As a society, our decision to heap shame and contempt upon those who struggle and fail in a system designed to keep them locked up and locked out says far more about ourselves than it does about them.
â Michelle Alexander, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
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Hi John!
As usual, it's been a busy week for SV DSA!
đď¸ Our Socialist Feminist Working Group, along with Peninsula DSA, is getting ready for its Crisis Pregnancy Center Expose-athon on September 8. (Save the date!) CPCs portray themselves as medical centers, but are run by ultra-conservative groups that frequently lie about birth control, abortions, etc., to push an anti-abortion agenda. Want to get in on the Expose-athon planning? Scroll down for the details on SocFem's next meeting!
đ° Don't you hate it when your boss refuses to pay you? So do we! That's why our Labor Working Group is partnering with the Wage Theft Coalition to build a database of wage theft claims. If your boss has ever made you work without paying you (or without paying proper overtime rates), stolen tips, etc., email us at [email protected]. We also need people who want to help spread the word to other employees about their rights, and how to file wage theft claims!
đ Our Housing Working Group wants to expand tenant protections to more cities in the Bay Area - by getting them on the ballot for 2020. This is going to take a LOT of people power. Housing also needs some help next Monday with preserving rent control and tenant protections that have already been won in Mountian View - scroll down for more details!
đ Finally, Political Education started its next reading group, The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander. They're only a couple of chapters in, so there's still plenty of time to pick up a copy and catch up before the next session!
In Solidarity,
Your SV DSA Newsletter Team đš
Silicon Valley DSA is your local chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). We're a nationwide movement organizing for democratic socialism.
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- Two local activists were arrested during a peaceful demonstration on false and overblown charges, while speaking out against gentrification in San Francisco. Click here to donate to help cover bail funds and legal fees.
- We're continuing to educate the public and drive support for Medicare 4 All. To find out more about our latest tabling and community outreach events, email [email protected].
- We're also continuing to support the Amah Mutsun and the preservation of their sacred land, Juristac, just south of Gilroy. If you'd like to help get the word out against the proposed quarry, email [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.
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Last year, we fought against the "Sneaky Repeal" of the Mountain View Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act (CSFRA), which was passed as Measure V in 2016. The CSFRA, which gives Mountain View tenants the right to rent stabilization as well as just cause from evictions, is still under attack from landlords and the "Sneaky Repeal" has qualified to be on the ballot next year.
As we continue to mobilize for fair rent and tenants' rights, the Mountain View City Council aims to get a separate CSFRA "reform" package on the 2020 ballot. It has formed a subcommittee to do this, and if we want the Council-backed initiative to reflect the needs of our community, we need to make sure that subcommittee hears from more than just landlords!
The subcommittee will meet on Monday, August 19, at 7pm. Let's tell them how the CSFRA can actually be improved, such as by extending it to mobile homes or (as state law allows) to duplexes and single family homes!Â
- Before the meeting, the SV DSA Housing WG will host a meetup at 6pm in Pioneer Memorial Park, which is located between the Mountain View Library and City Hall, at the intersection of Church and Castro. Details here.
- There will be snacks, and together we will discuss our experiences and ideas. If you would like to give public comment during the meeting, this is a great opportunity to get some practice in!Â
- If you can't make it to our meetup before the subcommittee meeting, please join us at City Hall at 7pm. As this is a subcommittee meeting, and not a full City Council meeting, we expect it to be to the point and not overly long.
- All are welcome, and your perspective is especially important if you are a Mountain View tenant!
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Chapter Committee Meeting
August 12 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Details
Officers meet regularly to check in on all of our working groups and plan future events. If youâre interested in the nuts and bolts of chapter administration, or have questions for the officers, youâre welcome to attend. Just fill out this form for details!
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Ecosocialist Working Group
August 14 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Details
Join us for our monthly in-person meeting at St. Jude's Episcopal Church!
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Housing Working Group Meeting (SJ)
August 15 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Details
While this particular meeting is in San Jose, our working group is chapter-wide and weâll be discussing our work across Silicon Valley, so members outside of San Jose are also welcome. If you canât make it in person, we will also have a Zoom call-in option. All our meetings and events are always open to new members or those who are just curious about our work!
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Healthcare Working Group
August 15 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Details
Please join us as we continue our work for Medicare for All and health justice! Â We are planning tabling operations for the Berryessa Flea Market!
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Revolutionary Craft Caucus Meetup
August 17 at 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Details
We are meeting up to work on various sewing, knitting, and embroidery projects. Bring your ripped up jeans, shirts with missing buttons, or bags that could use an upgrade with socialist swag and we can help you learn how to mend and embellish them. If you have another hand-craft project you are working on please feel free to bring it along. Weâll have a sewing machine as well as scrap fabric, embroidery hoops, and a button maker, so if you donât have a project in mind we can help you start one!
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San Jose Food Not Bombs
August 18 at 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Details
Our aim is to collect food either from grocery stores, farmersâ markets, and through donations to reduce food waste and meet the direct need of our community by preparing vegan meals that we share with the hungry. We also need volunteers to help serve the day of.
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Socialist Feminist Working Group
August 19 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Details
Join our working group to discuss Socialist Feminist organizing!
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Endorsement and Campaign Finance Q&A
August 20 at 7:00 pm - 8:00pm
Details
At our next branch meetings, we'll be deciding whether or not to endorse Bernie Sanders and what that would mean for the chapter in terms of spending, resources, etc. Since campaign finance law + nonprofits = It's Complicated, we're hosting a Q&A in advance of the branch meetings where we can talk over the proposed endorsement plan and our options for structuring our local campaign work. We'll also be talking about campaign finance law in general, and how it would apply to local candidates, ballot initiatives, or any other campaign work we may take up over the next year.
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Labor Working Group (Cupertino)
August 21 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Details
Come join us for the next Labor Working Group meeting! Teachers, nurses, tech workers, and many more are organizing and building power across the Bay Area. Join us for debriefs, strategies, and plans!
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South Bay Indigenous Solidarity
August 22 at 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Details
South Bay Indigenous Solidarity (formerly Friends of Juristac) are volunteers who support the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band in their efforts to stop an extractive mining project at their most sacred site, Juristac. We need massive public support so our county supervisors will vote to protect Juristac and not side with big business!
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Support your local chapter
Membership dues mostly go to support national DSAâto support Silicon Valley DSA directly, set up voluntary local dues! We recommend you pay up to $5 monthly in national dues, if affordable, and reserve your additional generosity for the local. đš
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Organize a local meet-up
To win the world, we need to win our buildings, our neighborhoods, and our cities. If you want to start a DSA local meetup in your neighborhood, email us! This is a fun and easy way to connect local comrades and bring in new folks.
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Let's connect 1-on-1
Want to chat with one of our mobilizers to figure out ways to make a difference with DSA? Sign up here.
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Submit content!
- Newsletter & Events. Click here to submit an event, update, or call to action for next week's newsletter. Please submit it by Friday at 8pm. Accepted submissions will also go out on our calendar and social media.
- Twitter. Click here if you have a short message to publish on our Twitter.
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Questions?
If you have any questions, please reply to this email. đš
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