more details about the July chapter meeting soon, but the Steering Committee would like members to be aware of three bylaws amendments coming up for consideration:

1. VOTE: Bylaws Cleanup Amendment presented by Sean T. at the June convention (more details on the DSA SF forum)
2. PRESENT: Standardize Eligibility Criteria Amendment also written by Sean T. (more details on the DSA SF forum)
3. PRESENT: YDSA Amendment written by Artem I (more details on the DSA SF forum)

Members who do not have access to the forum can email support@dsasf.org.

Support CCSF and watch SF Mime Troupe’s new show at Dolores Park on July 4!

Come join the mobilization to gather signatures for the DSA SF-endorsed CCSF funding ballot measure in Dolores Park at noon on Monday, July 4. DSA SF and AFT 2121 are hosting a joint mobilization in support of the SFWERCS ballot measure to close the funding gap at City College.

We’re in the final stretch for signature collection! Pitch in to help get over the finish line. Afterwards, SF Mime Troupe will be performing their new musical “Back To The Way Things Were”. Hope to see you there!

Reading Groups

Ecosocialist Book Club: Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations

Join the DSA SF Ecosocialist Committee’s book club for a three-part discussion this summer. We’re reading and discussing Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò’s Reconsidering Reparations, and will be meeting on July 25, August 8, and August 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. on Zoom. Open to all! Register here.

Comrades, 

After months of hard work (and some barbecues!), we’ve finally hit our signature goal to get the Empty Homes Tax on the ballot! Big thanks to everyone who helped get us here and push this campaign forward, from our Signature Captains on down. We’re that much closer to making capital pay for keeping thousands of housing units away from our neighbors who need it most. 

As we move into the next phase of the campaign, it’s good to reflect on what a truly socialist response to the housing calamity we’re experiencing in the Bay Area and beyond looks like. Join DSA SF’s Empty Homes Tax signature captains this Sunday, June 26, at 2:00 p.m. PST for the third installment of the Socialist Answer to the Housing Crisis series. We will be focusing on a series of articles on housing justice and related issues.   

What has been the impact of privatizing affordable housing resources? What can we learn from the organizing efforts of Metro DC DSA’s Stomp Out Slumlords? Or the expropriation initiative in Berlin? And, most importantly, how can we apply those lessons to our present crisis here in the Bay Area? They will be important questions to answer as we continue to fight for not just the Empty Homes Tax, but a truly socialist future. You can access the reading list here, and register for this Sunday’s event using the link below!

 Solidarity,

DSA SF Comms Committee

Announcements

Help out a comrade in need!

As comrades, it’s important to support each other as we fight for a better world. DSA SF comrade Christopher M. needs your help to avoid eviction after receiving a 3-day eviction notice, cover food, medication co-pays, upcoming medical/dental bills, their storage space, studio space, and regular expenses. Christopher is the newly elected co-chair of the Homelessness Working Group, and has been instrumental in Hotels Not Hospitals, a DSA-endorsed project, which has housed people for nearly two years now. Please donate here if you can.