Dear Berkshires DSA Members,

In case you missed our Monthly Meeting Call on Thursday evening:

14 members met on Zoom <[link removed]>, a tool which National DSA uses
and we will continue to use for all events going forward during COVID-19
crisis.


Dan Raftery, outgoing Chapter Co-chair presided.


Participants went around and introduced themselves -- some members-- some
curious aboiut joining.


Amillie brought up Mutual Aid Network, as an example of the kind of
organizing our chapter can get behind in response to Covid-19 for our
community. Click here to be part of Mutual Aid conversation.
<[link removed]> (on Facebook)

Incoming Co-Chair Sid Rothstein suggested the idea of reading books online
for children at home to support parents who are staying at home. Books
suggestions included: The Giving Tree, This Land Is Your Land, Watership
Down.

If Kasey, Sid, who have interest, and anyone else would like to join- let's
set up a meeting on how we execute. To do this as a Chapter and plug the
chapter while doing this altruistic act is ideal.


The Nominations Committee (Amillie an Sandra Blomberg) listed the nominated
and asked if there were any more nominations (which there were not,
therefore no challenges) before the following were voted the new Executive
Committee by acclamation.


Sid Rothsetin - Co-Chair

Christian Kennedy - Co-Chair

Amillie Coster- Communications Coordinator (incumbent)

Jessica Cappelli - Treasurer Secretary


CONGRATS NEW EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE! 🌹
Participants then shared their thoughts on Bernie's campaign as it stands.
Consensus was that most were upset but hopeful that the movement will
continue as we continue to rise, especially through the DSA movement,
focusing on local elections, ecosocialism, worker's rights, etc.


John Prusinski highlighted the importance of staying committed to helping
our endorsed candidate for Congress, Alex Morse. The campaign is organizing
online canvassing/phonebanking. TOMORROW, Sunday the 22nd, he’s holding a
strategy call for Volunteer Leaders. To quote John, "...as a chapter we
should be following through on our principles and doing whatever we can to
help the campaign, so I hope as many of you as possible will be able to
attend."

Here’s the link to sign up: [link removed]

"Particularly in light of the situation with Bernie’s campaign, it’s
becoming ever more crucial that we support left candidates at the local
level. If we really intend to be part of building a mass movement that can
change society, this is where it starts."

Amillie is Berkshire County's YDSA Liason and is coordinating with National
DSA to the resources she needs to support students in forming YDSAs at our
local educational institutions. Williams and SImon's Rock have students
wanting to organize, however, COVID-19 and their relocation and isolation
is obviously making this challenging.

As our Socializing with Socialists and Berkshires DSA Film Society events
cannot continue at this time, we came up with ideas on how we can still
socialize online.

Many are interested in organizing reading/theory groups online. Anyone who
wants to take the lead on this is welcome, and Amillie can help get the
world out on our social media channels/email.
Sid suggested a Mutual Aid phonebanking tree so that we could reach out to
our own members to ask if they are ok and find out if they need anything so
we can support them in solidarity.

Kasey Rogers suggested organizing a roundtable podcast. Several members are
interested in helping her.


Brian (outgoing Treasurer/Secretary) will be moving the TD Ameritrade bank
account to Jessica.


Since Thursday, our ACCREW Caucus announced the two series that they will
be co-hosting with the Falsework School
<[link removed]>
:


*Saturday Studio Sessions*
<[link removed]>: "We are a moving site
of alternative and egalitarian community education in art, culture, and
politics. We host pop-up community days of study at various locations such
as the Town Hall (Richmond, MA), Norman Rockwell Museum (Stockbridge, MA),
Berlin Transmediale (Berlin, Germany), University of Granada (Granada,
Spain), Time Space Limited (Hudson, NY), and more--now, virtually, in the
times of corona."


*Timescapes on Tuesdays
<[link removed]>:* Online conviviality
with something to listen and something to watch.
Details at [link removed]
<[link removed]>


Solidarity and Sunshine,


Amillie Coster

Communications Coordinator

Berkshires DSA

--
Please note that this is a closed group, and all messages posted to this group should be considered private to the group. NEVER repost, forward, or share any message from this list without the express permission of the original poster.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Berkshire Democratic Socialists of America" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit [link removed].